I work as a customer support representative for a streaming service
and sometimes we would have to ask so-called 'probing questions' to make sure we are speaking to the account holder. things like, what amount did you pay last? or can you tell me the payment method on the account? etc.
now, going back to reading book 1 and seeing Fitz attempt to ask Sophie if she thought that was what dinosaurs really looked like in the museum?
probably in hopes of getting something like, "nah dude they were feathery and neon colored" to reveal that she was, in fact, an elf?
it has gotta be one of the lamest probing questions he could have gone with. did you see dinosaurs roaming around in the Forbidden Cities, Fitz? girl has probably never seen a live one ever but sure, pick that specific question I guess
I read the first Keeper of the Lost Cities book and annotated every page. Here are the highlights. (Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3/ Part 4/ Part 5)
Chapter 1
He didn’t seem to realize that unless the giant dinosaur replicas came to life and started eating people, no one cared. Me, the resident paleontology nut: Shut up Sophie I care
Fitz: "Tell me something. Do you really think that’s what they look like? It’s a little absurd, isn’t it?" Please make a good dinosaur reconstruction I’m begging you
Chapter 2
Fitz’s body broke her fall as she landed across his chest. Sophie: And that’s how I met your father
Chapter 3
What was he going to do, whisk her away to some magic elf land?
Fitz: “All of the Lost Cities are real–but not how you picture them, I’m sure.” OOOOHHH that’s the name of… the book… I see now
Humans broke the law all the time. We’re wild rowdy boys we’ll mess u up
Fitz: “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Who came up with that?” Sophie: “Uh, Albert Einstein.” Fitz: “Huh. Never heard of him. But he was wrong.”
Fitz: “The slowest elf can still trump a human—even one with no proper education.” Kinda racist of you but go off I guess
Chapter 4
Sophie: “Then why are we hiding?” Fitz: “We’re dressed like humans. Humans are forbidden in the lost cities—especially here, in Lumenaria…” You’re on some kind of government mission, don’t you have a hall pass
Sophie opened her mouth to defend her race, but she could see Fitz’s point. War, crime, famine—humans had a lot of problems. OH like elves don’t have problems
Sophie: “But… I’ve been hearing thoughts since I was five.” “Five?” Lol knock him down a peg
Fitz: “You heard me?” Sophie: “Was I not supposed to?” Fitz: “No one else can.” OH HO HO
Sophie: “How will I find you?” Fitz: “Don’t worry, I’ll find you.” Not creepy
Chapter 5
She tugged out an eyelash. Not healthy
Okay. If she’s an elf is she not like… ‘Well my parents must be part elf at least.’ Like why would you not immediately be like ‘Um are we elves?’
You could be normal, like your sister. OOF DIRECT HIT
No one understood how she and Sophie could be sisters—especially Sophie. Even their parents wondered about it in their thoughts.
The silverware slipped through Sophie’s fingers. Whoop there it is
And if they weren’t her family… who was? How are her parents confused about this
Sophie: “Was I adopted?” Thank you
Her mom laughed as her mind flashed back to the twelve hours of very painful labor she’d endured. Okaaay
Did they get magically parasitized? Like a cuckoo bird?
Chapter 6
Is Forkle a magical protector? Somebody around here is.
Suspicious Stranger, Definitely Not An Elf: “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to carry her back to my sister’s house. It’s just a few blocks away, and she seems to like you better than she likes me.” RED FLAG RED FLAG
Sure hope Forkle isn’t gonna die…
Sophie: “How am I supposed to trust you when you won’t even tell me anything?” Yeah thanks, this
She gestured to the tree, but there was no one around. No thoughts nearby, either. - Did she imagine it? You saw a boy disappear once, just go with your gut baby
*Fitz ganks Sophie from school to whisk her to elf land* Can’t you wait until lunch or a free period and make up an excuse like an orthodontist appointment or something
Chapter 7
Alden: “I see Fitz wasn’t kidding about the brown eyes. Most unusual.” You as racist as your son? Let’s find out
“Humans,” Alden muttered. I see
Alden: “Kidnapping is a human crime. I’ve never heard of an elf even considering such a thing, much less trying it. What made you think it was one of us?” Of course not we’re perfect whomp whomp
Alden: “We would never have servants. The gnomes choose to live with us because it’s safer in our world. And they help in our gardens because they enjoy it. We’re privileged to have them.” Don’t come at me with that self righteousness, it was a legitimate question all things considered
…everything she’d seen in the elvin world spoke of wealth. Girl you know there’s an underbelly
As Sophie met his cold gaze, she could see what Alden meant about Bronte being hard to impress.
Sophie: “Sorry, I was surprised by your ears.” LOL this must be rude as heck, like, ‘you’re so wrinkly.’
Fitz: “You eat animals?” That must be horrifying to him
“So, Sophie.” Bronte sneered her name like it bothered him to say it. “Alden tells me you’re a Telepath.” NYEHHH MISTER POTTER
Chapter 8
Bronte’s mind felt different than Fitz’s—somehow deeper. LOLLL NO THOUGHTS HEAD EMPTY
She screamed as the goblets shattered against the table and the chairs crashed to the floor, knocking Bronte flat on his back with a thunderous collision. TOUCHDOWN
“Our language is instinctive,” Alden said. “We speak from birth…” TALKING BABIES >:O
Alden: “…though to humans our language sounds like babbling.” So they’re all googoo gaga around this fancy table R/N
Sophie: “What’s a probe?” Fitz: “Just a different way to read your mind. It’s no big deal.” Just a thermometer that goes in your butt. No big deal.
Alden: “How would you like to see Atlantis?” I WOULD LIKE THAT VERY MUCH
Chapter 9
*reading the description of Atlantis* WHERE ARE THE CRAP CITIES. I KNOW YOU HAVE THEM.
She took a slow, deep breath, closed her eyes, and stepped off the edge, screaming the whole way down. Goodbye dignity miss you
…she launched out of the vortex onto an enormous sponge. It felt like being licked from head to toe by a pack of kittens… WHOA! Is this the flagella, or the spicules? I love that
A child strolled past with some kind of chicken-lizard hybrid on a leash. PLEASE BE A DINOSAUR PLEASE
“An eurypterid,” Alden explained, “A sea scorpion.” EEEEOOOEEE I LOVE IT
Chapter 10
Sophie: “I have a file?” *cough cough* surveillance state much
“Reading should be instinctive,” Alden admitted, “but maybe your human education affected you somehow…” School is brain poison, says the flat-earther’s dad
It would be so awful to be an advanced student and suddenly know nothing.
They turned down a narrow, quiet canal lined with purple trees with thick, broad leaves like kelp. Could it be prototaxite or am I dreaming?
Alden took a small, green cube from his pocket. Credit cards are better ‘cause they don’t hurt when you sit on em. Who’s the master race now?
Despite Fitz’s earlier assurances, she couldn’t help wondering if the probe would hurt. Or worse—what humiliating memories Quinlin would find. “Sure are a lot of boy bands in here…”
…Quinlin’s gaze settled on Sophie. “Brown eyes?” WOW not even gonna say hi first huh
“You lick it,” Fitz explained. “They need your DNA.” OH SO DNA ISN’T FAKE HUH FITZ
He licked a silver strip on the wall… LOL I’m CRYING there are other ways to get DNA you GUYS
Quinlin: “Was he…?” Alden: “An elf?”… “I doubt it.” Qinlin: “How can you be sure?” Why, my biases tell me so, my good man.
Alden: “Humans do so love their chemicals.” Says Mr. Big Brain over here lickin’ doorknobs
Alden, cont’d: “If they’re not lighting something on fire, they’re spilling oil into the ocean or blowing something up.” Okay that’s fair
If you want to see my notes for a specific page, send me a message and I’ll take a picture.
