How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
One day he would have his revenge. Father had promised. The marriage contract would be changed somehow, and Alek's blood made royal.
Even if it meant defying the emperor himself. (1.49-50)
So this is great and all, but we think it's also part of why Alek struggles so much. If his father had ever been able to accept him as is, Alek might have been able to do the same for himself.
Quote #2
It was strange to think that in the morning, for the first time in two weeks, Alek would see other people. Not just these four men but an entire town of commoners, none of whom would realize that a prince was walking among them.
He coughed again, and looked down at his dusty disguise of farmer's clothes. Volger had been right—he was as filthy as a peasant now. No one would think he was anything special. Certainly not a boy with a vast fortune in gold. (10.57-58)
Does Alek actually think he's anything special? Deryn later gives him a hard time about how impressed he seems to be with himself. What's up with his ego?
Quote #3
"You're more like family than servants." Alek shrugged. "All the family I've got, in fact."
"You're still a Hapsburg. Don't forget that." (21.28-29)
If Alek's Hapsburg family refuses to accept him, do they still count as his family?
Quote #4
He'd always been an imposter in his own house, his father unable to leave him anything, his distant relatives wishing he'd never been born. Even his mother—she was the cause of it all. She'd cost him an empire, and somewhere deep down that fact had always stood between them.
How could the abyss that had defined his life disappear so suddenly?
The answer was, it hadn't. The emptiness was still there. (21.61-62)
Volger has just told Alek that the pope has declared him his father's heir. Considering that this is what he's wanted his whole life, why doesn't this make a bigger difference to Alek?
Quote #5
"We can't sit here and watch them die, Count. Enemies or not."
"Haven't you been listening?" Volger cried. "You're heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary. Your duty is to the empire, not those men out there." (22.26-27)
Where does Alek believe his duty lies? What does "duty to the empire" mean? What does it look like?
Quote #6
"Explain that we're political opponents of the emperor," Volger said. "And that he's seized the war as an opportunity to get rid of his enemies. We aren't deserters. We had no choice but to run."
As Alek translated this into English, he marveled at Volger's quick thinking. The explanation was not only believable; it bordered on the truth. (29.41-42)
Nothing like hiding behind the truth: your enemies will never believe you told it. Volger's sneakiness never lets us down.
Quote #7
"The boffin doesn't need my help." Dylan snorted. "She already reckons you must be quite important."
"Because of this castle? Because they came for me in a walker?"
Dylan shook his head. "Because they traded a barking count for you." (30.76-78)
Alek's identity among his men is rather interesting. In this case, Volger considers it his duty to place himself in enemy hands instead of Alek, which suggests he's less valuable—but we all know Volger is the one who's really in charge.
Quote #8
"I trust you, Alek," she said. "But you're just a boy. How can I be sure your word holds with your men?"
"Because I'm…," Alek started, then took a slow breath. "They'll do what I say. They traded a count for me, remember?"
"I remember," she said. "But if I'm going to bargain with you, Alek, I need to know who you really are." (34.61-63)
If we were Alek, we wouldn't be quite so certain that they would do what we said. Volger doesn't really have a history of doing so, so Alek might be getting ahead of himself here.
Quote #9
Alek wiped the tears from his face. "They could marry, but the children could inherit nothing. As far as my grand-uncle is concerned, I don't exist."
"So you're not an archduke or anything?"
He shook his head. "Just a prince." (35.44-46)
Oh, Alek. We feel for the guy, but this exchange just goes to show how out of touch he is with the rest of the world. It's tough to be just a prince, after all.
Quote #10
"Who exactly are you, madam, to take on this Lord Churchill?"
The woman rose to her full height, adjusting her bowler hat.
"I am exactly as you see me—Nora Darwin Barlow, head keeper of the London Zoo." (41.26-28)
Why do you think Dr. Barlow chose to conceal her grandfather's identity until now? We assume it's probably common knowledge, but Deryn and Alek didn't know. Was she actually hiding it, or does she just enjoy throwing out a bombshell now and then?