More murder, more mayhem, more questions.

Let’s discuss Voyage of the Damned! (Spoilers follow for chapters 15 through 21.)

For a thousand years, Concordia has maintained peace between its provinces. To mark this incredible feat, the emperor’s ship embarks upon a twelve-day voyage to the sacred Goddess’s Mountain. Aboard are the twelve heirs of the provinces of Concordia, each graced with a unique and secret magical ability known as a Blessing.

All except one: Ganymedes Piscero – class clown, slacker and all-around disappointment.

When a beloved heir is murdered, everyone is a suspect. Stuck at sea and surrounded by powerful people and without a Blessing to protect him, Ganymedes’s odds of survival are slim.

But as the bodies pile higher, Ganymedes must become the hero he was not born to be. Can he unmask the killer and their secret Blessing before this bloody crusade reaches the shores of Concordia?

Or will the empire as he knows it fall?

Annemieke at A Dance With Books is our host with the most this week, so let’s get to her questions!

We now have four deaths: Eudora, Ravi, Eska and Jasper. What do these four have in common? Why would they need to die?

I still don’t know if all four did have something in common. Three of them came from the lower provinces – only Eudora was from an upper province. None of them died the same way. If there is a commonality regarding how the victims are being chosen, it seems like only the murderer knows what it is at this point. Though if there is only one killer, which might be questionable, they’d be pretty clever to vary the murder methods each time to keep people guessing. I think Nergüi is the only one who really fits that bill – but I could very well be wrong! Who knows?

How do you feel about the dinner Shinjiro tried to organize? What was his goal here?

That’s hard to say, but I suspect it had something to do with wanting to see Blessings used out in the open. HOWEVER, Shinjiro didn’t seem at all surprised by what happened, which makes me suspect he already knew what Leofric’s Blessing was. But regarding what the purpose of setting the others up to attack each other might have been, I haven’t a clue beyond that. Shinjiro is the most fascinating character to me because I cannot figure him out!

We get some more information about the blessings. That it is a reflection of who they are. It also sheds a light on Cordelia because now we don’t know what her blessing is. Any idea what it might be considering her brothers blessing?

Well, it certainly isn’t being able to read the room. Oh, Cordelia. Honestly, I’m starting to feel less sympathetic toward her after seeing the way she completely failed to understand how offensive she was being toward Wyatt. It does at least seem like she didn’t intend to, she was just oblivious because she was curious about him, but… I don’t know. Wanting to sweep a lot of bad history under the rug is not the way to put it behind you, but then intelligence and wisdom are not synonymous. She seems to have a lack of mental filter rather than any sort of malicious intent, but I’m still in “suspect everyone!” mode at the moment!

As for her Blessing – I’m not sure enough to speculate much, but if Cordelia’s intelligence dovetails with her lack of wisdom, I’d say it has something to do with that. She’s got the smarts, just maybe not anything to balance it with. And if her Blessing is reinforcing that intelligence, that could be Bad? Maybe?

That’s pretty much all the brainpower I’ve got for this section of the book (thanks, heatwave), but I’m eager to continue on and find out what’s really going on here. And so, I shall!