Vicki - Victim or Deserves it?

[Howlan]

Right? She thought she was looking out for someone evil with powers... and maybe she right... Some of the things that Adam and Carly do are pretty evil...

Yeah considering what Adam did to Terry.

One could make an argument that Adam is much more evil than Vicki and the Iksha... The Iksha (I assume) believe they are trying to destroy evil, Adam was just getting his sick jollies for his own sake.

Yeah, I understand that Adam's character was stupid and useless. But Iksha is portrayed as the villains in the first. They literally do mass murder.

[Howlan]

Yeah, I read that sneak peek too and it definitely gave some further evidence at how terrible they have treated her... And I cringed so hard when Adam told Carly "You really are a bully" then kissing her... like Adam enjoys her being sadistic?

And I totally didn't even think about that... that's quite the oversight on the author's part unless we get another half-assed excuse for it...

I am sure there will be some excuse for it.

yeah, whether or not we believe it will be a horse of a different color!

Definitely.

[Howlan]

I think what Dauma, Carly, and Adam did to Vikki was definitely over the top. To kidnap her and question her was one thing, but I agree that she was only doing what her father instructed her to do. She was not a physical threat to them personally, she was just to find out who had special powers and report it to her father.

Everything they did was over the top! This book was a constant pattern of people behaving toxically, and it just apparently being okay because they're the main characters? Just chilling

Right? Not a great message to give to young adults...

Yes, it must be labelled differently.

[Howlan]

What they did wasn't fair. Vicki thought she was doing the right thing, and they, on the other hand were just being desperate, and desperation can cause one to go overboard.

I totally hated this book, admittedly, but in desperation to find a loved one we'd go to pretty extreme lengths of we were capable of possibly getting them back ourselves.

Which is a valid point... but maybe not a good message to relay to young adults... They may not be able to figure out when going to those extreme lengths is valid.

Agreed!

[Howlan]

Everything they did was over the top! This book was a constant pattern of people behaving toxically, and it just apparently being okay because they're the main characters? Just chilling

Right? Not a great message to give to young adults...

An awful message! It worries me so much, that some kids could read this sh*t!

Yes, it is really meant for mature readers.

[Howlan]

Right? Not a great message to give to young adults...

An awful message! It worries me so much, that some kids could read this sh*t!

Right? Fallen into the wrong hands, this book could give the wrong person the go ahead to do some terrible things...

It would definitely be a bad influence on young readers.

[Howlan]

An awful message! It worries me so much, that some kids could read this sh*t!

Right? Fallen into the wrong hands, this book could give the wrong person the go ahead to do some terrible things...

100%. It scares me to think about a young person cuddles up in bed excitedly opening this book and being attacked with the most disturbing sh*t I've ever read.

Yeah. Not a bedtime story that's for sure.

[Nym182]

Yeah like SM ?

exactly! seems like it would be right up Adam's alley...

Yeah he even had a place fixed up for it!

I'm guessing he has some sort of reference guide since he brought along all the supplies he would need

[Howlan]

exactly! seems like it would be right up Adam's alley...

Yeah he even had a place fixed up for it!

I'm guessing he has some sort of reference guide since he brought along all the supplies he would need

Yeah its real creepy at his age!

[Nym182]

Of course, it was not fair at all. She is mostly innocent if whatever he got to know about her is true. But in terms of Carly and Dauma, they really needed information about their father, so they did what they could. Sure it's quite unbelievable for Carly for torturing her, but the previous experience of her with an Iksha spy might have been replaying in her mind which led to her father's capture. Also, Daruma might have a better way to deal with it as she is a biokinetic, but she was also distraught by her husband's capture and she knew what his fate is going to be if he was not rescued soon.

You make good points here. If my husband or father had been taken, there are quite drastic lengths I would go to ensure I get them back. Carly and Dauma couldn't go to the police, and had to take matters into their own hands.

Yes, true that is a very good reason for them to do what they did. But still they went a little overboard.

yeah I have a feeling it would have gone pretty much the same regardless. And I'm still upset about Carly's wardrobe change just for the occasion.

[Nym182]

What they did wasn't fair. Vicki thought she was doing the right thing, and they, on the other hand were just being desperate, and desperation can cause one to go overboard.

I totally hated this book, admittedly, but in desperation to find a loved one we'd go to pretty extreme lengths of we were capable of possibly getting them back ourselves.

Yes definitely true.

One thing to point out is that they didn't really seem "desperate" per se... it was more of a stone-cold revenge scenario, with a little indulgence thrown into the mix.

[Nym182]

I agree with you on this one... Obviously they were acting on raw emotions, but it did bother me when Dauma started in on her she said that she's just going to assume Vicki is lying no matter what she says. What's the point? At that point, it's just torture.

Yes, you make a fantastic point. Dauma went in hot and heavy, and went forward with a torturing mindset. That's messed up. There's no moral line.

Yes, she really crossed the line there.

It also concerned me that they utilize Carly's ability to heal to really take her to the edge of death... it seems like they were pretty comfortable with it and them using it to bring a victim that close to death, to heal them to torture them more.

[Nym182]

Everything they did was over the top! This book was a constant pattern of people behaving toxically, and it just apparently being okay because they're the main characters? Just chilling

Exactly! I can't help but wonder what they will be up to in the next book!

I just want a rollercoaster ride from this book!

I think I get more of a "it's a small world" ride feeling from it all those animatronics dolls...

[Nym182]

Nah I don't think Carl was brainwashed. Unless there is a good reason for it.

Hmmmm maybe not "brainwashed" maybe more "conditioned" by her parents? Not with any evil intent, but isn't that kinda common for warring families to do? Gotta teach the new generations who are evil and then it really comes to perspective. Like, if we saw things from Vicki's POV, the Descendants would be painted the same way the Iksha is to Carly. One of the negatives of seeing things from one side's POV is only getting one side of the story.

Yes, that is a valid and good point. It is true that Cary being raised as a descendant from birth was grilled with a certain training

It would be quite the twist if Carly and co end up being the bad guys the entire time.

[Nym182]

Yeah considering what Adam did to Terry.

One could make an argument that Adam is much more evil than Vicki and the Iksha... The Iksha (I assume) believe they are trying to destroy evil, Adam was just getting his sick jollies for his own sake.

Yeah, I understand that Adam's character was stupid and useless. But Iksha is portrayed as the villains in the first. They literally do mass murder.

True... If you believe everything Dauma tells you