Please note: I may do some speculation on The Running Grave in these posts, but I will not reveal any spoilers beyond those listed in the original cover blurb. If you want to discuss the previewed 53 pages that were released August 9th (then mysteriously withdrawn), you can refer to my four-part series: 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Before either of them could quite process what had just happened the mundane roar of a motorbike courier heralded the return of the world to its regular course
Just as the motorbike courier delivery of the severed leg disrupted Strike and Robin's business for the majority of the book, their relationship will be disrupted for this one.
New employees: I was sorry to lose Andy, especially since he would have been a logical choice to accompany Robin to the cult in TRG, but Midge and Dev are fine additions and I hope they will stick around for TRG.
New Year's Eve: First, for readers interested in the subtext and literary hints embedded within the text, you absolutely must check out this three part series (1. 2, 3) on the Strike and Ellacott files blog on the Tannhäuser opera and its relationship to the story. But, there is another cultural reference at Annabel's that I hadn't checked out before.
Strike remained in the alcove, his bottle of zero-alcohol beer already warm in his hand, his only companion an enormous stucco Bodhisattva....
Valentine reached out to steady himself on the Bodhisattva. His female companion with the red-gold hair was watching them from the dance floor.
‘That’s Madeline,’ Valentine shouted in Strike’s ear, following his eyeline. ‘She thinks you’re sexy...
Strike, whose stump was aching and who wished he could sit down, had no choice but to lean up against the gigantic Bodhisattva because most of the free seats were littered with bags and discarded jackets he didn’t want to move.
I don't pretend to be an expert in Buddhism. I understand that it is a diverse religion and that the term has different meanings to different branches. But, the most common meaning I have found is someone who has put off their on their own entry into nirvana for the sake of others in the world: to relieve their suffering or help them gain enlightenment. I can think of two possible meanings of Strike "leaning up" on the stucco statue of Bodhisattva. First, Strike could be living a much easier life now, particularly if he claimed his Rokeby fortune, but chooses to live simply and work hard because of his strong sense of justice. Second, Strike himself is in need of enlightenment, both in terms of the need to address his health issues, his limitations when his leg is bad (as it is at book's end) and, of course, his love for Robin. Given that he "opens his f*cking eyes" about all three by book's end, I'd say he found it. Eventually. But with a big Madeline-shaped diversion first.
Finally, for Parallel Series fans, there was a very timely Mugglenet column on Harry Potter and Buddhism just published yesterday. Check it out if you are interested in this topic, and I'd love to hear comments from readers more familiar with Buddhist concepts.
Zermatt: While I was happy to see Robin get a long- and well-deserved vacation, it's too bad she is three for three on unappealing men who want relationships with her: The Flobberworm, Demorris Dickhead and now, Hugh Jacks, who, give his own ridiculous moniker, needs no disparaging nickname. Right now he only comes across as whiney and pushy; we'll learn worse later.
As that is more than I intended to spend on the prologue, I'll pick up the pace.
As Part 1 begins, we get a summary of the cartoon's rise to fame and our first look at the moderators' channel and the toxicity of the fandom. Atypically, we get a look at LordDrek's and Vilepechora's villainy early on. It is also interesting to see a private conversation Worm28 and Fiendy1, who, we will eventually learn, are both young women who 1) don't share the others' hatred of Edie and 2) aren't afraid to diss Anomie behind his back. I hope Zoe and Rachel can eventually meet and become real-life friends. Perhaps Robin can introduce them.
Chapter 6 gives us our only live appearance of Edie, who, as Robin says, is in a "bit of a state." It is touching that she had specifically researched and wanted to meet Robin rather than Strike, let's hope no one in The Running Grave's cult is similarly interested in her expertise. As Robin peruses the file in Chapter 7, we get our first look at the Twitter personas of three of Anomie's sock puppets: Johnny B, Max R, and Lepine's Disciple, as well as the none-too-bright Al Gizzard. And, I think we are supposed to assume the "Zozo28" who sticks up for Edie, is our favorite tattoo artist, Zoe Haig.
The only real impression I have of Madeline at the Nighjar is that she is definitely more of a party girl than we seen Strike date in the past, or at least since Ciara Porter. Strike, of course, would rather stay home and have sex. In the glimpse at the moderator's channel (Ch 9), I noticed that Anomie and Paperwhite leave the two channels at almost the same time.
The team meeting is great to see; I think Dr. Gupta would be lacing his fingers together in approval t the way this team is "gelling." Good riddance to Morris, and thankfully, Nutley won't be around long enough to upset the balance.
There are all sorts of Easter eggs seen upon re-read in the Chapter 11 multi-channel moderators' chat as they react to the news of the stabbings.
- LordDrek speculates that K** N***** is the stabber; we will eventually learn this is Kea Niven.
- Paperwhite supposedly learns the news of the stabbing for the first time from Morehouse's private channel, but, for someone who is supposed to be devastated at the attacks on the creators of her favorite cartoon. she switches pretty quickly to concerns that "Mouse" is trying to learn her real-life identity and complaints that he will not share pictures.
- We see some of Anomie's hostility to his co-creator in his "F*ck off you little brown dwarf." We also see the first indicator of the Peach brothers' racism in their response on a different channel: "Wait is Morehouse <?" "Sounds like it" "Worth knowing"
- A nice example of narrative misdirection is when Anomie makes his first claim of being the stabber, almost exactly when Vilepechora says "We got ourselves a kill."
It is great to see both Strike and Pat concerned about Robin's welfare after the news that the client she turned down has been murdered, and as she awaits the police interview. Enter Ryan Murphy. I speculated that he might be a romantic interest for Robin as soon as he was described as "pleasant looking" with lips that added sweetness to his face and warm hands. Strike, of course, catches onto the fact that right-wing terrorists could be involved.
And Strike takes off for Chinatown Madeline with his rucksack.
I will be back Friday with Chapters 13-24.
If you are enjoying the summaries and discussion here, please comment and encourage others to join us by retweeting my post announcements or commenting on Facebook posts. If anyone knowledgeable about Buddhism would like to do a more detailed post on the possible significance of the Annabel's Bodhisattva, send me an email via the contact form in the right-hand column.
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