I can't believe it's already week 3 of this blog tour! This will be the last week I host on my own blog, so next week I'll be handing the torch over to Lauren from The Bookworm Corner! She'll be sharing everything about Charleigh McAfee from Ninety Degrees! I'll still be sharing a few special things on my social media accounts, so don't forget about me completely!
As for this week, we're talking about Carter. Yes, the younger brother of Jade Walbridge that we all love to hate. There had to be at least one character in the Small Circles books to raise negative emotions, right? Carter isn't necessarily the antagonist of the story, but he's most certainly annoying as hell. There are plenty of reasons why Carter sucks, and I'll have an entire week to dive into them, but for now let's start with who this Walbridge is...
When I created Carter, he was merely mentioned in Small Circles. It is narratively noted that Jade's brother is a typical teenage boy that loves video games and arguing with his sister. I also explained why they attend different schools. Both Jade and Carter were given the option to attend boarding school starting in ninth grade, and they both said no. Incidentally, Jade's decision changes a year later. This is after private pictures of Jade are leaked around their high school, creating an uncomfortable environment for her and Carter. She chooses to take the opportunity her parents gave her and leaves for Chattanooga to start her sophomore year at Foster and Allan Academy.
Carter does not want to go to boarding school. I explain in Three Sixty that he doesn't want to abandon the kingdom he's built for himself. By his senior year, Carter and his best friend have risen all the way to the top of the food chain. Teachers adore them. Students worship them. There's a bit more than popularity to it, but more of that is explained in the books.
The biggest part of Carter that I wanted to touch on today is his relationship with Jade. Unlike the Ashbys, Jade and Carter Walbridge do not have a storybook connection. They don't get along at all, and sibling rivalry is not only to blame. In Infinite Limits, the reader will find out how Jade's mishap her freshman year affected Carter. The rumors about her did more than just damage Jade's self-esteem. Carter's image was also tattered, as well as one of Jade's closest friends at the time. We'll meet her in the final book.
Back to the Ashbys.
I portrayed Larson and Audrina as being more like best friends than siblings. They share everything with one another. They confide in each other on their struggles and their fears. They know all the details about each other's love and hate. It's a closeness that Jade and Carter do not share. I really enjoyed writing those two contrasting relationships. It was enlightening to see two families that are very similar in many ways still be so incredibly different. Money is still a major factor when defining who these people are and what they can accomplish in the world, but what's interesting is seeing how it rounds them in different ways. Both the Ashbys and the Walbridges have good and bad qualities, and this makes for the perfect compare/contrast situation.
**SPOILER ALERT FOR THREE SIXTY**
When Carter and Audrina have their run-in in Three Sixty, it's almost as if these two worlds collide. Carter's life back home - one we find out he actually wants to escape from - is suddenly right in front of him. Audrina reminds Carter of exactly the thing he's trying to rid himself of. What is that exactly? I'll share more in tomorrow's post!
I won't be online until tomorrow evening, so don't be alarmed if the post doesn't show up until then. Throughout this week, I'll share everything I know about Carter and Audrina, Carter's toxic personality, and what the future holds for him.
Thanks for reading!
-Megan.
No comments:
Post a Comment