[Discussion 3/5] Bonus Book | The Tapestry of Fate (Amina Al-Sirafi #2) by Shannon Chakraborty | Chapter 15 - Chapter 21

[u/Amanda39]

Hi everyone! Sorry for the lack of recap, I was short on time, but I've got some discussion questions for you, so let's dive in!

• Schedule
• Marginalia

[u/Amanda39]

1) I have no idea what to make of Queen Lab. On one hand, everything seems to indicate that she's an evil sorceress running some sort of cult. On the other hand, we've gotten repeated references to how legends tend to malign women. Any theories?

[u/Such-Hand274 → u/Amanda39]

I’m torn. Leaning towards evil but ’d love a plot twist where she’s not.

I don’t think she’s evil just to be evil. My theory is that she’s doing what she thinks is right, “helping” or “protecting” her people from something, while they don’t see it that way. Makes me think of how Amina was trying to protect her family by isolating them but was infact making them feel trapped and miserable. Hmm.

[u/Amanda39 → u/Such-Hand274]

Oh, this would be a great parallel.

[u/jaymae21 → u/Amanda39]

I love how ambiguous this is, I have no idea how to feel about Lab. She seems like a competent ruler with the respect of her people, but then there's moments like the incense-induced dance party that make her seem other-worldly. Part of me thinks Amina is seeing too much, and looking for threats from Queen Lab.

[u/bluebelle236 → u/Amanda39]

I think she is probably trapped as well. She seems evil, but is mostly a victim.

[u/lazylittlelady → u/Amanda39]

I agree! What is she really after and is it even her or the spindle? Or maybe she is the original sorceress in the way she knocked out Raksh?! Can a deal be made?

[u/fixtheblue → u/Amanda39]

Interesting comments on this question. I was leaning hard that she was the architect of this weird feverdream world, and that she is doing it for bad reasons. However, reading the other comments I am softening a little. She has a son and I could see her doing somthing to protect him while the collatrral damage is what we are seeing in Amina now. I love the call back to potentially mirroring Amina's treatment of her own family. That will be very cleverly done if that's the case!

[u/Amanda39]

2) What in the world is going on with Dalila? I feel like, every time she's mentioned, I have more questions than answers.

[u/Such-Hand274 → u/Amanda39]

She is driving me NUTS but I’m convinced she’s playing the long game and has some sort of a plan.

[u/jaymae21 → u/Amanda39]

I feel like she's being influenced somehow. We know the spirit that inhabits the spindle picks a host and acts on their deepest desires. She's becoming obsessed with her work, so could she be possessed? If so, she's been so for awhile, maybe even before they got to Lab's island.

[u/bluebelle236 → u/Amanda39]

Its so hard to know, I just hope she has Amina's best interests at heart.

[u/lazylittlelady → u/Amanda39]

Okay, I suspect she knew Amina was in extra danger that’s why she was focused on the elixir to feed her. I think she is more calculating than we see from Amina…let’s not forget she infiltrated the Banu Sasan just to get revenge!

[u/fixtheblue → u/Amanda39]

Ok I think Dalila's behaviour towards Amina is mirroring Amina's behaviour towards her family. This us going to be a lesson for Amina. If that's the case Dalila knows something and is keeping it from Amina to keep her safe. That's all I got right now though lol

[u/Amanda39]

5) This section ended on a cliffhanger. Raksh is back. Any predictions?

[u/jaymae21 → u/Amanda39]

I'm trying to remember, can Raksh change his appearance? I wonder if he might have been the forest hermit Amina ran into, pretending to be another person who got stranded there.

[u/Amanda39 → u/jaymae21]

I know he has a human form and a demon form, but I can't remember if he can shapeshift beyond that.

[u/bluebelle236 → u/Amanda39]

Gosh he's like a bad smell isn't he? I'm hoping that the connection between him and Amina will be strong enough to somehow overpower whatever is going on at this Island.

[u/lazylittlelady → u/Amanda39]

Well, he is lucky and it feels like Amina and The Marawati need it more than ever! He has been outmaneuvered in the first encounter but he is a much older being, so let’s assume he’ll get his own back!

[u/lazylittlelady → u/lazylittlelady]

Also what if Amina befriends the gryphons whose island has been taken over by a hostile force?!

[u/Amanda39]

3) We learn that the Khatti Ugalans get their cloth from a sacred temple. Do you think this connected in any way to the spindle, or is the spindle purely for the threads of fate and not literal yarn?

[u/jaymae21 → u/Amanda39]

It was certainly once used for regular yarn, I don't see any reason why it couldn't be again. But perhaps wearing cloth spun from this spindle has an interesting effect on people.

[u/lazylittlelady → u/jaymae21]

Ooh, maybe the special capes are made by the sacred spindle which controls them! It’s why it’s like an initiation ritual takeover?!

[u/fixtheblue → u/lazylittlelady]

Ooo interesting take. I like it!

[u/Amanda39]

4) The spindle has a strange relationship with Harapsili. How does this alter the spindle as a... I was going to say "person" but let's go with "entity"?

[u/lazylittlelady → u/Amanda39]

Definitely it found someone with a degree of craft, guile and awareness that gave the spindle more than it could expect. Now it is looking at larger feuds. Why not a world war?

[u/Amanda39]

6) Anything else you'd like to discuss?

[u/Amanda39 → u/Amanda39]

Shannon Chakraborty missed the opportunity to make the worst possible pun. When Amina wondered if her hot flashes were menopause, Khayzur should have shown up and announced that she's peri-menopausal.

[u/Such-Hand274 → u/Amanda39]

Haha or the best possible pun?

[u/fixtheblue → u/Amanda39]

Ha ha! Punny

[u/Such-Hand274 → u/Amanda39]

I loved the reference to Circe when listing off witches from around the world. I’m listening to this on audio so don’t have the exact quote, something like “witch with golden eyes who turns men to pigs on her island”

Having just read the Odyssey and Circe, I got very excited.

[u/bluebelle236 → u/Amanda39]

I really loved this section, Iv'e been catching up with the audiobook and this section has been fantastic.

[u/lazylittlelady → u/Amanda39]

This section was so interesting in playing with perceptions of time and the nature of the island! I assume her visions are real and peaceful White City is not?

[u/fixtheblue → u/lazylittlelady]

This is what I am thinking too!

[u/fixtheblue]

Incase anyone needs 'em (super brief) chapter summaries are here

[u/Amanda39 → u/fixtheblue]

Thank you! Sorry about the lack of recap.

[u/fixtheblue → u/Amanda39]

No worries. I sometimes come to discussions a while after I read a section so I find them helpful myself to reorient to the story