Parts 3 & 4 are both a bit short, so we'll discuss them together here -

I love how through each of Grania's relationships with men we see her grow as a person and as a leader/person of power.  Her use of her marriage to Iron Richard to gain power is no different than anything a man would have done in those days.  And the same with her involvement with Philip.  The only thing that bothered me about Grania is that I felt she became so calculating and cold that she was losing the good things she had learned from Huw. 

I finished section 4 on my lunch break. 

Michelle - I agree on Grania losing some of what she had gained from Huw.  What I'm wondering, is what really motivates Grania to be so resistive to the English.  She never really seems to care so much about the Irish people as a whole.  She claims to have worked so hard to achieve what she has and to be working so hard to hold it for her children, but I wonder.  I'm sure she loves her children and feels guilt for missing out on her older three's childhood.  She may love them, but I don't know that she really likes any of her first three children.  She appears to be dissatisfied with them all and not inclined to give them much in terms of guidance or advice.  As much as she was against fosterage for Tibbot, it seems she does place him in other families' care when it suits her.  Didn't they have nannies in those days?  Couldn't Tibbot stay at home in Rockfleet or wherever Grania is staying with a servant to watch over him?  That way he'd always be home, as close to Grania as possible and she'd have more control over his life and the influences on him.  I think a big amount of Grania's motivation comes from her own ego.  LOL!  Or am I being unfair?  I'm sure it's a combination of many things that drive her.  She certainly is clever. 

I finished this section last evening- I agree Grania is certainly clever.  She is not always very likeable though.  It is interesting that her concern is more for herself, her family, her clan.  There is really no sense of greater good for the nation as Shelley stated.

Cheryl - I think Grania's outlook changes a bit in the next section when she goes through some more things and actually sees first-hand the devestation the English occupation of Ireland has caused her land and her people as far as her motivation for being against the English, although to the end, I think Grania is very much about Grania.  LOL!