RedRose (re)reads: The Icebound Land
“aka the book that i dreaded so, so much
~~~
The storm has a chokehold on me. that’s it. it does.
‘Believe you are unseen and it will be so’ I have won at least one round of hide and seek with that, no joke.
‘Halt and his colleagues’ makes it seem like he has a 9-5 desk job lmaoo.
HE HAD A PROMISE TO KEEP.
Unrelated but Foldar is described as a dandy and some of my literature teachers kept talking about dandies in class so now I’m thinking of Foldar writing and reciting poetry.
I wish we would hear the phrase ‘King’s Ranger’ more often tbh.
I love it so much when they refer to Rangers’ black magic.
Ironic that Halt steps out an oak tree, huh?
‘Worse than that, they’ve wasted my time.’ yes they did :(((((
Lowkey mad over the fact that the first time in this series that we actually get to see Crowley, it’s him telling Halt no.
Ngl this scene hits harder if you’ve already read The Early Years and know how good friends Halt and Crowley really are.
I forgot about this scene tbh and right now it’s just adding to why I don’t like rereading this book.
Throwback to when I took “For over twenty years, halt had been one of the King’s closest confidants, with constant, unquestioned access to the royal chambers” and ran straight into the HaltxDuncan ship with it. No regrets.
Thinking about that ^ helps me cope with the pain of reading that Duncan refuses to see Halt. Also that means that Duncan and Crowley talked about the situation??? Maybe Crowley tried to get Halt out but Duncan (ngl, rightly so) didn’t let him. Or maybe the other way around. I don’t care what it was, but it was painful. Someone write me some fanfiction, please.
PLEASE HALT DO NOT CHANGE DUNCAN’S MIND. PLEASE DON’T DO THAT TO YOURSELF OR TO HIM OR TO ANYONE ELSE. OR TO ME. DON’T DO THAT TO ME.
It truly shows how bad Will’s geography is, huh? “Is this Skandia?” Sure...
“Just like old times” lmao Evanlyn’s humour is lowkey on point.
I, for one, think it’s lowkey pretty cute how fond Erak is of the two.
I do NOT want to read the tavern scene. I don’t.
“For a fleeting moment, he thought he saw a flash of satisfaction in the other man’s expression, but he dismissed thethought as ridiculous.” Thanks, I hate it.
Will: “If Evanlyn weren’t here, life wouldn’t be worth living.” Also Will: “I am going running to stay in shape!” Why does he literally have more motivation to stay in shape than me lmaooo rip.
“Never give up because, if an opportunity arises, you have to be ready to take it.” i c o n i c
I lowkey appreciate that at first, it seems like Evanlyn gave up, but then it turns out she’s actually more cunning than expected. Dare I say, Queen material?
“Because I’m his daughter.” why why WHY doesn’t this sentence have as much of a grip on this fandom as it should???
“And I’m sorry if I’ve been behavinglike a bit of a princess over the past few days.” I love her so much.
I also don’t want to read the throne room scene. I don’t. It’s already been scarred into my soul.
Why is Duncan’s throne made of oak, why are there oak trees and oak leaves everywhere in Araluen????????? I have questions.
Okay to be really really honest, when Anthony began reading the charges and someone sighed, I laughed. Arald and Crowley are so done with Halt but this time it’s not funny. I am coping.
Okay but I do not appreciate what Halt is putting Duncan through. That King is going through a tough time and I get it but also,,,, no.
Duncan deserves so much more appreciation for coming up with the idea to banish Halt for one year only. I love that man.
Arald is grinning so widely omg I love him too.
Crowley is hiding his grin in his cloak. More love.
Sometimes I forget that Will is such a social person. Why is he making small-talk with his captors??
Okay but Svengal has a point - why doesn’t Will know about the tide?
Or maybe I am stupid and Will does know but he’s just striking up conversation.
SINCE WHEN DOES SVENGAL HAVE BEARD? My toxic trait is being surprised every time a character is said to have a beard.
I love that Erak is getting a sense of what Will’s doing. He deserves more appreciation.
I’m at page 60 and have so many notes already omg.
Halt surrendering his Oakleaf has NO business being so so heartbreaking.
The fact that Gilan is the only one Halt explicitly admits his plans to >>>
STRANGELY, SOME OF THEM TASTED LIKE SALT. <<<<<<<<<<<
I am excited for Slagor because at least this will be entertaining rather than sad.
“He had no idea what a Vallasvow might be but he knew one thing. Keeping Evanlyn’s identity a secret had suddenly become a matter of life and death.” hhhhhhh I remember how invested I was in this. Still am, ngl.
If I hear one more person on TikTok say that Horace is either stupid, dumb, or both, I will hit this chapter into their face. Horace hearing of Halt’s arrest and instantly knowing what’s up is just,,,,, I love it.
Horace really just went into Rodney’s office and said “I’m joining Halt into his banishment to find Will. Goodbye.” What an icon.
I think it makes sense that Will always continues to call Cassandra Evanlyn, because he is here literally killing himself over not accidentally saying her real name lest she be killed.
The slander of Eraks’ stealth starts here and I, too, am here for it.
Erak is lowkey one of the first feminists and no I will not elaborate, just read this book.
So about the girls and skirts scene - it literally says Halt is talking nonsense and still all of us initially took the explanation and, well, ran with it. I love that for us. I also wonder when exactly between now and the Clonmel mission Horace will realise that it’s nonsense.
If Halt was allowed one actual, explicit swear word, maybe him seeing the “knight” in Gallica could be it, because I think that that’d be funny.
On another note: if the movie / television show / whatever, ever, EVER, makes Will and Evanlyn kiss, I will personally come for them.
I forgot that it wasn’t Halt who put Horace up to the task of dealing with all those knights, it was Horace who volunteered. Once again, an icon.
“A child could take it from him.” Because Horace is most definitely not a child. No.
adkjfdksj Order of the Oak Pancake will never get old, will it?
Did I say I love Erak already? No? Because I do.
Oh I forgot about the keg-head-knife scene, but it’s so good.
Aaaahahahahahaha and then they were officially enslaved and I was definitely not about to lose my mind over this.
What do you mean, an inconsistency with the coffee and the honey? I only see Halt pulling Horace’s leg. /s
If the musician entertainment scene never makes it to the big screen, that will actually be good for the environment because it will save a lot of tissues from being needed.
Okay but why does everyone have a beard. I don’t think this issue’s on me anymore, it is suspicious how practically every man in this book has a beard. How dare they.
“I am Deparnieux.” “Good for you.” Oh I love it when Horace’s teenage self comes out. Good for him.
OAK BEAMS?????? WHY THE OAK BEAMS
That being said, I do think it’s lowkey iconic that Halt just straight up shoots that glove out of the air.
Not the paddles not the paddles not the paddles
Okay cool now I am also cold and just generally not having a good time.
I forgot that Erak is the honorary “pay your taxes or I’ll hit you on your head even harder” lmaooo, he’s having a good time.
I genuinely think that one of the best moments in this book is when Erak recognises Will. It’s heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time and it says so much about how deep Will has sunken, but also about how much Erak is growing.
“He was no longer whistling.” Another strong sentence that should receive more attention :(.
“Somehow, she didn’t think Erak paid cash for this.” Now why would you think that???
I love how angry Erak gets at the drugs.
This book literally takes forever.
Can we please talk about Halt during his private confrontation with Deparnieux, and the cook? I actually respect that so much.
Erak should’ve been an actor, I’m calling it.
If we never get a movie or tv-show I will be fine with that because I don’t think I will ever be ready to watch Will’s addiction meltdowns.
I am deeply, deeply in love with the “Well, it isn’t much, but it’s home” parallel.
I think it’s kinda funny that somehow, wherever they go, be it Gallica or Arrida, they have better coffee than in Araluen lmao.
Deparnieux getting scared when he notices Halt’s satisfaction is top tier.
Actually just the whole lead-up to that, the entire scene, is top tier.
Oh yes, I forgot about Halt addressing his royal lineage!!!! I loved dissecting that lmao, to see how much he did or did not lie.
Poor Horace, having a front row seat to Halt’s disregard of the rules of chivalry, lmao.
“Halt had chosen two of his role models in Rodney and the Baron.” I love how much Horace looks up to those knights <3.
I’m sorry but how was it allowed to publish “Philemon shook his head. This was phenomenal luck!” Philemon has phenomenal luck? My head aches.
Wait since when does Evanlyn have two male cousins??? And what happens to them by the time we come to Duel at Araluen???
When Will woke up, I realised a breathe I didn’t know I’d been holding. It’s true.
Ah yes, Halt also likes setting things on fire.
Okay so I have to admit, this book had more not-incredibly-sad moments than I remembered, but I will still not reread this book anytime soon if I can help it.
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