This week we are discussion Trail of Lighting by Rebecca Roanhorse Chapters 14-27
Spoiler Warning!!! This post is full of spoilers for Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse.
Trigger/Content Warning!!! This book has scenes of and discussion such themes as: Violence, Gore, Supernatural Creatures, PTSD, panic attacks, blood, murder, death, and emotional abuse.
Discussion #2:
Jacilyn: Hello friends and welcome to discussion two of Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhouse. I’m really excited to talk about this part of the book because we learned more about Maggie, Kai, and met some really great new characters. First of all, Kai is bringing out a human side of Maggie that we didn’t see right away at the beginning of the book. We met a Maggie that is cold, and almost cruel, at the start of the story. Her walls were up high, for very understandable reasons, as we come to learn, but it seemed like the only person she had any sort of true connection with is Tah. And then Tah shoves Kai at her, and now she wants to cook an actual meal for him and Ma’ii.
Michaela: I think Maggie, for the first time possibly ever, is learning from Kai what having a friend is. Maggie talks about what it was like before Neizghání and even with her grandmother she really didn’t seem to have friends or friendships. Even how she described her relationship with her grandmother, it sounded fairly routine a lot of the time.. And we don’t know exactly what Maggie and Neizghání’s relationship was like but I feel like it was not how Maggie thinks it was. I think she is filled with a lot of hopeful romance towards him whereas I get the feeling he was pretty cold and possibly abusive towards her in an emotional way.
Then considering what Maggie went through with her grandmother’s death and almost her own death as well. I’m not surprised she has such high walls, I would expect no less. But I’m really glad that Kai is so supportive of her and he is really understanding and gentle with her as well. Even being on the knife end of one of her PTSD panic attacks he still tries to make sure that Maggie is okay rather than tell her off or just suck it up like some people would.
Tah’s personality is so infectious with this giddy mischievousness that I think he is the best thing to help Maggie lower her walls if only for short spurts of time when she visits. I think Tah knew Maggie needed a friend like Kai, but I also think we might find that Kai needed a friend like Maggie.
Jacilyn: Maggie can’t even remember the last time someone hugged her. Neizghání never did. From the snippets we’ve been given, I don’t even know that Neizghání ever really showed any love towards her. I think Maggie fell in love with him because he saved her, and taught her what she was. She was 16. Can you imagine? Being forced to watch your only family member, the only person who loved her, being butchered like an animal. That witch was toying with Maggie. I can’t imagine something more cruel. And then comes this literal hero from legend. Maggie says Neizghání saved her, but she saved herself. He showed up in the aftermath, and became the only person she had. And then he leaves her, adding to the trauma.
Do you think Tah is dead? I’m always hesitant to believe someone is actually dead until it’s confirmed, but it seems likely. I don’t think Maggie can accept that, though. Not yet. But I’m glad her and Kai have each other. From the sounds of it, Kai has experienced his own losses too. He has walls, but they’re much more subtle than Maggie’s.
I think Kai is showing Maggie that she’s not a monster. He’s witnessed her do some awful things and he hasn’t balked. He hasn’t ran away. He’s finally fessing to some of his powers too, but it’s clear the healing isn’t all of it. I still think his “way with words” is more than just charm. I think that silver tongue of his is working some magic as well.
Michaela: What Maggie went through is enough to destroy anyone and she is such a strong person to continue going through life and hunting monsters no less. I still would like to know why these monsters keep targeting her. Even when she was 16, before she knew about her clan powers, she was targeted by a witch. I just can’t believe that is all coincidence. I agree with you, Maggie saved herself but because Neizghání was the first person there who helped her she has romanticized that along with him teaching her about her clan powers.
I don’t know what to think about Tah’s death yet. I feel like he probably is dead but I need confirmation before I accept it as the truth. Why was he attacked? Was he attacked? Why set his hogan on fire? Also, Maggie for the second time has found reference to lightning or an ozone smell. First at Crownpoint, a decimated city, and now at the ruins of Tah’s hogan. Then again, actually, at Rock Springs! Unless this is all Ma’ii behind it, which I doubt. I think Neizghání is behind this. The more we learn about him the less I trust him.
Kai’s powers are so much more than he’s letting on, even still. I want to know why he’s keeping so much to himself. I wonder if he’s more powerful than he should be, if that makes sense. Perhaps he has a more powerful combination of clan powers than most people. The medicine is one thing but the prayers of healing and then basically harnessing the elements. That’s way beyond even Maggie’s pay grade, and mostly everyone in Dinétah is afraid of her.
Along with gaining Kai as a friend, through Kai she has gained more friends like Grace, Clive, and Rissa. Their whole family dynamic and how welcoming they are is such a good thing for Maggie. To be a part of something like that, even if she wants to watch it from the side lines for a while, is one of the most important things that could happen to Maggie.
Jacilyn: Even Maggie started suspecting Neizghání, at Rock Springs. Ma’ii apparently has some complicated past with him, but I think he was being sincere when he told Maggie “Forget Neizghání. He is a deeply selfish creature. He does not love you. Cannot. You are but a moment’s fancy, a distraction, a curiosity of which he has now tired.” Ma’ii has ulterior motives at all times, but I can’t shake the feeling that he does sincerely care about Maggie.
The part where Kai made the fire tornado in Rock Springs literally gave me chills. It drains him, clearly, much like Maggie’s clan powers, but the power was enormous. Tah said “Strong Medicine!” and he wasn’t joking. I think you’re right - if everyone is afraid of Maggie, if they knew of Kai’s powers, they would tremble in fear at him. I can see why he wants to keep it to himself. Part of his charm is an air of… not innocence, but passivism. He won’t use a gun, and he tends to get his way with charm, not force. If word of his powers got out, I don’t think he could keep up that persona.
I love the Goodacre family. Maggie fits into their family dynamic so well. They’re a relatively normal family in many ways, but then they basically live in a compound, run their own security, and certainly don’t shy away from a challenge. Maggie packing heat like she does is of no concern to them, which differs greatly from the reactions she gets from most other “normal” people around her. Grace seemed a bit hesitant at first, but Clive and Rissa seemed to trust Maggie pretty quickly. Certainly enough to rely on her and Kai to help them liberate Rock Springs, and Kai trusted them enough to show his weather work. You’re exactly right, too - I think one of the most important things for Maggie is to let her walls down and feel safe enough to care for and be cared for by others.
Michaela: I think Ma’ii was sincere too. I realize he’s the Trickster god but I feel like he does care for Maggie on some level. In his own weird way.
The Goodacre’s allow Maggie to exist as she is without people fearing her or throwing her looks or ignoring her. They involve her when she wants to be and will let her be if she truly needs it too. I think Grace has only known the one side of Maggie, the side that’s always in some sort of trouble or on a mission. But with Kai she sees a different side to Maggie, and a bonus being that Maggie and Kai saved Rissa. I fully believe Clive and Rissa would be dead right now without Maggie and Kai going with them. They are clearly a very trigger happy family but I hope they learned from this lesson. I think Grace has accepted Maggie now more fully because of all that and I think will adopt her and Kai under her wing now at least a little bit. And I think having Grace one their side will be really important later on.
Something we haven’t talked about yet is Longarm and his death. It happened pretty quickly but I want to know why he was going to kill Kai. It seems a little out of nowhere to me. I feel like we’re missing some vital information right now. He seemed pretty okay with Kai the day before and now he wants to kill him. Kill Maggie, I can see Longarm wanting to do that. But why? Is Longarm involved in the hogan fire? I don’t get it.
Also an honorary mention from this part should be that Kai offered Maggie a single night of them just being together. I actually found this to be kind of sweet, I don’t think Maggie was ready to agree to it, nor do i think it would have been “no strings attached” like Kai wanted it to be though. I feel like this will probably happen at some point in their story but I don’t think that first night would have been a good idea. However, I think Kai is helping Maggie in so, so many ways. In accepting herself, accepting friendship, making new friends, and moving forward from whatever she had or didn’t have with Neizghání.
Jacilyn: Oh I like the way you worded that - they allow Maggie to just exist as she is. No judgement. I think that’s a perfect descriptor.
There’s definitely some information missing with Longarm. It’s possible that Longarm found out that Kai was bullshitting him the day before, and I can see that being enough to set Longarm off, but my gut tells me there’s something else. Maybe Maggie and Kai will learn something about it at the Shalimar, since it’s in the same town. It’s just the intensity of his attack on Kai seemed very extreme. If Maggie hadn’t killed Longarm when she did, I think Kai would have been killed, healing powers or not. I can’t say I’m upset that he’s dead, honestly.
Kai is the sweetest. He and Maggie have great chemistry, and with their combined powers, personalities, and abilities, they make a very formidable team. I don’t think it would have been a good idea for them to hook up that first night either, especially since Maggie was clearly in a really vulnerable emotional place. She damn near almost killed him the next morning. I think they’re both really special in this world, and kind of destined to cross paths.
Michaela: I think that Maggie and Kai are kind of destined too. There's too many things that bring them together. Longarms attack seemed so intense and quick and extreme like you said. I need answers. But I can't say I'm upset about Longarm either.
We stopped reading just as Ma’ii, after showing back up to make sure Maggie remembers her mission, brought Maggie and Kai to Shalimar. I want to know what other business Ma’ii has in Tse Bonito and why he was so willing to do a piggyback lightning teleport to help them. I am so suspicious of everything Ma’ii is doing right now.
We’ll just have to wait for all the answers I guess. I can’t wait to see what happens at Shalimar. Until next week friends!
What did you think of Maggie and Kai now that we know them a little better? Do you love the Goodacre family as much as we do? What are your thoughts on Tah and the hogan fire? Let us know in the comments below!
Comments