Marked: Chapter 2
ZeldaQueen: Right then, after that first dose of fail, let's continue
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 2
ZeldaQueen: Alright, so Zoey has spent enough time admiring her reflection in the bathroom and tries to sneak outside once more. This time, the parking lot is empty, save for "just some random kid wearing those seriously unattractive gang wanna-be baggy pants cutting across the far end of the lot". That's nice.
As she steps outside, she starts to notice that the sunlight is starting to cause her some pain. Well, one small point in favor of this world's vampires. At least the changes appear to have some sort of negative effects and downsides. Let's see how consistently they're kept around, though. Anyway, she holds up her hand to shield her eyes and starts running across the parking lot, only for Heath to show up in a truck. Oh yeah, I was really missing that guy who was mentioned exactly twice and has no characterization beyond being a boozehound. Zoey glances at him between the fingers of her outstretched hand, "like I was watching one of those stupid slasher movies" (and I'll admit, that was kind of a funny descriptor), and notices that, surprise surprise, Heath is drunk and all dopey because of it. Zoey forgets about the whole being Marked thing and starts yelling at what a dumbass Heath is for getting drunk at their school, and again I have to wonder why this kid hasn't gotten busted for his alcoholism by the principle or the coach. Clearly he's not doing it at home or in careful amounts or in a way that it isn't noticeable.
Heath continues to be very unlikable and starts doing the drunk-guy-hits-on-girl routine. Zoey starts putting her stuff in the car so he can't see her face and asks why he's not at football practice. Apparently they got the day off because they won the game last Friday. Blu wut? Does football practice really work like that? Anyway, Heath catches on that Zoey might not be happy with him and asks if Kayla has been spreading rumors about him, adding "You know I didn't really cheat on you". Kayla didn't say anything about cheating, so Zoey gets all pissed because he's bust-ed. She turns to glare at him and he sees the Mark and wigs out because "you can't be Marked. We're going out". *flatly* Wow, what stellar dialogue here. Truely, P.C. and Kristen Cast have perfectly captured the voice of the American teenager.
Zoey opts to get angry over the "we're going out bit" and starts screaming at him, before pitching over and having a coughing fit. There's two idiot guys in the car named Drew and Dustin, and I haven't mentioned them before now because thus far, they've contributed dick all to the scene besides wrestle in the backseat and be stereotypical dumb guys. They notice Zoey's coughing and tell her to lay off of the cigarettes. Heath, apparently totally serious and trying to help, says "Dude! Leave her alone. You know she don't smoke. She's a vampyre".
Okay, why was Zoey attracted to this idiot in the first place? He's apparently got all of the intelligence of a sack of hammers, the subtlety of an elephant farting the 1812 Overture, and drinks more than Bender. What's he got? He's hot and apparently he was sweet to Zoey earlier. I find it hard to believe though, since we've seen no evidence of this. I also find it hard to believe that this idiocy is all to blame on his inebriation, especially since he sounds more like Moose from Archie comics than a drunk guy. Plus, I'm sure a drunk guy shows more tact than this.
Anyway, Drew and Dustin start going on about how Zoey's a freak now. She gets fed up and screams at them to stop bother her, and I kind of don't blame her. These people are all annoying. What is it with everyone in these young adult novels being total dickheads? Anyway, she starts to feel all powerful and realizes that she enjoys terrorizing Drew and Dustin, and oh shit, please don't tell me we're going through this again.
The two idiots figure out that their days are numbered if they stick around much longer and promptly floor it, causing Heath to fall out of the open tailgate he was sitting on. He falls on his ass and skins his palms and Zoey suddenly notices how nummy he smells. Everything takes a turn for the...erm, sexy and she starts moaning about how she wants something from him and he keeps going on about how he loves her and wants her back and then Drew and Dustin drive back up and toss Heath in the truck and drive off. Apparently Zoey was all attracted to Heath's blood and is now all freaked out. She hurries home and starts trying to sort things out, and thus far I do have to give credit - it's made pretty clear that Zoey's desire for blood and power is not desirable and she's freaked out.
So she starts trying to figure out how to deal with her family, and yet again they're all described as being the biggest group of jerks to crawl out of a bog. Her sister is apparently at cheerleading practice and her brother (who she refers to as "the troll") will probably be busy playing Delta Force: Black Hawk Down. Incidentally, she acts like that game is the grossest and most violent thing ever. It's rated Teen.
That aside, Zoey actually has a brief moment where she breaks down and wants her mom to take care of her, and then goes inside. Her mom is reading and drinking coffee and we get a moment where Zoey remembers how her mom used to read exotic romances and wear makeup, but the stepfather won't allow that now. I have to wonder, why are all stepparents in books like these always so nasty? Do people in young adult literature just have universal bad taste in remarriages?
Anyway, Mrs. Redbird's Mom Senses start tingling and for the briefest moment she actually does act concerned and asks her daughter what's wrong. Then she sees the Mark and starts flipping out and wondering what her husband will say. Zoey starts getting upset and asks her to just not tell the stepdad for a little bit, while she packs up and heads off to the vampire school. Oh, and for the first time, we get some explanation for these coughing fits that she's been having - apparently when a person is Marked, they start getting sicker and sicker until they die, unless they go to the House of Night. Erm, except that she was coughing before being Marked. I don't even.
Zoey's mom quickly becomes really unlikeable, worrying about John-the-Stepfather's reaction instead of, oh I don't know, the fact that her daughter was turned into a vampire and will be forced to live in a strange, new place. That particular plot element, the whole vampire thing, has been put on hold, incidentally. Most of the rest of this chapter is devoted to Zoey and her mom bitching at each other about John and how he's ruined or not ruined the family. Zoey's mom argues that he is able to provide the family with a lot of money so they can live comfortably. Zoey believes that the "oldest daughter has turned into a sneaky, spoiled slut who's screwed half of the football team", the younger brother plays "nasty, bloody video games", and the mother will only "smile at them and pray for them and let them do whatever". That's all very interesting. Wasn't there something about vampires going on at some point? I mean God! This is why you set up this stuff before the potentially interesting stuff happens!
Incidentally, that "pray for them" bit? I've been told that the religious nature of the parents has been handled with "the subtlety of a sledgehammer attached to a fire axe". Oh boy, can't wait for this! *rolls eyes*
Also, I have to ask, if the parents are so ultra-conservative and whatnot, why are they apparently fine with one of their children being a total skank and the other playing games which we're supposed to believe are too bloody and violent for him?
Okay, whatever, we're nearly done. Zoey finishes screaming at her mother and for some reason, she wishes that they'd all drown. I have no idea why, since there's no mention of there being a pool or ocean or anything in the area. She storms off to her room to pack for her stay at this House of Night thing. Want to know what she brings?
"My two favorite pairs of jeans, besides what I had on. A couple of black T-shirts. I mean, what else do vampyres wear? Plus, they are slimming. I almost passed on my cute aqua-colored sparkly cami, but all that black was bound to make me more depressed…so I included it. Then I stuffed tons of bras and thongs and hair and makeup things into the side pouch. I almost left my stuffed animal, Otis the Shish (couldn't say fish when I was two), on my pillow, but…well…vampyre or not I didn't think I could sleep very well without him. So I tucked him gently into the damn backpack"
ZeldaQueen: You know, it's one of the odd things about this story - in the two chapters of it that I've done, Zoey has been weirdly fluctuating on my "Likability" meter. I mean, she's shallow and she's a hypocrite, but every so often there's the tiniest spot that is interesting and makes me smack my head, because it looks like Ms and Miss Cast can write. Take, for example, this bag scene. It's a perfect opportunity to show a bit of Zoey's character. After all, how better to show a person's personality than what they decide to take with them? So we get a few things that actually are kind of telling, things like her stuffed fish, or bringing the blue cami because all black is too depressing.
And then...well, there's the other stuff. Like, "I'm bringing black because it's slimming". I can understand needing bras, but a thong? No, thongs? And hair and makeup stuff, yeah. And yes, I know that having those things doesn't make one a shallow, spoiled teenager, but I find it rather hypocritical and stupid that her sister is bashed as being such a horrible and stereotypical slut, yet Zoey herself pretty much flaunts the same stereotypes.
In a way, I find myself wondering if this fluctuation is because PC can actually write and Kristen...less so? I don't know.
Anyway, the chapter ends with John coming home because I guess he can just ditch work at a moment's notice. Does one's stepchild turning into a vampire count as a medical emergency, maybe? So yeah, Zoey says to her stuffed fish "Otis, this sucks" and steps out of her room and it's done
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Onward to: Chapter 3
Back to: Chapter 1
Back to: Table of Contents
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 2
ZeldaQueen: Alright, so Zoey has spent enough time admiring her reflection in the bathroom and tries to sneak outside once more. This time, the parking lot is empty, save for "just some random kid wearing those seriously unattractive gang wanna-be baggy pants cutting across the far end of the lot". That's nice.
As she steps outside, she starts to notice that the sunlight is starting to cause her some pain. Well, one small point in favor of this world's vampires. At least the changes appear to have some sort of negative effects and downsides. Let's see how consistently they're kept around, though. Anyway, she holds up her hand to shield her eyes and starts running across the parking lot, only for Heath to show up in a truck. Oh yeah, I was really missing that guy who was mentioned exactly twice and has no characterization beyond being a boozehound. Zoey glances at him between the fingers of her outstretched hand, "like I was watching one of those stupid slasher movies" (and I'll admit, that was kind of a funny descriptor), and notices that, surprise surprise, Heath is drunk and all dopey because of it. Zoey forgets about the whole being Marked thing and starts yelling at what a dumbass Heath is for getting drunk at their school, and again I have to wonder why this kid hasn't gotten busted for his alcoholism by the principle or the coach. Clearly he's not doing it at home or in careful amounts or in a way that it isn't noticeable.
Heath continues to be very unlikable and starts doing the drunk-guy-hits-on-girl routine. Zoey starts putting her stuff in the car so he can't see her face and asks why he's not at football practice. Apparently they got the day off because they won the game last Friday. Blu wut? Does football practice really work like that? Anyway, Heath catches on that Zoey might not be happy with him and asks if Kayla has been spreading rumors about him, adding "You know I didn't really cheat on you". Kayla didn't say anything about cheating, so Zoey gets all pissed because he's bust-ed. She turns to glare at him and he sees the Mark and wigs out because "you can't be Marked. We're going out". *flatly* Wow, what stellar dialogue here. Truely, P.C. and Kristen Cast have perfectly captured the voice of the American teenager.
Zoey opts to get angry over the "we're going out bit" and starts screaming at him, before pitching over and having a coughing fit. There's two idiot guys in the car named Drew and Dustin, and I haven't mentioned them before now because thus far, they've contributed dick all to the scene besides wrestle in the backseat and be stereotypical dumb guys. They notice Zoey's coughing and tell her to lay off of the cigarettes. Heath, apparently totally serious and trying to help, says "Dude! Leave her alone. You know she don't smoke. She's a vampyre".
Okay, why was Zoey attracted to this idiot in the first place? He's apparently got all of the intelligence of a sack of hammers, the subtlety of an elephant farting the 1812 Overture, and drinks more than Bender. What's he got? He's hot and apparently he was sweet to Zoey earlier. I find it hard to believe though, since we've seen no evidence of this. I also find it hard to believe that this idiocy is all to blame on his inebriation, especially since he sounds more like Moose from Archie comics than a drunk guy. Plus, I'm sure a drunk guy shows more tact than this.
Anyway, Drew and Dustin start going on about how Zoey's a freak now. She gets fed up and screams at them to stop bother her, and I kind of don't blame her. These people are all annoying. What is it with everyone in these young adult novels being total dickheads? Anyway, she starts to feel all powerful and realizes that she enjoys terrorizing Drew and Dustin, and oh shit, please don't tell me we're going through this again.
The two idiots figure out that their days are numbered if they stick around much longer and promptly floor it, causing Heath to fall out of the open tailgate he was sitting on. He falls on his ass and skins his palms and Zoey suddenly notices how nummy he smells. Everything takes a turn for the...erm, sexy and she starts moaning about how she wants something from him and he keeps going on about how he loves her and wants her back and then Drew and Dustin drive back up and toss Heath in the truck and drive off. Apparently Zoey was all attracted to Heath's blood and is now all freaked out. She hurries home and starts trying to sort things out, and thus far I do have to give credit - it's made pretty clear that Zoey's desire for blood and power is not desirable and she's freaked out.
So she starts trying to figure out how to deal with her family, and yet again they're all described as being the biggest group of jerks to crawl out of a bog. Her sister is apparently at cheerleading practice and her brother (who she refers to as "the troll") will probably be busy playing Delta Force: Black Hawk Down. Incidentally, she acts like that game is the grossest and most violent thing ever. It's rated Teen.
That aside, Zoey actually has a brief moment where she breaks down and wants her mom to take care of her, and then goes inside. Her mom is reading and drinking coffee and we get a moment where Zoey remembers how her mom used to read exotic romances and wear makeup, but the stepfather won't allow that now. I have to wonder, why are all stepparents in books like these always so nasty? Do people in young adult literature just have universal bad taste in remarriages?
Anyway, Mrs. Redbird's Mom Senses start tingling and for the briefest moment she actually does act concerned and asks her daughter what's wrong. Then she sees the Mark and starts flipping out and wondering what her husband will say. Zoey starts getting upset and asks her to just not tell the stepdad for a little bit, while she packs up and heads off to the vampire school. Oh, and for the first time, we get some explanation for these coughing fits that she's been having - apparently when a person is Marked, they start getting sicker and sicker until they die, unless they go to the House of Night. Erm, except that she was coughing before being Marked. I don't even.
Zoey's mom quickly becomes really unlikeable, worrying about John-the-Stepfather's reaction instead of, oh I don't know, the fact that her daughter was turned into a vampire and will be forced to live in a strange, new place. That particular plot element, the whole vampire thing, has been put on hold, incidentally. Most of the rest of this chapter is devoted to Zoey and her mom bitching at each other about John and how he's ruined or not ruined the family. Zoey's mom argues that he is able to provide the family with a lot of money so they can live comfortably. Zoey believes that the "oldest daughter has turned into a sneaky, spoiled slut who's screwed half of the football team", the younger brother plays "nasty, bloody video games", and the mother will only "smile at them and pray for them and let them do whatever". That's all very interesting. Wasn't there something about vampires going on at some point? I mean God! This is why you set up this stuff before the potentially interesting stuff happens!
Incidentally, that "pray for them" bit? I've been told that the religious nature of the parents has been handled with "the subtlety of a sledgehammer attached to a fire axe". Oh boy, can't wait for this! *rolls eyes*
Also, I have to ask, if the parents are so ultra-conservative and whatnot, why are they apparently fine with one of their children being a total skank and the other playing games which we're supposed to believe are too bloody and violent for him?
Okay, whatever, we're nearly done. Zoey finishes screaming at her mother and for some reason, she wishes that they'd all drown. I have no idea why, since there's no mention of there being a pool or ocean or anything in the area. She storms off to her room to pack for her stay at this House of Night thing. Want to know what she brings?
"My two favorite pairs of jeans, besides what I had on. A couple of black T-shirts. I mean, what else do vampyres wear? Plus, they are slimming. I almost passed on my cute aqua-colored sparkly cami, but all that black was bound to make me more depressed…so I included it. Then I stuffed tons of bras and thongs and hair and makeup things into the side pouch. I almost left my stuffed animal, Otis the Shish (couldn't say fish when I was two), on my pillow, but…well…vampyre or not I didn't think I could sleep very well without him. So I tucked him gently into the damn backpack"
ZeldaQueen: You know, it's one of the odd things about this story - in the two chapters of it that I've done, Zoey has been weirdly fluctuating on my "Likability" meter. I mean, she's shallow and she's a hypocrite, but every so often there's the tiniest spot that is interesting and makes me smack my head, because it looks like Ms and Miss Cast can write. Take, for example, this bag scene. It's a perfect opportunity to show a bit of Zoey's character. After all, how better to show a person's personality than what they decide to take with them? So we get a few things that actually are kind of telling, things like her stuffed fish, or bringing the blue cami because all black is too depressing.
And then...well, there's the other stuff. Like, "I'm bringing black because it's slimming". I can understand needing bras, but a thong? No, thongs? And hair and makeup stuff, yeah. And yes, I know that having those things doesn't make one a shallow, spoiled teenager, but I find it rather hypocritical and stupid that her sister is bashed as being such a horrible and stereotypical slut, yet Zoey herself pretty much flaunts the same stereotypes.
In a way, I find myself wondering if this fluctuation is because PC can actually write and Kristen...less so? I don't know.
Anyway, the chapter ends with John coming home because I guess he can just ditch work at a moment's notice. Does one's stepchild turning into a vampire count as a medical emergency, maybe? So yeah, Zoey says to her stuffed fish "Otis, this sucks" and steps out of her room and it's done
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Onward to: Chapter 3
Back to: Chapter 1
Back to: Table of Contents