#possibly Antonetta’s engagement party?

[gracecarstairss]

The Ragpicker King Snippet

From Cassie’s March 21, 2024 newsletter!! Conor and Lin hehe :)

[gracecarstairss]

My favorite Antonetta moment in Sword Catcher

One of the reasons that Antonetta is my favorite character is that nearly every piece of dialogue she has is calculated to direct a situation in a certain way, to gather information, and sometimes conveys hidden meanings with her words that give hints of her true intentions. I love the way we learn more about her character with subtle hints and implications. I think that there are two pieces of dialogue really give a great idea of who she is. When Kel asks Antonetta why she decides to hide her kindness on the Hill, she says:

"'Kindness and weakness are twinned, or are seen as such on the Hill,' she said. 'I recall long ago when Joss was kind. When Conor was kind. No longer. It is a defense as much as an affectation.'" - Sword Catcher, page 484.

Then, multiple chapters later during the Ascension Day party, Antonetta gets Kel (pretending to be Conor) alone, thinking that he is Conor of course. She is asking him to help her get out of a possible engagement with Artal Gremont, and she says:

"'You are kind,' she said. 'There are many who say you are not, but I know that you are. I know you can help.'" - Sword Catcher, page 554.

I love that we see her trying to get through to Conor and manipulate the situation in her favor by telling him that he is kind, and it directly contradicts what she tells Kel previously. This moment shows so much about who she is and how she interacts with the other nobles of the Hill. It is also clear that Antonetta is much more honest with Kel than others because he can see through her false persona.