Thinking a little more about the Stars Above's prophetic poems and the recurring presence of the little monster that's just about to attack Alex and Livia, and considering the whole Dinéta story, I wonder whether she will end up throwing that little monster into the gate of the Lands Beyond, which will block up, since that monster, being created or fed with the people John Manuelitto murdered and took their organs out, will be so powerfully loaded with magic, that it will close that gate (where the Generous Ones live) for good.

One major question I now have is what John's role is in the larger story. I.e., will he lead us back to Huckstein? Is he linked to another Voldemort type? Is he a Voldemort wannabe? Will Abraham Thorn make peace with the Confederation through a common fight against John? Will there be a three way confrontation? Or is John just there so Alex can show off and learn more in the process, a subplot, a gigantic subplot?

--Geneva