Waterfall Wednesdays Read-Along (Chapters 7-11)

Hello everyone! *waves enthusiastically*

Thank you for dropping by for this week's Waterfall Wednesday. I hope you're as excited to discuss the awesomeness that is Lisa T. Bergren's Waterfall as I am. This week's questions are hosted by the equally awesome Missie at The Unread Reader, so go over there and read her post along with the responses of other participating blogs on the linky list at the bottom of her post.

Here are my responses to this weeks' questions:

Discussion Questions for Chapters 7-11

1. Gabi's search for her sister is made increasingly difficult by the fight for territory between Castello Forelli and Castello Paratore. At this point, do you think the rivalry is warranted? Why or why not?

I honestly don’t see the point to the constant battling between these neighbours. I mean, I get that they both supported opposing political sides, but I don’t think that warranted a lifelong battle over a small piece of contested land. I would think that each party would be happy enough with their huge castles so that extending their territory through the acquisition of a small piece of land wouldn’t matter so much. To me it seems as if their battles are more a clash of egos, with each party wanting to gain the upper hand over the opposing side. It’s almost like a game for them; like these knights are little boys come out to play in the woods every so often, trying to achieve victory and take home good news to their proud families. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say they eagerly anticipated these opportunities to clash with each other, if for no other reason, then to relieve themselves of the boredom and routine of daily life in a castle.

2. Gabi aids Fortino by having his sickroom cleaned out and using steam to loosen the phlegm inside his lungs so he could breathe better. Have you ever found yourself in a situation that required you to rely on home remedies to aid yourself or another? What are some of your favorite home remedies?

Yes, I have in fact found myself having to rely on home remedies on many occasions in the past and I expect there will be many more such occasions in the future. Like Gabi, I occasionally use the steaming method of loosening phlegm, usually including a stick of menthol crystal in the steaming water to assist in the unblocking of my breathing passage. I find that no matter how often I visit the doctor when I have the flu, and despite all the medication and vaccinations I take, nothing seems to help me more than my home remedies.

· For the flu, I usually drink honey mixed in a cup of boiled water, with a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon.

· I sometimes slice an orange and eat the entire thing when I feel a fever coming on, or just feel very weak, and my fever miraculously disappears by the next morning.

· I find that drinking a cup of strong, dark (and very bitter) cocoa when I have a terrible cough, or just a sore throat, usually helps ease the discomfort and spreads warmth throughout my chest.

I’ve discovered that these are the most effective home remedies for me. However, the ultimate cure for the flu, in my opinion, is staying in bed for three days straight, spending most of your time sleeping (but preferably also reading during your waking hours *wink*).

3. Marcello and his men don't hide their surprise when they learn that Gabi is skilled with a sword. What did you think of this development? Has your initial impression of Gabi changed? Do you have any secret skills?

I must admit, I was also a little surprised that Gabi could wield a sword so expertly, so I can’t say I blame Marcello and his men for being so surprised. However, my cause for surprise is a little different from theirs. While they were shocked to see a female wield a sword, I was just shocked that a girl from the 21^st century could do so. When I read that bit, I couldn’t help thinking how convenient it was that she’d practiced fencing with her dad in the future (and her sister was an expert archer, too), so that was a bit of an eye-rolling moment for me because I felt that that just fit into place too perfectly. But then I reminded myself that this is a work of fiction and I’m meant to enjoy the characters and not question their skills and other aspects of their characters too deeply. Gabi’s parents being as oddly obsessed with Italian history as they were, maybe it’s not so strange and improbable that they encouraged their daughters to engage in such rarely practiced sporting activities.

My initial impression of Gabi certainly changed at that point because I began to look at her as more than a helpless, confused and lost teenage girl. At this point, she had morphed into an empowered, independent and highly capable young lady- a true kickass heroine.

I can’t say that I have any secret skills other than being able to function with only 3 hours of sleep each night for an entire work week and then crash on a Friday night. Wait! I don’t think that’s a skill. Hmm... I’m also strangely very flexible... I think. Okay, so I don’t really have any secret skills. Maybe I can start fencing practice next week? I’d suck at archery- my hand-eye co-ordination is nonexistent and I’d probably injure myself and possibly kill (or seriously maim) someone before the end of my first practice session. Oh! Then maybe fencing practice is not such good idea, either. Hmm...

4. "Our lips were so close, I could feel the heat of his breath on my skin." Gabi and Marcello's feelings for one another are beginning to stir. What do you think of Marcello as a romantic interest thus far? What do you think of his intended?

Intended who? That girl didn’t deserve him then and she wouldn’t even deserve him a hundred years later. A girl with spark and character, like Gabi, is the one he needs by his side. I could not get enough of the scenes with Marcello! I’m not the swooning type - or the love-stricken gaze type, or the drooling type, or even the staring-at-the-book-with-a-silly-grin type - but Marcello’s character introduced me to a whole range of ‘firsts’, so I guess my thoughts on Marcello as a romantic interest are highly visible while I’m reading. I more than just love Marcello- I think I may be obsessed! *swoon* Think I’m gonna go grab that orange now...

5. Marcello and Luca take turns teaching Gabi the dances of Toscana. Would you have liked to attend a ball like the one Gabi was practicing for? Do you like to dance? Do you know any cool dance moves? Extra (not really) points if you YouTube yourself dancing and share the video. Come on, it will be fun! :)

I don’t dance, and probably wouldn’t know how to dance to save my life, but I would certainly have liked to attend a ball like the one Gabi was practicing for, as long as it meant I got to take lessons from hotties like Marcello and Luca... *frantically fans self*... Grabs another orange...

I hope you enjoyed that and please be sure to drop by next Wednesday to spread more Waterfall love!