WEEK 7 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS (CH. 61-70)

[Fireflywishes]

I'm finally a little ahead of the game and not posting late, it's about a half an hour from being Sunday!! lol

What do you think was "the sign in the monastery they sought was a monster equal to a saint?" [referring to Sveti Georgi monastery]

(roughly pg. 521) In a letter from the abbot of Bachkovo to the abbot of Rila, he warns the abbot to keep a close watch for any monks from Sveti Georgi, or any monks who might spread the idea that the dragon has slain Sveti George - Saint George - "because this is the sign of their heresy" is this a reference to a sign the monks might belong to the undead or be vampires?

What do you make of the postcards (with no postmark) that Barley and Paul's daughter found on Paul's bed - from Helen to her daughter?

In one of the letters Helen says they are wealther "because of some terrible things that happened to me and your father" - where do you think this wealth came from? (roughly pg. 525 Ch. 65)

Helen was bitten a second time at the monastery - do you think the culprit was Dracula or another vampire - and if another vampire any thoughts on who it is? Why doesn't Helen react to the cross like Erozan did after he was attacked?

What do you think happened that Paul thought Helen had died and yet she had a lot of money to continue the search for Dracula?

From the letters we gain a little insight into why Helen is no longer with the family - the exact circumstances we don't know - but we do know that she didn't feel comfortable holding her daughter and felt contaminated or tainted by the bites she had received - do you think she was justified in her fears? If she left willingly do you think she did the right thing?

In light of these new postcards and Paul's recent disappearance to go looking for Helen - do you believe she is alive? How do you think that Paul got a hold of the postcards since they were not postmarked?

[PFMdg]

Once again, I got behind and then went straight through, so I am posting my thoughts here, so as not to spoil....

What do you make of the postcards (with no postmark) that Barley and Paul's daughter found on Paul's bed - from Helen to her daughter?

Well clearly Helen is not dead, so I am more firmly convinced that the lady on the platform was Helen. This had to be very jarring for the author, but I imagine she will suspect, if she hasn't already. Also thinking about Barley, it must be weird to learn all this as an outsider....now that Paul & Helen are officially getting married, I am still holding out hope for the author & Barley in the long-run.

In one of the letters Helen says they are wealther "because of some terrible things that happened to me and your father" - where do you think this wealth came from? (roughly pg. 525 Ch. 65)

Well, something big is going to happen for sure. I'm thinking it might be because Helen is descended from Dracula, she inherits a relic that turns up on the quest? Or maybe some legacy from Rossi...

Helen was bitten a second time at the monastery - do you think the culprit was Dracula or another vampire - and if another vampire any thoughts on who it is? Why doesn't Helen react to the cross like Erozan did after he was attacked?

Something's very hinkey about Helen's attacks. Perhaps she is targeted because she is Dracula's descendant and perhaps also because of that she is less susceptible to the bite?

What do you think happened that Paul thought Helen had died and yet she had a lot of money to continue the search for Dracula?

I now think (obviously) Paul knew Helen was alive, but perhaps he told his daughter that she had died because it was either shielding her from the truth or too complicated the other way?

In light of these new postcards and Paul's recent disappearance to go looking for Helen - do you believe she is alive? How do you think that Paul got a hold of the postcards since they were not postmarked?

Definitely....and I think she handed the cards to Paul at various times when they crossed paths during the research/pursuit over the years? The author clearly has not had the whole story here...nor have we! I can't wait to finish!

[turtlenook]

What do you think was "the sign in the monastery they sought was a monster equal to a saint?" [referring to Sveti Georgi monastery]

I have no idea on this. I'd be really interested to hear everyone else's thoughts.

(roughly pg. 521) In a letter from the abbot of Bachkovo to the abbot of Rila, he warns the abbot to keep a close watch for any monks from Sveti Georgi, or any monks who might spread the idea that the dragon has slain Sveti George - Saint George - "because this is the sign of their heresy" is this a reference to a sign the monks might belong to the undead or be vampires?

I think it is. I found it odd that they lost a monastery. Maybe this act of heresy is the reason that Sveti Georgia has been lost off the map and no one knows where to find it now.

What do you make of the postcards (with no postmark) that Barley and Paul's daughter found on Paul's bed - from Helen to her daughter?

I hope that Helen is still around and as easy to find as one of her letter's mentions. I'd like to think that Paul found her, and she shared the postcards with and right now they are out for some lunch. But so far the theme of this book isn't happy reunions.

In one of the letters Helen says they are wealthier "because of some terrible things that happened to me and your father" - where do you think this wealth came from? (roughly pg. 525 Ch. 65)

I must watch way too much daytime TV, I totally assumed that it was a car accident or something, so there was an insurance settlement. I'm thinking something sinister must have happened to Helen's aunt or Turgut and his wife, and so money was left to them to help chase Dracula.

Helen was bitten a second time at the monastery - do you think the culprit was Dracula or another vampire - and if another vampire any thoughts on who it is? Why doesn't Helen react to the cross like Erozan did after he was attacked?

I think since she didn't remember the attack it was Dracula.

What do you think happened that Paul thought Helen had died and yet she had a lot of money to continue the search for Dracula?

There's a saying in dominoes and it applies to life sometimes... not all money is good money. Maybe all the money belonged to Helen and it was supposed to pass to Paul. She disappeared, and while he believed that she was dead, this money wasn't a windfall. Possibly he was holding out hope that she was still alive, and possibly he wanted nothing to do with the money because it was to tragic to do anything with.

From the letters we gain a little insight into why Helen is no longer with the family - the exact circumstances we don't know - but we do know that she didn't feel comfortable holding her daughter and felt contaminated or tainted by the bites she had received - do you think she was justified in her fears? If she left willingly do you think she did the right thing?

I guess it would be the right thing if she felt that she was also a danger to her child.

In light of these new postcards and Paul's recent disappearance to go looking for Helen - do you believe she is alive? How do you think that Paul got a hold of the postcards since they were not postmarked?

I'm still holding out hope that she is alive and she gave them to him on this trip to France.