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defectivehero · 9 months

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What do you want to see/read more with heroes and villains?

This is a great question, and I can only hope that I'm both doing it justice and also interpreting it correctly...

I suppose I'm not quite sure. If I'm being perfectly honest, I haven't quite been active in the hero/villain community on Tumblr in at least a year. The concept was staring to bore me, and I soon felt pigeonholed by the same broad labels that were supposed to be freeing for my writing.

As you've probably noticed, I haven't been very active on this blog recently. I'm writing a lot of fanfiction on AO3 and my other Tumblr... and now, I find that when I have the itch to write, I turn to fan fiction because it has pre-established characters and universes that I can then bend to my own will and desires. It's much easier to avoid the pitfalls that can plague the hero/villain content, because there is already at least some minimum foundation of knowledge required for fanfiction pieces to be comprehensible to the audience.

With that said, I think I'd like to read more hero & villain pieces that utilize one or more of the following qualities:

Satire. I really enjoy pieces that—to some degree of consciousness—have a sense of awareness. It doesn't necessarily matter how this awareness is cultivated, but it can manifest in different ways. Here are some examples that come to the top of my head:

the hero thinking about their role [either in life or in the story] as a hero, and how this commitment to heroism influences their own actions. sometimes, this shows through in their backstory; other times, this shows through in their own conceptualization as a hero.

same thing goes for the villain–how they interpret their own villainy can have a massive impact on the story. how do they see themself? do they think themself to be evil—and if so, to what degree—or perhaps taking on the burdens that others aren't courageous enough to take?

some acknowledgment of existing tropes. I've seen this executed quite well in a simple moment of dialogue, with a hero or villain poking fun at the situation they find themself in. humor is an effective weapon during moments of tension in stories, and it also introduces a new feeling to a concept that may already exist elsewhere. (but, again, as I'm sure most of you have seen, if humor is the only thing going for the piece, then it is likely going to feel uncomfortable or even cringey. gotta have some balance!)

I also enjoy pieces that don't spotlight romance. This is mostly because, a lot of times, the romance can feel either rushed, forced, cliche, or a combination of any of these. A hero falls in love with a villain, forbidden relationship, blah, blah, bLAH. It's been done a million times before. And, honestly? There's much more nuance and creativity in the components of a rivalry/tense alliance/hard-won friendship than in a hero/villain love story. Don't get me wrong, romance can really enhance a story—but I prefer it to show through in smaller actions and ambiguous, undefined relationships. It feels more meaningful that way.

Lastly, I'd say that I really enjoy stories that use a hero/villain dynamic but show it through different characters. This can show through in mythical beings, creatures, and humans that aren't a "hero" or a "villain." Detectives, pirates, vampires, fairies, aliens... There's nearly limitless potential!

The truth of the matter, in my opinion, is that the hero & villain dynamic has already been thoroughly explored. This community on Tumblr has been around for a while. Selfishly speaking, I miss the days when heroes & villains were a new and fresh concept—when the tag didn't have many followers and there was an air of excitement and intrigue to it all. About a year (and a half?) ago, I got so frustrated with this that I purged my entire blog and nearly deleted all my work.

The reasons I've detailed are why I've been recently struggling to write the dynamic. I don't want to create something that has already been created and, unfortunately, that is very difficult to accomplish now. But! This question has gotten the rusty cogs of my motivation to start whirring away. I'm going to challenge myself to utilize and uphold these standards I have listed out here.

#defective hero #hero x villain #hero and villain #heroes and villains #defectivehero #writing #writeblr #spilled ink #spilled thoughts #idk #I spent like fifteen minutes editing this to make myself sound like less of an ungrateful bitch #if that attitude still shows through I apologize and assure you that it is not intentional

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tleeaves · 8 months

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Fanfic tropes

Thank you for the tag, @writing-for-life! It took me so long to get around to this.

Rules: How much do these tropes affect your decision to click on a fic?

• -10 -> very dissuaded

• 0 - don't care either way

• 10 -> very enticed

• nope -> if it's a hard no and you'd never click on a fic with that tag or or you even have the tag blocked or you'd insta click out of the fic if it wasn't tagged

Bonus points for explaining the rating and whether it's conditional.

Age Gap: -6 It very much depends on the kind of age gap we're talking about, though I get uncomfortable when it's about teenage characters more than one year apart. As two adults? Perfectly fine, so long as you're not counting an 18/19 year old as an adult in the dynamic with some 30 year old, sorry. There's a level.

Codependency: -5 Tends to make me uncomfortable. The real-life experience of it has soured a lot of romanticism that goes on around it for me. As before, there are levels and lines associated with it. Depends. But generally, I don't like it. There are healthier ways to write about people who don't want to lose each other.

Enemies to lovers: 10 ...shut up. So what if it's my favourite trope SO WHAT? When done right, it is just beautiful, wonderful, delicious, fantastic. I tend to write enemies to lovers adjacent tropes in a lot of my works. I'm obsessed with the kind of chemistry it creates, the tension, the drama. Of course, there's also a healthy way to do it, and then downright red flag type toxicity. Be careful.

Enemies With Benefits: 4 Can be a delicious slice of drama and spice when done right.

Fake Dating/Relationship: 5 I didn't care much for it for a while, but it's grown on me. When done well, it is almost as fun as enemies to lovers.

Found Family: 7 Really enjoy this trope, though it tends to get repetitive in ways its done. My favourites are from canon really and not fanfic, but I won't click away if I see it in the tags - most likely I'd be curious to see how the author chose to do it.

Friends to Lovers: 0 Don't really care. Don't love it or hate it. Sort of bland, depending on how you write it.

Friends with Benefits: 0 Also don't care much for it but I'm not dissuaded or encouraged necessarily.

Hurt/Comfort: 3 It depends. I like writing hurt/comfort but it's always a coin toss when it's in fanfic. I more like writing angst and comforting scenes than I do reading them, weirdly.

Love Triangle: -4 I'm so tired of it because one character is always clearly the better option (to me) and it's frustrating either watching the character in the middle be an idiot who can't decide over what should be an easy choice or pick the wrong love interest entirely. And then if it's a proper triangle where someone likes someone else? Boring and frustrating. Have a threesome about it.

Mistaken/Hidden Identity: 10 Fucking delicious. Give me more. I want more fics with this.

Monster Fu... Relationship: 0 Don't care much, I don't really have cause to come across anything with it?? None of my fandoms really have monster characters to fuck so... unless you count werewolves? Kinda feels too much like bestiality there, sorry. If it's human/animal-aligned then it's more of a "nope" if it goes into sexual territory.

Obsession, Possessiveness, etc.: -10 NOPE. I'M GONE. I'M OUT. I can give some fics passes if it's a more low-key, but it very rarely is.

Opposites (like grumpy x sunshine, etc): 1 Depends. I like opposites, but it's difficult to make it feel believable in fanfic sometimes. Cute in theory. Execution tends to be a bit off. Plus, I don't like it when it's too surface-level sunshine and grumpy etc.

Poly: 0 Also depends. I don't care too much. If I think the dynamic of characters is good, I'm completely fine with it and will even enjoy it. Rare though. I haven't seen a lot of these.

Pregnancy: -5 BUT it also depends. Highly conditional. Highly. I need it done well and without cliches.

Second Chance: 5 I actually quite like this when the circumstances are good e.g. a lot of time has passed and whatever incident that took them apart was not too bad, or genuine changes have occurred, or there was a misunderstanding etc.

Sex to Feelings: 2 Kinda tasty, not gonna lie. I don't mind it.

Slowburn: 10 TAKE MY MONEY. SLOWBURNS FOR THE WIN. THIS IS CRUCIAL. ESPECIALLY WITH ENEMIES TO LOVERS OR RIVALS TO LOVERS, IF IT'S NOT SLOWBURN WTF ARE YOU DOING.

Soulmates: -10 Bye. See you on the other side of the delulu spectrum.

Tagging: @faithfromanewperspective, @ibrushmyteeth-donttellanyone, @zoyalannister, @manawari, @stabbydragon, @sourlemons262, @griddle-cakes. Tagged you either because I know you're a fanfic writer or because I think you'd enjoy this (or both). No pressure to do it though, loves <3

#tag game #fanfic

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just-a-bookish-reader · 1 year

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Chaos & Flame Book Review

Chaos & Flame by Tessa Gratton My rating: 4 of 5 stars Thank you to those who put on the YA Soirée at YallFest 2022, and Razorbill for giving me the opportunity to read and review this fantastically fun novel! As I mentioned above, this book was plain good fun! I enjoyed every second of it! There were some trope-y moments that were a bit too cliche for me, but otherwise, this was so much fun! The premise was so exciting and I loved the, well, chaos of the execution! I really felt kept on my toes for a majority of the book - in a good way, I promise! I appreciated how the love interests worked out, and how nothing was super clear, not even at the end, which sets up perfectly for the next book! This felt quite original, and I loved the shocking moments and the questionable moments because of how they led up to the ending - which I promise you think you know where it’s going, and then it just almost completely 180’s but then you think about it and it makes just enough sense that you can understand why it ended the way it did! This was honestly such a fun time and I’m so glad I got to read it so early because I don’t know if I would have even known about it otherwise. Anyway - I may just have to check out these lovely ladies solo books soon!

View all my reviews

#chaos and flame #chaos & flame #tessa gratton #justina ireland #advanced reader copy #reviews #review #book review #dragons

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eljackinton · 1 year

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Every Game Jack Played in 2022

Once again it's time for me to talk about all the video games I played. A lot of time was spent playing Hunt Showdown and Gwent, which I've talked about previously, but I still got few a fair few games, so let's talk about them now.

Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye

After a game as with such high concept heights as Outer Wilds, how do you follow on from where the story leaves off. Echoes of the Eye takes such a challenge in it's stride, taking the game to even more fantastical, stranger places. Never before have I seen a more worthy expansion.

Back 4 Blood

It's probably fair to criticise Back 4 Blood when comparing it to it's obvious progenitor, Left 4 Dead, and while the game definitely lacks that Valve spark in it's characters and it's level design, it's still a well put together game that has an identity in it's own right, that brings a few new interesting ideas to the table.

Sunless Sea (Again)

I spent a lot of time playing Sunless Sea in 2020 but something about it just drew me back. This time I played through more of the strange sub-plots and got more into the trade sim side of the game. Enjoyed it even more this time around.

Quake

I also finally got round to playing the mission packs for the new edition of Quake. While some are definitely more enjoyable than others, it's a testament to the engine that it can still come out with some surprises all these years later.

Horizon: Zero Dawn

I FINALLY finished HZD this year, and while I can say I've really grown tired of huge open worlds, and this game is no exception, I still spent a lot of time thinking about it. Far from perfect, with gameplay with is serviceable at best and janky at worst, it still looks gorgeous, has a magnetic cast of characters and a really involved story of twists and turns. Can't wait for the sequel to be released on PC in like 5 years time.

Superliminal

In a just world, Superliminal would be as big as Portal. It mechanics are as inventive and creative, and it's humour is as witty and dry. Alas, sci-fi stories about evil computers is always going to be more popular than avant-garde dream spaces. Still, the game has well earned it's accolades, and I'd love to see it's ideas extrapolated further.

A Hand With Many Fingers

A very short but sharp narrative game that involves piecing together a political conspiracy that actually happened. Feels more a proof of concept than an actual game in it's own right, but I'd love to see it's mechanics and ideas used in a larger project. Imagine a Deus Ex game just stopping the action to have you rustling through boxes of files.

Cultist Simulator

Better in idea than it is in execution. Cultist Simulator is most enjoyable at the beginning where you're just piecing together how the mechanics work and what resources are used for what purposes, giving you a little eureka moment each time. The further you get, however, the more it feels like you're hitting a brick wall. At 34 hours in I'd had enough of still trying to figure out how half of the mechanics worked.

Call of Juarez: Gunslinger

The previous COJ games have always passed me by, so I went into Gunslinger as it's own thing. An absolute love letter to Western cinema at it's most overwrought, with every trope and cliche on display. I only wish it had been longer.

Disco Elysium

Whatever I have to say about Disco Elysium has probably already been said, but I'm kind of glad I held off from the hype period and experienced it on it's own merits. A true successor to Planescape: Torment that also manages to dethrone it's own inspiration.

Aliens: Fireteam Elite

Fireteam Elite gets almost everything right. The gameplay is paced perfectly, the sound and visual design apes the Alien's films to a t, and the game draws just the right amount from the Alien's expanded universe to feel authentic without being fanservicy. It's one big flaw? The game is just too damn short and the campaigns are far too small to keep drawing players back in the way Vermintide or Back 4 Blood can. Updates have mitigated this somewhat but it's in dire need of more maps.

For the Warp

A really fun space travel rogue-like that can be a little frustrating at first but once you begin to understand the deck building mechanics the whole thing clicks and getting that perfect run feels well earned. I really hope we see a sequel that can expand out to a Darkest Dungeon sized campaign.

Tell Me Why

A Life is Strange game in all but name, Tell Me Why really feels like Dontnod really hitting their stride with the tone and style of games they really want to do. Deeply personal and uncompromising, at three episodes it's never at risk of outstaying it's welcome. Highly recommended.

The Stanley Parable ULTRA DELUXE

Playing a new Stanly Parable in 2022 feels weird. There's also a part of me that wants to gripe about the re-release not having enough new content, but then I'd feel like the game itself would be judging me for doing that. I think my actual opinions on this game will need another half decade to formulate.

Deus Ex Revision (with the Lay-D Denton Mod)

So I finally got an excuse to play Revision with the added bonus they included the new female player option, which is a great and seamless addition and kind of wild how ell it was pulled off. As for Revision itself? It's a fine, alternative way to play Deus Ex and a good excuse to do so, but I don't really think it works as a superior version of the game. Some of the map changes just complicate it way too much. Worth checking out but the original is still superior.

Eponymous

An extremely short game that is, in brief, about the nature of playing games. If nothing else it did get me to finally read House of Leaves.

Not Tonight

This Brexit themed Papers Please-alike is absolutely brilliant as satire but just a touch too long for an enjoyable game. While it does a good job to communicate the pressure of thankless contract work like that of a doorman, the game drags it's increasingly difficult gameplay mechanics along far too long for the story to justify. Clever but should have been shorter.

Battlefleet Gothic Armada

A fun, high stakes space combat game that is just a little too overly complex for the gameplay mechanics to allow for. Didn't outstay it's welcome but I'm hoping for big improvements with the sequel.

Warhammer 40'000 Armageddon (DLC)

So I finally went back and finished the DLC campaigns for Armageddon. They're really just more of the base game, for better or worse.

Titanfall 2

Well worth it's reputation as a top-tier story based FPS and also for being shorter than it should have been. Not a real moment is wasted and yet I'm crying out for a sequel that will likely never happen.

Darkest Dungeon (DLC)

With the DD board game launching this year I decided to go back and play the DLC that I missed the first time round. While the gameplay is as slick and tense as ever, I can't help but feel the DLC pads things out more than is necessary just to make it fell like they add more content than they actually do. Far from essential but they add some interesting concepts.

Lair of the Clockwork God

It's weird to think this series started as a throwaway gag. Lair of the Clockwork God is an impressive return to the Ben and Dan series in terms of scope, and I had my fun with it, but ultimately, I think too much of the platforming elements were frustrating for the sake of it (and not in the moments where this was deliberate.) Here's hoping any potential sequels return to being simple point and clicks again.

We'll talk about Deathloop this time next year, as I still have yet to experience the multiplayer aspect. Until then, my new years resolution is to finally finish Divinity Original Sin 2.

#video games #review

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lucid-jjin · 3 years

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LOL your ask box question is exactly the question I'm here to ask you in regards to the jinkook fic rec you mentioned, I'm highly interested 🤭

yooo hello hello!!! yes i have plenty of jinkook fic recs aha i got u guys— i’ll list down five from five different writers over here (all are on ao3 + check ratings/tags to see if you’re comfortable with it before proceeding)

a) cherub vice by nonheather this one is like— you know how some fics are just right there??? like they’re just right there?? up on a podium, center stage in your bain and have quite possibly changed your entire perception of ah idk life?? this is that fic. amazing writing, amazing character development, amazing plot. jungkook’s character is just so!!!! precious!!!! you want to just keep him safe in your pocket and seokjin here is just everything i aspire to be. pls pls pls read. nonheather is such a brilliant writer.

b) sonder by polyjoon do you want to cry? yes you want to cry. read this and cry. this fic drove a dagger through my heart and put a bandaid over it as an apology. but it was completely worth it. 10/10 will put myself through this emotional ordeal again. jungkook is an npc in a video game and seokjin is the player. shit hURTS

c) i am jungkook by lessisabore have you ever considered the possibility of there being a bangtan guardians of the galaxy au??? because i had never but thankfully this fic opened my eyes to all i have been missing out on and it was so cute!!! i loved this so much. i believe the author did such a good job mixing the guardians’ personalities and jinkook’s without them overshadowing each other. very feel good, laughing out loud, to read on a bad day kind of fic. (also a vmin sequel is available. the author has such a sexc brain)

d) lifted by jvante ahhhh this fic ive re-read quite a couple of times. i feel it has the perfect combination of angst and fluff and everything in between. not draggy, appropriately paced. jinkook transitioning from fwb(s) to lovers-- you just know it's gonna be good. the author’s humour is god tier and they really have a knack for portraying jinkook’s actual personality in their fics. i love it a lot, quite literally my comfort fic

e) plastic pine trees by goldenhearts another frequent reread of mine!! very cute, super funny and of course a hint of angst caused by boys who don’t Talk about how they actually Feel and instead Repress those Feelings. but, i mean, what else can be expected from a fake relationship trope??? regardless, the author executed this cliche perfectly i love it sm (and there’s also the added bonus of the slightest mention of rapline ot3— what more could you ask for??)

make sure to check out these authors’ other works too if you liked these!! and leave comments and kudos too! ((nonheather, jvantae and goldenhearts, in particular, have quite a number of jinkook fics))

and thanks for the kind words!!! pls you all really made my day <33 have a blast reading and feel free to ask me for more recs (any ship tbh— i read them all ajkshkf) thanks for trusting my opinion :)

#anon asks #jinkook fic recs #im rlly sorry if this is a late reply ;; hopefully whoever asked this sees this aaa

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whyiask · 3 years

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ALRIGHT. I know I've talked about it before, but I'm feeling nostalgic for Alex and Daria and I need to rant again about this amazing series.

THE PANDORAN NOVELS

I have literally never met another person who has read these. Never. The only person I know has read these or even HEARD OF them is @hekker2 (feel free to add onto this post btw)

Gaia's Secret is a wonderfully written book in a wonderfully written series, and EVERYONE should go read it.

A (Short) List of Reasons to Read the Pandoran Novels:

A wonderfully written, well crafted, competent and strong female lead.

Childhood friends to enemies to lovers

Adults who actually give a shit about their children and are present and capable and useful in their journey.

Beautifully described locations? The settings are actually so goddamn gorgeous and really described in a way that makes you feel like you're there.

Marvellously hidden twists and surprising revelations that are foreshadowed brilliantly and executed perfectly

A male lead love interest who IS NOT dark and broody. Instead he's open, compassionate, kind, brave, loyal, determined, serious yet playful. He has good morals and actually clicks with Daria really well.

power couple power couple pOWER COUPLE POWER COUPLE- Daria and Alex are literally made for each other, they compliment each other so well and work so well together and ahh. They listen to each other and support each other and it's amazing. Literally a power couple.

Hilarious family dynamics! The Del Conte fam is amazing and there are arguments but never too bad! Because they all respect each other!! And actually care about each other!! It's so refreshing to see a non-problematic family in fiction.

A goofy, carefree male main character! He isn't as main in book 1, but Thad is super important later and he is hilarious and goofy and roguishly handsome and he has my heart and deserves everything good in this world. He has a lot of backstory and his motivation is realistic and he has not a good family so he fits right into their Found Family ahhhhh!!!

Vera! That's all that I need to say on the matter 😳🔥😍

Have I mentioned how exceptional the world building is??

It has quite a few cliche tropes, but they are all written with an exceptional twist and a unique and different spin on them! Honestly- this series made me feel so many different things and emotions, it's written so well. I cried more than once and tbh it's just vvvvv good

Also Stefan- is hilarious and amazing and a dork and a beautiful human being who is a total cinnamon bun and needs a hug and some therapy 🥺 he's honestly so precious

I might also want to mention it's a little bit older. Daria is 18, but I still loved it sooooo much and it isn't adult content or anything. I think the most explicit it gets is making out aha. There is also some death and definitely a lot of feels so be warned before you go in. Also there is some non-consentual kisses in like, the third book or so, so be warned if that will trigger you.

Just. read it. please. it's so good. so, so good. and underappreciated. I mean come ON! IT'S GOT FREAKING FOUND FAMILY AND CHILDHOOD FRIENDS TO ENEMIES TO LOVERS!!

Honestly- just read it. You won't regret it.

#the pandoran novels #pandoran novels #gaia's secret #alexander del conte #alex del conte #daria regius #book recommendation #joy's book rants

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smokeybrand · 3 years

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Smokey brand Reviews: Bad Romance

Palm Springs was probably my favorite film from last year. It was this quirky, time-looping, hilarious, romantic comedy with one of the dopest casts I've ever seen. It was headlined, and championed, by Andy Samberg but it would have been nothing without the brilliant chemistry between his co-lead, Cristin Milioti. This chick is fantastic! She’s been in a ton of stuff I've loved, Fargo, The Wolf of Wall Street, and Venture Bros. immediately come to mind, but never really had the opportunity to actually excel in her own vehicle. Always the Bridesmaid never the Bride, you know? And then i heard the buzz about this little HBO max show called Made For Love and it is lead by Milioti, herself. Finally, my girl has her wedding day! So, does this show live up to all the hype or is it just middling entertainment like all the other critics seem to think. Let’s get into it.

The Good

Immediately, I'm struck by how well this film is shot. This f*cking thing is gorgeous to look at. Seriously, they do so much with the camera work, so much dynamism, you kind of forget that this is basically just a cable sitcom. The quality put into this show is borderline cinematic and it really shows.

Another big thing that stands out is the music in this show. This soundtrack is exceptional. It feels almost as good as the tunes in Letterkenny. Almost. Letterkenny comes with the f*cking heat but this show, Made for Love, has a perfectly complimentary soundtrack.

I have to say, the writing in this thing is on point. It’s easily one of the wittiest, wryly hilarious, smartest, series of scripts i have ever had the pleasure of seeing performed. Seriously, I'm kind of in love with all of this dialogue. It feels very Lonely Island-esque, very Tina Fey-ish, and it’s right up my alley.

As a cat that has watched a ton of television and cinema, I've seen this actual plot before. Several times actually. That said, the way this cliche is executed in Made for Love is rather refreshing. The modern and technological framing is a really interesting take on this particular trope. I genuinely loved this story and it’s unique spin on things.

This cast is pretty dope. Ray Romano, Kym Whitley, Dan Bakkedahl, and Noma Dumezweni are all great in their supportive roes but this is, one hundred percent, Milioti’s vehicle. I’ll get into detail about that later but everyone in this show is excellent in their perspective roles.

That supporting cast are gems in Milioti’s crown but Billy Magnussen is definitely the prize. Dude’s Byron Gogol is f*cking repugnant, man, and Magnussen effortlessly captures that scumbaggery. Like, by the time this first season ends, you definitely hate dude and for good f*cking reason. That said...

Cristin Milioti wears the f*ck out of her crown. This is HER show and it wouldn’t work with anyone else. Milioti is hilarious and vulnerable and crazed and triumphant and defeated and that range is so palpable in her performance as Hazel. you can tell she was able to actually show her stuff in this role and she puled out all of the stops. This is definitely a star making performance and i think, if this wasn’t a pandemic release, she would be one. Time will tell. Personally, i think awards are bullsh*t but, in the context of the industry, the doors those things can open, they are still relevant. Milioti definitely deserves all of the awards for this run.

The Bad

I didn’t really like the ending. It felt out of character, especially that last shot. I understand why Hazel did it, that make sense, but it still feels off. After you’ve spent seven hours and fifty minutes with this character, seeing what she does in the last ten is kind of bonkers. Actually, that revelation early on feels a bit contrived altogether. I imagine, considering this show is a book adaption, it works better in print but onscreen? Kind of blergh. Especially considering this leaves the show on kind of a “cliffhanger” for a season two.

This isn't a dig on the show, itself, but i f*cking hate these weekly releases. Let me binge, man. I don’t want to wait a week to see new episodes constantly. These ain’t Saturday morning cartoons. We grown and this sh*t ain’t TV. Get your sh*t together, HBO!

The Verdict

I really liked this show. Made for Love was a fun watch in the same vein as Palm Springs but with a much harder edge. The writing is on point, funny in a macabre sort of way, but entertaining as a whole. It is chock full of great performances, headlined but the ever excellent Cristin Milioti. It starts fast and never really lets up, until it does. That ending, man, was rough. I understand why it went out the way it did but i don’t like. It feels disingenuous to the Hazel we’ve spent this last month with, ultimately sacrificing the character’s spirit for season two bait and i kind of hate that. Made for Love is a fun watch at a brisk eight episodes but kind of flubs the landing. If you can look past that and just accept this hing as a vehicle for Cristin Milioti to really show her stuff, i think you’ll have a great time with it. Questionable conclusion aside, i think everyone should check this one out.

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lovelytonys · 5 years

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100 great things about megamind

basically i just watched megamind and wrote down everything that made me go “hey that’s good”

1. The opening monologue slaps I literally do not care about your “cliches” it’s GOOD

2. “8 days old and still living with my parents...pathetic right?”

3. The idea that Megamind is inherently good since his origin story should have been his dad saying he’s destined for “greatness” but the greatness got cut off uwu

4. Literally just the fact that Megamind was about to go to the Rich Nice House and his destiny changed at the last second,,,everything about this movie makes it a cinematic masterpiece

5. “A baby! How thoughtful!” “yes yes I saw it and thought of you”

6. “While they were learning the itsy bitsy spider I was learning how to dehydrate objects and rehydrate them at will”

7. When you hear the Bad to the Bone guitar riff kick in,,,,,,heck yeah babey!!

8. J.K Simmons is here! yeah!

9. Will Ferrell’s voice acting is literally SO darn good like even just from the beginning,,, the funny affectation of whatever kind of accent that is,,,,,the expressiveness of literally everything he says,,,,,I’m not actively a fan of Will Ferrell or anything but he just did a good job ok

10. “His heart is an ocean inside a bigger ocean”

11. Idk why but I just love the phrase “you fantastic fish you”

12. Metro Man is such a fun character. Like. A hero who shouldn’t be a hero, but he just….is one? Someone who’s idol-worshipped and, despite his grandeur, doesn’t exactly deserve it?

13. MEGAMIND’S CHARACTER DESIGN IS LITERALLY SO GOOD like the vivid colors of his skin and eyes? His COSTUME? His hilarious proportions, between the giant head and the skinny & scrawny everything else? Superb, you funky little alien

14. All dialogue between Megamind and Minion is god tier by default

15. The twist on “damsel in distress” where yeah the girl gets kidnapped but she is so not distressed and has the intellectual power in the situation as she roasts Megamind at every turn and he can’t combat anything she says

16. “Oh potato tomato potato tomato”

17. “I’m shaking in my BABY SEAL LEATHER BOOTS”

18. THE ENTIRE EXCHANGE BETWEEN MEGAMIND AND METRO MAN ABOUT JUSTICE AND REVENGE AND THE MICROWAVE OF EVIL AND WARRANTIES

19. “Can someone stamp my frequent kidnapping card” “You of all people know that we discontinued that”

20. The way this movie manages to SO effectively establish character while diving right into the action and keeping with a fun, fast pace? The world & characters are set up incredibly well AND the start of the journey/ “break into the new world” hits at a brisk 20 minutes? Lovely work, Dreamworks

21. When Highway to Hell kicks in with the lasers and Megamind dancing at the police,,,,,this is nothing short of priceless

22. “Imagine the most horrible terrifying evil thing you could possibly think of and multiply it…..BY SIX”

23. When you’re a supervillain who takes over the city and you say “let’s just have fun with this” to the citizens

24. *whispering behind the door* “now slam the door really hard!” *snickering like a 12 year old girl* “move they can still see you”

25. “Did you think this day would come?” “No, no not in a million years, not ever...I mean yes”

26. “That’s called a window, sir. All the kids are looking through them”

27. Crazy Train is SUCH a nice touch, the fade into Alone Again Naturally is great. The use of music in this movie is absolutely A+, MEGAMIND DID IT FIRST AND GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY AIN’T SPECIAL (jk gotg you’re so special ily)

28. The images of Megamind’s destruction & deterioration of the city are so creative and funny

29. *to a desk toy bird* “What’s your vacuum like?”

30. “GOING OFF THE RAILS ON A CRAZY TRAIN SIR”

31. Haven’t yet mentioned how lovely the animation of Megamind’s face is! Every single frame, he’s so expressive

32. Mispronunciation of words like “school”, “Metro City”, and “melancholy”

33. This voice cast in general is so good like it’s not just big names phoning it in for an animated movie, they’re fully into it

34. Real Bernard doesn’t get much screen time but he’s hilarious

35. “Typhoon Cheese”, whatever that was gonna be

36. The juxtaposition in body language & facial expression between Real Bernard and Megamind Bernard,,,,,actually just the way Megamind’s physicality is transferred to the other characters he disguises himself as. Great stuff

37. Megamind’s off-the-walls high energy is so fun and electric

38. “This is a bad idea” “yes, a good idea for the greater good of bad” “maybe it seems good from your bad perception but from a good perception it’s just plain bad” “oh you don’t know what’s good for bad”

39. Ollo? Oh, hello

40. “I’m just yelling at my…..mother’s urn”

41. Megamind and Minion just saying “code” before things that aren’t in code. This movie is so good with its running gags, they don’t feel like “oh haha they used that joke again!” they feel like inside jokes between the characters I love it

42. Megamind fighting himself as Bernard while complimenting himself, COMEDY GOLD

43. The various occurrences of random life-altering things happening on a whim to the wrong people, like Hal getting the superpowers and earlier Metro Man being molded into a hero and Megamind landing in prison as a baby

44. The forget me stick

45. Space Dad and Space Stepmom

46. Every character Megamind inhabits always retains Megamind’s eyes

47. MR BLUE SKY PLAYING OVER HAL’S DISASTROUS TRAINING SEQUENCE AND THE FALLING IN LOVE SEQUENCE THAT INCLUDES DONKEY KONG AND MEGAMIND WEIRDLY TEXTING ON A FLIP PHONE (gotgv2 who? Don’t know her)

48. Roxanne’s positive influence making Megamind genuinely want to make the city better uwu

49. ROXANNE AND METRO MAN WERE NEVER A COUPLE! Lovely trope subversion

50. Tropes in this movie in general are so fun. This isn’t some uninspired genre parody. They don’t just subvert tropes in the exact way that you’d expect. I feel like the way that this movie plays with the superhero genre often feels unique and creative

51. Bernard’s character design kind of slaps tbh. The turtleneck, the hair, the glasses, all very nice

52. When Hal calls Roxanne “a really good looking one I’ve got my eye on” like she’s meat or something as opposed to Megamind valuing her personality…..makes ya think u know

53. T h e b l a c k m a m b a a a a a

54. “Maybe I don’t want to be the bad guy anymore!” and Megamind & Minion’s subsequent falling out that served as a precursor to the disastrous date with Roxanne- it happens pretty much exactly halfway through the movie. Some people look down upon following structure to a T, but sometimes it’s satisfying when a movie perfectly follows structure and this movie’s structure is flawless

55. “Good luck on your date” “I will” “That doesn’t even make any sense” “I know”

56. Right after fighting w Minion when Megamind looks in a cracked mirror and frowns at his reflection but then changes into someone else, into Bernard, and then smiles? THE CINNAMON TOGROPHY, THE STORYTELLING

57. When Hal is just an incel whose feeling of entitlement is framed as disgusting and he’s not supposed to be sympathetic and Roxanne’s rejection of him is not framed as evil but rather completely justified? VERY epic of them, this movie would have SMASHED the pop culture scene if it came out today

58. The GRAVITY of the part when Roxanne accidentally reveals Megamind in the restaurant is so powerful that I can STILL barely watch it even though I’ve seen it so many times

59. The part that immediately follows where Roxanne shuts down Megamind is SO well done. Roxanne is giving out some harsh words to our dear protagonist, but she is not framed as the bad guy. The great thing about this scene is that they let Roxanne call out Megamind on how he’s been a jerk and she gets to be RIGHT. How very cash money of them! The emotion here isn’t anger at Roxanne because she’s ~being mean~ to Megamind. It’s a sting over the fact that she’s right, and the heartbreak over the dramatic irony of us knowing that Megamind is becoming a better person and Roxanne having no idea. Now Megamind is left with a decision that will show who he truly is on the inside: he could either retreat back into safe, evil ways for the rest of time because it’s easier to be bad because then no one expects anything from him and rejection is easier to handle, or he could ultimately choose to grow from this and recognize how he was wrong and how he has to change. The execution of this midpoint is exemplary.

60. “Do you really think I’d ever be with you?” “....no” the delivery of those lines is so good

61. “You were right! I was….less right!”

62. The Black Mamba is a god tier costume and the fact that it has its own theme song in the score makes it at least 6x better

63. WHEN BACK IN BLACK KICKS IN YEAAAHHHH (Iron Man who? Don’t know her) (Iron Man was already out at this point but how fun is it that this movie used TWO iconic mcu songs)

64. Megamind in the giant suit playing with cars

65. Hal SUCKS I love how much the movie wants you to hate him

66. The difference between Megamind and Hal/Titan/Tighten is so interesting to watch. How Megamind is the self-proclaimed “bad guy” but he’s not even out to do serious damage & it’s just a game to him, while Hal is out for blood but was created to be a hero

67. “Now it’s time for witty banter” “AAAAAAAAA” “I’m not really sure where to go with that”

68. “I’M CALLING A TIME OUT”

69. Twisting the Kryptonite trope by having Metro Man make up the copper weakness

70. “Does he have a hideout? A cave? A solitary fortress?” lol I understood that reference

71. “OW! MY GIANT BLUE HEAD!”

72. Metro Man’s confession scene is so good. Really, how often do you get a hero who feels that he was forced into being a hero? That’s usually a villain trope. Does the hero ever realize he doesn’t want to be a hero….and actually quit FOR GOOD? Again, the trope subversion is awesome

73. “I have eyes that can see right through leaaaaaaaad” that’s my favorite song

74. “You left the city to HIM! No offense” “no I’m with you”

75. “There’s a yin for every yang. If there’s bad, good will rise up against it.”

76. “I say we just go all GANGSTA on him” ms tina fey i would die for you

77. Megamind turns himself in to the police, the fact that he willingly submits himself to the punishment of being a villain at this point is a lovely and stirring way of showing the sense of justice he has deep down and showing his character development

78. When Roxanne gives Megamind a desperate & compassionate pep talk over live tv no matter what it means for her reputation :*))

79. When Megamind has 88 life sentences

80. “I. Am. Sorry!” *dramatically slides down door*

81. Megamind’s heartfelt and regretful admission of all his mistakes that brings his character arc to a head? Lovely

82. “Good luck” “WE’RE GONNA D I E! Hahahaha!”

83. “There is no Easter bunny, there is no tooth fairy, and there is no queen of England.”

84. MEGAMIND’S EPIC ENTRANCE BY COMING OUT OF HIS OWN MOUTH

85. “Oh you’re a villain alright. Just not a super one.” “Oh yeah? What’s the difference?”

86. P R E S E N T A T I O N

87. METRO MAN THUNDER CALVES

88. Again with the green eyes continuity! Love that!

89. “Going somewhere? Besides jail?” *flies in a fancy pose*

90. When Megamind is ready to let everyone think Metro Man is back but Roxanne wants to see the real hero :*))

91. “This is the last time you make a fool out of me!” “I made you a hero, you did the fool thing all by yourself” SICK BURN

92. “There’s a benefit to losing. You get to learn from your mistakes”

93. WHEN THE DEHYDRATION GUN COMES IN CLUTCH

94. Minion being a drama queen lol comedy peaked in 2010

95. Minion’s Little Face

96. “GET BACK YOU SAVAGES” “Sorry he’s just not used to positive feedback!”

97. “Destiny is not the path given to us but the path we choose for ourselves”

98. When Megamind gets to parallel Metro Man’s entrance from the beginning of the movie and everyone cheers for him :*)) and he adds his own fun little twist by making a villain joke

99. “Megamind, defender of Metro City” “you know? I like the sound of that!”

100. Name a better villain to hero story. YOU CANNOT. Cinematic excellence. I am never disappointed.

#I DO NOT DESERVE RIGHTS #lovelytonys personal thought

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imgoingtocrash · 5 years

Note

So I just read I fell for mantle photographs and LOVE it! And want to take you up on Pepperony fic recs you offered. I’m going to go through your previously written fics and your bookmarked on AO3 but thought I would get a head start by sending you a msg.

Thank you so much for reading my fic! I’ve been ridiculously excited to share what I’ve made this week, so seeing people enjoying so far has been awesome!

Also thanks so much for reading my other fics as well! I was in the Marvel fandom back in 2012-2014, but never ended up writing any fic for it, so it’s been fun to see how the fandom’s changed. (Also, I keep a word document instead of bookmarking things a lot, for whatever reason, so they’re not super accurate. I applaud you for looking, though.)

Onto the fic recs, of which I have many! I’m going to stick to older fics here, but feel free to ask what more recent fics I’ve read, as I have some favorites there too. I’m also going to publish this ask, so that other people that were curious can read some fun Pepperony fic in honor of Pepperony Week.

lake buddies by Quillium - Rated T

A cute little pre-meeting AU, where Pepper and Tony bond over swimming together at different points in their lives as young adults. (They’ve written other good Tony/Pepper ones as well as some good IronDad fics I’ve really enjoyed!)

Drive by roboticonography - Rated M

This fic showcases a super sexy Post-IM2 Friends With Benefits situation that turns into feelings (or always was about feelings?) Anyway, this author is one where essentially anything they write is good. I read their Steve/Peggy fic Flames We Never Lit back in the day, and was ecstatic to find out they’d written great Tony/Pepper stuff too.

Palmer’s Kiss and Mnemosyne’s Lock and Winterlight by VR_Trakowski

This author is one of the best for Tony and Pepper imo, hands down. Almost all of their fic is Pre-IM2, and despite the fact that canon went totally different ways, they have these two perfectly written to how in love they are in current canon as well. Palmer’s Kiss is a perfectly tropey Fake Married!AU, Mnemosyne’s Lock is an expert example of an Amnesia!AU (one of my favorite tropes but sometimes hard to execute), and Winterlight is a sweet Christmas fic where Tony uses the holidays to woo Pepper.

Travels (series) by pukajen - Rated M-E

Tony and Pepper get away after IM1/2/Avengers 2012. While a decent amount of the content is smut, the other half also includes them going out into various cities and learning each other in different stages of their relationship, and it’s super fun.

[More under the cut, to keep the post short.]

love is like a stubborn youth by owlvsdove - Rated T

A story that follows Tony and Pepper from their first meeting to their fifteen year anniversary. They’re both stumbling through who and what they are to each other and it’s great world-building.

Ring of Fire and Stretch Out My Life And Pick The Seams Out by NyxEtoile and OlivesAwl - Both Rated M

In Ring of Fire, Tony and Pepper go on what’s supposed to be a relaxing, sexy post-IM2 vacation. It is that, and it’s also the two of them realizing they work great together when it turns into a survival situation. The more recently written Stretch Out My Life And Pick The Seams Out, is a Post-CW fic that goes into Homecoming fic. Tony comes home from the confrontation in Siberia to Pepper, who he’s also fighting with. To fix things, your boy gets some therapy and makes good on his promises to deal from his trauma, bless.

The Most Adequate Christmas Ever by igrockspock - Rated T

I actually recognized this author from work I’d read in the Veronica Mars fandom, and this Marvel fic is just as good. It shows Tony—used to Big Ass Gestures of Affection—giving Pepper a quiet, loving Christmas.

Almost No One Makes It Out by atrata - Rated T

This AU changed my life??? It’s SUCH an interesting AU that I’m recommending it even though the Tony/Pepper herein is IM1-levels of “teased but not the explicit focus of the story”. It’s a Military AU where instead of being--to quote the author--“richer than god”, Tony uses his intelligence to go into the military, and his relationships with the characters we know and love as well as his origin story change because of it.

Secret Feelings (From Childhood) by emorosadiaz - Rated T

You may have already seen this art and be aware of this fic made for Pepperony Week 2016, but if not, it’s a Friends-From-Childhood!AU Where Tony and Pepper go from best friends forever to dating, and it’s soooo funny and cute and pure.

Nutcracker by cincoflex and VR_Trakowski - Rated T

A Ballet!AU which??? normally might not be my first choice, but it’s very sweet, well written, and wonderfully holiday filled.

Black Market Baby and They Take Apart Their Nightmares by sabinelagrande - Rated E and M

This author has all of the smutty Tony/Pepper you could want, but these pieces in particular are my favorites. I haven’t read a lot of sex worker!AU or seen a lot of “sub/dom dynamic as a way to heal from PTSD” fic before, and these fics made me believe they’re actually really great concepts I’d be interested to see more of.

How Not To Be A Cliche (series) by lettered - Rated E

I’m gonna warn you right now: that rating is there for a reason. This series, within the last fic especially, became smutty in a way that was a little squick-y for me. However, if you can power through, it’s some really great Post-IM2 smut about defining boundaries and getting to know likes and dislikes as a couple. So, yanno. Read at your own risk. (Also, it has the honor of being the first fic that’s ever given me a GOOGLE SPREADSHEET mid-fic that is 100% in context and makes sense. It just wilded me out in my decade+ of reading fic.)

Succession by amonitrate - Rated E + includes a Rape/Non-Con Warning

If you didn’t watch Dollhouse, why I liked this fic might go over your head a bit (though the author does include a basic rundown). For someone like me that really loved that show, seeing it used in this fic HOW it was used was both brilliant and terrifying. They also have some other interesting Iron Man fics, both with and without Tony/Pepper.

Between the Darkness and the Stage by marinarusalka - Rated T

Back when Pepper wearing the Iron Man armor was only a dream many fans surely had, this fic was written, showing Tony being rescued from (another) kidnapping by Pepper. He’s left with some (more) PTSD, and the IronFam works through it together upon his rescue.

All My Killers in the Street by quigonejinn - Rated T

This fic and many more AUs written by this author are kinda twisted, but it’s engaging as hell every time. Like…I don’t want this universe, but I’ll give them that it’s interesting to engage with. This one in particular is where Pepper and Stane are married pre-IM1…and so she isn’t as helpful to Tony as she is in the movie. It’s Tony/Pepper, but it’s kinda one-sided due to the nature of the plot.

Velveteen Rabbit by PutItBriefly - Tony/Pepper - Rated M

IM2 AU where Tony tells Pepper that he’s dying from Palladium poisoning. Tony’s most important take away is that he loves Pepper, and defining their relationship when he’s NOT dying anymore is a whole other story.

I hope that’s enough to keep you reading for a while! I know it took me time to get through them all. (Although, there’s NEVER enough good fic for a ship you love, lbh.) Thanks so much for reading my fic! Keep enjoying Pepperony Week!

#jilycs #asks #pepperony #fic recs

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thelightningawardsofficial · 5 years

Text

Review | Epistolary

Judged by C.C. Lyn (SoarLikeTheWind)

Category: I'm No A Mary Sue

[ Author: daedaliaaan ]

Title (4/5): "Epistolary" (stylized as "epistolary.") is a story exactly as stated: a novel written in the form of letters. While I find the aesthetic decision of the title suitable, a general perspective may consider it lacking in depth. The title could be more powerful and still retain its poetic appeal if you had chosen a meaningful phrase or line instead. However, I do strongly want to commend the chapter titles for their individual beauty and synergy, so I have awarded an extra point here.

Summary (9/10): To be honest, I am quite conflicted about how to address this category because your story lacks a conventional synopsis, but entries beside Simple is Best submissions require a summary score and critique. Initially I was going to reluctantly give a lower score for its inadequate length, but then I reasoned someone who can convey the same message in such a boldly small quantity of words deserves a louder applause; the two simple lines present this story elegantly by providing the context and offering a preview of your distinct voice. There is no grammatical corrections I can make, nor any suggestions I find appropriate to bring up beside the substitution of the first two periods for commas to make it a complete sentence, but that is merely a stylistic option. Still, I gave the summary an imperfect score because it lacks a potent hooking effect, which is somewhat excused by its briskness.

Plot (20/25) -> [16/20]: I want to say an early disclaimer that I definitely am not discouraging you from the current progression of the story. I think all the choices so far have been tastefully selected and contributory to the overarching theme. But if I take a step back, I can see, with absolutely no intended offense, that the mundane plot is limping along with your writing as its crutch. This book would not be close to being as interesting as it is if your writing was any less stirring. The novelty has also started wearing off and becoming stagnant. Perhaps it would be good idea to move the story along. It is great that you acknowledge the current state of the plot yourself. I am curious to learn how the heroine's relationship developed into its present state.

Characterization (18/20) -> [13.5/15]: First off, I'd like to tell you that you are the only author whose works I've read that has never depicted him out of character. You also managed to convince me that self inserts can be well executed. It is one of the most unique thing about your story beside its style, in my opinion. Self inserts known for being shallow but the small cast of characters is definitely working in your favor; the story feels much more personal without minor characters who would need to be caricaturized in order to find distinguishable niches. Keep working on adding layers to Amy's and Gouenji's personalities, and you'll have yourself a winning couple. They're both on the right track, just somewhat stock at the moment, of which the plot's progression is somewhat responsible for. I can't help but wonder how you plan to explore Gouenji's psyche without switching perspectives, based on my impression that the entire book will be comprised of Amy's entries. His exposition will also be crucial if Amy and Gouenji are to remain perfectly balanced as they presently are.

Grammar and Writing Style (14/15): Grammar mistakes are virtually undetectable, and the unique, first person present tense submerges the audience in Amy's tragic epistolary. I am convinced that you have found a style to distinguish yourself from others, however I would suggest pursuing greater consistency, as the approximate ratio of poetic depictions to colloquial narrative is noticeably varied in certain chapters. While the transitions are not distracting in itself, this is an observation I made while rereading the book in one sitting. Perhaps it has something to do with how far removed your updates are from each other, which could hinder you from realizing it yourself.

Originality (8/10) -> [4/5]: The reason why you did not score very high in this category is that the story's basis is not very innovative. I am sure that a breakup with Gouenji has been done before. That being said, this cliche is well executed in that it is not detrimental to the book's entertainment value.

Feels Factor (14/15): The book has not made me cry yet, but it is really close. Your writing just evokes so much pity from me. I think it can be even better if you incorporate the advice I gave in Grammar and Writing Style. Another critique I have to offer is to close the distance between Amy and the scenes depicted in her epistolary, since she is sometimes still somewhat removed from the plot in engaging moments. This can be done by trimming sentences to make them more active. Lastly, a stronger continuation of themes between chapters will help carry the emotional tone.

𝙊𝘾 𝙍𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬 -> [13.8/15]

Name (5/5): Points for choosing a realistic name that does not repeat any canon character's dub name.

Appearance (7/8): Amy Jackson is a wallflower whose plain appearance complements her personality, but her physical design doesn't quite follow the style of other characters, in the sense that I can pick her out in a lineup of canon characters. I understand that Amy is a self insert, but her appearance seems to be too normal among the cast of Inazuma Eleven, even if you did write the setting more realistically than the original depicted it. Personality (9/10): Amy has a solid personality that is well expressed through a balanced combination of character interactions and introspection. I look forward to a greater exploration of her character as the variety of events she experiences expands. I want a glimpse into the most fortified chambers of Amy's mind and heart as the book reaches its climax. You have a good grasp on pathos; use it to your advantage to write scenes that relate Amy to your reader.

Strengths and Weaknesses (10/12): Amy's weaknesses make her a great social foil to Gouenji. Her insecurities are well justified, but occasionally I find them exaggerated in the sense that they are not shallow, but rather, predictable. Nevertheless, she will also need to express more of her strengths or risk becoming an anti-Sue. Remember that strengths can come in all forms, and the lack of conventional strengths does not necessarily make "safe" characters. I will elaborate on this a little more when I discuss Amy's relationship with Gouenji later. Just don't be afraid to give Amy more credit.

Interaction with Canon (10/10): I am under the impression that this story takes place after canon events, possibly in AU, which leaves the canon untouched for speculation or ignorance. It might be interesting if you reference a canon event or the alternative AU event in the future to confirm one or the other though, but it is fine as is as well.

Relationships with Canon Characters (5/5): Something that I appreciate about Amy is how the only relationship she fosters with any canon character is with Gouenji. Usually I would recommend authors incorporate their OCs into the canon better by giving them other relationships, but this choice seems to be more appropriate for the particular narrative setting. While you've romanticized Amy and Gouenji's dynamics well, be careful not to pigeonhole them into the trope of the popular-jock-requiting-the-affection-of-the-nerd-who-was-beautiful-all-along, even if I must admit I'm a sucker for their relationship so far despite rarely being a fan of chicklit. I am not very worried though, as the premise of the story already promises aversion from that perfect fantasy with some sort of tragedy. Now what that tragedy is reminds me of Shakespearean plays in which the audience already knows the outcome, but is nevertheless tantalized by the unfolding mystery of how it became that way. That, I think, is the strongest driving force of this story. Just who are these characters and what happened to them? I am sure I won't be the only one wanting answers from you...or shall I say Amy?

Total: [Raw] 85/100 + 46/50 [Scaled] 88.3%

Banner by ishadas

#epistolary #I'm not a mary sue #gouenji shuuya #oc #short story #AU #alternate universe #review #judge lyn #Inazuma Eleven #romance #fluff #drama #tragedy #angst #OC analysis #Gouenji's characterization analysis #dub names

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xinginwords · 3 years

Text

Without Title

The very first essay I wrote was in year 11 for English Literature.

When the results came back, my teacher held up my paper in front of the class as an example of not what to do. She critiqued it saying essays don’t have titles and that my conclusion was distinctly different from my essay title.

It’s true, my conclusion was different to my title.

That’s just how life is. We title our lives and plan them out, but when one word leads to the next, we realised we missed the mark. The conclusion would always be different.

It’s funny looking back at it. My teacher was right, but she was also not very good at facilitating growth. For a long time, I had a great disdain for literature. It was so dogmatic, so regulated, so uninteresting because you had to give the answer they were looking for. It was as if they had given up on searching for more meaning and settled for a bland reduction of cliches on structure and intention. The same themes over and over again of class, gender, identity and power.

It was frustrating to say the least.

I’ll admit, I didn’t have the clarity of articulation and I still don’t. But I’m confident, if there was something to be learnt in literature, it would be that ideas are infinite, beautiful and worth more than a platitude. There was application.

In truth, my teacher didn’t have a successful career that year. In a sense she was bullied by the students. I can’t even remember why, but I do know she had strong views and led very intuitively. Perhaps I was not the main character of the story that year. I was merely an artefact of her hubris. A trope that would lead her on a journey of redemption.

That year, I failed as many essays as I passed. I’m not sure I told my parents. But I did learn something important. When you fail enough, it hurts less. And even I, didn’t hate her or myself. I accepted that some people will disagree on an idea, and for that season, all I could do was grit and bear it.

That same year, I once prepared an essay with my tutor and perfected it through 5 rewrites. On the test day, I executed it perfectly... I got back a 25/100.

I couldn’t understand how I got it so wrong so I confronted that same teacher. She conceded it was too harsh and brought me up to 30/100. If there was ever a time I felt slapped in the face, that was it. When I brought the paper to my tutor, we just both couldn’t understand it. And I knew, there was nothing left to be done, but endure it.

Today, I read this in the Bible: And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. 2 Timothy 2:24 Or as Hospital Playlist would put it ‘Some times, bad things do indeed happen to good people’. And that’s ok. It’s not the end of the world. It really isn’t.

‘This too shall pass.’ And indeed it has. We don’t really deserve a just world. But we sure as heck can help create a better one. I truly believe, the one who endures evil patiently, is better able to give good consistently. Better than a mirror, is someone who isn’t jaded by darkness, but always lights the path. Immovable in that sense.

And I guess in my favourite word of the day. Heroic.

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sassyhazelowl · 6 years

Text

Lists:

LGBT+ Fiction LGBT+ Anime Yuri Manga LGBT+ Film & Comics

Part 2 of LGBT+ Fiction because I’ve had some free time to finish a few more books. Under the cut for length, and for this batch, it is mostly bi or lesbian fiction. Enjoy.

Titles/Author: Tides/ Betsy Cornwall Genre: YA, [urban] fantasy, romance Relationship(s): f/f The Good: likable characters, solid plot, quick and easy read The Bad: villain was a bit wimpy Extra Notes: selkies! how can you go wrong with that? also grandma lesbians. Warning: eating disorder mention. Personal Rating: 8/10 Recommend: Yes

Titles/Author: Summer Prince/ Alaya Dawn Johnson Genre: YA, romance, dystopian Relationship(s): m/m/f, m/m The Good: lively and fast moving plot, interesting world building, good characters and motivations, character development, writing style is easy and pleasant to read The Bad: unnecessary sex scenes, tension falls flat, okay ending, world building holes Extra Notes: unlike coda I feel this one is enjoyable regardless of whether you like the genre or not but I’d be hesitant to recommend to readers under 16 due to inappropriateness. also, it is based on brazilian culture (I believe), which could be problematic, but I don’t know enough about it to know myself. A reviewer said it was “so tumblr” and I have to agree it has that vibe to it in some ways. Personal Rating: 8.5/10 Recommend: Maybe, see notes

Titles/Author: Serpentine/ Cindy Lo Genre: YA, romance, fantasy Relationship(s): f/f The Good: easy read, fast paced, solid plot, emphasis on sister-sister bond as the main relationship The Bad: not necessarily bad but the book felt mediocre for the genre in pretty much all aspects, not a huge fan of the male lead Extra Notes: the sequel sounds more exciting tbh Personal Rating: 7/10 Recommend: Yes

Titles/Author: Santa Olivia/ Jacqueline Carey Genre: adult fiction, dystopian, paranormal Relationship(s): f/f The Good: unique writing style, diverse support cast, likable protagonist, subversion of genre tropes, romance had conflict The Bad: beginning dragged and threw off the pacing, ending was good enough to be satisfactory but could’ve been better with a tenser climax Extra Notes: liked the book a lot but have no interest in reading the sequel Personal Rating: 8/10 Recommend: Yes

Titles/Author: Fingersmith/ Sarah Waters Genre: historical fiction, crime, psychological thriller Relationship(s): f/f The Good: fairly true to the setting and time period, characters are very realistic and a bit gritty, plot and narrative have a unique twist, ending was satisfactory The Bad: big drag in the beginning of part two where it basically is a re-telling of the end of part one, gruesome and graphic in places, hard to get into at the beginning even though the set-up is extremely important to the plot, language is a bit difficult until you get the hang of it Extra Notes: I watched the movie The Handmaiden first, so I had a good idea what was coming at me. Fortunately, it is not as gruesome and disturbing as the movie is, but unfortunately it is still full of potential triggers and uncomfortable topics. It is also an extremely long book (600 pages). Sex scenes, allusions of rape, mentions of torture, etc. I enjoyed it and rammed through it in two days but I just can’t imagine the general populace wants to read this book without an interest in the dark and macabre. Personal Rating: 8/10 Recommend: No

Titles/Author: Iron & Velvet/ Alexis Hall Genre: paranormal, detective Relationship(s): f/f, background m/m The Good: fits genre expectations, quick read, lots of action and excitement The Bad: it is a little over the top with some of the supernatural stuff, side characters aren’t that great Extra Notes: This book was gaudy as all get out but a ton of fun and lots of witty lines. I don’t really think it is the kind anyone will re-read but it is a fun book for entertainment value alone. Sex scenes, lots of casual mentions of sex and wanting to have sex. It reminded me of fanfiction circa 2010. Personal Rating: 7.5/10 Recommend: No, unless you like the genre or fanfiction circa 2010

Titles/Author: Star-Crossed/ Barbara Dee Genre: YA romance Relationship(s): f/f The Good: completely age appropriate, addresses real life topics frankly, super cute, likable characters The Bad: predictable (for an adult or well-read children would probably be fine for most kids), Shakespeare is overused and that seemed to make it more cliche than it actually was Extra Notes: This is one I was looking forward to and it didn’t disappoint. It’s really rare to find a young adult written for younger teens and this was written perfectly to suit the age group. It is super cute and very positive without washing things over with rainbows and sunshine. Real-life problems are addressed, acknowledge and dealt with, which I always appreciate in a story. Personal Rating: 9/10 Recommend: Yes, if you’re 12-14 or a parent or a childrens’ librarian or just want a cute read

Titles/Author: River of Teeth/ Sarah Gailey Genre: alternative history; bio sci fi Relationship(s): hard to qualify but there is a gender fluid, gender binary and 2 bi characters along with bi x nb relationship vibes The Good: Interesting premise, fast paced, distinctive characters, lots of tension, subtle but not non-existent romance The Bad: It’s a novella, so it’s short. Some of the action at the end, while well-written, was still confusing to visualize mentally. A few editorial bloopers. The characters aren’t as fleshed out as I’d like but it is a novella, so yeah, expected. Extra Notes: I read this while waiting for my stupid computer to update. It is a novella not a novel, so it is short. But it is extremely well paced and the balance between action and dialogue is well done. There is death and there is knife play and people having unfortunately accidents with hippos. There is a sequel, which was also good, but for completely different reasons (much heavier on the romance). Personal Rating: 9/10 Recommend: Yes, unless you are afraid of hippos

Titles/Author: A Place to Rest/ Erin Dutton Genre: romance Relationship(s): f/f, background m/m The Good: A light, quick read with a realistic flavor that doesn’t get too heavy. Very cute premise and heavily character-centric with nice arcs. Obligatory hot cocoa scene. The Bad: The pacing dragged a bit, the side characters were pretty stock. There were some repetitive elements that came off clunky in execution. Nothing terrible just seemed like the author is a bit inexperienced in a few areas. Extra Notes: This, to me, read like a slow burn coffee shop AU fanfiction, so if you like that sort of thing, you’ll really enjoy this book. I, personally, enjoyed the fact that there was family-centric tension that wasn’t omg you’re gay! and instead focused on normal sibling problems. Also, I liked that the protag was in her 30s because a good chunk of recommended reads for queer books are YA and at some point its nice not to read about teenagers. Sex scenes. Personal Rating: 8/10 Recommend: Yes

Titles/Author: Letters Never Sent/ Sandra Moran Genre: romance, historical fiction Relationship(s): f/f The Good: Well constructed and interesting plot, realistic premise, suitable twists, lots of pertinent and salient issues, queer history in the US midwest The Bad: Not a lot. There are 2 main characters, a mother and daughter, so it does waffle between the past and present time, which isn’t balanced perfectly and could have stagnant spots. Extra Notes: Honestly, I’d like to find a lot more adult books like this one. It hit my radar as a Must Read, and I don’t always care of Must Reads, they tend to be hyped from a small pool of mediocre. This one was worth it but... on to the warnings: sex scenes, homophobia, internalized homophobia, rape, abortion and murder. Nothing was gritty, in fact, the story itself is serious but not overly important about it. Personal Rating: 9.5/10 Recommend: Yes

#queer fiction #lesbian fiction #reading recommendations #mine #queery the media

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murderthehypotenuse · 6 years

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there is a lot of naraku in your blog, and I LOVE IT!!!

Thank you! He’s just, ugh, so great. I’m rewatching Inuyasha right now and Kikyou has always been my fave but now I’m not sure.

And now for my lengthy fan history no one asked for:

It’s funny, when I first started watching Inuyasha, I HATED Naraku and thought he was ~so lame~ (I was 12, so I can’t be blamed for being so, so wrong) (I was basically just there for InuKik…and Kikyou in general…that last part is still true, I’m always there for Kikyou, not so much InuKik anymore, girl can do better than all of the crusty demons pining for her, idec that she’s clay, she can STILL do so much better).

Rewatching as an adult, there was definitely this realization of “wait, how could I have been so wrong?“ He’s the perfect villain. Cunning, ruthless, always one step ahead, and he has that fatal flaw that gives a glimpse into how he got to be the way he is, and offers a path to connect in the most chilling way (because I think the optimal villain provides a somewhat contradictory mix–they’re monstrous and despicable in their actions, preferably unapologetically so, but there’s just enough humanity left that you can see yourself in them, in a “there I go but for the grace of god” sort of way, you catch a reflection of what could have been). Not to mention, there’s something very powerful, almost elemental about villains who can boast “everything, everything that lead to this story arising is because of me. My actions started this endless chain of misery.”And his fatal flaw is love! But it’s such a painful, horrific love. Love does not save him. Fuck, don’t get me started on NarKik…that lopsided, limping, one-sided ship is executed perfectly (I prefer manga canon overall, but if someone can just manga-fy the anime’s execution of the Musou arc, I could die happy). Villains in love with hero(ines) is one of those tropes that is, invariably, either amazing, or awful. It’s such a cliche because usually it’s done so one-dimensionally. There’s no complexity, no push and pull, no tension, no surprises. But with NarKik, they’re both such complicated characters that it doesn’t run like your typical villain-pursues-heroine script. And the power dynamic is pretty balanced throughout! It shifts back and forth, and they’re both playing cat and mouse games with each other, where each is, at times, the cat, and the mouse. Who the real “loser” is in this game gets super fucking muddy, too, and I’d argue even within the context of their own dynamic, disregarding every other character, Kikyou won in the end. Even though she died first! That is the low-key genius of Takahashi’s storytelling that creeps up on you.

Also, I’m always LOLing when the heroes get all mad that Naraku doesn’t get his hands dirty. Like, if I was a super evil villain and could just puppet master the fuck outta everyone, and instead of fighting me, where the emotional stakes are uncomplicated, I instead turn them against the people/things they love, because I’m that goddamn smart, why wouldn’t I? I feel like Naraku’s just constantly looking at the audience like he’s in The Office and asking, “Are you not entertained?”

I’m at the Band of Seven part of the series right now and I’m just twiddling my thumbs waiting for my one and only villain fave to return. Sigh.

#hopefully I'm not shouting into the void #naraku #inuyasha #kikyov #userkikyov #are my tags working yet????

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bassguy · 6 years

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GOTY 2017

Honorable Mention: Doki Doki Literature Club

2017 was a strong year for deconstructed visual novels, but none of them take that concept quite as literally as DDLC. Not only does it successfully subvert every sexy anime school girl cliche you can come up with, it literally forces you into interacting with the game at a meta level to progress. It uses reality distortion to great effect, and the fact that it's free makes it all the easier to recommend.

Platform: Mac Country of Origin: United States

10. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The world is in love with Breath of the Wild: The open world, the systems-driven gameplay, the sharp swerve away from Zelda traditions. I like it – it's charming as hell, but I can't find it in my heart to love it like I love other Zelda games. Breath of the Wild is huge and intriguing, but it never quite hits the stride that more focused Zelda games do. I don't really like Skyrim or Far Cry 2, so seeing those influences here is actually a turn-off for me. Good on Nintendo for trying something new, but it just doesn't resonate with me like I wish it would.

Platform: Switch Country of Origin: Japan

9. Tacoma

Tacoma could never have the same impact as Gone Home. It's unfair to hold it to that standard, but I just can't help comparing the two. I thoroughly enjoy the aesthetic and story of Fullbright's sophomore effort, but it doesn't ever hit the high highs that I wanted. Gone Home was a deeply personal tale, but this is more of a biting societal commentary. The characters are pleasant means to and end, but each one could be swapped out with an equally compelling interpretation. The same could never be said about Sam and Lonnie.

Platform: Xbox One Country of Origin: United States

8. Mass Effect: Andromeda

Mass Effect, as a series, is personally important to me – any new entry will garner my complete attention. Sadly, the execution of this Mass Effect Gaiden ranged from perfectly average to actively off-putting. The changes to the combat were very smart, and I sincerely enjoy the core premise, but the way it's all put together is a huge disappointment. Add in the near-complete abandonment of single-player support, and it makes me want to cry. There's a skeleton of a great Mass Effect game in here, but it's tainted by gross mismanagement.

Platform: PlayStation 4 Country of Origin: Canada

7. Super Mario Odyssey

Mario is fun: Runnin' around, murderin' goombas, butt stompin', and all of that stuff is neat. But if "here's more Mario, I guess" was the entirety of the pitch, I'd have brushed it off like I have with so many modern Mario games. A highly-refined platformer only gets you so far in my book, so I was overjoyed when Nintendo decided to get weird. I came to New Donk City for the giggles, but I stayed for the gushing love letter to a franchise that meant so much to me as a child.

Platform: Switch Country of Origin: Japan

6. Horizon: Zero Dawn

If there's a single game that can sell the PS4 Pro's strengths, it's Horizon. It has a massive open world that could suck up hundreds of hours, and Guerrilla Games stuffed incredible little details in every crevice. I spent hours playing with the photo mode because it's so damn pretty, but that doesn't come at the expense of story. The characters, motivations, and revelations kept me coming back until everything was finished – nothing to sneeze at considering how easily I fall off of these kinds of games.

Platform: PlayStation 4 Country of Origin: The Netherlands

5. What Remains of Edith Finch

Edith Finch, to me, feels more like two intercut games. The first game stars Edith exploring the House of Finch for a larger wrapper narrative, and the second game is a series of vignettes about her dead family. The two games compliment one another – intensify each other. They examine the concept of fate through the popular lens of the "doomed" family/building, and since you, the player, get to experience both the physicality of the home and the viewpoints of the family, the interactive nature of video games lets Edith Finch transcend the well-trod tropes it leans on.

Platform: PlayStation 4 Country of Origin: United States

4. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

The Lost Legacy is, without a doubt, the best Uncharted game ever made. Chloe and Nadine are much more interesting than previous pairings, the open world aspects make the setting feel much more tangible, and it doesn't overstay its welcome like the last game did. If the Naughty Dog B-team wants to crank out short Uncharted side-stories every other year from here on out, I'd be completely up for it.

Platform: PlayStation 4 Country of Origin: United States

3. Life is Strange: Before the Storm

Despite going in as a skeptic, this prequel to Life is Strange deeply penetrated my leathery critical shell. I hated the resolution of the first game's A plot, and much of Max's dialogue came up short. So the fact that a different team in a different country on a different engine with a different protagonist with different voice actors was able to pull off this kind of powerful backstory is goddamn astounding. Before the Storm doesn't have the same time-bending supernatural goodness of the original, but it has so much more heart. And let it be said here once and for all: Chloe and Rachel Amber are the OTP of this series.

Platform: PlayStation 4 Country of Origin: United States

2. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Hellblade is unlike anything else I've ever played. It explores parental abuse, grief, personal loss, and the murky relationship between belief and mental illness. The player and the main character alike are never entirely sure what's real or imagined, and the surreal audiovisual presentation really sells the tenuous connection to reality. Pile on the phenomenal performance-capture tech, the top-notch acting from a purportedly novice actress, and the fascinating "Independent AAA" pitch, and the cultural heft of Hellblade cannot be denied.

Platform: PlayStation 4 Country of Origin: United Kingdom

1. Nier: Automata

Gobsmacked – absolutely gobsmacked. This pseudo-sequel to Drakengard grabbed me by the collar, and would not let go until I squeezed every last drop of narrative from it. It's been well over a decade since a game's twists and turns have legitimately floored me like Nier: Automata did this year. And in spite of the robot anime booty tomfoolery, this game manages to dive deep into the nature of war, duty, xenophobia, and humanity far beyond what I could have ever hoped for.

Platform: PlayStation 4 Country of Origin: Japan

#game of the year #goty #nier automata #hellblade #life is strange #uncharted #edith finch

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