I've seen increasing buzz around here about Howl's Moving Castle (book). I think you all deserve to know that all of Diana Wynne Jones's books are filled with characters and plots that are absolutely as delightful and unhinged as that one.
Some Actual Plots include:
Dogsbody - The star Sirius is accused of murder and sentenced to exile on Earth in the body of a dog until he finds a magical item called a Zoi. He's adopted by a young Irish girl living with her abusive and neglectful English relatives. He has to balance his desire to find the Zoi with needing to be a Good Dog for the girl who takes care of him. Also the Wild Hunt is there.
Hexwood - A girl finds a magical wood behind her house where she meets a wizard who thinks he's a convict of the intergalactic government, a boy created by the man to destroy said government, and a robot found in a junk heap. The magic wood is actually an alternate reality being generated by an AI who has a grudge to settle with the head of said government. The book is about abuse, PTSD, and trauma.
The Dark Lord of Derkholm - Magical world is being destroyed by a company using it as an isekai amusement park for people from another dimension. Bio-wizard is appointed Dark Lord for the year, and he and his family (four of whom are bioengineered griffins) have to find a way to survive the season while everything is going wrong.
Deep Secret - Interdimensional detective/diplomat/wizard needs to find a replacement for his deceased mentor. He does so at a fantasy convention, while trying to keep an interdimensional empire from collapsing into civil war after the emperor is assassinated along with all of his heirs.
She's an absolute master at weaving fantasy elements into the mundane world and writing from the PoV of kids. Her books are funny, clever, and full of delightful characters. I'm begging you all to check them out.
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Lovebrush Chronicles: Tarot Cards
So, me and a few others on the Lovebrush Chronicles Discord server were talking about tarot cards, and which ones would fit the main characters best. A huge thank you to the Lars and Clarence fans for spitballing ideas with me for them! Now, the alternate versions of the characters would have different tarots than their modern versions, so for the sake of this post, I'll be focusing on their modern versions, and the general ideas behind all of their alternate selves.
Ayn Alwyn: Death
UPRIGHT: end of cycle, beginnings, change, metamorphosis REVERSED: fear of change, holding on, stagnation, decay
There are three tarot cards that deal with the idea of change. The one I felt fit Ayn the most was the Death tarot. Ayn finds it hard to let go of his past - all versions of him. So, while Ayn is often forced into life changing situations, it's at a great expense. He has to let go of his past, his walls, and his routine to move on.
Alkaid McGrath: The Fool
UPRIGHT: beginnings, innocence, spontaneity, a free spirit
REVERSED: holding back, recklessness, risk-taking
Alkaid also has one of the tarot cards representative of change: The Fool. While the other cards signify great difficulty or strife in achieving this change, The Fool tells of someone who willingly jumps head first into the unknown with an open mind. Alkaid yearns to see the world, and to push his limits, even at great risk.
Lars Rorschach: The Sun
UPRIGHT: joy, success, celebration, positivity
REVERSED: negativity, depression, sadness
The Sun tarot is one of connecting with your inner child. It is one of optimism and positivity. Lars is a character who has worked long and hard to get where he's at. He's never had the chance to let loose and be himself until finding success. While he is a realist who is well aware of the bad in the world, he finds joy in the little things he never got to do in his youth.
Clarence Clayden: The Hierophant
UPRIGHT: tradition, conformity, morality, ethics
REVERSED: rebellion, subversiveness, new approaches
The Hierophant represents an established set of rules and values. As a law student, Clarence seeks to use these established systems to one day make the world a better place. However, not all good can be achieved under these restrictions. Clarence is willing to go against the grain if he believes it is for a good cause.
Cael Anselm: The Moon
UPRIGHT: unconscious, illusions, intuition
REVERSED: confusion, fear, repressed emotion
While The High Priestess is a card of spiritual enlightenment, The Moon is a card of emotional enlightenment. It is also a card of illusion. Cael is initially an incredibly deceptive character; he is not what he seems. Likewise, the same could be said for his emotions as he navigates his repressed feelings for the Little Painter.
Little Painter: The Hermit
UPRIGHT: contemplation, search for truth, inner guidance REVERSED: loneliness, isolation, lost your way
And finally, we get to our main character, the Little Painter. The Hermit indicates a search for answers; The Little Painter discovers a lot about herself and her past, as well as the nature of the universe and her role in it. She seeks the truth in each world, despite the loneliness her knowledge and position impose upon her.
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hello hello hellooooo odd question but i wanted to know if reading all 136(?) issues of the 2016 batman run to catch up is worth it. ive been into dc (specifically batfam) comics for a year now but i realize i never have read a batman centered comic yet and i really want to but like i said there are over A Hundred issues and i’m so behind 😭😭 i think i rmbr you keeping up with it so i’m just wondering if you have any advice if there’s certain issues i can skip or if it’s better to just read the whole thing.
to be clear i don’t mind reading all of it if it’s necessary, but i just wanted your opinion to see if there are certain storylines or issues to skip so i can catch up faster !! sorry for the long ask 😵💫
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hello friend !! it is NOT necessary to read all 136 issues of Batman (2016) at all to enjoy the current batman canon !!
RECOMMENDED READING; Batman: Cold Days (#51-53), Batman: City of Bane (#75-85), Batman: Joker War (#95-100), Batman: Fearstate (#112-117), Batman: Failsafe (#125-ongoing)
NOT RECOMMENDED: literally the first five stories 😭 (#1-#32) and most other things written by Tom King (issues before #86).
-> Tom King did this thing where he pretty much made his own version of Batman that he used for Rebirth, and then when James Tynion IV took over (from #86) he definitely brought it back to a more familiar (New-52) Batman. Currently, Chip Zdarsky (starting at #125) is probably the best Batman writer we've had in a long time.
though, if you want batman centric comics, i would personally recommend checking out Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight! there are 214 issues (A LOT i know). i can't say too much since my summer reading goal is to get through it all and i'm only on #20, but i LOVE it so far! it features one of my all time favourite batman stories, Batman: Venom (#16-20). the best part about this is that it's short stories that are not connected to each other, so flick through and pick whichever one interests you!
I'M sorry for the long response, but i hope this was useful! just remember, the great thing about batman is, none of his writers know whats going on with him either. you can skip or read whatever you want and i guarantee you'll catch up to the current issue in no time! <3
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