Part 1 – Plot questions
Part 2 – Character questions
Part 3 – Pelletier questions
Part 4 – World questions
Part 5 – Temporis questions
Part 6 – Gripes
Character questions
Why don’t Hannah and Amanda get along?
Well, for starters, they had a bit of a fractured upbringing, in which their parents gave them unequal amounts of love. Amanda was always Daddy’s Girl while Hannah was the center of her mother’s world. They also have fundamental personality differences which, as almost any sibling can tell you, is like a form of Chinese water torture. Even little issues can build up over time into something truly infuriating.
But the biggest factor of all, as far as The Flight of the Silvers goes, is the sheer trauma of their predicament. They watched their whole world die. Now they’re superpowered freaks being hunted on an alien Earth. That’s a stressful situation by anyone’s definition, and some siblings have a tendency to squabble during stressful situations.
However, the Given adapt by the end of the book and find themselves in a much stronger place with each other. They don’t have a single fight in The Song of the Orphans. So there.
What’s the problem in Amanda’s marriage?
Amanda fell for a man who was basically a cheap plastic knockoff of her father, which is never healthy. Derek, in turn, merely wanted a fawning young bride to look up to him. Unfortunately, as Amanda got older and less starry-eyed, their relationship began to deteriorate in numerous ways, until they both quietly grew to resent each other.
On hindsight, I should have illustrated this better in the narrative. Suffice it to say Amanda still bears the scars from her marriage.
Why is David so calm and well-adjusted when Mia and Amanda first meet him in Chapter 6? Didn’t he just lose his world too?
As you know by now, David’s a unique individual. He keeps his emotions close to the vest. But as Melissa Masaad proves in a later chapter, it is indeed possible to get under his skin.
You’ll learn a lot more about David in The Song of the Orphans. He gets put to the test in ways you haven’t seen in the first book.
Why is Theo such a raging alcoholic mess when we first meet him?
He burned out as a law school prodigy, then got into a car accident that claimed the life of his girlfriend. Safe to say he has self-loathing issues.
Why did Hannah cut her wrists when she was 13?
As Theo correctly surmises, it has much to do with the death of her father the year before.
Why does it take Theo so long to realize he’s an augur?
His lingering damage from the coma caused his talents to emerge slower than usual. Also: his power isn’t as cut and dry as the others. For all he knew, his premonitions were just the work of an overactive imagination.
David clearly has a strong fondness for Mia, but it seems very ambiguous in nature. Does he have romantic feelings about her too?
It’s a distinct possibility. Then again, he could just adore her as a friend. You’ll find out for sure in The Song of the Orphans.
Will we ever see or hear more about Peter’s teenage son?
Yup. Liam Pendergen becomes a full-fledged member of the cast in the next book, though it might not be a pleasant introduction.
Why does Theo get such cold feet about romancing Hannah in Chapter 22?
Because he’s starting to see the potential of falling for Hannah, even when she remains dead set on keeping their relationship a fling. If that wasn’t bad enough, his augur sense keeps filling him with vague notions of doom, primarily problems with Azral.
Of course rather than being honest about his concerns, he pulls away in pure Theo fashion. These are not perfect characters.
If Hannah’s so determined to keep things casual, why does she freak out when Theo tries to end things?
Because with all the trauma and uncertainty, she’s hanging onto her sanity by a thread. She feels she needs the familiarity of intimacy to hold herself together. Even on the new world, Hannah’s the victim of old patterns.
She’s learned from the Theo situation though, and will be in a much better headspace in The Song of the Orphans. Her next relationship will be a lot more easygoing…in some respects.
David really shows his dark side when he helps to rescue Amanda and Theo from the Deps. What’s going on with him?
He’s been angry ever since Amanda took Theo to the health fair, despite his many warnings. He’s taken it upon himself to keep all his companions alive, but it’s getting harder and harder, especially when no one listens to him.
Also, Melissa did a bang-up pushing his emotional buttons.
Why are some future selves so cruel and nasty to Mia?
Like Peter says in the final chapter, there’s no worse combination than adolescence and time travel. A girl as insecure as Mia would get her fair share of self-hate mail. Aren’t there times you want to yell at your younger self?
But as it stands, the Future Mias have one very good reason to look down on her. She’ll find out what it is in The Song of the Orphans.
Why does Zack get all pissy with Amanda at the Commemoration parade?
He sees the hesitation on her face and, being the cynic he is, he assumes she’s merely having fickle second thoughts about their relationship. So he does the typical Zack thing and pulls away before she can hurt him.
Why do Hannah and Amanda choose to believe Evan when he tells them the world is ending in Chapter 34? With his track record, you’d think they’d be more skeptical.
They don’t fully embrace his word as the gospel. They’re mostly waiting for Peter to confirm or deny it. But after a shitty day like the one they’re having, the mere possibility is enough to rattle them.
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Plot questions | Character questions | Pelletier questions | World questions | Temporis questions | Gripes
