One Sentence, Many Discussions

Kelley Armstrong’s Bitten was not my introduction to her Women of the Otherworld series. My husband bought me Dime Store Magic, not knowing it was part of a series, when struggling for an idea for my birthday. He liked the idea that the main character was a witch presented in a positive light. Bitten was probably about the fourth book in the series I read.

I love to discuss the books I have read. It is even better, in my opinion, when one sentence or the backstory behind one sentence, represents so many different concepts.  In Bitten, this sentence would be “I am the local Psychopath.”  Clay’s simple statement and the grisly tale behind it can open up discussions in a wide range of topics.

First, is Clay truly a psychopath? Interestingly, as horrifying as the backstory is I do not feel that he meets many of the important requirements for this label. Are you interested in this type of psychology? Then read Bitten.

Second, do the ends justify the means? His actions saved lives. But, how does that merit when compared against the methods used? I would have loved to have read this story before I took my AP European history class in high school. This part of the book would have added an interesting dimension to my paper on Machiavelli.

Third, those that protect us tend to be “alpha” males. Do we really want these mean to stifle their protective instincts and macho behaviors? If they did, would they lose the part of themselves that allows them to risk their lives to save ours?  Does society need this type of personality to allow others to do good? Before you answer based solely on Bitten, Eric Greitens’s The Heart and the Fist. He makes another statement that it is interesting to explore. His is about how humanitarian workers need soldiers to make an area secure in order for them to be able to do good. But that is a discussion for a future post.

When you read fiction, does a statement make you stop and think? Maybe not about something the author intended to say but rather about a topic you find interesting or that hits close to home. I have mention just a few of the discussions I have had regarding one sentence in a novel. That one statement lends itself to starting several other topics.

Bitten is not my favorite book in Ms. Armstrong’s series. However, it does contain my favorite passage.