This week we are discussing Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse, Ch. 14-25.
Content Warning!!! This book contains situations and subjects related to: alcohol and drug use, domestic abuse, eye injury, homophobia, murder, ritual scarring, poison, sexual abuse, suicide, and violence.
Spoiler Warning!!! This post is full of spoilers for Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse.
Discussion:
Michaela: Hello friends and welcome to our second discussion of Black Sun by Rebecca Roanhorse! A whole heck of a lot happened in this section. Let me tell you, I now have beef with so many characters! People have been betrayed and so have I.
We start off the whole thing with Abah interfering when she shouldn’t be again, this time with the meeting Naranpa was going to have with the matrons. Telling everyone Naranpa is feeling ill, the gall this woman has is insane. Abah then continues to be a horrible person and influence throughout the rest of the section and I’m sure it’ll just get worse in the last part of the book too.
Jacilyn: I am not convinced that Iktan hasn’t been colluding with Abah, either from jump or beginning recently. The ease with which Abah was able to convince the rest of the Watchers in the Conclave to elevate Eche to Naranpa’s role was highly suspicious. I also can’t help but wonder if what happened during the funeral was orchestrated, and not an unfortunate misunderstanding. Did Iktan see Nara and Okoa having a genuine conciliatory interaction and take xer first opportunity to intervene? I don’t know yet, honestly, but I don’t trust any of the Watchers. I’m beginning to sympathize with the Odohaa more and more, honestly. I’m a pacifist, but the rot within the tower has spread too much for Naranpa’s strategies to work.
I thought Okoa was an interesting character to follow. I’m fascinated by the great beasts the Sky Made clans ride, especially the crows. I want to learn more about the riders and beasts! I thought it was odd that Yatliza had given her Shield that note for Okoa so long before she died. Had she known that whole time that someone was after her? Is Okoa misreading the message? If he’s correct and she was murdered, was it Iktan’s knives that did it, or some other schemer? Or, was it all a way for Yatliza to push Okoa and the rest of the Carrion Crow to join the Odohaa and rebel? I really don’t know what to believe yet.
Michaela: Iktan betraying Naranpa was so disappointing. I agree, I feel like xe has been conspiring with Abah this whole time. To be honest it feels like everyone has been conspiring against Narnapa the whole time with how easily everything has happened. I realize they don’t want progress but putting Eche, who is not at all trained enough to be the Sun Priest at this point, into this role is insane even if he is just a puppet. I can’t imagine that would have gone over well across the clans. They’re being insanely unsubtle with this take over so it must be time sensitive to get Narnapa out? I don’t see any other reason behind their logic. And Iktan saying it’s for Narnapa’s safety is absolute bullshit.
I think it was planned to have a conflict start at the funeral to make the Carrion Crow look bad but I think Iktan injuring Okoa wasn’t part of that but more a convenient way to start things or just a bonus. I really thought Naranpa was sneaking out to find Okoa at first and not her brother, I really want them to sit down and speak with each other without everyone watching.
Meeting the Odohaa was fascinating. I was expecting a more menacing group of warrior type personalities, no, it’s just a group of people who believe what they believe. Maaka and his wife were so cute and Okoa interacting with that whole group was quite funny “can I have my pants?”. I love the sense of humor in this book and that there is some humor thrown in with all these intense situations.
I don’t know what to think about Yatliza’s death and the note to Okoa. I thought maybe she sacrificed herself like Saaya did though I don’t know why it’d be necessary as Serapio isn’t even there yet. I think it’s more likely that Yatliza knew she was going to die at someone else’s hands this whole time, maybe a vision or simply she’s been getting threats. Right now, because it looks so much like a suicide, it makes me think it’s then not a suicide but we’ll just have to wait and see with that one.
Then while all of this nonsense is going on we have everything with Xiala and Serapio. Again, I am so disappointed but this time in Xiala’s crew. I’m not necessarily surprised I guess since they were all so close minded but nonetheless still disappointed. She literally saved a man’s life and the crew goes nuts. I think Xiala’s Teek abilities are so cool and her mother blessing her with breathing underwater and the tail so she could save herself and Baat, so cool. I wonder if that was a one time thing or if she now just has those abilities. Also, Xiala sharing her Teek stories with Serapio, freaking adorable. They are so cute as friends, they’re alluding to more than friends at some point but right now I like them as these cute besties. It feels like they understand each other on that ‘isolated because I’m different’ level which is such a strong bond to have with someone else.
Jacilyn: I didn’t think the peace on the ship would last long, unfortunately, especially after Serapio made his appearance with the haahan on display and Callo witnessed Xiala and Serapio being friendly. I’m also really enjoying the friendship that is blooming between the two of them, and the little bit of flirting that’s happening. It’s all really cute and joyful, in spite of all the shit happening. I was kind of surprised that Serapio had all the crew torn to pieces by the crows, though - but I suppose with the sickness spreading amongst the men, it was better for them that way. But now how will they possibly get to Tova in time for the Convergence? Unless the two of them manage to put their powers together somehow, I have no idea how this is going to work.
I enjoyed the bit of insight we got into the journey Saaya went through to bring the Crow God back to life. When I read Balam’s name, I got so excited at the connection finally being explained. I’d like to hope that Serapio was right about his mother loving him because he was her son, not just because he was destined to be the bringer of the vengeance she seeked. So far, it seems like this third teacher is the most pleasant out of all of them, but I know earlier in the book Serapio mentioned that none of his teacher’s treated him kindly, so I doubt we have much to look forward to with this last one.
Michaela: Xiala’s either going to have to work overtime with her Song or Serapio is going to have to pull something out of his hat to get them there on time. Unless the storm has pushed them farther than they thought, that’d be the best scenario. I think Saaya did love him but he knows he wasn’t born because she wanted a child but because she needed a vessel. That love, existent or not, is going to hit different with the knowledge he has. Getting a look at how charismatic Saaya was was really interesting. She really had to gain a lot of ‘friends’ for this to succeed and so far it’s worked, we’ll see what happens when Serapio actually gets to Tavo, if he ever does.
That’s all for this section, friends. A lot happened but we still have the whole ending to get through now. I’m stressed, Jac is stressed, if you’re not stressed…you’re insane! Until next time friends!
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