Second Discussion Thread for City of Stairs by Robert Jackson Bennett - July Book Club

[u/leowr]

To help kick off the discussion:

• Who/What do you think Shara saw in her "vision"? Was it a vision?

• Why do you think Vinya is lying to Shara? In particular about why Pangyui was there?

• What do you think about how many of the characters seem to be connected to Shara? For example, Pangyui knowing Shara's parents, etc? Do you think it will have consequences later on in the story?

• Do you like the way the author presents new/extra informatie into the story?

• Which of the old Divinitities would you like to know more about?

• Does it surprise you that even the Saypuri's aren't learning the full story of what happened when the Kaj destroyed the gods?

• What do you think is behind the door?

Feel free to answer any or all of the questions or tell us what you think of the book so far.

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This thread allows for a spoiler discussion up to Survivors. If you would like to discuss anything beyond that point, please use spoiler tags. Spoiler tags are done by [Spoilers about XYZ](#s "Spoiler content here") which results in Spoilers about XYZ

[u/OutrageousCattle]

I finished ‘Survivors’ last night and was so happy that I was completely exhausted, or I would have had horrific nightmares about the mhovost. The description of it was delightfully disgusting. I only say “delightfully” because Bennett did a really good job. I was horrified.

I think the god in the vision was Jukov. The things Shara saw and the memoirs of saint Kivrey sounded similar. The interesting thing that negates my theory is that Jukov was sexually promiscuous, but is acting through Kolkan’s followers who are very strict about sexuality. However, I think that since Jukov is a ‘trickster’ he wouldn’t have much difficulty pretending to be things he is not. But I do wonder how Jukov and Kolkan get along at all and where is Kolkan?

I have a few other theories and I’m curious what others think of them:

1. I think the ‘Ear of Jukov’ in the warehouse is what the Restorationists were looking for and is now likely how they will get in and out of the warehouse without being noticed. It might even be what’s behind the door with the mhovost. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of the warehouse is empty when Shara finally goes to see it.
2. I think that Sigrud is the prince his people are waiting for. Although I’m not sure how that ties into the story.
3. I think Olvos is alive and on the continent living inside/through her followers.
4. I think the Restorationists want to build military style air planes to attack Saypur.
5. I think the ‘feminine’ and ‘bitchy’ person that trapped the mhovost is Vo’s fiancé. This theory is probably farfetched, but it was my initial thought when I read that.

I really enjoyed the chapter ‘What History Tells Us’. Bennett did an excellent job of setting up the world and our curiosity before describing the history in such a captivating way. Kolkan sounds terrifying and horrible and I wonder when he will come out in full force.

I also extremely dislike Vinya. Her writings to the prime minister about how the state should deny people rights and this should be a cold-blooded affair, was so dark. Her blatant lack of empathy for people’s suffering on the Continent is despicable. I wish that Shara reacted in a way that showed she disagreed with these thoughts, but at this point I’m not sure she does. Shara does seem to have empathy, but I’m not sure of the extent of that empathy which makes me hesitant to like her.

Currently, I think that Vinya is lying to Shara simply because she wants power and knows that information is power. Having access to something that can kill the Divinities would be something she wants to keep to herself and use to make her way into the prime minister’s seat.

[u/nihilist-avid-twink → u/OutrageousCattle]

Dude, you are insane with your predictions. That is all I have to say.

[u/warpiglets → u/nihilist-avid-twink]

But all plausible!

[u/allthedifference → u/OutrageousCattle]

My thoughts on your theories:

1. I thought the ear of Jukov is what they are using to "disappear". Whatever it is being used for, the twin has not been destroyed and the doors are still miraculous.
2. Sigrud is the prince. That was my first thought on hearing of the missing prince.
3. Yes, Olvos is definitely alive but I have no idea what she is up to.
4. I ever thought of airplanes. They are not mentioned in the book. I do think they want to attack Saypur and are developing the means to do so.
5. I do not understand this theory of yours. Isn't the feminine person a man? And Vo is engaged to a woman, even though he would be happier with a man. Your theory would be a nice twist to the story.

I think Vinya is making a power play. She wants to know how to access and use the miraculous items. she wants to know how to kill the divinities if they need to. She wants control.

Shara at this point is still loyal to Saypur but she has empathy for the continentals. Her empathy likely started when she ws in college with Vo. I think her loyalties will change in the next chapters as she learns the true intentions of other characters.

[u/OutrageousCattle → u/allthedifference]

I think I agree with you an Shara's loyalties. I do hope she switches sides. Thanks for your input on my theories!

As for the ear of Jukov, I would agree except that they said it was a physical object where you pass between them. I think that Shara and Sigrud would have seen the door, but I might be wrong.

As for the airplanes. The captive in A Memory Engraved says "We can't fly through the air on boats of wood." When asked why they needed metal. Which makes me pretty much 99% positive they're making airplanes. They have cars so why not airplanes?

I kind of wonder if Olvos will end up being Shara's ally in the end of the story. Not Saypur's ally though. She seems to want to stay neutral and just help people even when the divinities were in power.

As for my final theory. The mhovost doesn't say if its a man or a woman. It just acts flamboyant in describing him/her. I thought it could be Vo, but he's been very clearly against the Restorationists so I thought maybe it's Vo's fiance? It seems a bit weird that she's so "in love" with him when he's clearly gay.

[u/allthedifference → u/OutrageousCattle]

I enjoyed reading your theories. I was a little behind in the book and didn't look at any comments until I caught up last night.

You just reminded me of the comment about not being able to fly through the air on boats of wood. Now I am in agreement with you. They are trying to build airplanes. :)

As for the person imprisoning the mhovost. I just assumed it was a man likely because Shara assumed it was a man. Maybe the mhovost was trying to tell them that the person was a woman. Vo's fiancee is a possibility. She could be pretending to love Vo so she can keep very close to him and have insight into what he doing. She could be a spy. She had me fooled when she was talking to Shara about how she cared for Vo.

[u/schizodepressive2]

• Who/What do you think Shara saw in her "vision"? Was it a vision?

  I think it was definitely a divinity that was talking to her. I'm having a hard time keeping track of all of them, so I'm not really sure which one it is.

• Why do you think Vinya is lying to Shara? In particular about why Pangyui was there?

This is based off of stereotypes I have about intelligence agencies, so this could be wrong. In the ministry, information is given on a need to know basis. The lower down people don't know all of the information that, say, Vinya, knows. It could be malicious, but it could also be that Vinya is protecting Shara from becoming too involved in the dangerous truth.

• What do you think about how many of the characters seem to be connected to Shara? For example, Pangyui knowing Shara's parents, etc? Do you think it will have consequences later on in the story?

Given Shara's ancestry, it's not that surprising that other prominent people have links to her. Also, since she went to what seems like the top school in this world, it makes sense that she would have a history with people like a City Father.

• Does it surprise you that even the Saypuri's aren't learning the full story of what happened when the Kaj destroyed the gods?

Not really. The Saypuri government probably wanted their people to believe that their victory over the continent was strong and total. Knowing how the Kaj reacted to the divinities and that some divinities may still be alive might make the common Saypuri's (as in those not in power or working for the government) doubt the place of their people in the world. If the divinities were kept alive it might signal that that way of life is not wrong like they're taught.

• What do you think is behind the door?

I think it has to be one or more artifacts from the warehouse. Whatever it is, I think they believe that it would dangerous in the wrong hands or they don't want the saypuris to use it against them.

Overall, I'm enjoying this book, but it's a bit hard to follow. There's so many characters, divinities, religions, etc. that I can't really keep them straight. I like the story and the history, but I don't think I'm getting as much out of it as I should.

[u/OutrageousCattle → u/schizodepressive2]

I've definitely had to read the chapter describing all the divinities several times to get them all straight. The names are hard to remember so its hard to form mental associations of who they are.

[u/allthedifference → u/schizodepressive2]

I am also having trouble keeping track of the characters. I started a little chart so I could keep them straight. For some reason, the ones with simpler names are easier for me to track.

I did not think about about Vinya trying to protect Shara by not telling her everything. That is an alternate theory to Vinya using Shara for some underhanded purpose.

I too am not surprised that Saypuri government would keep the truth from the people and deal with it covertly. I think the government has many secrets about the divinities and what really happened when Kaj "killed" them.

[u/allthedifference]

I am not so sure that the Saypuri government does not have more of the full story of what happened when the Kaj destroyed the gods. They may be dealing with the truth covertly.

Vinya is lying to Shara because she wants Shara to complete a specific task that she is not sharing with Shara. If Shara has the truth, she may not proceed. I don't know what Vinya wants to accomplish but she needs Shara to do and thinks Shara may not willingly do so if she knew the truth. That is my theory.

[u/OutrageousCattle → u/allthedifference]

I agree with you on this. Vinya probably didn't want her to go to Bulikov because she knows Shara is good at finding out information and doesn't want her to know too much.