#devil's deal

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4 Stars)

Information

Author: Layla Fae

Format: eBook

Genre: Fantasy Romance

Number of Pages: 564

Summary

On the night of the summer solstice, Jaga makes a reckless decision. Despite being just a mortal, she attracts the attention of a menacing shadow with burning yellow eyes. He asks her to dance, his clawed hands encircling her waist as his demonic voice whispers seductive lies. For one night, Jaga lets him touch her. When morning comes and the gods return to their shrines, he remains, his bloodthirsty shadow following her like a dark cloak, spreading suffocating darkness wherever she goes. Flowers wither, children sicken, and his presence becomes an inescapable prison, his claws trapping her body and reaching for her soul. He takes away her tribe and poisons her life, trying to break Jaga into accepting his deal.

Thoughts

I was captivated by Jaga's fierce determination to protect her freedom, no matter the odds. From the very beginning, it is clear that Jaga is not someone who backs down easily. Her unwavering resolve to fight for her autonomy, even in the face of overwhelming adversity, is both inspiring and gripping. This is a character who, despite being consistently shunned and ostracized by her village for most of her life, manages to harness her inner strength and resilience. These qualities guide her through countless challenges, making her journey all the more compelling.

One of the most striking moments in the book is when Jaga faces Woland. The tension is palpable, and I found myself on the edge of my seat, ready to jump into the fray alongside her. However, Jaga's handling of the situation was courageous, strategic, and composed, showcasing her ability to navigate dangerous situations better than most. Her actions in this confrontation reflect her growth and the depth of her character, leaving a lasting impression.

The book is filled with witty banter that adds a layer of humour and lightness, balancing the intense and often dark moments. The dialogue between characters is sharp and engaging, providing moments of levity that make the emotional rollercoaster of the story even more enjoyable. From start to finish, the narrative keeps readers hooked, taking them on a journey through highs and lows, laughter and tears.

I do wish we could have known Wiosna while she was alive. Her presence is felt throughout the book, and her influence on Jaga is undeniable. However, I understand that her absence is crucial to Jaga's character development. The loss of Wiosna shapes Jaga in profound ways, pushing her to grow and adapt, and ultimately making her stronger and more resilient. This aspect of the story adds depth and complexity, making Jaga's journey all the more poignant.

Without giving away too much, the last-minute twist in the book was a relief and a brilliant setup for the sequel. It provided a satisfying conclusion to the immediate story while leaving enough unresolved to make readers eagerly anticipate what comes next. The twist was unexpected yet fitting, adding another layer of intrigue and excitement.

every episode beginning with a crowd disapproving of the empire

clone with his helmet off clone with his helmet off clone with his helmet off clone with his helmet off

oh my lord mrs syndulla your daughter is your spitting image

'i trust them to protect us as they always have'

BABY HERA BABY HERA BABY HERA BABY HERA

BABY CHOPPER BABY CHOPPER BABY CHOPPER BABY CHOPPER

i love howzer - his design is just incredible

'what was the point of fighting if we cannot accept peace?' - it's the real life thought provocation of post-war-time opposing philosophies for me

crosshair's scar

'tech won't let me train until i can recite all of the ship's specifications from memory' - i am WHEEZING

'sir she's only a child'

Howzer has never been worried about this though. He’s not defective, after all. He follows his superior’s orders and meets their expectations. He has no defects or physical mutations. He isn’t defective.

Until he is.

The Grand Army of the Republic is ordered to ‘execute order 66’, without any explanation for what the order entails. Every trooper in Howzer’s company stiffens upon hearing it, smiles and laughter disappearing from faces. They know what it is. They’re prepared to act on it if it applies to them.

But Howzer doesn’t know if it applies to them or not. He doesn’t know what it is. This wasn’t covered in his training on Kamino, and there’s no mention of it in the regulations.

He only finds out what it is when he hears reports from other captains and commanders of ‘successfully eliminated Jedi traitors’. The Jedi are traitors to the Republic, apparently. Howzer’s troopers knew that with three words, but Howzer didn’t. They knew what to do when issued ‘order 66’. Howzer didn’t.

Howzer couldn’t follow that order. Howzer couldn’t meet that expectation. Howzer is… is defective.

He keeps his face blank and professional when on duty. He doesn’t let any of what he’s feeling or thinking show through. He follows orders promptly and does his best to perform as well as he always has. Maybe it will make up for the one slip. Maybe it will cover up for that one defect.

But no matter how blank he is and how obedient he is, his troopers are always more blank and more obedient than him. Even in the mess hall and the barracks, away from the eyes of the natborns. They don’t smile and laugh anymore. They don’t joke and argue and tease. They follow orders and meet expectations. And that seems to be all they do.

I have been thinking about those markings this week!  Full disclosure, there are a few sources (mostly Star Wars novelizations) that I haven’t kept up with; please let me know if I’m missing something, anyone.  Short version: Up to this point, I’ve made the executive decision that Hera’s lekku are tattooed. I am now having to reconsider.  Long version:  1) Most Twi’leks we see do not have such distinct markings on their lekku. Here’s a group from “Liberty on Ryloth” (in the first season of The Clone Wars), for instance: 

A couple of them have spots like freckles, but these aren’t distinct shapes, and it’s not hard to believe that they’re naturally occurring. 2) According to the (canon) Wookiepedia entry on lekku, “ Despite the high sensitivity of those organs,[1] some Twi'leks like Cham Syndulla tattooed their lekku.” That’s getting pretty close to Hera, isn’t it?  Here’s the concept art of Cham from the Rebels episode “Homecoming,” with his nifty tattoos: 

3) Hera’s tattoos do not look like naturally occurring patterns. They are deliberate geometric designs. I know we can say “but they’re an alien species and their skin patterns are not going to follow the same rules as humans,” but I have a hard time seeing these as natural variations of skin pigmentation, given that they look like they came straight from a graphic designer: 

Here’s an image from Rebels: 

Side note: Hera has no sharp edges. Pieces of her are elongated vertical lines--her lekku and her insanely long legs, for instance--but they’re balanced by these rounded pieces--the blousing at the bottom of her pants and the circular designs on the lekku. Even her pockets have rounded edges. She’s not soft, but she is softened by these design elements.  4) But wait, CC, why would someone as pragmatic as Hera get tattoos?  Eh, a dozen reasons. Presumably they’re culturally significant, since she has similarly basic designs stenciled around her bunk on the Ghost. (Even if they’re not culturally significant, we know that her aesthetic tends towards these simple patterns.) Possibly/probably lekku are tattooed using a painless process--Hera’s look almost as if spots had been bleached rather than inked into her skin. Since Cham has tattoos, they may be significant to her family, specifically, or they may even be a status symbol (the Syndullas are important). Also, why shouldn’t Hera have nice things?  BUT NOW WE HAVE THE BAD BATCH, in which we learn two significant things:  5) Eleni Syndulla, Hera’s mother, also has markings on her lekku: 

Does this mean that the markings are hereditary or that the tattoos are a family tradition? I don’t know.  6) Hera, at ten years old, already has those distinctive marked lekku.  (I know she looks more like she’s 14, and baby Caleb looks more like he’s 10, but she’s 10 here; trust me; go with it.)  I find it really, really difficult to believe that anybody is putting permanent tattoos on a ten-year-old--not because it has to be a painful process in the GFFA, but because they’re permanent, and 10 is a little young to decide that kind of thing.  On the other hand, the lines of these markings are so clear, the borders so delineated, that I find it even more difficult to believe they’re naturally occurring. Yet another side note: Eleni’s markings are less distinct, and when we see adult Hera in Rebels, hers are also less distinct. Surely this has to do with the lekku expanding as they grow. I’m not sure this is evidence for tattoo or birthmark, though; either would expand this way.  IF these are tattoos, the only reasonable explanation I can think of involves some rite of passage that she’s already gone through at ten, be it a test or a baptism or whatever.  SO, CONCLUSION:  I don’t know? I’m going to continue with my original headcanon that these are tattoos in the same way that I’m not planning to rewrite my backstory about Hera’s mother or her discovery of Chopper: I like the headcanons I have, and it’s not my fault that the official storytellers are late to dinner.  I think the matter of whether these are ornamentation or birthmarks is truly up in the air, though.  BONUS, apropos of nothing:   Suu Lawquane and her totally badass probably-tattoos: 

*Clears throat*

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA---!