#eluci

[acourtofthought]

you responded to this ask recently which stuck in my head: https://www.tumblr.com/acourtofthought/724474444564824064/hii-hru-i-started-reading-the-crescent-city?source=share

specifically the concept of the mating bond being forced vs a choice. something i think SJM has done well throughout her writing is showing that, while the bond might not be a choice, loving someone is. with rowaelin, feysand, nessian, (quinlar i think but i haven't read cc yet) every couple falls in love before they realize or accept the bond. the bond is this thing that intensifies it, but the love would be there regardless.

i think elucien will be so interesting to read since they will know about the bond already and it will make that idea of choice more complicated. but every couple chooses to love each other despite the bond and elucien won't be any different

I do think Elucien is in a very unique situation because we have never had a pairing's bond snap into place before they developed some sort of feeling for one another. Not to mention she was in love with someone else and that has got to be a wild ride of emotions she's been on (I can't wait for her POV, seriously, I need the details on everything she's been thinking about it all).

And I kind of think them both knowing about the bond gives them more choice than any of the other pairings because they're more informed.

Feyre fell for Rhys but she never had the opportunity to question how much of that was choice versus how much was she drawn to him because of the bond.

Cassian kept feeling drawn back to Nesta but would think things like "Why did he care, WHY DID HE CARE?" He suspected they shared a bond but didn't know for sure.

But Elucien is fully aware and that means if they make the choice to be together, every interaction will have been a well thought out one. They have the opportunity to really consider whether it's the bond or their own emotions drawing them closer. They'll have the chance to pay attention to the moments when the bond is causing them to have an instinctual reaction versus a reaction born of their own thoughts.

I'm not sure how anyone can question "choice" at this point because if two characters had no choice then there would have never been separation from the first moment each couple met. Feyre could not have gone back to Tamlin, Nesta could not have been with other males, and Elain couldn't have tried to return to Graysen or nearly kissed Az.

So choice is obvious.

What is also clear is that the bond itself cannot grant two people happiness (as was the case with Rhys's parents).

So while Feysand and Nessian were somewhat unknowingly drawn to one another because of the bond, they still chose to be together. And the happiness they share was completely of their own making, not something the bond fabricated.

Elucien can't help being mates but it has been their choice to avoid accepting the bond. However, if they end up in a forced proximity situation and find they like one another because of who they are as individuals and because of the similarities they share, that will be their doing (and not the bond). And because of that, they could then make the choice to accept their bond.

#elucien #pro eluci #acotar mates #mating bond

[deathishauntedbyhumans]

fellas is it. is it g. is it gay--

#daniel spellbound #ds show #ds elyse #lucy santana #i don't think they have a ship name yet #elucy???? #tfw ur ex gf is also your biggest work nemesis #wade talks #my screencaps

[lesbianjackies]

✖️👎🏻💣💥

✖️ - i hate you

👎 - i hate your blog

💣 - delete your blog

💥 - you are the worst

right back at you my love🥰🥰

send me an emoji!

#lucy🪐 #mad-mail #mad-games #elucy

[iamthewanderingbard]

So. Our DM for our Blades in the Dark game elaborated on Devil’s Bargains and when and how they might be used in game. And one of the potential conditions our DM read off for taking a Devil’s Bargain was “betray or anger a loved one”. So naturally my mind went to Elissa and Lucy and.

Darkest timeline Elucy AU let’s gooooooooo.

#the idea so far is that Elissa and Lucy are at opposite ends of a goal #and Elissa is desperate enough to take a Devil’s Bargain to achieve said goal #and she shoots Lucy in the shoulder #because it’s the only way Elissa can stop her and achieve her own goal #and now the two of them have to deal with the aftermath #and OOF does it hurt #but it’s interesting to explore #we agreed to call it the Blood & Water AU #so that’s the tag i’ll be using if i scream about it some more #Lucy Mae Crimson #Elissa Viero #Elucy #Blood & Water AU #Blades in the Dark #bitd #The Gutters of New Capenna #Bard’s ramblings

[the-lonelybarricade]

LB my dear dear! I have devoured all yours and MB's ao3 works till date ❤️🤌 and I am feeling pathetically ravenous for more 🫠. Although my question is- since I have seen people asking you for suggestions as to which blog and which writer to look to for more feysand/elucien content I would like to request the same only and only if you are comfortable and have the time for this pressing request. And thank you even if you couldn't for some reason im only scared since you are busy and wouldnt want to burden you with such an exigent task. . I'm sorry to bother you That would be it 🥺 👉👈

You want blog suggestions for Elucien/Feysand authors? And you think you're bothering me??? Anon, this happens to be my exact area of exertise and there is nothing love more than hyping up my friends!

To kick us off my lovely friend @velidewrites is an extraordinarily talented writer and artist, and also just an all-around ray of sunshine whose blog I cannot recommend enough.

There's also @writtenonreceipts who's every work is literal potery. Pick any of her stroies and you will come undone.

@belabellissima has a beautiful Feysand/Elucien series called the State of Grace and is also one of my favorite people 🥺💝

@azrielshadowssing also regularly feeds us with delciioiusly sinful Feysand and Elucien stories 🥰 hehehe definitely read the tags though!

Among a host of other incredible fics, @damedechance has an onlyfans series that will make you feral - Playgirl (Elucien) and darling.exe (Feysand) 👀👀 Come back to me once you finish losing your mind

@xtaketwox and @itsthedoodle come as Feysand/Elucien pair hehe. @xtaketwox has treated us to lots of goodies, but I wanted to highlight her modern soulmate AU which has a dedicated work for Feysand, Elucien, and Nessian! @itsthedoodle has written so many beautiful feysand oneshots and is the sweetest, most unhinged person you'll ever have the pleasure of knowing.

@asnowfern is so talented and writes for a lot of different pairings, including Feysand and Elucien! Right now she's working on a stunning Feysand AU inspired by a chinese legend called Till Forever Falls Apart

if you're a fan of next-gen, @areyoudreaminof has lots of adorable fics and headcanons centering around Elucien and Feysand as parents!

@witch-and-her-witcher again writes for many couples, including Feysand and Elucien! She recently wrote a Feysand and Nyx oneshot, The Little Tiger, that completely fractured my heart and put it back together.

@thegloweringcastle is another extremely talented writer who has a wealth of feysand and elucien fics! One I really love is the The Law of the Land which is a Feysand western AU with background Elucien 🤠

@darling-archeron has been in this fandom since 2016 and in that time has blessed us with so much wonderful Feysand and Elucien content!! (One day you really need to sit us all down and tell us the fandom lore we all missed out on from the acomaf/acowar releases 👀)

@iambutmortal has a lot of delicious Feysand and Elucien stories! For Elucienweek last year she wrote a really addicting story called The Honeymooners

@labellefleur-sauvage has written so many incredible Elucien fics! As well as a very delicious monster!Feyre fic called Meet Me In the Woods hehehe 👀

@foundress0fnothing always blows me away with her writing. For Elucienweek last year she wrote an Elucien sex cult fic titled Both Forever and Rather Die that lives in my head rent free.

@howlingcaptaincommando is working on a really amazing pirate AU, Never Shall I Die, centering around Elucien, Nessian, and Feysand!

@vulpes-fennec has so many lovely stories, including her Prythian Fantasia WIP which centers on the Archeron sisters and their mates 😍

@popjunkie42 has yet to dip her toes into writing Elucien but maybe one day we can convince her 👀👀 That said she has so many amazing Feysand works such as Hate Me Instead and her current WIP Blossoming In Winter.

Likewise my dearest friend @wilde-knight has only written Elucien and Nessian, but I can't recommend her works and blog enough!! She's working on an amazing Princess Bride AU called Burnished Gold

@captain-of-the-gwynriel-ship is a die-hard Feysand, Elucien, Gwynriel, and Nessian! Currently they're working on a Feysand fic Five Minutes to Midnight which also features background Elucien!

@octobers-veryown creates so many wonderful moodboards for variuos ships and characters! I cannot recommend following them enough💕

And finally @rosanna-writer, @reverie-tales, @thesistersarcheron, and @starfall-spirit are my multishipping queens 🥰 On their blogs you'll find wonderful content for Feysand, Elriel, Elucien, and other ships as well!

#Oh god if I'm missing someone I'm so sorry #I got distracted so many times while making this #And now I'm just ready to yeet this task into the sun lmaooo #fic recs #elucien fic #feysand fic #elucien #feysand

[nikethestatue]

Is there a theory/anything that you think could work in Eluci*en/Gwy*riel’s favor? That you thought like fine I’ll give them that 🤔

Not really. I suppose with Elucien, you COULD write it as a romance. 'Indifference to love' is not exactly a well known trope, but I could see it happening. You COULD send the two of them somewhere, create forced proximity, create some life and death situations where they have to save each other and care for one another, the bond starts to work hard, and they fall in love.

I just don't think SJM is going there. But if there is a path for these two couples, Elucien is more realistic.

With Gwynriel, I've never seen anything even remotely reminding me of any attraction. Literally, every day Azriel was next to Gwyn in training, and every day he was avoiding Elain at the River House, he was only thinking of Elain. Nothing in that 6 months period when he was training the priestesses did anything move the needle away from Elain in his mind. He still wanted her and fantasized about her exclusively.

Lastly, SJM NEVER writes males with fixations on other love interests moving on to a new woman.

Gwynriel will never happen.

[separatist-apologist]

I know you didn't ask, but my favorite Elains that you have written come from Right Where You Left Me, Golden and Feel Good Drag. Hard agree on Wonderland Lucien being the best, but I would also suggest the one where he kidnaps her from Velaris and refuses to give her back (I forgot the name) and Vansnake to round up the top 3. Yes, I am a very casual fan of yours.

When he kidnaps her from Velaris and refuses to give her back is I Know Places We Won't Be Found and is probably the best elucie nfic I've written to date in terms of pacing, plot, and angst.

This is a well-rounded top three, and I see a lot of my favorites there, too. I originally had Golden for Elain too, since she's so instrumental in winning the war + I always love when Elain gets to commit a little murder, but I changed it because I'm so soft for All Of The Girls.

#i like all versions of my elain #so its hard picking a favorite

[archecosmo]

“Stop trying to change the narrative. Canon says Elain feels uncomfortable around Lucien and you should respect her choices!”

We had like 2 scenes of Cassian noticing Elain’s tight expression around Lucien and 1 scene of her running out the second Lucien enters the room. We never had Elain’s POV so we do not know what she actually feels and thinks about Lucien. We do not know why she acts like that around Lucien, especially when she was fine with him in acowar. I understand, it leaves you to think that Elain dislikes him, but it is SO UNFAIR for you to shame Eluciens for shipping Elucien and interpreting the scenes differently because apparently, she doesn’t want him around (it’s literally only based on what Feyre and Cassian saw and think), while you’re allowed to change what Azriel actually thinks. We finally got his POV and all he thought of her was sexual and ugly of himself. He literally said, “He hadn’t gotten that far with his planning, certainly not beyond the fantasies he pleasured himself to”. It wasn’t from another character’s POV, Azriel didn’t just say that to Rhys, AZRIEL THOUGHT THAT. WE WERE IN HIS HEAD AND HE SAID THAT IN. HIS. HEAD. Not to mention that his POV was written in 3rd person close. Yet you are allowed to change what is canon and say crap like “the reason he thinks that is because he’s scared of rejection”. How come you read the scenes, where Elain said many times that she wants sunshine and Cassian even notes how sick she looked wearing black and how unfitted she’s in the Night court PLUS Nesta thinking Elain would fit in the Spring court perfectly, yet you change the narrative and say that Cassian and Nesta are mistaken and Elain will prove to everyone that she actually looks good in black. Canon says Elain dislikes violence and didn’t even want to be praised for stabbing the King of Hybern, yet you wish for her to handle a torturer’s job. Canon says, AZRIEL says, that the shadows vanish around Elain, yet it’s so okay for you to headcanon what his shadows will do to her during sex. You commission art of her wearing a dark dress, a dagger in her hand, and shadows swirling around her- Is that not “disrespecting her choices” as well?! How come you are allowed to change canon to your liking but we aren’t? How come you are allowed to say it’s fact that Azriel was uncomfortable around Gwyn in the bonus chapter, even though he was the one who didn’t leave when she dismissed him and he was all fine being near her and showing her how to hold a dagger/sword, letting Gwyn see his hands, but it’s delusional for Gwynriels to think that the lines “something sparked in Azriel’s chest” “something restless settling in him” “He could have sworn a faint, beautiful singing followed him“ are clear signs for a mating bond? Why is it that only you are allowed to interpret the text differently, but if Eluciens do that it’s “stop changing canon just because it’s not to your liking!” and “you’re disrespecting her choices!” etc. Or if Gwynriels do that they’re stupid.

Not only that, but you’re also shaming Eluciens for wanting Elain to find her home and found family outside the Night court because apparently, we would want to “break off the Archeron sisters”, but then you turn around and headcanon Elain and Azriel as the High lady and High lord of a court that doesn’t exist, which is not in the Night court where her sisters AND his brothers are living in, is it?

I’m not even understanding why it’s so forbidden to interpret the scenes differently where Cassian notes Elain’s behavior around Lucien. Cassian didn’t even say the word “uncomfortable”, we aren’t sure if it was really a sign of uncomfortableness or dislike/hate, because we simply do not have Elain’s POV. I remember Feyre noting Nesta’s behavior around Cassian once, saying something like she didn’t want to be in the same room as him or similar to that (Does someone have a screenshot of it?) or literally how often Nesta told him to p*ss off and Cassian never did, but now we finally have Nesta’s POV and we finally know why she tried to stay away. So why assume the worst when it’s about Elucien?

Do whatever the hell you want. I don’t care if you interpret the situations differently, I don’t care if you try to change what the canon text says, I don’t care what version you created of Elain, I don’t care what you headcanon- just don’t shame Elucien stans for something you repeatedly do.

Also...You can’t disrespect Elain’s choices because she doesn’t exist!

Hypocrisy at its finest.

#elucien #pro elucien #elain archeron #lucien vanserra #antielriel #antiel*riel #antiel/riel #gwynriel #acosf #acotar

[zuran]

even though the next acotar book is probably not elucient i'm still happy because we're likely getting some elain and lucien appearances to set it all up for the next book

#elucien

[sixrealmsbeneaththesea]

ugh, i could've had this posted like....5 hours ago, but i've been writhing in pain because of my sinuses...oh man, i can't get a break ever lol.

anyway, personal sketch for a fic that i might never finish.

y'all know me (or don't), i'm not a shipper. old heart muscle wounds make me not give a fuck anymore, most romance is lost on me outside of commissions...but there's still a few that shine through. duke x elucifer (my idea of his krityan form, redrew him to look more like khroma came from his loins, er...however entelexia propagate, lol) would just be cute. there's a chance i'll explore it, but mostly not.

it doesn't help that eluci is dead, so it's bittersweet...but still cute.

"duke, you can show me your squirrel later, we've company..."

"is that a euphemism"

"you live with a squirrel in a tree"

#artists on tumblr #tales of #tales of vesperia #duke pantarei #elucifer #sketch drawing

[444names]

Names generated from Old English, modern French and modern Welsh forenames

Adberis Admær Adwelre Aelli Aertheald Aette Afant Aganlund Agmund Alaurughe Aldhuw Alian Amerht Amilie Amélirès Anghelwyn Anglacque Anpielen Anwulfri Ançois Araine Araynhac Arford Armun Arwynne Audeild Augayn Aulini Aumen Auremund Awenræd Aymorervé Beara Bearan Beavis Bedund Benber Beodmær Beofweal Beres Beriana Berth Betharis Bette Bevine Bleolec Blordræd Bloïc Bradovin Brichnog Brierht Brifu Briona Bristand Buris Byrhund Béannic Béatwulf...

Cadstan Cadynna Caith Carceryð Caris Caritte Ceadwig Ceinien Ceiri Celwyne Ceoflæd Ceoliard Cerhtri Cerric Ceræd Chachèle Chale Chanwyn Chaël Chear Chlorhtno Chric Ciannerht Clafy Clane Cleofric Clewele Cléanod Colyno Conic Conwen Cormundan Cornwys Culwy Cynfen Cyric Cædwyn Célis Célod Dainorno Danda Danne Davic Deorand Derefitte Docelstan Dunwent Dwulf Dythirone Dægead Dægefion Eadmoræd Eadocéat Eadog Eadola Eadwige Eagarawd Eagnès Eahwyne Ealdry Ealie Ealiviere Eanidherd Eannadmær Eanue Eanwenzo Earannion Earaymod Earfrin Earhtno Ecgwyn Echlo Eclan Eillaitte Einhed Einherht Eirlawd Eiron Eirwena Eirès Elanlorno Elfherht Elgain Elherise Elhswel Elise Ellewith Eloïc Elucie Elucin Elwalwend Elwen Elwigaine Elymorgan Elynmun Elythere Emari Emlyri Emund Eoflor Eofmæri Eofsige Eolaette Eollodmær Eorce Eorgeno Eorht Eorwyne Eowent Essarna Essige Estéphane Eurichno Fabeo Fabrol Fance Ffincla Ffine Ffith Flona Fluand Frald Franpie Fraymon Fricha Frynn Garis Garred Garwyelm Gavièle Gaétiano Gaétine Gearon Gemrycen Genion Gerna Ghere Glaur Glestal Gliel Glippe Glyne Godmær Goldæge Gomar Goræd Grugain Grégialf Gueleodys Guelph Gwald Gweald Gwealette Gwean Gwegan Gwendræd Gwenond Gweny Gwynd Gwyne Gwynfert Halaul Haldelle Hanwe Headbed Healdhen Heall Hedræd Helan Helanræd Helno Henine Herhosræd Herhthia Herrifu Herwynsig Heured Hugodwige Hundam Hundré Hurin Huwen Hygen Hygeor Héric Hérith Ianre Ielre Iffine Inewint Ingweari Iolcwine Iolent Iriant Istyn Ivornond Jacon Jamen Jamicha Jeadgy Jeadomic Jeald Jealdelre Jealheod Jealien Jearnmuré Jesigifu Jestaf Jestric Jocélia Jonwen Josenzo Kenræd Kerhtwule Kevicam Kunne Lafang Lainewen Lauderlyn Laugard Laumeish Legaine Leodre Leorydd Lette Lewen Lione Lleoræd Llestion Llewulf Llewynda Llinin Llyne Llynsig Lodwige Luannia Lucai Lucare Luctinlyn Lurge Lynmory Mabirwen Macord Maeri Magmun Manweald Marde Mardri Marge Maricel Marlynett Marnmund Marwulf Mauden Maudri Maximeire Megwealéa Menrefu Merht Merhth Milin Modgary Modidelm Modricha Modwelm Modyne Mohant Moridhed Mornwulf Mundaniel Myriald Mélianne Méline Nadfran Niquer Norhor Noémiren Obeofnog Ocealen Odmono Olaelric Oleod Olien Osbene Oslane Oslyne Osmun Osmunis Osrædwige Oswig Oswin Oweorna Pathie Patria Patwent Paudett Paurys Pharan Pielen Pledwyn Plein Pleine Pleofno Redylle Reire Rhowenne Rhtmær Rhtno Rhtnon Rhtrugu Richaint Rolcmær Romaulf Rondran Roninian Ronwen Rélina Sabie Sabin Sabon Sanian Sançoiste Saption Scmuels Sianric Sigeale Sigen Sigery Siges Solwis Sophiamie Strah Strictie Swennate Syllis Sæbeodri Særicelyn Sæwacque Sæwalte Sæwig Sébaldyn Sévert Tatrædri Theald Thelydd Theorht Thundrion Tistige Tornon Vicheara Vickan Véran Vérichric Waine Waran Weadwenzo Wigenys Wihtmunda Wilerifu Wilielræd Wintanne Wuffy Wulfsic Wulfwen Wulfwige Wulfyd Wuliand Wynman Yannewine Yveth Ægmund Ælfde Ælfgard Ælfgaymor Ælfran Ælfstia Ælfstine Ælfwence Ælfwigine Ælfys Ællor Æðeloïc Élierht Élène Érèsexred Évelnona

#444 names #444names #fantasy names #name stash #names #markov gen #markovgen #dnd names #random fantasy names #character names #fantasy name

[acourtofthought]

You might be right about Elucient for next book. Someone compiled pictures sjm saved on pinterest. Penny for your thoughts?

https://www.tumblr.com/lullabestie14/745553395019055104/part-2?source=share

I love when people find her old Pins! 😍

And I do think those pins are highly suggestive of an Elucien endgame with them dealing with the Vassa / Koschei plot though I don't know if any pins can tell us with any sort of certainty who is getting the next book.

I hope it's Elucien! I'd love it to be Elucien! Any possible Elucien hints leave me excited for Elucien! But, the only thing that will truly convince me of who the next book will be about is a Bloomsbury /SJM Instagram announcement. Until that time, anything is possible.

[ducksductcleaning]

In this blog, we have explained the economic rationale for routine dryer vent cleaning. Click here to read the full blog.

#dryer vent cleaning in Orlando FL

[lesbianjackies]

THE ENID THEME

TYSM @goosetheluce IS WEDNESDAY WE’RE WENCLAIR

#gen👹 #lucy🪐 #mad-moots #mad-mail #elucy

[iamthewanderingbard]

It feels good to return to another Elucy AU that’s lain dormant for a while. In this case, it’s the Blood & Water AU.

#for anyone who needs a refresher #it’s the AU where Elissa receives an ultimatum #shoot Lucy or your club burns #and she chooses her club #shooting Lucy in the shoulder #and the two have to deal with the aftermath #it’s a good AU #but it’s so heartwrenching #Elucy bad timeline #Lucy Mae Crimson #Elissa Viero #Elucy #Blood & Water AU

[kinetic-elaboration]

September 20: Chainsaw + Narratives

I want to see if I can get down a few of my thoughts on Chainsaw before bed. That’s not really what I’m thinking about right now but it’s something I’ve been meaning to do and I really am tired of talking about my boring self.

I’m going to talk about my favorite scene (so far at least): when Jade and Letha meet at the bench and Letha suggests that Jade was abused by her father.

First, this was where the book really started to pick up for me. I’d been enjoying it even before but this was a new level of page-turning. I also liked the too-obvious-to-be-coincidental queer content, the clear flirtation and Jade’s obvious crush on Letha. (It does not bother me that it never went farther than that, which I know from accidental spoilers, ha.) And I had also been assuming the exactly same thing from pretty much Jade’s first chapter so, even though that section did not confirm anything, I did feel vindicated in my own reading-between-the-lines skills.

To me, it was fairly obvious that Jade was a survivor of sexual assault or abuse from the way she reacted to any suggestion that she was the final girl, in her conversation with the construction grunts in the intro. She clearly wanted to be the final girl, she found that…flattering isn’t even the right word, like it made her feel warm, she had a desire or yearning for it. But she insisted it was cut off from her because final girls are “pure.” She even explicitly connected purity and virginity. And she stressed purity repeatedly when first describing Letha, way more than I would personally in describing a final girl. And yet, Jade is clearly a misfit and an outcast, and she acts out a lot, but she doesn’t act out through sexual promiscuity. She doesn’t even seem like she’d know how. She’s extremely awkward with people, she can’t flirt, she makes it fairly clear in multiple places that she has no past relationships with any of her classmates—if she’s not a virgin, something happened that wasn’t consensual.

And of course, the obsession with slashers and the specific focus on the slasher as the avenging angel, the embodied retribution for an old, bad prank, the wave of violence that malefactors who’ve gotten away with some great sin for years soundly deserve—all of that implies that she herself is seeking justice or revenge, that she has a deep desire or need for it and that is why she seeks out this genre and analyzes it so minutely from this point of view.

Similarly, I basically had the same Bay of Blood story reading as Letha, if maybe a little less detailed. It also struck me as a story very much about what wasn’t said: why she was in another town, why she was going to a doctor, why her mom was debating with herself in the car and about what, etc.

What I most like about the scene, though, was this idea of the narrative and how people, especially teenagers perhaps, use narrative structure to give meaning to their own lives. Prior to this scene, we’ve mostly been deep, deep inside Jade’s head, seeing things as she sees them. Yes, it’s obvious that she’s quite literally and broadly applying movie rules to her life as if they were objective rules about the physical world and that isn’t, perhaps, the behavior of someone with a firm grasp on reality. There are real killings so we know she’s partially right about something, but we also know that presumably this story takes place in the real world and not in a movie (although it has certain similarities to movies other than the Jade-imposed structure) and so her movie-based expectations are a bit too bluntly applied. And certainly from the outside, she must look positively deranged.

And yet it’s easy to get caught up in her version of the narrative, because we’re so closely aligned with her and she is so often alone and in her own head, without anyone around to make counterarguments. Seeing her suddenly from the outside was, I think, the real turning point that I was talking about before. It clarified and elucidated this whole other angle on the narrative: Jade seen at least semi-objectively. A peek outside of the claustrophobic nature of her brain.

Jade is a really obvious example of someone who needs the narrative. She learned the rules of the slasher, she wrote a whole mini-book on them, even, and now she’s using those same rules and that same reliable, comforting structure to corral her own life and her own little town. It’s a distraction from her traumatic past but it also gives that past meaning; the abuse wasn’t some chaotic, evil, pointless terror but the first, necessary event in a larger arc of justice, growth, fortitude, strength. I definitely do believe, in general, that humans are attracted to the narrative. We like to give our lives meaning so we interpret events and facts through the lens of certain known stories or myths, or create an arc of meaning from any sort of jumble of events that seem too arbitrary on their own. Jade just takes it to an extreme, probably in part because of the abuse, and probably in part because of her age.

So it was a real mind-blown moment for me that Letha did the same thing. She read between the lines of Jade’s essay and then she slotted HER into a narrative that Letha herself found familiar and soothing, that served the same functions for her as the horror narrative does for Jade: it makes sense of certain facts, and it makes those facts easier to deal with. It just makes sense, right? Here she was, feeling horrible that she had to leave her home and all her friends in her senior year of high school, and for what? To help Jade. To save this new classmate. The Indian classmate who completely unsurprisingly comes from an abusive background. The classmate who left a whole bunch of weird papers and a VHS tape wrapped up in a pair of pants in her mailbox, an action with many layers, all of which are utterly bizarre and disquieting. Why is she so weird? Why are she and Letha drawn together? Because of fate! Because she’s a tragic victim and Letha is a hero. Because Letha is going to ride in like a white knight and save her poor, distressed new friend.

Weirdly, they actually have the same fantasy/narrative, just in different genres. Letha’s is after-school special/lifetime movie and Jade’s is horror, but in both Letha is the savior, the fated one.

I think that was basically my point and also I’m falling asleep here. Anyway, future posts: Jade as the final girl and what Jade sees in the slasher narrative as it applies to her own life. This might be one post. I’m not really sure how much I’ll have to say on each one—it’ll probably be, like this post, a situation where I feel like I have some really grand point that I’m proud of and then I see it in words and I’m like, yeah, duh. But it’s still nice to get the thoughts down. (Also let’s hope I actually remember the second one, I definitely had thoughts about it but already they’re kind of hazy.

#the year 2023 #2023: reading