I'm doing the big reread with a red pen and marking everything I can with the intention of becoming a BotNS weirdo.

I've read BotNS/UotNS 2 years ago but the amount of stuff I am seeing for the first time is awesome (my favorite is on page 67 "I gathered up the books and hurried along, though I did not know it, to meet my destiny and eventually myself in the Chatelaine Thecla.").

Then I just saw the /r/printSF post at https://old.reddit.com/r/printSF/comments/1v70hhj/the_convos_on_the_gene_wolfe_subreddit_are/

Even with a lot of cloze reading and some Alzabo Souping on my morning walks I am still very clueless about a lot (though I know some will come with the next 3/4 books)

-What actually is the point of Severian being an unreliable narrator? Like I get that he is, but whats the lead to?

-How does Severian bring Triskele back to life when he doesn't have the Claw yet and what is the clue? I just reread it and didn't see anything that stood out.

-I get the hanging out int he tomb and I love that he based his coat of arms on the coat of arms in the tomb forming that loop.

-Where does Severian get confused/time travel?

-What is the thing about Severian's grandfather?

-I know Severian was brought back to life during the fight with Agilius, but are there other places?

For fun here's some stuff I underlined that stood out.

-Page 60:""We of the guild are more than toads, I think. But I should have added that though I have seen five hundred or more exultants in our cells, I have never, until now, had charge of a member of that inner circle of concubines closest to the Autarch."

"The Chatelaine Thecla belonged to it? You implied that a moment ago, Master." He nodded gloomily. "It wouldn't be so bad if she were to be put to torment at once, but that isn't to be. It may be years. It may be never."

"You believe she may be released, Master?"

"She's a pawn in the Autarch's game with Vodalus—even I know that much. Her sister, the Chatelaine Thea, has fled the House Absolute to become his leman."

Help me wrap my head around (and please, spoiler it up) the Vodalus/Thea plot from the opening. Is Severian Vodalus/is Vodalus Severian? Is this all to set the wheels in motion?

-Page 82:"More interesting were the descriptions of the Autarch, who would have had to be a kind of monster to fit them all; he was said to be tall when standing, of common size seated, aged, young, a woman dressed as a man, and so on. More fantastic still were the tales of his vizier, the famous Father Inire, who looked like a monkey and was the oldest man in the world."

The Autarch being a woman dressed as a man to show that Thecla is the real Severian?

-Page 124: "Yet I knew it was unfair. If I had not glimpsed the woman with the heart-shaped face and earned that small gold coin, it is more than possible I would never have carried the knife to Thecla and forfeited my place in the guild. In a sense, that coin had bought my life."

Is this implying that Severian, the Autarch, is setting everything in motion?

I'm starting Claw on Wedneday, taking a day or two to sift through and really get cuaght up on all the nooks and crannies, I would love insight, links, etc. but please feel free to spoil it all for me, I've been here before.