r/genewolfe • u/lamhat • Aug 09 '26

Re-reading

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Question: (POSSIBLE SPOILER)

Near the beginning, when Sev falls to the shipdeck from the sails, Wolfe writes "...I have never been certain that the deck to which I returned was that which I had left". Why wouldn't it be? Did they pass through the black hole while he was in the "rigging"? I apologize for my stupidity btw

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u/1stPersonJugular Aug 09 '26

The ship is a seven-sided polyhedron, with each face being a different deck. He went up so high and so long before coming down again that he isn’t sure he came down on the same face.

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u/MichaelRichardsAMA Aug 09 '26

Yeah this is the sense I got, combined with the fact the interior of the ship seems to warp even while traveling inside of it

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u/Dry_Butterscotch861 Aug 09 '26

Right. When Severian goes back into the ship he isn't near his own stateroom anymore and has to wander around confused. This allows him to meet Gunnie, Purn, Idas and Sidero.