As promised, a post for you to talk to your heart’s content about Rites of Spring (Break). Comment here if you want to register your surprise that George turned out to be an alien,* your excitement that Amy switched from Literature major to Pre-Med,** and your enthusiasm over the fact that Demetria stole Lydia’s boyfriend.***
Or, you know, whatever really happened.
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* Um, no.
** Hell, no.
*** Can’t even tell you how much no.
June 25th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Okay, I’ll go first. Poe. Really? Like, REALLY? Why, Amy, why?
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June 25th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Okay, and then I’ll chime in with a hearty, “Go Team Poe!” I don’t know why, but I’ve had a thing for him since the first book.
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June 25th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Of course, this might kill my theory that Poe is Gryffindor. Maybe *I* am Slytherin.
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June 25th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
DOH! This will teach me for clicking on the spoiler thread before I have read the book…
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June 25th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Diana!! You hinted that something was up with the blog, and led to wordpress, which I then bookmarked.
Except that one hasn’t been updated! I didn’t think you’d stop blogging for two weeks so I went back to blogspot and it directed me here. Nice site, and I don’t even like orange. Must go check out the backlog of posts now. *G*
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June 25th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
I must agree with Trish, “Go Team Poe!” I have been rooting for his character since the first book.
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June 25th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
I was so happy she wound up with Poe. That’s what I was hoping for since Book #1.
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June 25th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
I’ve always lurked prior to this…but here are some thoughts.
Well, I finished ROS(B) at 2AM on the 24th (gotta love Sony Reader) and I am such a Poe fan, and always have been. I’ve always felt he was a bit “doth protest too much” about Amy. Here’s hoping one of them doesn’t bonehead it all up in book 4 (love that first chapter!!!), but with the two of them I’m sure *some* boneheadiness will be flying.
Brandon is so not worth the tears she spent on him. His girlfriend, Felicity, needs to get hers in book 4.
I kinda of missed the interaction between Josh and Amy in this book, their mutual Lydia connection always made reading the two of them great. I like that George is making an effort to be Amy’s friend and hope that she takes his Olive Branch.
I sense backstory on the implied friendship with Poe and Odile.
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June 25th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
I agree, Shannon. Brandon is annoying and definitely not worth it. George is much better friend material than boyfriend material. And Poe and Amy have both been protesting too much, lol. Plus, they are so perfectly suited for each other. I think Malcolm sees the same qualities in both of them.
I totally missed the Poe and Odile conection you mentioned — probably read it too fast. But this is a book that will be fun to reread at my leisure.
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June 25th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
Phyllis, when they are setting up to do the skit, Odile runs up and easily calls him Jamie, says she’s glad to see him there and did he want to be in the skit. Amy takes a beat and wonders when they became friends. Considering all of the other hostility towards Poe by the D177’s it made me wonder too.
Also LOVE the jealousy moment Amy had over Malcolm whispering to Poe when Odile was arriving.
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June 25th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Shannon, I know, that was so great (the jealousy moment).
Now I remember when Odile runs up to him You’re right! Must be something there . . .
Did Clarissa take a job as Jenny’s CFO? There was that comment when she messed up her manicure at Habitat for Humanity, and I thought I must have missed something earlier.
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June 25th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Trish, now I’m very curious why you vote Griffindor.
Patrick, Patrick, *Patrick.* It’s not like you weren’t warned!
Jess, sorry about that. I thought we’d just use the other wordpress import, but apparently we just imported again. I’ll probably be deleting that one. This is the blog from now on.
Wow, Shannon. 2AM! I’m flattered. Yes, Lydia and Josh are back in book 4, as you can tell from the chapter preview. They were around for the first half of ROSB, but I thought they needed some couple time.
As for Poe and Odile, the answer is in UTR.
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June 25th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
*sigh* now I will have to re-read UTR tonight!
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June 25th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Me, too, Shannon.
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June 25th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Alternately, read Page 256 of ROSB. Odile explains it about a third of the way down the page.
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June 25th, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Oh, yea, now I remember.
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June 25th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Diana, for as dark and Slytherin as Poe is, I’ve always had this feeling that he had a heroic Gryffindor inside him.
(By the way, for anyone on Facebook who collects “pieces of flair” if you search Secret Society Girl, you MIGHT find a Team Poe button. Not that I’d know anything about it.)
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June 25th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Okay, so the second I read the comment Amy made about Poe’s shoulders in UTR I knew they were going to be together…which is fantastic I am totally Team Poe!!! The boy just wants to be loved!
And thats fine by me, I like a healthy banter between a couple, it shows they have a humor.
P.S. if you ever plan on making these fantastic books into movies, I have already found the perfect Poe http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1262720512/nm1197529
Kristopher Turner from the Canadian melo-drama Instant Star, I think it’s fate that his character’s name in the show is Jamie!
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June 25th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Jane, he’s pretty close to the Poe in my head. Especially when he’s not smiling.
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June 25th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Also a lurker (except for once) and I too polished off the book in 24 hours. Despite a full time job as a newly minted Attorney. I’m sure my boss would be super happy to know that. I have no clue what I am going to do with myself for the next year….
Soooo happy about the Poe situation. And having read certain references to Veronica Mars and the Logan character in previous blogs, I can see some similarities to the “previously hated, now loved” character (at least by Amy). It is obviously not identical…but being a fan of the books and the show….I am equally happy with the current turn of romantic events as I was the day Logan and Veronica kissed on that ledge.
I really wish the series didn’t have to come to a conclusion…I am still going through withdrawal from VM.
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June 25th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Eh, I still think Poe is a Slytherin. I mean, you can have elements of the others (Hermione being so Ravenclawish and all) but I think it’s all about your dominant personality trait.
I don’t know this pieces of flair thing. I do know you can get team poe shirts at cafe press, though…
Jane, he’d be great! Like Trish, I had to check out the ones where he wasn’t smiling. The eyes are the right color, the hair is especially Poe-ish, I think.
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June 25th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
I really hope no feels stymied by the fact that I’m here too. It’s a bit line an online book club, I think, and I love going to talk to book clubs.
Hi, Becky! Thanks for reading, and condolences on that whole attorney thing. (Kidding, kidding. I’m married to one. Mint hasn’t happened yet — the bar’s pretty soon, though!)
Oh yeah, Logan and Veronica were definitely an inspiration, though I sometimes wonder if I wasn’t so into that relationship because I was already writing one like that. Then again, there’s a fabulous tradition of contentiousness in romantic relationships. Darcy and Lizzie. Stuff like that.
I think the most Loganish thing Poe has done yet is punch Micah in the face. Logan has major impulse control issues. Poe’s practically the opposite. It’s Amy you gotta worry about.
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June 25th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Is there a link for the cafepress site?
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June 25th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Awesome Kristopher Turner is who I thought of while I was reading the UTR and ROSB, I’m happy to hear you agree! Now get cracking on those movies!!! lol
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June 26th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Ok, I finished last night and summer 09 is waaay too far away! I loved the Poe stuff, honestly I never once believed as a bad guy even after everything he did with Elysion, I figured all would be explained in the end. In terms of other characters I have to say I felt confused by George this book, he didn’t seem like himself, but maybe he’s finally growing up. I saw the Darren thing coming though, even the drinks vs. the lobster, I was very impressed with myself : D
And now that we’ve officially completed Amy’s damsel in distress quota can she kick some major ass next book? Just an observation : )
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:17 am
This is who I picture, but this other guy works, too. I clearly don’t watch enough Canadian television!
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:19 am
You don’t think swimming, at night, with a phobia of the water, while tied up *and* roofied is ass-kicking? Laurie, you’re a tough crowd.
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:30 am
hmmm I like your guy as well Diana, I just enjoy a stronger jaw I guess lol. I guess it is all preference! Of course I am also a little biased considering I think Kristopher Turner is so cute
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:36 am
I became a HUGE fan of this series when I picked up SSG at a local bookstore, about a month before UTR came out. This is probably my second favorite series, next to Harry Potter
I was SOOO happy that Poe and Amy got together. I was praying for that since the middle of UTR, when they teamed up. They definitely are perfect for each other, and I think Malcom saw that, hence convinced Amy to go to Poe for help. I can’t wait for the next one. Summer 2009 seems too long away!
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:36 am
I felt sorry for Amy and her heartache over Brandon, but the funny (as in peculiar) thing is that *she* tossed *him* over, and only wanted him so badly once she couldn’t have him. Is that human nature, or what?
As for Poe, I’d always thought of him as creepy and not very good-looking, but by the opening scenes of SSG4 he’s suddenly a tall, dark, and handsome Eli Law student. Also, his sudden vulnerability in ROSB (as in carrying a secret torch for Amy) surprised me. I guess people change, but in his case it seemed more like doing a 180. However, as long as Amy’s happy, I am, too!
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June 26th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Bill, it’s funny how your personal opinion of a person can color the way you look at them. Amy disliked Poe, so she chose to focus on all his negatives, like his truly awful clothing. Since all you ever see is her perspective, it’s tough to tell, objectively, whether or not someone is attractive unless she herself is talking about it (as she does with George). You never see her speculate on whether or not Josh is attractive, or Micah, though clearly other characters are really into those boys.
I think it’s possible to have a mental image of Poe that’s not evident in the text, or is even contrary to the text. (For instance, there’s a scene early in UTR where the Diggirls sit around and speculate that Poe took up body building over the summer, because he’s so buff).
It’s just the way of things. People you dislike become ugly in your eyes, and vice versa.
Is he dark in the beginning of SSG4? Must be all the tanning on Cavador Key!
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June 26th, 2008 at 10:38 am
I sort of agree with Bill. Not that I ever pictured Poe to be ugly exactly, but more on the thin, intellectual type, and maybe not tooo handsome. As the story with him and Amy progressed during UTR I started seeing him in my mind as more attractive. But now with these suggested pictures of him, it definitely changes my image of him, and I feel like I could go back and re-read the books (or at least the last two) with this new picture in my mind and have a completely different reading experience this time around.
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June 26th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Um, not dark, I guess. Lydia says:
“You have a boyfriend. I leave you alone for two weeks and you have a boyfriend. And he’s cute! And he’s tall! And he’s at Eli Law, which means he’s brilliant, to boot!”
Needless to say, I saw Poe through new eyes (Literally – Lydia’s) with these words. And thus, Diana, you brilliantly prove your point that the eyes through which I’d been seeing him in SSG and UTR (Amy’s) were slightly jaundiced, as it were.
Love this sticky post!
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June 26th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Becky, I picture him as the slim intellectual type, too, whch I htink is why everyone was so surprised to keep him come back from summer break with big shoulders.
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June 26th, 2008 at 11:47 am
a year is so far away!
i enjoyed it, it was definitely a different format than the previous ones, but this was not bad thing because it became almost less predictable. only issues that really stood out to me was the total dismissal of poe in the beginning with his head after those first couple pages, and how malcolm almost felt like a different person.
but obviously, i really enjoyed it if i bought it the first day it came out.
and i did! and a year is going to be a pretty long wait.
i’m curious as how you’re going to take their relationship into the next book, as the ending of this one i could see as being a perfectly good ending if it wasn’t that they had to do the taps [ i would have been sad not to see what happens, but as a book it definitely works as an ending ] also. seeing what happens AFTER eli, also seems like it’d be pretty rad to see. r&g in the real world without college, you know?
anyway, i loved it, it was awesome.
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June 26th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
I agree with Bill in the beginning I didn’t even bother picturing Poe as attractive, but sometimes when you dislike someone, it’s hard to see whats good about them.
And besides the body-building comment, she said he nise soulders in UTR. Thats when I started thinking about how he could be attractive
Becky I reread the UTR with my Poe image and I liked it better haha, I’m a visual person.
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June 26th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
It’s funny, I think, how some of Poe’s characteristics in the first book are perceived negatively by Amy, but once she likes him, they are assets. For example, what she sees as bossiness and is annoyed by in book 1 becomes authoritativeness she finds attractive by book 3. It’s the same characteristic, though.
Also, even in book 1, Poe is shown in a favorable light at the big confrontation when he suddenly admits that Amy was right.
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June 26th, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Poe in SSG was very unattractive (to Amy). But UTR, at least once as Amy was warming up to him, she had to remind her self that she didn’t like him even if he had nice shoulders, I kind of think that was maybe her internal way of softening toward him.
He made a statement to her in UTR that I always wondered if it wasn’t a double entendre on his part. Where he tells her she doesn’t want to know what he thinks of her.
Malcolm confused me a little bit as to if he was rooting for Poe and Amy, trying to throw them together, or if he truly thought it was a mistake.
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June 26th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Go Poe!!!!! I was rooting for him since the second book and my roommate just sort of looked at me because I kept squealing and jumping up and down.
Malcom did confuse me. Was he totally against Amy and Jamie or was he sunbtly pushing them together. I’m going to re read so maybe I will get another idea.
No idea what I’m going to do for the next year either. Any suggestions?
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June 26th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
I’m really loving this discussion! I think it definitely helps me “get into the mindset” while I’m writing SSG4. (I also have to try very hard not to say, “Well, that will all make sense when XYZ happens…”
It’s interesting to me. When I spoke to people after the first book, they used to ask me if Poe was gay and in love with Malcolm. After the second book, they started asking me if he was in love with Amy. Your interpretations of an action can change so much the more you know about them.
I can talk about Malcolm and lay out my interpretation and why I made the choices I did, but your interpretation is also valid. I think it’s possible he was a bit confused about what was the right choice for two people that he obviously cares a lot about.
When he encourages Amy to go to Poe for help in UTR, he is pretty much passing the buck. He clearly can’t help her from a fishing boat in Alaska, and he knows Poe’s a capable guy. I don’t think he knows about Elysion at all. It’s likely (in my head this is what happens, but obviously Amy doesn’t know this) that Poe has been whining to Malcolm about how the knights kicked him out of the tomb. Malcolm feels bad. I think he would be happy if they buried the hatchet.
In ROSB, Amy asks him point blank about Poe’s feelings for her. He’s put on the spot, and he’s torn between keeping Poe’s confidence and his big sib relationship with Amy. In his mind, there’s no chance they would actually get together, because he knows how Amy feels about Poe. And he (rationally and perhaps rightly) believes that given Amy’s trainwreck romantic history, if she *did* pursue his very good friend, things would end poorly, and it would be *Poe* with the broken heart. He’s very clear about how Amy should NOT do anything with the info he gives her. If anything, I think he’s warning her here to be careful not to lead Poe on.
But at the same time, he knows that Poe is a grown man fully capable of making his own mistakes. I know very few guys who will actually take their guy friend who is having fun aside and go “Stay away from that woman.” (I know some who *should* but that’s another story…)
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June 26th, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Comment getting long…
Anyway, that’s my interpretation, but it’s not the only one. You can also interpret it that Malcolm is a secret romantic who knows that the second he tells Amy she can’t have that puppy in the window, all she’ll want is a puppy. Or maybe he’s actually an evil mastermind aware of Darren’s wicked plans and knows the only way Amy will survive her coming trials is if she learns how to swim, and the only way to get her in the water is by bribing her with kisses — and of course HE won’t be the one kissing her, so…
Okay, now I’m just getting silly.
Anyway, unlike most of Amy’s other friends who think she and Poe are a bad idea, I think Malcolm believes it’s a bad idea for *Poe* whom he cares about a lot — in a friend way. Sorry, Malcolm/Poe shippers. There’s nothing going on there.
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June 26th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
Personally, I think Malcolm is a bit nervous about the whole thing. If Poe has such strong feelings for Amy, then she can hurt him. I don’t think Malcolm wants to see either of his friends in pain,that’s why he is so cautious. I’m glad they are attempting a relationship in SSG4 though (loved the excerpt). It’s good to see Amy trying to have a mature relationship.
Brandon was not worth the tears. And his girlfriend. She needs a therapist, she has some serious issues.
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June 26th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Ever since Amy noticed Poe’s shoulders when he took off his shirt in UTR (right?) I’ve always imagined him as the small, yet strong type. I mean, he’s done gardening stuff. That’s not for sissies and it builds nice shoulders.
Also, Diana, I like your Poe picture. He’s closer than the Kristopher guy to the Poe in my head.
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June 26th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
I really can’t believe I am posting again, but ohhh how I love these books.
On the Felicity issue….I have to disagree with the therapy comment. Here is how I read the situation with the three involved parties, and obviously, Diana (weird to be saying that on a first name basis level), can def. disagree with me… but I saw Felicity as a very determined and in love girl. I think she was rightly upset about Amy’s potential role in Brandon’s life, seeing as how he apparently was very weak when it came to Amy, and that if Felicity’s actions had instead been Amy’s – we all likely would have been rooting for her usage of the secret society in retaliation – sort of like how Rose and Grave treated Micah in some respects. Felicity may be somewhat uptight socially, and she def. did take the tricks too far at a certian point, but when she came forward to make the Amy-only attack truce, I thought she seemed pretty reasonable. Amy wasn’t doing a good thing by messing around with Brandon like that (even if nothing progressed too far). And the other thing is that I never really felt like Amy did it out of any true emotion other than lonliness. There was that whole part about Lydia and Josh being romantic and couply and how bad Amy felt. Winter time in the Northeast can be especially cold, gray and miserable, and Valentines Day can surely highlight that for anyone not in a relationship. I think Amy jumped upon an opportunity to be with someone that she felt secure with and wanted by, to wipe away that lonliness. If she had ever really been that devasted by Brandon, she would never have so easily slipped into this new relationship with Poe.
At least that is how I saw it….
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June 26th, 2008 at 6:23 pm
totally posting again.
from the commentary above, this made me remember something i had been thinking earlier.. someone mentioned how amy was finally tackling a mature relationship by seeking out poe, and i definitely think this was true.. especially in the sense of the fact that while she wanted brandon, and assumed he would be the best boyfriend she would have, he never really pushed her, and gave her room to grow. while poe on the otherhand [ tempted to type jamie as i love that name, and its also the name of my cat. well technically his name is jamison, but i digress. ] from UTR was pushing forward and getting her to actually question preconceived notions and goals she had for her self. yes, she had the internship, but would she actually have the courage to pursue grad school if someone, namely poe, told her it was alright to switch your futureplan?
anyway, what im trying to say is that every conversation between them doesn’t seem as surface / lacking depth as it was with her and brandon. it just feels like its more of a balanced relationship in terms of growth, probably why i’m a fan of it.
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June 26th, 2008 at 8:36 pm
I’m so excited about Amy & Poe. I always thought they had something between them and I’m glad they are finally both giving into it.
Brandon is a wuss and totally deserves Felicity if he can be more of a man. He can’t even break up with a girl when he doesn’t have true feelings because he is afraid to hurt her. Poor Felicity having a man settle(although she is a major witch, so I don’t feel too bad for her).
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Malcolm could go either way. Having had it happen to me it can be rather nerve-racking when two of your closest friends date, if it goes bad you get stuck in the middle, but Malcolm’s been stuck in the middle since the get go.
It’s one of my favorite SSG lines,when Amy asks Malcolm is Poe is gay,and he replies “he’s a little twisted, but otherwise straight as a rod” I never fail to have a HA! moment.
Diana, I must say in response to your earlier statement, I love having your feed back. Reading these books the characters come alive in my head, and it’s nice getting feedback from their owner on if my picture is similar.
on the comments of Brandon vs Poe for Amy. I draw to this. My mother once told me after I broke up with a boyfriend, that he wasn’t for me. I needed to find a guy as strong-minded I was, who would stand up to me and not let me get away with everything. Brandon let Amy get away with everything, Poe doesn’t.
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
I keep giggling over the fact that we all call him Poe instead of Jamie.
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June 26th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Jamie is my best friend’s 6 year-old son, and Poe is just way more sexy a name.
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June 26th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
I’ve been wondering since I first read SSC who Poe’s tap was. If I have to guess I’d say Josh, but I’ve not seen him have any of a Big sib relationship with anyone.
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June 27th, 2008 at 1:18 am
Ohmygoodness, I finished it last night and loved it so very, very much. I’m all about the Poe. So please, Diana, please, don’t let Amy break his heart in book 4. They must stay together. They’re good for each other and I think Amy is growing up and will continue to with this relationship. Plus, he needs her. He deserves to be happy.
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June 27th, 2008 at 3:21 am
This is all so interesting to me — I totally see your points, S and shannon, about the different kinds of relationships you have with different people. I definitely had boyfriends who were “bad” for me as a growing human.
I really love becky’s interpretations of felicity’s behavior.
Oh, no one is giving Brandon a break! Poor B!
Shannon: Poe’s tap is discussed more in the final book, but you can probably figure it out from SSG. (not…saying…more…)
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June 27th, 2008 at 9:56 am
Go Poe!
I’m so happy he and Amy are together!
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June 27th, 2008 at 10:52 am
I like Brandon, Diana — I just don’t think he’s right for Amy. IMO, Brandon was doing a lot of secondguessing about how he treated Amy (making her choose between him and the secret society), and was probably revisisting those issues once he got involved with another girl in a secret society (Felicity). I think Brandon was looking for some sort of closure on his relationship with Amy, but he really is in love with Felicity.
Personally, I like Felicity alot. She knows what she wants and she goes after it, and she wasn’t about to let Brandon cling to his old girlfriend while dating her. She made Brandon choose, and it was up to him whether to commit to her or walk away.
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June 27th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Trish, I know what you mean. I keep calling him Poe in my head too, which means
JamieAmy keeps calling him Poe, which she really kind of needs to get over, I think.[Reply]
June 27th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Alternately, she could keep calling him Pajamie. Hehe.
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June 27th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
True Trish! I kept trying to call him Jamie but then I would read SSG1 again and I would be calling him Poe.
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June 27th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Hi, Diana! I’m a brazillian girl and I read your first book yesterday (yes, all of it. I couldn’t stop!). I just need to say how much I love it! I’m a big fan of yours and I’m going to buy the other books in English (so I don’t have to wait the translation to portuguese).
Sorry for the wrong words or sentences, as I said, I’m brazillian and I’m not sure if I really can speak English.
Anyway, CONGRATULATIONS and, OMG, I’m really excited about the books.
OH! My name is Clarissa and I have many things in common with your character; loved her! The book made me cry and made me smile. Thank you
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June 27th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Diana,
I want to join everyone in applauding ROS(B). I have been dying for this book to be released and it did not disappoint in any respect (well, lack of sex, but I’ll live). I too read it the evening I bought it, and I’ve re-read it several times since. I can’t wait for the next book to see what happens with Amy and Pajamie! One request–please, please, PLEASE do not turn him into a tree! =)
p.s.–love the anti-spam words.
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June 27th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
I thought it was good that Brandon was kinda brought back, I didn’t have closer from the way Amy and him had ended either. lol As for Felicity I couldn’t help but think that after the conversation she has with Amy , that this won’t be the last we see from her, especially with the letter from Dragon Head at the tomb while they were at the Key. Just a thought…
And as I have already said I adore Poe as well, Diana don’t break them up!
(of course anything you decide is your choice, I’m just saying lol)
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June 27th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
I’ve read the comments a few times, and I agree with everyone that is happy that Amy has ended up with Poe/Jamie. I randomly picked up the first book at the bookstore earlier this year but didn’t read it until this summer, when I promptly finished it off in one night, staying up until 3 AM to do it (I couldn’t put it down!). Then I picked up UTR the next day and then waited impatiently for two weeks until ROS(B) came out. I don’t know what I’m going to do if I have to wait a whole year until the fourth one!
As for Brandon, I agree with the earlier poster that mentioned that Brandon may have just needed to get Amy out of his system before staying with Felicity. Though part of me does think that he never really accomplished it and it’ll be interesting to see if Brandon has any sort of interaction with our new couple in the next book.
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June 28th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Oh, man!!! I just finished it and I loved it (as usual). I’ve been rooting for Poe ever since he was introduced as Poe!
(I admit, I have a ‘thing’ for E.A.P. & all boys dark, broody, and moody.)
I’m content… Until I start thinking it’s going to be a whole year before I get to read up on the (mis)adventures of Bugaboo. Now, with the perfect Plus-One.
*g*
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June 29th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Just finished and I RACED through the first chapter of the next book…I am SO glad you didn’t skimp on the details, Diana. I needed to know that Poe and Amy made out insanely right after that ending. I’ve been squeeing (and kissing my own boyfriend in celebration) all afternoon!
I have also been rooting for Poe since the first book…the way Malcolm talked about him, and the way he TOTALLY protested too much…I love the fact that he never had a girlfriend in college. He was just waiting for the right one. =) I also love the fact that he was so against Amy as a knight–she totally proved herself to him, and there was total Darcy like admiration (and love) in him. I am SO excited.
Count me as one of the crew who thinks that Brandon is the pits at this point…the fact that he is even dating Felicity after the stunt she pulled is disgusting. I thought it was pretty noble of him to agree never to see Amy again so that the “campaign” would stop, but since they now seem so “happy,” I’m fairly disgusted. I’m amazed by the fact that Felicity’s scheme actually worked–you’d think that if Brandon was thinking about Amy so much, he wouldn’t just abruptly stop. But that’s for the next book, I hope. That said, I do like Brandon, but I think, like a lot of other people, that he doesn’t push her like Poe does…Amy needs to be challenged.
Poe and Amy are just wonderful together…the really interesting thing, I think, is the fact that although it was a “fling” at first, Amy wasn’t as scared to admit her feelings this time around. She wasn’t skirting the issue like she did with Brandon. And I think that makes a much better basis for a relationship. Also, that shower scene? I didn’t just squeal, I read it like five times, and squealed every time!
Poe’s tap…for some reason, I’m thinking that guy who left, maybe? Or maybe Harun? Or maybe Kevin? One of the really nice guys…
About Malcolm, all I have to say is that I think he was just looking out for both of them…I don’t think he ever expected Amy to go seeking Jamie (teehee! Rhyme!) out. That said, I also think that even from the first book, he felt there were definite similarities between them–so much so that maybe Malcolm thought that was precisely why it wouldn’t work.
Post getting way too long…why can’t it be next summer NOW?!
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June 29th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Oh, one last thing…as much as I hated that point in the book, I almost cried for Amy during the whole Brandon debacle. Because I have been in that situation myself, where you pretend nothing is happening and skirt the lines between relationship and friendship, and it’s hard, and it’s real, and it happens all the time. In a way, I could almost thank Felicity for ending it, because it needed to be settled. Just the fact that Amy allowed herself to get into that situation with Brandon showed how unwilling she was to deal with a relationship…with Brandon, at least. I think Poe’s pushing her to face her fear of water, and much more importantly, her fear of being hurt is what really gave her the confidence to go for it with him.
Also, Poe? If he’s Slytherin, he’s like Snape–the bravest friggin’ Slytherin ever.
Amy is definitely a Gryffindor. Holy hell, I was terrified when she was kidnapped. The fact that she was able to try to reason Darren out of it, and then show the compassion for him that she did…that was true Gryffindor courage.
Diana, how about sending me an advance copy of the new SSG? Please?
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June 29th, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Okay, here goes…cause I just found this place tonight and am SO EXCITED to have a place to squee about and discuss this books!!! And even more so excited that Diana herself is involved in these convos…it makes the books feel more personal, I guess the word would be.
Alright, first of all, FABULOUS job on ROSB, Diana…I actually had to force myself to stop reading at one point (3AM!) and take a break because my vision was blurring.
I randomly stumbled across SSG in Target one afternoon about a month ago and couldn’t put it down…finished it in a day and a half. Immediately went out and bought UTR and finished that in a day and a half. I went crazy waiting for ROSB to drop and I don’t know what I’m going to do having to wait a whole year now for the next one!
In regards to ROSB…
1)I am so in love with Amy and Poe. Seriously. I had a feeling it might happen in book 3 about halfway thru UTR, and I must say I am so completely satisfied with this pairing. I hope they last. And the stubbornness they each have makes it even HOTTER! I freaking dreamed about them the night I finished the book! I have a much more eloquent analysis about these two in my head, but it will have to be for a later comment when I’ve calmed down…I’m still in squee mode when it comes to these two.
2)Brandon. I don’t hate him. I want to give the kid a hug. So badly. Am I the only one who felt like this whole he “chose” Felicity over Amy thing was actually him showing his devotion to Amy, once again? I may be way off here and I’m definately going back to read the whole book again and I’ll see if I read it wrong, but I felt like it was his way of protecting Amy, even though it hurt her. He knew(well, found out) that Amy was being personally targeted by Dragon’s Head and he saw first hand the damage it caused to her (even if what he witnessed wasn’t necessarily the worst of the attacks). Even though I do feel like Brandon is a)not being fair to Felicity who is very much in love (infatuation?!) with him and he’s not fully into her and b)not the best choice in the world for Amy, I still feel like he was trying to be noble and keep his Amy safe. Like I said, I’ll go reread and see how I feel then.
c)Malcolm felt different to me in this book as well. However, I understand that the majority of his place in the series was in SSG. He served his purpose to the plot and to our main character and did his own thing in UTR.So it makes sense that he would feel different in ROSB because a)he doesn’t play that gigantic of a part in the storyline anymore and b)in the time he was gone in Alaska, he got to change and grow in ways we didn’t get to see. We got to see Amy and Poe and all of them progress in their own lives and their relationships so where they are at and how they act in ROSB makes sense, whereas Malcolm feels a bit off.
okay, this is already massively long enough, but expect more at a later time!!!
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June 29th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Hello, Clah (Clarissa)! It is good to see a Brazilian here. Your English is great — I can’t speak Portuguese at all, so you’re already way ahead of me. (I had to take the book to a friend at the zoo who works with the Mico Leao Dourado to translate my cover for me.) Thank you so much for reading!
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Distracted, you are not the only one who wondered about the, um… PG? nature of the book. It was definitely something my editor and I discussed during the writing. But it didn’t seem natural to the storyline. She had those “rules” with Brandon, and her relationship with Poe was so new.
I am fine with love scenes, but I won’t put any kind of scene in a book unless I think it belongs there and adds to the storyline. For instance, she sleeps with Brandon in SSG, but not “onscreen,” because the important part of that scene happens before they hit the bedroom. In UTR, the important part is the actual love scene, so it’s there.
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June 29th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Jane and Beth, you are correct — this is not the last we’ve seen of Brandon. Perhaps this will be interesting to you guys:
An earlier draft of the book featured a scene where you actually got to see Felicity and Brandon’s conversation about Amy, Dragon’s Head, etc. In the end, my editor and I decided that it wasn’t as dramatic as a confrontation between the two women would be, and I love the scene in the library courtyard that we use in the final book. However, what you don’t see in that case is the very close connection that does, in fact, exist between F and B, and I think it might make their decisions seem a bit less sympathetic than they’d otherwise be.
Suffice to say that though you can read B’s decision as “protecting” Amy, since you never do see him talk to Felicity, that’s not really what happened. Felicity never lies to Amy — she doesn’t need to when the truth is much more devastating.
I really enjoyed writing Felicity. In many ways, she’s a mirror of so many of the other characters — Clarissa, explicitly, and Poe, and Amy herself. Or at least what Amy has the potential to become under the influence of Rose & Grave and her own temptations. There’s a certain ruthlessness that they all flirt with at one time or another. What Felicity does is no worse than what the Diggers did to Micah. “Mess with me and mine and pay” is the idea. But how far one can take that and not sully what you’re supposedly fighting for (in Felicity’s case, her relationship with Brandon), is one of the central questions of the series.
Maybe I should post sections of “cut scenes”…like DVD extras?
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June 30th, 2008 at 5:17 am
[...] loved reading these reviews and am adoring the spoiler thread, which is still going strong. Thank you guys so much for reading! I’ve gathered from there [...]
June 30th, 2008 at 11:08 am
I’ve been checking this thread obsessively.
I definitely agree with you, Diana, and with Amy’s realization that what they do in the society may seem like harmless pranks, but many of their actions are law-breaking and pretty harmFUL. I am so glad that you addressed that–as someone who was in a secret society (not at Yale or anywhere I can even mention), I can personally say that what we did was, in fact, just as malicious as what Felicity did to Amy…and what the Diggers did to Micah. I was so conflicted in UTR about that scene–I agreed that Micah had it coming, but hindsight-wise, I was kind of appalled. For me, just as for Amy, there were levels of abuse of the system that I could stomach; the Dragon’s Head hiding of the statue, for instance, was something very similar to what we did. But the very fact that Darren heard about these things and chose to believe that poisoning the Diggers, trashing the Diggirls cabin (with death threats, nonetheless), and for God’s sake, drugging and kidnapping Amy–the fact that he believed that all these things were the same as the “harmless” pranks the Diggers pull is testament to the fact that they aren’t harmless at all. People are affected–children are affected, and I think it was so brave of you, Diana, to write about it. We learn our lessons with Amy.
I think we need to read that cut scene, Diana–I still believe that Brandon was protecting Amy, and I think I’m just going to believe that until you show me otherwise. I liked Brandon an awful lot, and I feel like you’ve sort of shown that he *would* bow out like that in a fight. I also need to believe that Felicity really does love him, and she isn’t just obsessed with winning, just as (perhaps?) Amy might be. I’m glad we’re seeing more of Brandon…I think resolving the Brandon issues while dating Jamie (I’m trying!) would be one of the hardest (and best) things Amy would do in the next book.
I’m expecting a Poe-Amy love scene in the next book!
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June 30th, 2008 at 11:24 am
Tiff, our policy here is that all requests must be submitted, in writing, on the side of a crate of French champagne.
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June 30th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Maybe I should post sections of “cut scenes”…like DVD extras?
Yes! Yes! Yes!
P.S. How do I sent you a photo of ROS(B) in tbe wild?
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June 30th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
I vote for extras too!
I was really just kidding about the PG nature. The make-out scenes were exquisite and totally squee-worthy. I can’t wait until the next one.
I went back through SSG and UTR, and I can’t figure out who Poe’s tap was. My guess would be Josh, just because he’s like-minded politically. There’s talk that he’s a wunderkind, but nothing about his family background. But Poe doesn’t seem to have a close relationship with anyone. Hints? Anyone else’s thoughts?
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June 30th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I of course totally agree with the cut-scenes offer! And of course you can’t offer it and then not deliver!
Anywho I also would like to second the motion for the Amy-Poe love scene, I think it would be detrimental to the storyline if it wasn’t there. 
Besides all that it’s not hard for me to believe Felicity truly cares about Brandon, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Brandon’s decision to stop seeing Amy was really for his own good rather than a noble step to help Amy…of course this could just be me making this up to deal with the upset of it all. Although I didn’t like Brandon and Amy together I was literately yelling no and feeling very sad for Amy while Felicity happily told her the agreement she had with Brandon.
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June 30th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I too was leaning towards Josh OR Harun. Actually more towards Harun due to the fact that during the initiation, the Big Brother’s stood behind their taps, whereas Harun was being sworn in via the live feed from the embassy, which Poe watched from the podium or something. Of course Diana can easily dispose of my theory…due to Poe also being the secretary of the prior class, he may have had to run the meeting regardless…but there was reference to Poe making sure Harun got tapped by the Digger’s rather than another secret society, and the efforts he went to do so, and then his not standing behind any tap during the ceremony (from what I could tell). So there, that is my theory….Harun is Poe’s tap.
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June 30th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Poe’s tap? I honestly think it’s George. Because in SSG Amy mentions that Poe had somehow managed to track George down. I may be wrong though.
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June 30th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
I also have a picture of ROS(B) in the wild, but it’s from a Canadian bookstore–that still counts, right?
Jane: me, too. I was really disappointed in Brandon, so I really had to convince myself to believe that Brandon really believed it was for his own good (awkward sentence). I just read over that scene again, and I think Jamie’s point that college dating isn’t like dating in the real world rings SO true (not just in that instance). I feel like there’s no way Felicity could have or would have gotten away with that without the craziness of the societies or even Eli itself. So I guess, from an outsider’s perspective, it seems pretty unbelievable to me that Brandon would stay with Felicity…unless he was doing it to be noble, or unless he really is a selfish jerk. I guess I have to go with the latter at this point.
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June 30th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
I am loving this thread. I really like reading everyone else’s interpretations and opinions on different parts of the book. Plus, it distracts me from the wait… it is going to be a longggg year!
I am also leaning toward George being Jamie’s tap. In chapter 1, at the beginning, when Poe and Bugaboo and Puck are together, and then Puck jumps the fence early, Bugaboo asks “Remind me who it was that tapped our dear Puck?” to Poe. I could have misinterpreted it, but doesn’t that mean that George is Jamie’s little sib?
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June 30th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
If George is Poe’s tap, all I can say is: Talk about keeping society incest really in the family.
On Brandon and Felicity, I stick to my original comment on them. Brandon is not worth her tears. He knew what he was doing (maybe not totally conciously) when he called Amy, wanted to hang out, started giving mixed signals, and continued to do it. Then when he realized what was at stake, he walked out of her life and only looked back after the carnage was over. In my view, Brandon’s actions weren’t about Amy, they were about his needs, and gave little thought to what he was doing to her. Maybe a little payback for her action in SSG. But I always thought he left a little to easy anyways. (I mean he was the one who wanted a relationship throughout the whole book, not Amy. She finally gives into it and he walks out the first test it gets?)
As for Felicity, I don’t see what she did to Amy as being equal to what R&G did to Micah. Micah played Jenny’s emotions from the beginning in order to get to the society, thus the payback came from the society. Felicity took a society prank and made it personal because it was conveint to her to get back at Amy.
I think seeing Poe and Amy together would be a nice payback to Felicity. Makes a nice statement, she may have “won” Brandon, but in the end he wasn’t worth that much to Amy.
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June 30th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Poe’s tap is definitely George–check out page 187 of SSG (the edition with the green sweater over Amy’s polo). Poe seems to find him every time–wants to make sure George is a good representative. That’s pretty interesting, considering that George is obviously well-monied and a legacy, whereas Jamie is clearly not. I wonder if Poe essentially decided just to tap someone he knew he *had* to tap. Very strange big sib/little sib relationship.
I wish it was Harun, though. That would make for a nice relationship.
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July 1st, 2008 at 7:21 am
Tiff, I’m glad I inspired you to kiss your boyfriend. And the “relationship that’s not a relationship” is something that I think a lot of people go through at some time in their lives — I know I certainly did. It’s a horrible situation and not fair to anyone, really. And of course, it’s compounded when one of the people is in an actual legitimate relationship elsewhere.
We’re going to have a guest blogger here soon to talk more about this topic.
If I were to put myself in Brandon’s shoes, I can understand his reticence to get really involved with Amy — because it was pretty much the same stunt she’d pulled on him junior year. In fact, one of my early readers read another draft and theorized that Brandon’s whole thing was a revenge scheme, which I think is a rather villainous take on Brandon, but hey, anything’s possible.
I’ve heard a bunch of other writers say this, but I think it may be true — sometimes you don’t know what a book is about until you are done writing it. And listening to you all talk about the different relationships Amy has had over the course of the series has made me think about something else:
In a lot of ways, the arc in this book doesn’t have anything to do with Amy’s growth as a society member, but instead, with her growth as a person. From being a person who would actively choose these false relationships (like her friendship with benefits in the first book, or her no-strings fling in the second) to someone who is actively seeking a genuine, committed relationship. And I think part of that is that she’s with someone who, unlike Brandon, doesn’t take “um, not ready for a relationship” for an answer, and unlike George, actually wants to be a boyfriend.
From the moment she and Poe first hook up, he pretty much presses for a definition. He doesn’t want to be her secret hook up, is clearly very uncomfortable in the role (and for a guy with as many secrets as Poe, that’s saying a lot), and is willing to lose her entirely rather than put up with that crap.
However, having said that, I remember in writing working hard to make sure that it was Amy who initiated every step in that relationship, because I wanted her to make the conscious decision to pursue a boy for a change, and, more than that, a conscious decision to pursue a *relationship*. She’s the one who asks him out, she’s the one who kisses him (I mean, he’s pitching underhand, to be sure, all shirtless and slipper and holding on to her in the water, but she does make the first move). And then, Amy of course is the one who goes to Poe at the end and says, “let’s try this.” Because it’s not worth her losing him to keep being so scared.
Whether or not she regrets the decisions she makes at the end of SSG3… well, that’s the question, isn’t it?
(Yes, I’m also villainous. Mwahahahhaha…)
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July 1st, 2008 at 8:11 am
Shannon, that’s a good point about Brandon, though I have to be on his side in regards to the first book. You think you finally get the girl of your dreams, only to have all your friends informing you that she’s down at the local bar making out with someone else? Right before she comes home and sleeps with you? I don’t know if I could respect Brandon if he put up with that. (And I know a lot of people who didn’t respect Brandon anyway, who thought he was weak throughout the whole book, but there at the end, he did stand up for himself and say “no, this isn’t worth it, she doesn’t treat me right.”)
I’m kind of fascinated with the way we interpret men and masculinity. Brandon, because he was unrequitedly in love with Amy, and was steadfast and forthright in declaring himself to her, and wasn’t forcing her to make a decision, was viewed as “weak” or “wishy washy.” But Poe, who never even had the guts to tell Amy how he felt about her, is viewed as strong and stoic. Our views on masculinity are such that guys who admit what they are feeling, even if they are doing so in the process of going after what they want, are viewed as weaker than guys who remain passive but keep their feelings close to the chest. Isn’t that interesting?
It’s like that whole scene in the first book where they talk about how it’s not cool for guys to drink “pink” drinks.
A lot of my writer friends are romance writers, and are used to writing what is called “alpha” men — these very take charge leaders who don’t show their emotions, etc. When I was trying to write romance novels, I’d get feedback that said “your hero needs to be more alpha.” But I tend to like guys who are forthright about what they want. There’s also a great social mystery about the guy who is the confirmed bachelor, like George is. The uncatchable guy is viewed as much more worthy than the guy who actually IS looking to settle down.
Does anyone here watch How I Met Your Mother? I love that show, because it shows how great men who are very open with their feelings and honest about wanting to be in committed relationships can be. Marshall and Ted are both characters who really want to be in love and be great partners to the women in their lives. I find that extremely attractive.
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July 1st, 2008 at 9:47 am
Loved loved loved the book and cannot wait for more. I really think that the Poe’s little is Josh. But that’s just my opinion.
I am so team Poe….I loved to hate him throughout the 1st and 2nd but then again that is the type of guy I like. I tend to be attracted to the guys who I can bocker with and Amy sure found that with Jamie. (hahaha to the rhyming of their names comment)
I love the HP references about Poe and Amy. Not all slytherins are bad so I agree that Poe is very Snapelike.
Thanks for a great book Diana but I am now resigned to patiently waiting for the 4th. One thing that is giving me a thought is who will Amy tap? Will it be a guy or gal? Will it be the paper’s editor or another little know editor? Just some questions that I am sure will be answered in the next book.
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July 1st, 2008 at 11:00 am
Canada totally counts. Anyone who wants to send pics of ROSB in the wild, anywhere in the world, just email them to me.
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July 1st, 2008 at 11:33 am
Anyone who wants to send pics of ROSB in the wild, anywhere in the world, just email them to me.
Um, how? I tried, and it bounced. Do you have a new email to go with the new web site?
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July 1st, 2008 at 11:52 am
Our views on masculinity are such that guys who admit what they are feeling, even if they are doing so in the process of going after what they want, are viewed as weaker than guys who remain passive but keep their feelings close to the chest.
But when it counts, Poe rose to the occasion – telling Amy that she’s too important, that their relationship is too important, to be a secret. So he’s an interesting balance between stoic and remaining true to himself.
***
I picked up the first book on a lark from the library, and have now devoured (and reread) all three. It’s going to be a long wait until the fourth.
I think your comment about George being a confirmed bachelor is true – it’s a mystery. Hollywood can’t seem to fathom why someone like George Clooney hasn’t been tied down, but I think he (like Poe, like Puck) is just being honest and true to himself. And Puck is an interesting blend of Clooney and Barney from HIMYM.
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July 1st, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Diana, I definitely agree that this book was much more about Amy’s growth as a person, and I think that your setting it away from Eli and the tomb had a lot to do with that. You mentioned in one of your guest blogs that setting is very important to you, and that you enjoy putting characters in settings where “it could only happen there.” I think that’s definitely the case with Cavador Key–I don’t think Amy would have had the courage (or the reason, what with the water) to ask Poe out had it not been for them being in a different setting. I think the setting had a lot to do with her seeing him in a different light. Someone else also mentioned that winter in New Haven is terribly cold and lonely–I think that really does have something to do with it as well.
I actually respected Brandon so much more in the first book than I did in this one–I appreciate the sincere man, the one who up and tells his feelings to you. I think I was very upset with Brandon in this book, and I thought he was weak BECAUSE he was acting like Amy, refusing to give definition, and (although not all his fault) taking them to that horrible not-quite relationship place.
I don’t think Poe is more attractive than Brandon because of his mystery or his somewhat alpha-male like qualities (although I admit that the mystiqueis curiously intoxicating), but because of the way that he wouldn’t let Amy just run the show–as Amy W. said, he rose to the occasion. He banters. He doesn’t take her crap.
I just started watching Veronica Mars, and now that I know that she and Logan get together, I can’t look at him as the jerk I’m supposed to think of him as. Also, I keep thinking about Amy and Jamie!
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July 1st, 2008 at 6:26 pm
I powered through it in probably under 24 hours. If the first and second ones were irresistible, the third one merited “can’t put it down” status. Honestly, I only put it down that one night because I was really, really sleepy!
That said, I loved it! In the first book, I wanted Amy to get back with Brandon, but only after he learned a lesson… but Amy’s our focal character, the girl I know I’d want to be if I ever got into a school like Eli (alas, in California we don’t seem to have secret societies and awesome tombs), the girl who I can totally sympathize with, because even without the secret society, “been there, know that feeling.” So, maybe midway through Book 2, I was 100% Team Poe, and I’m THRILLED that it came to fruition in ROSB. Now what I want to do is go back and re-read from the start, because frankly, it’s the only way to stave me off for NEXT summer!
Oh, the wait– almost unbearable! I can think of a million and a half things I’d LIKE to happen, but they’re just all too crazy to be possible, which is why I’m especially looking forward to SSG4, because I just know I won’t be able to “see it coming.” I applaud any readers that did see certain things coming in ROSB (other than Team Poe, of course), because I was held in suspense throughout the entire read– I had no idea what to expect!
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July 1st, 2008 at 7:48 pm
I picked up SSG on a lark after it first came out. I fell in love with the story ad characters. I waited and waited for book 2 I powered through it on a very long plane ride and then again waited. Book 3 was amazing I read it in one night and smiled all the way through and my heart actually started beating faster when Amy and Jamie finally hooked up. I will go back and re-read the series (again) in anticipation for book 4. I cannot believe it will be the last. I cannot wait to see what is to come.
Thank you Diana for writing these amazing books!
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July 1st, 2008 at 8:04 pm
When it comes to Brandon, in the first book I appreciated his character, and purpose in the storyline. I didn’t like Amy and Brandon together because the relationship seemed too transitional and Amy’s view of it was so ambivalent. Her ambiguous feelings about their “situation” made it obvious to me that it wasn’t meant to be.
I liked that he returned in the second and first books, but again only for storyline purposes. I am convinced that he agreed with Felicity’s deal to help himself rather than Amy, and I think his return to Amy in the first place was slightly out of resentment. I also am convinced that the whole Felicity thing isn’t at all finished. (like I have already stated)
As for George I think it was important for Amy to experience being with him, so she could understand that she really didn’t want a no strings attached relationship. This helped with the realization that she didn’t want a relationship with Brandon because she didn’t want Brandon. It wasn’t because she just wasn’t ready for a relationship.
As for Poe I think she needed to experience Brandon and George so she could truly appreciate him. She needed to know that Brandon was transitional and that George was basically a lesson. She needed those relationships to understand that she really wants a boyfriend and that Poe’s the one she wants to be with. Some one who is clear about what he wants and understands that she needs to feel the same about him as well.
But than again I could be wrong.
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July 2nd, 2008 at 5:05 am
[...] third book came out this week, and I’ve been participating in a lively “spoiler thread” discussion on my blog (click at your peril). It’s great fun to talk about my book with people [...]
July 5th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Oh man! I finished ROSB in a day and I’m soo happy that Poe and Amy are together. I’m so Team Poe as well!
I don’t hate Brandon, I just don’t think he is right for Amy they just didn’t seem to really have anything in common. I think it’s interesting how the relationship between George and Amy changed. Now it seems like they are actually friends (based off of their ability to carry a conversation without flirting). It’s also funny how George was the only one to figure out that Amy and Poe were together.
I’m not sure who Poe’s tap was but I’m thinking it was either George or Josh.
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July 6th, 2008 at 7:49 am
Loved the book! Isn’t Amy and Poe sort of like Hermione Granger hooking up with Draco Malfoy? Definitely unexpected!
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July 6th, 2008 at 5:56 pm
I finally got ROSB! It would have definitely been earlier, if my family wasn’t purposely trying to keep me out of the bookstore. So who cares if my birthday is near, they finally relented. So now I have the third book, I completely read it in one night. 4 am is a relatively good bedtime right?
I’ve written once before back last summer, asking who your favorite character beside Amy was? I was thrilled when you said Poe, because well he’s been my favorite from the beginning. There is just something about his straightforwardness and how comfortable he seems in his skin. Unlike some of the other characters, I truly think Jamie feels like he can be himself with his straightforwardness, cutting remarks and even his random eccentricities (such has having a handkerchief). However I would say his further character development in UTR, led me to believe that maybe Jamie was just what Amy needed, someone just as headstrong as her. However you completely made my day (or rather my night) with Amy taking actions toward Jamie. I couldn’t help thinking “It’s about time!”
As to Brandon, I don’t dislike him at all. Frankly, I still like him as a character. I just think he had a moment of weakness. He never really had a chance to close things up officially with Amy, so he couldn’t help but wonder what he really wanted. I mean for all I know Brandon’s discovery of Felicity being a member of a secret society, could have easily tipped him into thinking about Amy. I think Brandon mistook the loss of Amy’s friendship/company as being in love with her.
I was glad to read the preview chapter to the fourth book, but I have to say it was almost to tantalizing. It was like teasing me saying, you have to wait another full year to reunite with Amy and the gang again. However why do I suspect that Amy might stay at Eli for grad school? Hmm… Anyway keep up with the fantastic work! I’ll return to my days of counting for the next Secret Society Girls series.
Unlike others who posted above, I don’t think Kristopher would do justice for Poe. I still don’t know who I would choose, there are a few actors if you could put them in a melting pot, then they could create the perfect Poe/Jamie.
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July 7th, 2008 at 2:02 am
Hi!
I chanced upon the first book in this series on Friday and by this morning I was done with all three. All I have to say is wow, I love the characters, the intrigue and the surprises!
Well that’s not all I have to say actually, I also have to shout out loud that I LOVE Pa-Jaime! At first I did think he was the strongest foil to Amy, an obstacle she had to overcome. However the more he revealed himself to her in UTR, the more I believed he complemented her completely.
[The exact moment I signed up for team Poe:"My name is Jaime. Always has been."]
He’ll challenge her to become better, and not for himself like Brandon would, but just because he wants it for her sake (like the swimming lessons). Plus, he’s also very Darcyesque and IMHO, Darcy set the standard.
I can’t wait to see how this all pans out in the finale. Please, please, please let it be happily ever after for Jamie-Amy and the rest of the gang, whatever it means for them. Thanks for giving us such a dynamic group of characters and storylines that are very relateable to.
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July 7th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Taylor: I also think Amy will be staying at Eli for grad school. 2-year masters program, anyone?
Patrick, in my opinion, Amy and Poe are more like Lily Evans and Snape–it could have been–in some ways, it should have been, but it wasn’t. Only Diana made it so that it was. =p
Diana, I just watched the Veronica Mars episode where Logan and Veronica kissed for the first time–I can definitely see the similarities, and I’m definitely squealing the same way!
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July 7th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Sorry I’ve been neglecting the thread, folks! Last week was SOOOOO busy around here and then I was in and out a lot over the holiday (US Independence) weekend.
Amy W., (nice name!), I love the name-check of HIMYM. Adore that show. I never thought about it, but I do think that George has some of those Barney-like qualities (though Barney is much more inclined to lie to girls than George is). When I first imagined him, I wanted him to be a much “meaner” character — more Valmont. But he pretty much flatly refused to be that from the very first scene. (Sometimes characters don’t listen to you.) Yeah, he goes through girls like toilet paper, but he’s not malicious about it, and he’s generally a nice guy. A little selfish maybe, but he never wants to hurt anyone. Maybe that’s why I like Barney so much? And yes, George Clooney, definitely! Though we have no idea why GC is a confirmed bachelor, though I suppose with Barney, we know why he became the guy he is today, and we have hints of George Prescott’s upbringing that may have turned him off monogamy as well.
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Tiff, you’re right, I think the fact that they were on Cavador had a lot to do with Amy being able to make that decision. But in many ways, it was like she was less responsible — if it was during Spring Break, it wasn’t real, it was all in some other place, some other time, some other people. It was easier for both of them to break out of the patterns their relationship had been in before, but there was also less responsibility attached to it — it would be easy for them to just leave all that behind when they returned to New Haven. So that scene, at the end, when they are together in his apartment, and things are the way they’ve always been — he’s still Poe, with all his baggage and his threadbare furniture and his pet snake, it’s still cold and slushy outside, she’s still got a bunch of friends who HATE him — and yet she still makes the decision to pursue him, and a relationship with him… it’s a big decision. And it’s going to color everything that comes after.
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July 7th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Thanks, Azurite! Actually, I do know a few schools in Cali that have some pretty interesting secret places… but yeah, in general, it’s the East Coast that gets into this kind of stuff. Don’t know why.
You think it’s hard waiting, you should try it in my shoes — keeping my mouth shut about what I know is going to happen!
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July 7th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Thank you, EMK, I’m glad you enjoyed them!
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Jane, those are all good points — I think it’s kind of hard to see, except in hindsight, that good things may have come out of not-so-great relationships. Hmmmm, wonder what Amy will see, in hindsight, about her relationship with Poe?
Kidding!
Kinda.
Keeping my mouth shut.
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July 7th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Amanda, you’re right. George and Amy are friends. They were friends before the start of the books, having been in the same college for three years, and were even friends during the first book (hamburgers and whatnot) and then, during the first two books, when they were moving around a relationship with each other, it put a strain on their friendship, even as it brought them closer, because they were in the same society and they were sleeping with each other. I think in this third book you can still see the scars of that, but underneath it, they are friends.
I really like George, as a character and as a person. I’m really glad he didn’t end up being the way I’d earlier envisioned him — I’m glad my subconscious rose up and refused to let it happen. I think it wouldn’t have been as interesting a choice, or as rich a character…
Or maybe I’m just talking nonsense…
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July 7th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Patrick and Tiff, I’m LOL at the attempts to compare to HP. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think things correlate very neatly to that world.
The idea that Amy somehow matches Hermione cracks me up. I can’t think of two more different people. Unless Hermione is meant to be Poe? That might work.
Rule following, hard studying… yeah, that could work… but then would Amy be the little racist bully? Nevermind…
Poe and Amy are usually working for the same things, they just have incredibly different ways of looking at it or going for it. I never got the sense that Draco and Hermione ever wanted the same thing.
As for Snape and Lilly — weren’t they really really good friends all growing up, and later betrayed one another? I read that last book so fast, I hardly remember.
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July 7th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I’m loving this discussion! I also have to second everyone’s sentiments over Amy and Poe. I have been waiting (somewhat patiently) since the first book for them to be together and I’m glad it finally happened in SSG3. I especially love the scene right before Amy asks Jamie out the first time, where Malcolm tries to stop Amy from going to him. The visual is hilarious to me for some reason.
I have to say that I missed George in this book! (I agree with what you said, Diana, about enjoying George as a person. He’s one of my favorite characters). I felt like we got to see so much of him in SSG2, and despite his and Amy’s last notes in that book, I felt that the story (friendly or otherwise) between them was not over. Maybe in book four?
And George is definately Poe’s tap, at least that’s the impression i’m under. I hope that’s also explored in the next book.
Phew, long comment.
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July 8th, 2008 at 3:34 am
Taylor, thank goodness your family let you in a bookstore! Happy pre-birthday!
I’m glad you like Poe as much as I do. He is constantly surprising me as a character. I really didn’t plan for him to be a major character in the story, but he was so much fun to write, I kept putting him in scenes, and he found his own place in the storyline. The first scene I ever imagined for ROSB was the one where she falls off the boat and he comes to get her. Since I also didn’t “plan” that Amy would be afraid of the water, I think my subconscious is to blame for the whole thing.
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July 8th, 2008 at 3:41 am
Nelly, I am fond of that line too. You’re right, he is more Darcy-esque. I think that works a bit better than Draco.
Though Darcy is also the product of a misunderstanding (Wickham) and Poe actually does all the things Amy hates him for. We’ve yet to see if he, like Darcy, is interested in reform. Maybe Amy’s just more forgiving than Lizzie. Or doesn’t care as much?
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July 8th, 2008 at 3:45 am
Tiff, isn’t that VM kiss scene great? I love it so much, It’s one of my favorite scenes EVER. I don’t think either of them know what they’re doing there — magnetic.
Thank you, Christine. The scene with malcolm was a lot of fun to write. It was great to get him back on screen, then immediately put him in an awkward situation. Poor guy.
And yes, Amy and George are not over. The story is not over with any of the main characters. I’ve got one more book!
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July 8th, 2008 at 6:53 am
I only use the Potter comparisons because we’ve been trying to assign characters to houses.
There’s a lot that doesn’t match up between Hermione/Amy/Draco/Poe, but the reason I said that was Poe was initially opposed to Amy because she was a girl and trying to join his boy’s club. It’s sort of an inherited prejudice. He’s opposed to what she represents, but not necessarily her.
I could see Draco falling for Hermione, if they were thrown together. I see the comparison as the nature of the relationship, not the personality traits of the characters.
I can see the snape/lily comparison, too, except in that case, Amy would stay with George and Poe would become bitter.
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July 8th, 2008 at 7:14 am
All that said, I really like the Poe/Amy relationship. I certainly didn’t see it coming from the first book. Then again, the George relationship surprised me, too.
My favorite is the learning to swim scene.
It’s funny, I think so much of relationships can be timming. I just began thinking, what would have happened if Poe realized his love of Amy while she was with George and decided to act upon it and ’save’ her from George.
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July 8th, 2008 at 8:30 am
what would have happened if Poe realized his love of Amy while she was with George and decided to act upon it and ’save’ her from George.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that wouldn’t have gone over so well.
You’re right, timing counts for a lot.
At the same time, the fact that I’m married to Sailor Boy right now proves that sometimes, timing doesn’t matter as much as we think it does. When I met him, I had just gotten out of a relationship, and in fact, I’d just told a very nice guy that, nice as he was, I was not ready to be with anyone. Then I met SB. (When the nice guy found out about us, he was pretty upset — but when he saw that we were still dating, months and months later, he got over it. I wonder what he would think if he knew we were married. Though he might know…)
I think, if you go back and read UTR, you can see that their relationship really changed during the whole search for Jenny. Do you think Poe is trying to “save” her from George at that scene with the three of them by the Prescott College gate?
To go with the Darcy metaphor, it would be interesting to try to pinpoint at what point their feelings changed. When do you all think that Poe started to like Amy?
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July 8th, 2008 at 9:12 am
So hmmm I just spent the last half hour reading everyones posts and I can’t even begin to express how obsessed with this series I am. I am torn between anticipation and dread with the pending release of the 4th book, because this will be the end. No more. I don’t know if I can handle that lol. I would die if there was a series that follows about her being a patriarch and how she works on keeping a relationship with Jamie while he continues to study at Eli and she is doing whatever it is she is doing(? just some food for thought there!).
Im not so sure who Poe’s tap was but imagine how crappy he must have been feeling if it was indeed George. You tap the guy who is taking your girl. How tragic. And how he must have felt after the dish smashing scene and he got all uptight about Amy’s comment about George and then the insinuation
that George and Amy were still fooling around. I think everytime George pops up around Amy it hurts Poe alot, so if George were infact his tap that would be adding salt to his wounds I would think.
And one last thing um I thought the hottest scene between Jamie and Amy(hehe) was the ending of this book and the excerpt from the 4th. When he talks about how he wanted to be the one to save her and not George, how he had no idea what he would have done if he say Darren, and the wince at her wrists. Now that tension about her second near death experience was hot. I was sick I had the butterflys so bad. I guess I just have a thing for a guy that goes crazy if the one he cares about is in danger.
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July 8th, 2008 at 10:33 am
I sort of think that being in R&G with George would prevent Poe from any outright ill-fated ’save’ attempt(Yeah, those never work).
Now I’ll have to go back to UTR to see if there were hints of Poe’s feelings. I think I sort of did get that impression, I’m not sure now. I think I got hung up on the email issues*.
(*I’m a dayjob email(forensic) geek. My issue. Not an issue with the writing. I started trying to envision all the servers and such. — wait, now all the books are blurring together… I forget where I had an email issue.)
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July 8th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Latisha, I totally agree with you. There’s something incredibly hot about a guy who really, really wants to protect you. At the same time, I thought the scene where Poe tells Amy he’s mad at her for not being able to swim was amazing, because he not only wants to protect her, but he wants her to be able to protect herself. Now THAT’S HOT.
Diana, Logan and Veronica, much? All I can think of now is how Logan just wanted to protect Veronica throughout the end of season 1…although, now I’m on season 2, and I want to kill the writers for putting Veronica and Duncan back together. Ugh.
Diana, like you said, I think UTR really changed things for Poe and Amy. I like to think that Poe has had feelings for Amy ever since she stood up at that TTA meeting and defended Clarissa (and everyone else), but like Darcy, he’s been trying to slap them down and ignore them. I think he was also really, really hurt when Amy forced him to leave during her CB, but I think he also understood it, which pissed him off. In my opinion, his feelings really came into full force when he tried to tell Amy in New York about Elysion–he couldn’t really stop himself, and I think that’s when he must have started to admit his feelings. He can’t lie to her. And I don’t think that he was trying to ’save’ Amy from George at all–he wanted to explain to her about Elysion because he felt that he not only betrayed himself and the society, but her as well.
As for Amy, I think she literally had to be hit over the head (or rather, by water) to realize that she had something with Poe. But at least once she did, she acted on it immediately.
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July 8th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Tiff I completly agree with you. I have such an itch right now for more of this story I think Im going to reread the 2nd and 3rd one today just so I can pick up on all the subtleties I missed out on when i was feverously reading through them the first time.
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July 8th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Just finished!!! Diana, it’s definitely my favorite of the 3! I have only just now gotten food in my belly because I was too anxious to finish the book after my company left this morning. You know it’s serious when the pregnant lady isn’t eating so she can finish your book!
I confessed last year that I’m team Poe so I loved loved loved the romance (and yeah… shower scene was HAWT). I was afraid the char responsible for the cabin raiding, plate smashing, etc was going to be predictable and for predictable reasons. It wasn’t and I think you handled that revelation beautifully! I LOVE that there were plenty of confessor footnotes (am I silly for being a fan of them?)! Again, witty and fun read!
3 things I didn’t like about the book:
1) I’m so fond of everyone’s Digger names and because they spent pretty much the entire book outside of the tomb, they weren’t used. How Amy’s always struggling to not use Poe when she addresses Jamie, that’s how I feel with everyone’s name when I’m reading the book. Every time I see George’s name on the page, my head says Puck.
2) The excerpt for SSG4 at the end was exactly enough to really make me anxious for its release next year. TEASE!!!
3) My copy isn’t signed yet.;)
Again, loved it!! Great job, Diana!
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July 8th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Patrick, it is probably UTR, since that’s the only book where anonymous emails and secret email servers serve a plot point. Where were you when I was doing my research, hmmmm…? Kidding.
I basically cover all computer literacy tracks in that books by making Jenny be the one in charge of the so-called investigation. She can tell them anything she damn well pleases. That’s my excuse, anyway.
But you’re right, I think Poe would respect his oaths too much to move on a brother’s girl. Of course, then you can make the argument that moving on a brother (i.e., Amy), full stop, would be a pretty big deal as well.
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July 8th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
No need for excuses. It completely works. I just wanted to get all geek factor on it — SMTP routing and all that jazz.
I think around the time I was reading it, there was also an article circulating about how our president stopped using the white house email servers(which happen to be archived on write once media) and someone sent a memo around how everyone in the white house should use their republican party email accounts(which are not archived) so the secret email servers made me giggle!
Did I mention the whole email geek thing? Hmm, right.
I think moving on a brother’s girl would always be a negative, where as ’society incest’ is a debatable situation. I could see Poe trying to seperate them for the good of the society, but not for his own desires – which is probably how I interpreted the scene with the 3 of them by Prescott Gate. I’ll have to re-read.
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July 8th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
I never got the impression Poe was trying to separate Amy from George at the gate, but more like George was trying to separate Amy from Poe.
However I did re-read #1 and #2 all of yesterday to try to figure out who Poe’s tap was… Anyway in the process of re-reading UTR, I did catch something I never noticed before. On page 224 (3rd paragraph), it seems like Poe was going to confess something, but instead of letting him finish Amy cuts him off. Was he going to confess about the Elysion? Does that mean Poe started liking/crushing on Amy then? Or is that something we have to wait until the 4th book to find out?
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July 8th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Ooo Pin-point the exact place Poe and Amy fell for each other? I think that would be almost impossible because it’s developed throughout the books, imperceptible at first, then all in-your-face in ROSB. Again, another throwback to Darcy and Lizzie where there is no one exact AHA! moment until Darcy confesses and writes the letter. Amy needed to have it confirmed that Poe like-likes her before she can even begin to go there.
On Poe’s side of the story however, I do think that we’re missing a little back story (wink wink Diana?) because going back to the first book, why in the world would Poe even bother telling Amy all those things during the protest about the way the board was operating if he was going to screw them over later? It was almost like he couldn’t help telling her things (which he mentions something to this extent in the other books I think).
Which brings me to my Amy conspiracy theory. Poe probably had a hand in picking her to be tapped. Amy thought in the end that Poe had picked Bugaboo as a name for her. It wouldn’t be too hard to get his best friend to tap the girl of his interest right? Which is why I think there’s a back story to Poe’s feelings.
Oh! my last tie in to P&P. When Amy says “When Jaime looks at me now, his eyes, those cold gray eyes of his almost smile. I didn’t know eyes could do that,” totally makes me think of that ONE scene in the Keira Knightly version of P&P where Darcy smiles and the whole entire screen lights up.
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July 8th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Latisha, I think I’ll have said everything I need to say about these folks by the end of the fourth book, but I hope it will be a satisfying conclusion. At any rate, there will be other books — I think you guys will really like the unicorn books. The characters are a tad younger, and there’s both a fantasy and a thriller element, but you’ve still got all those relationships, and a pretty prominent romance as well.
You’re right, though — every time Poe has to deal with George, it bothers him a lot. I think it’s a security issue. A popular, charming, notorious playboy was the last person the person you are dating was with. You are… not these things. I don’t think George bothered him much before.
I also find protective instincts in men to be very attractive. However, I like it when boys want to care, but girls are still fully capable of taking care of themselves. And vice versa.
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July 8th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Tiff @ 110: Yeah, what you said about being able to swim for yourself.
And yes, I found Logan to be a FABULOUS character. I am fascinated by him, and I think the actor, Jason Dohring, did I great job portraying him. I think they are kindred souls, for sure.
As far as the scene at the gate goes, I don’t think Poe was trying to save her from George. I just wondered what Patrick was thinking there. What *I* think (your mileage may vary) is that Amy was furious, I think she was more furious at Poe than she was at George, I think she was a little confused about why that was, and I think her decision to go off with George was both because that was the “proper” thing to do and also because it sent a very clear message to Poe that he was not going to get the same chance George did to talk to her about things. That her relationship with *George* was more important. Fair? nah, but boy was she mad.
Hmmm, and one wonders why Poe has jealousy issues.
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July 8th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Annie, you know those footnotes are just for you, right?
Now I’m really curious who you thought the vandal was going to be. It’s interesting to me when people talk about guessing (or not guessing) since I don’t really think of myself as writing mysteries — the “whodunnit” isn’t really the interesting question to me as much as the why and “now what?”
The book’s not over when Jenny or Darren or etc. make clear what they’ve been doing. That’s when everything flips again — when what they thought was the danger changes completely. Elysion, not the website; getting kidnapped and pranks out of hand, not a random vandal. I guess the problem as a reader is that when you know and the main character doesn’t, she just seems dumb. And I don’t want Amy to seem dumb. One of those writerly conundrums, I guess.
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July 8th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Taylor @115: regarding page 224, you’re exactly right. He was trying to confess, because he was beginning to feel guilty about how Elysion conflicted with his oaths. Amy is not the most patient person on the planet.
I am loving the discussion about when Poe started feeling something for Amy (other than contempt). I think it is probably difficult to pinpoint — even for Poe.
NellyF, your Amy conspiracy theory is worthy of Amy herself. LOL! I’ve only seen the Keira version of P&P once. I far prefer the BBC version.
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July 9th, 2008 at 10:50 am
Ack! I just typed out this huge response and the webs ate it! Will try to remember what I wrote.
Diana, you humor me (with the comment about the footnotes). Thank you
As for the vandal’s identity, I was afraid at first that it was going to be uber predictable Kadie. SO glad it wasn’t. And though I suspected Darren periodically, I didn’t believe it until the beach scene when he said he broke the plates. And then when it was revealed it was him, I thought it would be because either his Dad had him do it, or D&H somehow hired him to do it. Glad it was for other reasons (and that Amy realized the society was to blame as well for the example they set).
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July 9th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Hmmm I had no idea it was Darren at all until the beach scene the thought had never crossed my mind. I did however think that it couldn’t be the people on the other island because they never were potrayed really in the book. The characters talked about them but you yourself never really saw them so to me it felt like they werent a threat. What irked me a tiny bit was that back in CT the D&H infultrated the inner Tomb and no one really seemed all to bothered by it. Even Salt who delivered the message was uncharacteristically nonchalant about it. Which I found very odd.
And in response to Diana I don’t think I could ever be sick of these characters, and if you aren’t going on after this next one maybe just have it be like 800 pages? haha
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July 9th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
I definitely knew it was Darren from the beginning, but I thought he might be in cahoots with Dragon’s Head or something, or at least doing stuff on his father’s orders (esp. because he called meeting with his father an “appointment”). I didn’t expect it to just be Darren trying to get revenge, and I really didn’t expect that poignant scene with Kurt and Darren at the end. I thought those two chapters were ridiculously well done, from the terror of Amy being kidnapped and drugged (it wasn’t a surprise, but just Diana’s description of the effects of Rohypnol are enough to make me hold onto my drinks a little tighter), to Demetria’s explosion, to Amy’s compassion. Wow.
This post is getting ridiculously long, but I wanted to let you know, Diana, that I just got another of MY society friends into SSG–she loves it, and she’s only halfway through! Thanks for giving us even MORE to talk about! =p
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July 9th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I like NellyF’s Amy Conspiracy Theory, that would be terribly amusing if it was true. However, I don’t think Poe would do something as trivial as that when he knew tapping girls could be a thread to the society. Also he seemed to really try to protest against the idea of Amy being in the society.
Diana I liked your input about the gate scene. About how it was easier for her to be angrier at Poe then George. In my opinion I was annoyed more at Poe then George in that scene, because I figured Poe knew better. Poe is the one that takes the society seriously, whereas George never really took it much to interest but rather as a duty to his family.
Which by the way, I finally convinced my mom to start reading the series now (she started SSG yesterday), I definitely can’t wait to hear what she thinks.
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July 10th, 2008 at 1:14 am
Latisha, you’re right. They don’t freak out about the note from DH. There are a few reasons for that.
I’m sorry the scene with Salt seemed nonchalant to you, though.
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Tiff, thank you! I was very nervous about using roofies myself, because it’s so easy to get stuff like that wrong. Sadly, I got some first hand descriptions to use as a base. Amy’s reaction is not necessarily the only one, but given the way I’ve always painted her as *not* a party girl (no all nighters, no raves in NYC, etc.), I thought it worked. I have heard from expert medical types that ipecac generally works more quickly and rohypnol more slowly than portrayed in the story, but that’s why I pay those monthly premiums for my poetic license.
The blue, however, is correct. The drug is now manufactured with a bluish-green dye so that it can’t be masked except in dark or blue drinks. thus, darren’s blue gatorade. (Apparently some generics do not include the dye, though, so still be careful!)
thanks for passing the book along!
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Taylor, I like NellyF’s conspiracy theory too! It’s very romantic! But I agree with you that he really didn’t want girls, and especially Amy, in the society. Whether or not he still thinks that is a subject for other books. You’re also right that Amy is more betrayed by Poe, who supposedly cares, than by George who, frankly, doesn’t give a damn. (Hee)
Thank you for passing the book along!
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July 10th, 2008 at 11:40 am
Well, I’m pretty much in love with this series. I wanted to cry when I read that the *last* book in the series won’t be available until next summer… Ok, I admit that I did stomp around in a hissy for a while.
But getting back on topic:
It was hard for me to make the transition of the Poe+Amy thing. Maybe it was because I was one of the stupid ones who thought Amy+Brandon were going to last. But I digress, I love the idea now. Only I know one of them are going to screw it up in the last book… and Felicity… OOooooH! That’s one chick whose shampoo bottle needs to be filled with NAIR.
Oh yeah… the comment that Jenny made to Clarissa on the way back to New Haven, the one about her becoming Jenny’s CFO… was she joking, or was Clarissa’s worries relinquished?
If it was… I feel sorry for Amy. She’s the only one who doesn’t know what to do with her life now.
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July 10th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Diana and Taylor, I’m glad ya’ll like my conspiracy theory
The only reason I thought it would work is because if I’m not mistaken, everyone in D-176 had to vote in favor of letting girls in (if I remember reading this correctly)and even though Poe was probably the last hold out and the hardest to convince, he did relent. And again, if you’re going to HAVE to play nice with girls, you may as well pick the nice ones right?
Granted, the theory probably wouldn’t hold too much water if pressed, but I’d like to know Poe’s side of the story a little more anyways. He’s such a dark horse, I totally did not see coming until probably around the time Amy did LOL.
Oh! I also wanted to say that I *personally* was more offended at George being part of the secret-secret society than Poe. I actually could understand Poe looking for the same kinship he had in R&G after Amy kicked him out, even if it went against everything he supposidly believed in. But George, nah uh! Talk about being screwed over backwards and forwards! He didn’t even want to be in a society in the first place and he sure as hell wasn’t lonely. If I were Amy I’d think really hard about leaving them both at the gate. But nice Rhett Butler allusion- probably the only man who could give Darcy a run for his money
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July 11th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Simone, I’m LOL over the Nair comment. Poor Felicity! She has such beautiful hair! Also, no, Jenny is not joking. While they were working for Habitat, she and Clarissa got to talking, and Jenny realized that she’d be a great addition to the team. There’s going to be a lot more on Jenny’s company in the new book.
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NellyF, you’re right that they all had to vote for the girls. Every tap vote has to be unanimous. It works a bit like a jury. You vote, then you argue about why you voted the way you did, then you vote again, until everyone agrees. It takes hours and hours and days and days and is mentally and physically exhausting. It’s a horrible system, really. I know some societies who have gotten rid of deliberations entirely and go by a 2/3 majority now.
In Poe’s case, the others kept voting to allow girls in, and kept voting, and kept voting, and eventually he (and any other holdouts) realized he wasn’t going to change their minds, so he gave in. He talks about it some in the first book, when he and Amy are standing outside the locked tomb. But whether he honestly didn’t want girls as part of the society or felt more that their punishments from the patriarchs weren’t worth the risk… that part is a mystery.
As for Amy, she was a desperate last-minute choice by Malcolm. He needed a girl, he needed one who fit the description, and he wasn’t tapping his ex. He tells her as much in SSG as well. Poe’s original issues with Amy are that, if they were going to tap women, they were better off tapping ones that were unimpeachable by society standards: for instance, Clarissa, who is a society legacy, or Odile, who is famous, or Jenny who is a genius self-made millionaire. If you go back and read the opening chapter of SSG, you can see Malcolm and Poe (who you don’t know who they are yet) arguing about whether or not Amy “belongs.”
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July 11th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
So I just finished rereading the first book and have started the second one. And I honestly think Poe’s tap was George. in the first book where the secret meeting was held in Malcom’s room Poe and George showed up late and Poe was the one pretty much dragging him in and telling him to take a seat. So why else would he care if he weren’t in fact his big sib. I also love just seeing the first two books with new eyes after knowing what the third book holds it’s so nice to read these and be reassured. And with that being said I really didn’t like Brandon once I reread the story. Whatever him and Amy had did not last long at all and I dunno how to describe him I just wasn’t a fan anymore.
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July 11th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Diana-I absolutely adore your books. Serious adoration and loving going on here
)
I just discovered SSG two days ago, and once I started reading it, I couldn’t stop. I just returned to B&N today and read UTR and ROSB-they were fantabulous. I spent approx. 3 and 1/2 hrs per book. You know, I actually read ROSB before UTR because I read the teaser for ROSB on this site, and I was incredibly anxious to find out what happened to Poe after he passed out.
Anyways, so I walk into B&N and I see a sign that announces you’ll be in signing books next week (Reston,VA B&N), and I’m SO disappointed that I won’t be able to go.
I love how Jamie is always printed with curly font in the books, hehe… I just can’t take Poe seriously when he’s called Jamie (or Pajamie xD)
I’m actually a big fan of the name “James”-it’s just so British and lovely.
I liked Poe from the moment in SSG when he apologized to Amy during her initiation for the drowning coffin affair. Even though he was just trying to get her to stay, I thought it was really sincere. I also loved how he told her info about the patriarch protesters. I’m a hardcore Poe fan; however, I have a soft spot for George-he’s just such a good possible reformed bad boy who falls in love. I loved the comparison of George and ‘Boo to George’s parents-I thought it was appropriate.
I’m also a fan of VM and a LoVe fan, although I have a soft spot for Piz-he’s just too adorable and hot. I definitely see parallels between LoVe and Poegaboo (like Brangelina but not
Anyone watch Gilmore Girls? I can also see similarities: Poe as a mix of Jess and Tristan and George as a mix of Logan and Tristan. Can you see my obsession with Tristan (aka Chad Michael Murray)?
So anyways, I shall conclude this uber-long post now. I really love this series and can’t wait for the next book. I’m tearing up inside at the thought of this series ending, though. Farewell.
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July 11th, 2008 at 10:18 pm
P.S. I almost died laughing when Poe said his snake was named Lord Voldemort. Too hilarious.
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July 12th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
The guy in this pic is what I imagine as Poe : http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee98/cosmopolitan411/banners/10.png
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July 12th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
Hi Diana,
Thanks for writing such amazing books. I’ve recently broken my foot and being that I’m a teacher and have summers off and now not being able to walk, I decided what a perfect opportunity to relax and read a lot of books. I picked SSG up and a couple of other books and when I got home I started reading it and I couldn’t put it down. I couldn’t wait for my husband to get home so that I could send him out to get UTR and ROS(B). Well he did because he’s wonderful and a day and a half later they were both finished as well. These books have totally transported me back in time to my college days (not that they were that long ago, but I miss them terribly). I see so much of myself in Amy and I can pretty much match up all of the characters in the story with friends of mine. Thank you so much for giving me the wonderful gift of reliving some of my college days. This year is going to drag waiting for the fourth book! Hopefully these wonderful books will be made into movies or a series. Any chance of that happening? Everyone’s been talking about how they envision Poe, but how do you envision Amy? For me I think it’s a cross between Alexis Bledel and Natalie Portman…I could be totally off. Keep up the wonderful work!!!!!!!
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July 13th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Oh I have a suggestion for Amy. I think Leighton Meester seems Amy-ish. The one character I have a definite visual image in terms of actresses is Clarissa. I think Brittany Snow would make an awesome Clarissa/Angel.
After pondering for awhile… another Poe suggestion would be James Lafferty. He has grey eyes, over 6 feet tall, dark hair and mastered a scowl in season one of One Tree Hill.
Diana do you think you’ll ever sell the rights of SSG, UTR, ROSB and your future book to be created into a movie series? If so would you ask to participate in the making of the movie(s)?
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July 14th, 2008 at 8:27 am
I’m starting to believe that Harun was P(Jamie)’s tap. He was initiated in the straggler’s ceremony, which Poe took part in – which struck me as an above and beyond kind of thing to do (not that he’s not an above and beyond kind of guy) – but in a role that wasn’t Uncle Tony. Poe lead the original initation night, which might have been hard to do with his own little there – and it’s been mentioned before that he was at the podium while the footage came online of Harun’s ceremony (though, I need to double check that). And then in the end, when they’re in the van back to campus, the gesture of Harun putting his hand over Jenny’s when Amy decides to go to Jamie’s apartment – it just gave me a little hint that he knew more about Jamie’s life than the others might not.
But hey, that’s all just a theory. One of many I suspect between now and next summer.
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July 14th, 2008 at 10:03 am
I thought the reason Harun put his hand over Jenny\’s was because he started showing feelings for her in the second book not just the third. I personally think Poe started liking Amy at the end of the first book if not then the beginging of the second. You can just sense his feelings towards her whenever they are in a scene together. I mean why else would he care so much that she was upset about his involvment in Elysion?
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July 14th, 2008 at 11:13 am
I heart this series!!! I picked up the first book at the library and thought it sounded interesting. A day later i was finished and raving to my sister and roommate… and now they are both hooked as well! I finished ROSB yesterday and I can’t wait for the 4th!
I agree with Taylor about Brittany Snow and James Lafferty! I think they would be great!
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July 14th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
I wanted to believe Harun was Poe’s tap, but rereading bits of all three books, I now agree it’s George. But why would Jamie tap George? Someone had to tap the legacy, and Jamie was the last available person? Jamie refused to tap a girl, so he got stuck with George?
But Amy W., I agree that Harun’s covering Jenny’s hand with his and her saying “oh” afterward is evidence that Harun knew about Jamie and Amy. Jamie makes a reference early in ROSB that he has friends in the tomb, and Amy automatically thinks of Hale, but maybe it includes Harun. Or maybe Harun and Jenny caught A&J while they were sneaking around too.
Another thing I want to know is what was Jamie doing at the tomb that one night with the black books, when he wouldn’t tell Amy? Any thoughts?
Oh, and another question–why does Odile’s attitude towards Jamie change throughout the book. Initially, during the prank with Dragon’s Head, she asks what Jamie’s doing there. But later at Cavador Key, she’s all excited to see him. Am I missing something?
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July 14th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
oh, yeah. i totally agree with distracted.
Odile has me looking at her with a wary eye when it came to her reaction toward Poe. You don’t just flip the script, so to speak, as soon as you see the guy.
And another thing I may just be reading into (haha. lame i know.) is that I kind of got the vibe that (don’t hate me because I love this guy) Malcolm deliberately said to both Poe and Amy that they would be horrible for each other because he has some kind one sided feelings for the guy.
Completely my opinion, of course. But I really think we need to hurry and get Malcolm a boy toy. He’s about the best big sib ever, and he deserves it, just like Amy deserves Poe.
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July 14th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Simone,
I thought that Malcolm said A&J were horrible for each other to push them towards each other, rather than because Malcolm has a thing for Poe. A&J are both so stubborn, and it seems telling them they shouldn’t do something would make them more likely to do it.
Plus, why would Malcolm keep telling Amy in UTR to go to Poe, talk to Poe, see Poe…. Clearly Malcolm either wants them to hook up or move on already!
I like that Malcolm.
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July 14th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Hi Diana! I absolutely love the books. And yes I do love Poe too! What I wonder is how Malcom and Jaime got their society names? I know that there is some explanation for Amy’s and the others of D177. I’m just curious why Malcom is Lancelot and Jaime is Poe.
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July 15th, 2008 at 8:42 am
At the risk of giving too much away on the subject of Poe’s tap:
In SSG, when Malcolm explains to Amy how they went about choosing their taps (pg 127 and 128), he talks about people tapping “replacements.” The members go out of their way to classify people and then tap the ones who, on paper, match them the most. malcolm even complains about it — how you have to pick someone of the same ethnicity as you, even if you don’t think you have much in common otherwise.
That being said, all Malcolm and Amy have in common is that they are both white and “in publishing.” Amy is straight; Malcolm is not. Malcolm comes from a rich, elite background. Amy is from upper middle class, middle America. But he had to tap a girl (according to the “straw” system), and he was already limited in his choices.
Malcolm didn’t have a choice about tapping a girl. He drew a “girl straw.” Poe would not have a choice either. So, did he draw a girl straw? What does he have in common with Harun? With Josh? With George? (those seem to be people’s most popular choices). Or was he, like Malcolm, put in a bind as to his choice?
Finally, though it is the members’ responsibility to identify the potential tap, they aren’t doing it in a vacuum. They need to work with the other knights and with the society as a whole. What if there is only one legacy in the current club but there are three legacies in the junior club? Do they need to tap the legacies, “just because?” What if some member of the current club HATES the person who is your most logical replacement? Is your duty to your brother over your own legacy as a society member?
This is basically the plot of the final book.
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July 15th, 2008 at 9:47 am
The plot sounds amazing! I do hope however that there is plenty of Amy and Jamie story. I love them together and would be devastated if it didn’t last long.
I always thought that George was Poe’s tap because George was a legacy and he needed to be taped and Poe didn’t really seem the type to try and find someone who is like him in any particular way. He doesn’t like to just throw his feelings and relationships around so why not throw that buffer up immediatly and only tap someone you have to not someone you choose to
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July 15th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Hi, Blair @130! Thanks so much for reading. Oh, I’m so bummed that you won’t be able to come to the signing tomorrow. I really love the name Poegaboo. That’s hilarious.
As for the Gilmore Girls, I just started watching recently. I’m finally to the part where she goes to Yale and I’m finding it really hard to believe that Paris arranged for them to live together! However, I’m amazed at what a great job they did with the set. It really looks like Yale!
that picture could be Poe. Hey, did any of you guys see Charlie Bartlett with Anton Yelchin? He’d make a good Poe, I think, as long as he can do darker.
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Lisa @133, I’m so sorry to hear about your foot! Why is everyone breaking their feet around here! I heard someone else did that recently, and then my really good friend broke his heel at work — and he’s a chef, so he needs to stand!
As for a movie, we’ve had a few “close calls” with movie rights, but they are still available (hear me, Hollywood?). As for Amy, I’m thinking another Travelling Pantster: Amber Tamblyn. I’ve been a huge fan of hers ever since Joan of Arcadia. I love her unconventionality, her intelligence, and her sarcasm/wit.
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July 15th, 2008 at 10:19 am
You guys, I have a confession: I don’t actually have TV reception in my house, so I’ve never seen Gossip Girls, One Tree Hill, etc. I don’t know some of these actors. thank goodness for IMDB!
Brittany Snow is the blonde girl from Hairspray, right? She could be good as Clarissa. In my head, I’m imagining Elisha Cuthbert, but that might just be because they have the same last name. I think “blonde bitch” is an easy role to fill in Hollywood. Wonder if Rachel McAdams would like to go blonde again like she did in Mean Girls?
I think when they cast movies from books, they usually go for people no one would ever suspect, like in the casting of Twilight. If I ever do have a movie made of my books — which is a huge long shot — they’ll probably be people we’ve never heard of.
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July 15th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Regarding Odile: Odile is Hollywood. When you measure her reactions to things, remember she’s a girl who is used to getting exactly what she wants exactly when she wants it, and is unafraid of manipulating people. When she runs into Poe on the island, she wants something from him. so she might be friendlier than she would be under other circumstances.
that being said, she is one of the few people in D177 who doesn’t actively dislike him, mostly because he’s not particularly on her radar of importance. Is her reaction to him in the first chapter of ROSB particularly negative, or is it just curious? (Remembering of course, that they are in a stressful situation and half of them didn’t make it?)
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July 15th, 2008 at 10:27 am
Or maybe I just screwed up that line.
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July 15th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Distracted, you’ve got an eagle eye! What do you think that Poe was doing that night with the black books?
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kimberly, about the D176 society names, do you have any guesses why I picked those? The society names are picked by the class that taps you, and they usually reflect (or mock) some aspect of your personality or person.
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About Harun holding Jenny’s hand, I really like all these theories! I think it’s pretty plain by the end of the story that there is something going on between these two, but it’s up to you how much that situation colors your interpretation of Harun’s insight here.
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Regarding Malcolm, I like that theory, Simone! You know, after SSG first came out, a lot of people asked me if Poe was secretly in love with Malcolm! But you’re the first person to ask the opposite. And you are right that Malcolm needs a boyfriend. In an original outline of ROSB, he did have one, that he met in Alaska and brought to the island, but it just made things even messier when it came to focusing on Amy’s relationship and all the different suspects, so the boyfriend got the axe.
Which is not to say he doesn’t exist, just that he didn’t make it to Cavador.
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July 15th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Diana, I was just about to suggest Amber Tamblyn for Amy–she was the first person I thought of, and she looks like how I picture Amy as well!
I thought Harun liked Jenny from the very end of UTR, when he gets all impressed with her hack job of the Eli scoreboard.
So far, I think Malcolm likes to sleep with lots of people and not get into any commitments–because, like Amy, he seems to be very suspicious of the idea of a relationship in general. I hope he does have a boyfriend soon, though…
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July 15th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Diana, I just had a thought re Poe’s looking into the archives. Was Poe the Gehry snitch? I think it was related to Gehry at least, since Poe said it concerned him and current domestic policy.
Also, was Poe somehow responsible for his mom’s death? When he’s talking about the fact that someone’s always at fault, it just seems like he’s talking about himself again.
Man, I canNOT wait until next summer. Um, ARC’s all around?
Have you watched Dr. Horrible yet? (see http://www.drhorrible.com/act_I.html). Great stuff. =)
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July 15th, 2008 at 6:57 pm
I can’t wait to read the 4th and find out more about the Taps lol
Anyways, I decided to put up my “cast” of characters since that sounded like a fun thing to do. Most of these are on the spot first instinct haha.
Amy- Amber Tamblyn or Anne Hathaway, I can’t decide. Most of the time, I’m picturing the book from her point of view anyways lol!
Odile- Blake Lively, this was by far the easiest to cast because she just seems so young hollywood glam!
Clarissa- Ashley Tisdale.
Jenny- Emma Roberts, even though she’s a much younger, I think she could pull of Jenny to a T.
Demetria- Raven Symone- not for obvious reasons, but I always pictured Demetria a very loud and colorful character.
George- Ryan Sypek- I miss Wildfire
Malcolm -Oliver James
Lydia – Autumn Reeser from the OC.
Josh – Chad Michael Murray ( just for fun right??)
Poe/Jaime – Matt Lanter
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2982973952/nm1782667
I had the HARDEST time thinking up someone perfect for Poe and I’m still not sure. I was originally thinking Sean Faris, http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3335822080/nm0267511 but really… lol.
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July 16th, 2008 at 7:38 am
Matt Lanter might be a good Poe. Sean Faris reminds me more of how I visualize Josh, who is inspired in equal parts by a guy named Josh I went to college with, and Josh Lyman from the West Wing.
It’s interesting you pick Oliver James for Malcolm, since he’s my model for *Brandon*. Malcolm is more blonde all american corn fed looking.
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distracted, Poe’s mother died of natural causes. She got sick. It was pretty traumatic for his whole family, but no one’s “fault.”
I did see Dr. Horrible, but then I tried to show it to my husband and the site had crashed. Sad face.
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July 16th, 2008 at 9:42 am
We will learn more abour Poe in the 4th book? Like more details about his life and maybe why is can be so abrasive? And hopefully of course alot more of him and Amy?
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July 16th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
That’s so funny. I’m curious, did you model Brandon off Oliver James based on looks alone or did a character he portrayed influence you? Like, I chose him because What a Girl Wants is one of my favorite movies and the boy he plays just seems like the perfect best friend to hang out with.
Poe was so hard because I don’t think he was supposed to be like one of those obvious hotties, but I do picture him handsome in a distracted kind of way, so hence Lanter who I think is cute, but not in your face. The only reason Faris came to mind is because of that fighting movie he did where he was perpetually moody LOL.
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July 16th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Hi all. I was initially turned on to SSG when I was working as an Events Planner for a very large book chain and received this as an advanced reader.
I’m probably a little older than much of the fanbase- at 27- but this, like Meg Cabot, indulges my love for chick lit and pulls me out of reading “Insurance Weekly.”
Just finished Rites of Spring (Break). I love Poe. Seriously- in the previous books, it seemed as though he would be sexy in a brooding, get no love, angry at world sort of way– in this one– WOW. Way to go Diana!
On a side note– I had to google Matt Lanter– and that is exactly what I pictured Poe to be like.
Can’t wait until 09 for this one. Its as if I am waiting for Deathly Hollows to be published.
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July 17th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Just finished the book last night, came home from work, shut the door and read the last half uninterupted. I didn’t even eat!!
OMG the shower scene! I’ve reread that scene like 9 zillion times now– HOT!
I’m certainly hoping for more of the same stuff in Book 4. (WHY IS SUMMER 09 SO FAR AWAY!?) I think the reason Amy and Poe work so well together is because they had so much animosity in the last two books. I kind of felt like their eventual “getting together” was going to happen in 2, but so glad you made me wait until 3. I like that they still challenge each other, that they still fight- that’s partly what makes their hook ups so hot- they have a lot of tension, be is sexual or otherwise.
Great job- great read… and thank you publisher for the teaser for book 4 in the end. If I didn’t get that last make out session my head would have probably exploded. Just sayin….
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July 18th, 2008 at 9:01 am
[...] that now Rites of Spring (Break) is out and people are emailing me about it (or just talking on the spoiler thread), I love it [...]
July 18th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Rites of Spring (Break) is my favourite book in the series so far. I am 100% Team Poe – I think I was a fan of Poe pretty much from half-way through UTR, but became full-fledged Team Poe by the beginning of the third book. Poe makes the other guys Amy’s had “relationships” with – Brandon and George – seem like little boys. The strong, silent type – the one who does, rather than just talks – very Darcy-esque (I agree with everyone who mentioned this before me). I was giddy while reading everytime Poe and Amy were in the same scene, and could NOT put the book down. I love them – please let them be together by the end of the last book!
I particularly loved seeing Poe from Lydia’s (more objective) eyes in the preview of the 4th book – cute and tall – as opposed to Amy’s early (and very biased) descriptions of him. I can’t wait for the next book!
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July 18th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Please, oh please keep Amy and Jamie together in the next book. As the end of her college career is approaching, she is evolving — her personality, her friendships, the things that are important to her — and it would be refreshing to have her relationships evolve as well, away from college hook-up culture to something more serious and fulfilling. Well, okay, I can’t lie, I’ve enjoyed her various romantic exploits across the series. But as Bryana said in the post above me, Poe makes the other guys seem like little boys. Amy deserves to find a fulfilling, satisfying relationship and I feel like Poe might really be the answer.
ROSB was a fabulous read — some adventure, some humor, some romance, some drama and suspense. A good book to read and enjoy in the summertime. Some of the various exploits in the books bring back fond and funny memories of my college sorority days. Keep up the good work!
P.S. OMG Amy & Poe shower scene FTW!!1! rawr.
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July 18th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Amy C-W–
Reminds me of my college sorority days too. I happened to have read ROSB on the flight home from my sorority’s convention.
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July 18th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
Latisha @153 said: “We will learn more about Poe in the 4th book? Like more details about his life and maybe why is can be so abrasive? And hopefully of course alot more of him and Amy?”
You will learn more about him in the fourth book, as will Amy, but, at the risk of disappointing you, there’s no big “secret” as to what made him the way he is. We know all about his family background and personality from the first three books (especially what he tells Amy in UTR).
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Nelly @154 said: “That’s so funny. I’m curious, did you model Brandon off Oliver James based on looks alone or did a character he portrayed influence you? Like, I chose him because What a Girl Wants is one of my favorite movies and the boy he plays just seems like the perfect best friend to hang out with.”
Actually, I modeled Brandon’s looks after a guy I knew in college named Brandon. I did so without really realizing I was doing it, until my then-boyfriend-now-husband pointed out to me that I’d put that Brandon in the book, and perhaps I should tell him. (Funny story: the actual Brandon, who is very close firends with my husband came to my wedding and had to put up with people going, “You’re *Brandon?*” all night long. No, I did not have a relationship with Brandon. I am not Amy.)
Oliver James sprang to mind because he’s the person in Hollywood who most looks like the Brandon in my head. I don’t know if there are enough part-Asian men in Hollywood…
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July 18th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
out of curiousity, is amy going to be taking a gander at the black books in book 4 and possibly looking at jamie’s CB? hah, as sneaky as that sounds, im very curious.
also, to what you said about part asian / brandon / college he reminds me most of a friend of mine, whos part asian / irish / spanish, and he looks like oliver james just .. more attractive.
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July 18th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Hi, Gina Mac! Thanks for reading.
You’re actually right in the middle of the fan base. Most of the people I hear from are in their mid-twenties and looking back at college. I so hear you on the chick lit though — I just went to see MAMMA MIA — it was just what I needed to escape for a little while!
I love Meg Cabot, too. I don’t know how she does it as often as she does. I’m in awe.
I’m glad you enjoyed ROSB, and I’m really honored and flattered and waaaaaaay humbled to hear that bit about Deathly Hallows….
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July 18th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Jen @156: LOL about the reread of the shower scene. And here we were so worried because this one, unlike UTR, doesn’t have an actual sex scene in it.
As for the last scene, my editor came up with the idea, so all props go to her. I think it’s good though, because *apparently* (I didn’t think so, but oh well), it was a little unclear at the end exactly what Amy was doing over there at Poe’s apartment. Seriously, though, I don’t know if I could forgive her if she goes over there just to talk to him. He made his feelings perfectly clear. What kind of BS move would that be on her part? talk about sending mixed signals!
Then again, Amy is kind of a clod when it comes to relationships, so maybe she would pull crap like that. Hmmmm…
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July 18th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Bryana, it’s funny, a friend just called me today and said she thought he was very Darcy-esque — though I suppose that mostly refers to his personality, which is very proud and disagreeable and all those things. I guess I should admit that. Unfortunately, Darcy undertakes a great deal to change his tune when it comes to Lizzie, and Poe, well, he’s still pretty proud and disagreeable, I think.
But that’s me. YMMV.
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Amy C-W, I’m so glad you enjoyed it. You’re right, she is growing up with her college career coming to an end. There’s a part in (I think) UTR where she talks about how the hard part of a college relationship is that he doesn’t go away when you break up with him, whereas in real life you never have to see that person again.
Ironically — because NO, this has NOTHING to do with what is going into the books — I actually married my college sweetheart. And I left Yale after graduation while he stayed behind. However, in my case, my husband was a year behind me in school. And then we didn’t get married and instead went off to explore the world, just like in MAMMA MIA.
Because MAMMA MIA is totally on my brain right now.
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July 18th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Gina, i missed the bit about your convention — was it great to see all your sisters again? I went to my 5 year reunion right before SSG was released and it was amazing both to see the campus again and to see all my friends from school. I had a blast!
________________
Now, S, you know I can’t answer questions like that! Actually, that’s a thread-wide policy. I will talk about “spoilers” for the three books that are already released. NOTHING about the one to be released next year.
Oh, except George and Jenny TOTALLY get married. I know, right?
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July 19th, 2008 at 10:40 am
[...] popular discussion topic in the Rites of Spring (Break) spoiler thread is who I would cast were there a) to be a movie about my books and b) people who would actually let [...]
July 19th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Convention is an experience in itself. I am an appointed officer and work with chapters locally and all over the country. To have the opportunity to meet these women together in one place is awesome- especially meeting the women who were initiated in the 1930’s and 40’s.
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July 20th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
I think, if you go back and read UTR, you can see that their relationship really changed during the whole search for Jenny. Do you think Poe is trying to “save” her from George at that scene with the three of them by the Prescott College gate?
To go with the Darcy metaphor, it would be interesting to try to pinpoint at what point their feelings changed. When do you all think that Poe started to like Amy?
—–
I don’t think that Poe was trying to save Amy from George at the gate…I think he wanted to badly to have her see what why he did what he did. He needed for her to understand…desperate even.
I think that Poe realized in the conference room in NYC that Amy was a force to be reckoned with. I think he really started to see a different side of Amy when she came to him for help to find Jenny. But also, Poe was really hurt when Amy kicked him out of the tomb before her CB. He wanted to hear and she didn’t want him to know. I thought at that moment that there might be something there. There was the scene on the train where Poe caught Amy starring at him…that when I thought she started to look at him in a different light.
I thought that Amy and Brandon were good friends but Poe challenges her just as much as she challenges him. I don’t think she saw Brandon as her equal. She’s made comments about how so many of her peers “just fit” at Eli. I think Amy sees Poe as someone she can relate to, someone who might be just as much an “outcast” as she is.
But I have a few questions…
If Jenny really did get ‘inked’, what was it?
How come Amy’s Digger mentor never showed up in UTR?
And now…I’m going blank. I fell across your books last summer. I think it was the quote from Luanne Rice, she’s one of my favorite authors. I’m so glad I picked them up. Then I passed them on to my co-workers and we all got addicted. Then I fell upon RoSB and nearly jumped up and down in the book store. It’s going to be a very long fall, winter and especially SPRING! I re-read the books 3x in just the last 2 weeks.
Dianna, I think it’s great that you respond to all of our inquiries! Nice touch!
Ok, I’m going now.
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July 20th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Cathy W @169 said:If Jenny really did get ‘inked’, what was it?
How come Amy’s Digger mentor never showed up in UTR?
Thanks for reading, Cathy! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
As for Jenny, I don’t think Amy knows whether or not she has a tattoo.
As for Amy’s mentor, do you mean Malcolm, Gus (the guy who gave her the job at the end of SSG), or her thesis advisor? I’m guessing you mean Gus Kelting. He was, unfortunately out of the country on business during the entire drama with Elysion.
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July 20th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
My suspicions pointed to Darren when they were playing darts and he narrowly missed Amy’s head. Who does that?!? It struck me as odd. He knew just a little too much about the Diggers and their rituals.
I’ll be interested to see what lies ahead for the Ghery family.
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July 27th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
TEAM POE.
and yes the Poe/Logan thing hit me way later. So then why can’t we have Jason Dohring play Poe?
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July 28th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
Any reason why Poe went MIA for a while after being rushed to the hospital? Or was there just no need to throw him into the mix of Amy’s emotional friendship with Brandon?
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July 28th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Cathy W @171: Probably a book deal.
Rachel P. @172: I’ll try to make that happen for you, Rach.
Gina Mac @173: see page 352.
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July 28th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
right because having J.D. on set would be purely something you would do for me….
eh we should mix things up for poor J.D. – make him Malcolm.
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July 30th, 2008 at 9:17 am
I am finally rereading SSG- since I needed a refresher.
Is Jamie Josh’s Big Brother?? Since the taps Big Brothers have similar aspirations, majors etc, wouldn’t it make sense for have two aspiring attorneys paired together??
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July 30th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Gina, that, you may notice, is a big topic of debate ’round here.
Me? I say nothing.
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July 30th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
I read SSG on Saturday and finished the ROSB last night, I love these books. They are fantastic. I was so pleased Amy and Poe got together. I was intrigued by Poe in the first book because he was the only one whose real name we didn’t know and I wondered why you did that (btw so glad he was a Jamie not James it just seems to sit better with the image I had in my head). Then in UTR he was so great in looking for Jenny. I especially loved the train trip scene. Then wow ROSB was just amazing I was so happy, so many very cute and romantic moments between the two of them. I just really don’t want them to mess it up in the next book; you’ll break my heart if they don’t end up together.
I think Poe started liking Amy after the conference in NY. Amy definitely started liking him during the hunt for Jenny, even if she didn’t realise it. It was hard for her to be horrible to him to make him go away.
I wish we had societies in the UK or maybe they’re just so secret I never even heard of them ☺
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July 31st, 2008 at 1:15 am
OMG! I know a bit late but better late than never. I finished reading the book this afternoon. Um I’ve never been so happy to have had so much free time at work (Shh don’t tell my boss). I picked up the book on my morning break and couldn’t put it down. Wow Diana…those moments between Amy and Poe, STEAMY HOT! More so than my cup of hot chocolate. I didn’t want to see it, I was hoping for George to pull a Logan Huntzberger change and truly fall for Amy (Gilmore Girls, although the series finale was a bit disappointing). I’m so glad you chose a college age for the characters…there are too many book characters still in high school. I can’t wait for the next book. Do you think you’ll be out to California (San Francisco) for any events?
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July 31st, 2008 at 7:25 am
I’m reading my way through SSG again. I think Poe had a thing for Amy way back at her interview. He apologized to her at Tap night for scaring her with the water. He may not have known then how far he’d actually fall for her, but she intrigued him.
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July 31st, 2008 at 3:02 pm
So I’ve never posted here before but I absolutely love Amy and Jamie together! Please keep them together! I thought Poe might like her at the scene when he reached her first at the college gate after she discovered he was part of Elysion in UTR. It just showed he cared.
Is George, Jamie’s little bro? That’s what I think.
After reading ROS(B), I went back and found my copies of the first two and re-read them. These books definately remind me of my college sorority days, probably partly why I enjoy them so much.
I can’t believe we have to wait until Summer 2009 for the 4th! Oh well, I’ll just have to keep re-reading the first three.
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August 6th, 2008 at 9:29 am
[...] series, this topic has been much on my mind. I know what my readers want me to do with the series. They make no bones about telling me. I also know what’s going to happen in my book and have known for, oh, at least a year in [...]
August 7th, 2008 at 10:28 am
I just started Secret Society Girl last week, had to run out and buy the next 2 and blew through those in 2 days! They are completely addictive! I’m so glad she came around to Poe! Ever since he came back with the shoulders I knew something would happen. Besides, I’m a shoulders gal myself
I have no idea what I’ll do with myself until next year! When I read the Harry Potter books I luckily didn’t start reading them until about 2 months before the last one came out so there was no waiting for me! I didn’t know this would be so addictive!
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August 13th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
I know what you mean Meagan, I recently stumbled upon this series myself and after finishing Secret Society Girl I was completely hooked! I’ve never been soo into a series or even a particular book in my life but this is something else.
As for the new development in Amy’s love life I have to admit that I was definitely one of those readers that took a glimpse at the spoilers of ROS and was left sitting there uttering and incredulous “WHAT?!!?!” I completely could not understand how her new relationship with Poe could come about. I honestly thought that bringing Amy and Poe/Jamie (“It’s Jamie, no one calls me James” hehe for some reason I just love that, and yes yes I know that was from Under the Rose… =p) would completely ruin the series for me but I absolutely LOVE IT! Of the guy’s that Amy has been with I never thought that Poe would be my absolute favourite pick to be with her. Maybe it was because we got to see a really sweat relationship develop from the very begining with those two that I love it soo much. It’s true Brandon may be perfect but we only ever got a quick snap shot of how things got started between Amy and Brandon. And how could we forget about George, does this one really need an explanation? All hormones and no emotion, yes it was a totally hot thing but for me in the long run I’d totally choose the Poe-Amy relationship hands down. I’ve never felt so strongly about either of Amy’s couplings and the way Diana describes their meetings is just pure magic. I’m only hoping that this new couple can last all the way to the end of the series because they really are absolutely perfect for each other and hey, even George has approved — that’s gotta tell you something.
Speaking of George, does anyone else get the distinct impression that there is something brewing between our fair Angel and the promiscuous Puck? Or is that just me reading too much into the what seems like extra time that they spent around each other in ROS? Am I wrong?
Anyway this is an absolutely amazing series and I cannot wait until the final book comes out. I just wish that I had found SSG later than I had, then maybe I wouldn’t have as much of a wait as I do now.
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August 14th, 2008 at 12:36 am
Okay, so after I made my post (which I realized was horribly written, oh how horrified my english teachers would be) I started reading what others had to say and I the debate on who shoud play what character in a movie kept coming up. I’m not one to look too specifically at the physical characteristics of the character I’m reading about because I like to imagine everyone played by my favourite stars and some celebs in particular stuck out for me in regards to the characters in the series.
Keep in mind that I’m not really looking for the physicals but really just matching them to roles that I’ve seen them play before.
Brandon – Josh Alba (he just seems like such a sweet and smart guy)
Poe – William Gregory Lee (His role as Zack in Dark Angel – that boy just can scowl enough)
Also as Poe – Jensen Ackles ( I totally love this guy and I can sorta see him as Poe)
Another Poe Poss. – Robert Pattison (okay, so this one for me is visual, may not be like what is described but when I look at him to me he just says Poe)
George – Jensen Ackles (again haha – and again a reference to Dark Angel, his role as Alec totally reminds me of George)
Clarissa – Totally agree with who ever said Brittany Snow
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August 14th, 2008 at 7:52 am
Everyone keeps talking about a SSG movie– I think the books would play out way better as a TV show.
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August 16th, 2008 at 12:53 am
Gina Mac I totally agree there is way too much character development to fit into a movie
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August 16th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I know I probably got a late start on reading this series. I picked up SSG a few weeks ago, as I have never been much into reading, but I thought I would give it another try. I could barely put it down and I ran out to buy UTR before I even finished SSG. I read UTR in like 2 days, and of course ran out and bought ROSB I was so disappointed when I found out that SSG4 the 4th and final book doesn’t come out until June 2009. I just don’t know what I am going to do for another 10 months. I wish I would not have starting reading these books until closer to June 09. I however never seen the Poe and Amy thing coming until ROSB. After reading ROSB I went back and re-read SSG and UTR and then it was clear to me you can see their relationship starting to form. With all the comments about his shoulders and then there was the whole punching Micah Price thing. Then of course who can forget when they broke into dragon’s head and were laying in the crawl space and he stared at her the entire time. I really hope their relationship last, as I think they work so well together. Even when you thought they hated each other they always seemed to be able to work together and solve issues. I too agree making this into a TV show would be awesome.
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August 18th, 2008 at 11:05 pm
I love this books, I picked up SSG at one of the local Library, when I was waiting for a differnt book to come out. As soom as UtR came out I had to read it. I’m the kind of reader that is very picky about what I read, and it is rear that I get so into a story as I have with yours. I never liked any first person stories, until I fell under the spill that is Rose & Grave. I just got done reading ROS(B) for the 3rd time since I bought it less than a week ago, and I can’t wait for the next one.
I must say I myself as loved Jamie for the word “Poe”. You guys keep saying his a Slythern, but I myself see him as a Sirus Black. Brandon on the other hand seemed to pushy when it came to the whole defind the relationship. He pushed it upon her (even the sexual part) and remended me of my frist college boyfriend. He was possoin to Amy as my ex was to me.
I cann’t wait to see what waiting for Bugaboo and Poe. Oh and I love how Josh was godsmacked in the seek pick!
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August 22nd, 2008 at 1:38 pm
I picked up SSG as something to read on my 16 hour flight to HongKong but finished it before I got on the flight. I then proceeded to finish UtR on the said flight. After finishing, thought foremost in my head: She doesn’t end up with Poe? Seriously? After all that? A month later (unfortunately, RoSB is impossible to find in the eastern hemisphere)having finally caught up on the series, I am fairly glowing with happiness. Amy and Jamie are rather adorable and from what I’ve seen so far, the next book is going to be amazing.
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August 28th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Just wanted to say Hi! to everyone. I just finished all three books and LOVE THEM! I’ve been reading through the thread and must agree with 99.5% of everyone with GO TEAM POE! (although I’m not sure where the whole ‘team’ part comes into play…?) Anywho, I think he’s such an interesting character. I’m glad that Amy’s view changed and we got to see a different side of him. Next summer can not come fast enough!!
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August 28th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Poe makes me want a new boyfriend. I love that “new boy” feeling! It’s so funny, I always kind of sympathized with him. I felt he just wanted attention and was just lonely. Poor guy! When I picture Poe, I picture a former coworker who has a pretty attractive face but is severely thin. I also picture Poe being pretty tan in the last book – and let’s face it – a tan is hot! (Provided it’s not a year round town or an “orange” tan). Also, when I picture George, I picture one of my former students – is that awful? I’m a college adjunct so at least he’s around the right age – and I’m close enough in age to not be a dirty old lady! I agree with the earlier posts – I would LOVE to see Amy and her friends in a post college world. I’m so sorry that the series must end. But, I suppose it’s what they say about all good things??????
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August 29th, 2008 at 12:36 am
I so know what you mean, I want a guy like Poe. Where can I find some one like him? I can not wait to read the next book, it is really sad that it is the last book.
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August 29th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
He may be a little old for the part – but this is how I’ve always pictured Poe.
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/09iR54L8Hc6Ae/340x.jpg
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August 31st, 2008 at 8:19 pm
laurie, I think Puck and Angel will get together as well. He was very quick to defend her when she blamed herself for Amy’s accident. Plus, they come from similar backrounds and neither really knows what their plans are for the future.
Small detail, but in the first book, is Poe the grim reaper who had Amy choose who to put the crown on?
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September 1st, 2008 at 11:14 am
Hi, guys! Moving has made me so far behind on catching up on this thread (well, that and finishing up the draft for TAP & GOWN, the fourth book), but I hope I can drop by and answer some of your questions over the next few days. The ones I’m allowed to that is.
I’m going to cheat and start at the end.
Leanne, yes, that is Poe who is in the Initiation sequence with Amy. If you look in the second book, you see that he reprises his role as Grim Reaper for the Stragglers Initiation. It’s a role that fits him very well. He really likes the macabre.
Erin, I can see a resemblance (if maybe a bit more slouchy and rugged for Poe), but you’re right, probably a bit old for the part. Then again, I look at GOSSIP GIRLS the TV show and I think, “These are supposed to be teenagers?!?!?!?!” I always think Poe, if he’d had the money, would be Prep-schooled out to the max.
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September 1st, 2008 at 11:24 am
MJ and Erin, do you really want a guy like Poe? He’s so angsty! Yet I know what you mean, I do love that “new relationship” thrill. (I’m married, so I have to live vicariously through my characters.) Poe is a little on the thin side, but thin in a cute way. I think of him as one of those guys who is very slim, but the second he starts working out, everything kind of pops out all over. Like his shoulders. Poe has great shoulders.
It’s totally cool, Erin, to think George looks like a college kid. He does. It’s like when the Harry Potter movies were coming out and I thought the guy playing the Quidditch captain was adorable and my husband said I was perverted and then we looked him up on IMDB and he was like a year younger than me.
And that whole thing just reminded me again that I can’t open up a web browser anymore without seeing Robert Pattinson looking all evil instead of all Cedric Diggory esque.
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September 1st, 2008 at 11:34 am
Thanks for reading, Brilyne. I guess the “team” part is more in play when people are rooting for her to get together with George OR Brandon, as they were after the first book. Now, she’s made a decision at the end of the third book to date Poe.
LZ, there are a lot of people who, like you, were seriously rooting for Poe after the end of UTR, and it killed me to keep it under wraps for a whole year. I couldn’t picture Amy just jumping in with him and having it be anything worthwhile that soon. Their relationship needed to adjust on a long-scale first, before they could get to anything I thought had real potential. I would guess if they got together at the end of UTR, it would be a random hook up, which we’ve already seen out of Amy, and which we now know that Poe wouldn’t go for. Thank you for making my books your transcontinental read!
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September 2nd, 2008 at 12:32 am
this is the closest I’ve come so far to my mental image of Poe [but believe me, I'll keep searching
]:
http://www.seanbiggerstaff.com/shots/SeanB&W.JPG
and Malcom.
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September 2nd, 2008 at 10:18 am
I keep picturing George to look like Ryan Lochte (olympic swimmer- and oh so cute)
with brown eyes.
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September 2nd, 2008 at 3:48 pm
I love Sean Biggerstaff from the HP movies. I fell in love with him during the first movie and therefore love the character Oliver Wood. Oh how I lust…anyway that brings me to another point about the first HP movie. After that movie it was determined that there is nothing hotter than a guy in a black sweater. mm mm mm. As for Poe, I can totally see Poe being portrayed by Sean Biggerstaff.
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September 3rd, 2008 at 8:48 am
[...] was a comment on the Rites of Spring (Break) Spoiler Thread a few days back from a reader who wondered why [WHITE FOR SPOILERS, MOUSE OVER TO SEE] Poe and Amy [...]
September 4th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Diana, I absolutely love your books!
Question about the 4th book… without giving anything away, will Juno have a bigger role? I feel like of all the Diggirls we know the least about her, and I’m sure she has a fun side!
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September 4th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Heather, I am glad I’m not alone in my Oliver Wood crush!
Gina, I totally missed hte Olympics. I was on my (much belated) honeymoon and we had no TV on the boat. Not that I couldn’t think of better things to do on my honeymoon, but.
Anna, thank you for reading. Re: Juno. It’s unlikely. She and Amy aren’t particularly close, and there are a lot of new people coming in Tap & Gown (a whole new class, actually), so the story focuses on them, as well as the characters Amy is closest with. But Mara will lead a full and happy life, no doubt.
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September 8th, 2008 at 12:08 am
Poe is really like the guys I tend to go for, Lol so yes I really want a guy like him. I just bought me my every own copy of Under the Rose. All that I have left to own is the frist one. Lucky for me I can get it for Barns and Nobles.
I think the photo Leanne has for Malcom is close to my minds idae of him, but I have yet to see any good ones for Poe. Her is nice though.
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September 11th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I absolutely LOVED that Amy ended up with Poe. I have to admit I fell for Poe everytime he tried to teach Amy how to swim, I mean how could you not fall in love with him? He was such a sensible guy when Amy was around that it made it pretty clear his whole act was just a charade. I think that by the end Josh was a bit more jealous than he should be, but overall I completely LOVED the book. Can’t wait for Peterfreund to publish the next one of the series, which if I’m not mistaken, will be the last and conclusive of the Secret Society series? Anyhow, this book has quickly become one of my favorite young adult fiction novels, right up there with The A-list and Gossip Girl. BRAVO!
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September 11th, 2008 at 11:06 pm
Yay, I fixed the page!
Okay, questions:
Marianna, I’m so glad you like the books. Thank you for reading. I’m going to guess you meant Jamie when you wrote Josh — and you’re right, he is more jealous than he probably should be, and I think he knows it. He’s a very distrustful guy by nature and I think he wasn’t quite sure what to make of Amy’s interest in him. He’s expecting the worst. Though you can tell from the scene outside the library that he’s had a chip on his shoulder about George for a while.
Yes, the next book, TAP & GOWN, is the last of the series, but I’ve also got a YA book (the SSG books are actually adult novels, by publisher, shelving, and age of characters) coming out next summer right around the same time. It’s a YA fantasy called RAMPANT and I’m super excited about that. I’m also working on a new, non fantasy book, but I can’t really talk about that one yet. I really love the project, though, and I think it will be a great follow up (unconnected, but similar in tone) to the secret society series.
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September 12th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Hi Diana!!
I’m a huge fan of your books, I read SSG and I already ordered UTR and ROS, but because I’m from Costa Rica it’s going to take a bit longer for me to get them. I just love how witty and funny Amy is and the way we can relate to her character. I can’t wait to read more from her and the rest of the diggers.
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September 12th, 2008 at 6:26 pm
No, I meant Josh. By the end of the sneek peak into your next book, I thought that when he saw Amy with Jamie he was a little more than just in shock! Maybe I\’m creating more drama than there already is, LOL! Your book and your writing are great, just as Mariela I\’m not from the U.S, I\’m from Panama, and believe me it is NOT easy to find books like those here. However, I assure you your first two books are already on my Shopping List in Amazon, since the third one is the first I\’ve read! I was a little confused at the beginning because it was obvious I had to read the previous two books to understand the plot, but I couldn\’t put down the book and as I kept reading, the plot just wasn\’t a problem anymore. Well, I\’m eager to read the next one you\’re working one, and expect me to keep writing to you as soon as I get my hands on your first two books of the SS series! Thanks!
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September 12th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Sorry about the typo: sneak peek
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September 12th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
I’ve visited this site several times but haven’t said anything because it’s such a lively conversation, I’ve (selfishly) preferred to just enjoy reading it. But I did want to tell you how much I LOVED your books, Diana. And congratulate you for being able to keep the Poe/Amy thing a secret. You done good!
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September 15th, 2008 at 1:38 am
I LOVED this book… seriously I was so happy with the Poe/Amy thing. I like him from book one, and like him even more book three. i can’t wait to see what happens next. I was jumping up and down (in my mind) when they first kissed, and LOVED the shower scene. I can’t wait for the next installment.
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September 15th, 2008 at 10:30 am
I literally started the book (ROS) at noon yesterday and couldn’t put it down! I traveled all summer and couldn’t wait to get home and pick up the 3rd in the series. The series is great and I don’t know if I’ll be able to wait the 9 months until the next installment. ps. I had a hunch about Poe from book 2… i was extremely delighted with the story line. Can’t wait to see how it all ends!
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September 15th, 2008 at 10:58 am
Hi, Mariela! thanks for reading. Where in Costa Rica are you? I spent a summer there when I was in high school, doing an ecology study. We were out in the wilderness most of the time. We went all the way from up in the northwest near Santa Rosa Park and Volcan Cacao to down in Limon.
Hi, Mariana. Ah, I see what you mean now about Josh. I hope he isn’t thinking that. I don’t know how Lydia and Amy’s friendship would survive it if Josh fell for Amy!
Thanks, Jo. I’m glad you finally spoke up!
Thank you, Michelle. I hope i can do them credit in the next installment.
Jamie, is it really 9 months? Ack! thanks for reading! I’m curious — how do you feel about his name?
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September 16th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
I’m from the capital, San José, not at all rural, but I remember back in high school when we used to go on fieldtrips to these really amazing places including the Santa Rosa Park and seeing the forest canopy on the aerial train (i don’t know if you have tried this). I’m glad you could visit my country and I hope you’ve enjoy it!!
On a book related question: in SSG, during Amy’s initiation sequence, Poe was playing the Grim Reaper and at one point Amy thinks that the Reaper is going to kiss her, and she freaks out because that is “a little too goth for her taste”, so my question is: did Poe really tried to kiss Amy during the initiation sequence or Amy was just being paranoid about the whole thing and Poe was just trying to be creepy and scary to the new taps?
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September 19th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
So I was finally near a bookstore with an actual variety of books (trust me, it was a long summer), and I picked up ROSB–and proceeded to devour it in an afternoon. Then two days later, I had to go back and get UTR (they didn’t have SSG, but it’s on order now) because I’d forgotten so much about these characters–it’s such a rich ensemble cast that I really don’t think there’s a two-dimensional part among them. On that note, though, I do have a request — more Ben? I just finished UTR and I really liked the glimpse of him we got. And I’m still sad he missed his CB report. *grin* Poor guy just wants to be a part of something, you know?
And on the Jamie front (I don’t have two dollars to call him by his other name), the beach and shower scenes respectively earned fist-punches of “Awesome!” And if it’s two dollars for using society names outside the tomb, how much is the fine for wearing, say, a Team Poe (two bucks) t-shirt?
(Also, I remember why I took a hiatus from your blog. You keep recommending all these great-sounding books, which: yay! But bad for the budget)
And now I want to write up a spec script so you can send it to film agents. I’m sure Amber Tamblyn would love to have her own show again. And more of the world should know about the awesomeness of these books. Heh. Awesomeness is a word after all. Cool.
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September 20th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
I know it’s been a little while since the most recent book came out; but I just finally decided to check out the website because I wanted to see if other people had the same questions as me. And I found out that you do!
First off, I love these books, so hats off to you Diana! The characters are so realistic and real. As for who should play them in a movie/tv series. I think that everyone has done a really good job with their suggestions. I agree with Leanne (post 199) on Jamie and Malcom. That is exactly what I picture when I think of these two guys.
As for the girls, I don’t really have anyone that I picture when I think of Amy. I think this is partially because we never really get a description of her and are left to the images on the covers of the book. I guess, when I think of Amy, I kind of think of myself. I know this sounds kind of big-headed of me; but there are a lot of similarities. I’m from Michigan (close to Ohio), went to undergrad at an Eli/Yale rival in the East, got in because of my grades/extra-curriculars in high school (ie not a legacy, not famous or a genius), was involved in societies on campus (though not secret, we didn’t have any of those, that I know of, and you usually know if your school has those).
As for Jamie’s little sib, I think it’s either George or Clarissa (though at this point I can’s remember if Clarissa’s tapper is mentioned in SSG, so that could be disproved). I feel like Jamie, if forced to select a female because of the straw draw, would select a legacy, especially since her father is on the trust. Ditto reasoning with George. They are legacies and therefore a kind of safe choice and hypothetically, the ones who will be most likely to further the goals and oaths of the society, which is something that is clearly important to Jamie.
That’s it for now, because this is really long, but I’m sure I have more to comment on.
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September 20th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
I remember the other question that was posed, when Jamie/Amy started to like-like each other.
I agree with those who have said that Jamie was clearly impressed with Amy at the end of SSG, when she stood up to the Trust. I’m guessing that is when Jamie started to either have feelings or become aware of them.
As for Amy, I don’t think that she realizes it until the whole hunt for Jenny thing and Jamie really helps her.
Oh and I second those that want to find their Jamie, I want to find mine too.
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September 20th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
I know that it said that Malcom was Amy’s big sib and why, but wouldn’t it be funny if it was really Jamie that was her Big Sib, that at the last second, (after the tap play) Jamie and Malcom switched little sibs.
However it think it’s more likly that Jamie’s little sib was the one that lift, and D-177 would let him step in and acted as the Big Sib to the 15th tap in the up-coming D-178.
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September 21st, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Diana,
WOW! I picked up SSG probably about a month or so before UTR came out and I LOVED it. And then I loved UTR so much! So, I was chomping at the bit to get ROS(B). But for some reason I could never find it. I finally did yesterday afternoon and last night I finally went to sleep around 1:30 because I literally couldn’t put it down!! And at this point I’ve gone through and re-read a bunch of my favorite scenes. (Shocking that most of them are of Poe, right?) Besides all that, my favorite book of all time is Pride & Prejudice and my favorite show is Veronica Mars, so I couldn’t possibly be biased here, right?
I absolutely loved that Amy couldn’t get his name straight and the Pa-jamie, Pa-jerky, Pa-thetic lines were priceless!! I’ve been rooting for Poe/Jamie since the minute you revealed his snake’s name. And oh man, he kept Reepicheep!! I could not possibly love him more. Okay, I’m sounding a lot like a fangirl and not so much like the English-degree-having adult female that I am. I’m really excited to see that in the first chapter of T&G Amy’s describing JAMIE and not Poe. I love to see characters evolve. Even though I LOVE him as Poe, there’s just something about her getting his name right that I think he’d appreciate. Thanks SO much for these books. They are AWESOME!
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September 22nd, 2008 at 6:31 am
Hey, guys, I know I’m SOOOOO behind in replying to threads, but I’ve been completely snowed under trying to finish Tap & Gown. I promise I’ll get back to these questions soon!
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September 24th, 2008 at 12:07 am
First I wanted to say love the books!
Second, I’m in a book club with some friends and we finished your last book and discussed it. Then the conversation turned into a discussion about guys and if they wear boxers/briefs/boxerbriefs and what kind of guys wear what. And then we said which characters wore what. We thought Poe would wear like black boxerbriefs (black bc he would be all tan from spring break, also bc he’s kind of a dark guy and black suits him, and boxerbriefs bc he’s all toned from his gardening). George we said would go commando (quicker and easier access). Brandon we said briefs. So what do they wear?
And we think Mara was Poe’s tap.
Can’t wait to read the next book!!!
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September 24th, 2008 at 7:06 am
[...] you reading the ongoing discussion about Rites of Spring (Break)? If not, you’re missing the debate [...]
September 24th, 2008 at 7:34 am
I agree with George going comando, easier access!! Poe is a more conservative tipe, so I´m not sure.
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September 24th, 2008 at 8:05 am
Lell @216: There actually were Team Poe t-shirts at some point, but I seem to have lost them in the website redesign…. let me dig around.
Pam @217-218: thanks for reading! It’s true, you do seem to have a lot in common with Amy. I was actually in Shaker Heights for the first time recently and it was so cool to see Amy’s “home town.”
MJ @219: I think Poe would really like to play Big Sib again, if he’s able to.
Jodie @220: thank you so much. I have to admit though that in writing tap & Gown, I had to keep going back and making sure I was calling Poe by the right name. He’s still Poe in *my* head. (Confession: I didn’t even know what his real name was until I Wrote Under the Rose.)
Lauren @222: Oh, to be a fly on the wall during that book discussion! Please, tell me more. The underwear discussion has intrigued me mightily! I do think there are certainly occasions in which George would indeed go commando (and probably even times in which he and his lady friend have “switched”), I think on a day to day basis, he does boxers or boxer briefs. Brandon wears boxers with funny patterns like hula girls or sharks or maps of the world on them.
You learn all about Poe’s underwear in Tap & Gown.
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September 24th, 2008 at 11:35 am
I am LOVING the fact we will learn all about Poe’s underwear in Tap & Gown
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September 24th, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Diana, that is cruel. I thought the teaser was bad at the end of RoSB was bad now we have this to anticipate. Summer 09 cannot come soon enough
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September 24th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
Ditto on loving that we’ll learn about Poe’s underwear!
All this discussion is making me wish I hadn’t lent my books out!
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September 24th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
It’s just that Jamie is all about drying his clothes on the line, and Amy comes by during laundry day…
No, wait. It’s the time he goes to the hospital and they have to cut his clothes from his body…
Actually, it’s the annual Rose & Grave panty raid…
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September 24th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
Oh my stars…the discussion of Jamie’s choice in underapparel is making me giddy. Literally bouncing in my seat here. (: Man, a Rose & Grave panty raid…now that would definitely cement them as a Serious secret society. haha.
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September 24th, 2008 at 1:31 pm
I completly agree having to wait until next summer is just tragically unfair! And all I have to say is Amy better not mess this up between her and Jamie. I would just tweak out, I know it’s tacky but I want them to have their own version of happily every after.
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September 24th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
i agree– Jamie is definitely a boxer breif kinda guy and George definitely goes commando- at least when he knows hes getting lucky.
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September 24th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I don’t think happy endings are tacky (married my college sweetheart, right here). But I also cannot guarantee that they are in the cards for these characters.
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September 24th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
fabulous…. that would be so bummy if they screwed it up
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September 24th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
they may screw it up. sorry.
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September 24th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Noooooo!!!! Is this a hint??
Amy has been through so much, I’m ready for her to be happy!
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September 24th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Anna, I will absolutely guarantee that Amy will be *happy* at the end of the book. Happy endings. Yes indeed. that’s what we provide here at Diana’s Book-o-rama. All the SSG books have happy endings. But they do not always end with Amy in a relationship.
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September 24th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I’m not going to, say, hate you forever if Jamie/Amy doesn’t end up happening at the end…but…I would like to make note that the way Veronica Mars ended sans Lo/Ve may have broken my heart a little (and who am I kidding, millions of other fans too!!!). Okay, no, that’s not true…it broke my heart a whole heaping gashing lot.
That said…an entirely happy couple throughout the whole book could make for a rather static relationship and might be less than exciting. And I won’t lie, it would be seriously hot to see Jamie having to fight for his girl…
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September 24th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Are we allowed to guess at what’s happening next? I have a feeling that if Amy does end up staying with Poe, it’ll be because she’s going to grad school at Eli. If she doesn’t, it’ll be because she’s going somewhere else…and it was sort of just a relationship to make her see that relationships aren’t that bad, and that she does want to commit to someone in the future, just not now.
Diana, can you at least tell us if there will be an epilogue giving closure to all the characters, telling us where they went?
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September 24th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
The happy I want to see her end up with is Jamie.
But I do complelty agree Poe fighting for or rather with Amy (because who doens’t love a strong female character who can take care of herself) seriously hot.
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September 24th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
“Diana says:
September 24th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
I don’t think happy endings are tacky (married my college sweetheart, right here). But I also cannot guarantee that they are in the cards for these characters.”
- The important question is whether you can guarantee that it ISNT in the cards for them….is it more of not telling us what will happen, or that you are trying to forewarn us not to get our expectations up? I am ok with surprise…..but knowing already (or having some idea already) that they def. are not going to end up together definitely ruins some of the story line for me…a year in advance.
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September 24th, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Becky,
I’m not telling you either way. I feel like I’ve been very good about trying not ruin the storyline or to answer any questions from readers that would do so. If I answer questions, it’s because they are not something that will spoil the upcoming storyline — such as the type of boxers Brandon wears.
Or sometimes I’ll have a weak moment as an author and clarify a point or two (the old, “But Dumbledore’s gay!” argument). Though it’s totally cool if the reader has a different take on it than me and thinks, for example, that Malcolm is secretly in love with Poe, or vice versa (had a LOT of the vice versa after SSG came out, and I was all, “But Poe is straight!” to no avail). The book reads as it reads. I can talk to a few people on the blog, but I can’t stand over anyone’s shoulder and go “What I meant to say on page 65 was…” so what a reader decides is in there is totally valid.
I digress. My point is, I’m making an effort to be spoiler-free (except for the waffle comment, which really, is that a spoiler? there are waffles in the book?) but at the same time, I do make the distinction between a happy ending and a romantic ending. Since the books are not romance novels, I can have the one without the other.
I mean, what if we found out in T&G that Poe is secretly a crazed serial killer like Dexter? Not so happy if Amy ends up with him, huh?
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September 24th, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Oh shoot. Well, there goes my Poe-is-secretly-a-crazed-serial-killer-with-a-heart-of-gold storyline.
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September 25th, 2008 at 1:30 am
Whew! I sure missed a lot while my computer was down..
First of all, I have to say that MJ voiced a fleeting though of mine in message 19–I’d been thinking of who Poe’s tap could be and I realized that he and Amy are more alike than Malcom and Amy, which may explain why Poe was so hard on her at first–neither had the pedigree or really “belonged,” but both had the”chops” as Poe (er, Diana) put it.
Though I’m leaning toward George or Josh as Poe’s little sib.
I was also wondering about the whole Poe as reaper/Amy kiss as well. I think Poe was a bit into Amy right away, but his feelings intensified and made more sense as she told him off in book one and spent time with him looking for Jenny in book 2.
I’m interested in Poe’s CB-are we gonna get to check it out?
Also, Poe mentions a little brother–are we going to meet him as a new tap??
While I’m convinced Gearge and Clarissa will hook up, something tells me that he’s not finished “not falling for” Amy
I read the Eclipse series and I was team Jacob until the bitter end. I appreciate what Meyer was trying to do, but the ending (well, pretty much the whole last book) really bummed me out. I know that has nothing to do with this series, but I guess I’m doubly rooting for Poe and Amy to have a happy ending together for my own selfish reasons. Sure she doesn’t have to end up with him forever–but the kind of guy we’re all hoping for him to be would be in it for the long haul. And come on–wouldn’t it be cool for them to show up at a 10 year Digger reunion with their own little double legacy digger?
Seriously, this series has been such a fun read, so thank you for writing it and for continuing to chat with us.
I just hope this thread keeps up to alleviate some of the torturous wait!
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September 25th, 2008 at 1:35 am
Oh, I almost forgot…I enjoy playing the “turn the book into a movie game,” and there’s a perfect song for the soundtrack– It’s “Come On Get Higher” by Matt Nathanson. uh, i think that’s his name. :/
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September 25th, 2008 at 2:08 am
It’s really bummer that I missed all the fun, ya’ll had today on here. (well maybe yeatserday) LOL. I thing that it would be funny if Goerge gets cought in girls undies.
I just finshed rereading UTR and was thinking about the part where Amy left Jamie at the gate and walking off with Goerge, I know it did happen in the book, but I always see it in my mind raining. Dose anyone else see it that way?
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September 25th, 2008 at 2:57 am
Tiff, you can always guess.
Do you mean epilogue like Animal House style: 40 years down the line so-and-so became a U.S. Senator? Or Harry Potter style, with everyone hanging out at a reunion with their kids? I don’t have any plans to talk about the far future of these characters. Who knows if I may want to revisit them someday? I thought it was cool that Jennifer Weiner went back so many years later and wrote about Cannie again.
___________
Leanne @224: You ask very good questions! Um… I can’t answer any of them. Except I went and got that song you mentioned and shall check it out. What scene were you thinking of?
Someday I shall have to stop being lazy and make an iMix of the soundtrack. A few songs I listened to a LOT while writing ROS(B) include
“The Middle” by Jimmy Eats World (that’s actually been on the “soundtrack” of the entire series)
“Into the Ocean” by Blue October (I’m such a literalist)
“Go Your Own Way” by Fleetwood Mac (carry over from UTR, it’s a very Poe/Amy song. It’s totally the line “Loving you isn’t the right thing to do/How can I ever change things that I feel?”)
“Orange Sky” by Alexi Murdoch (which I discovered by, of all things, watching UGLY BETTY but it’s so very very Poe and Amy)
Probably most importantly, “All These Things that I’ve Done” by the Killers.
Humorously enough, I listened to that last song on repeat for several months in a row, and then my husband watched Southland Tales, where Justine Timberlake does a weird lip sync music video to it in the middle of the film, and he (my husband, not JT) is all, “Check out this cool song!” to me. 8-| Uh, yeah, dude, it’s the one I’ve been playing all this time?
_____________
MJ @246, This is awful, but I can’t remember if it was raining in that scene or not. I think it had been raining all day (DEFINITELY raining in NYC, remember she and Poe fighting in the Lower East Side in the rain?) but it may have stopped by that evening. That horrible cold post-rain period where the trees are all saturated and dripping and the walls and the sidewalks and everything you touch is wet and freezing…
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September 25th, 2008 at 8:50 am
[...] we’re talking about the spoiler thread, I wanted to move up a point I made there into the general blog. Whenever a writer’s book is [...]
September 25th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Do you mean epilogue like Animal House style: 40 years down the line so-and-so became a U.S. Senator? Or Harry Potter style, with everyone hanging out at a reunion with their kids? I don’t have any plans to talk about the far future of these characters.
As much as there’s a part of me who would love if you did this – especially for the lesser characters in the tap class, I will say that sometimes it spoils a great thing. Donna Tartt’s “The Secret History” is one of my favorite novels and the epilogue sort of ruins things – it feels tacked on and shatters some illusions from the rest of the novel. Same goes for “Bel Canto” – I’ve personally chosen to pretend that the epilogue doesn’t exist. You’re right in that your fans have their own little fantasies for their favorite characters, and I think that if you gave us an epilogue that became official cannon, that would shoot down a lot of fantasies (or fan fic).
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September 25th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Amy W, I might actually agree with you and Diana on this…I didn’t want anything 40 years down the road or anything, but I wondered if we would have the closure of knowing what Amy sort of decides to do with her life…but I guess that’s not realistic. Especially if Diana wants to come back to the characters later…
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September 25th, 2008 at 11:13 pm
I’m commenting here since I feel like I’m having too much of a fangirl moment to actually write a review of the book. Today, riding the subway home, I was a giggling dork over some of the early indications of Amy and Poe’s relationships (I’ve been rooting for him for awhile) and also really related to the f’d up “platonic” relationship she had with Brandon (I’ve made out without kissing two too many times in my life). And completely marathoned it through to the end, but was really taken out of the story by Amy’s acceptance of her kidnapping. Maybe if it was a long-considered decision, but I felt like her comparison of what the secret societies did to what this teenager did wasn’t reasonable. In UTR, her realization that what the girls were doing was similar to what the boys were doing made sense and there was a sense that amends were made. I don’t trust that this kid is going to be rehabilitated. Though I did like the moment Amy had with Kurt Gehry at the very end.
I realize it’s an issue that I’m bringing with me from outside the book, of unpersecuted crimes committed against myself and close friends. For instance, I work with a woman whose son was murdered and his friends know who did it, but because of a “no snitching” culture, they refuse to talk to the police. This is a much higher class version of the same thing, and I viscerally recoil from it.
That said, I have always enjoyed how Amy has been allowed to make her own mistakes (even though it was clear from the start that Darren was sketchy) and they don’t all come with an authorial stamp of approval.
I guess I hope that this has real consequences in the next book (beyond a psychological toll on Amy) and that it makes her broadly reconsider her values if she’s willing to compare what she’s been doing to her abduction.
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September 26th, 2008 at 5:51 am
Jennifer, that’s a totally valid point, and you’re not the only one to have brought it up. (I think the issues this reviewer had are probably the same ones.) And of course, there are several characters in the book who are unhappy with the choice Amy made as well. (And no, you didn’t ask but personally? I think she’s nuts.)
You can probably look at it one of any number of ways. Either she’s being unbearably stupid, she’s not thinking clearly due to her ordeal, she’s completely bought into the society way of life by this point, she’s making a horrible mistake that she truly believes is well-founded, she is trying to give this guy another chance, or she is trying to atone for what she feels are her own sins.
Or some sort of mixture of the above. Or maybe all that is bullshit and she just can’t bear to drag the whole thing out any longer by pressing charges. Denial is often a factor in situations like these. Which one it is is left up in the air, because we just see Amy’s internal logic there.
I really like the parallels you’ve drawn between the two cultures and the idea of keeping outsiders, well, out. The societies do tend to have their own brand of justice, which is a running theme in the series, whether they are talking about punishing their own, punishing an outsider, or punishing another society. And I think there are groups that prefer to operate like this across class lines — unions that behave this way, corporate execs, inner city gangs, religious organizations. They all believe their internal brand of justice –or lack thereof — is the appropriate one.
So yes, ALL GOOD THOUGHTS.
(BTW, if this is the level of criticism — in the classic analytical sense, not in the “what’s wrong” sense — you bring to your “fangirl moments,” I’m wondering what accompanies your actual reviews.)
On the topic of the romantic aspects, I was always worried about how the situation with Brandon would be received, if the average reader would accept the strictures of it. I have been surprised how many readers have said to me that they’ve been in a situation exactly like that! I wonder if there are any parallels to be drawn between that and the “everything but” movement. We are so busy drawing lines and saying X is cheating, Y is sex, Z is some other thing.
Whatever Brandon and Amy could do to create plausible deniability about their actions, though they aren’t fooling anyone. Of all the “non-relationship” relationships she’s been in over the course of the book, I found it to be the sketchiest. (Though of course there’s an argument to be made that I set it up that way so that she would take the opportunity of a real, utterly non-sketchy relationship at the end of the book. Because I am the manipulative lord thy god of the entire SSG universe. Bwahahahaha.)
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September 26th, 2008 at 11:34 am
No, no! My over-the-top reaction to the ending and critique of it here feels fangirlish precisely because of its severity. Why am I so mad at Amy? She’s not a real person!
But thank you for this reply, and especially your email which I will respond to separately. I’m dying to find out how this will all play out in the next book, because trusting Amy enough to let her make her own mistakes is clearly killing me.
The first person narration of these books is really effective, and it’s not something I always like. But this really is Amy’s story, and she’s very biased and sometimes clueless. As a reader, I’m watching for Chekov’s gun, but Amy is just living her life and figuring it out as she goes along.
Next book I promise to mean it when I say I trust where you’re taking the story.
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September 28th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
I have to admit that the prospect of not having an Amy/Poe happily-ever-after ending at the end of the series stresses me out a bit, so I’m just going to re-read ROS(B) a few times to calm myself down.
By the way, I created a Facebook group for fans of the SSG series – here’s the link: http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=28365157043.
I can’t wait till summer 2009!
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September 30th, 2008 at 9:36 am
This thread was hilarious, I had to read through all the comments! To weigh in I will be very sad if Amy and Poe don’t stay together but I am expecting things to go wrong in book 4, I just hope they work it out.
As to actors, I always think of Milo Ventimiglia (how he looked in Gilmore Girls rather than Heroes) when I picture Poe. I know you told us George and Orlando could be twins but I just don’t see it because Orlando bugs me so I always picture Adam Carter from MI5, even though he is too old.
Looking forward to book 4. I loved books 1-3, especially 3
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September 30th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Milo would totally be a good choice. I always think of that annoying bang thing he had going on in Heroes (thank Skylar for getting rid of it!) because Poe’s got one going on, too!
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September 30th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Ok, so I read over SSG again last night, and here are my thoughts, post-ROS(B):
-there was definitely some tension right away with Amy and Poe that HAD to be manifested into romance. It was nicely obscured by Diana, though, because of the Brandon-George drama…and hey, I’m not going to complain about that!
-Can Poe speak fluent German? Where did he learn that? Prep school?
-that Grim Reaper scene…I feel like Poe DID want to kiss Amy. I think he’s been drawn to her since her interview, which, now that I read it again, is a spectacular mess that really showed how feisty Amy is. Poe wanted to tap someone who would follow the rules, and Amy pretty much broke every one of them. I think, even if he didn’t want to tap her right away, there was a Darcy-like interest in her. I know they burn all the deliberations, but Diana, are we going to find out at least what Poe said about her? What made him finally relent? Was it just that he had to agree with his brothers, or was it more than that?
-where is Poe’s hometown? He tells Amy he’ll probably be in Washington that summer…
-Amy, like any girl, really likes BEING liked…and in the case of Brandon, she really likes being loved. I think she really abused poor Brandon because she had a serious inferiority complex…at the beginning of SSG, she was a woman with a plan, because she knew she wasn’t a genius, and I think she was really amazed that a genius like Brandon would like her. That said, I think that Brandon fell in love with THAT Amy–that sort of half-crazed, job-oriented Amy. I think part of the reason they were so wrong for each other at the beginning of ROS(B) is that Amy grew leaps and bounds during their summer apart, and even throughout UTR. She changed her mind about publishing, she held together her club…going back just wasn’t possible because she wasn’t the same person anymore.
-Final remark, promise! And this one is to you, Diana: I just wanted to say thank you for the Clarissa-Amy talk about “belonging.” Like I said, I think Amy had a severe inferiority complex, about being at Eli, but also about being tapped by R&G. She says she was “waitlisted.” And then Clarissa basically tells her that it doesn’t matter–what she does with her time now that she’s in is what matters. And I think Amy has proved since then that she’s a fantastic Digger, and that she belongs because she brings all her paranoia and her assets to the table. I just started graduate school and I’ve been feeling that worry about not belonging as well, about the fact that I was waitlisted for the school that I go to. And I think Clarissa’s approach is the right approach: now that I’m in, I should stop feeling inferior and just do what I can. I belong because I’m here. And if it’s just to fill a space, then, so what? Results ARE what matters.
So…thanks for that. =) And sorry for the long post!
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September 30th, 2008 at 9:57 am
Ah, some questions I can answer!
Jamie doesn’t know German. He was working from a script in the Grim Reaper scene. And those of you who recognize a near-kiss in that scene, think of what other meanings that move has than a romantic one (Hint: Harry Potter).
Jamie is from Virginia. He attended the St. Albans National Cathedral School for Boys in D.C. on scholarship.
Tiff, I’m glad the wait-list thing worked for you. I knew a lot of students who let their insecurity about that situation manifest itself, which is silly, for all the reasons you mentioned.
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September 30th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Alexa, I agree with you that the 3rd is the best. This is one of those very rare series where the books actually get BETTER as the series goes along. So I can’t wait for the 4th one.
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September 30th, 2008 at 10:31 am
So, I know I’m late to the gate in this thread…and I obviously missed them if there were threads for the other books. But I have a non ROS(B) question that you’ve probably already answered ten times. Is Lord Voldemort the snake that Amy sees in the initiation?
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September 30th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Hey, Jodie! No, there haven’t been other threads. it’s a new feature of the new website, which I just launched this summer. feel free to talk about all the books right here, though.
And GOOD EYE. No one has ever asked me about that before! Yeah, that’s Voldie, and let me tell you, Poe was very nervous about his pet’s safety and whether or not he’d be nervous in all the commotion.
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September 30th, 2008 at 11:42 am
So Diana, the Harry Potter-esque near kiss you are referring to in the Grim Reaper scene– Its a dementors kiss, just like Death, the dementor sucks the life out of you. I see where thats going- death can defeat all– so can a dementor
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September 30th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Yay! I knew it!! I can’t believe no one else asked. Oh, and, I’m so glad you commented on the other reasons he could have tried to kiss Amy. The first thing that came to my mind was that I surely wouldn’t want the grim reaper to kiss me…kiss of death is bad, yes?
And on a completely different topic…Now that the book has cooled a bit in my brain, I realized I had a Brandon-esque moment in my life. I was really kind of mad at him for ROSB, like I was mad at Amy in SSG. Then I remembered “napping” with a friend of mine in college. The whole don’t-touch thing. Now I’m back to Team Brandon (in a strictly FRIENDLY PLATONIC kind of manner. There’s no way I’d give up my Poe obsession, especially knowing he was worried about his Voldie.) because that ‘friend’ of mine is to this day one of my best friends.
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October 1st, 2008 at 7:10 am
Si is Jamie going to get a haircut in the next book
I love all the extra info you post in this thread, I especially love that I drive past Jamie’s old school most days (because I’m sad like that!)
Anna – you’re right, I’ve been thinking and the only other series I can think of where I didn’t love the first book best is Philip Pullman’s Dark Materials. Most series to seem to feel samey or don’t keep the initial promise but not this one!
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October 1st, 2008 at 8:07 am
Alexa and Anna, on the same thought I think in a lot of series the first books isn’t as good as following books. That first book has to set up an entire canon and history for the world that the book lives in. For instance, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone is not my favorite of the series but I cherish it because without it there wouldn’t be a series. While I haven’t re-read the SSG books (it’s on the TBR list again) I do think these books have grown as the character has grown and if they hadn’t I would have been disappointed.
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October 1st, 2008 at 8:25 am
GinaMac@262: Apparently my hints are way too obvious.
This is why I can’t talk at ALL about spoilers!
Jodie @263: I have had relationships like that, too. Lucky you that you were able to work thing out with your Brandon. My version didn’t go so well. There’s definitely a running theme of definitions in ROSB. The lack of definition screws Amy over with Brandon, and then Poe really presses for one and will not accept the amorphous relationships that are all Amy has allowed up to that point.
Alexa @264: No haircut. I kinda like the look on Poe.
We’re practically neighbors!
As for series getting better, I’m a #3 girl, My favorite narnia and Harry Potter books are #3, and my favorite season of Buffy is also #3 (Favorite Veronica Mars is #1, though… And as for Pullman, I only like the first book (but I love it!)
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October 1st, 2008 at 2:27 pm
Wow that never crossed my mind that it was the same snake. Cool.
Now that I have that said, I have a few things running though my mind. I wonder just how much of the whole hooking up with Amy thing did Jamie have planned. When I read the part where he told her that things would be differnt after sring break, I was thinking what are you planning Poe??
and second as a writer how would you feel about a role play site based on your books? I don’t know if its been brought up before.
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October 1st, 2008 at 3:01 pm
MJ @267: In my mind, that line is supposed to be more dramatic irony for the reader than any plan on Jamie’s part. His god (i.e., moi) is rubbing her hands together and going “Oh, Poe, you have NO IDEA.”
For me (and seriously, your mileage may vary, because we never hear from Poe), his plan to make a move on Amy happened when she “asked him out” on page 160 of ROSB. He liked her before, oh yeah, but he had no reason to think that she would be receptive. Even on page 140, he is wrestling with himself — profess his feelings to her in the cabin, or walk away? He chooses to walk way, but Amy still recognizes what’s going on. But he sets up that hiking date to bring the matter to a head. And Amy jumps in with both feet.
As for your other question, I think there once was a SSG role playing blog? I used to get google hits on it. For any project like that, as well as for any fanfiction, I say rock on, but please do NOT show it to me! For legal reasons I cannot be involved or look at it.
Fan ART, however, I would love to see.
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October 2nd, 2008 at 1:19 am
I do have a fan art pic! It’s the first kiss between Amy and Jamie. I’ll get it on the net soon and show it to you.
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October 2nd, 2008 at 6:53 am
Awesome! Can’t wait! If I had any artistic ability at all (I can’t draw smiley faces), that would totally be the scene I’d do.
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October 2nd, 2008 at 10:38 pm
OooO I’m a #3 girl too.
And on a random completely different plane, Angel or Spike? I’m strictly an Angel girl but that’s because I obviously have a thing for the tall, hot and brooding type.
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October 3rd, 2008 at 6:16 am
Nelly: Riley.
No matter how hard they pressed the “Spike as abusive boyfriend” metaphor, I saw it in Angel. He was self-absorbed, cruel, manipulative, and that was when he was “good.”
Spike “bad” was a better guy, even BEFORE he loved Buffy. Not wanting to end the world is a plus for boyfriends, in my book.
Riley got a little twisted there at the end, but I think he would have been fine accepting her for what she was (i.e., stronger than him) if she’d only opened up a little and let him in. Honestly, I thought their relationship was by far the healthiest and most worthwhile of the ones Buffy had on the show. Spike’s love for Buffy was, at times, beautiful and awe-inspiring, but it wasn’t reciprocated, so I can’t really get behind it.
If I was going to pick a relationship on the show to love, though, it would have been — oh, just about any other. Heck, Spike and Dru, even. But I love Willow with both Oz and Tara — those were both really beautiful relationships (Kennedy? eh, but everything from season 7 was pretty much crap.) — and Xander with Anya was so much fun to watch how it grew, and Xander and Cordelia also, as well (that scene where he gets her a prom dress? Classic!). Xander gets with all my favorite characters!
Willow and Oz might actually be my pick, though, because he really brought her out of her shell (and she in turn did that for Tara).
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October 3rd, 2008 at 7:43 am
I need to share on the thought of Fan Art. Last night I did a little fan art creation myself, in the form of The Sims. I created the “Ivy League College” town and made a tomb and started the different colleges and began to create the characters. I have to admit, I don’t actually play the game, I like to build the houses and make people, but never really follow through with playing.
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October 4th, 2008 at 1:47 am
Ok, it’s not ever clean. We got a “new” scaner from my uncle and it’s not working right. However here it is.
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc277/mj_massey/AmyandJamie.jpg
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October 4th, 2008 at 7:09 am
Oh,MJ, I LOVE IT!!!! That’s *exactly* how I pictured it. Even her messy ponytail! And you got Poe’s shoulders too!
Are those scratches on her face from when she fell off the boat?
Thank you so much for sharing!
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October 4th, 2008 at 8:28 am
MJ that is a fantastic picture, I love it too and Diana I’m so glad Jamie’s not cutting his hair
But you didn’t like The Subtle Knife? *gasp* Will is one of my favourite characters of all time. I must admit with children’s books, book 2 is normally my fave (Narnia, Pullman, Harry P, The dark is rising) but with adult books and TV, book 1/season 1 is usually best (with the exception of Buffy which was great until middle of Season 7).
Back to your books – I loved when Poe was wrestling with himself in the woods, but I started to love him when he punched Micah in the face and then freaked out about it!
(
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October 4th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Thanks, the lines started as flush lines in her checks, but in the end they looked more like scratches. I make up my mund to leave them I thought they gave a little something extra to the pic.
Alexa I love that part of the 2nd book too, I read it to a friend in the mall when I bought my copy and she wants to read the books herself now.
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October 4th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Diana,
It’s interesting, because I got into BTVS because of the debate around Angel’s merits as a boyfriend for Buffy or any strong “alpha male” as a hero which I think is kinda relevant to the Amy/Brandon Amy/Poe dynamics.
I’m ashamed to admit I missed the Buffy boat the first time around. About a month or so ago I was on the smartb****trashybooks website and there was a post about that vampire series for YA that’s out and really popular with some. (Not naming names or anything) They kept comparing the relationship in that book between a vamp and non vamp to buffy and angel/spike. The biggest argument against the book is that the “heroine”’s wishy washy TSTL personality made the relationship seem even more abusive and misygonistic because the “hero” overpowered her and eventually her identity revolved around him. But Buffy/Angel wasn’t abusive because Buffy could match Angel for strength.
Anyways, I became more intrigued with Buffy than the book and got hooked after a few episodes of the first season. I’ve been watching them non stop and am now in the middle of season 6. I tend to agree with you on Angel being very self-absorbed and single-minded to the point of ruthless. I wouldn’t go as far to say cruel if not refering to Angelus.
But because of season 1 and midway through season 2 I always got behind the relationship because I saw them pushing each other to be more. I think that in season 3 we saw Angel as Buffy’s weak point because while she was strong enough to kill him once, I didn’t think that if she’d have to she’d do it again. Amends is such a beautiful episode but I hate it because Buffy finally admits she’s weak where Angel is concerned and she can’t stop loving him even though it’s obviously breaking her inside. I think that season 3 turned the relationship dynamics and gave Angel more power than he had previously had. Maybe that’s why it was okay he left.
You’re right, Spike sans soul was pretty much the same as Spike with soul, but he was a little needy for my taste. The very fact that he called Dru pet and treated her very much like one made me uncomfortable. Still, I sensed he was looking for unconditonal love. He was just a little needy for my tastes and I didn’t like that his relationship with Buffy was mutually abusive. She was pretty emotionaly abusive to him, from what I’ve seen of season 6.
Still, all of this made me think about what books I like to read and what movies I like to watch. I’ve come to the conclusion that I have a tendancy to dislike anything where the “power” in the relationship is unbalanced. Take Cinderella for example, Cinderella’s life didn’t get any better until she hooked up with the prince and for the simple reason that he provided her with a better life. She didn’t even hook up with him herself, the mice made her first dress (in order to impress said, prince) and the Godmother the second. Where was she in all of this? All of the action was being done to her.
But if you take Belle, from Beauty and the Beast, now there was a girl who’s proactive. Sure, she had a boyfriend who was lets face it, pretty alpha and abusive, but she wasn’t afraid to stand up to him and make him human (in many senses of the word). I mean, if he hadn’t changed and she had just stayed because she felt she should, I wouldn’t have respected her, but he visibly improved and she always took charge of the situtation.
Maybe it’s me and I can’t really stand to be out of control but I’m okay with sharing it. I don’t know. But back to Amy/Buffy/Angel/Poe parallels. I’ve been watching Angel too and they’ve been taking the character of Cordelia and slowly turning her from that high school “it” girl into a hero. Yes it’s partially motivated by her love for Angel but I think it’s more due to the fact that she is starting to see her self worth. I think that she grows more than Angel even though he’s supposidly out for redemption or whatever. He’s pretty much still you’re take charge, hail-to-the-chief leader, but I see that making Cordy stronger whereas it stopped being so for Buffy. A parallel which I draw from your books as Amy and the girls start come into their own. They see themselves as capable of taking over an institution previously ruled by men and improving it, the same way Cordy sees herself being capable of being a champion.
What do you think? Did/Do you intend for Poe to make Amy stronger or is she on her own. I don’t see this relationship in any way a need for her to be better to be with him or vice versa in anyway but I do see their growth being mutually beneficial.
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October 4th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Alexa @276: I like that scene, too. It was when *I* started falling for Poe.
MJ@277: I’ll just think of it as scratches from the boat. I love this photo. I’ve been sending it to everyone. May I put it on the website?
Nelly @278: I think you’d really love Jenny Cruise’s article about Cordelia:
http://www.jennycrusie.com/essays/cordeliachase.php
(Careful: Spoilers if you haven’t see the whole ANGEL series)
Cordy is my favorite character on Buffy. I lover her growth arc on Angel, um, until I don’t (They really messed up big time there — Crusie’s article is called The Assassination of Cordelia Chase).
Angel lost it for me at the end of Season 1 where Xander is like, let’s go save her! And Angel is all, “whatever.” And then XANDER, who is not as strong or as powerful as either Angel OR Buffy, is the one with the most strength of character, there. When Angel is mocking him (*Angel*, not “Angelus”) and saying, “You love her, don’t you?” Xander does not take the bait, does not get defensive or embarrassed. He stares this VAMPIRE right in the face and goes, “Don’t you?” So yeah, I think Angel is a douche. Spike’s treatment of Dru doesn’t bother me, because when you see it (i.e., season 2) Drusilla is sick. She was attacked or something (in Europe? can’t remember the details) and is in a weakened state so he needs to treat her that way. Their relationship in other seasons (and in flashbacks) is on much more even footing.
Since I view season 6 & 7 to be extra canon, I can’t pay much attention to the relationship as it was presented there. I really did like their relationship in season 4/5. I loved the buffy bot, and when glory kidnapped spike and tortured him and he didn’t give in. I think the whole “soul” metaphor began falling apart there, and it only FURTHERED my conviction that Angel is ALWAYS a jerk, soul or not.
Long comment, will cont.
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October 4th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Nelly said: “A parallel which I draw from your books as Amy and the girls start come into their own. They see themselves as capable of taking over an institution previously ruled by men and improving it, the same way Cordy sees herself being capable of being a champion.
What do you think? Did/Do you intend for Poe to make Amy stronger or is she on her own. I don’t see this relationship in any way a need for her to be better to be with him or vice versa in anyway but I do see their growth being mutually beneficial.”
I definitely think Poe challenges Amy more than the other men she’s been with, but that’s me. In ROSB, he challenges her rather explicitly (to swim). Brandon, I think, likes the Amy he’s known sophomore and junior year. When he breaks up with her at the end of SSG, I think part of that is a recognition that the girl she actually *is* is not the girl he’s been in love with. And that’s what comes back to bite her in ROSB.
But I also don’t think that Poe is there to rescue Amy or to make her stronger, any more than the other characters. She’s grown as a result of her relationship with all her close friends in R&G: Malcolm, Jenny, Clarissa, Jamie. At the end of ROSB, she saves herself, which was very important to me. At its core, this is Amy’s story, not a romance or a love story, so this isn’t about two people completing one another. It’s about Amy’s growth arc, and everyone else comes secondary.
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October 5th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
Yes, I would be honnered if you did put it up. since is not sighed I was wondering if you would at lest let people know it was done by “MJ Massey”, since that is my artest name.
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October 5th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Diana: “At its core, this is Amy’s story, not a romance or a love story, so this isn’t about two people completing one another. It’s about Amy’s growth arc, and everyone else comes secondary.”
And that is what I think separates the great stories and characters that I find more relatable from the ones I don’t want to finish. It’s like, I don’t respect characters who are out there looking for someone else to complete them. (Jerry do you hear me?) I like to see a character grow and change and develop(Yes on all Cordy accounts except for when they did what they did and all of the subsequent poo that came with that) but not because someone else was responsible for that growth. I respect that there are relationships with people that make us better but ultimately we should not be out there trying to make ourselves better just for a relationship or to find one.
For example, another show with pretty good writing, Greys Anatomy. I LOVE Christina Yang and Izzie Stevens because even though they are flawed, they are working through their own problems to be better individuals. I hate Meredith Grey and all her relationship dysfunctionality. I hate that she wants to be better for Derek when Derek doesn’t really isn’t all that dreamy.
I mean, it’s one thing challenging a person, as you’re right, Poe does to Amy, Elizabeth to Darcy, Rhett to Scarlett and Knightley to Emma, but it’s another thing all together leading as Derek does to Meredith, Luke to Becky, or Edward to Bella because in those situations the other character doesn’t have the ability to stand on their own and the story never seems to address that. Sure Scarlett was always looking for the next man to marry but that was pretty much the only way she could look out for her own interest. It wasn’t out of a need to be protected by someone, it was out of a need to protect herself. Another really great character who learns to cope with other people trying to change her to suit them is Hester Browne’s Melissa Romney-Jones. I enjoyed seeing her books in the trilogy especially in the last book.
Ultimately, I appreciate when characters figure out their own problems. That’s not to say that they don’t need or don’t deserve help but life isn’t about a deus-ex-machina ending. I also really hate when the main character’s love interest is portrayed as perfect. I can’t stand the feelings of inadequacy that come with that nor the whole “But darling, I love you for your dumpy self” lines. I want the guy to be believable and on some level attainable.
And thanks for the Crusie article. You totally called it, I love it and completely agree with how Cordy got shafted.
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October 10th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
I just pre-ordered T&G on Amazon!!! Thanks for letting us know. So excited that it will be on its way to me ASAP.
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October 10th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
I just pre-ordered T&G too! Thanks for the heads up!
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October 11th, 2008 at 5:56 am
Thanks, guys!
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October 23rd, 2008 at 9:14 pm
On rereading this book for about the fourth time, I noticed that Amy refers to Jamie as a ‘boy’ throughout most of the book, but then as a ‘man’ in the scene at his apartment at the end. Interesting that her perception of him changes in this way as the book goes on–I would have said that she does much more changing/maturing over the course of this book than he does! Earlier posters made reference to parallels between Poe and Mr Darcy, and this quotation from P&P seems to apply almost as well to Amy’s opinion of Jamie as it does to Elizabeth’s of Darcy: “‘When I said that he improved on acquaintance, I did not mean that either his mind or manners were in a state of improvement, but that from knowing him better, his disposition was better understood.’”
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October 24th, 2008 at 12:30 am
Kristen – I completely agree with your analysis of Amy and her changing more so than Jamie with the changing. That is such a good and true quote from P&P. At least it seems to apply to my life as well, and most everyone’s I think. The more you know a person, the more attractive they become to you. Sometimes that isn’t the case, but I find that it is often true for me. Especially with guys…
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October 27th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Rereading and pondering – does anyone else wonder what that phone call/conversation sounded like when Poe admitted to Malcolm his feelings for Amy? Any thoughts? Diana?
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October 27th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Kristen, that’s a really interesting observation. I always loved that line about Darcy! I think it may be a little of both: the more Amy understands about Poe, the more she can accept his quirks. And the more Poe matures, the more he loosens up about some of the unacceptable facets of his personality. (Though Darcy changes, too!) I think the boy/man thing may be more of a symbol of Amy’s own maturity. I noticed in the writing of T&G that I/she started referring to her as a “woman” more often than a girl.
But yes, about how when you know and love someone, the things you don’t like about them seem more bearable. You and Pam are so right about that.
Ellie,I don’t know. Perhaps I should write it! I imagine it’s a lot of Malcolm going, “We need to discuss your masochistic streak…” and “Ain’t never going to happen, bud.”
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October 28th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Ellie – I always wonder what that conversation sounded like. I also always wonder when Jamie and Malcolm had that conversation. In addition to the previously talked about (on here anyways) timing of the realization that Jamie did like Amy.
I guess I just keep hoping that these will be addressed in T&G *hint, hint*. And if not, we can always ponder and ask and hope for a response on here!
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October 28th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Haha if that is not addressed in T&G, perhaps Diana will consider writing a supplement for her most devoted fans?
(JK!)
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October 30th, 2008 at 10:50 am
A supplement? there’s an idea. I’ve kind of always had a scene in mind in my head for something that happened in between SSG and UTR, in DC that summer — but it would be from Poe’s POV. (Remember, he was in DC that summer too!)
Not exactly Midnight Sun, but.
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October 30th, 2008 at 10:55 am
Supplement from Poe’s POV?! Yes! YES! I think poor Jamie gets a really bad rap up until Amy has that talk with him on the train…and even after. We need his side of the story!
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October 30th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Seconded! I would love something from Jamie’s POV, especially about that summer in DC. I often wonder what happened that summer.
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October 30th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
Thirded! (If that’s a word…) I’d LOVE to hear something from Jamie! As Amy points out on multiple occasions, he’s very hard to read, and so it would be fascinating to have something in his voice. Please??
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October 30th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Hmmm, I don’t know. As much as I love him, I think part of what makes him so damn sexy and appealing is the mystery. I mean, if we actually heard Poe/Jamie acknowledging emotions out loud??? I think I prefer when we get glimpses of them through how he responds to Amy. My ALL TIME favorite line is “Here’s something new: When Jamie looks at me now, his eyes, those cold grey eyes of his, almost smile. I didn’t know eyes could do that.” I melt every time.
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October 30th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Oh, Ellie, I’d hate to disappoint you, but there’s a distinct possibility that line did not make it into the final version of T&G for various reasons related to the fact that I am occasionally guilty of what I’ll call manuscript bleed. I am so enthralled with a characteristic of a given character, I give it to another character without meaning to.
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October 30th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Oh geez, I totally forgot that line was from the preview chapter and not ROSB. I am bummed about this news of the “potential” omission. But I totally understand where you’re coming from. Although I am curious to know what other character you’re referring to that prompted this description of Poe/Jamie…
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October 30th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
That would be Giovanni, a character in RAMPANT. I was in the midst of writing Rampant when I did that preview scene.
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November 2nd, 2008 at 9:51 am
Diana, you must have really good editors (or proofreading skills!) I would have thought that line Ellie quoted was perfect for Poe too. Since he seems a generally less-demonstrative sort, having his newfound happiness be revealed in the eyes that had so often been described as cold and hard in the past seemed totally apropos. I’ll (theoretically, of course) miss that line too!
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November 17th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Last week on vacation I picked up the first book, read it straight through and had to go back and buy the second two novels. I read them that next day. I loved them; particularly the Amy/Poe dynamic.
I’ll be interested in finding out who tapped whom, but also who the D177 class taps.
While I do get that a happy ending is not necessarily a romantic ending (I think we got a romantic ending in Book 3) I’m hopeful that the relationship can continue through book 4 while focusing on the culmination of their Senior year.
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December 7th, 2008 at 11:44 am
I have not read the ROS(B) yet but i have ordered it.Im wondering what happends to Puck/George in this book.Does he get jelious of Amy and Poe?
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December 7th, 2008 at 11:49 am
Diana, i picked up the first book SSG at atarget this book was the second book that i’ve actually fully read. Its the only book that I had to keep on reading the series. So thank you i’ve always been more of a tv person and ive never read so much
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December 12th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
just to say…i also liked Poe from the start. and after reading all three books and i am now rereading them i can see some of the signs that he liked her!! lol
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December 17th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
OMG! I love this series! I read this on the suggestion of my friend and I’ve been hooked. Ever since then I tried finding similiar books with this type of genre…college girl with a twist of thriller in a secret society but alast there is none. Is there anyone who can recommend me a book(s) similiar to this?
I liked Poe and I thought he was going to be a love interest in the future in the first book and what do I know he is! yay! I can’t wait until Book 4 comes out! I believe that Fecilty should get hers and hopefully Amy’s big bro can be happy for both her and poe being together. UGH!!!!! I hate waiting for the next book but patience is a virtue.
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December 19th, 2008 at 3:53 am
Screw Edward Cullen… Jamie Orcutt is the fictional character girls should be melting over.
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December 19th, 2008 at 3:57 am
Re; Steph & Edward Cullen vs. Jamie Orcutt
THIS! WORD! and “I agree with this comment” wholeheartedly!
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December 19th, 2008 at 7:05 am
You guys rock.
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December 19th, 2008 at 9:03 am
Katie @301: you got it.
Alyssa @303: Thank you so much! I’m flattered! Regarding George, I don’t think he’s jealous of Poe, because he wasn’t possessive of Amy in in a romantic way. I think George likes Amy as a friend, and has always liked her as a friend, even when they were sleeping together. (They were rather true “friends with benefits,” rather than Amy and Brandon, where Amy was fine with things the way they were but Brandon wanted more.) I think George cares about Amy the way you would about a friend — he wants her to be safe and happy. Just like Lydia or Clarissa would. It helps that Amy never fell in love with George, either. I don’t know how they manage something like that. I don’t think I could ever sleep with someone without all my feelings getting tangled up.
Kelsey @304: Thank you. Did you check out the secret story?
Natasia @305: Thank you. I hope you like Tap & Gown! As for other books, hmmm. I don’t really know. There is a YA novel out this year called THE DISREPUTABLE HISTORY OF FRANKIE LANDAU-BANKS which is about a girl at a boarding school and an all-boy secret society. Perhaps you’d like that?
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December 19th, 2008 at 9:26 am
yes i did read the secret story!! i am really looking forward to the others coming out!! oo i wanna chack out the book you suggested for Natasia, i have like 3 other book series i am reading and i have read them all and the new books don’t come out for a while.
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December 20th, 2008 at 9:57 pm
Diana,
Just a quick note (hopefully) to let you know I’m bowing down to your remarkable writing talent. I bought the first three in the series on the recommendation of a friend who stated that you are a VM fan and two weeks later, I’ve read them four times. Yes, I have no life but I’m also a bit of a speed reader.
I love Amy’s qualities that make her human. Too often, I find that the heroine is the epitome of perfection. Amy is flawed and as often as I yell at some of her actions in the book, I also find those points the most endearing and relatable. Throughout the series, Amy learned to be more comfortable in her insecurities (especially as they relate to relationships). From Brandon, who basically ignored or overlooked her flaws to Jaime (sigh!)who confronts and comes to terms with them, Amy continues to grow.
Jamie/Poe is my favorite type of hero. Again, with the flawed. Darcy and Logan are in the same boat. Divergent thought-I’d like to captain that boat. The hero that can be bad for the right reasons, has made mistakes, is deeply loyal, and is in love with the girl far outshines any other hero type.
I can’t wait for T&G to be released. The bad thing about reading abnormally fast is that I finish everything so quickly and then mourn the loss (Don’t get me started on HP, Twilight, etc.). I’m also addicted to lists so the 1001 books to read is so finished before the year is out. Did you notice HP is not on it?
Now, I guess I have to practice patience (although I have little to no)and continue to wait for 2009 to bring: T&G, Half-Blood Prince, Wolverine, New Moon, and hopefully the VM movie (Rob says that during the X-Mas break, he’s finishing the last act).
You’re my new hero!
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December 22nd, 2008 at 10:25 am
So I finished re-reading the series and I wanted to make some comments and general thoughts:
1. Was it really George who sent the flowers in SSG? They were a big symbol of R&G and I can’t see him sending it. Additionally, it was only signed “Your Brother” Methinks it might have been Poe/Jamie?
2. As I re-read, I looked at all the scenes with Poe/Jamie in a new light. As I read initially, I never gave it a thought because I was drawn by Amy’s tint but after book 3 everything was a lot clearer. Especially, punching Micah Price in 2 and the confrontation on the steps in book 1. You could really see his struggle to keep denying his feelings. When he opens up in the second book, my re-read threw me because on the first pass through but was in actuality a prep for the actual Poe/Jamie personality we see on the Island. Additionally, I was able to better humanize Jamie during the re-read. Line’s like “My name is Jamie, always has been” really stood out to me more than when I read it the first time.
3. This leads me to Malcolm’s comments on the island to Amy when she asks about Jamie’s feelings. It wasn’t just a simple yes answer but “He’s practically in love with you.” After seeing his actions in the prior two books you can see that this statement was not made lightly and really had a bigger impact overall. I can almost see off scene Amy, going back through every interaction with Poe trying to pinpoint his feelings too.
4. One thing that stuck out to me was the start of the book and the Dragon’s Head plot line. For a while, I thought it was a bit of a disjuncture and afterward thought it was in there to play a role in the final book. Now, however, a light bulb turned on and that scene in the courtyard with Felicity means a lot more. (Note paraphrasing) Basically, Felicity makes a comment about she “chose” Brandon over her society. (Note: I say “chose” because I don’t think she did this completely for Brandon.) This decision was something Brandon wanted for Amy but she couldn’t do that and that was a big breaking point in their relationship. Now for the lightbulb, in the last chapter, Amy and Jamie are talking about where he was during the rescue. Jamie chose Amy’s safety over the society and undocked the boat to call the cops. What a spin on the concept. This also clicked based on some of the comments above about Felicity and her motives. While I don’t think they were completely for Brandon, this arc was an interesting showing of Jamie’s feelings and brought the whole book full circle for me.
Well, that’s all my reflections for now butonce again, I really love the series and I can’t wait for Tap and Gown!
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December 22nd, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Hey, everyone. I just wanted to say that you all have made some good points that makes me want to go back and reread all the books again. I want to wish all of you a Marry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year.
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December 29th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
I’m so lost without the last book, ever since I finished ROS(B) in July I’ve just been counting down the days. This is the first series that I’ve ever really been interested in. Diana you’re an evil genius I’m goin crazy over here waiting for T&G. In the mean time I think I will check out the book that you suggested to Natasia. Although I am interested in what you and Kelsey were talking about, the secret story? Did I miss something?
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December 30th, 2008 at 12:08 am
Ooooo, it’s almost January. Almost time for a new story. Woot!
Laurie, check out http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/having-trouble-with-the-newsletter/
Sign up for the newsletter, and I think you’ll get info about the secret stories.
Awe-some. =)
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January 2nd, 2009 at 3:37 pm
Diana,
Just a thought: are we finally going to find out where Jenny’s R&G tattoo is in the last book?
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January 2nd, 2009 at 3:57 pm
i read the book you suggested earlier. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart. it was good. and me being me read it in one night. but that is how i am. i just kept reading it. lol.
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January 3rd, 2009 at 5:45 pm
Diana im also really curious about kriste’s question, so…..are we????
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January 3rd, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Amy@ #311: thank you so much! It’s always great to see another VM fan. I’m glad you like the books, and LOL on the boat captain line! I hope that’s true about a VM movie. I would really like Jason Dohring to get more work.
Heather @#312: Good eye on the flowers. That was actually some last minute editing to make it more enigmatic, but in the end, yes I do think it was george. I don’t think Poe had “gotten over it” yet, as you see in the secret story. As for Malcolm’s conversation with Poe, you’re actually going to get to see that in the months to come.
MJ@ #313: Happy holidays to you, too. I hope they were lovely!
Laurie @314: Did you find the secret story?
Kristen (#316) and Rafaela (#318): There is a scene in ROSB that deals with the location/existence of Jenny’s tattoo. It’s not conclusive, but I think it is sufficient.
Kelsey @#317: I’m glad you liked it! It’s very different in tone, but it gets the whole secret society thing down pat!
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January 3rd, 2009 at 8:56 pm
I did find it, I can’t wait to get started. Thanks distracted! =]
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January 3rd, 2009 at 9:28 pm
question…ate the secret stories going to come out just anytime in the month or is there a set day for all of them. cause it just says the month and 2009. i was just wondering. thanks!!
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January 3rd, 2009 at 9:29 pm
oops!! sorry that was supposed to be are not ate!! lol
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January 3rd, 2009 at 9:39 pm
“sometime in the middle of each month” is my target for the story releases, but I didn’t pick a date because I didn’t want to disappoint anyone if I ended up running a few days behind.
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January 4th, 2009 at 12:22 am
So um SECRECT STORIES? What are they and where can I find them?
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January 4th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Latisha, they’re special gifts for registrants of my newsletter.
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January 4th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Score- Just singed up for the newsletter and am off to read some secret stories
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January 4th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
This may be the wrong place for this, but I’m just wondering if any other readers out there desperate for T&G would like to speculate as to what the short stories are going to be about! The subject of most are obvious (i.e. “Poe at the Gates”), but what about ““My Phi Beta Kappa Valentine” and “Powerless”? Any thoughts? I really don’t have any idea, and want to hear yours.
Yours in 311,
Distracted.
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January 4th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Distracted– I think “My Phi Beta Kappa Valentine” is the story of Lydia and Josh. Thats where they met. I think I remember reading that in UTR.
Diana– I feel like Poe is not that experienced in relationships.. is he as inexperienced as I think he is or just emotionally disconnected?
PS- LOVED the secret story. Merry Late X-mas to me!
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January 5th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Based on the descriptions Diana gives, I think the secret stories are about the following things:
“Banned from the Tomb” – how Poe feels when Amy kicks him out before her CB, how he ends up joining Elysion
“My Phi Beta Kappa Valentine” – how Lydia and Josh meet
“Poe at the Gates” – self-explanatory
“A New Confession” – Poe confesses to Malcolm that he’s in love with Amy
“Powerless” – the whole Felicity-Brandon ultimatum
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January 5th, 2009 at 6:42 am
I’m hoping “Powerless” is about when Amy is kidnapped in ROSB, and Poe’s search to find her (and stealing the boat, but unable to get back).
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January 5th, 2009 at 7:27 am
I completly agree with you distracted. I really hope powerless is that scene to!
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January 6th, 2009 at 10:54 am
GinaMac, I think you’ll see more about that in T&G.
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January 6th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
i tried to sign up for the newsletter but its not working!! no stories for me
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January 8th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
TEAM POE!!!(totally getting a shirt that says that) its funny, they click so well together brandon and amy was good, but i don’t know, something was missing. plus they crack me up
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January 9th, 2009 at 9:44 am
I’m new to the site, as I scrambled to my computer to look up more info about SSG. I just read all three in a row last night, and I couldn’t sleep because I wanted to find out more about this amazing series.
Although I think George was Poe’s tap, I wonder if Jenny was his tap. Poe was incessantly insistent that Jenny was not the traitor in UTR; he was incredibly determined to find her as well. You’re supposed to look out for your lil’ sib- Poe seemed to demonstrate that enough.
Though I am rooting for Poe (I like his barbarian name.. but Poe is definitely what comes to mind first!), if Diana’s talks about VM has anything to do with it, I’m speculating that Amy will not end up with anyone- Veronica didn’t end up with Logan in the end. (She was with Piz, technically, but the show got axed before really anything could develop from it..) Although I am rooting for Amy and Jamie together forever, I do think the series is about Amy finding her place- belonging as discussed in ROS- and just growing up and understanding what it means to be an “adult.”
All that said: POEEEEE!! <3
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January 9th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Jenny can’t be Poe’s tap. In UTR, when Amy and Poe are looking for her, they talk about her big brother, also a computer guru.
I think George or maybe Harum was Poe’s tap, but I’m just not sure.
And I’m hoping T&G doesn’t end like VM, because there really was no VM “ending.” I think VM and Logan were heading towards a reunion. =)
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January 9th, 2009 at 10:49 am
I really hope that Logan and Veronica were going to get back together. She didn’t belong with Piz. She’s too edgy — needs a guy with some edge, too. Piz is like the VM equivalent of Brandon, IMO.
I’m intersted to see if this VM movie actually comes to fruition, though I noticed on IMDB the other day that Jason Dohring (Logan) is doing a pilot of Washingtonienne with the actress who was LonelyGirl15. Yay for more JD work! I wonder if it means he’s coming to DC….?
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January 9th, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Poe was so sure Jenny wasn’t the traitor because he was part of the secret group and knew she wasn’t also. He as so into finding her because she had the list of everyone who belonged to elysion(spelling is probably wrong lol). At least thats how I saw it.
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January 9th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
I agree with Latisha. Poe was in elysion (same here prolly spelled wrong) so it wasn’t that he was worried about his lil sis or lil bro. what ever it should be lol. He didn’t want anymore information to get out, and amy even figures out that that is the reason why he went along with her to begin with. and yeah Jenny’s big bro. she even talkes to in the first book, SSG because he was the guy hooking up the computer to see the induction thing in the other country.
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January 9th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
distracted, Latisha, and Kelsey are correct about Jenny’s big sib and Elysion (even the spelling — it’s an alternate spelling of Elysian, as in the Elysian Fields, where heroes in Greek myths went to live in the underworld). For some reason, I thought the “o” spelling looked more masculine than the “a” spelling, so was more appropriate for an all-male organization.
My brain can be funny like that sometimes.
The reason I called it that is because it was supposed to be like the VIP room of the underworld, so if Rose & Grave had all this underworld imagery going on, then the people who started Elysion would think that they were naming themselves after the really really cool part of the same club. It’s especially hateful when you recall that the original incarnation of Elysion was as a method of racial segregation.
Those boys made mistakes. Some of which you’ll read about more next week-ish.
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January 10th, 2009 at 12:09 am
YAY!!!! I’m ready for next week!!!! I like exclamation points!!!
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January 10th, 2009 at 9:59 am
ME TO! Classes start next week so the new story will make my stressful week(textbooks haven’t arrived yet) much more bearable
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January 11th, 2009 at 11:54 pm
Yeah, I cann’t wait for the next Secret Story. That and I was a few good things comeing up.
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January 15th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Diana! Is there a new password for the secret story because I’m procrastinating here at work and want to read it!!!!!
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January 15th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Should be fixed now, Gina. There was a hiccup as I was loading the new secret story, which does indeed have a new password. The old secret story is now up for all to read. The new one will have its password revealed tomorrow.
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January 15th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
ohhh I have to wait until tomorrow…. I’ll be stuck in meetings all day!
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January 15th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
BUMMER! That we have to wait until tomorrow for the password- that means I have to wait until tomorrow eveing to read it. If we are part of the newsletter will get an e-mail saying that the new password has been released
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January 15th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Sorry, Latisha and Gina Mac. The fun part about doing this is I get to fiddle with the story as long as I want. Am fiddling now, in fact.
In other news, a fan has made a community on live journal to discuss my books, if anyone is interested:
http://community.livejournal.com/peterfreundfans/
And there\’s still the facebook group, too:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=28365157043
These are fan-driven, so it has nothing to do with me…
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January 16th, 2009 at 9:08 am
Today is Poe’s 200th birthday- is that why the secret story came out today? What a good birthday present!
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February 1st, 2009 at 11:35 am
I’m from Brazil so RoSB it’s no available here!
please some on tell me what happened in this book!
if somebody has the book on your pc please contact me!
ju_laragnoit@hotmail.com
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February 1st, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Juliana, Rites of Spring (Break) will be available in Brazil soon. I have sold the book there as well, it’s just not out yet.
In addition, you may not be aware of this, but sharing books on your PC is a form of stealing. It’s called copyright piracy. I hold the copyright to these books, meaning that making illegal copies (such as sending an ebook from one person to another) is against the law. If people continue to do this, authors will not be able to make money from writing books and will not be able to write books anymore at all. Please don’t do this! It’s my job, and I’d like to be able to keep doing it.
I’d prefer you waited until the book was available in your country.
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February 10th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
are we going to find out what the deal is with Harun & Jenny…I mean I can speculate all day long, but I want cold, hard facts!! Plus, did I get undertones of Clarissa crushing on George in ROSB? Or am I crazy? I just reread all three & feel like I could read them again now! I love them!
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February 11th, 2009 at 12:12 am
I agree with you Shannon on both points. I really liked Jenny and Harun, and I want to know more! Plus, I too thought Clarissa was crushing on George. I thought maybe C & G would end up together, since they have similar backgrounds. But I confess that I want him to secretly be in lurve with Amy (even though I want her to end up with Poe). I’m pathetic.
I was so excited to see the counter on the blog today. I CAN’T WAIT! =)
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February 11th, 2009 at 8:09 am
Hey, y’all, don’t forget to come back this Friday, when the special Valentine’s Day Secret Story goes up. It’s, um, not about any of the couples you’re discussing at the moment, but it’s going to be fun!
I kinda feel that most people, given George’s charisma, are going to be a bit dazzled by him, and Clarissa is no exception. Do any of you think it’s possible they’ve hooked up in the past?
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February 11th, 2009 at 11:03 am
To answer Diana – I always thought that it was possible that George and Clarissa hooked up in the past. They clearly run in the same social circles at school and might have even before Eli. Their fathers are at least familiar with each other, as both are Diggers. So that they hooked up before junior/senior year would not surprise me.
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February 11th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
@ distracted:
I completely agree to wanting George to be in love with Amy, but having Amy remain with Poe! I think it’s because I love George so much as a character, that I’m happy for whatever keeps him the focus.
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February 11th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Christina, But if that were true, poor George! How can you say you love him and also want him to suffer the pain of watching someone he love be with someone else? Heartless, I tell you!
Isn’t it bad enough that she’s with someone he thinks is a jerk (as he calls Poe in ROSB)? Regardless of the nature of his feelings for Amy?
Actually, I kinda love that romantic agony, I must admit.
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February 12th, 2009 at 12:42 am
But Diana, didn’t George change his mind about Poe by the end of ROSB? So, not completely heartless. =)
I guess its possible that G & C had hooked up, but I think that both of them would have admitted it in their CVs, since neither of them are particularly shy (and Clarissa’s CV was very detailed, apparently). George seems to withheld details on his hookup with Amy only because she wanted that (and because of his secret lurve).
Also, you never said anything about Jenny and Harun. Throw us a bone!
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February 12th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
I want George to be happy with Clarissa or as happy as he can be.
I thought he’d mellowed towards Poe at the end of ROSB too but I kind of get the feeling he won’t miss an opportunity to wind him up by referring to his and Amy’s past
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February 12th, 2009 at 1:01 pm
You’re right, Distracted and Alexa, he did mellow out about Poe at the end. I remember my own books, I swear! It’s just that my head is all filled with my new book right now, and not the Diggers…
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February 16th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Just wanted to give y’all a head’s up that the newest secret story has been posted!
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February 16th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Yay! Was the password emailed to us though? I don’t seem to have it in my email and can’t get into it.
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February 16th, 2009 at 11:53 am
yeah i can’t get it and i don’t think i got the email either.
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February 16th, 2009 at 11:58 am
The email went out, guys. Check your spam folders.
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February 27th, 2009 at 11:34 pm
Is it March yet? I’m not sure I can make it to May!
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March 15th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
I’ve been re-reading SSG, and I have a question (that might not be answerable, but hey, I want to be on the record for asking):
On page 108 of the green edition, everyone’s watching the initiation of Harun, and Angel asks, “Are they speaking–German?” Amy then questions whether Angel had been “subjected to that tableau as well.” If not, why? Why does it seem like only Amy did the whole Grim Reaper thing (with Poe, and the whole almost-kiss)?
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March 19th, 2009 at 11:30 am
I am currently re-reading the whole series with the secret stories at their appropriate points in the sotry and it is so exciting to see the puzzle fit together. Thanks for giving me something to occupy my time till T&G Diana!
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March 23rd, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Read ROSB again in anticipation for T&B and I fell in love with Poe and Amy all over again. Seriously. I love the slow progression of their relationship through the books and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Oh, and that scene in the showers when Poe surprises Amy is hot. Very nicely done, Diana.
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March 26th, 2009 at 9:30 pm
I think George would like to hook up with Angel (since he groped in the Dragon’s head secret cubby and then she hit him). I do not think they have hooked up yet. They would make a good pair however even I think George deserves better than Clarissa. Her character is someone who you have fun with but never become close friends. George seems to have more substance than her.
I always wanted Poe (I personally like the mysterious quiet men)for Amy, however I am worried that she will break his heart. If I would pick a Sun Sign for Poe, it would be Scorpio. They have a lot of emotion just under the surface.
I think one great thing about this story was not only the love interest but friendships. It seems like Jenny and Demetria are coming through as good friends for Amy (as well as Lydia). I like Demetria, she is very passionate. I would never want to be her foe. I hope Tap and Gown has more of her emotional outbursts.
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March 30th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
To continue on with Tiff’s question about the whole Amy initiation thing, I thought when I was first reading the initiation scene in SSG that Amy was a special tap for reasons I didn’t know about yet (only girl being tapped, best tap, whatever). But when she goes into the room and sees everyone else who was tapped, I totally got confused because she obviously wasn’t the only girl and there were a lot more powerful taps in her group. And then I got so confused by Clarissa’s “Is that German?” comment and still wonder if maybe Amy’s initiation was different than the rest. But why would that be??? Maybe Clarissa during her initiation didn’t realize it was German so wondered if anyone knew for sure? I don’t know.
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March 31st, 2009 at 8:40 am
RE: Initiation
All the taps pretty much see the same thing (or as many that can given the number of rooms they might set up and the time constraints that they are under — you see more about this in Tap & Gown, when D177 is planning an initiation from the inside). Amy’s observation of Clarissa in that scene is meant to communicate something about Amy’s state of mind; she’s paranoid, confused, and it’s dawning on her here that the others know each other and are less surprised than she is about what just happened to them. While she never TRIES to be an unreliable narrator, sometimes she doesn’t see things completely clearly. (And sometimes I just don’t pull it off).
I do want to clarify that there’s nothing “special” about Amy’s tap or initiation. She’s just the same as the others, no special status.
It’s funny that Lu thinks George is too good for Clarissa. I tend to think that clarissa is too good for George, in that she’s had enough hard times with men in her life, and needs a guy who will treat her right. I do find it interesting how many people think they hooked up, though…
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April 18th, 2009 at 10:48 am
So… it took me well over an hour to catch up on all the posts here (and I’ll admit to not reading them all…)
But I can say this- ROSB is my fave SSG novel yet– its the only one that I can re-read and be ready to re-read it again right away. I’m in the process of re-reading the whole series in anticipation of the last installment (did the same thing with HP7, which is why I didn’t read it until the fall after it came out) except that I’m flying through the SSG novels– even adding in the secret stories!
I can say that I am a reluctant member of Team Poe/Jamie– mostly because it took me awhile to come around, much as I imagine it was like for Amy herself. But as long as Amy’s happy, I’m happy. I would say that couple I would be sorely disappointed to see break up would be Lydia and Josh- mostly because I think it would be super hard for Amy (and they’re sweet together).
Clarissa is too good for George and it would just fuel the fire for the patriarchs if every female tap ended up dating within the society… (George needs a smack in the head, but I think he knows it)
Whoever said that Blake Lively would make a good Odile was so right (except that she’s not super short/small)… I think most of the choices for Poe are too “in your face” good looking. He needs to be more of a goes unnoticed good looking, otherwise the flow of the story lines won’t work (my opinion of course). For some reason Leslie Bibb pops in my head for Clarissa and I can’t cast George- it’s impossible.
At some point there were comments about Gilmore Girls- and Diana commented on how well it captured Yale and Eli is based on Yale– and I realized that when I picture Amy & Lydia’s suite- I am visualizing Paris and Rory’s first suite. weird.
Lastly, I would just like to say that I enjoy Diana’s books SO MUCH. I picked up the first one on a whim… then the second for a plane trip. The third I stalked the stacks in my local target for weeks waiting for it to appear and finally checked in out at the library (and later purchased it, since the late fines I accrued due to re-reads were just stupidity on my part). I now plan to visit a book store on May 19th and take the day off from work to enjoy 4. I did realize WHY I like the books so much.
In part- yes, its because I can see some of myself in Amy– an its always fun to empathize with a character. (truth be told, it made me want to start my own secret society for my masters program– yes, I’m a dork) And the story sounds pretty similar to when I was in college– its exciting, romantic, etc. But the heart of it that its written so intelligently. I LOVE Gilmore Girls, West Wing, Sports Night (see a theme here?) and the movie 10 Things I Hate About you all for the same reason. I love the use of language and the intelligent and quick verbal interplay between the characters. THANK YOU Diana for providing this in written form for people like me. (but now I join those that would like to see SSG be a movie or TV show)
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May 1st, 2009 at 10:07 am
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed all the books…I read all three of them in 3 days, the last one I started at 7 am & was finished in less than 12 hours (and I have a 2 year old who demands a lot of attention).
I especially enjoy Amy/Jamie’s relationship, like pretty much eveyone else has said. I love the kind of relationship that almost comes out of nowhere, especially for the people involved. I can totally see Amy’s POV regarding going after Jamie after she found out he liked her…I think before then she didn’t even consider that he would be an option, because she thought he wouldn’t see her that way.
regarding the whole casting of the fake movie, i have a few suggestions:
Poe: Bryan Greenwood, not classically handsome, but good-looking
George: I’m gonna have to pull someone from Gilmore Girls, Matt Czuchry–he totally pulls off the whole entitled rich-boy dynamic
Amy: I like Amber Tamblyn, she’ll do
I hope that Poe & Amy’s relationship survives this book. I already pre-ordered it (as well as the new Meg Cabot, which comes out next week, can’t wait). Anyway, Diana, thanks for writing such entertaining books. Hurry up, May 19th!
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May 5th, 2009 at 9:41 pm
Oh man, if we are talking about movie casting,
Ben Whishaw is the PERFECT Poe. Seriously.
(I think he even has gray eyes)
Go team Poe! He is the sexiest one. Who can resist that sort of sexual tension?
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May 7th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
I don’t think anybody else has commented on this, but I’m sorry if I am just repeating. I wanted to comment on the Secret Story of Poe in D.C. I thought it was interesting that at the end he was shocked that Amy was able to act like she didn’t know him when she was talking to Poe’s dad and was able to actually keep a secret. When, in reality she really didn’t know him by his real name yet. She says half-way through UTR on pg. 180 that she had been able to avoid learning his real name! And of course his dad would have been calling him Jamie and not Poe.
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May 8th, 2009 at 12:08 am
I’ve loved all of the secret stories and can’t wait until the final one. As for my vision of Poe, I picture Christian Coulson, who played the young Tom Riddle in Harry Potter, specifically this pic: http://www.the-leaky-cauldron.org/old_leaky/images/actors/Christian%20Coulson.jpg
His eyes may be the wrong color, can’t really tell, but there’s just something sexy about him. =)
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May 8th, 2009 at 6:39 am
Distracted, that’s the picture I’ve got in my head of Poe as well. I think it may be the undershirt that does it.
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May 8th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Funnily enough, I am imagined Christian Coulson to be Poe as well. He’s beautiful.
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May 8th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
all i have to say is … =D to that idea!! hehe. =)
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May 15th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
I can’t believe it’s almost here!! It’s like Christmas in the summer, Tap & Gown is almost here! It’s been a year since I first finished the last book, it seems like a life time ago!
Anyway, just wanted to say to Diana how much I absolutely love, loved, loved, the last secret story! That was by far my favourite!
I also wanted to comment on some of the picks for the fictional casting of the fictional SSG movie lol, even though I whole heartedly agree with a comment made ages ago about how this series should be made into a television series instead of a movie. Anyway, I agree with Julia the Leslie would be a great Clarissa, it totally reminds me of her role on the show Popular… yes I actually watched that. And Daphne I so agree with you on your pick of Matt Czuchry as George. George has always been the hardest to place for me but when you mentioned Matt Czuchry it was like a light bulb went off in my head, he would be the perfect George! Daphne did you mean Bryan Greenberg as Poe? I looked for Bryan Greenwood, nothing showed up and it directed me to Bryan Greenberg. Although I don’t quiet see him as Poe, I must admit that he is so yummy. If he ever did play Poe I would totally pray that I some how miraculously got the part of Amy, even though I’m not an actress haha.
Ahh, I can’t wait until Tuesday! =D
Diana you’re a genious! I’ve never been so attached to a series of books before, sure a television series, but never books. =P
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May 15th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Tuesday! =D I just can’t say much how happy I am for Tuesday to come around =D
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May 20th, 2009 at 2:33 am
No Spoilers I promise…
OH MY GOSH, DIANA!!!! My copy of Tap & Gown was waiting for me when I got home from work!!! I just finished it and it is SOOOOOOOO SOOOOOOO freaking good. I LOVE IT!!! I’m totally going to read it again and come back later when people have had a chance to read it so I can actually comment…but I just had to get it out here that T&G is FABULOUS!
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May 20th, 2009 at 5:52 am
Hi, Jodie!
Glad you liked it. Feel free to discuss Tap & Gown on the Tap & Gown Spoiler Thread, which is already up and running.
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May 25th, 2009 at 11:15 am
I’m very late to the game, but I just finished Rites of Spring Break. Fantastic! The upside to being so late is that my copy of Tap & Gown just arrived, so I can dive right in. I am both excited and bummed to find out how it all wraps up.
Diana, I usually don’t comment like this, but as a huge Veronica Mars fan (who still runs a fan community), I was very excited to read that you are as well. Being a Veronica/Logan shipper, now I understand why I was immediately drawn to Poe and Amy. It makes sense!
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June 14th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
hi Diana!
I”m Brasilian and I love your books but here in Brazil only arrived the first two books (SSG and UTR).
I’m crazy to read the next books but not yet translated.
You’re a grest writer..
kisses ;**
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November 16th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Wow, boy am I “tardy for the party”, lol, yeah, I went there!!!
so, anyway, since there’s a whole new spoiler thread for tap & gown, I supposed this onw isn’t getting much love anymore BUT, It just saved my afternoon…I’m from Brazil and I started reading SSG this past friday, and ate it all up, finishing ROS(B) this very morning…i’m pretty sure i’ll be buying Tap and Gown online in a few hours, talk about addiction, but that’s good books for you!!
I don’t think I have much more to say that hasn’t been said, or that much time seeing I have to leave to go to college, but I’d like to say, I saw the Poe crush coming from MILES away, and loved it, and loved what you did about it and can’t wait to see how it unfolds.
I was a little sad about how the George/Amy relationship played out in this book because they were such cute friends, and because I’m not sure she was mad at him for the right reasons, I mean, I think he is very harmless, and cute, and gorgeous, and to be played by Jason Ackles…yum, no one could resist that!! but the way he treated her during that talk after they busted the Elysion meeting…he was so agressive with her, and that broke my heart, but I hope they will resolve everything during number 4.
Also….Brandon doesn’t fly in my radar…at all… he’s very blah as far as I’m concerned, but I think it’s because I’m so much more interested in the Diggers, haha
In my mind I see Poe as Paul Wesley: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3797518592/tt1405406 Talk about Broody McBroodsAlot, and have you seen him without a shirt?? GREAT shoulders!!
and well, on a last note, i just wanted to commento on how relatable you are Diana!! talking about Buffy, Angel (had to close my eyes there, just love him too much), Veronica Mars, and Harry POtter, my OTHER fav series!!
so can’t wait to be all read up on the Ivy League, and can anyone point the way to the secret stories??
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November 16th, 2009 at 1:54 pm
Wow, boy am I \”tardy for the party\”, lol, yeah, I went there!!!
so, anyway, since there\’s a whole new spoiler thread for tap & gown, I supposed this onw isn\’t getting much love anymore BUT, It just saved my afternoon…I\’m from Brazil and I started reading SSG this past friday, and ate it all up, finishing ROS(B) this very morning…i\’m pretty sure i\’ll be buying Tap and Gown online in a few hours, talk about addiction, but that\’s good books for you!!
I don\’t think I have much more to say that hasn\’t been said, or that much time seeing I have to leave to go to college, but I\’d like to say, I saw the Poe crush coming from MILES away, and loved it, and loved what you did about it and can\’t wait to see how it unfolds.
I was a little sad about how the George/Amy relationship played out in this book because they were such cute friends, and because I\’m not sure she was mad at him for the right reasons, I mean, I think he is very harmless, and cute, and gorgeous, and to be played by Jason Ackles…yum, no one could resist that!! but the way he treated her during that talk after they busted the Elysion meeting…he was so agressive with her, and that broke my heart, but I hope they will resolve everything during number 4.
Also….Brandon doesn\’t fly in my radar…at all… he\’s very blah as far as I\’m concerned, but I think it\’s because I\’m so much more interested in the Diggers, haha
In my mind I see Poe as Paul Wesley: http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3797518592/tt1405406 Talk about Broody McBroodsAlot, and have you seen him without a shirt?? GREAT shoulders!!
and well, on a last note, i just wanted to commento on how relatable you are Diana!! talking about Buffy, Angel (had to close my eyes there, just love him too much), Veronica Mars, and Harry POtter, my OTHER fav series!!
so can\’t wait to be all read up on the Ivy League, and can anyone point the way to the secret stories??
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November 16th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
THanks, Silvia! The Secret Stories are here. Enjoy!
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