This chapter was very interesting. Ginny's observation (there is that word again) about when Vivi came home with the others but did not leave with the others was very intriguing.
It was also odd how Maud did not want the girls to be alone. Do you think that she mainly does not Ginny to be left unattended or does it go deeper and she is afraid to be alone with Ginny?
Ginny's lack of emotion and Maud's fear of what happened on the Bell Tower gives me the impression that something is not right with Ginny. Maybe there were complications during labor and they could do nothing about it when the snow came. I'm thinking some kind of brain damage that effects her emotions. My step-brother had a car accident 15 years ago and went into a coma with brain damage. He came out and had the mind set of a child. He had to rehabilitate his mind and body but he lost his capability for emotional feelings. It is a weird thing to witness. He can be so cruel and not have any idea that he is being that way. It had something to do with a part of his brain.
I'm also perplexed by Ginny's reference that she saw Vivi's entire future giving up the struggle to survive. Is this a possible spiritual vision that she is capable of seeing or just her ability to give a deeper description of what she analyzes?
Although the whole incident with the Bell Tower was sad I did giggle a little at the end of the chapter when Vivi learned that girls have all of their eggs at birth and that she told her mother's guests that she lost all of her children. Just like a child to say something like that. I really liked this piece. 
I can't wait to see what comes of this story.
Choisya wrote:Just a small historical point: People did not necessarily have to be generous to take in evacuees - they were allocated children by the government if they and their homes were considered suitable. Here is some information about evacuation procedures:-The study of moths has a lot to do with the moon and night time because, like werewolfs, moths are attracted to moonlight as well as to light in general. They hide during the day so are studied at night (or in laboratories of course.) In the UK we have a National Moth Night in June when people go out in groups to identify them.
dhaupt wrote:
I had my suspicion that Maud and Clive were mom and dad and now I am wondering why Ginny was calling them by their first names I guess something else to be sought out later.
Lepidoptery sounds like you turn in to a werewolf at the full moon (ha).
I like that the family is generous in that they took in the evacuees during the war.
I thought it very strange that Maud and the doctor spent so much time w/Ginny about Vivi's accident, I wonder if they had cause to think she had something to do with it, and Maud alludes to the fact that there might be something "off" in Ginny on page 16 when Ginny overhears her parents talking and Maude says "There must be something ___".
We know for sure that Vivi didn't have any children of her own, but we don't find out if Ginny did for sure
The author takes a lot of time describing the house I wonder if this house has talking walls.
Message Edited by Choisya on 03-05-2008 02:38 PM
Great point about the evacuations - I thought that taking in the children was a little less than voluntary.
Doug
