Waterfall Wednesdays: Chapters 12-17 / Discussion # 3

Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren:

Discussion Schedule:

Aug. 31st: Chapters 1-6: Hosted by Tina @ Tinasbookreviews

Sept. 7th : Chapters 7-11: Hosted by Missie @ The Unread Reader

Sept. 14th: Chapters 12-17: Hosted by Jay & Serena

@ Edgy Inspirational Romance

Sept. 21st: Chapters 18-23: Hosted by Jenny

@ Supernatural Snark

Sept. 28th: Chapters 24-28 & Wrap Up: Hosted by Nic

@ Irresistable Reads

1. In Siena, on her way to the ball at Palazzo Pubblico, Gabi likened her experience to being on the red carpet at the Academy Awards, the goal being " to see and be seen." If you were a peasant, watching from the crowd, what would you be thinking as this procession passed by?

~ Well I guess I will admit this. I felt a little nervous about getting married. Well not exactly the getting married part but if things would go accordingly. All you who have been married or who are planning a wedding know what I am talking about. It totally stresses you out if things don't go just right. Some people even think that its an omen.

Well the morning of my wedding, I took a long walk on the beach and then sat for a bit in a hammock just to think and enjoy the day. After that moment I felt a since of complete calm. I knew that no matter what I was going to marry the man of my dreams. The most wonderful person I know, and even if it rained (beach wedding), the flowers didn't arrive, or the food came out all burnt in the end I will still be joined to this person whom I love more then myself. I would be among my family and friends, and I would have a great time.

I didn't feel nervous or stressed out at all just calm and extremely happy. This feeling never changed even when the preacher arrived late due to severe traffic, only a third of the guest arrived, and the groomsmen showed up to the wrong hotel making my wedding an hour or so late. It didn't even leave me when my dad was not there to walk me down the isle and instead my wonderful uncle did. In the end my wedding was extremely beautiful and I am happily married 3 years this coming Monday.



3. This kiss. Oh, the kiss. When Marcello finally kisses Gabi, he believes the experience to be proof that they are meant to be together. What did you think about his assumption? Were you surprised at Gabi's reaction to it? Have you ever experienced a kiss that seemed to be prophetic in a similar (or opposite) way?

~ I wasn't really surprised. Something has been drawing these two together form the beginning. They were meant to meet. She arrived at the exact time he was near the tomb fighting, were they would meet. That seems a bit more then coincidence.

 I can't say that a kiss was prophetic. But my first kiss with my husband back when we started dating in 2003, was outside under the stars when he was walking me to my car. I told him to kiss me already! (totally not like me...lol) I do remember getting lost in the kiss. Like the world around me didn't exist. I have never had that type of kiss before him. Ya I have had good kisses before, but nothing that took my breath away.  I knew from that point on he was different, and what we had was not like anything I have ever felt before.

4. Many go through their teen years with a subdued sense of immortality. Do you think Gabi has a sense of this teen feeling? And did you think Gabi's converse observation, "Sometimes death came hunting and there was no way to cut it off at the pass." Was informed more by the experience of losing her father, her self-admitted closet hypochondria, or the forced maturation of being transported to a different time? How does this observation show Gabi's growth as a character?

~ I believe every teen has a feeling of immortality. They are young and have time on their hands. I think that Gabi feels this to, but now that she is in a time where people die young and immortality doesn't exist as a thought. So I feel like she sees that life is precious and should be treasured even when your young.

I think her observation is a combination of things; experiencing her father's loss, and being in a different time where your mortality is shown to you by the constant fighting, and lack of medical advances. It shows that Gabi has come a long way. She has had to grow up really fast in a short period of time, but she is the better for it.



5. In the span of a few moments, Gabi goes from sword-wielding teen beauty to man-killing warrior. Did you think her realization of the finality of death -- and her justification for its necessity -- was realistic? And, in her slippers, could you have done the same?

~ I think that I can't really answer this without being in that position. However, if I had to answer I would say that we know Gabi feels about life. That its important and should be cherished. Now she is faced with kill or be killed situations the rules change. Also when she is faced with the people she loves being killed. Now if I was faced with that, though I can not fathom hurting someone, I would choose life for myself and those I love over those who mean us harm.

Also when it comes to her justification of it, I think people tell themselves what they need to, to get through situations. This is traumatic so she has to justify why she had to do it in order to deal with it. Also she has been in this time period for a little while now, and fighting happens a lot. I am not saying she is desensitized to it, but I think she understands it more. So I do believe she was right in her justifications.



~ I guess if I was a peasant I would be used to seeing the nobility come into town. I probably would react the same as I would if I was at a red carpet event. Marvel at the dresses and swoon over the hotties. I might even imagine myself in their shoes for the night, and forget I'm a peasant for a moment.

2. Though quite nervous about dancing at the ball, Gabi discovers a strange feeling of connection to the time, the people, and the society through the unified beauty of the dance. Have you ever been in a position where you felt out of your element, but in one pinpointed moment, became a part of or connected to something bigger than you fear?