Welcome back to my re-read, recap, and reaction to Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series. This post will only have spoilers through the current chapter.
You can find my previous chapter recaps HERE.
Chapter 19: Diamonds and Stars
NOTE: The following chapter summary comes from wot.fandom.com
Point of view: Merana Ambrey
Merana nervously follows Cadsuane back to the Aes Sedai quarters, where Cadsuane interrogates her, Kiruna, Annoura, and Bera about everything they know of Rand, Dumai’s Wells, the Asha’man, and all recent events. Daigian watches deferentially as she was the longest serving Novice and Accepted in recent memory, before acquiring the shawl. Cadsuane asks all the questions of the other sisters and answers none directed at her.
Point of view: Min Farshaw
Min is on her way to tell Rand that Colavaere Saighan hanged herself. She enters the throne room and finds it in disarray, the throne toppled and mirror shards everywhere. Rand tells her the news of Herid Fel‘s death (torn apart, likely at the hands of Shadowspawn). She tells him to kiss her, and that she is not kidding. Their embrace slowly becomes more intimate, and they start to take off each other’s clothes.
Point of view: Cadsuane Melaidhrin
Cadsuane is leaving the Sun Palace and observes the many Aiel wilders, reflecting on her difficult situation with Rand. She remembers that her last failed task was 270 years ago.
REACTION:
This chapter is largely here to 1) give the readers a sense of who Cadsuane actually is (without really doing that), and 2) to finally get Rand and Min across the finish line as a romantic couple (I was going to say over the hump, but that felt, well, inappropriate.)
We’ll start with Cadsuane. Her M.O. is to intentionally put everyone off balance in order to see how they respond. She also likely learns more from off-balance people than from balanced ones (people say things they didn’t intend, or they reveal a spine in the face of her barrage.) She essentially treats all the Aes Sedai in the same way that she just treated Rand… so this is a clue to the Readers that she’s not on their side, either.
Actually, the Cadsuane POV to end the chapter says that pretty directly, but what we don’t know about her yet is whether we will agree with her goals for Rand or with how she hopes to help him. At the very least she seems to not be a Darkfriend. Her intentions seem good.
When I read Cadsuane, I am reminded of a particular old timey Hollywood actress – Katharine Hepburn. It’s something in the way that she seems to carry herself.
(Feel free to join me in reading Cadsuane scenes in this voice, too.)
Wholly separate to the Cadsy chaos, Rand and Min kiss and take each other’s clothes off after grieving over Herid Fel *brutal* death via Shadowspawn.
This has been seven books in the making, but it happens probably precisely when Rand needs it to happen most from a mental stability standpoint. My guy is completely overwhelmed, totally opposed at every corner, carrying the entire weight of the world on his shoulders… and almost everyone is trying to literally or figuratively control him. It’s crazy. Min is the only person who cares about the person of Rand (not the Dragon Reborn) without trying to tell him how to be The Dragon Reborn.
This is Eggy’s big fault. She also cares about Rand… deeply. It’s arguably the thing that drives everything she does. The thing is though, she thinks she knows what’s best for Rand and wants to make him do what she wants. Min – by tremendous contrast – for the most part just tries to help Rand do what he wants and help him to make it work.
Why do we think Fel is dead? The last thing we knew about him was that he was giving Rand advice regarding the Dark One’s Seals. So it seems likely that one of the Black Ajah from Elaid’s group who were spying on him reported this work up the chain of command and one of the Forsaken sent a monster to brutally kill him. Who and what remain questions to be answered.
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