(urth) Laundress and Star (AEG spoilers)

[Dave Tallman]

Great observation about the time zone. Of course Cassie wouldn't start 
to get up early when she is pampered royalty -- she'd sleep later, if 
anything. Possible explanations:

1) Sharon was called on a cell phone, and she's close by -- perhaps 
searching for Cassie.
2) Sharon is lying about the time for unknown reasons (I don't care for 
this one).
3) Cassie's need to speak to Sharon has warped reality again, and made 
the two times correspond. This fits the time as illusion theory.

I don't see as many difficulties with the bracelet and who knows about it.
1) India mentions diamonds, but she could have simply received a hint 
from Reis like "Do you think Ms. Casey would like diamonds?"
2) When India says she was there when Wally gave her the bracelet she 
must mean the gold one. She doesn't know he took it back.
3) Chase assumes that the bracelet was a diamond one at first. This may 
be based on his research into the kind of gifts Reis gives to women he 
is trying to attract. The solid gold bracelet arouses his suspicions, 
and indeed Reis admits ill intent at the time he gave that gift.

There are interesting parallels with the Volcano God play, all right. 
Did you notice that the actor playing the island chief in the play is 
Porter Penniman? His character hires Seurat, the assassin of Mildred in 
the other play, "Ah shall never agin enlist no smelly li'l foreigners to 
wring your pretty little neck." (p. 61). I think this implies a 
connection between King Kanoa and the assassin who visits Cassie in her 
room. Kanoa seems to want her to become a puppet ruler, married to him 
and probably subject to the Storm King. Speaking of dreams, the Volcano 
God play contains two dream sequences.

My theory on the reality-warping is that Cassie has been temporarily 
raised to an angelic level and unconsciously bends events in her favor. 
This also explains:
1) The just-in-time rescue by the flying beings.
2) The manifestation of Vince as Volcano God to bring her fire.
3) Her final words: "Wally! Come back to me!" Wally promised to be with 
her in death, and she has maintained a sense of his presence which 
finally fails when she is far enough out of range of the beings who 
helped raise her to this level of power.

There are multiple references to angels, such as Reis as the angel of 
the play. Margaret complements her singing, and seems to censor herself 
from saying it was like an angel (p. 84), since she might think that was 
blasphemy.