My daughter is an avid reader, but also a very social one. She loves to be able to discuss books she’s read afterward. Hence she’s constantly coming to me with recommendations: “You have to read this, Dad!” The trouble is, she has a lot more time to read than I do, and she’s a faster reader. I simply don’t have time to keep up with all of the books she gets excited about. So most of the time she eventually gives up.
Not so with “Steelheart,” a YA novel by Brandon Sanderson. She’s kept after me for weeks. “You’ve got to read it, Dad! It’s so goood!” Well, I finally gave in and borrowed her copy. And revenge is mine. At my pace it’s going to take at least a week to finish. But since she is completely dedicated to not spoiling anything, I intend to make the most of that time. I’m throwing my guesses out there as to what is going to happen.
It’s so fun to watch her face contort in an effort not to give anything away whenever I speculate aloud as to what Steelheart’s weakness might be (I had a guess before the prologue was over, and clues coming out as I go are suggesting I was pretty close to right), or why a character is acting a certain way, or why I think a particular event or detail is significant. I swear she’s going to explode before I finish this book. But I will give her credit. She’s not giving much away, even as she goes into paroxysms of anguish. About all I can tell is that my speculations are significant.
And that it’s fun to torment her. Mwah ha ha ha ha…..!
Cruel.
And tormenting children is what fatherhood is all about.