Is Zia clueless or blinded by lust?

Post by **Sarah Nichols 7** » 11 Aug 2021, 14:53

I had a hard time believing that Zia would continue to be with Baxter after all the truly strange coincidences she was discovering about her new lover and the series he was writing. Was she really that dim when it came to seeing him for who he was or did lust make her oblivious?

emeraldlaurice012 · Post by **emeraldlaurice012** » 12 Aug 2021, 07:55

I think that when you have sensual relations with a specific person, you start to form a bond with them. Although this is a chemical reaction in the mind that was brought on by hormonal releases during the act of sex, we don't know that it is merely just that. Zia knows what she saw, she just chose to continue to be with him.

Ivy Mokote · Post by **Ivy Mokote** » 12 Aug 2021, 10:14

I don't think Zia is clueless. I think she is blinded by love. The things she saw that would make her doubt Baxter faded into oblivion when contrasted with what she felt towards him.

Natalie Deer · Post by **Natalie Deer** » 12 Aug 2021, 11:44

Well I think the Love Got a Hold on her. When someone love someone it is really hard to see until the day is end they don't love you anymore because they find out the real you and I don't think Zia is clueless she's just plain food catch the wise

Muna Chizzy · Post by **Muna Chizzy** » 12 Aug 2021, 18:25

When one is attracted or in love with someone, all caution is thrown to the wind. I think this is the case of Zia. Because of the chemistry she has with her lover, she is blinded by his dark side.

madai guzman delgado · Post by **madai guzman delgado** » 12 Aug 2021, 19:10

I felt some frustration at the author for never showing us what was in Baxter's book. I couldn't tell if Zia was being clueless when she watches the news because the author never gives us any excerpts of the book series OR shows us any of Zia and Baxter's texts before they meet. I wouldn't trust Baxter because he gave me loads of red flags, but I sure wish the author would have given us the tools to put ourselves in Zia's shoes. The way the story is written makes it feel like Bax and Zia's relationship is inevitable, and makes the reader either feel like Zia is clueless or like they're missing a part of the story that should have been shared with the reader.

I couldn't say, while reading, if Zia was clueless, but I will say the author does a pretty good job at writing her circumstances to make her cheating a bit sympathetic. She felt undesired by her boyfriend and since she had only talked to her potential lover online, it makes that she'd be willing to overlook the red flags.

Stephanie Runyon · Post by **Stephanie Runyon** » 12 Aug 2021, 23:16

I think Zia was trying to turn a blind eye to the Baxter's actions and the similarities the book had to the news reports. I was horrified by the fact she cheated on Bryce because he wasn't all about sex.

oussamaelmajid · Post by **oussamaelmajid** » 13 Aug 2021, 00:35

I honestly think Zia was blinded by the chemicals, that's it, there's nothing but blindness which hijacks her intelligence. Also she developed a certain momentum, hence why she did not stop. Physical momentum govern physical objects, we can draw a similarity in the emotions realm and conclude that there's an emotional momentum which was definitely there and which kept her doing what she was doing.

madai guzman delgado · Post by **madai guzman delgado** » 13 Aug 2021, 09:38

oussamaelmajid wrote: ↑13 Aug 2021, 00:35 I honestly think Zia was blinded by the chemicals, that's it, there's nothing but blindness which hijacks her intelligence. Also she developed a certain momentum, hence why she did not stop. Physical momentum govern physical objects, we can draw a similarity in the emotions realm and conclude that there's an emotional momentum which was definitely there and which kept her doing what she was doing.

This is such a great point I couldn't articulate myself! How could she see these red flags as what they were when her own interactions have been nothing but pleasant and validating? I think the reader would have gotten a better sense of this momentum if we had seen Zia's text messages with Bax.

_Maduike · Post by **_Maduike** » 14 Aug 2021, 05:10

I don't think Zia is clueless, she obviously suspects Baxter; she even went as far as hiring a private investigator to look into Baxter. I think she is blinded by lust. She allows her desires overcome her good sense and hence makes some bad decisions.

Post by **Eunice Geres** » 15 Aug 2021, 03:04

I've never thought of it this way. I find the theory being blinded by lust as a interesting way to look at it. But as I think deeply, I can see your point and I'm actually swayed to believe it lol

DTamara · Post by **DTamara** » 17 Aug 2021, 06:02

SarahJean7 wrote: ↑11 Aug 2021, 14:53 I had a hard time believing that Zia would continue to be with Baxter after all the truly strange coincidences she was discovering about her new lover and the series he was writing. Was she really that dim when it came to seeing him for who he was or did lust make her oblivious?

She did it because she knew that if she doesn't entertain him so to speak, he will decide to end her life. It was a no-choice situation, in which she also had to act. When she discovered the key fact, talking with Jazz, she believed it quickly enough. And before she was sure, I suppose you could say she was being naive. It did come quite easily to her though, knowing all those horrible things, it was hard to believe she can keep going with the charade and even enjoy it at some points.

Sara chhawniwala · Post by **Sara chhawniwala** » 17 Aug 2021, 08:25

For me zia is not clueless. She ignores the coincidences willingly. She is blinded by both love and lust, which i think comes together. So even after knowing that something is strange with her new lover, she continues to take the risk because for her the risk is not as important as love.

Raquel Sojo · Post by **Raquel Sojo** » 19 Aug 2021, 00:11

I think Zia is totally blinded by lust. Honestly, there were a lot of alerts about Bax, and the only way I see it possible for her to let them go is if she was totally enchanted by him.

Raquel Sojo · Post by **Raquel Sojo** » 19 Aug 2021, 00:22

6eyed wrote: ↑12 Aug 2021, 19:10 I felt some frustration at the author for never showing us what was in Baxter's book. I couldn't tell if Zia was being clueless when she watches the news because the author never gives us any excerpts of the book series OR shows us any of Zia and Baxter's texts before they meet. I wouldn't trust Baxter because he gave me loads of red flags, but I sure wish the author would have given us the tools to put ourselves in Zia's shoes. The way the story is written makes it feel like Bax and Zia's relationship is inevitable, and makes the reader either feel like Zia is clueless or like they're missing a part of the story that should have been shared with the reader.

I couldn't say, while reading, if Zia was clueless, but I will say the author does a pretty good job at writing her circumstances to make her cheating a bit sympathetic. She felt undesired by her boyfriend and since she had only talked to her potential lover online, it makes that she'd be willing to overlook the red flags.

This is another reason why I think she was totally blinded. Come on, I don't think clueless, but confident I'm sure she was, and being in an intense relationship, she didn't see anything negative in him at the time.