The Will of the Empress
I re-read most of my autographed (:DDD) "The Will of the Empress" by Tamora Pierce yesterday. Instead of doing my major paper due on Friday... Just some thoughts about it that bothered me. Includes spoilers and stuff, and my rambling. Discussion is always welcome. ^^
Briar: I find it hard to believe that he is able to charm any woman, to his bed or otherwise. Yes, he's handsome, and he's courteous to women, but all women? I understand his need to have someone by his side at night to chase away the nightmares. It's the women I have trouble believing. It even says how the old ladies and young girls like him.
The only people not attracted to Briar are his sisters and Rizu, a lesbian. Um, what? He notes that Rizu is not interested in him, which is fine with him. But when she is revealed to be a lesbian, it all suddenly makes sense to him. Oh, that's why. Because every other woman I've ever met has fallen for me in some way. It's because she's interested in women; if she were interested in men, she'd like me, too. O_o What kind of logic is that? Even then, Rizu likes him as a friend.
Sandry even compares his possible suitors against Briar. She's inclined to like jokesters because Briar is one. Ambros asks, albeit politely, if there is anything between the two. No, Sandry insists. He is my brother. Briar mentions that Tris is beautiful as a woman as well, which is nice in itself. Although when the other girls are disgusted by the insinuation, he insists that he would never pay his sexual attentions to Tris. They are family after all. To me, it seems like that is the only reason there is no relationship between the four. There has got to be some female out there who doesn't harbour a romantic interest in Briar other than his sisters, teachers, students, or lesbians. =/
And for all his talk of treating females prettily, Briar doesn't seem to care about them. Sandry (or Tris?) calls him out for not having someone he cares enough about to bring into their circle. At the end of the day, Briar just wants someone to warm his bed. He even takes droughtwort, a sterility plant, to prevent him from fathering any children during his "conquests". Birth control is good, but he goes through women like toilet paper, apparently. He flirts with Caidy and considers her a challenge, but takes a maid to his bed at night. Basically, he is a player while being firmly established as a man good to women. He never mistreats women (or Rosethorn would have his head), but it doesn't seem to me that he respects women, other than the ones close to him.
Berenene starts to worry that she has lost his admiration, and more importantly his friendship. She likes him because he is powerful and able to fall under her charm. She is, on some levels, his female equivalent. She uses people to bring her more power. Briar uses people to help keep him sane. Briar stops bedding women (but not flirting with him) after Zhegorz takes up residence in his room. Zhegorz finds out about Briar's nightmares. Briar is slighty comforted. Therefore, he doesn't specifically need a woman with him at night -- any person will do. Heck, probably even a pet.
I like Briar. He's my favourite Circle character. I'm willing to believe that a lot of women like him. I am not willing to believe that every woman he has ever met and ever will meet will like him. He is a flawed character. I don't really mean to undermine his need for companionship because he has been through a war and needs some healing. He needs someone by his side to keep him in the present and not in the past. But I don't think it has to be a woman, necessarily. I don't think his speeches about "walking" with a lady and his behaviour toward women match the descriptions of his character. Flattery and kindness is not respect. He uses women, especially of the "lower" class. I suppose his is chivalrous, but in a selfish manner. He lets the women know he is not serious -- but why not? I don't think he's ready for a serious relationship at this time, but it's irresponsible for him to make a joke of it as he does several times.
It may be because he was born as a street rat and only beds the lower class because that was his original class. He was born without a father after all and lost his mother very youung. And there is very little mention of his role models engaging in heterosexual relationships. Maybe he just doesn't know how to act in a relationship and does it only for the sex. But he intermingles with nobility easily, and that of course comes with more consequences than just a one-night stand. He doesn't want to bed the empress Berenene because he'll find out she's human after all. So basically he doesn't want humans by his side. :|
I'm not saying that this doesn't happen in real life, and that Briar doesn't have a valid reason for doing so. It would make sense if his actions were consistent. If he was a player and noted as one, fine. I wouldn't have a problem. The fact that he is a player and still seen as a very good man who respects women irritates me. His sisters note that he is rather promiscuous, but later say that he "isn't nasty to any female". (However, this maybe be only in his sisters' point of view where he can do no real wrong). But not being nasty isn't the same as respect. His affection is superficial for those that are not close to his heart. It seems that he only respects the people he will not bed. And by that line of thinking, any woman who he can bed does not deserve his respect. The numerous women he beds are not even named in the book. What is that supposed to signify? They are minor characters and not worth Briar's real attention. Is that not nasty? Is that not disrespectful? But apparently all women will like him, even if he keeps them at arms' distance. Several men do not like him as a person, but there is not really an example of a female who does not like him as a person (initially, at least) in the book. Please.
Briar is flawed. He knows this. His sisters know this. Even if it is his way with dealing with his trauma, I just don't know why his inconsistent treatment of women is not recognized as a flaw.
Um, that turned out longer than I thought and I only talked about one thing. Oh well. >_>
Briar: I find it hard to believe that he is able to charm any woman, to his bed or otherwise. Yes, he's handsome, and he's courteous to women, but all women? I understand his need to have someone by his side at night to chase away the nightmares. It's the women I have trouble believing. It even says how the old ladies and young girls like him.
The only people not attracted to Briar are his sisters and Rizu, a lesbian. Um, what? He notes that Rizu is not interested in him, which is fine with him. But when she is revealed to be a lesbian, it all suddenly makes sense to him. Oh, that's why. Because every other woman I've ever met has fallen for me in some way. It's because she's interested in women; if she were interested in men, she'd like me, too. O_o What kind of logic is that? Even then, Rizu likes him as a friend.
Sandry even compares his possible suitors against Briar. She's inclined to like jokesters because Briar is one. Ambros asks, albeit politely, if there is anything between the two. No, Sandry insists. He is my brother. Briar mentions that Tris is beautiful as a woman as well, which is nice in itself. Although when the other girls are disgusted by the insinuation, he insists that he would never pay his sexual attentions to Tris. They are family after all. To me, it seems like that is the only reason there is no relationship between the four. There has got to be some female out there who doesn't harbour a romantic interest in Briar other than his sisters, teachers, students, or lesbians. =/
And for all his talk of treating females prettily, Briar doesn't seem to care about them. Sandry (or Tris?) calls him out for not having someone he cares enough about to bring into their circle. At the end of the day, Briar just wants someone to warm his bed. He even takes droughtwort, a sterility plant, to prevent him from fathering any children during his "conquests". Birth control is good, but he goes through women like toilet paper, apparently. He flirts with Caidy and considers her a challenge, but takes a maid to his bed at night. Basically, he is a player while being firmly established as a man good to women. He never mistreats women (or Rosethorn would have his head), but it doesn't seem to me that he respects women, other than the ones close to him.
Berenene starts to worry that she has lost his admiration, and more importantly his friendship. She likes him because he is powerful and able to fall under her charm. She is, on some levels, his female equivalent. She uses people to bring her more power. Briar uses people to help keep him sane. Briar stops bedding women (but not flirting with him) after Zhegorz takes up residence in his room. Zhegorz finds out about Briar's nightmares. Briar is slighty comforted. Therefore, he doesn't specifically need a woman with him at night -- any person will do. Heck, probably even a pet.
I like Briar. He's my favourite Circle character. I'm willing to believe that a lot of women like him. I am not willing to believe that every woman he has ever met and ever will meet will like him. He is a flawed character. I don't really mean to undermine his need for companionship because he has been through a war and needs some healing. He needs someone by his side to keep him in the present and not in the past. But I don't think it has to be a woman, necessarily. I don't think his speeches about "walking" with a lady and his behaviour toward women match the descriptions of his character. Flattery and kindness is not respect. He uses women, especially of the "lower" class. I suppose his is chivalrous, but in a selfish manner. He lets the women know he is not serious -- but why not? I don't think he's ready for a serious relationship at this time, but it's irresponsible for him to make a joke of it as he does several times.
It may be because he was born as a street rat and only beds the lower class because that was his original class. He was born without a father after all and lost his mother very youung. And there is very little mention of his role models engaging in heterosexual relationships. Maybe he just doesn't know how to act in a relationship and does it only for the sex. But he intermingles with nobility easily, and that of course comes with more consequences than just a one-night stand. He doesn't want to bed the empress Berenene because he'll find out she's human after all. So basically he doesn't want humans by his side. :|
I'm not saying that this doesn't happen in real life, and that Briar doesn't have a valid reason for doing so. It would make sense if his actions were consistent. If he was a player and noted as one, fine. I wouldn't have a problem. The fact that he is a player and still seen as a very good man who respects women irritates me. His sisters note that he is rather promiscuous, but later say that he "isn't nasty to any female". (However, this maybe be only in his sisters' point of view where he can do no real wrong). But not being nasty isn't the same as respect. His affection is superficial for those that are not close to his heart. It seems that he only respects the people he will not bed. And by that line of thinking, any woman who he can bed does not deserve his respect. The numerous women he beds are not even named in the book. What is that supposed to signify? They are minor characters and not worth Briar's real attention. Is that not nasty? Is that not disrespectful? But apparently all women will like him, even if he keeps them at arms' distance. Several men do not like him as a person, but there is not really an example of a female who does not like him as a person (initially, at least) in the book. Please.
Briar is flawed. He knows this. His sisters know this. Even if it is his way with dealing with his trauma, I just don't know why his inconsistent treatment of women is not recognized as a flaw.
Um, that turned out longer than I thought and I only talked about one thing. Oh well. >_>