To read a spoiler-free review of Cyteen, click here.
For some spoiler-filled thoughts about the book, go ahead and read more…
I want to discuss the murder.
This is an old topic. Online discussions of it date all the way back to 1988 when the book was first published. But the way I see it, there’s a limited number of suspects:
1. Jordan
2. Justin
3. Grant
4. Catlin-1 and/or Florian-1
5. Giraud and/or Denys
Of these I think that:
1. Jordan is clearly eliminated by the records Ari-2 looks up regarding Ari-1’s last TranSlate entry (which appears to take place AFTER Jordan has left the room).
2. Justin’s whereabouts are known, clearly eliminating him.
3. Grant’s whereabouts are known, clearly eliminating him.
4. Catlin and Florian are shown as being completely shaken by the murder, so I think that rules them out. Also, Ari-2 seems to believe that the key to discovering the identity of the murderer lies with discovering who ordered the destruction of Catlin and Florian (see below).
5. Which leaves Giraud or Denys or both. And this is further reinforced by the fact that only the Nyes would have the power to order the deaths of Catlin-1 and Florian-1. Giraud, I believe, later claims that they requested their own deaths — but when we see them last, they’re explicitly waiting for tape, not assisted suicide. (Or does he claim that Ari-1 ordered their deaths? Either way, his story doesn’t stand up.)
The question then becomes motive. Why would Giraud and/or Denys attempt to kill Ari-1? Why do Giraud and/or Denys attempt to kill Ari-2?
Well, for starters, I think its Denys — not Giraud — who is guilty of both.
For starters, when it comes to Ari-2, Denys is clearly established as being Abban’s supervisor at the time that Abban initiates the plot. Add in the fact that Denys is clearly the one attempting to finish the job once Ari-2 returns to Reseune. And add in the fact that Giraud has no reason to kill Ari-2 after he’s dead.
So, why do it? I think its a matter of control. Specifically, a matter of controlling Reseune. I don’t think it’s coincidental that Cherryh clearly establishes the loss fo control Denys feels as Ari-2 asserts herself. I don’t think its coincidental that Cherryh puts Denys in a position of control over his brother, and then has Giraud specifically instruct Ari-2 to take control of his PRs away from Denys. And I don’t think its coincidental that Cherryh has him maintain control of Reseune, even when the opportunities for more power presented themselves. He’s an agoraphobe who never leaves Reseune, and desperately needs to control it and possess it.
And he targeted Ari-1 for the same reason. He wanted control of Reseune. Why didn’t he do it before? Because he and Reseune needed Ari’s abilities. But now that an ability-clone could be successfully completed, he didn’t need the Ari which stood between him and power. He could put himself close to Ari-2, and he could risk the project’s entire integrity by avoiding the coarser aspects of Geoffrey Carnath — allowing him to stay close to Ari-2. I’m guessing that he hoped he could control Ari-2. But once it became clear he couldn’t control her, then he needed to kill her.
Of course, the possibility is never quite resolved that it might have simply been an accident.
I think the brilliance of the work is heightened by the fact that so much is left to the power of inference at the novel’s conclusion (and throughout the novel as a whole).
For example, I think its shocking that we see Justin Warrick capable of a freedom from the programming of Ari-1 which allows him to physically attack someone… yet he continues to see Ari-2, despite the suggestion that the fixation programming may be completely gone.
Which leads me to what I consider one of the crowning achievements of the novel: The original Ariane Emory is revealed to us through the coming of age of Ariane Emory II, and vice versa. As you follow the coming of age story for Ari-2, it colors what you saw of Ari-1 and makes you understand it. And vice versa: What you saw of Ari-1 gives a sense of perspective when it comes to Ari-2. Considering that one of the major themes of the novel is this sense of identity, the fact that Cherryh has found a literary perspective to put you on the INSIDE of this shared identity is remarkable. In fact, it’s bloody brilliant.
