Something Strange and Deadly Read Along Week 2

It’s Week 2 of the Something Strange and Deadly Read Along! I’m on time with my questions this week!

1. On page 101, Eleanor is reading Elijah’s letter where he mentions the mysterious Gas Ring and how once they see their errors, “Father will be most proud” – Eleanor corrects the tense by saying he would have been proud, not will be and that Elijah never got used to referring to their father in the past tense once he passed away. What do you make of this “mistake”? Is there more to this mistake than Eleanor realizes or was it just an innocent oversight?

I’m not sure what to make of this. At first I thought that “Oh wow! This could be big!” I thought maybe the necromancer was actually Eleanor and Elijah’s father. Except he was a supplier by trade. I’m not sure that makes him into a necromancer. I guess I’ll have to read on before I find out whether or not that has any real significance.

2. We first hear about the grimoires in this section which Jie explains are books of black magic. What roles do you think these books will play in the story? Since Elijah has clearly involved with grimoires, do you think it’s for the side of good or the side of evil?

The grimoires seemed to be a big clue to something. I’m just not sure what. I just feel like I need a little more information before I can really figure out what their deal is.

Elijah probably started studying grimoires with the best of intentions but he might have ended up with a hot mess on his hands. In other words, he might have knowledge that lands on this side of evil. That might be what got him into trouble.

3. We start to question a lot of Clarence’s actions at motives in this section of chapters. Do you think he has it in for the Spirit-Hunters? Why does Daniel warn Eleanor against him, and what business does he have with Peger?

Clarence is obviously no friend to the Spirit-Hunters. I honestly have no idea why Daniel warned Eleanor away from Clarence. I do think that Clarence is using Peger to monitor the Spirit-Hunters activities and whereabouts though.

4. Eleanor and Jie discuss the roles and limited freedoms of women, especially regarding clothes and “proper behavior”. We know that Jie has been disguising herself as a boy so she will not have to abide by the silly rules that women are supposed to follow. When asked, Eleanor says that she has no choice but to obey, and Jie tells her “You always have a choice” (p166). We’ve come along way since Eleanor’s time in the nineteenth century, but do you think certain “rules” like these still exist? Women and men are equal in today’s Western societies, but are there any “norms” that women are still restricted from that men have full freedom to pursue?

I don’t think women and men are equal in today’s society. I think that there’s still a prevalent prejudice that women ultimately want children and marriage over a career and/or a single life. Women have the freedom to pursue a career and a single life, but the expectation to have children and to get married is still there.

4. Chapter 14 ends with quite the cliffhanger! What do you think this spirit is all about? Do you think it’s connected to the Dead at all or is this a separate entity? Why is it specifically connected with Eleanor?

I think it might be a separte entity that isn’t connected to the dead. Maybe it’s her father or maybe it’s Elijah. I’m not sure. There are so many ways this could go. This is why this is such a good book. The mystery is so good!

Those are my answers to this week’s questions! See you here next week!

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