'The Poison Season' Book Club Readalong Day 3!

Welcome to the third day of our book club readalong for OwlCrate's December book, The Poison Season by Mara Rutherford!

*Thank you for your patience over the weekend! We're back in action.*

Just a reminder that this will be a SPOILER discussion for Chapters 15-24 of The Poison Season, so make sure you read are finished this section before continuing.

Discussion questions are listed below, and anyone who participates in the comments will be entered to win a free OwlCrate box! Don't forget, you can also post about the readalong on Instagram with the hashtag #OCThePoisonSeason for another chance to win!

The story continues...

Chapter 15:
They watch the incantus leave the island. After, Leelo takes herself and her rage to the pine grove, stabbing a tree in anger. Not being able to sing in case the incantus are still in ear shot, Leelo screams.

Chapter 16:
The townspeople are all gossip when it comes to Lupin and Jaren after their walk in the woods. Unable to sleep, Jaren goes for a walk and finds himself lost in thought while his feet take him back to the lake shores of Endla. Hearing something in the bushes, he is confronted by a giant wolf that makes chase.

Chapter 17:
Leelo hears the wolf howl, and worries for her brother.

Chapter 18:
Not seeing another way out, Jaren jumps into a boat, sending him into the lake. Unfortunately the jostle broke a hole in the boat and it's now taking on water. With no oars, Jaren is adrift.

Chapter 19:
Leelo went back to the shore, seeing a boat making its way to the island. A boat with a man in it. A boat with a man in it that is clearly sinking. She considers cutting the rope that attaches the boat to the island, but instead decides to help the man in the sinking boat, pulling him in and fleeing as soon as she hears him hit the shore.

Chapter 20:
Leelo returns home where she finds her mother alone. She doesn’t tell her what happened, only that she was out walking, missing her brother. Her mom agrees to tell people that it was she who sent Leelo out so that she doesn’t get in trouble for missing her Watcher duty.

Leelo finds Sage and Hollis, who has taken her place as Sage’s Watcher partner that morning. Sage is dismissive, and tells her that Leelo can take Hollis’ shift that night. The council has already taken the boat for repairs, and when she turns to leave Leelo sees blood.

Chapter 21:
Jaren is hiding in the forest, leg very much damaged from contact with the poison, although at least it seems to have stopped bleeding. He hears someone approaching, and when he makes eye contact with the girl who hauled him to shore, he faints.

Chapter 22:
Leelo takes the stranger, Jaren, further away from the shore, looking for Isola’s cabin again.

Chapter 23:
Leelo tells Jaren to stay put, saying she’ll return later with supplies. Jaren, bored, sits on a stump outside the cabin, humming the song he heard before alongside the little bird that mimics Leelo’s voice. As it got close, a root from the Forest grabs the bird, killing it without a trace. Jaren goes back inside.

Chapter 24:
Leelo gathers the things that Jaren will need and decides to take Isola for a walk. Isola explains that Pieter had refused to leave when the lake was frozen, stating he had nothing to return to. Isola also reveals that half the council voted to expel her from Endla.

 Questions:

1. Do you think Sage knows that Jaren is on the island?

2. What do you think will happen to Tate now that he’s gone?

3. Do you think Leelo will successfully be able to keep Jaren’s presence a secret?

4. Recommend another book with a fantastical forest!

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