Venom Readalong Week 3!

Hi! This post is for the Venom Readalong that I signed up for (and hopefully you did too!). I've had an ARC of this book AND Belladonna, the sequel, since November, and have yet to read either book. Thank you, Annabelle and Nikki, for having this readalong; otherwise, Venom and Belladonna might sit on my stack of books for a long time.

So! Here are my responses to the third set of questions!

 

 

Cass rarely goes anywhere without her dutiful handmaid Siena in tow. Would you like to have your own handmaid? Why or why not?

I do not think I would want to have my own handmaid. It seems weird to be dependent on someone, all the time! Especially since that someone would know almost everything about me... I would not want someone that close to me.
 

It was very unusual for noblewomen in 1600 to be allowed to study, and later in the trilogy we will find out information about Agnese that explains why she allowed Cass this luxury. What subjects would you study if you were allowed to pick anything you liked?

 
Geography, mathematics, forensics, anatomy... really, any science or mathematics courses. Maybe a poetry class. Perhaps more natural science classes.

 

Several readers have brought up that Falco is kind of mean to Cass, teasing her about being rich and essentially calling her a coward. Did you find this as mean? Do you have friends like this? If there is a balance between challenging another person to be better and accepting them for who they are, where do you think Falco falls on this?

 

I find this realistic. Cass is a coward, right up to the end of the book (I finished it on Sunday). He is "keeping it real", as we would say nowadays. I am the friend like that. I tell my friends and family how it is, straight up. You want honesty? Ask me something. I rarely sugarcoat things. It comes off as rude and mean sometimes, but then, those are the times when I preface it by saying, "This will probably offend you", or, "I know this will sound mean but". Falco is challenging her to be free in her world, but at the same time, he is making no physical or psychological move to change her. He is spending time with her, which he should not be, so that may be a sort of influence. However, I do not think that he is forcing anything down her throat. He would be more towards challenging her, but at the same time, he accepts many things about her (her betrothal, for one). 
 

If there's a balance between brave and stupid, where does Cass fall when she sneaks out of the house to go investigate the chapel at San Giuda by herself? Have you ever wanted to know something so badly that you put yourself in danger to get your answers? do you think it is all right to expect more from book characters than from real people?

 
Maybe you have figured it out by now, but I am not a huge fan of Cass. I like her - to an extent. I think she is extremely stupid, especially for this time period. I do not find her actions brave or rebellious; I find them idiotic. However, I can see how someone could romanticize her actions. I sort of felt for her when she sneaks out to go investigate the chapel at San Guida. I am sort of the same way - I always want to know as much as possible. But I doubt I would put myself in danger for them. Book characters almost do things that most human beings probably would not do, if placed in the same situation.

 

What was your initial thought when you saw what Falco was doing in the graveyard attached to San Giuda? Did it seem horrible to you or not that big of a deal? Do you think your age or culture or religious beliefs affect how you felt?

I had a feeling that he had something to do with that. Actually, it seemed obvious that he was, by the time I got to this point. Just how was what I wanted to know. I felt bad for him, because he most likely had a good explanation (which he did!), and Cass did NOT wait for an explanation. So much for wanting answers. When she is faced with some part of the truth, she runs.

And that's it from me for the week! I'll be posting Week 4's responses next Tuesday!