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reginarubie · 2 years

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La calza della Befana (Hang your stocking for the Hag) ~ will she bring you coal or candies?

Here you can find some sort of list for my most-read posts and my metas, to navigate this blog better if you wish!

But first of all:

STOP THE WAR, WHICHEVER WAR, WHEREVER IT'S FOUGHT. JUST STOP IT!

Metas ~ and relative asks

Keep in mind that some of them easily fit in more than one category but to avoid confusion I've not repeated them unless they were an ask which gave birth to a new category (like in the case of Mirri analysis).

Neutral

This category contains metas (and asks) which are conducted without shipping glasses or with as less favouritism as possible for those characters I like more than others as I try to keep an objective mind over events, characters and foreshadowings.

A juxtaposition of queens

This category contains metas (and asks) about the queens of asoiaf (Cersei, Margaery, Sansa, Daenerys) and it confronts them in several posts (sometimes all of them; sometimes only putting one against the others as they are used as political and moral rivals).

Sansa's defence and love

This category is a self-indulgent, love filled declaration for my favourite character in the whole asoiaf series, Sansa Stark (might not be your cup of tea if you hate her, but might be exactly what you are searching for if you'd like to read some love for our favourite gal without being an apologists of those — very few — mistakes she's made).

Jonsa foreshadowing

This category contains metas and posts and asks about the ship Jon Snow/Sansa Stark and its foreshadowings (thought better meta writers have written entire encyclopaedias about them, who are a treat to read!) throughout the books. Steer clear if you mislike this ship.

Dark Daenerys

This category encapsulates the foreshadowings and the proofs, in my opinion, of the dark Daenerys theory and of how her character is not as good and pious as the POV trap would have us believe.

Character analysis (asks and on my own)

A category filled with analysis (on my own or sparked by some asks) about the characters of the world of asoiaf. It contains also the sub-series Women of “A song of Ice and Fire” which focuses on less studied and cared for female characters of the world of asoiaf (some of them are still to be written and can be found in the “cooking in the pot” category down below) though for now we have Mirri Maz Duur, Lollys Stockeworth and Tysha Silverfist and Shella Whent and how they are linked to some main characters from the serie.

RS: characters back from the dead

A series analysing the characters of asoiaf who have been resurrected outright and those have been resurrected in a much subtle way and those who apparently are resurrected but actually might not be.

Cooking in the pot...

Sansa' empathy and courage (book canon) a series in two or three parts (still to be defined) about Sansa' empathy and courage.

Overlooked and interesting women of thrones (book canon) a series of posts and character analysis about the overlooked women of asoiaf (Mirri Maz Duur is the first of them, here; we'll be covering Lady Merryweather, Ellaria Sand and how dirty they played her in the show, Eroeh and Hazzea why Daenerys is forgetting them, Irri and Jihqui and Missandei, Myranda Royce & Mya Stone replacements for Jeyne Poole?, I might do a meta about Jeyne P. but I might wait a little bit to see if Winds gets published, Jeyne Westerling and her tragic love for Robb; and many more to come — also requested)

Arya and Samael, venom of (the) God(s) — if Azōr Ahaī is not a dark hero, or if he has a double face like Samael/Lucifer both faces of the same person but core different, spurned by the series of metas about the dark Azōr Ahaī and Daenerys biblical parallels.

Azōr Ahaī, different figures inspired by the same story?, what we know of him and the various legends born maybe of the same person and his/her legend (the last hero, the woman with the monkey tail, etcetera) why the differences might mean something for the ending.

Sansa' method of ruling (book and show canon) what she has learned and how it influences her ruling style; titled If I ever am queen, I'll make them love me.

How the Daenerys' upbringing has led her to be THE dragon (book and show canon), why her trauma explains her behaviour and may make us feel sympathy for the girl who wanted the house with the big, red door; but how it doesn't justify her actions, titled Why do the Gods make kings and queens?, dragons plant no trees.

Cersei Lannister vs Sansa Stark (book canon), their relationship and an analysis of their different mindset and ruling style (internalised misogyny vs feminism, privileged but hateful vs privileged but loving — fear vs love), titled Lions and Little doves (the dove is a sacred, holy symbol in the Bible, btw)

The Italian commedia dell'arte metas, a series of metas hinging on Sansa Stark and Jon Snow as their imo commedia dell'arte counterparts; a series composed (for now) of three parts (I might add to it): Sansa and La Colombina (Little Dove) a meta about the character of the Colombina, one of the most beloved characters of the Venice carnival; Jon Snow and Harlequin & Pierrot two heroes combined together to make Jon Snow, the romantic hero/fool and the somber, melancholic hero; Sansa Stark and Jon Snow, la Colombina and Arlecchino & Pierrot the loyal/disloyal servants (of their people interests) and romantic heroes.

Prompts

Here's the prompts I get.

Two students, just chillin' in a library, two feet apart, because they're both stubborn ft. Dandelions by Ruth B. , Dandelions in between pages.

Literally Anything Involving The Game Assassins, of the various quotes you've sent I've chosen three to get into the text: «You have me as a target, DID YOU JUST JUMP OUT OF A MOVING VEHICLE, ARE YOU INSANE?»; «I think the guy who has me as a target is in the student union, hey random person, can you pretend to be my partner and then break up with me so he feels bad and won't tag me», «I have you as a target but stalking you has made me fall in love with you», We were screaming in color.

Jon and Sansa do end up together, but same as Jon, Sansa has a few not tragical or abusing experiences in her lifetime before him too, for this lovely prompt: I guess you look happier [In another's arms]

Jon and Sansa do end up together, but— let’s see them through their exes’ eyes, a second installment for the lovely prompt of which above: All I know [I got addicted to a loosing game]

Wolf

Jon and Sansa do end up together, but — let's see them through their exes' eyes, the third installment for the lovely prompt of which above: It's time to face the truth [I'll never be with you]

The Jonsa Hag watches HotD

HotD 1x01 -> how did it turn from a “celebratory show” of the Targs and Daenerys in particular to an endless foreshadowing of why Daenerys was not meant to be queen in ten minutes of episode (plus many, many foreshadowing pertaining Jon Snow and/or fAegon)

The Jonsa Hag's brutally honest opinions

Part I (Jonarya)

Part II (Jonsa, Tommy/Grace, Aemond/Mera, Adam/Belle)

Part III (Sansaery, Daensa, Jonerys, Daenerys/Missandei, Rhaegar/Lyanna, NedCat, Ned/Ashara Dayne, Jaime/Cersei, Jaime/Brienne, Tyrion/Tysha; Merlin/Arthur, Arthur/Morgana, Arthur/Gwen, Gwen/Lancelot, Gwen/Leon, Steve/Nancy, Nancy/Jonathan, El/Mike, El/Will, Will/Mike, Steve/Robin, Robin/Nancy, Crissy/Eddie, Joyce/Jim)

Part IV (Sansaery another angle)

Part V (Viserys/Aemma)

Part VI (a bunch of HotD ships)

Part VII (Corlys/Rhaenys)

Part VIII (stop the Ned Stark slander)

Part IX (addition to the brutally honest opinions on Aemma/Viserys, Alicent/Viserys and the parallels with Rhaegar + Corlys and Rhaenys)

Fanfictions ~ sneak peeks, chapters update posts, guidelines

Empress of the World

Read it here on ao3 (wip, chapters no. 12)

Introduction and presentation of the fic, Empress of the World.

sneak peeks and chapter updates i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, ix, x, xi, xii, xiii

art for the story (a gentle courtesy by @gingerdsnapped) part I and part II

world building part I — Westeros

world building part II — Empire of Valyria of Old, part I: history and legend

world building part III — Empire of Valyria of Old, part III: society, faith, law and customs

world building part IV — the court of Jaehaerys and Sansa part I

Soulbonded

Read it here on ao3 (wip, chapters no. 62)

Introduction and presentation (please, avoid the reblogs, it was a very sterile discussion about tags and unnecessary hate being hurled around like none business), Yn gaeth i'w enaid - Soulbonded

sneak peeks and chapter updates i, ii, iii,

guideline to the world, law and rules of soul marks in «Soulbonded», Law and differences

Dieb an youst (Wind of Ice)

Read it here on ao3 (wip, chapter no. 34)

Introduction and presentation, Dieb an youst (Wind of Ice)

sneak peeks i, ii

chapter updates and the Rebellion's factions, the Yellow Faction, the Silver faction, The Crown's faction, the Rebels

Like wolves in the darkness

Read it here on ao3 (wip, chapter no. 15); a canon-compliant (book canon) story which starts where we were left (tho I will cut out some parts or characters because otherwise I'd be writing the novel in GRRM' place and I'd do a poor job of it, tho Jonsa would be canon)

sneak peeks i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii viii, ix, x, xi, xii

how I imagine the Starklings for this book canon fanfiction, art

Other fics you can read on my ao3 profile

I have several other stories (but I update them less frequently) you can find them here. We span from gender-bend, Merlin, asoiaf, The Hobbit and Narnia fandom to historical and modern AUs with many ships (you can find either requested fics or fics born of my own mind alone).

(I had implemented a list of them, but alas, the links were getting too many on this post — I might do another and link it down here, meanwhile, if you are interested, simply go to my ao3 page linked above and you'll find them all).

#hang your stocking to the Hag

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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Midnight Mass Ending Explained

https://ift.tt/39I2zkp

This article contains spoilers for Midnight Mass.

Ending a horror story is hard.

Perhaps no one knows that better than Mike Flanagan, the writer-director behind horror hits like Doctor Sleep, The Haunting of Hill House, and The Haunting of Bly Manor. After observing the occasional less-than-enthusiastic reaction to the endings of some of his other projects, Flanagan decided to end his latest, Netflix series Midnight Mass, on his own terms.

“I didn’t want to come up with an ending that I thought would please people,” Flanagan told Den of Geek and other outlets prior to Midnight Mass’s premiere. “I wanted to come up with the ending that would have the most to say down the line.”

So what, exactly, does the ending of Midnight Mass have to say? Let’s explain just what goes down in the conclusion of Midnight Mass and assess what it all means.

What’s Up with Mildred Gunning and John Pruitt?

Monsignor John Pruitt a.k.a. Father Paul (Hamish Linklater) was, by all indications, a good Christian man.

“The thing we kept coming back to is that authentically, through-and-through evil people are very rare. We’re all way more complicated. The humanity of Father Paul was something that was baked in relatively early,” Flanagan says.

Though Pruitt is not a bad man, per se, he is a deeply flawed one. A long time ago, before the “war” (probably World War II or The Korean War), Pruitt hooked up with the married Mildred Gunning and fathered their daughter Sarah Gunning out of wedlock. That is obviously a big no-no for a priest and Pruitt lived with the guilt of denying his daughter for decades.

Pruitt finally got a chance to alleviate that guilt when he came across a curious creature in Damascus. In this fictional universe where the concept of a vampire is clearly not well known, John Pruitt made the understandable mistake of confusing a monstrous vampire for an equally monstrous angel. After all, the angels of the bible are so visually terrifying that they make a habit of telling those they visit “be not afraid.”

Pruitt thought this angel had granted him the gift of eternal life, just like the Bible promises. He then decides to share that gift with his congregation. The priest’s major sin here though is pride. He didn’t share the angel’s gift with his congregation out of pure benevolence. He did it because he wanted many more years of life in his prime with Mildred and Sarah at his side. Catholicism means everything to Pruitt. And yet, he would cast it all aside for another chance to have the family he wanted.

“If you showed up and asked me, I would have taken this collar off and gone with you. Gone with you anywhere in the world,” Pruitt tells Mildred after she’s been vampirified.

That’s a touching sentiment from the artist formerly known as Father Paul but it’s unfortunately a destructive one.

“When it became clear that Paul could do bad things with pure motives, the show came into clearer focus. There’s only one character in the whole show who I think is evil and it’s not Father Paul,” Flanagan says.

Only one character who is evil? Who could Flanagan be referr….ohhh.

What Were the Vampires’ Plans?

Flanagan actually never confirms which character he sees as evil, but Bev Keane (Samantha Sloyan) seems to be the best fit…unless we count the angel, and he just seems to be a hungry, growing boy.

Bev is, let’s say, a real piece of work. As beautifully depicted by Sloyan, Bev Keane is the officious church lady who can’t keep her nose out of other people’s business. After Mildred talks some sense into John Pruitt, he understands that he and his congregation “are the wolves” and refuses to participate further. That leaves a power vacuum at the top, which Bev is more than happy to step into.

Why Midnight Mass is Mike Flanagan’s Most Personal Work

By Alec Bojalad

Midnight Mass Cast: Previous Credits From Hill House to Bly Manor, Legion & Sherlock

By Louisa Mellor

Now that Bev has a veritable army of superpowered vampires what does she intend to do with them? The same thing that all Bevs want to do: make more Bevs. Bev represents the worst of colonial Christianity and its historical penchant for converting all to its kingdom of heaven…through any means necessary.

When Erin Greene (Kate Siegel) finds out that Bev and friends have merely disabled the boats and not destroyed them, she realizes that their ultimate plan is to eventually take their vampire party to the mainland and create a whole planet of enlightened Christians who just happy to have an insatiable taste for blood and a severe UV-ray allergy.

What Happens to Crockett Island?

Thankfully, Bev’s ultimate goal never comes to pass thanks to the careful plotting of the handful of human beings left in Crockett Island. Erin Greene, Sarah Gunning (Annabeth Gish), Sheriff Hassan (Rahul Kohli), and Annie Flynn (Kirstin Lehman) get to work on finishing the destruction that Bev started.

Ironically, it’s part of Bev’s plan that eventually dooms her and her kind. When one of Bev’s lackeys proposes putting out a fire that the human crew started because the whole island could burn to nothing like in ‘84, Bev’s eyes light up.

“I mean…the church didn’t burn in ‘84,” she says.

Surely this is Revelation. And Revelation means a hale mixed with fire and blood. There will be a flood of fire that ends the world and St. Patrick’s church will be the arc. That’s a great plan and all…as long as something doesn’t happen to the arc.

Welp. Sarah Gunning burns down St. Patrick’s and Sheriff Hassan and Erin Greene (with an assist from Hassan’s son) burn down the rec center. As if burning a church designated as an arc wasn’t symbolically compelling enough, recall that the rec center next to it is equally as symbolic of Bev’s greed. It was Bev who convinced Crockett Island to take the oil company’s money for ruining their island rather than pursuing litigation. And all they got out of that settlement money was that stupid rec center.

With the church and the rec center gone, there are no man-made structures for the vampires to hide from the sun in the coming morning. And that’s how an entire island of 120-ish vampires perishes simultaneously when the sun rises.

Why Do Leeza and Warren Survive?

All of Crockett Island perishes save for two actually. Warren Flynn (Igby Rigney) and Leeza Scarborough (Annarah Cymone) are spared thanks to some quick thinking. Putting the only two remaining non-vampirized children in harm’s way is not an option for Erin, Sarah, Hassan, and Annie. Thankfully, Warren knows of one secret canoe to reach the “Uppards” that Bev’s crew wouldn’t know about.

The canoe doesn’t take Warren and Leeza to the mainland but it does get them away from the carnage to come. The last shot of the series is Warren and Leeza floating peacefully and Leeza announcing that she can no longer feel her legs. This means that the last bit of “angel” blood has likely left her system and with it Pruitt’s vampire legacy is over.

Saving Warren and Leeza has practical, emotional implications for Midnight Mass’s characters but it also has some symbolic ones as well. The concept of witnessing and witnesses themselves are very important in the Bible. As a second-hand text (though purportedly with every word inspired by God) there would be no gospel without witnesses. Good news is only half the battle. Someone to witness and report on the good news is the other half. Now Warren and Leeza can report on the ultimate good news that the world is saved.

The fact that the kids survive while the adults succumb to their own adult nonsense has some major implications for Midnight Mass’s creator

“That last moment of the next generation looking out at the ashes of what the grown ups made – that’s what my kids are gonna get no matter what,” Flanagan says. “That’s what all of our kids are gonna get. I wish it wasn’t as on fire as it it. But it really is. We’re never going to be able to explain adequately to our children what happened to the planet they inherited.”

What Happens to the Angel?

With all of Crockett Island burned to the ground, the world’s vampire nightmare is over, right? Well that depends on how well you think an angel can fly with torn wings. No, that’s not an aphorism or a poem, it’s the real question facing the end of Midnight Mass.

As if saving Warren and Leeza and upending Bev Keane’s plans weren’t enough, Erin leaves one last little gift for humanity before she dies. While the angel attacks her and drinks her sweet, sweet blood, Erin begins systematically, yet carefully cutting holes in its leathery wings. At first the angel is kind of annoyed but his hunger supersedes any level of discomfort or pain he’s feeling.

Later on, while Warren and Leeza watch their home burn they see the angel flying away but in a halted, loopy pattern. The kids aren’t sure if the beast will have time to find shelter before the sun rises. According to Flanagan, if Midnight Mass is a parable (and he assures us it is) then the ultimate lesson of all this isn’t too hard to glean.

“The angel doesn’t represent vampirism or horror but corruption in any belief system,” he says. “It represents fundamentalism and fanaticism. That’s never gonna go away. You might chase it away from your community for a minute. You might send it off to the sunrise and hope that that corrupting ideology will disappear. But it won’t. And the show could never show the angel die for that reason.”

With that in mind, the angel’s flawed flight pattern isn’t so much Inception’s spinning top but rather a promise that evil will find a way. And then we puny human beings will just have to find a way to stop it all over again. If that’s not Biblical then we don’t know what is.

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All seven episodes of Midnight Mass are available to stream on Netflix now.

The post Midnight Mass Ending Explained appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3ERuGMp

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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amphtaminedreams · 4 years

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Farewell to Spooky Season, AHS Style: Lookbook no.12

Hi to anyone reading,

Happy belated Halloween!

I capitalise it because if I'm gonna recognise any day as sacred, it’s the spookiest one of the year! Halloween 2020 obviously hasn’t been as exciting as usual, parties and club nights being banned has meant there’s been far less opportunities to dress up, but I still managed to get out for the night before they announced the upcoming second lockdown and do a couple of spooky movie nights (and carve a pumpkin!)!

I originally intended for this lookbook to be last minute halloween costume inspo but I was lazy and didn’t manage to get it out on time-a lot of these looks minus the makeup and maybe an accessory or two could work on any day or night out so I thought I’d go ahead and post it now anyway. Celebrating the fashion moments of American Horror Story is something I’ve wanted to do for a while; it’s probably not the first show you’d think of for sartorial inspiration but Mr. Ryan Murphy has fucking fantastic taste in stylists and the first five seasons of AHS in particular, which I’ll be focussing on in this post, have given us SO many amazing looks. The man may be guilty of many things-subjecting us to the character of Will Schuester, trying to turn Richard Ramirez into a thirst trap, embarrassing everyone who raved about how good Scream Queens was when he wrote season 2-but costume related laziness is not one of them. We see more consistency in a Ryan Murphy character’s wardrobe than we do in their story arcs and I respect that because honestly, as much as I love joining in when it comes to ripping into his ability to cohesively bring an AHS season to a close when it airs, I’d probably be the same; if you put Lady Gaga in front of me and told me to write her lines I’d probably end up getting overly invested in what her character was going to be wearing in the scene too.

So! Enough Ryan Murphy bashing from me! I’ll get on with it! Starting with 3 season 1 inspired looks:

Murder House: Elizabeth Short, Tate Langdon and Violet Harmon

-striped jumper from caitlinlark on Depop, kick flare jeans from ellagray-

When it comes to reflecting on season 1 of American Horror Story, all I can say do is thank the internet overlords that Tumblr has moved on from the romanticising school shooters and wearing normal people scare me tops phase to instead collectively taking the piss out of the “GO AWAY, TATE!”, “YOU’RE ALL THAT I WANTTT! YOU’RE ALL THAT I HAVEEE!” exchange.

In terms of fashion *moments*, whilst season 1 doesn’t stand out as much as the seasons that come after, Violet and Tate’s wardrobes did give birth to a bit of a 90s grunge renaissance with their oversized knits and faded jeans and layering of textures. It did also give us good costumes in the form of Alexandra Breckenridge’s Moira O’Hara and Mena Suvari’s portrayal of the Black Dahlia, Elizabeth Short; unfortunately, I didn’t have a slutty maid costume lying around so I did the best I could at giving the outfit Elizabeth wears when she makes that fateful visit to the Murder House a modern, more party appropriate update.

In terms of season rankings, Murder House isn’t my favourite. It starts off really great but lulls a bit towards the end and I could never get behind Violet and Tate as a couple because you know, one of them is a school shooter who sexually assaults the other’s mum, and that’s a hurdle that I think most couples might struggle to get over irl. That being said, it was the season that started it all and showcased some of the most innovative writing and directing on TV, and it opened up a spot for horror on primetime television which as far as I know was kind of unheard of before then. Back when I first watched it, I had no idea what to expect not only because I’d never seen horror in a serial format but also because it seemed to be able to get away with the kind of storylines you’d expect network executives to fire people over. It introduced us to Jessica Lange and Sarah Paulson and Evan Peters and Denis O’Hare who would go on to make the show what it is today and more importantly, through Jessica’s glorious portrayal of Constance Langdon, provide us with an endlessly versatile meme format for this trying time.

Asylum: ‘60s Lana Winters, ‘70s Lana Winters, and Sister Mary Eunice McKee

-afghan coat from louisemarcella on Depop, red AA skater dress from julietramage, pink gingham co-ord from zshamim-

I think we can all agree: Asylum would’ve been a perfect series of television if it wasn’t for the completely unnecessary alien storyline. Like, I get that they fit in with the whole good vs. evil theme as a kind of non-biblical alternative to the idea of a higher, all-powerful being but there was already so much going on that it just wasn’t needed. Aside from that, I think the general consensus amongst watchers of the show is that Asylum has the best writing of any season and I think I’d tend to agree. It’s not my favourite because it’s too depressing to rewatch but if we’re talking the first time round, this is the series that had me hooked. Lana Winters?

Iconic.

Sister Mary Eunice? Iconic. The Name Game? Iconic. Remember when you couldn’t go a day on Facebook without seeing that one photo of Naomi Grossman as Pepper used as the go to “what I really look like” photo in one of those “expectation vs. reality” style posts on your newsfeed? Those were simpler times.

Because this season was mostly situated within the hospital, we didn’t get that many proper outfits but when we did, they were stunning; if I had to state my absolute favourite AHS character of the entire show I’d probably go with Lana Winters and the part her wardrobe played in her characterisation would 100% play a part in that. The late 60s/early 70s was such a wonderful period for fashion and through her character we get to see both of those explored a little. Of course there’s also *that* Sister Mary Eunice scene with the red slip dress and suspenders too which yes, could be a perfect halloween costume, but I also strongly believe should be a perfectly acceptable outfit for any day of the year.

Coven: Misty Day, Madison Montgomery, and Zoe Benson

-chiffon dress from rags_to_riches on Depop, pinstripe corset from hanpiercey, and tennis skirt from mollie_morton-

I hate to be a basic bitch but I have to say it: Coven is my favourite season of American Horror Story. Once you get over the complete waste of Evan Peters’ acting capabilities that resulted from the *choice* to have him play Kyle, the unnecessary rehash of the Evan/Taissa pairing from season 1 in what I can only assume was an attempt to capitalise on the popularity of the questionable Tate/Violet relationship, and the subsequent sacrifice of any interesting character arc we could’ve foreseen for Zoe Benson beyond her obsessing over a resurrected, non-verbal frat boy, it’s a perfect season. A supreme (heh) balance of horror, humour, and character drama, as well as the stunning aesthetics and forever quotable dialogue, make it my go-to season if I’m ever considering a rewatch. And if you disagree, let me jog your memory with the most mainstream (not to get all “normal people scare me” and suggest AHS is not a mainstream show, I literally just mean in the sense that even those who have never watched the show will have seen this) reaction GIF set any FX show has even spawned:

Buzzfeed employees had a field day, Emma Roberts enthusiasts (I mean me) finally saw her cemented as the pop culture icon Scream Queens has since showed us she deserves to be (because not enough people have seen Unfabulous, Nancy Drew or Scream 4) and the gays everywhere rejoiced at the year’s worth of meme fodder they’d been provided with. It was Madison Montgomery’s world and we were truly just living in it.

And the fashion! I mean, Stevie Nicks meets 21st century teenage witches! Come on!

Freakshow: Dandy Mott, Maggie Esmerelda and Elsa Mars

-olive green satin skirt from morganogle on Depop, headscarf from tonijordan, platform sandals from elliefewt, PVC skirt from bethpin_, corset top from sadieflinter, beret from house_of_erotique, flame detail platform boots from mad_rags_vintage-

When people talk about the declining quality of AHS, they usually point to Freakshow as the beginning of the end, but I have to completely disagree. I wasn’t a fan the first time round but on rewatch it’s probably the most emotional season of them all; no, there aren’t as many “horrifying” moments as in other seasons and Elsa is probably Jessica’s worst performance (which is still an incredible one by anybody else’s standards), however it makes up for it with the most sympathetic bunch of characters yet, and on the flip side, also one of the most amusingly depraved with Finn Wittrock’s Dandy Mott. Fans usually argue that the season went downhill once *SPOILER* Twisty the Clown was killed off but for me, he really primarily served as the catalyst for the far more interesting devolution of Dandy, who, imo, is the show’s strongest villain to date, rivalled only by Bloody Face. Then there was the episode Orphans too which made me cry buckets, the sole AHS episode to do so.

We got a lot of great fashion content in this season too: the theatrical opulence of Elsa Mars’ wardrobe, “Maggie”’s nomadic fortune teller costumes, and all those twee suits we saw Finn Wittrock in. Highly underrated if you ask me. It seems an odd choice for me to use Elsa’s Dominatrix look as an inspiration for one of my looks here when we have that Life on Mars performance outfit and all the extravagant robes Jessica got to waltz around in for reference buuuut I didn’t really have anything to do the vibrancy of either of those justice so I went with the black leather option which is much more me. Am I saying I moonlight as a dominatrix? Maybe. Lol, no. I wish. It’s not for lack of trying. WHERE ARE ALL THE GENUINE TWITTER PAYPIGS AT!? Your girl wants to insult creepy men and get some new clothes out of it xoxo

Hotel: Hypodermic Sally, Liz Taylor, and The Countess

-silk white bralet from xlibby_maix on Depop-

Hotel is another season that I liked a lottttt more upon rewatch, once I knew I was okay to tune out the (completely predictable and utterly nonsensical) Ten Commandments Killer storyline that so much of the season initially seems to hinge on. I love Chloë Sevigny but the fact that her and Wes Bentley’s wooden John and Alex Lowe are positioned as the protagonists at the expense of the far more interesting Liz Taylor, James March and Hypodermic Sally really does a disservice to what is an otherwise great season upon initial viewing.

The visuals this season are magnificent and I think if I had to pick one character’s wardrobe to steal from the entire cast of AHS characters, it would be The Countess (a toss up between her and Misty Day tbh, so I kinda just settle for low-key channelling both). No fucking idea where I'd wear any of her clothes to but I’d make it work. Liz Taylor and Hypodermic Sally have some amazing looks too-there’s just honestly so much to choose from; that being said, this post wouldn’t be complete without a specific ode to the vampire goddess Elizabeth Bathory, who is everything I want to be in life minus the murderous qualities:

Everything. EVER-Y-THING. LOOK AT HER!

Lady Gaga is really a fucking goddess isn’t she. And people were claiming before they’d even seen it that she couldn’t act? A patriarchal society doesn’t like women that can do it all. Just saying.

Anyways!

That’s it for now! I hope you enjoyed the post if you did read til the end! Sorry I couldn’t get this out before Halloween, I was typing and Picmonkey-ing madly from 2 in the afternoon on the 31st but I taking fucking forever to get ready and had to abandon all hope of getting it out on the day by 4PM. I’ve got so much content planned and it sucks because a couple of them are lookbooks which now feel completely redundant given we’re heading into a second lockdown, but maybe I should just do it anyway? The grunge inspired moodboard I just did seemed to get a good reception too so I’ve got some more of them planned.

As always, hope everyone is keeping well, and feel free to inbox me with any suggestions, queries or even just to say hi if you need someone to talk to! I check here quite a lot so I should see it. Lots of love to everyone in this time!

Lauren x

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batmanisagatewaydrug · 4 years

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Sorry if this is a weird question. It’s been awhile, but I think it was your blog that once posted about a list of adult books for YA readers? Did you ever finish that? I’ve pretty much read exclusively YA for years, but as an adult, I’d like to start exploring some books that aren’t about teenagers. Thanks! (And if it wasn’t you, then just ignore this.)

not a weird question, pretty normal question. I don’t know if such a book list could ever be finished, exactly, because more books just keep on coming and there are definitely some I will never know about that are no doubt fantastic, but I have posted two rec lists, which I’ll copy paste here for your viewing pleasure:

The Beautiful Ones (Silvia Moreno-Garcia) - absolutely BUCKWILD romance with a dash of telekinesis; nonstop high society drama and misunderstanding from start to finish, happy ending guaranteed. STRONGLY recommend if you, like me, are a basic bitch who enjoys a bit of Pride and Prejudice.

Binti (Nnedi Okorafor) - a math prodigy runs away from Earth to become the first of her people to attend a prestigious university in space, but shit gets real when a crew of hostile jellyfish aliens attack her ship.

Chilling Effect (Valerie Valdes) - a spaceship captain and her crew take on a series of convoluted missions in order to rescue the captain’s sister, who’s been frozen and held for ransom.

The City of Brass (S.A. Chakraborty) - an 18th century conwoman and a mysterious djinn team up to go looking for a legendary hidden city.

The City We Became (N.K. Jemisin) - a scrappy bunch of Chosen Ones have to band together to defend New York City (which is very much alive) from a huge ass monster.

The Empress of Forever (Max Gladstone) - a lady supervillain gets blasted into space and meets an even bigger, planet-destroying evil space empress. literally WHAT is not to like?

The Empress of Salt and Fortune (Nghi Vo) - high fantasy royal drama about a woman making her way to power in the wake of a political marriage that left without friends or allies.

Escaping Exodus (Nicky Drayden) - a space-faring clan are creating their latest spaceship from the insides of a giant monster when absolutely everything goes to shit (as things are wont to do in science fiction stories).

Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars (Kai Cheng Thom) - a trans girl runs away to the big city, where she uses her martial arts skills to team up with other trans woman and form a vigilante gang to defend their own when police look the other way. a fascinating blend of poetry and prose and magical realism.

Finna (Nino Cipri) - two exes working at an IKEA have to team up to save a customer who disappeared through one of those interdimensional portals that all IKEAs have laying around. you know how it is.

Gideon the Ninth (Tamsyn Muir) - come on, you’ve heard about this one. it’s the one with the lesbian space necromancers? yeah, that’s the one. you got it.

In the Vanishers’ Palace (Aliette de Bodard) - a Beauty and the Beast retelling based in science fiction and Vietnamese fantasy, featuring a young woman falling in love with a “beast” who’s actually a motherly dragon after becoming a tutor to the dragon’s two powerful children.

Jade City (Fonda Lee) - urban fantasy gang wars, pitting one magically enhanced family against rivals and a new drug that lets anyone mimic their abilities.

The Library of the Unwritten (A.J. Hackwith) - hell’s librarian gets sent on a quest to find a runaway soul.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Becky Chambers) - aka one of my favorite books ever, essentially slice of life science fiction following an interspecies crew of deep space truckers making the longest and most complicated delivery of their lives. very warm and fuzzy.

Mort (Terry Pratchett) - one of many MANY Discworld books, but a very good one to start with, following the adventures of a boy named Mort after he’s taken on as Death’s apprentice. you know, like the Grim Reaper? that Death.

River of Teeth (Sarah Gailey) - historical AU in which the United States imported and domesticated hippos in the Mississippi River; follows a crew of hippo-riding crooks and hooligans as they plan one heck of a caper.

Space Opera (Catherynne Valente) - a washed up rock star and his old bandmate get roped into performing in an intergalactic singing competition that will determine the fate of the entire planet Earth. full of aliens, attempted assassination, art, and emotional turmoil.

This Is How You Lose the Time War (Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone) - time-travelling assassins from rival factions fall in love in a poetic and breathless story that spans centuries and reality.

Under the Pendulum Sun (Jeannette Ng) - fairyland is real, and Victorian England is sending missionaries. a woman and her brother attempt to bring the good word to the fair folk, but start to suspect the queen might just be screwing with their heads. PEAK gothic horror with a creepy fairy twist.

Witchmark (C.L. Polk) - a doctor and former soldier with magical powers of healing is trying to live a quiet life and avoid his controlling, aristocratic family’s plans for him, only to get tangled up in a massive political conspiracy when one of his patients mysterious dies. accompanying him in his investigation is a mysterious and gorgeous faerie man. romance ensues.

(this second part is a list I made specifically focused on trans authors)

The Black Tides of Heaven (J.Y. Yang) - twins with Powers rebel against their politically powerful mother, hell yeah

The City in the Middle of the Night (Charlie Jane Anders) - dystopia sci-fi where The Government is controlling a city’s passage of time and light. sounds like somebody should overthrow that…

Confessions of the Fox (Jordy Rosenberg) - I haven’t read every book on these lists, including this one, but it’s described as “a mind-bending romp through a gender-fluid, 18th-century London” and I personally would love to read that.

The Deep (Rivers Solomon) - mermaids are descended from women who jumped overboard from African slave ships, and one carries the memories of all their collective trauma. what will happen when she decides to explore the surface?

Docile (K.M. Sparza) - sci-f m/m romance story about autonomy and criticizing capitalism; what’s better than that?

The Future of Another Timeline (Annalee Newitz) - murder! time travel! queer ladies! idk, what else do you need?

Freshwater (Akwake Emezi) - a twisty little story about mental illness and being possessed by a god; magical realism ensues.

The Merry Spinster (Daniel M. Lavery, published under the name Mallory Ortberg) - a collection of short stories drawing inspiration from classic fairy tales, Biblical mythology, and more recent works. the way Lavery reimagines “The Velveteen Rabbit” is one of the creepiest things I’ve ever read, and also one of my favorite short stories.

Ninefox Gambit (Yoon Ha Lee) - you like big ol’ dramatic space operas? I’ve got one for you right here!

#queenofseelie

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juniaships · 3 years

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Vanessa Marble-Whittaker Bio **redux**

I had to delete the old post due to spelling mistakes and to add more info, but here is the official character bio for my AIO OC....possibly the only one in existence 😅 Contains spoilers and subject matter of abuse & postpartum depression; if you're curious you might have to do look into the main story arcs of AIO for easier understanding.

Full Name: Vanessa Crystal Marble Whittaker (nee Marble;)

Age: Unspecified but around late 20s to mid 30s

Birthday: May 15th

Race: African American (with European ancestry on both sides)

Fandom: Adventures in Odyssey

Voice Claim: Cree Summer; Vivica A. Fox is also a good alternate

Character Role: Heroine & love interest/spouse of Jason Whittaker

Items: Cross necklace, Midnight Manor (formerly Blackgaard's Castle)

Relationships

Family: Robienne Marble (mother), Regis Blackgaard (father), Edwin Blackgaard (uncle), Jerry Jr. (son, infant), John Whittaker (father in law), Monty (nephew in law), Jana (sister in Law)

Friends at Whit's End: Whit, Eugene, Connie, Katrina, Angel (pet doberman)

Acquaintances: Nuns, denizens of Odyssey

Love Interest: Her primary love interest and eventual husband is Jason Whittaker. They began as tensse & awkward relationship during the Blackgaard Saga duento their contrasting personalities, before becoming close friends and allies. They do not become completely official until after Novacom. Their relationship is regarded as the bonafide example of "Opposites Attract" in Odyssey.

Enemies: While enemies are far and few, she considers her own father as the major obstacle between her and a peaceful life. She was a major player against Novacom. She had a brief yey tense rivalry with Monica Stone (partly for Jason's affections) but the two made peace at the end.

Appearance

- Average height (say, 5'7)

-Brown skin, light brown eyes, and wavy-curly black hair

-Has an average body type (pear shaped) and seemed to gain a few pounds since giving birth

-Typically were darker shades of purple, blue, with the occasional maroon

-Sense of fashion is put together, professional even if casual

- Still has her nun fatigues

Personality

Vanessa is a composed and reserved lady with a deep connection to God, while respecting other religions (and non religious). While seen as a cold person at first glance, she is actually very kind and open-minded, though she isn't immune to making sardonic comments once in a while. While not really great around kids, she has moments of being supportive. After becoming a mother she is rather clueless, though well-meaning and tries her hardest to be the parent her father wasn't.

One of her biggest obstacle is overcoming her aloof demeanor. She needed to learn to open up to others and to out faith in her new friends. Even now she still has her moments of keeping her true emotions, though she has a wide circle of friends and a spouse to talk to. Vanessa was also ashamed of her Blackgaard blood, though she learns to come to terms with her past in order to create a brighter future for herself and the rest of her family. Sometimes she is prone to feeling inadequate and jealous, especially during brief periods of romantic rivalry.

There is a fierce protective side that comes out when loved ones are threatened, as seen with the Blackgaard and Novacom Sagas. She dislikes staying on the sidelines and does whatever she can to help out. She even broke her vows to protect her mother Robienne when Regis came into town, and later inspired her uncle Edwin to stay and fight her father to help save Odyssey.

While studious snd intelligent, Vanessa is not very tech savvy, naturally preferring traditional mediums such as writing letters and books. While she learns how to use computers and cellphones, don't expect her to be a technophile anytime soon. She expresses curiosity and concerns over the next invention hubby makes.

Abilities

Vanessa can memorize a lot a bible verses which she uses as prayer, or as a quip. She also has taken self defense classes to hold her her own.

- Strengths: In her early years she proved to be surprisingly strong and fast when need be. She can adapt to certain situations and keep her cool. Clever and resourceful, Vanessa often thinks and plans her actions. She can speak three languages (Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese) and plans om studying more.

- Weaknesses: After pregnancy she isn't as physically strong and has to limit herself to recover, and can be overpowered by much stronger foes. Vanessa is not very good at advanced technology, and she is a bad cook (Jason keeps her away from the stove as much as possible).

Backstory Vanessa was the only child of Regis and Robienne Blackgaard. Their marriage had be a short and rocky one marred by neglect, emotional manipulation and mental abuse. Finally, on the guidance of Edwin (Regis's brother) Robienne decided she had enough and divorced Regis when Vanessa was two years old. Robienne moved her daughter to New England to be with family, and the two lived peacefully after that. After graduating high school, Vanessa went to the nunnery and stayed there for a few years, while Robienne moved to the Midwest to pursue a career in teaching.

However Vanessa soon grew discontent, feeling as though she was missing out on normal young adult life. Should she stay as a nun or forge her own path?

She would find clues to her answer in the form of receiving news about her father moving to Odyssey - the same town her mother lived. Fearing for her mother's life, Vanessa requested a temporary break in vows, family business, she had said. Settling in Odyssey (under the surname Newman) she got a job working at Whit's End and as a private tutor.

Following major and minor events including the Blackgaard, Novacom, and Green Ring Conspiracy drama, Jason proposed to Vanessa, and they had a summer wedding (but not before overcoming premarital jitters and a threat from Jason's past). Two years after their union (or as of current Odyssey storyline) they had a little boy named Jerry Jr. (named after Jason's deceased brother). Vanessa continues to work at Whit's End as a curator and artist.

Major Storylines: If she was canon she would've been a major player in some of Odyssey's biggest stories including:

- Blackgaard Saga: Her debut, she came to town to take care of her mother & to confront her father on troubled past. She was hired to work at Whit's End where she met then-owner Jack Allen & the previous owner's son Jason for the first time. The townsfolk were.mesmerized by the seemingly mysterious woman and rumors started to abound. Near the climax, Vanessa revealed to Connie and Eugene that came to Odyssey to protect her mother from Regis. Towards the end of the saga, she, her uncle Edwin, and a few townsfolk helped to set up a trap for her father to save Odyssey.

Novacom Saga: She was a big player in taking down Novacom, using her skills writing letters to raise awareness on Novacom's shady actions. This is where her rivalry with Monica Stone began as Vanessa feelings for Jason turn romantic. After Novacom, she would be involved in more stories.

Green Ring Conspiracy: Following Jason's supposed "death" she briefly left Odyssey in mourning. Her uncle and mother managed to convince her to come back to Odyssey. She was unaware of Jason's secret of being alive and working as the Stiletto, and had several encounters with the Stiletto where the mysterious man left her roses and notes of endearment. The two would later reunite after Jason retuned to town, but Vanessa was angry with him for keeping secrets from her. After a long time (and counsel from Whit) she forgave him, and the two reconciled with the promise of being more open with each other.

Courtship Of Jason & Vanessa: An original storyline where the romance between her and Jason comes full circle, leading to their engagement! If only they could overcome personal inhibitions, a hateful doberman, past rivals and a threat from Jason's spy work!

Junior's Birth & Beyond: A couple of years into their marriage Vanessa became pregnant. She was anxious over multiple scenarios, her growing appetite and mood swings. After her son was born she developed symptoms of postpartum depression and sought medications and therapy. Slowly but surely, her mental health improved, & her anxieties faded away. As of now she has gotten involved with the current Rydell Saga.

Trivia

Vanessa won several awards for her artwork and has them on display everywhere in Odyssey

She is one of my most complex characters, but also one starting to really grow on me mostly out of nostalgia for the series

- Characters that inspired Vanessa's creation are Megara (Disney Hercules), Rei/Sailor Mars (Sailor Moon), Esther (biblical stories), Tzipporah (biblical stories esp. Dreamworks The King of Egypt), Talia Al Ghul, and Elisa Maza (Gargoyles). Other inspos include Maria Von Trapp and Marian Ravenwood.

- Vanessa was made to have a unique female character to contrast Connie and Katrina. Also because I have a soft spot for the Forbidden Love trope (if done right).

- She is the only main character OC of mine that is explicitly religious. She was Catholic and while she converted to Protestant, she still holds on to Catholic values. She is also the only main OC to be a parent as of current.

- Vanessa still visits her old nunnery when she and Jason goes to New England.

- She has bouts of postpartum depression, and takes medication to regulate.

- Her favorite things are the color blue, making her own pigments, and coffee flavored ice cream

Quotes

"Blackgaard already made our lives miserable uncle Edwin! If you leave now you're only giving him more power! You helped mama and I so many times, so it's my turn to return the favor!"

"Connie I'm a nun not a miracle worker."

"If my mother superior saw what I'm doing right now I would've had an early meeting with the Lord!"

"No more secrets. From now on it's just truth and nothing but the truth. Except for my age, don't ask me how old I am."

"Sheesh with all these buttons I'm surprised we didn't destroy Odyssey yet!"

"Jason I know you're worried about the baby but did you have to baby proof the doghouse too?"

"My little Angel! Who's a good girl? Who's a good girl!"

"I can't believe I can still wear this after all these years!?"

"Jason Whittaker you have got to be the most stubborn, reckless, foolhardy man I have ever met, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

"You call it junk I call it avant garde."

"I'm not responsible for my father's sins but I am responsible for mine. But my mother and uncle are in trouble. If not for me then please, do it for them!"

"She doesn't hate you Jason, she hates everyone equally."

"I guess God had a plan in store for me after all. I would've never met such wonderful people."

"Are you going to keep talking or should I start the kissing?"

Pictures

I haven't drawn any references for her yet, so that's going to be on a separate post

#adventures in odyssey #aio radio #blackgaard saga #novacom saga #green ring conspiracy #canon x oc #oc x canon #jason x oc #jason whittaker #oc: vanessa marble #oc bio #adventures in odyssey radio show #aio #i wanna make aio more inclusive and less er 'christian propaganda' i still enjoy the series tho

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dalekofchaos · 5 years

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My Ideas for what they can have Indy search for in Indiana Jones 5

Indiana Jones 5 will eventually come out and since there is no title to indicate what Indy will be searching for, here are some ideas I have that I’d love to see in a Indiana Jones 5!

The Voynich Manuscript. is a 240-page document (though some pages are missing) which is believed to be around 600 years old. Despite years of research and analysis, nobody actually knows what it says. Cryptographers all over the world have been stumped by its mysteries, and its true purpose remains a mystery to this day. Maybe Indiana Jones, genius explorer, could figure out the secret of the Manuscript.We could easily envision Indy's next adventure revolving around deciphering the meaning of the curious text and following its instructions on some kind of ancient treasure hunt, all while being pursued by villains. In this respect, the Manuscript could function like a more esoteric version of Dr. Henry Jones's diary from The Last Crusade, dragging Indy and his allies to a variety of wild places in the search of fortune and glory, while focusing the story and keeping the action moving at a blistering pace.

Holy Lance/the Spear of Destiny/the Spear of Longinus. the Spear of Longinus is said to be the weapon which pierced the dying Jesus of Nazareth as he hung from the cross. According to Christian legend, Longinus is said to have been so moved by the events of the crucifixion that he dedicated the rest of his life to spreading Jesus's teachings, and is today remembered as a Holy Saint. Numerous cities claim to hold the Spear of Longinus today, though such a claim is practically impossible to verify.If there's one (fictional) man who could find a way to prove the legitimacy of any of the so-called Holy Lances, it's Indiana Jones. The man has prior experience with biblical artifacts, having successfully tracked down both the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail. We trust in Indy to recover the spear from... Let's say, satanic occultists, and put it in a museum, where it belongs.

Al Capone‘s Treasure. Al Capone is probably the most famous gangster of all time; during the late 1920s, Capone practically had the whole of Chicago under his thumb. Eventually, he was busted for tax evasion (of all crimes) and sent to Alcatraz prison. He died in 1947. However, years later, secret tunnels belonging to the dead gangster were discovered, including locked vaults, and Geraldo subsequently hosted a two-hour television special dedicated to opening the vault. In the end, however, only a handful of empty moonshine bottles were found.What if Indiana Jones did battle with the mob over Al Capone's treasure, which is the reason why it was empty in 1986? Indy fighting against Mafia hitmen in a big city would be a cool change of pace for the character. Likewise, pursuing a more modern treasure would offer a new take on the classic Indy formula.

Pandora’s Box. Pandora's Box contained all of the evil in the world, as well as hope, which was all humanity was left with to protect themselves after the box was opened. Indiana Jones has surprisingly not explored Greek mythology in the movies, and we think it's time to change that. We'd love to see Indy chase after some secret cabal of evil-doers across scenic Greece in a race to discover Pandora's Box and the power concealed within.Also, Pandora's Box would be a good place for Disney to go if they want to try to evoke the first film in the series, Raiders of the Lost Ark. Both the Ark of the Covenant and Pandora's Box are mysterious chests containing a powerful esoteric force within that can presumably destroy entire armies in an instant. Maybe the movie can even use these similarities to make an attempt to connect the Christian and Greek mythologies.

Excalibur. The mythology of King Arthur and his knights of the round table is universally known in one form or another. From the Disney classic, The Sword in the Stone, to Guy Ritchie's upcoming King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. King Arthur's iconic signature weapon is Excalibur, given to him by the Lady of the Lake; in most versions of the legend, Excalibur is not the same as the Sword in the Stone, contrary to popular belief.We know that Indy is a whip-and-six-shooter kind of guy, but we still would love to see him wield the famous sword of Arthurian legend, perhaps doing battle with evil knights clad in full armor or some other sinister villains who want to seize the blade's power to blind its enemies, and make the wielder immune to damage. Unless they're going up against Daredevil, any army that went up against Excalibur would be useless against its great might. This one definitely "belongs in a museum."

The Fountain Of Youth. Indiana Jones is old. Harrison Ford is 74 years old, and will be 79 when Indy 5 comes out in 2021. What if Indiana Jones discovers the fountain of youth about halfway through Indy 5, and we are treated to a gloriously young and vibrant version of the swashbuckling hero? Maybe the effect will wear off or have some kind of undesirable side-effect, and Indy will have to accept that it's okay to be old, and resolve to make the most of the time he has left. This will satisfy the audience's desire to see a young Indy, as well as tackle the perceived problem of Harrison Ford's advanced age all without having to resort to recasting one of cinema's most adored and respected characters.

The Tower of Babel. Biblical lore suggests that the tower existed during the days of Babylon, but that God mysteriously destroyed the edifice and cursed its erectors. The video game takes this legend one step further; Indy suggests that the Tower may have housed a legendary machine, which the Soviets want to use in order to summon a malevolent deity known as Marduk to Earth. This particular storyline maintains the traditionally biblical nature of the Indy franchise, but cranks the stakes up to eleven by having Indy quite literally prevent an apocalyptic event.

The Knife of Cain. The Knife of Cain is an artifact that appeared in the 1990 novel Young Indiana Jones and the Secret City. Taking inspiration from the legendary story of Cain and Abel from the Old Testament, it’s believed that the knife was used to commit the first recorded act of murder in the history of existence. The Indy story suggests that the knife’s power would reveal itself every time the stars, planets, and moons aligned in the same position as they were when Cain murdered his brother Abel, and that the power endowed by the knife would afford the one in control of it the power to conquer the world. That's a lot of pressure to put on a kid, so an older, more seasoned Indy may have a better chance of winning this time around.

The Labyrinth of the Minotaur. Another entry from Greek mythology, the next installment in the landmark franchise could see our hero lost in a maze, searching for the fabled Minotaur. Having Indy scower the Labyrinth of the Minotaur on the island of Crete could offer the Indiana Jones franchise a refreshing change of pace. Rather than a globetrotting adventure, the entire movie could be restricted to a cat-and-mouse game between our favorite archaeologist and a monster possessing the head of a bull and the body of a man. Using only his wits, the equipment he brings with him, and the thread of Ariadne, Indy would have to navigate the Labyrinth, defeat the Minotaur, and get out alive

Montezuma’s Treasure. Montezuma was an Aztec king that was responsible for major expansion of the Aztec Empire. But then a bunch of Spaniards showed up and started slaughtering the Aztecs, so Montezuma rounded up a bunch of gold and other valuables and sent them north, out the hands of the Spaniards.Fast forward a couple thousand years to 1914, when a prospector named Freddy Crystal would find a stone etching in southern Utah that matched a symbol on a map said to lead to Montezuma’s treasure. This symbol led to the discovery of a vast network of caves, laced with booby traps that claimed the lives of more than a few treasure seekers.Now, the great thing about this treasure is that entire story is verifiably true. And, like the Bermuda Triangle, this treasure fits wonderfully into Indy’s timeline.Last Crusade’s opening scene, as I mentioned before, takes place in 1912, when Indy is just thirteen years old. And where is he living in 1912, and thus likely in 1914 when Freddy Crystal would begin the search for Montezuma’s treasure? That’s right, Moab, Utah, the exact geographical location of Crystal’s search. Surely young Indy would have heard of Crystal’s excavation, and maybe could have even been a part of it. There you go, Disney. There’s half a screenplay for you right there. Indy needs to go on a good, old-fashioned treasure hunt, because, after all, what does he want most in life?Fortune and glory, kid. Fortune and glory.

Atlantis. One of the most well-known and beloved ideas in all of mythology, the lost city of Atlantis is a world that exists at the bottom of the ocean and has informed numerous works across all of pop culture. We’ve seen Indy trek through deserts, jungles, and ruined cities, but we’ve never seen him wholly envelope himself in another world, so this could represent the next major step for the franchise.

#Indiana Jones #Indiana Jones 5 #Harrison Ford

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victoriavmw82 · 3 years

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Da Funk

Since I have been staying at my friend's pad, one of her dogs took a liking to me. It was her sons dog, Sir aka: Rookie Wookie. That dog just loved me to pieces, why I have no clue, he would sit by the door and wait for me, sit infront of the bedroom and lay in the hallway.....hoping I would cave in and let him lay with me. I was tempted to take him out and do a photo shoot and me dress up almost as if I stepped right out of an episode of Star Wars.....the vintage story more like around the time frame of Dryden Vos. I imagining I was the love interest or one of his captives/ assistant. Rookie Wookie even made sounds like Chewbacca which was hilarious. The first time he did it to me it caught me off guard because he had gotten out and typically when dogs get out of they run wild and your forever trying to catch them......this morning it was different he and LG had gotten out. Now LG is a pit mixed,Sir/ Rookie Wookie is a red heeler mix. I believe he is red heeler and spaniel mixed.....but my friend will swear up and down he was a German Shepherd mixed🙄 So Rookie Wookie he did what I call a victory run and then he went to pee. LG followed suit. I walked over to them, LG continued to use the restroom and looked at me as if to say, "Do you mind?!" Rookie Wookie sniffed the grass and as soon as he saw me he ran over making the sound 🤣😂I didn't realize it but if Harrison Ford had been standing there everything that I said and did afterwards, well sounded like I was talking to Chewbacca 😂🤣I was even trying to whisper cuz it was morning🤣😂The dogs listened😮 Surprisingly! I told Wookie it was time to go in and he followed me sniffing everything along the way, LG ran over to me. LG got in the door we had to wait before it was Rookie Wookie's turn he heard the camotion and began to howl looking at me between breaths of howling much like Chewy would😂🤣I realized this in the second round of howling and played the part, laugh out loud. Rookie Wookie knew when I was upset, knew when I was happy and knew when I needed a laugh or was sad. My first night at my friend's I even woke up to him literally sleeping in my lap, almost like he knew I needed a hug, the next night he slept at my foot which is the biggest compliment ever. I find it interesting that it was him that took up with me because I happen to be a HUGE Tom Hiddleston fan, like huge. Tom Hiddleston, apparently has a fur pet, named Buddy I'm not sure if Buddy is a Cocker Spaniel or Red Heeler or a mix of the two but needless to say Sir/ Rookie Wookie looked very similar. This season has been a very weird one since January mainly since March, there are times for me as fan getting ready for the release of Loki and then me as a fan going through all in one season the fandom of Loki;catching up,cuz I spent most of those years in a shelter.......ALL the MCU movies I watched while in the shelter. The whole reason we began was to pull me out of my funk, imagine that, going through something and a friend suggested we start watching the movies and ya know it worked. We for a short while, at least while the Avengers and Thor was doing their thing....we became family, doing what the Avengers would do, pausing to eat together.....me being the Loki at times.....a lot of times actually 🤣😂looking back on it and then turning around and being genius in the kitchen dispite what I was going through and like Dr. Strange rocking it out, being taken out of the kitchen and feeling much like Dr. Strange did afterwards and me like Dr. Strange forced to find higher purpose to heal myself and well getting a result much like Dr.Strange.

I've spent most of this season honestly trying to figure out if I'm to risk everything and try, try to break through at age 38 now 39 with the purpose of trying to see Lady Deadpool come to life on Cinematic screen or if I'm supposed to at age 39 go for it and try to make it as a make-up artist and or hairstylist. I considered risking everything and trying to go for a chance of a lifetime for a series that actually wanted to train those wanting to learn.......the only thing that stopped me was it was in a different country and it's one thing to be homeless close to home but homeless going for your dreams in a foreign place I actually was like.....Ummm if I fail,it's gonna be an epic fail and Well ya!" Although Scotland sounded like a dream hashtag goals and well, I do know a lot of biblical info enough to have the average person left going😲😮Like you stored that away in your brain....what the heck! Why aren't you a scholar or something 😂🤣 So I found out that my buddy that found me parelled his, I just keep wondering if this was a sign. I was not the dogs owner, and yet it listened to me as if I was, almost like he choose me. So I'm still up in the air what I should do honestly, I've been inspired by so much this season it's hard to put it all down and honestly some strange things that have happened that almost make me think I should try. I've been debating on if I should move to New York. Why New York, I haven't got a clue it just keeps coming up. There was a job opening recently that was in New York, I felt it was a job I should have applied for because I could have rocked it out, I let fear get in the way from applying, again being homeless in New York, is not ideal or starting over again.....it's literally sink or swim. Cold winter.....being homeless in the winter sucks ass, just saying. Imagine being up North......No!!!!!! So that was the factor that stopped me that and Pandemic issues in regards to the Delta Varient. However, it does keep coming up, should I try starting over again in another state, would I be more successful? Who knows, in my opinion I think it would be the same, just different people and scenery so to speak but hey I could be wrong. I keep thinking that my life is gonna some how change drastically for the good by moving to New York, like almost as if it was destiny type thing. I don't believe much in destiny but it keeps coming up, the whole New York thing. The shelter systems in a way are even better, the programs and the success rate and resources are better. However I'm not sure if those statistics are based off of women with children if this also includes women without children and women in my age bracket, that also plays a factor believe it or not. Not living there I can already without digging probably guess that shelters are gonna probably be in or near Brooklyn, so to me then there is the factor of how do I get to interviews, jobs, if I do pursue my dreams schooling or classes. Restaurants are probably gonna be on the other side of the bridge then there's the factor of the bridge, during the winter is that something I need to be doing. How long are these programs for time line wise am I looking at a couple of weeks to get a job,save and find something or is it 90 or 180 days or something between those two numbers. What are the other variables. I can tell you all about Texas, TABC, Food handlers, etc but in another state what's it like? Health care, would my situation medically be able to be fixed there through indegent programs or are my chances better here in Texas??? Cuz that has to be taken care of at some point.

My goal if I do this would be to move there, get in a shelter cuz I have nothing, first get my medical issue taken care of then work on what I'm calling physical therapy (losing weight)training down to the size I'm normally at which is an athletic size 12 or 14, while I'm doing that since medical issue is taken care of working and saving, finding a place then from there either going back to school or doing the crazy and attempting to start an acting career or technical backstage career either as makeup artist and hairstylist or just makeup artist and possibly my other strength in tech; props and set building, believe it or not. I already asked my high school drama teacher when I thought I was gonna apply for the Good Omens job opportunity if she'd be willing to write me a letter of recommendation and she hands down was all for it.....soooo I'm not sure. I mean it would be a big risk. I keep having reoccurring dreams were I'm in New York, I'm not sure if it's a sign or if there's something else that is being said to me in my dreams and I'm just focusing too much on the literal. Either way I've been doing a lot of thinking since February 😬.

Back to Rookie Wookie, he passed today. It came as a shock to me. Like I said for whatever reason he was brought into my life even if it was, just for a short while to help me along to the next part of my journey but I must say, my jaw like to have hit the floor that again on the fact that a four legged friend mine was similar to someone I admires fur baby. What is so weird about this is,in my dreams, Sir/Rookie Wookie was there with me in New York, I had asked my friend if he could go with me and she had said yes. We walked a trail together in a park, if that even exist and we would go have coffee together and I'd feed him pieces of apple or frozen green beans🤣😂sounds weird, I know and I even got him certified so he was my service dog, I imagined him a Wookie and me dressed space age😂🤣even the collar. I know I had waaaaay too much dream thought into this and then he'd sit with me head in my lap while I read to him whatever book I was reading or with me enjoying whatever music I was listening to. In my dream we even jogged together. I firmly believe that some animals have a spirit about them, almost as if they are like sent from God to be with you or that they have a human type personality Rookie Wookie was that type of animal and he will be missed greatly.

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musicgoonmail · 3 years

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Lovingkindness

In This Edition

In this week’s edition, I share lessons from my life on how God closes and opens doors, what’s new with my book reviews, and what I’ve been enjoying in entertainment. As always, I point you to all of the new free eBooks I’ve found around the web.

Is there something you want me to write about? You can always get in touch by replying to this email. Thanks for spending your weekend with me here!

God Closes and Opens Doors

Sunday Tapes

Giveaway: A Signed Copy of The Wisdom Pyramid

Book Reviews

More Than a Battle

Free eBooks for February

More Free eBooks for February

Extended Play

Lightning Links

Playlists

Coming Soon

Weekly Review

God Closes and Opens Doors

Jess and I have been working on something big, and while I can’t reveal much right now -- I want to share a story of how God seems to work in our life. It seems that with every closed door, we wait for a bit and it appears that God was preparing us as he opens another door.

One example from our life is how God closed the door for furthering my education, but he later opened a door in providing us a home. And we can see God’s hand in it because the timing, location, and occurrence of events could not have been coincidental. We see God’s providence in every situation and circumstance.

As Christians, I believe we have a Biblical warrant to say that this is true. Joseph’s story is one of suffering and being forgotten, but God later opened doors to save him, his family, and his people. The life of Christ is full of examples of God closing doors for others so that Jesus could open other doors to display his glory. Death was a closed door for Christ until he burst forth to redeem his people. And in the life of Paul we see God closing doors and opening others so the Gospel could be spread in jails, houses, churches, and nations.

To be sure, I’m not saying that you will find open doors immediately when things turn sour. And if you find yourself behind closed doors, I’m not saying that God will always open new ones for you. But what I do believe is that God works all things for the good of those who love him. And I’m here to tell you, when you find yourself in the middle of opened and closed doors, that he is right there with you.

Sunday Tapes

We sang Be Thou My Vision on Sunday, and my friend Angie was awesome leading music with me. Her vocals were soaring, and she displayed her skill and control even with the song at a such a quick tempo.

I also appreciate how she's open to try my arrangement ideas, like the a cappella first chorus and last verse. I'm always blessed and humbled to sing with her. We were both smiling at the end because my son Linus walked right up to the front next to the camera! You can watch the video on YouTube.

For more, you can find the rest of our set which included Sovereign Grace Music's "Turn Your Eyes," Keith Green's "O Lord You're Beautiful," and our original "God is the Strength of My Heart and My Portion Forever. Watch on YouTube.

Giveaway: A Signed Copy of The Wisdom Pyramid

SOLA Network published my review of Brett McCracken’s The Wisdom Pyramid and you can read it on their website. To celebrate the launch of the book, Brett put together a wisdom diet challenge for Lent. Many digital detox programs are mostly about how to rid yourself of screens for a period of time. His challenge is different in that it’s less about what not to do and more about what to do. Read about the Wisdom 40 Challenge on his website.

SOLA Network has a signed copy of the book by author Brett McCracken for a giveaway. In all honesty, there aren’t that many entries, so you have a good chance of getting this one. I would love for one of my newsletter readers to win. Enter on Instagram.

Book Reviews

This week I reviewed 3 books. In More Than a Battle, Joe Rigney shows us how to experience victory, freedom, and healing from lust. In Worshiping with the Reformers, Karin Maag takes us on a tour of what it was really like to go to church during the Reformation. In The Servant of the Lord and His Servant People, Matthew S. Harmon beautifully traces this biblical theme through the canon.

Book Review: More Than a Battle by Joe Rigney

Book Review: Worshiping with the Reformers by Karin Maag

Book Review: The Servant of the Lord and His Servant People by Matthew S. Harmon

More Than a Battle

With the news of more Christian leaders failing to kill their sexual sins, Joe Rigney’s More Than a Battle proved to be a timely read. Writing pointedly, Rigney says that pornography rewires the brain. He also says that explanations are not excuses, and that God can renew our minds, giving us hope.

Throughout the book, Rigney shows the devastation of sexual sin, but he is also ready to state the decided victories available to us in Christ. For more, read this longer excerpt from his book: How Porn Weaponizes the Body.

Free eBooks for February

I found two books by Spurgeon and two books by Murray this week for you to download for free on Kindle. Remember, you don’t need a physical Kindle to download and read these books. You can simply start with the free Kindle app. It’s a fantastic way to get focused on reading!

Tim Challies is hosting a giveaway for Cruciform Press. They are giving away four-book packages to five winners. Each winner will receive The Ten Commandments of Progressive Christianity by Michael J. Kruger, Galatians: Redeeming Grace and the Cross of Christ by Melissa McPhail and Lisa Menchinger, The Joy Project: An Introduction to Calvinism (with Study Guide) by Tony Reinke, and On Purpose: Living Life as It Was Intended by Jonny Ivey. I linked the titles to my reviews, and you can enter on Challies’ website.

Kindle: Lectures to My Students: Practical and Spiritual Guidance for Preachers (Volume 1), by C. H. Spurgeon

Kindle: Come Ye Children (Updated, Annotated): Obtaining Our Lord's Heart for Loving and Teaching Children, by C. H. Spurgeon

Kindle: The Ministry of Intercession (Updated and Annotated): A Plea for More Prayer (Murray Updated Classics Book 1), by Andrew Murray

Kindle: Humility (Updated, Annotated): The Beauty of Holiness (Murray Updated Classics Book 2)

More Free eBooks for February

Passion is the free eBook this month from The Good Book Company. Mike McKinley walks readers through Luke’s Gospel to show how Christ’s final day transforms not only their future but also their present.

I found several free Kindle titles by J. C. Ryle and listed them below. You don’t need a physical Kindle to download and read these books. You can simply start with the free Kindle app. It’s a fantastic way to get focused on reading.

The Good Book Company: Passion by Mike McKinley

Kindle: The Cross, by J. C. Ryle

Kindle: Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Matthew, by J. C. Ryle

Kindle: Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Mark, by J. C. Ryle

Kindle: Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of Luke, by J. C. Ryle

Kindle: Expository Thoughts on the Gospel of John, by J. C. Ryle

Faithlife: Deep Church, by Jim Belcher

GLH Publishing: A. W. Tozer Daily Devotional

GLH Publishing: John Calvin’s Commentary on Hebrews

FTC Preaching Guide: Philippians

ERLC Light Magazine: Hidden in Plain Sight

DesiringGod: Designed for Joy: How the Gospel Impacts Men and Women, Identity and Practice

Kindle: Does God Control Everything? (Crucial Questions Series) by R. C. Sproul

D. A. Carson: For the Love of God: A Daily Companion for Discovering the Riches of God’s Word, Vol. 1.

DesiringGod: Habits of Grace by David Mathis

9Marks Journal: Heaven: Rejoicing in Future Glory

Crossway: Coronavirus and Christ by John Piper

Kindle: Crucial Questions by R. C. Sproul (39 eBooks)

The Gospel Coalition: 9 Free eBooks by D. A. Carson

Extended Play

I’ve been thinking about WandaVision all week, and I can’t wait to watch the new episode this weekend. For Valentine’s Day, we plan to watch Robin Hood, Lady and the Tramp, and more episodes of Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings.

Two years ago, before we adopted our son, I wrote a poem about waiting for adoption. I wrote it for my wife, Jess, who shows me what it means to love and trust Christ. Read it again on my website.

Throwback: In Our Waiting: A Poem for My Wife on Valentine’s Day

Article: Meaningful Lives in a Purposeful World: How Providence Changes Everything, by Jon Bloom.

Podcast: Ask Pastor John: Has Porn Already Broken My Future Marriage?

TV: WandaVision

Book: Being the Bad Guys, by Stephen McAlpine

Song: Lovingkindness, by Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Papa, Matt Redman, and Matt Boswell

Lightning Links

These quick hits are exclusive to my newsletter readers. Some struck immediately before writing this newsletter. I don’t necessarily endorse the positions or lives of these authors. Some may contain sensitive language. I find them all extremely interesting.

The New York Times Magazine: “The Many Lives of Steven Yeun: What’s a typical immigrant story? In his new film, “Minari,” the “Walking Dead” star has his own to tell.”

Marvel: “WandaVision: Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez Break Down the TV Theme Songs.”

/Film: “20 Years of Disney California Adventure: Exploring How Disney’s Theme Park Misfire Came Back from the Dead.”

Playlists

MUSICGOON: 7 songs I enjoyed this week.

SVRGNLA: Jess and I love these songs.

ETJ: Music that inspires my band.

DIDD: A crowd-sourced worship playlist.

TGIF: SOLA Network friends and faves.

This is FCBC Walnut: The songs we sing at church.

Coming Soon

Next week I plan to publish reviews for at least 3 books. In Gospelbound, Collin Hansen and Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra share stories that teach us how to live with resolute hope in shaky times. In Being the Bad Guys, Stephen McAlpine shows you how to live for Jesus in a world that says you shouldn’t. And as a part of Lexham Press’ Evangelical Biblical Theology Commentary (EBTC) series, Joe M. Sprinkle’s commentary on Daniel is an excellent and epic entry.

My sermon to our Youth Group went well last week -- thank you for your prayers! If you recall, I also spoke with author Brett McCracken about his new book, The Wisdom Pyramid. SOLA Network plans to release a video of our conversation next week.

We’ll be celebrating Lunar New Year this weekend! In case you missed it, here are some previous editions of this newsletter that you can find in the archive:

All My Favorite Songs: I share what’s new with my book reviews, and what I’ve been enjoying in entertainment. I also share preaching and music ministry prayer requests for this weekend.

Rewrite the Stars: I discuss my recent IG LIVE interview with Russell Moore, share about overcoming the barriers to creating, what’s new with my book reviews, and what I’ve been enjoying in entertainment.

Concerning Hobbits: I reveal my special guest for an upcoming IG LIVE interview, what’s new with my book reviews, and what I’ve been enjoying in entertainment.

Weekly Review

Hobbit History: Let us first do what we must do. – J. R. R. Tolken

SOLA: God Among the Crowds / The Seductive Sin We Never Talk About / The Proverbs 31 Man

TGIF: DesiringGod: Has Porn Already Broken My Future Marriage? / 9Marks: The Church Should Sing for Heaven’s Sake (with Matthew Westerholm)

Book Review: More Than a Battle by Joe Rigney

Book Review: Worshiping with the Reformers by Karin Maag

Book Review: The Servant of the Lord and His Servant People by Matthew S. Harmon

Recommended Reading: ‘Whoever Is Ashamed of Me’: A Call to the Quietly Christian / Four Things Pastors Wish Their Churches Knew About Them Right Now / Your Spouse Should Complete You: What It Means to Become One / How Do I Talk to My Children About Sex?

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physticuffs · 7 years

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Hello! I have a question.... what are your favorite books, and why? (I love your blog!)

@smallricochet

Wow, thank you! Took me forever to reply because my first answer got erased when i was halfway through. Rawr. anyway, here’s the thing: i don’t have favorites. I just love books so much i can’t choose! And there are books for different moods, too, or books that i love for different reasons. There are those that i can read anytime because they’re friendly and easy to sink into, but aren’t necessarily the best of anything in a particular aspect. There are books that i have to be in a specific mood to read but that i love more than anything when i am in that mood. There are books that are outstanding in one thing and lacking in another…so i don’t have favorite books, and when i have to think of my favorites, they’re divided by genre. This is gonna be a long post, haha. Without my bookshelf in front of me, there may be some I’m forgetting, but those are the ones that stand out in immediate memory.

Fantasy: most of the books i’ve read would probably count as fantasy if you included YA, but i’m going to break out YA as its own thing because i look for different things now than i did when i was younger. For one thing, the writing style plays a much larger role now for me, which is one of the things that makes Neil Gaiman one of my favorite authors. American Gods is this gorgeous book examining the nature of belief, with such evocative language that i felt like i was taking the journey alongside the characters. The characters themselves are rather stock, but that’s okay–Gaiman has a true sense of the mythic and interweaves old stories with new in a way that captivated me. I also loved The Ocean at the End of the Lane, which just felt…almost more real than our own world. I read the book (it’s quite short) in one sitting, and when i finished i realized i’d teared up. There’s a scene where the main character is immersed in this experience of understanding everything and then is pulled out of that state, and i felt the same way upon closing the book. The sense of the world-beyond-our-world was intense–again, taking the journey with the characters. I adore Good Omens, which was co-written with Terry Pratchett, and i think combines the best of both authors: Gaiman’s sense of mythology, Pratchett’s humor, and their shared love for stories that examine the values individual people hold. Individual values are a theme often repeated in Pratchett’s books, of which my favorites are Hogfather and Thud! because of the beautiful, hopeful characterizations and complex conflicts. Pratchett’s books really carry this sense of optimism and hope for how much better we can be; his characters have this evolving humanity (lol some of them are dwarves and trolls and werewolves) that really strikes a chord with me. Also, those books are fucking hilarious.

I’ve written about Guy Gavriel Kay recently; his novel Under Heaven is remarkable for its beautiful language, fascinating characters, and exciting political plot. I love that niche–historically-based political fantasy–and am really relieved to have found someone besides George R. R. Martin who does it, since Kay is much subtler and doesn’t have Martin’s penchant for shock and gore. I’m about to read every other political fantasy novel Kay has ever written. I used to think that if i could write like anyone i’d want to write like Gaiman, but now that i’ve read Kay’s work, i’d rather write like him, because that’s the genre i’d want to succeed in.

Then there’s Susanna Clarke’s exquisite Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell. I know this is very much a love-it-or-hate-it book, and i love it. Actually, i think it’s a perfect novel. I would change nothing about that book; there’s nothing that could make me like it better. The descriptive visual language is rich and flowing, the dry humor is just right, and the mythology she builds is original and forms a perfect pattern. One of the things that stood out to me the most in the book are the names. I’ve never seen an author choose names like her–they’re all lyrical and evocative without being literal. I don’t even want a sequel because the plot is wrapped up perfectly; i just want a whole series set in that world. (Clarke also wrote a short story collection in that setting, The Ladies of Grace Adieu, which is excellent, but does not fulfill my desire for a million more full-length novels.)

Historical fiction: The Lymond Chronicles. This is a masterwork, to the point that the author, Dorothy Dunnett, was knighted for her books being such a huge contribution to UK culture. They’re hard to read, no denying that, but they are unparalleled for incredible descriptive language, depth of emotion, dexterity with shifting viewpoint, epic scope, characters’ journeys and personalities interwoven in fascinating ways…they so far outshine every other work of historical fiction i’ve read that i think i can say that series is my favorite. HOWEVER, the irony of it is, i have never reread those books, except the first. I flick around occasionally to reread passages, but they’re simply too dense to make for good light reading in between all my new reading material. I love Les Miserables too, in the sense that i think it’s one of those almost accidental masterpieces that would never make it to market in full form today. Victor Hugo was a mystic grandpa whose interest in architecture/public infrastructure reeeeally got in the way of his own plot. I can’t HELP but love that book and i don’t even know why, except that Hugo captures the emotions and complexities of youthful rebellion so well, and is deeply respectful to the tragedy of it–not flippant, not over-aggrandizing, but accepting in just the right way. I also wanna give a shoutout/honorary mention to Romance of the Three Kingdoms. (It’s sort of unfair to put it with historical fiction, given the part where a guy’s ghost wanders around beating people up, but like. What else do i call this book.) I mean, it’s not my usual fare, but it well deserves its place as one of China’s four great classics. It’s so different from modern writing, which places a lot of emphasis on knowing individual characters. Three Kingdoms doesn’t give a shit about the inner lives of the characters. This is a story about how empires are formed and fall. it’s a true epic, and a fascinating look into one of China’s most tumultuous historical periods. (most tumultuous, except for all the others. You do you, China.)

Nonfiction: I’ve only rather recently become interested in nonfiction, and most of what i like is just a combination of good writing style and a topic i’m specifically interested in. How Not To Be Wrong, by Jordan Ellenberg–applied math and statistics, written in a very fun way. The Disappearing Spoon and The Violinist’s Thumb, by Sam Kean–a history of the periodic table and genetics respectively; Kean is such an engaging writer and really knows how to draw a common thread through anecdotes. Fermat’s Enigma, by Simon Singh–a history of the quest to solve Fermat’s Last Theorem. Weapons and Fighting Arts of Indonesia, by Donn Draeger–uh, what it says on the cover, but also a very interesting cultural text, although the info is a bit out of date. Walking the Bible, by Bruce Feiler–Feiler travels through the Middle East, examining the historical context of biblical stories; i’m reading his other works now. There also have been a couple books i’ve read for school that i loved–one was a cultural study of Hello Kitty, of all things, and one was about coffee farming in Honduras. Both were for a globalization course, but i can’t remember the titles offhand. I also read Walkable City by Jeff Speck for urban studies, about the importance of building walkability into your urban planning, which kicked off an interest in urban planning for me. I wound up getting three other urban planning books out of the interest generated by that one.

YA: Most of the books that have stuck with me after i read them as a teen had characters i wanted to be friends with or that i strongly related to–books with a lot of analytical, assertive girls, or girls who loved stories and were very imaginative. These include Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery, the All-of-a-Kind Family series by Sydney Taylor (bonus points for multiple girls i related to and they were Jewish), The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall (again bonus points for multiple girls i related to), Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, and The Princess Academy and The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. These last three (modern takes on fairy tales) mattered so fucking much to me, and they seriously hold up on rereads. Hale and Levine don’t protect their readers from harsh events, but it’s still fantasy, still has the magic i love reading about. They show the young characters win magical battles and friendship through intelligence, creativity, and determination, instead of beauty like the original tales, so that was really inspiring for me, and i related really hard to the main characters personality-wise. All three main characters in these books do find relationships or even marry at the end, but it’s because they’ve already been best friends with their love interests for a while. There’s also The Hunger Games, which had fascinating characterization, and unusually subtle morality for a YA series, especially in the last book, and the similarly adventurous Icemark Chronicles series by Stuart Hill, which is historically-based fantasy–think Guy Gavriel Kay for younger readers–with a wonderful main character that i really looked up to. And then there’s The Pushcart War, by Jean Merrill. The Pushcart War is just completely charming. It’s a friendly, quick-read book about a group of pushcart vendors trying to make space for themselves in New York City, opposing the aggressive truckers, and it was just plain fun while also being…actually pretty educational about urban design.

So…i know that’s super long, but y’know, asking me about favorite books is a dangerous thing to do. And i can’t emphasize enough that this is only what i can think of off the top of my head, without my bookshelf in front of me. But thank you so much for the question!

#books #asks #tagging my asks hell yeah

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sartle-blog · 7 years

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The Handmaid’s Tale: Art History goes Atwood!

In her seminal 1985 novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood paints a nightmarish picture of a post-democracy America. Christian fundamentalists and misogynist despots have scapegoated radical Islamic terror as a pretext for suspending all civil liberties. Environmental irresponsibility has led to toxic food and water and a drop in fertility rates. Female bodies are commodities controlled by the state, gay people and abortion doctors are prosecuted according to Biblical law, and people of color are deported to uninhabitable “colonies.” In short, it is pure fantasy with no relation whatsoever to our current political climate.

Surely it must be The Handmaid’s Tale’s quaint escapism that has made Hulu’s recent adaptation of the novel into the most hotly anticipated series of the season. It might make a light diversion if, in the words of our supreme leader, you’re “sick and tired of all the winning” we’re doing. To aid your diversion, I’ve compiled some examples from art history that prove the hostile patriarchy presented in The Handmaid’s Tale is just a feminist myth, with absolutely no grounding in Western culture.

Handmaids of the Good Book: you won’t see this on VeggieTales!

Dante’s Vision of Rachel and Leah by Dante Gabriel Rossetti, in the Tate Britain.

Margaret Atwood prefaces her novel with a passage from the Bible:

“And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister; and said unto Jacob…Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.” – Genesis 30:1-3.

In ye olde Holy Land, Rachel and her sister Leah were sister wives who were also literally sisters. Both married Jacob, patriarch of the 12 Tribes of Israel. The fertile Leah bore him six sons, whereas Rachel had difficulty conceiving. Luckily, biblical patriarchy had a cure for that; namely offering your enslaved women as vessels of childbirth for your husband to inseminate. Rachel’s handmaid Bilhah bore Jacob two sons, who Rachel claimed as her own. Just when everything was going so well, Leah and Jacob’s son Reuben decided he wanted in on the action.

“And it came to pass, while Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine.” – Genesis 35:22

Reuben brought dishonor to the family by plowing with his father’s heifer, but Bilhah, the passed-around handmaid with the “for rent” sign on her womb got the real raw end of this sick family deal.

This ancient stone carving of a woman squatting in childbirth in the arms of midwives invokes Bilhah bearing “upon [Rachel’s] knees,” and Atwood’s description of mistresses holding handmaids between their knees during sex and labor.

There are no new ideas in Hollywood the Bible

Don’t think that Bilhah’s story is unique in the Bible. A similar story has been an inspiration to artists for centuries. Abraham, father of Israel, was married to Sarah, reputedly the most beautiful woman in all the world. After a lot of wandering in the desert, Sarah was getting on in years and was still childless. Solution? Offer up her Egyptian handmaid Hagar to do the dirty deed for her.

“I pray thee; go in unto my maid; it may be that I may obtain children by her.” – Genesis 16:3

Hagar by Edmonia Lewis, in the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Edmonia Lewis, a female African American sculptor of the Civil War period, certainly had reason to be interested in the narrative of an enslaved African woman subjected to reproductive abuse. White male European artists had also long been fascinated by the story, possibly more captivated by the bizarre kink factor than issues of subjugation.

Sarah Leading Hagar to Abraham by Matthias Stom, in the Gemaldegalerie.

We’re talking about Western-European art history here, so Hagar is of course an alabaster-skinned blonde. Even Edmonia Lewis used the colorless power of marble to give us a racially ambiguous Hagar. The Bible tells us she was Egyptian. History tells us she may have been black, since Egyptian slaves were typically prisoners of war captured from Nubia and other parts of predominantly black Africa.

Miraculously, Sarah did get pregnant in her old age, and consequently said to Hagar, “Beyotch, get the f#ck out of mah tent!” so Hagar and her son Ishmael were banished into the desert.

Detail of Hagar in the Wilderness by Camille Corot, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Presumably, Hagar is grieving because she and Ishmael are lost in the wilderness, but her face says, “No, I’m pissed off because this is the thanks I get for all the gross old man sex.”

Sally Hemings: An American “Handmaid”

Thomas Jefferson by Mather Brown, in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery (left). This portrait of an eighteenth-century, mixed-race woman (right) gives some idea of what Sally Hemings might have looked like.

Sally Hemings makes a disturbingly cohesive follow-up to the biblical prototype of a captive African woman forced to bear children. Confederate Civil War diarist Mary Chesnut was brutally honest in her assessment of black-white concubinage in the antebellum South, and her association of slavery with patriarchal marriage in Judeo-Christian culture:

“Like the patriarchs of old, our men live all in one house with their wives and their concubines…this is not worse than the willing sale most women make of themselves in marriage…The Bible authorizes marriage and slavery…poor women! Poor slaves!”

Sally Hemings made headlines recently because PBS controversially labeled her as having had a 40-year “relationship” with Thomas Jefferson, whom she bore 6 children. The critics are right that an enslaved person is incapable of a consensual relationship, not to mention that Sally was a minor (by modern standards) when a middle-aged Jefferson started sleeping with her. In the least sinister of a multitude of horrifying scenarios, captive women were coerced into sex with their masters. In the worst cases, they were violently raped. But is it fair to say that Sally’s was the latter case? It should be noted that she chose to leave France, where she was free, to return to Virginia with Jefferson when he promised to free their children. This is not a justification. Slam Poet Clint Smith poignantly asks, “…did you think there was honor in your ultimatum?” The fact that Jefferson never freed Sally herself, even on his deathbed, speaks to a twisted dynamic of control.

This Portrait of Dido Elizabeth Belle and Lady Elizabeth Murray in Scone Palace, attributed to Johann Zoffany, evokes the conflicted situation in which Sally may have found herself. Dido, though not enslaved herself, was the daughter of a British officer and an African slave. This portrait reflects her experience as a beloved, but not quite equal member of an elite white family.

The irony of Thomas Jefferson, who proclaimed in our Declaration of Independence, “all men are created equal,” owning and sexually abusing slaves speaks for itself. We should neither defend nor deny the heinous circumstances of his fathering children with Sally Hemings, but this remarkable woman endured a lifetime of bondage and produced generations of American families. Why not regard her as what she is? One of our founding mothers, as worthy of respect and study as Abigail Adams or Martha Washington.

Is Sally not, in a perverse way, the story of America? Are we a nation founded on freedom, or on concubinage of enslaved women? Michelle Obama is descended from both slaves and slave masters, and as first lady, woke up every day in “a house that was built by slaves,” (the White House). What is that if not a testament to who we are as a nation, at once powerfully inspiring and deeply unsettling. Margaret Atwood’s novel of a crippled American civilization surviving on the backs and bellies of captive women has never been more relevant, yet perhaps it is as much a story of where we are, as where we came from.

Don’t take my word for it, decide for yourself. Tune into The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu, or better yet, read the book!

By: Griff Stecyk

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ecotone99 · 4 years

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[FN] [HF] The Honorable Gustav Badin and the Unchristian Troll [Part 1]

Classified document S-1517

Type: letter

Stated author: Gustav Badin, addressed to Thomas Paine

Date: 17UU-UU-UU

Thomas, I’m writing to you now of a tale I myself scarcely believe. Perhaps, I feel, if I relay it to you, I might happen upon some clarity for myself. It’s the only thing I can think to do.

On my latest excursion into Norrland , the northern part of Sweden, all seemed to be going well, until a specific night when I was awoken by the most unusual sound. Almost a crunching, the sounds of some great beast that had found a midnight meal. Immediately my mind told me a bear had wandered into our encampment, so I stood, gathered my rifle, and called out for my guide, Klemet. There were only heavy footsteps, on the other side of camp.

I waited and waited so long it became clear that I would be receiving no response from my guide, so rifle in hand I left the tent to attend to him.

I would not find him. Not in one piece, at least.

I looked down at what could only have happened with sinister intent.

My guide Klemet was surely dead, his body strewn before me in several different piles, of the most gruesome nature. I inspected it clearly, I began to believe it could not have been a bear (as so much was present, and had I come across a bear, it would certainly have attacked me to defend such a feast). Not a moment later my fears were realized, as a laugh ran through the clearing where my guide’s remains were found. A laugh such that I have never heard in my life. An actor seeking to portray the cruel mirth of the biblical serpent would kill for a laugh as horrible as what I heard in that forest.

I’m still surprised I was not overtaken with heart spasms from hearing it, for I also saw the shadowy silutes of the thing laughing. This was no bear, even though it would rival any such animal in size. I could not make out details of the ugly misshapen thing, nor did I wish to.

I ran Thomas, I turned and moved my legs as fast as they could. I found my horse, and that of Klement, had been slaughtered as he was, in much the same way.

And so, I resigned to run some more. I knew the route to the nearest village, the one we were planning on reaching at the start of this day. Having set out the route with the guide myself the night before, navigation to this destination was not difficult - for I new the path from our encampment to the village was straight as a gunshot. I also hoped I could manage the distance, seeing as I am a fair runner.

I was able to make it without issues too the village. And now, for a confession. As you are already aware of my explorative nature, my propensity to poke my nose into such oddities of creation, I’m sure you are also aware of where I am going with this. For many months the court has been sitting on a series of rumors, tales of great beasts that roamed the Norrlands - a mythical troll. It was indeed those very rumors that brought myself here. I should note that dear princess Sophia did not ask me to do so, though it was she that inspired my decision. I intended not just to explore the rumors, but if found to be true, to bring her back non-debatable evidence of such. Or, the troll itself.

I know this might sound mad, but I’ve always been of the opinion that there had to be some kernel of truth to fantastical tales out there, and this seemed to be the time and place where such a kernel made itself ready for true men to find it.

When I came to the small town, I ran straight to the biggest street, comforted by the sight of civilization. Not long after a lady approached me, causing me further relief. Although I was glad to see a human, I was not glad at the actions this human decided to take. She pulled from her gown a cross on string, and after marching as close to me as she dared, held it to my forehead and attempted to command the devil out of me using the Lord’s Prayer.

I asked the good lady if there was a matter she needed assistance with, for lack of anything else to say. I was not expecting this that night, and my wits were only barely, though miraculously, intact. It was an odd inquiry I would later think. for me to make of her, me having been the one to come flying into her town in a panic.

Her only response was to speak to the devil apparently in me (which I am so disappointed I’d never been told about).

She cried, YOU DEVIL! BE GONE FROM THIS MAN! BY THE NAME OF JESUS

CHRIST I COMMAND THEE!

I can’t leave any man, I told her, as I was truly alone. Unless she had meant herself, in which case I apologized for the offense of calling her a woman before. She did not respond to me, but merely hollered rather coarsely again for the demon in me to leave.

As a proud protestant and an educated man, I became rather angered that someone was dragging my reputation through the mud, and stated to her as calmly as I could - John 7:24 “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment”.

She faltered, asking WHAT? Aloud, and I understood her to be hard of hearing, so repeated my answer. She listened carefully, thought about it after, and… resumed her tirade.

I inquired then if there was anything I could do to ensure her I was a man of God. Any biblical matter she’d wish to test me on, or hear me recite myself. I feel it would have been rude to let her do all the chanting.

Thomas, I must make a case here, that although my dear Sweden has not been infested with the same intentful hatred towards the honorable children of Africans that your America has, one must understand that I am probably the only man with black skin that lives within this country - and most locals are thereby dumbstruck by seeing me.

In Stockholm, I am well known. People love speaking of how I was raised in the royal court, a gift to her majesty Louisa Alberta of Sweden as a child. They never tire of repeating the story of how I was freed upon arrival to her palace, slavery being outlawed in noble Sweden. It titillates them to talk about how I was aised alongside the royal children, as a way for the Queen to test the theories of Roseau. Despite the sensational nature of said story, it rarely travels far beyond Stockholm. And people in the rest of Sweden don’t know what to make of me.

It might be the lack of slavery here that does it, ironically, since the common person here has yet to see a morian due to us not being imported as bond-servant, and though they know people with my appearance exist, some are apparently incapable of recognizing me for what I am when confronted with the reality.

I tried to explain, I did, to the woman that I was simply a man possessing skin of another color. I believe she did recognize the word morian, as her eyes narrowed, and it seemed she conversed with me for the first time. She asked me if I was one of the Muhammadans, to which I replied that I was not. I was a Christian, through and through. As a more righteous mirror image of Peters' weakest moment, I confessed my servitude to Christ before her three times (mostly due to her poor hearing necessitating several iterations).

She took a step back and pondered, and I turned to peek ever so carefully back to the woods. It was then she saw she might have been mistaken in her initial assessment of me, thankfully. And looked back to see me eyeing the woods.

She asked me then - Are you running from something? And that’s when, Thomas my wits faltered once more. I was shaking before, though I’d calmed in my dealings with this woman. But now, it brought it all back, and I shook once more. I told her that I believed I had an encounter with a mystical creature, not quite diverging exactly what I knew it to be.

She nodded then, and sighed, and though she did not trust me still from that point on, she did very sternly motion for me to follow her, walking ahead of me all the way down the street and to the local spot of drink, a splendid pub which I was entirely glad to be in, though suddenly became concerned with my disheveled appearance. I had fallen asleep in pants and shirt, luckily for me, though had no coat, I lacked money (left behind in the heat of the moment). Carrying nothing I should have on my persons for a visit to a place such as this- or a visit anywhere. For I was still in my night-clothes, as they were to me.

Venturing into a public place without proper attire would be a blister on my status as a gentleman. I could only hope that the local rumor mills would not have the strength to carry news of my transgressions back to Stockholm.

The building was large and stone. A fire-eater hung from the ceiling in the center of the room. He filled his mouth with flammable liquid, and then spat out fire with great skill. I looked to my companion with an eyebrow raised. She informed me, rather unconcernedly, that he’d been with a circus as they usually were, but after a dispute with the crew was left behind during their journey to Norrland seeking to buy wild animals. He now worked as a farmhand in the town, and performed for them in the pub to gain additional income.

On her initiative, I was given a drink at the ladies' expense. I took this as an apology from her, which lightened my heart and made me view the woman, who gave me her first name only, with a much fonder outlook.

Behind the bar stood one man, pouring drinks for guests, and another young woman, pulling on some sort of contraption controlling a chain. My gaze followed the chains to the fire eater in the center of the room and realized the girl maneuvered the height and movement of the acrobat as he hung from the ceiling. She was attractive, with light blond hair and deep blue eyes.

It was then, my new friend Lisa told me that her previous behavior was due to nerves as shaken as mine appeared to be. And from troll sightings as well nonetheless. It took me off guard, as I had yet to mention specifically the creature I had narrowly escaped from. But now, in finding our belief about the matter to be so on-par, it gave me a sense of comradery with the good lady.

When the performer seemed to have finished his task, the young woman was allowed to let go of the contraption and went about entertaining or serving the drunken men of the tavern (there were four seated together not far from the bar itself). Judging by how she went around, I thought perhaps she might have been a pleasure girl, though my honor hindered me from putting words to such speculations (and I beg of you Thomas to never quote me on the matter). Lisa introduced me to the young woman, as her daughter of eighteen years. Lisa would soon give me a queer and dreadful bit of information, as I’d moved the conversation back onto the troll at hand (a difficult task as her hearing kept me repeating myself in the conversation).

Since coming there I noticed that the town had been unusually quiet, no sound of people frolicking or children playing. The four men sitting drunk at the table were definitely drowning some sort of sorrow. I could tell from their eyes, the way they barely noticed the young blond almost blatantly flirting with them, which I now viewed as more of a crusade to raise their spirits. Very noble of her indeed.

Lisa said that the troll had been plaguing the village for some time, and that it was a godsend that her daughter had seen her eighteenth birthday come and go. Because that meant she was safe. Further inquiry revealed to me that the creature had taken all the children of the settlement back to his cave (we Swedes refer to such kidnappings by trolls, elves, and giants as bergstagning). Not a single child was left!

It was believed the children lived still, that the troll kept them in his den, and ate them during the next full moon. As part of a ritualistic meal the monster took part of once every human generation. The next full moon Thomas, was not two days away!

Thomas, it was horrific, hearing of this dreadful state of affairs not fit for a civilized Christian nation. My heart truly went out to these people, and most importantly, the children. I had not so directly faced it, though I did witness what the beast did to Klement, not to mention our horses. And I too was probably taken as a child by a (human) kidnapper before being sold as a slave, though honestly, I remember nothing of my home before Sweden other than that the house I used to live in was burnt to the ground.

I asked Lisa when and how the rescue quest for the little ones would take place, and I know you’ll believe me when I say I fully intended to take part in it. Until she told me that there would be no rescue for them in the future, as the men of the village had already attempted and failed to save the children. All the men worthy of their manhood had gone to face the troll, and most had not come back.

The time for talking was over, real men are defined by their actions! I stood, marching over to the drunken men with purpose. If they would not, then I would. Though I would still need a guide. Or four.

I asked about the mission to save the children, and they told me. Hearing it from their mouths, I was far more empathetic with their current decision. The story they told was not dissimilar to what happened to Klement. I am not a fool, I asked straight away what price they would put on such an excursion. That price was zero, as there was no possible chance they would take it on. I gave them a price myself, and told them that although I didn't have the money on me at the moment, having lost my pouch in the fray of my own narrow troll escape, I would be good for it, as I owned several successful farms. They would have to trust my word for the moment, but I would definitely return and pay them handsomely. Rest assured I am no swindler, even for a cause as this.

These men then showed me great level off rudeness, they implied that my promise of future compensation was nothing other than empty words. Accosted I was, that very moment, by a young blond woman spoken of previously. She held my hand in hers and walked me to the far wall, backed against it as she began to speak. It seemed highly indecent as if I’d pushed her to the wall in some way. Her eyes were bright, and her arms folded over her chest, though she leaned forward and close to me in a way I don’t think I’ve ever been close to a woman before, thanks be to the lord.

She was going to flirt, I know this, but I didn’t let her speak at all. I would not have anyone even in that pub alone, see me partake in it, and I worried that being in that position for even a moment would be seen as compliance. Or worse, enjoyment. If my old priest in Stockholm had seen me holding hands with an unmarried women, what would he think of me!

I told her I would not like to be in physical contact with a woman I did not know, and that she should cast out all romantic notions of me. My statement was followed by a quote of the bible, 2 Timothy 2:22 "Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the LORD out of a pure heart”.

I’d assumed I’d nipped the situation, when I turned and walked away, making sure my face read the irritation I was feeling. But, upon returning to the men, her hand was once again upon me, on my arm, with her closest arm around my shoulder, as if presenting a close friend to the men at the table.

She told them I was worthy of their trust, stating she knew I would be good for my word, though, if it helped, she would stake her claim with mine, and should I not give payment afterwards, they could… take… it from her. That term disturbed me, and I fear we were all in agreement that she meant a payment of a more carnal nature. By my honor, I swore to myself that I never allow her to pay the debt in my place! I would return here with payment, even if it was the last thing I did.

The men agreed then, almost to my dismay, though the idea of the horrors the children could endure, being eaten alive, played in my head and stopped me from wanting to tinker with the agreement after it had been made.

And with that, I went to speak to Lisa, and tell her the good news of the new rescue mission for the children, making sure to omit Ulla’s (as I’d come to know the young woman to be called) part in the matter. She was joyous, and offered me to spend the rest of the night resting at her very own house, something about the daylight being the best time to deal with troll matters. Ulla, who had followed me over to her mother, was ecstatic by the idea. I assumed she might have been, seeing as how she apparently hadn’t heard my earlier reprimand regarding her temptress like behavior.

Lisa walked in front of me again, when we were finished at the pub not a minute later. She lead me to her house, yet on the way Ulla was the only one that spoke to me, hanging back and walking beside me. She carried a slight smile the entire time, as if completely unaware the turmoil her home was currently facing. When she tried to take my arm, I pulled it from her grasp and asked if I needed to repeatmy earlier proclamation.

I just thought I was doing what you asked.

She actually said to me, looking up at me.

I’m pursuing love, and pursuing a man who ‘calls on the LORD out of a pure heart.

Which I think you fit the bill for.

I made a mental note to have my hand re-blessed the next time I meet a man of the cloth. I expressed to her that touching a women’s bare skin, her hand nonetheless, without first discussing the matter with her father, a priest and praying on the issue - felt like the type of uncivilized behavior one would expect to find amongst Catholics!

She shrugged and let the matter be, for then. At her house I met her father, which was disconcerting. I could do so with my head held high, you’ll understand, as I was also prepared to do whatever it took to act honorably. And didn’t have intentions towards his daughter as it so happened.

In the morning-time I was joined by the four men, in much more a sober nature, yet still as somber as I recalled them being. I took with me only supplies that Lisa and her family, by last name of Marklund, had loaned or given me for use.

The day turned muggy as the men and I made our way up the mountain, I had carried my rifle with me from my encampment, and had it with me now, though I didn’t think it would do much good.

My new guides explained to me that the troll was offended by sunlight, that it burnt. I myself had learned of this before coming on the mission originally. Some legends stated that sunlight made trolls swell until they exploded, other legends said they were turned into stone. It wasn’t long after that, that we were in sight of the cave. I instructed the men to get down low, his somewhere around the side. To be as quite as they could, and only speak in a whisper.

I had an idea, when I was told of their aversion to sunlight, that perhaps, with some highly reflective material, we could direct the sunlight inwards, but not only did I not know if or where I would find such a thing, it would most likely take longer than I was comfortable taking to acquire it. Plus, the day was muggy as previously mentioned, and the sky was filled with white clouds that hid the sun.

Apart from my rifle, I was handed a sword, something on loan to me from one of the other men (it had belonged to a villager, who had died fighting the troll not days before). I had great respect for it and hoped to give it a chance to avenge its previous master.

We lit four torches and entered the enormous cavern. One man, tall and could easily be mistaken for a troll himself, told me that legend had it the troll had dug the caves himself, with his own two hands.

We walked straight, moving more quietly, and more slowly, the further into the caves we got. Still, no sign of the troll, though I did notice how the walls seemed to have deep rivets in them. Like finger marks when dug.

Behind me, a sound, I turned to see what it was. The others turned with me, though I didn’t know if they too had heard what I did, or if it was merely a reaction to my movement.

We began walking back the way we had come, trying to discern if there was something there. After a moment of finding nothing, I turned back around and made to nod reassuringly to my three comrades that the coast was clear. Somehow the cave seemed a lot darker than before.

Three?

There were only three men with me now Thomas, and with horror, I knew immediately that one man had already joined Klement. His torch had not been extinguished but lay tilted upwards on a rock where it burned weakly. The monster had been precise enough to grab the poor fellow without killing the flame, seemingly to make his disappearance easier to miss. And the chap hadn't even managed to give out a sound to warn his brothers in arm. According to Swedish legends, some races of trolls are as crafty as foxes - in that cave I feared these myths might be understating the matter.

I turned to view one of the other men, due to him having walked around my side. I wanted to keep them all in my line of vision simultaneously if possible, but searching for him I heard only a gurgling sound and noticed another light source die as I realized he had already disappeared. There were two men now, and we stood together as if forming a line for battle.

I whispered a plan, to back against a wall together, and draw out the great beast. But my words, I feared and feared correctly, fell on ears not willing to listen. They seemed almost frozen, unmoving.

Move! I ordered them. And nothing.

Then I noticed, that both my remaining companions were staring upwards. I did so myself.

Mother of mercy, I’ll never forget the sight, Thomas. I saw the troll, Thomas. I saw it as clearly as I see the letters I’m penning. I’d like to warn you, that all I have to say of the site will be in the next paragraph, so you might skip it, and I recommend you do. You can not forget what you will read, and perhaps be cursed with nightmares due to it. If I could help myself I would not write it, but I to tell my tale in some manner, in hopes I find some peace with it.

The beast was atrocious. Having an asymmetrical and enormous bulging face, with arms longer than they should be for any living thing. It looked sick yet strong at the same time, deformed yet perfectly shaped for the purpose of killing. Vulgar dissidents sometimes depict the royal families of Europe as malformed through incest, gravely exaggerating family physical peculiarities into monstrous features. This thing would make even the cruelest and most unrealistic satirical drawing of incest seem kind and modest. Its naked body was uneven and grotesque, a small third arm sticking out from its side, the tail of the thing ended in a ball of hair. Its hair was long and spindly, it watched us with manic excitement.

My heart stopped in my chest, my blood stopped in my veins, and my stomach turned over and threatened to release my breakfast.

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sthayil · 4 years

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2019 Reading Goal Outcomes

Goal: 52 Books in 2019, no romances, no rereads

Result: 61

Summary: This was a year of fantasy, with the Throne of Glass series as hands-down the best one. I almost entirely read fiction, so will try for more non-fiction in 2020.

1. Reader, I Married Him - Stories Inspired by Jane Eyre, by Tracy Chevalier.

Short stories again, dipping my feet in the water of getting the reading habit up and going again. I read this entire book over the course of various subway rides.

2. Ahead of the Curve, by Joseph H. Ellis.

A business investing textbook that Ryan wanted me to read. Pretty interesting, nice explanation of the fundamentals, but limited applicability as it only pertains to certain cyclical industries.

3. Anya’s War, by Andrea Alban Gosline.

A lovely young adult story set in 1940s Shanghai in the Jewish community there, all the refugees fleeing Europe. Didn’t know about all the Jews who lived in China. They later left for the US.

4. The Silver Swan, by Elena Delbanco.

Father and daughter famous cellists, story about love, loss, legacy, and genius.

5. Redeeming Love, by Francine Rivers.

A very Christian novel, based on the Biblical story of Hosea. It was quite a moving story, but now I want to read some of her secular novels, just to see the difference. It was one of the books on my Kindle, recommended to me by Nicole.

6. Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress, by Dai Sijie.

Two adolescent boys sent to rural China for re-education during the Cultural Revolution. Translated from the French.

7. Tarnsman of Gor, by John Norman.

A sci-fi novel about a planet like Earth on the other side of the sun. The first in the series. Found this in our Edinburgh Airbnb.

8. Dear Mr. You, by Mary-Louise Parker.

A collection of letters to all the men in her life. I liked most the ones to the uncle of her adopted Ethiopian daughter, and then one at the very end to the oyster picker who picked her father’s last meal.

9. Lady of the Snakes, by Rachel Pastan.

A look at life as a female academic, trying to find the balance between her career and her family. I wonder if I ever feel as passionately about something as the protagonist, who is dedicated to a single famous author in Slavic literature, and his wife who is secretly the real author. The whole book made me remember the feminist comic about the mental load in a family.

10. Trespassing Across America, by Ken Ilgunas.

One man’s journey through the middle of America as he followed the path of the Keystone XL pipeline, and his reflections on the environment, our role, travels, midwestern folk, and long walks. Very gentle reading, and I definitely was surprised by some of the research that he has done about the history of the Great Plains. I didn’t realize what a drain on the US economy the farmers are, and that they are basically welfare farmers.

11. Bakhita, by Veronique Olmi.

The sorrowful story of one of the modern saints, a Sudanese slave who came to Italy. The story of her life, with the backdrop of colonization, slavery, and the world wars.

12. Plenty, by Alisa Smith and J. B. Mackinnon.

The two authors decide to maintain a 100-mile diet for a year. Interspersed with recipes every chapter, and alternates between their voices. A delicious and thoughtful journey, that made me want to leap into the kitchen and start canning and pickling.

13. Assassin’s Blade, by Sarah J. Maas.

Collection of short stories leading up to the first Throne of Glass novel.

14. Throne of Glass, by Sarah J. Maas

15. Crown of Midnight, by Sarah J. Maas

16. Heir of Fire, by Sarah J. Maas

17. Queen of Shadows, by Sarah J. Maas

18. Empire of Storms, by Sarah J. Maas

19. Tower of Dawn, by Sarah J. Maas

20. Kingdom of Ash, by Sarah J. Maas. This was one of the best high fantasy series I have read in a long time. Epic battles, intrigue, loss, love, courage, everything. I kept rereading my favourite sections for the rest of the year.

21. Haiku Love, The British Museum, by Alan Cummings.

Beautifully illustrated by mostly woodblock prints, I took photos of my favorites, from mainly the new love section.

22. My Last Love Story, by Falguni Kothari.

A cancer love story revolving around a love triangle in a Gujarati diaspora community.

23. Unaccustomed Earth, by Jhumpa Lahiri

Haven’t read anything by Lahiri since Interpreter of Maladies, so I’m glad to jump into more short stories. Fantastic, as expected.

24. The Grift, by Debra Ginsberg.

Fortune telling and human weakness.

25. A Court of Thorns and Roses, by Sarah J. Maas

26. A Court of Mist and Fury, by Sarah J. Maas

27. A Court of Wings and Ruin, by Sarah J. Maas.

I liked the Throne of Glass series better, but this was still good. There is one more novelette but it is supposed to be a bridge to a new spinoff series, and I would rather just wait for everything to be out and binge read them all at once. So I will stop here with this series.

28. Radiance, by Grace Draven.

29. Night Tide, by Grace Draven

30. Eidolon, by Grace Draven

31. In the Darkest Midnight, by Grace Draven.

Another epic fantasy, but in the end Draven is a bit heavier on the romance.

32. Master of Crows, by Grace Draven.

Series unfinished and hard to get a hold of.

33. A Little Life, by Hanya Yanagihara.

A devastating novel about friendship and trauma and New York City. Unforgettable. I read Veasna’s copy which has been making the rounds in our circle of friends and leaving us all ashes in its wake.

34. Graceling, by Kristin Cashore

35. Fire, by Kristin Cashore

36. Bitterblue, by Kristin Cashore

Another young adult fantasy series, again a pretty good one. This seems to be the theme of this year.

37. Look Who’s Back, by Timur Vermes.

A satire on the media focused world we live in, through the eyes of Hitler who woke up in the modern world.

38. Crazy Rich Asians, by Kevin Kwan

39. China Rich Girlfriend, by Kevin Kwan.

Both are fun and fluffy reads. I can see why they became so popular.

40. Before She Sleeps, by Bina Shah.

Dystopian, Handmaids Tale, with a South Asian setting and characters.

41. When Churchill Slaughtered Sheep and Stalin Robbed a Bank, by Giles Milton

Lovely collection of historical anecdotes.

42. Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles.

The American civil war was so bloody. I think Americans would have a better understanding of war if they fought wars on their own lands again.

43. The Hundredth Queen, by Emily R. King

44. The Fire Queen, by Emily R. King

45. The Rogue Queen, by Emily R. King

46. The Warrior Queen, by Emily R. King.

The premise was such a good one, and it was fun to be able to read fantasy in a South Asian setting, but the writing was flat and the characters annoyingly indecisive. They all seem to stumble from predicament to predicament, reacting endlessly but never able to do anything properly. By the second book I just wanted the story to end.

47. The Place of Shining Light, by Nazneen Sheikh.

A moving thriller about trying to smuggle an ancient Buddha statue from Afghanistan into Pakistan, and the stories of the people along the way of the journey.

48. Grave Mercy, by Robin LaFevers

49. Dark Triumph, by Robin LaFevers

50. Mortal Heart, by Robin LaFevers.

A fun trilogy set in historical times, with three different female protagonists who are also trained as assassins by a convent. Found it through a list of books recommended as similar to the Throne of Glass series, but it was different enough to still be enjoyable and not compared in my mind while I was reading.

51. Queen Song, by Victoria Aveyard

52. Steel Scars, by Victoria Aveyard

53. Red Queen, by Victoria Aveyard

54. Glass Sword, by Victoria Aveyard

55. King’s Cage, by Victoria Aveyard

56. War Storm, by Victoria Aveyard.

Again, this is a series I found because of my suffering from Throne of Glass withdrawal. The story is interesting enough, and decent attention to detail and logic with a lot of the action/battles. The protagonist did start to get on my nerves as annoyingly helpless and indecisive, but then the author started changing the points of view in the last couple of books, and some of the other characters found the protagonist as annoying as I did, so that was refreshing to read and gave me the stamina to finish the series. There are a few more novellas but I’m not interested/invested enough to find them. I’ll stop here.

57. Pick-up, by Charles Willeford.

Good old fashioned American crime novel from the 60s with a few unexpected twists.

58. Notes on a Banana, by David Leite. Memoir on food, love, and manic depression. The highs/manic parts sound blindingly productive. Glad for him that he sequestered himself during the whole AIDS thing. Wish there were some recipes, I might go look at his blog.

59. The Young Elites, by Marie Lu

60. The Rose Society, by Marie Lu

61. The Midnight Star, by Marie Lu.

A refreshing series with a true anti-heroine. You despise her so much almost throughout the series.

#reading readinggoals newyearresolution throneofglass sarahjmaas fantasy epicfantasy

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thenatureofnarrative · 6 years

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Best Films of 2017

The basis of my annual list is simple, these are the films that were, for me, mesmerizing and memorable. These were the cinematic experiences that either provoked a depth of emotion and/or provided a whole lot to talk about. These are the films that I could not forget and I cannot wait to see again. After you read this year’s list, you can also find last year’s list here.

1. mother!

Director Darren Aronofsky is one of the greatest living filmmakers, everything he creates provokes strong reactions, begging us, his audience, to ask and to discuss, why? Why do we react the way we do? All of his films are memorable, but mother! truly is his masterpiece. This is a dark, disturbing, violent work of art that is certainly not for everyone, but for me, this rich, layered and powerful picture was the most meaningful cinematic experience of the year. Apocalyptic literature has been around for millennia, but this achievement may very well be our first official work of apocalyptic cinema. The word, apocalyptic (from the Greek), means “unveiling” - - to see the world as it really is. To that point, Aronofsky has created the perfect religious-ecological analogy; and there may be no end to what we can discuss and uncover there. On DVD.

2. Darkest Hour

This film is essentially tied for my favourite of the year. So much attention has been given to Gary Oldman for his remarkable, honest and nuanced portrayal of Winston Churchill (and he does indeed deserve Best Actor), but the truth is, this film is so much more than just a performance. This is director Joe Wright’s greatest achievement to date. The Darkest Hour provides for us, not only an incredible account of history, but possibly the most honest portrayal of our humanity from the most unexpected of places: politics. This is a true story of suffering under the weight of the world, and it reveals for us what the cost and courage of leadership truly looks like. On DVD.

3. The Lost City of Z

Director James Gray is, without a doubt, one of the most underrated and underappreciated living directors. All of his films are worth your time, but The Lost City of Z is his masterpiece. Part old school sweeping Hollywood epic, with a rare eye for historical authenticity, and part contemporary reflection on vocation, calling and destiny. The depth of relationship portrayed on screen is what really sets this story apart, from husband and wife, to brotherhood, and father and son. This is a rich and wonderful true story for all ages, and without a doubt Robert Pattinson’s and Charlie Hunnam’s greatest performances to date. On DVD.

4. Blade Runner 2049

This was the year’s most awe-inspiring cinematic experience. Director Denis Villenueve continues to establish himself as one of our greatest living directors. Many considered this film to be an impossible task, creating an acceptable sequel to a now classic sci-fi film. And yet, what Villenueve, his team, and Oscar-destined cinematographer Roger Deakins, have accomplished is actually an improvement upon Ridley Scott’s original adaptation, and a perfecting of Philip K. Dick’s philosophical potential. This is a stunning, thrilling, and rich work of art that provides for us endless points of discussion and reflection. On DVD.

5. Get Out

This film has become a cultural phenomenon for good reason. In part, when it was released last February, it was the shock and surprise that first time writer/director Jordan Peele had crafted such a strong and subversive work of cinema, but really, it’s longevity is the result of it’s own genius. Get Out provides for us the perfect example of the power of genre. Using the genre of a horror/thriller, Jordan Peele and his perfect cast, thrill us and shock us with our own greatest fears and the darkest sins we have committed against humanity. This is a work of art worth viewing and reflecting upon time and time again. On DVD.

6. Logan

Here is, not only the greatest achievement in superhero storytelling, but also the year’s greatest portrayal of sin, regret, repentance and redemption. The story of Wolverine has always been biblically infused, but this final farewell for Logan is, in part, the story of Samson, and the story of Exodus. It is a shame Hugh Jackson did not get the award recognition he deserved for this performance, but this classically told western-styled-superhero story of redemption, will forever remain the pinnacle example of superhero storytelling potential. On Netflix and DVD.

7. War for the Planet of the Apes

This new Planet of the Apes trilogy is, hands down, one of the best film series of the last twenty years. Director Matt Reeves is at his best when he combines the nostalgic-inspirations of his childhood, with the social and spiritual themes of sin and humanity’s desperate future. It is mind-blowing how subtle and nuanced the performances are from the motion-capture actors, and I had hoped that this would be the year Andy Serkis would become the first motion-capture actor to be nominated for an Oscar. But technological achievements aside, this story of creation’s evolution, and mankind’s de-evolution, is one of the most profound and poignant films of the year. On DVD.

8. Maudie

Here is another film I saw very early on in the year that just stuck with me, with its honest and heart-breaking performances and relationships. Sally Hawkins deserves praise for her Oscar-nominated performance in, The Shape of Water, but her portrayal of the arthritic Canadian-artist, married to an abusive husband (played by Ethan Hawke), is what should have garnered her all the awards. This is a sweet and simple story, but it is true, it is honest, and it is irreplaceable. On DVD.

9. Lady Macbeth

Now this is a film I recommend with caution, due to it’s content, but that cannot be denied for its beauty, its confidence, and its mastery of tone. We often picture the Victorian age with such beauty and charm, but what first-time director, William Oldroyd, portrays with his adaption of this famous Russian short story and opera, is the sheer boredom and monotony of one’s life, especially a women’s life, at this time in history. From it’s stunning static imagery, at the start, comes a shocking story of lust, betrayal and murder. This was one of the most captivating experiences of the year, and the cinematography alone should have been awarded repeatedly. On DVD.

10. I Don’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore

Small, strange and unexpected. This little film with a big title is an incredible mix of humour, melancholy, and murder. It’s hard to define or distinguish what independent film is anymore, but if such a thing can be defined by it’s style and tone, I Don’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore, would be it. This is a film that will make you smile and then shock that smile right off your face. On Netflix.

Honourable Mentions (alphabetically):

Baby Driver: A thrilling achievement from director Edgar Wright. The success is well deserved and overdue. Baby Driver was the most original entertaining experience of the year. On DVD.

Colossal: Weird and wonderful. For such a conceptual piece of strange sci-fi-dramedy, both Anne Hathaway and Jason Sudeikis give incredibly committed performances that raise this story far above our expectations. On Netflix and DVD.

Dunkirk: This film is the perfect argument for the cinematic experience, if there ever was one. This is writer/director Christopher Nolan’s greatest risk, and it is also, without a doubt, one of his greatest achievements. On DVD.

It Comes at Night: This enigmatic story is an example of perfectly crafted creepiness. While it’s meaning comes out, in part, through symbolism, ultimately it’s greatest gift is it’s mystery. On Netflix and DVD.

Lady Bird: A pure delight, rich with emotional depth. I was already a huge fan of Saoirse Ronan, but Greta Gerwig’s playful and personable screenplay is an undeniable joy. On DVD March 6.

Molly’s Game: I will always love and admire the work of Aaron Sorkin (a modern-day Shakespeare in my opinion), and while all the performances in Molly’s Game are great, the stand out here is Michael Cera (who provides us with his take of the real life Tobey Maguire). On DVD April 10.

Mudbound: This story contains the sort of truth that will haunt you. I could not shake this viewing experience for days; Mudbound is that powerful and important of a story. On Netflix.

The Big Sick: A heart-warming and hilarious true story, but really, just see it for Holly Hunter’s incredible performance (she should have been nominated). On Netflix and on DVD.

The Shape of Water: I always admire and am inspired by the work of Guillermo del Toro, his films are consistently masterful and meaningful; and this fairy tale for adults is one of his greatest achievements. On DVD March 13.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri: The performances do indeed deserve all the awards (especially Woody Harrelson in my opinion). Writer/Director Martin McDonagh’s stage-play-soap-opera is an exhilarating experience of extreme emotion. On DVD.

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