Previously Facialteeth

There's something to be said about the choice of having a vicious warrior be reborn into the body of a beautiful woman, especially in a time where traditional gender stereotypes are pretty negotiable in high society. I feel like I could write an entire essay about Visander's character but honestly, I just wish more fantasy books used the genre to explore trans and queer adjacent characters. There's so much room to create rich unique experiences in these universes that have magic and reincarnation and I've read so few books that go there.

"Later, she'd remember that Will had been the only one talking about stopping the army, while the rest of them were caught up in old feuds." Everyone seems very optimistic about this line, which is surprising to me because the second I read it, I imagined her thinking about this after they rip Will's head from his neck.

I do think there's a lot of merit to the idea that the collar wasn't created for the reasons we think it was. I wouldn't be surprised if in the next book Anharion reveals a lot of stuff that makes Sarcean a, not innocent, but more understandable character. The best villains have the most tragic stories and I think Sarcean is going to give us that. I wouldn't be surprised if we realize he's not so different from Will - just a boy who's been abandoned by everyone who should have cared about him until he finally became the person he never wanted to be. Just someone who wanted to be good so badly and couldn't find that even in another life. Cast time and time again to become something irredeemable.

There's literary genius in Will thinking that someone finally loved him for who he was and accepted him as the person he could be instead of all the horrible things he did in a past life just to realize the only person who accepted him was forced to love him unconditionally with a collar he made. I wonder if Will would keep thinking what would have happened if the collar hadn't been placed on James' neck. If he imagines James showing up at the castle, hurt and pain on his face as he realizes who Will is and stands there, doing nothing as Visander slaughters him. It makes me wonder if Will would understand why Sarcean made the collar in the first place - rather than face a world where no one and nothing cared about him.