#that line in my about page that says I only truly hate one character out of all the fandoms I’m in
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My Jason Todd Rec List and Character Manifesto! (Edited and updated 28/01/2024)
This is a fuckin mess my ghouls, but I got categories and I got opinions and who can stop me from typing em out? Certainly not @lazaruspiss who is the reason this thing got made!
The format is gonna be
title and page numbers (No #s if I'm recommending the whole title)
picture
Summary and general notes
My estimate of how unhinged he is in this portrayal
What his morals are like; note this isn't about whether he's a protagonist or antagonist
Since cream rises to the top, let us start with:
The Creme de la Creme
The best of the best. The most fun, the most compelling, the most interesting looks into his character.
Green Arrow (2001) #69 - #72
This one really does have it all. Jason runs rings around both Batman and Green Arrow at the same time, all the while going after a goal neither of them ever truly figures out in large part because this story wasn't afraid to let Bruce be either wrong or lying about Jason's motives. It also wonderfully leverages the ways in which the Bats and the Arrows are really good foils for each other. I think I'm going to be turning over the ways these interactions went down for a long ass time. I've been really wanting to go page by page for a comparison between the way Jason treats Mia in this and the way Jason treats Tim in the Titans Tower showdown. Bottom line for this one: It's just so good!
Jason's sanity level: Six out of Ten hinges affixed. He's got a solid grip on things, is reasonably level headed, only problem is he might have completely forgotten how to interact with other human beings outside of combat. Love him for that.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Sympathetic Villain. Decidedly willing to mow down some "brain donors", and his goals are pretty morally grey, but he clearly still has a strong code of ethics.
Joker: the Man Who Stopped Laughing
With Jason's return to being an antagonist after a long stint in the Hero bin comes his return to being really fucking dangerous and whip smart! My boy quotes serious philosophy that gives him a real point to make against non lethal vigilantes and cops! I also think the part where he lets himself be arrested just... it says so much and all of it is wonderfully interesting and feels fitting for his character. He's kept deeply human, and just all of this portrayal gels together really well.
At the time of writing, this comic isn't finished yet, so I'm going off of like 12 issues in which he appears less than the Joker, but what is there is phenomenal, even with Gotham War having... Minorly Derailed Jason's role in things, and one or two inevitable scenes where ya just have to accept that he's not as trigger happy as he should be because DC is married to the Joker.
Also I like that he's friends with my favorite, Stephanie Brown :3 and he and Rose's chemistry is nice. On top of all that? It's a fun comic. Like, I generally hate the Joker, but I found myself enjoying watching the Joker do his Joker things in this one.
Jason's sanity level: Nine out of Ten hinges affixed. Level headed, calm, careful, really the only reason this isn't a 10/10 is cause he's obsessively focused, which like, honestly is pretty reasonable I think.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Clearly Justified Antihero. I almost put down Hero on this one, but ultimately he is just far enough over the line with how he treats the less threatening of the rogues like Killer Moth.
Batman (1940) #408 - #411 Jason's debut featuring Ma Gunn's School and his first ever outing as Robin fighting Two-Face
Just LOOK at this PRECIOUS BOY! I wanna pinch him on his cheeks and give him a handful of these bad boys
Jason has a ton of personality to him right out the gate. The first story has Ma Gunn as the villain and she's a lot of fun. The second story in here with Two-Face is also enlightening with regards to Jason's early personality, even if it's not quite as fun.
Jason's sanity level: Ten out of Ten hinges affixed.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Hero.
Under the Red Hood would be next if it wasn't already filed under ->
Foundational Texts
This is the shit that defines Jason as a character. Much is mutable in any given comic, but somehow, someway, all depictions of Jason are impacted and informed by these three stories. Enough has been said about all of them that I'm gonna keep it brief.
Red Hood: The Lost Days
Jason's sanity level: Eight out of Ten hinges affixed.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Antihero. He kills some incredibly nasty people, while also doing some genuinely heroic shit. The only places where his morals deteriorate are in the presence of Batman and the Joker.
Under the Red Hood
Jason's sanity level: Four out of Ten hinges affixed. Remember how his morals deteriorated in the face of Batman and the Joker? Yeah, that's mostly because he's way, way too personally invested to think straight about them. He's strategic as fuck, but this is not a stable man's strategy for dealing with his issues.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Sympathetic Villain. He is a revenant, a vengeful juggernaut, and breaks an awful lot of eggs making this brilliant disaster of an omelette.
Batman (1940) #426 - #429 A Death in the Family
Jason's sanity level: Ten out of Ten hinges affixed.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Hero.
Joker becoming an ambassador to Iran plotlines count: One too many.
Solid Storylines
These ain't the vaulted heights, but not everything has to be the Sistine Chapel. They're solid, and if you're wanting more Jason I do certainly recommend them.
Countdown Presents: The Search for Ray Palmer and Countdown to Infinite Crisis
Jason is in what I like to call his Purposeless Depression Era during this. It's after his plans in Under the Red Hood fail and he's really just got no place to go, no place to be, and in fact is keenly aware that on a cosmic level, he truly does not belong in this world anymore. He's supposed to be dead. There's something I find quite neat about this team up, with Donna Troy and Kyle Raynor and Bob, it's out of the ordinary for Jason, it's not bat related, and the ways he fits and doesn't fit with the other characters are just neat.
I especially recommend Gotham by Gaslight. The plot will be a lil hard to follow if you haven't read the others, but Jason by the end hopes to return to Victorian Era Steampunk Gotham and the moments of him hoping to literally leave his universe behind are both sweet and sorrowful.
Jason's sanity level: Ten out of Ten hinges affixed. He's just sad and lonely.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Hero. Even if only Donna is willing to tentatively try to see him that way.
Robin (1993) #177 and one page of #182 and the front half of #183
Despite how much Jason is known for it, I think this is the only time we see him trying to run organized crime outside of Under the Red Hood (and uh debatably Battle for the Cowl). Short lil string of appearances, but critical for understanding how he's seen by Tim during this era if you care about that, and it really cemented my understanding of Jason being strangely honest and forthright.
I think the major way other Bats fail to comprehend him is that they expect him to manipulate through lying, which just isn't his style. He doesn't lie about his motives; he doesn't obfuscate his tactics; he doesn't hide how he's feeling. Hell, he doesn't even try to lie his way out of prison! I could not tell you why this series of interactions gave me this impression but it is why I have such faith that when Jason says something, he probably just means it, even when characters like Dick or Tim assume otherwise.
Pity this was the lead up to Battle for the Cowl.
Jason's sanity level: Ten out of Ten hinges affixed. He's even attempting to pick himself up out of his Purposeless Depression Era slump at the start.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Antihero.
Nightwing (1996) #118 - #122 aka Brothers in Blood aka the One Where Jason Gets Tentacles
COWARDS and KNAVES will tell you "the tentacles are so icky and everyone is so OOC" or whatever but again they are KNAVES and COWARDS because bitch this shit is GREAT
Jason: Wow! My bestest big brother killed someone who deserved it, so now I (the person he's rejecting only because I kill people who deserved it) have a real chance at being his family again!! :D Hooray! :) Dickie-Bird why don't you look happy to see me? :) Dickie-Bird I went out of my way to get us matching outfits and stalked your work and killed people in your name so it's nice and easy to make room for me in your life! :) :) :)
Dick:
Jason's sanity level: Two out of Ten hinges affixed. My mans is off his rocker and I adore him like this. Frankly, the entire storyline is unhinged, and it only feels appropriate that Jason is similarly bonkers in yonkers.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Villain. You can sympathize with him, and he is still trying to carry out justice, but I have to call it for straight villain when he's threatening to bomb a building full of innocent people.
Batman and Robin (2009) #23 - #25
I don't have much to say about this one. It's good. The above page is pretty much the highlight.
Wait actually I do have something to say and it is that I would like to lick Jason's abs, pls & thx, because the other highlight is that Winick clearly believes in redeeming Jason's value as a villain through sex appeal and it is working lmao
Jason's sanity level: Ten out of Ten hinges affixed. Certifiably sane, he's passed all his psych exams!
Jason's moral compass bearing: Villain. He threatens to bomb a train station full of innocent people. While he does do that in service of freeing himself and Scarlet, thus making it not completely self centered, I still gotta put him firmly in Villain.
Nightwing (2016) 2021 Annual
In high contrast to the previous two in which Jason acts as a villain to Dick, this one has them working together and the tentative peace and cautious trust they've got going is interesting to me. This Team Z era Jason is interesting to me in general, though I don't know much about him.
Jason's sanity level: Nine out of Ten hinges affixed. He's quite chill, but there's just this little edge to him that says his relationship to violence is a little too casual a little too deep to really be fully hinged.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Edgy Hero.
Your Mileage May Vary
These stories I can't recommend without major caveats or warnings, but I still think are worth mentioning.
Gotham War (It's such a mangled mess that I'm just gonna link a reading guide.)
So, the main problem here is that Gotham War spans five different titles and had three different authors whose renditions of Jason do not feel cohesive or even coherent. The funny thing is though, each rendition has real merits, and while it doesn't go far enough in condemning Bruce's horrifying treatment of Jason for many people's tastes, I have to point out that it's one of the only comics to condemn an instance of Bruce mistreating Jason at all. The fact that the other Robins come to his defense is a HUGE thing! The bar may be in Hell, but it did clear the bar!
Due to how disjointed it is, I'm going to very loosely separate Jason out into two versions of himself. Think of these not as hard lines, but more a spectrum he slides across depending on what author has him that issue.
Jason Primus combines the ideas in Jason's Under the Red Hood speech about controlling crime rather than trying to stomp it out with his more Heroic modern interpretation. He's a chill, funny, smart guy whose protectiveness over the mooks is really charming.
Jason's sanity level: Ten out of Ten hinges affixed.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Hero.
Jason Secundus is much more violent, not used to working with other people, and paranoid and antsy in a way that causes him to take it out on people who really don't deserve it. This is a compelling take on him, though I like him closer to Jason Primus. His trauma has clearly shaped him a lot, both for better and for worse.
Jason's sanity level: Seven out of Ten hinges affixed.
Jason's moral compass bering: Anti-Hero, most of this focuses on him antagonizing two former Joker goons which kinda doesn't work well cause they're mostly scarecrow goons actually and also at one point he hurts them in a way that borderline just seems like stress relief. It's nothing worse than what we see Batman himself doing countless times, but it's still jarring because we've been made to strongly sympathize with the goon in question.
Batman: Three Jokers <- I read it while typing this up, so I got a lotta thoughts
Guh, this one is just fucking sad
So, I don't mind a story being blunt with its message as long as the message actually holds up. Unfortunately, this three parter's attempt at the cycle of violence lesson is... bad. Real bad.
Jason in it is neat! This is a good Jason portrayal somehow despite literally everything about the way this comic frames him! The narrative expects us to believe he is a danger to society on the cusp of becoming another Joker, because he *checks notes* shot the Joker dead, shot at a Joker loyal guy, and roughly interrogated an injured child abuser. At no point does he show signs of wanting to hurt innocent people. At no point does he show signs of doing any hurting without premeditation or a need to defend himself. I'm baffled by this.
My kingdom for a fucking CRUMB of nuance, I swear, smh...
I hear a lot of people hate his one sided romance towards Barbara. This is understandable as it squanders the opportunity to have a female character not be stuck as the narrative sponge for man emotions. I like it from the perspective of a Jason fan, and give condolences for the Barbara fans. It's not healthy, and good fucking job on the janitor sweeping away his letter to her so poor Babs doesn't have to deal with that shit, but I do like Jason's desperation to be loved by someone, anyone, who might show him compassion.
Jason's sanity level: Six out of Ten hinges affixed. He's sad, he's lonely, he needs some PTSD specific therapy, he's a bit creepy about his crush on Barbara, but quite frankly he has it together a lot more than the narrative would like us to believe. The way the other characters treat him like he's some kind of monster just waiting to snap and start maiming people indiscriminately makes me really uncomfortable.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Antihero. Quite frankly I'm tempted to say Hero out of spite.
Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #1 - #43
There are three transcendental character moments in this run that I think make it worth reading even if not all of it's your cup of tea. On the other hand though there are some big issues that could very easily be deal breakers. Oh and anything after #43 is a wasteland and #43 is included purely for the implication that being transgender made a woman immortal.
The narrative structure is really heavily dependent on rule of emotional impact/cool/allegorical usefulness. Many events will not make any fucking sense based on petty things like basic logic or the laws of physics, but they do work just fine in the area of what makes the story more fun or the emotional beats hit harder. Stronger than average suspension of disbelief is necessary for the reward of getting a lot of stuff that's, like, just really fuckin cool.
The romantic side plot with Artemis is... odd. Either the author, Scott Lobdell, intended to write Jason as a desperate loser trying to date his uninterested lesbian friend who he co-parents with, or he accidentally wrote a romance so awkward and comp-het that I cannot wrap my head around reading it as reciprocated. This works for me because I have a lot of fun reading Jason as a desperate loser who's not even actually in love with her, he just is desperate to cling to the closest thing he's ever gotten to a nuclear family and in denial about being either aro/ace or gay.
Now, lets explore a lil bit of the whole Jason is a loser angle, cause it's not the whole story, there are many points in which Jason gets to be a badass motherfucker, but he is much, much less of the hypercompetant, highly determined, murderous threat he used to be. Almost none of the newer renditions of Jason are. This Jason in particular though is very soft and cuddly, and fits the archetype of man trying to be the edgy bad boy but who secretly just wants a hug and a warm glass of milk.
If I were to describe my personal Jason in a few sentences I would say that he is someone who loves himself viciously. He feels he has been wronged and is willing to burn down the world to rectify that. He will hold your ass at gunpoint and demand the hugs and warm glasses of milk that he fucking well deserves!
This Jason is about as far away from that as you can possibly get. I still like him though, and I do not count him as being a different character, because when you start with emotional logic that goes like this:
It wasn't my fault + I deserve better = I get to burn the world down in order to get better
It becomes extremely difficult to ever stop burning the world without also deciding "It was my fault" or "I don't deserve better". Jason is meant to have changed a lot, and this is a plausible evolution of the Jason I prefer.
Finally, the handling of Bizarro, a mentally disabled character, is a sensitive enough topic that your mileage will vary, even if I can't think of a bad thing to say about it. Jason and Artemis are really pretty good about treating him with respect, giving him help where he needs it and autonomy where he's capable of taking it. They raise him, but don't control him, and he is literally three days old when they find him so this isn't infantilization. It takes the framing of Lenny from of Mice and Men and Flowers for Algernon and rejects them in a way that I am satisfied with. You'll just have to read it for yourself to see if you're satisfied as well.
Jason's sanity level: Ten out of Ten hinges affixed. I kinda wish he was more unhinged.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Hero. He even saves a puppy and gives them pats.
Knight Terrors: Robin
Have you ever been in the mood for a syrupy sweet hurt/comfort fanfiction in which Jason and Tim were magically forced to talk about how much they like each other in order to overcome their own insecurities? Do you wish that existed as a lavishly illustrated two issue comic?
If you answered yes to those two questions then congratulations! It does exist, this is it, go have fun!
If you think that sounds like ham fisted garbage turning what should be several long arcs of serious reconciliation and deeply meaningful character moments into two issue fan service schlock then condolences! I wish you all the best in denial, as all comic fans sail that river sooner or later and I shall join you upon it someday.
What category do I fall into? Well I think this is definitely ham fisted, but I won't kick a boar out of bed as long as they ain't a bore, and this little ditty is certainly entertaining.
Jason's sanity level: Ten out of Ten hinges affixed.
Jason't moral compass bearing: Hero.
Batman and Robin Eternal
This is a decent portrayal of Jason in his modern, much friendlier, and much more bat family integrated rendition. He has some fun moments in it, and I like his staby bracers.
I don't like this comic. It commits the most dire of writing sins: Being boring. I think about Jason every second of every minute of every day; if your comic that majorly features a good portrayal of him cannot hold my attention, then something has gone very wrong. Hopefully one of you will like it more than I do.
Jason's sanity level: Ten out of Ten hinges affixed.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Hero.
Suicide Squad: Get Joker! (Content warning for suicide, skip to the hot take if this'll get to ya - also spoiler warning cuz I can't discuss this properly without discussing the ending)
A three issue miniseries in which Jason is inducted into the Suicide Squad on a mission to kill the Joker. He's highly competent as a team leader, grounded, intelligent, and uses measured violence in a way that is satisfyingly tactical. The squad they threw together honestly has some pretty neat chemistry as a whole, and the characters were appropriately messy and quite likable.
This isn't higher on the list because it thinks it earned it's ambiguous ending, and frankly, it's wrong about that. Ambiguous endings live and die by the question they make the audience sit with - It has to be worth losing out on the emotional payoff of a solid ending.
The question of "If you left Jason in a room with the Joker and a gun with one bullet, would he shoot the Joker or himself?" is a really shitty question. Like, did the authors not realize that just on a logistical level, Jason could leave the room and find a second bullet after shooting the Joker? Like, seriously, even if we accept the premise that Joker's speech got to Jason, there are no reasons for him not to choose the "both" option. The only way I can imagine this working is if the Joker is actually the fucking Purple Man from Jessica Jones using mind control.
So we exchanged the validation of literally all our protagonists' struggles/sacrifices paying off for... the vague implication that Jason unforgivably betrayed his teammates, himself, and the entire world because he was so eager to die that he couldn't wait ten fucking minutes. If I loved the Joker I might feel differently about it, but as is, I felt insulted.
This would have been Solid Storylines or maybe even Creme de la Creme if not for that implication. It's not boring though! The rest of it up to the end is honestly pretty damn good, if a bit convoluted, and much of the ending's sour taste can be assuaged by getting out a sheet of paper and doodling Jason opening Joker's head with a handgun and then going out for icecream with the team.
Jason's sanity level: Ten out of Ten hinges affixed. He's a sad, sad lad tho.
Jason's Moral Compass Bearing: Anti-Hero, forced to be much more violent than he wants to be.
A Hot Take
I bet you thought the tentacles were the hot take! HAH! MuahahaahhHAHAHAH - Prepare now, puny mortals, to witness me defend Pill Helmet Jason AND his fashion choices!
No, I am not talking about Winick's redo late in the game, we've already been over that one. I mean I will defend Grant Morrison's flop era, three foot head gear wearin, goofy ass, unwashed ass, "how to build ur brand" reading maniac
It's time to talk about Batman and Robin (2009) #1 - #6
The interpretation of one scene makes or breaks this Jason:
If you believe he is being insincere and manipulating her into putting all her emotional eggs in the basket of his crusade, ignoring her wellbeing in favor of his 'brand', then this is probably the worst mischaracterization of Jason ever written.
If you believe he is being sincere, genuinely comforting her in the only way that he's got to deal with his own trauma, giving her real affection and not pushing her to take either option with the mask because he trusts her to make that decision for herself, then this gets Jason very right.
No matter what Morrison might have intended, I choose to believe it's the latter. This is terrible advice to give a trauma victim, but it makes perfect sense for Jason to believe that about his own trauma, and thus to pass that maladaptive view along. He doesn't try to assure her that the mask can come off safely or that he'll get her a doctor because he really can't promise her either of those things. It would be cruel to her to pretend that he's got a solution. Jason can't undo the damage that was done to her any more than he can force a dead Bruce to kill the Joker.
Instead he offers her purpose, and reassurance that she's gonna look badass if she never does take it off, and protects her when she's in trouble.
You can claim this is just him acting out his chosen Hero role, but like, WHY would he have chosen to method act that role 24/7 if he wasn't trying to BE a Hero who protects people like Scarlet? There's nothing in it for Jason to fake this.
I also think if he was being written out of character as a manipulator we would have seen him use a romantic or sexual angle which he absolutely doesn't do.
Dickie, you are such a funny Batman, they never shoulda brought Bruce back tbh.
Instead, he seems to be taking a more parental role, in a near perfect reflection of how Bruce took him in when he was a kid. Just he's doing it his way, meaning that whenever Scarlet goes further with the violence than Jason seems to want to, he backs her up instead of chastising her.
Speaking of violence and morals, Let the Punishment Fit the Crime is a coherent moral position to take, even if you (understandably) disagree with it, or disagree with what punishments fit which crimes. It's basically the same moral position as every other version of Jason there's ever been! Like, is he even killing more people than he used to in stories like Under the Red Hood? No, I don't think he is.
The branding thing is weird, lil annoying too after a while, but ultimately it still makes sense. And brings me around to my promised defense of his fashion choices.
First of all the symbolic importance of the fact that he wears white cannot be overstated in my mind. Will I elaborate? No, this post is way too long already lmao! Second off, it's supposed to be silly. I believe the silliness was a conscious, calculated choice, and the right one to make.
Jason doesn't believe that fear works, he's not trying for pure intimidation, and he knows that he's going to have to appeal to people in his bid to be seen as a Hero. Making himself seem big but non-threatening, a bright patch in the night, makes real sense.
Take a look at this view of Jason from Scarlet's POV when he comes to rescue her from the cops after she kills her dad:
He's got a smoking gun in his hand and he just shot two people dead, yet we're hard fuckin pressed to find him intimidating aren't we?? Cornball dialogue, and the silliest fuckin hat in the universe, because he's not meant to be from this era, he's emulating the Golden and Silver age comics and all their goofiness. He's trying to be the older, happier, sillier batman that used to exist (at least in his head), while doing what he believes is right and necessary.
The costume makes sense dammit!
Also it just doesn't look bad, I can't provide an argument for this, it's just true!!
Also also every one of these fuckers should be wearing a helmet too, this is basic brain safety, if you're gonna go around antagonizing fuckers with guns you need to make your head at least nominally bulletproof, it's that simple!!!
Now... do I recommend you read this? (This section was rewritten on January 28th, 2024)
Yes, with significant caveats. There's a reason I chunked this in with YMMV.
First is the Batman typical ableism of just really fucked depictions of mental illness. I normally wouldn't warn for this because everyone knows most of the rogues and will be aware of what they bring to the table, but Professor Pyg is obscure enough I wouldn't expect people to know, and the way he's written just... hurts. Like there's just something about him that is painful to read as someone that's got several schizophrenic friends who are near and dear to my heart. I would hesitate to recommend it to any of them the same way I'd hesitate to recommend Silence of the Lambs to most other trans people.
Secondly this comic is Extremely Gay (a definite positive!) however it is Extremely Gay in a way that kinda requires some onboarding and analysis to properly parse and that is actually why this post was edited:
The first time I read this comic, my impression was that it was vitriolically homophobic. Considering that at the time I had heard many things about Grant Morrison, and none of them good, I went with my gut. I put here that while I would defend Jason's characterization, I couldn't in good faith recommend something so bigoted, detailed what felt bigoted, and went on with my day.
Then a while later I saw a post that I suspect was talking about this one saying something along the lines of "How the hell could you call Grant Morrison, who gave us so many of our most iconic gay characters, homophobic? The racism and such I can understand but homophobic? No."
To which my initial response was a resounding: Wha??? Like, genuinely how was I supposed to read this and not get homophobia out of it?? But I went and looked Morrison up and yeah sure enough the guy's queer so I dug deeper and mulled it over until I figured out what the fuck I was missing. So, this section is a correction and an apology about that earlier homophobia claim. Sorry about that.
The styling of this queerness are highly akin to that of the John Waters movie Pink Flamingos which I'll let Matt Baume explain better than I ever could. This guy right here is pretty much the perfect example, Hell, he's even literally named The Flamingo.
Essentially it's queerness is all aggressive, unapologetic, and designed to be provocatively shocking, which can be jarring if you're not ready to flow with it. Also he likely had to arrange a lot of things to get around censorship, same as Judd Winick did. For instance the fact that Dick spoke the same circus lingo as the police precinct destroying troupe of Very Queer Freakshow Workers was meant to imply that Dick is Very Queer too. Pretty sure he would've said that in a far less convoluted way if he could've.
So, with the bulk of my initial reservations about this comic disproven... I have no choice but to straight up recommend it to anyone who thinks they can jive with this vibe of storytelling!
Jason's sanity level: One out of Ten hinges affixed. Obsessive, not taking care of himself, possessed of some really maladaptive trauma coping frameworks, completely unhinged. My condolences to his mental health, but I do love to see it.
Jason's moral compass bearing: Antihero. It's weird because this is undeniably a much darker comic, and Jason certainly feels darker, but in terms of what he actually does, and what the other characters do, his violence is honestly very tame.
So, cards on the table, here is the core of who Jason is to me:
He's got clear moral motives and a drive to help as well as harm, though violence and harm are the main ways in which he tries to improve the world.
When confronted he does not back down; he does not let himself be overshadowed or silenced. He is confident in his decisions and every bit of push back is already accounted for in his head.
Everything he does is premeditated. He is not impulsive. His plans may sometimes be unhinged but they are methodically planned.
He is painfully sincere, the way fire is painfully hot.
He desperately desires love and connection, but it will take many years of constant rejection and fighting before he is willing to accept any kind of compromise to his ethics for the sake of civility.
Under all the hurt and combativeness, he's a pretty goofy guy! He's got a sense of fun and likes to be flamboyant and silly when he can!
He's a villain, a hero, a protagonist, an antagonist, and everything between the extremes. He exists as a powerful counter-thesis to Batman, and as such DC can't ever fully answer the question of what to do with him. He exists in this waffling limbo state as his morals are debated, stretched, refuted, turned on their head. I think that makes him a wonderfully fascinating character to love.
I hope you enjoyed this and, like, go have fun reading comics!
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How does no one talk about this? It's from a summary of the final Post Hoot and like... How is no one talking about this? Or ever talked about this?
They had no OUTLINES. BY THE END OF S2A, THEY HAD NO OUTLINES! Like not even a "This is the general idea of what S2B will look like." Sure, that still needs to be filled in but they literally confessed to writing Yesterday's Lie, to getting that episode done, with literally NO PLANS on how to follow it up. You know, despite leaving it on a fucking cliffhanger.
How does anyone still think you can defend the show with the shortening when Dana herself admitted you can't. We didn't miss out on anything after all because there was no grand plan to miss out on. It was just all vapor. All half baked ideas.
And I really want to emphasize that she's stating that this was the case WHILE THE HALF SEASON WAS FINISHED. She had NO ONE working on the next half pre-emptively? No plans whatsoever for where it was going to go? Yesterday's Lie ends on a giant cliffhanger that demands to be answered and changes the very perception we have of the main character... And you're telling me you had no clear plans for what you were going to do about that?
The shortening is not an excuse. Period. Dana admitted herself, even if she didn't mean it that way. And for a show that constantly kicks payoffs down the line like TOH did, like stuff with the palisman or Willow and Amity's friendship, that makes this all the more inexcusable.
TOH could have only ever survived for so long like this. The shortening didn't hurt the show. It's simply why it has a better legacy than it would have if it had wasted more of our time.
======+++++======
I could do an entire blog on how much this picture explains so much about some of the truly bizarre elements of S2B. Also yes, I do hate that she goes on to say in this same post-Hoot that she had plans for X elements or the like because you JUST admitted you didn't. They may have been things you wanted to do but you literally can't say they would have happened. Not when you didn't even have an OUTLINE.
Part of my rage about this btw is that I have spent so much of this past week proving why issues run deep with the show and that the shortening didn't matter while meanwhile they just straight up ADMITTED it didn't.
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And a Kofi if you like what I do and want to help out with the fact that disability doesn’t pay much.
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Base Yandere Lute Headcanons: HER EGO!!!
[Hello, My Sexy Muffins! I am here with a new chapter. This one is Lute and her base headcanons as a yandere! So Good Luck :D I hope you all enjoy this chapter here!]
(Disclaimer: Lute is not yandere in canon, this is just for fun and not to be taken seriously at all! Simping for fictional characters and yanderes is fine, just do not be illegal or gross about it. Yanderes are not ideal partners to have in real life! Also, remember to separate fiction from reality and headcanon from canon!)
-Base Yandere Headcanons With Lute From Hazbin Hotel-
.Lute is Adam's Lieutenant and man oh man is she one of the most sadistic angels.
.She appears to be heaven-born like Sera, Emily, and Vaggie she does not have ears, but Adam does. (and we know he was human) Or she was made in heaven like how Razzel and Dazzel were made in hell?
.Lute is truly sadistic that she says take Vaggie Cunt mouth out of her ass. or something along those lines.
.It is so sadistic that Adam is a bit uncomfortable and tells her to chill.
.She also cut out Vaggie's eyes and cut off her wings. Forcing her to fall.
.She is an elitist and maybe a bit racist as well. At least with hating ANY Demon.
.If you are a demon she would see you in one to two ways.
.As a pet for her enjoyment and to keep by her side.
.Or the ONLY Demon worthy of redemption and or heaven.
.If you were an angel she would see you as the good you are and she would never let you fall.
.Now either way she has fallen for you and she needs to have you in her life.
.She will move heaven and hell to get you by her side.
(side note for YouTube/Tumblr ask box, if you want to see specifically how she would treat a demon sinner or hellborn or an angel comment in the ask box on Tumblr and look for a vote on my community page coming soon.)
.She is very controlling of you and very hostile to anyone and every rival or possible rival.
.You are hers and that makes you good.
.She is very possessive and protective.
.She also would most likely share you with Adam.
.If anyone tried to hurt you, they would get an angelic spear to the eye.
.If anyone tries to take you from here, oh look another angelic spear to the eye.
.If anyone tried to make you theirs. Ah, Another Angelic spear to the eye. (LUTE GIRL I think you have a thing for removing someone's eyes! Three times is too much!)
.She is holier than thou so she knows that she is the only one good enough for you.
.She would slaughter everyone in her way, especially if they were demons, she does not even care if they are hellborns she will kill them as well.
.She is not afraid to put you in your place as her property and future partner!
. Especially if you are a demon. (again remember to put in the ask box or vote)
.She deals with rivals by threatening them, harming them, and if those do not work, killing them.
.Of course, she rarely has to kill them, also she is the more so coolheaded one at times.
.But she can be pushed to snapping and when she snaps no one is safe.
.She would stalk you for months before telling you how she feels about you.
.Most likely cornering and manipulating you.
.If you accept her love you have sealed your fate and she will have you moved in with her, and have you with her at almost all times.
.Of course, if you say no, she will let you go for now...
.Eventually, she will kidnap you in the dead of the night and lock you away.
.She is going to break you, she will start with emotional and mental, and if that does not work she will hurt you.
.Not enough to cause permanent damage, but enough to make you see that you are hers.
.Leaving quite and few scars for sure.
.Do not worry if she causes more damage than she tends, she will fix you and make you love her.
.After all, she is an angel and she was the best you would ever get so you might as well say yes, and be hers!
.The ego on this yandere and that Angels cannot make mistakes even though she does when she is trying to break you?
.Yeah she cannot see the bigger picture as she does not see her flaws and only sees that you and her are meant to be!
[YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS another chapter done! I hope you all enjoyed this and stay sexy!]
#yandere#yandere hazbin hotel#yandere lute#yandere headcanons#headcanons#lute#hazbin lute#hazbin hotel lute#lute x reader#reader#gender neutral reader
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The Red Means I Love You (Edgar×Reader)
AN: This was supposed to be finished and posted on Valentine's Day. However, as you can see from the word count, that was a fool's errand. I wanted to delve more into yanderes since I find them fascinating in writing, and now, here we are. Staining White Day red, I present to you the most generic title for an Edgar fic you will ever see.
(Btw, I apologize to Edgar fans- I might've massacred your boy but I swear I tried my best.)
Word count: 4.9k words
TW: Blood, violence, murder, yandere themes, and blackmailing.
Summary: Accepting the invitation of a dubious letter sounds just about as bad as it actually was. Oletus manor is not a name spoken without notoriety, after all. Was that where it all began? Was this your first mistake? No, it was further down the line, wasn't it? Yes, perhaps it was when you became the muse of an artist with no inspiration.
Reality has disappointed you time and time again. The expectations of a life of peace was crushed easily under the hands of society. So, you fled. You fled inside your head, transporting yourself into worlds of fiction. Romance, mystery, fantasy, and the likes kept you alive. It was the only thing you could really call safe.
Among many genres, you favored one above the others.
Horror.
There’s a certain comfort that comes from these fictional tales. You know they aren’t real, that the killer can’t find you, that these psychopaths don’t exist. Are there people similar to them? Sure, but they aren’t in your life. Thus, they merely stay as silly little people within a book.
But, it’s not quite enough. The thrill of words upon a page cannot compete with the real deal. While you weren’t stupid enough to seek out murderers or the like, you were still dumb enough for Baron DeRoss, apparently.
The envelope is white as a dove, a blood red stamp sealing it shut. It whispers promises and praise, false hope and rewards. It’s an enticing offer, truly. Would you let it guide you astray?
Well, you were never one to turn away from the call of the abyss.
-
“I really don’t get it. I know it’s game changing, but it’s not helpful for anyone else but me! Why do they want me to team up with them?” You huffed, resting your face on your palms. Edgar merely rolled his eyes, flicking his wrist. Focused on the canvas in front of him, he let the brush streak red through white.
“You said it yourself, your abilities are game changing. We don’t even know the full extent of your abilities– who knows? Maybe you could completely uproot the current meta. Besides,” He smirked, peering at you from the corner of his eye. “The hunters are terrified of you.”
You paused, letting your arms fall flat against the table.
“Scared? Of me? I’m just another survivor– what do they have to be afraid of?”
Edgar hummed, tapping the handle end of his paint brush against his lips. “I don’t know about you, but I don’t quite fancy being stabbed.”
Okay, yeah, that was fair.
Most survivors didn’t possess the ability to fight the hunter, not really, yet here you were. When Jack had first chased you, he had the reckoning of his life. You wince at the phantom feeling of stabbing steel into flesh and bone. That was, admittedly, not what you had expected to be your special skill.
You pouted, cheek against the cool wood of Edgar’s table as you glanced around. His room was an odd combination of an art exhibition hall and an actual bedroom. It was big and extravagant, but you wouldn’t expect any less from him.
Well, kind of.
Edgar confused you. Intriguing, even among the sea of other unique characters within the manor. You suppose that’s why he’s your favorite comrade and closest friend, if you could call him that. He’s never kicked you out of his room or flat out yelled at you, so safe to say he didn’t hate you, at least.
He’s neutral on all matters within the manor, composed regardless of what he faced. All he cared about was his art, nothing more and nothing less. Perhaps that was how he was unaffected by everything.
You suppose that’s natural for an artist. You can’t claim to understand it perfectly, but in a way, you truly understood.
“It’s like… you’re a moth drawn to a flame, right? Art is something you’re willing to give your life to, dedicate your whole body and soul to. Even if you have to sacrifice your time, energy, or health, for the perfect outcome, you’d do it.” You had said it off handedly, not thinking much of it then. In some respects, wasn’t his passion for art just like your obsession with thrill?
But then he had grabbed your hands, looking into your eyes with such fervor. His gaze burned, a certain desperation flickering within it. What was he seeking so fiercely? What was making Edgar, apathetic, snide Edgar, act like he had found an oasis in the desert?
“You get it?” He whispered, almost pleading.
“Maybe,” You responded.
That had been enough for him.
Since then, you and Edgar had become an odd pair. Not quite friends, but too close to be acquaintances. You gravitated towards him, as he did to you. More often than not, you’d ask him if he’d like to team up for matches. More often than not, he’d say yes.
You suppose that’s another reason why other survivors regard you with care.
Edgar isn’t the most difficult person to work with, but definitely not the easiest. He’s all too much and too little: haughty and snide, distant and cold. He’s a reliable teammate, not a likable one.
Still, the playful sparkle in his eyes as he led the hunter straight to you made you beg to differ. You’d curse him out as you ran, glaring at him after the match was over, before begrudgingly thanking him for supporting you with a painting or two.
However odd it was, you wouldn’t trade your friendship for the world.
-
There’s a letter in your mailbox.
That isn’t especially weird, considering that’s what a mailbox is for. Letters, mail, packages, whatever. Still, you can’t help but pause as you stare at it. A white envelope with a lovely red seal, the stamp itself in the shape of a camellia. The embossed flower is outlined in gold, shimmering softly in the low light of your room.
Gently, you pry open the seal, careful not to damage it or the envelope. Once you’ve successfully extracted the letter without destroying everything, you stare at it with uncertainty.
It seemed like this was a love letter from the presentation alone, yet you couldn’t help but feel a bit unsettled. You couldn’t understand why, however. It was beautiful, but simple. It wasn’t overwhelming, nor alarming. So why, from the depths of your heart, was your subconscious screaming at you to run? As though you were about to open Pandora’s box?
You unfold the letter and read.
-
Edgar gives you the nastiest side eye you’ve ever seen. Perhaps you deserve it after the stunt you pulled. Then again, what else were you supposed to do? He was going to be sent back to the manor if you hadn’t let yourself go down.
In the end, thanks to your sacrifice, the potential tie had turned into a win. Sure, you were the one sent back to the manor instead, but a win was a win! Though, Edgar seemed to disagree.
“You’re an idiot.”
You would be offended if it weren’t for the fact that he was wrapping your wounds. The tender touches were barely there, like the flutter of a butterfly's wings. He was being careful, making sure you didn’t feel even an ounce of unnecessary pain. The concentration he was putting into taking care of you was something you had only seen when Edgar was painting.
The subtle quirk of his lips, eyes barely narrowed, and relaxed shoulders expressed more to you than any words ever could. The guilt that pooled into his chest, made evident by the quiet sighs he’d let out, seemed to manifest itself as kindness and gentle care.
It made you really want to tease him.
“Ow!” You hiss, flinching slightly away from the man. Edgar freezes, staring at you with concern.
“Shit– sorry, I didn’t mean to.” The sincere remorse in his voice immediately makes you regret your decision.
“Wait, wait, wait, no, I– gah, sorry. I was just messing with you.”
The painter’s formerly soft expression faded into a scowl, a glare sent your way even as he finished wrapping you up. Edgar immediately stands up, leaving you scrambling to do the same as he leaves the infirmary.
“Ahhhh, wait, I’m sorry! Wait, Edgar, I’m sorry, I swear I won’t do that again! C’mon, don’t leave me like this! I–” You trip on something, stumbling as you lose balance. You fully expect to kiss the ground, what with one of your arms in a cast, when lithe arms catch you.
You glance up at Edgar with a sheepish smile, gazing upon the apathetic look upon his face. Apathetic, to anyone else but you. You can see the little curl of his lips, the faint swirl of amusement in his eyes.
He helps you reorient yourself, hands on your shoulders. Once you’re safely standing, Edgar turns and continues down the hallway. His steps are slower than usual. It’s probably the closest you’ll get to an invitation.
You grin, chasing after him once more.
“So does this mean you forgive me?”
“No.”
-
“How do you manage to stay sane, painting the same thing over and over again?” You ask, half dangling off a couch. Edgar’s room is still as grand as ever, but you can see the changes. It seems more lived in, more homey. There’s a table that isn’t covered in paint, brushes, or other art supplies. There’s shelves with books instead of art supplies. Then, those cabinets have, wait for it, something other than art supplies.
It seems like a small shift to others, though that’s probably because they don’t visit Edgar half as often as you do. The first time you saw the couch, you thought you were hallucinating.
The Edgar Valden, using something other than a stool? Incredible, revolutionary, absolutely groundbreaking.
He did not appreciate your dramatics, or so he claimed, but you knew he was covering his mouth to hide his smile.
“I’m not painting the same thing, and I am, in fact, going insane.” Edgar responds, frown deepening as he mixes a few colors together. You hum, peeking at the canvas as much as you can from your position. From the sketch, you could tell it was a portrait. A rare occurrence, considering Edgar preferred landscapes.
“Why the sudden interest in portraits?” You ask, sitting more comfortably on the couch. Glancing at the shelves, you skim through the books. Edgar wouldn’t mind if you read one of them, right?
The man pauses, his expression almost bashful. It’s so bizarre you can’t help but raise a brow. Edgar has never been afraid to draw attention to himself. He’s no pushover, willing to fight for what he wants while still remaining relatively neutral. To see him like that, a dust of what can only be blush upon his cheeks, twists something in your heart.
Before you can untangle what exactly you were feeling, the painter coughs.
“Well, I tried talking with Victor about expressing oneself. He suggested letters, or other mediums I’m comfortable with. So…” Edgar stares at his canvas, his smile more so a grimace. “I’m trying out his suggestion, I suppose.”
You tilt your head, humming to yourself as you nod. Sliding off the couch, you grab one of the books on Edgar’s shelf. “Well, then I wish you the best of luck.”
His eyes linger on you, closing softly as his expression relaxes. When he opens them again, he starts creating new hues with more focus.
-
“I’ve been getting letters recently.” You mention, flipping another page in your book. Edgar paused, turning to look at you.
“And?”
You closed your eyes, contemplating. This really wasn’t something you had to tell him. But, well, nothing too interesting has been happening lately. The matches have finally grown duller, the thrill fading as you stayed longer. You were running out of things to ramble about, so why not?
“They’re love letters. Nicely decorated, with neat handwriting. If I had to guess, someone born into privilege.” You think Edgar flinches at that.
“It’s really sweet, honestly. A shame they’re anonymous.” You skim over the words on the page, brows knitting themselves tight. The main character was oblivious to the danger so close to them. How frustrating.
“A shame, really.” Edgar echoes back, delicately brushing shadows along the red camellias. His painting seemed nearly finished, if you only stared at the beautiful flowers. The rest of the canvas was rather barren, a figure still not yet painted whole.
“C’mon, theorize with me! Who could it be? I put my bets on Jack.” You sighed dramatically, head thrown back with your hand on your forehead.
You received no response, however.
“Hear me out! He called me darling, dear, and tried to kill me. Obviously, he fell for my sick kiting skills and great looks. I rest my case.” Still, nothing.
You were getting really worried with how unresponsive Edgar was being. Usually, when you started overexaggerating like that, he’d make a snarky remark. Something like “please, you get terror shocked at 5 ciphers” or “you make amphibians look appealing.”
The silence was really getting to you.
“I mean, he’s got confidence in spades so it probably isn’t him. Still, I kinda hope it is, he’s rather attrac–” SNAP!
Your head snaps up from your book, turning to Edgar so quickly you nearly give yourself whiplash. There, in his hands, are the remains of a broken paint brush. Blood oozes from his tightly clenched hands, slowly trickling down his palm and under the cuff of his shirt. That was reason for concern as is, but the most startling thing of all was his eyes.
Blue, like the sky. Blue, like the sea. Blue, like the wings of a morpho butterfly.
Blue, like the swirling vortex of the night sky.
You rush over, grabbing the first aid kit you know he keeps for you, before standing next to him. You’ve never seen him like this, eyes so dark and blank. It’s honestly scaring you a little, but that means nothing when he’s hurt.
So, you kneel, pulling out tweezers, disinfectants, and bandages. Gently prying his hand open, you discard the larger pieces of the brush. With the tweezers, you pick out splinters of wood embedded in his skin. You whisper apologies as you do, knowing this definitely hurts, but he doesn’t so much as flinch.
By the time you finally disinfect his hand and wrap it, Edgar seems a lot more like himself than before. He gazes at you with quiet consideration, blinking slowly. Languid, calm, almost cat-like.
“Are you okay?” You ask, holding his hand. In all the time you’ve known him, you’ve never seen him react like that. The kinder side of you hopes it’ll never happen again, if only so he won’t needlessly hurt himself like that. The morbid side of you wants to see him like that again, what you can distinguish as cold, searing rage threatening to consume him whole.
Edgar leans his head forward and onto your shoulder. The scent of citrus, chamomile, and something chemical tickles your nose, brushing against you as the painter sighs. He seems… tired.
“Let me rest my head, just for a bit.”
You don’t have the heart to say no.
-
The next few letters you get are… odd. Passionate as always, but far more obsessive. The first few had been sweeter, more tender. This was escalating in a weird direction, and as much as you loved yourself a good horror story, romance and horror never mix well. They were starting to threaten you, saying they’d hurt the people around you, and that was where you drew the line.
So, you start ignoring them. It sounds foolish, especially for a connoisseur of all things freaky, but life is more mundane than fiction. If this person doesn’t have the guts to confess to you, does it make sense that they’d have the guts to actually go through with their threats? Logically, no.
Besides, even if they did, the people of the manor are strong. They can hold their own. Even if they can't, that person will get outcasted for hurting a survivor, regardless of if they’re a hunter. “No violence outside of matches,” that was the first rule both factions set.
So, it was safe to assume you had nothing to worry about. You have more important things to deal with, anyway, especially with a new survivor arriving. His name was Orpheus, a novelist. You were thrilled, especially since he was the author of some of your favorite series.
You were busy with preparations, practically skipping with joy. The other survivors poked fun at you, both for your enthusiasm and the lack of a certain painter at your side.
Edgar was concentrating on his art, as per usual, and you didn’t want to bother him. He seemed a little lonely, though, so you tried to convince a few people to talk to him. They all just looked at you as if you grew another head.
“Are we… looking at the same person?” Mike asks, smile strained. You frown, turning away from the banners you were fixing.
“Yes! Edgar Valden, our resident painter, our sassy rich boy, our lovely old friend. I say he is lonely, and I think you should talk to him. I mean, you’re easy-going, fun, and silly. Who wouldn’t like you?” Even if half of it was an act. Still, Mike was one of the people Edgar tolerated better than most. Perhaps it’s because he’s another form of an artist?
“Why can’t you just, I don’t know, talk to him yourself? You guys get along just fine.” Mike looks away, fiddling with his hands. You narrow your eyes at the sight.
Mike Morton, local funny man, someone with dedication and deceit running through his veins, nervous? It’s not faked, the sweat rolling down his neck and the faster breathing all indicating he was genuinely nervous. Maybe even scared.
“Edgar, I really do love him, but he needs more friends. I think the only people who talk to him on a regular basis are Luca and I. Adding a few more people to that list would be nice, so…” You bring your hands in front of you, clasped tight as if you’re about to pray. “Could you please talk to him?”
Mike deflates, sighing as he nods. You smile brightly in response, promising to make it up to him.
-
“Hey bestie! You excited for the new survivor?” Demi croons, grinning as she tosses an arm around your shoulder. You laugh in response, leaning into her.
“That’s about the dumbest thing you could ask me. Of course I am! He’s written so many good books. God, I don’t know how I’m supposed to act around him. He’s made some stories that have basically shaped who I am now!” You sigh, smiling so widely your face hurts.
“Well, don’t forget your boyfriend in all the excitement! I can see he’s basically seething with envy.”
You pause, turning to look at Demi.
“Who?”
Now, it’s Demi’s turn to look confused.
“Uh, you know, Edgar? Are– are you guys not together?” She asks, genuinely shocked. You feel your face heat up, your hands itching to cover your blush.
“Wh– no! We are not! Why would anyone ever think that?”
Demi gives you a deadpan expression in response.
“You two are basically glued to each other’s side, go into every match together, hang out almost every day– Hell, you’re the only one Edgar has allowed in his room without it being necessary!”
Well, that’s news to you.
You furrow your brows, blinking in shock. Sure, you two hung out a lot, but it wasn’t like you guys were friends exclusively with each other. You had Demi, Mike, Melly, and even Violetta while Edgar had Luca, Victor, Andrew, and Galatea. It wasn’t like you… hung out… every… day…
“Oh fuck, we really do look like a couple.” You mutter, having half a mind to smack Demi as she laughs. She’s completely unapologetic about it, struggling to breathe as slowly calms down and giggles.
“So, you two aren’t dating?” She asks, wiggling her eyebrows. You huff, fighting back a smile.
“Nope, not at all.”
“Then in that case, I’m allowed to flirt with you as much as I want!” Demi cheers. She spins you around, causing a laugh to bubble up from your throat. The two of your twirl around in a silly dance, the faint sound of Frederick playing the piano the only background music.
At the end, she dips you down, smile upon her lips. She leans close to your ear as your smile is wiped away.
“Be wary of him.”
-
With Edgar, it’s like you’re taking three steps forward, then five steps back. Just when you think you’ve got him all figured out, he throws a curveball at you.
That desperation he had in his eyes the day you became his friend, flickering like a brilliant flame, you understand it now. However much he claimed he didn’t need people to understand him, how he didn’t need to understand others, it didn’t mean much. He still craved it, to be understood. To not have to be questioned, to not be approached with dishonesty, with intentions that lied beyond just him being him.
You suppose that’s exactly why you got along. You wanted to understand him, and he wanted to be understood. A match made in Heaven, you suppose.
It’s why it miffed you a bit that you really can’t understand Edgar at the moment.
He hates drawing portraits, yet he draws a figure, the same exact one, in every one of his new pieces. They look familiar, a lot like you, but you’re pretty confident Edgar would rather die than paint you. You’d tease him to Hell and back, all while he complains and swears up and down he’s never being nice to you again.
The landscapes, adorned in reds of all shades, always have that figure in each one without fail. Is he in love with someone? That would explain why he’s so weird lately.
Edgar’s odd behavior was already messing with you, but on top of that, the letters were getting worse. Instead of being slid into your mailbox, they were flat out in your room now.
Normal people would think someone just slipped it under the door. Reasonable assumption. However, unless that person has not only a very thin arm, but a long one, you don’t know how they’d manage to get it all the way to your desk.
You stare at the white envelope, stamped shut with a red seal in the shape of a camellia. The outline of the flower is in gold, though the beauty of the letter and the seal means nothing. Not when it got into your room. Not when it clearly has a splotch of dark red glaring at you.
Your hands are shaky as you open the envelope, a familiar curl of thrill fighting with your new found protective instincts. The letter is white as a dove, the red tainting it made all the more stark.
With adrenaline coursing through your veins, you read.
‘I didn’t imagine love would be like this. Wonderfully warm, like the rays of the sun in winter, and unbearably painful, like a knife in my heart. Do you just like hurting me? No, I know that isn’t true. After all, you always look at me with concern when I’m injured. Still, it’s hard to believe you’re this dense.
These past few weeks have been driving me mad. Your attention has been solely on the arrival of the new survivor. You’ve been ignoring me so much I can barely stand it. Can’t you spare even a moment for me? Is that novelist really that important? Seeing you look at him with stars in your eyes… it makes me want to rip his head off his shoulders. He doesn’t deserve your attention, nor your admiration, not like I do. I’ve known you longer, loved you for longer. He doesn’t deserve anything from you, yet he gets everything I could ever want and more.
Did you know? When you’re excited, your smile turns bigger, more genuine, till dimples show. Your eyes crinkle just a little, your hands moving to curl in front of your chest. You stand taller, you shine brighter.
It’s such a beautiful sight, I hate that I have to share it. Sometimes, I wish I could just put you in a cage and never let you go. Then, you wouldn’t look at anyone else but me. You wouldn’t think about anyone else but me. But, that’s not how you should live. You deserve to be free and happy. So, I’ve decided to get rid of anyone that doesn’t deserve to be around you.
I think I’ll start with that novelist.’
Your blood runs cold.
Fuck.
FUCK.
Just who is this? Who are they and just why are they so obsessed with you? Get rid of those who don’t deserve you? Who gave them the right to decide that!?
You take a deep breath, desperately trying to calm your nerves. Your heart is racing, and for the first time, the thrill in your heart turns into true fear.
You’ve never minded being the one hunted. In fact, you practically adore it, the addicting rush of adrenaline pumping through you. It’s why you came to the manor. But your friends? They’re not the same, and you wouldn’t want them to be. You want them safe and happy, not hunted down by some freak who thinks they “aren’t worthy of you” for whatever sick reason.
“Fuck, fuck… Orpheus, I need to find– no, it’s probably too late for him, there’s blood on the letter. Okay, okay, stay calm, stay fucking calm. Who would be the next victim? Mike? Melly? No, it’s probably Ed–” You pause.
Almost comically, everything clicks in place.
Camellias.
Red.
Ignoring them.
Edgar.
You bolt out of your room.
-
Normally, you’d knock. You know Edgar hates it when people barge into his room. However, considering the circumstances, you think that’s the least of your concerns.
You can’t help but pray in your mind. To whom? You don’t know. You don’t think anyone can truly help in this situation. It couldn’t be anyone else but Edgar, but still, you prayed. You hoped against all hope that your conclusion was wrong.
Edgar would scold you for barging in, sigh, before smiling and asking if you were really that desperate to see him. Everything would be fine. It would all be just a cruel joke.
But just as life is more mundane than fantasy, reality is far cruller than fiction.
The large windows to Edgar’s room let in the light of the falling sun, casting the room in many shades of gold and orange. In the middle of the room, in all his glory, is Edgar. His back is to you, paint brush in hand. You’re hit first by relief, then with the heavy scent of iron.
You shake, hands covering your mouth as you finally process what's around Edgar. Orpheus, drained of blood, head sat on a chair, body left haphazardly on the ground. Jack, ghastly white and face twisted, his horror eternally memorialized in death. Demi, eyes closed and serene, seemingly asleep if not for the purple veins that roam along her arms.
You fall to your knees, the shock hitting you so strong you can’t stand up any longer. He was your secret admirer. The one who kept sending letters. The one who went into your room just to place them on your desk. The one who threatened to kill your friends. The one who did kill your friends.
Edgar, finally, turns around. His cheek has splotches of blood on it, his hands no better. It’s startling just how much of it is on him, but worse yet, you know not all of it is on him. There’s a lot of blood in a human body, much more in two, so where was it?
When he smiles, it’s just as sweet as it was yesterday. And the day before. And the day before that. Was this really your friend, or a demon in disguise?
His smile, ever so sweet, only serves to unsettles you, looking more like a nightmare.
“Ah, you’re here! Come, I need to show you my newest masterpiece.” Edgar steps closer to you, dragging you by the hand to a canvas you hadn’t noticed before. He was standing in front of it, so it was only natural.
You numbly follow, heart in your throat. You’re grateful, distantly, that the “masterpiece” is not the corpses of your friends. You think you’re going to throw up, eyes trying to look at anything but them.
So, you gladly look at his so-called masterpiece.
You really wish you didn’t.
There, on the canvas, is a portrait. This time, it’s so painfully obvious it’s you that you can’t even deny it. Surrounded by red camellias, hands curled in front of their chest, with a smile so genuine, dimples showed. Eyes crinkled, back straight, and God, did it have to be so accurate?
The red of the camellias are familiar, as is the red of your blush, the colors of your clothes, your hair.
It’s all been painted using your friend’s blood.
Edgar comes behind you, his arms circling your waist. A content sigh leaves him, his chin resting on your shoulder. His hold is gentle, but firm, possessive in a way you never thought him capable of. His lips brush against your neck, a kiss much like a collar pressed into your skin. You can feel them curl into a smile.
“What do you think, my muse? The red means I love you.”
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I tried really hard to bring my hopes down so I wouldn’t be disappointed by the RWRB movie and despite both my best efforts and some truly great scenes from the actors in the movie, I was so upset by it.
The Paris scene was gorgeous and intimate and IMPORTANT. Sarah as Zahra was literally flawless. Taylor and Nick were infinitely better than I thought they were going to be. The chemistry was good. I liked Uma Therman.
But.
I was never going to be happy with this movie. It was rushed (due to the nature of it being a 2 hour movie) and cut out not only important scenes for development, it cut people who are integral to the plot and entire plot lines that were paramount to the book’s intention.
It needs June. It needs Nora and Pez to be ACTUAL characters. It needs Ellen and Oscar to be divorced and have the family dynamic that makes Alex who he is. It needs Rafael Luna. It needs Catherine. It needs Bea to be flawed and have a personality and not be sanitized for no discernible reason. It needs the full progression of Alex and Henry’s relationship. It needs emails. It needs better coverage of the email leaks and aftermath. It needs friendship and queer community. It needs 23 year old protagonists. It needs Alex spiraling and figuring himself out.
If I’m honest, that omission might be what disappointed me the most and I haven’t let myself ruminate on it until these words were being tapped out by my fingers. Alex’s bisexual awakening in the book made me feel more seen and understood than any other book I’d ever read, any character I’d connected to. And it resonated within his character throughout the book. Without him learning about himself, the importance of this story is diminished for me and my own journey and connection.
RWRB is my favorite book of all time. I turn to it when I’m happy, sad, anxious, confused, tired, wired, and everything in between. It’s literally perfect to me, no matter anyone else’s opinion. I relate to Alex more than any other character in any other media. Henry is my favorite fictional character, period. I wanted so desperately to like this movie.
There were scenes I loved. But so much in between reminded me starkly of what it was missing.
This is not a hate post about this movie, nor does it stand to denigrate the actors or writers or crew, etc. Nor does it serve to shame anyone who DID love this movie. I hope you DO love it. I hope it brings joy to those who loved the story before and invites those who are unfamiliar into these characters. Most of all, I hope it provides joy to young queer audiences who are seeing themselves represented in a romcom.
But this process feels almost like grief, which sounds so dramatic. For me and people like me, whose souls were unwittingly bared on the pages Casey McQuiston wrote years ago. For people who found an anchor in this novel and hold on for dear life so we don’t drown. To me, this book is perfect, and to alter it in any way was going to disappoint me.
My hope is that in the coming weeks, I can find a way to truly separate this book and my unending catalog of feelings about it from this movie adaptation, which I probably would have loved if I wasn’t a die hard book fan, so that I can enjoy both and recognize that only a piece of the book made it to the screen.
(Truthfully my greatest hope is that they personally grant ME the rights and unlimited budget to write and direct a full miniseries adaptation that is a faithful interpretation to the letter, but no one is going to do that.)
I’ve seen like hundreds of posts already saying that we shouldn’t shit on this movie or take away from other people enjoying it, and I agree. And I apologize if you feel that’s what I’m going with this post. It’s not my intention. But I do want to say that you’re also allowed to be disappointed. You’re allowed to feel like you would’ve wanted it to be different. Just don’t walk around disparaging the book or the talented people who made it possible, and certainly not the fans who are just loving the story and characters you love too, just maybe in a different way.
Idk, this blog is a mess and a safe space and I just wanted to put my initial feelings somewhere because they have kind of taken over my brain. I’m tired and still processing, but if I don’t get out this spiral, I’ll stay in it.
I want to like it. But there were just too many changes. It felt like a different story. As Alex and Henry have both said, “we all must learn and grow.”
#rwrb#prince henry of wales#henry fox mountchristen windsor#alex and henry#rwrb spoilers#red white and royal blue#red white and royal blue spoilers
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Writeblr Positivity Tag
Tagged by @pertinax--loculos. Before I begin I just wanna say...Pockets...this BFF-ship is not one-sided. You're super cool and I always love seeing you on my dash and I miss reading about your stories (haven't heard about ATN in a minute D: I know it's in the 'second draft/editing' graveyard so I get it). My only disappointment is that we evidently live in different time zones so we're never active at the same time :'(. But yeah just had to clear that up. So EHEM, onto the tag!
What motivates you to write?
Oof. I've been trying to remind myself of the answer to this because your girl seems to keep forgetting. I think @pertinax--loculos put it beautifully: 'I write for the same reason I breathe. Because if I didn't, I would die'. I don't think I'm necessarily motivated to do it at this point, it's just that I'm incapable of NOT doing it. Which inevitably makes it difficult when I find myself in a slump and desperate to give up because I can't produce anything I deem "good enough". I know despite my frustrations I will keep trying to produce something because giving up is evidently not an option. In the past though, I think I was motivated by the prospects of other people eventually reading my work and wanting to give those imaginary future people the same feelings/experiences my favorite authors have given me when I read my favorite book. But as it's gotten harder and harder to get eyes on my work, that's stopped being a motivator for me (which is probably for the best).
A line/short snippet of your writing that you are most proud of/happy with. If not, maybe share a line of someone else's work you love (just please credit them):
Can you believe it took me SO long to find an answer for this LOL. I think I'm mostly proud of how scenes I've written turned out, not necessarily specific lines. But I'll go with this one, because it stuck with me the most after I wrote it:
The last thing I truly tried to create was the destruction of myself.
Which OC makes you smile every time you think/talk about them, and what are they like?
Hands down, it's Vince. Like, I love that boy. I can think about him in relation to almost everyone in my cast of characters and I smile even harder. But I think the relationship that I love the most in my story is the one he has with Cami. It's just so...wholesome and pure and playful and loving. Like the two of them truly come to care for each other so much, in a way that almost transcends any kind of relationship (their relationship is fully platonic btw). But Vince is just a lovable idiot. He is the resident himbo. He doesn't take life or himself too seriously which makes him easy to get along with. But he also has such an incredibly big heart and is actually quite sensitive once you get to know him. But the care, respect and admiration he grows to have for Cami over the course of the story is just so beautiful to watch and is one of the parts of my story I look forward to writing/developing the most. I could ramble on and say more but I will reign myself in.
What process of writing do you enjoy the most?
I know this is an uncommon answer but...editing. Blank pages intimidate me. I hate coming up with words on the spot with nothing to build off of. But I love coming back to a chapter I've written, opening up a blank doc beside it and rewriting the chapter with stronger language/words/prose/dialogue etc. I'm often able to flex my writing chops when re-writing or editing a chapter rather than just writing it from scratch. The right words just come to me a lot easier and I can phrase things more eloquently than before. I know this is not what true true editing is...come back and ask me again in 6 months when I have to edit the completed second draft of my story and I'm writhing in agony.
What part of writing do you think you are the best at? (Yes stroke your own ego it's okay)
Dialogue. Dialogue. Dialogue. I struggle with writing an engaging narrative voice/exposition. Can't worldbuild for my life. Descriptions scare me. But ask me to write a compelling, emotional, humorous, realistic conversation between two characters and I will hit the ground running.
What is something in the writeblr community that is most enjoyable?
I think Pockets also had a good answer for this that I agree with - people never forget you. You can be gone for 4 weeks, 4 months, or 4 years, but the minute you log back on and make a post, people will welcome you back into the community with open arms like you never left. And you realize just how much of a place you actually had in the community whereas often when you're in it on the day to day it can feel like you're shouting into the void and no one's listening. But people are listening and lurking and liking your posts, they just may be too shy to approach you or prefer to be in the shadows. But I can think of like at least 5 writeblrs who I've thought about in the last month and wondered where they went off to because I haven't seen them on my dash for months. Despite my qualms with writeblr at times, there is a semblance of a community here that I don't think many other platforms have or can replicate.
A writing tool/device you use that helps you with writing? (It could be speech to text, a writing program etc)
Scrivener. Literally Scrivener. I would not be able to do anything if I didn't have Scrivener. Scrivener is my life. It literally has everything a writer could need and more. When I tell you that everyday I'm discovering a new feature on this shit as if I'm using it for the first time rather than the mf 10 years I've had it. It legit has everything. “But what about —?” Yes. The answer is yes, it can do that, too. And I'm so grateful for it. And it's a ONE TIME purchase which is such a steal. It provides you so much and asks so little in return.
A piece of worldbuilding that you like in your own story? (It could be the magic system, a particular place in the story, a law, etc)
HA
(what an anticlimactic question to end on but I legit do not worlbuild. I truly admire anyone who can but it's not me.)
Tag some people whose works you love/have been your biggest supporters:
@starry-sky-stuff @lady-grace-pens @rose-red-ink @freedominique @vacantgodling @kaiusvnoir
And anyone who sees this and wants to jump in! Feel free to say I tagged you, happy to read your responses.
#tag game#know your strengths#world building isn’t mine#I grow anxious at the thought of it#I just make a bunch of mundane settings bc settings are needed for any story#but I don’t consider that world building
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Hunger Games "the ballad of songbirds and snakes" recension
this is the recesion of both: the book and the movie, I think that there will be some spoilers, so don't read more if you didn't watch it yet. Where can I star? the book of course...the first time I red the book it was 2022, my grandparents gifted it to me for my birthday. I red the hunger games triology in 2021 and I waited a year for the new book. Nowadays I can't tell you if I love or I hate his book, it made me feel a lot of emotions, in few pages It could change my humor and the rest of my day. I admid it, I fell in love with Coriolanus Snow a few times, like when he said: "Without turning he knew it was the girl, his girl, and he felt immense relief that he was not entirely alone." With "his girl" he conquest me, and you can immagine how hard it became when I continued reading the book. I couldn't belive that the situation would get worse as I went on, so I used to close the book and do other stuff as if I had finished the book and there was nothing else to say. lucy gray is a very good character, she's brillant and very smart I like her truthfulness and her semplicity, but she is also very cunning.
OK NOW, my favourite character, Sejanus Plint, he is so underrated and no one ever loves him the way he should be loved. He is so real and he is the only one with a minimum of mental health, Sejanus is also strong and determinated, the only thing that I would change about him is about his decisions, Sejanus ALWAYS make bad choices and he always make them in the wrong time, a few times I caught myself yelling "why do you have such bad timing!" against the book.
My last but not least favourite character is Tigris, she, with Sejanus are the only characters who truly understand the level of degeneration Panem has reached. At first I didn't figured Hunter Schafer as Tigris but after seeing the film I had second thoughts, she was perfect, actually, all the cast was perfect, now when I read the book I can only see them in my mind.
Now a little bit of the story, it's a prequel of the triology, in the book we are at the 10th hunger games, and we have the opportunity to get to know the president snow better, but in this book you can't find the real presidente snow, you can find a young Coriolanus Snow who has to take care of his grandmother and cousin, the only problem is that for surviving he will go against many human rights. this book litterally freaks me out because at a certain point you can't really understand what's wrong and what's right, there isn't a line that separate the two concepts, you are in the middle, in a grey area. Staying neutral and objective is very difficult during this book, but I want you to try, may the odds be always in your favor.
let me now if you read or watch it!
#the hunger games#can't catch me now#ballad of songbirds and snakes#thg#bosas#thg books#coriolanus snow#lucy gray baird#sejanus plinth#tigris snow#snow#snow lands on top#coriolanus x lucy gray#panem#district 12#recensione#book recommendations#book tok#tbosas#tbosas movie#president snow#thg series
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🔥 ??
This ask game
On a completely unrelated note
Anyone on marauders TikTok at this point I simply do not trust. I don’t like your vibe. Your existence irritates me and I can’t wait for life to knock u off your high horse a bit. Not like a lot, but enough to make you bearable to share the planet with.
People have taken the marauders fandom way too far and way too seriously and I think it should all just burn down.
Erase it all. Give it 5 years to cool off.
Also snape is not that bad?? Yall are fucking CRAZY in your hating him but hyping up Barty. Crazy. Insane. “He bullied children” well your guy tortured Frank and Alice longbottom and fucking killed people for the sake of blood purity. Therefore I challenge you to come up with a legitimate excuse and not some random fictional morale code?? Like why is that the line. Why is that your reason. “He bullied children” for gods sake do you hear yourself??
At least be creative jfc.
I think there’s a lot of nuance to Snapes story, especially with aspects of class, privilege, gender (being a white male vulnerable to extremist ideology due to upbringing and life experiences)
ALSO ITS FICTION
It’s fucking fiction. I say where the story is interesting because it’s MY blog.
Anyways this will probably be my last ever marauders post so I’m going out with a bang.
The reason there’s so many male fics is because creating characters from just a name is hard and not really in the nature of fanfiction and the only marauders era fleshed out characters are Sirius black and Remus Lupin because they’re the only ones in the Harry Potter books.
Like what yall have done creating depth in all these side characters is truly phenomenal but ohmygod the way you attack people so quickly for just writing m/m ships in this space where the only canon fleshed out characters are the men is INSANE. Thats literally what brought them here. You’re the weird one. And be weirder!’ Be weirder enough to write the W/W fanfiction with those little one fact character skeletons. I support you this is the place for that!! Stop being mean to other people and show some initiative or I will fucking fire you. With actual flames.
ALSO let people make fan films, don’t let people make fan films. Maybe it’s a scam, maybe it’s being written by criminals from their prison cells. Maybe it’s just people out here trying to do a group project like this is school. Stop. Caring. It’s none of your business.
I have never cared for cosplay, you do you boo but it’s not my thing. I do think it’s fucked up when you treat them like the character though and mess with their lives as human beings. Maybe try being normal, or pursuing a career in becoming a shitty therapist because you seem to care a whole lot about other peoples business.
Read fics because you like the summery or because you found it at 2 am in a comment section or ao3s page. Dont read fics because it’s “the it fic” right now. That’s bordering way too close to fast fashion trends and that is not allowed here. You are breaking the non-capitalist rules of our weird nerd hub.
You are not going to like the hyped up TikTok book.
Let that philosophy apply here.
Also This is not a book. It is a fanfic. Treat it like someone brought home made cookies to your doorstep. If you bite it and spit it in their face because you forgot to tell them you had a nut allergy or you wanted brownies instead it is your bad. You should have asked about the nuts, and you should say THANK YOU YOU MADE ME COOKIES.
Anyways goodbye forever marauders fandom it was fun I love all you silly little characters. I made lifelong friends, I laughed I cried I puked in my mouth a little (—meg from supernatural) but mostly you made me realize how fucking stupid it all is and fear for our future as a civilization.
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JANE AUSTEN RANKED BY YOURS TRULY
hi :]
it is done. I've read it all (*kicks Lady Susan under a rug*) what was that?
anyways
after seven whole months i come to you with the objectively correct ranking of JA main novels, heroines, and heroes
i will not be taking any criticism
let's begin then
on the line today we have
Northanger Abbey with contestants Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney
Sense and Sensibility's Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, Edward Ferrars and Colonel Brandon
Emma's own Emma Woodhouse, George Knightley and Frank Churchill
Persuasion bringing Anne Eliot and Captain Wentworth
and Mansfield Park's Fanny Price, Edmund Bertram and Henry Crawford
v what do you mean Frank and Henry they aren't Heroes why are you ranking them?
well because I can and want to
v what about Pride and Prejudice?
i can't be objective about it or Darcy or Lizzy. it would be unfair to everyone else. tho you are right I will be ranking Charles Bingley I have things to say about the man
cool? cool
THE NOVELS
yes i will only be ranking the main novels (and no lady susan because i dont want to reread it)
LOVED THEM TIER
EMMA
i did not want this book to end, i was having the time of my life. it's just. so good
reading it knowing what is going on was a delightful experience
i love emma and knightley so much
maple grove should burn to the ground. for my sanity
NORTHANGER ABBEY
Catherine carried this book that's all I gotta say
coming of age story but make it the 19th century
below Emma because I can take reading about Maple Grove but not hearing the Thorpes speak
I JUST THINK THEY ARE NEAT :]
SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
I just. think it's neat
I really have nothing else to say. I was invested, I felt for Elinor, and Marianne's evolution was 10/10
fuck John Dashwood for cutting down that tree
IM SORRY JANE (aka the Fail Love Interest Syndrome)
PERSUASION
i was a little bored ngl
did like Anne well enough tho
also. that piano scene. thanks I hate it. it will haunt me for the rest of my life
MANSFIELD PARK
Mary and Edmund ruined this for me in the way that they represent everything wrong with the allos and in the way that i wanted to slap them both out of their nonsense
i also didn't connect much with Fanny so :/
HEROINES
no tiers, just ranking them :]
EMMA (Emma)
I LOVE HER I LOVE HER I LOVE HER
Emma never change
she's so wrong all the time and I love her so much
<3
CATHERINE (NA)
MY GIRL
she's aggressively 17 (affectionate)
a DELIGHT
she grows so much 😭😭😭 im so proud of her
she will be an amazing adult
ELINOR (S&S)
it's the eldest daughter hardship for me
she puts up with so much bullshit from everyone around her
deserves a paid vacation, the right to murder people, and a nap, not necessarily in that order
lowkey carried
MARIANNE (S&S)
I will be the first to admit that I disliked her at first because she was aggressively 17 (derogatory)
but she !!!!! grows so much !!!!!! im so proud of her
always championed her older sister when no one else would and for that i gotta love her
ANNE (Persuasion)
suffers from FLIS (fail love interest syndrome)
girl it's been 8 years supéralo
also puts up with so much the sad bitch I do love her
FANNY (MP)
FLIS
had the chance of marrying Henry but didn't take it (like. I get why. but I'd respect her more for being a I Can Fix It Girlie than settling for the piece of wet bread that's Edumnd)
did not connect with her at all sorry bestie :(
HEROES (and then some)
i will put them into tiers. because I have Issues with most of them. also im judging them solely on how they relate to their Heroine that's the only worth they have to me
FAULTLESS
KNIGHTLEY (Emma - Emma)
what can I say he had impeccable chemistry with Emma
they were married from page 1
he truly cares for her and to make her improve as a person and I love him
COOL DUDE
EDWARD (S&S - Elinor)
my guy
had a scene with big brother energy with Marianne and I was sold
could use a little bit more Standing Up For Your Future Happiness but it's in character so I'll give him a pass
HENRY (NA - Catherine)
he's said to be the best Austen men and while I get why I just. he just wasn't giving to me
but yeah good to Catherine, amazing brother to his sister, knows feminine interests, amiable, etc
suffers from NA was the first book i read back in may so i dont remember much of his moments
LITTLE SHIT <3
CRAWFORD (NA)
my fail boy
the one plot point I enjoyed
let's point and laugh at the flirt that falls in love with the mildest girl ever who dislikes him and then when he's refused has an affair with a married woman
way to go bud ily
FRANK CHURCHILL (Emma)
he's such a piece of shit
was very fun to read
Jane should dump him tho he doesn't deserve her
I'LL BE WATCHING YOU, BUD
BINGLEY (P&P - Jane)
DARCY'S NOT THE BOSS OF YOU, MAN
can't be mad at him for long because of the puppy energy he has tho
BUT MAN THAT WAS ALMOST A YEAR'S ABSENCE YOU GOT AWAY WITH
COLONEL BRANDON (S&S - Marianne)
MY DUDE. WHY DIDN'T YOU SPILL THE TEA SOONER
oh yeah I'll let this Confirmed Rake keep courting the woman I'm in love with while everyone expects them to be either engaged or about to be as I know he's literally the worst, make sense
i just can't wrap my head around it
BOOOOOOO (FLIS)
CAPTAIN WENTWORTH (Persuasion - Louisa Anne)
more like captain failworth
people love this man and I just don't get it
MAN IT'S BEEN 8 YEARS. GET OVER IT
he's spiteful and resentful towards Anne when she did was she had to idk dude grow tf up
almost gets trapped in a marriage with a silly girl because he's dumb (good thing the girl is silly and jumped off a cliff so he could run back to anne) (that's an exaggeration but basically)
your only point of redemption is that by marrying you Anne gets out of the toxic environment she was in
EDMUND (NA - Mary Fanny)
imagine a glass of water. imagine that glass of water under the sun. not just any sun, no, a good midday August Spanish sun. imagine now a piece of bread. good. put that piece of bread inside the glass of water. that's this guy to me
all holier than thou but then spends 98% of the novel thinking with his dick
i. hate him.
takes fanny for granted
marries fanny because it's convenient (AND IN LIKE. THE THIRD TO LAST PARAGRAPH WHEN IN THE PREVIOUS PARAGRAPH HE WAS STILL COMPLAINING ABOUT MARY!!!!!! DUDE!!!!!!)
he's the worst
everyone that sucked gets punished but him
i want to personally kill this man
and that was basically it thanks for coming with me in this journey wow that was fun
hi @my-cursed-prince
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Book Chat: God of Ruin
Legacy of Gods (Book 4) by Rina Kent
Source: Google Images
I’m out for revenge.
After careful planning, I gave the man who messed with my family a taste of his own medicine.
I thought it’d end there.
It didn’t.
Landon King is a genius artist, a posh rich boy, and my worst nightmare.
He’s decided that I’m the new addition to his chess game.
Too bad for him, I’m no pawn.
If he hits, I hit back, twice as hard and with the same hostility.
He says he’ll ruin me.
Little does he know that ruination goes both ways.
Source: Goodreads (2023)
I'm Embarrassed
I really did not do God of Ruin justice. My only goal to reading this book was finishing it so I could get into the next book immediately. That being said, I entered the Rina Kent universe only for Brandon and Nikolai, so by default, only for God of Fury. Knowing that is the next book in the reading order, I was breezing through God of Ruin like it was unimportant. When I say I sped-read through this book, I truly meant it, I probably missed a ton of sentences and with that, some minute details.
Now, going on to the review, this is the first book in the Legacy of Gods series where I felt the first half was bad and it got better afterwards. Let me put it this way, I was bored through the first half which made speeding through it a lot easier than usual. Unlike many, I never hated Landon before God of Ruin but because of that, he was nothing fascinating here. He even annoyed me several times initially.
Thus, when his eventual and gradual character arc redemption arrived, I wasn't wow-ed by it. Just felt like it was something Kent had to write because all her characters must not be horrible at the end of the day, right? I know I sound bitter here but that's because God of Ruin really was very average.
The character arc redemption was one thing. But the trauma plot? So weak. Mia's entire character ever since she was 8 was due to the trauma she suffered but the resolution was not even half-assed, it was less than that. Why give Mia such a character, have plenty of pages to foreshadow and yet the final countdown was so pathetic? Personally, I think the biggest problem with the trauma plot was that Kent did not know when or how to foreshadow it through the book. This would have been such a kickass final countdown scene yet ultimately, it fell flat, so very flat.
One last thing, I am aware Kent might be having fatigue from writing stories in this universe now, which I completely get. Because not only do we have the same kind of characters in the same series (Killian, Creighton, Landon and since she's been hinting at it, Eli), her writing for God of Ruin was sloppy. I will just use one example: In Chapter 33, due to Mia's friendship with Jeremy, Landon said he will bump Jeremy up to the top of his shit list. You know who else who happened to be very different from Landon said a similar sentence? Nikolai, to Mia, about Brandon, earlier in this book.
I do want to justify Kent's sloppy writing to her fatigue for this world, and I will. Unfortunately, Kent's lines around all her characters are becoming muddled. Not only are so many of her characters similar, she's using very specific sayings for characters that should not have had those same kinds of sayings. This is not the first time I caught it but this series had multiple of this instances, I have had enough and need to point it out.
Despite this entire post being filled with complains, I like God of Ruin. I just think Kent should not have written them all one after another. Someone, or many, should have told her to take a break, write something else in between and clear her mind of this world for a while. Because back in her first series, all the guys and the ladies had such distinctive personalities yet in this series...
Rating: ★★★☆☆
More on the Legacy of Gods series here: God of Malice (#1) | God of Pain (#2) | God of Wrath (#3)
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Ranking the families of Arda
Disclaimer: Since there is so much overlap between many of these prominent families I will try to go by the paternal lines, as that usually determines who your counted among with a notable exception being the descendants of Luthien.
Second disclaimer: I won't be including the House of Finwe but rather count his sons's families separately because it makes it easier and because I don't like him.
1. House of Feanor
Take one scroll through my page and you'll immediately know I'm a Feanorian kinnie.
Maglor, Maedhros, and Caranthir are my favorites but I love all these horrible men and will wholeheartedly defend them but C&C might be exceptions.
Still love Celegorm as a character though given how interesting he is. He has the background of a Disney princess since he can talk to animals and had somewhat of fairy godfather yet his fall from grace is down a deeper darker hole than all his brothers and maybe even his father.
2. Mirkwood Royals
Starting off, Oropher himself is rather interesting. Little of his life as a noble in Doriath but after it's fall is where his story truly seems to start.
Now, I have to admit that as someone who descends from colonized people, I do not support colonization in the slightest but Oropher lands on the better end of colonizers. He and his Sindarin people seem to have assimilated into Silvan culture instead of forcing his own upon them. Also, he seems to have been a decent king given he did his best to avoid Sauron but eventually died fighting with the last alliance.
Where to begin with Thranduil. Let me just say he is an iconic character filled with so much charisma and personality. I adore him.
And Legolas, he has a special place in my heart. I loved his vibe from the moment we met him in LoTR. Legolas also proved to me that you don't need to have a tragic backstory(Shut up hobbit movies, his mom could be alive!) or be morally gray to be an enjoyable character.
3. Baggins Family
I love Bilbo. I love Frodo.
I have nothing more to say.
4. House of Finarfin
Finarfin himself, I first underestimated as a character. In comparison to his influential and powerful elder brothers, he seemed so dull. However, the more I read into him, the more appreciation I gained for his character. I also respect that Finarfin seemed to assimilate into his wife's culture and it wasn't only the other way around.
Now, his and Earwen's descendants. I love them all.
5. House of Elros
I suppose all of them are technically members of the House of Fingolfin but since they're humans, I will count them separately.
This family has so many members and not all of them were written about but the ones that were fleshed out were super cool. Elros himself is super interesting given he chose mortality despite everyone he knew and loved at that point was immortal. Vardamir, Elros's son and successor was a cool scholarly dude, Aldarion was literally human Earendil and knew all the cool elf dudes and knew about the threat of Sauron, his daughter Ancalime was an influential badass queen, and finally, Pharazon was a pretty good villain as far as villains go.
5.5. Feanturi + Nienna
I don't know if they should be allowed on this list but I love everything about these three Valar siblings.
6. House of Beor
I care about three characters from the House of Beor and their names are Andreth, Morwen, and Erendis.
I guess I really love long suffering women huh. In all seriousness, I actually think these characters are super interesting and in some cases relatable.
I don't care for the guys though. Before you attack me, let me say I don't hate Beren and think he's a pretty good dude but I just never really connected to his character.
7. House of Fingolfin
Fingon and Aredhel own my heart, I think they're amazing characters. Also, they're both fashion icons.
I love Earendil and his twin boys.
Turgon is an interesting character although he's not one of my faves. Idril's cool I guess.
Maeglin sucks.
8. House of Haleth
I love Haleth and Hurin, and I think Turin is an interesting character.
Everyone else, I don't have an opinion on.
9. Telerin Royal Family
I wholeheartedly love two, maybe four characters from this family. Cirdan, Elwing, Elrond, and Elros.
The twins are already spoken for so let me discuss their mom. Despite being a Feanorian sympathizer, I cannot help but love Elwing. She's an incredibly complex character and I love that about her. I know the fandom characterizes Elwing and Earendil as codependant and while that's probably true to some degree, it doesn't give Elwing enough credit. She didn't sacrifice a possibility of eternal happiness with her elven family for Earendil and she ruled over the Havens of Sirion quite possibly alone while Earendil was off doing hero business.
Cirdan is another awesome underrated character imo. His selflessness is inspiring.
I also want to say I like Celeborn and for some reason I have a soft spot for Olwe but I don't care that much about them, sorry.
Characters from this family I truly don't like Thingol and Dior, and everyone else isn't fleshed out enough for me to have an opinion on.
10. House of Durin
And I finally get to talk about some Dwarves!
I liked Thorin. He made the Hobbit fun and interesting.
I loved Gimli! He's a boss and totally deserved to go to Valinor with his bff.
11. Stewards of Gondor
Boromir and Faramir are awesome.
12. House of Eorl
I love Eowyn with my entire heart. Eomer pretty cool too.
13. Vanyarin Royal Family
Ingwe is low key boring, I'm sorry.
Ingwion is there I guess and close to Finarfin presumably given he fought in the war of wrath.
I like Indis but I don't love her. If her descendants were included this fam would be a lot higher.
#lotr#the lord of the rings#the silmarillion#jrr tolkien#feanor#feanorians#maglor#maedhros#fingolfin#finweans#elros#elrond#galadriel#thranduil#legolas#gimli#thorin oakenshield#boromir#faramir#eowyn#bilbo baggins#frodo baggins
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I am 100% sure that they are gonna split the season and I am 100% sure that the last Jancy scene we'll get in volume 1 will be the blowup fight about college.
Hey, look, it's my most realistic season 5 nightmare haunting my ask box!
But seriously, Anon, there is a very real possibility this is exactly what will happen and it is partly why I'm so wary of a mid season break because I feel like the writers will use it to temporarily break up Jancy which will lead to a very stressful time between volumes.
However, I do still have hope. And I want offer a glimpse of that hope to break up the little bit of ask-related doom spiraling on my page recently.
At this point, I truly believe (after close analysis of all the ST4 scenes) that there is no chance for a St*ncy endgame. I really don't think Nancy's heart is in it authentically and I believe that the point of the entire plot line was to have Steve "crawl backwards" a bit, regress in his character development (since he was fully redeemed and they didn't know what to do with him) and give him a chance to mature past this once again in season 5 and win over the hearts of the audience in a way that parallels season 2. Fans love when Steve is a pathetic character they can root for (post-nancy dumping him, literally all of season 3). It's kinda like a reset for him.
I also believe that season 5 will end happily for all the main characters and I trust the writers to do right with all of them. Even Jonathan. I will argue that Jonathan actually did have a great arc set up in season 4 that was not focused on enough and was cut too early in the season until I'm blue in the face. They would be dumb not to explore it more in season 5 because his character needs it. I'm not saying that this guarantees a Jancy endgame but I do think it means the conflict with Jancy will be resolved in a way that satisfies both characters' overarching arcs. Even if they do temporarily break up between volumes. And I personally think that the best way to do that is by having Jancy end up together. Especially because...
The overarching theme of this show is the power of love. This has been shown repeatedly, especially in season 4. I believe this concept will be what our heroes will use to defeat Vecna in the end (especially with his anti-human/humans suck philosophy). Therefore, it only makes sense that love will be what will resolve this conflict between Jonathan and Nancy and that their love will help them overcome every obstacle.
For those, like me, who may agree with everything I stated above but are still wary because they no longer trust the writers, I want to point out one thing I've reflected on which may help...
I really hated the way they handled the Billy storyline in season 3 (sorry Billy fans). I didn't like how they made him an obvious human antagonist who was abusive towards Max in season 2 and then suddenly changed their relationship in season 3 where Max was worried about him and the show seemed to completely forget about all the horrible things he did in season 2. I thought his redemption attempt was cheap and I didn't bat an eye when he died. I was more concerned for Max but I was still confused why she was so upset. The show didn't do a decent job explaining any of this during that season.
I wrote this whole thing off as bad writing (which to be fair, in season 3 it mostly was) and I was very, very worried when I saw the trailer for season 4 for the first time (with Max reading a letter at Billy's grave) and learned that an episode was going to be called "Dear Billy".
HOWEVER, I thought season 4 did an amazing job, an actual incredible job, presenting Max's grief surrounding her step-brother and her mourning the relationship they would never have.
I'm not saying this makes season 3's writing choices suddenly good but it does give more context for why Max acted the way she did in season 3 AND the situation from season 3 gave the writers the foundation for the best storyline in season 4.
In summary, even though some choices did not make sense or seem good in season 4, I am going to trust the writers to tie things up in a satisfying way (just like they did with Max's relationship with Billy) in season 5. I want to wait to see the whole, complete story before I continue to judge them too harshly.
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tell me more about your hatred for sbr <- also hated sbr
ok i just awnser a BIG chunk of what i hated in that last ask, which is mostly surrounding the circumstances of the shit poor writing of lucy's whole character story line
but im like!! i really think the general plot was neat and fun! i like parts of it a lot! the main cast are GREAT the setting is FUN i like the set up!! i like their goals and stories!!
but then when they start digging into lucy's stuff in kansas city its just like.. man this kinda fuckin sucks!
theres some neat fun chapters here and there still ofc! i really love the sugar mountain arc it was SO good. i loved johnny and gyro way more than i thought i was initially and that was one of my favirotes in terms of a narrative i wish they told about like. OUGH
ALMOST ALL of them are chasing after this stupid magic corpse for different grand reasons to fix their lives. a magical cure
Johnny to fix his legs, diego to never be looked down on again and HP to make up for her sins
their all obsessed with this and cant focus on anything else
and the end of the sugar mountain arc was SO good with the "heres to having nothing"
This a group of people fixated on some grand goal thats just always out of their reach. never realizing their are connection to people right there with them that MEAN something.
i just think some places SBR has some story character narrative and other it just falls very very flat
then when it came to the end of it, everyone got such CHEAP deaths. Diegos was close to being something, but even then he dies and they cut away to Johnny and Gyro going, woooahh thats crazy.... anyways
AND HOT PANTS GOD DONT GET ME STARTED ON MY FEELING ABOUT HOT PANTS AND ESPECIALLY HOT PANTS AND HER DYNAMIC WITH DIEGO BECAUSE THATS JUST A WHOLE OTHER TOPIC THAT DRIVES ME CRAZY
BUT IT SUCKS you watch hot pant begin to crumble in on herself as she realizes she will never truly be absolved of her past and now is willing to die to do something good for the world. then just dies in a manner that if you blink you'll miss it. the amount of ppl iv seen say they didnt even relize Hot Pants died in the scene she died in? INSANE
Then the finale was like, fine. it was fine. it felt very much like the p5 ending in some ways, but if it has a lil more narrative and connections between characters or whatever?
we get a decent end scene from gyro before he goes.
THEN WE GET HIS GOLDEN SPIRIT LEAVING HIS BODY AND ITS TWO PAGES WERE HE BASICALLY GOES "take it sleezy :-)"
then goes away why johnnys on the ground spiraling
LIKE IT KINDA RUINS THE MOMENT LOL
AND THIS FINALE IS FINE OR WHATEVER
THEN THEY INTRODUCE THE ALT DIEGO FINAL ARC AND I REMEMBER JUST BEING LIKE
HOW MUCH MORE COULD THERE POSSIBLY BE TO SAY. HOW IS THERE MORE STORY
because let me tell you, i LOVE diego but those chapters made me wish diego was still fucking gone. alt diego SUCKED those chapters SUCKED there was literally no point to them
the scene with Johnnys dad reads like a "and then everyone clapped" kinda shit
and i think the ONLY reason they even did that fucking shit was to set up shit with the corpse and diego.. LIKE MAYBE IM READING TOO MUCH INTO IT, havent read jjl... but like IDK im like... you have a magic corpse and a dying diego in this room and put it into a special box to keep the corpse like a coffin.. set to stay sealed for 80 years... ok.. not gonna think about that and the potential for this diego i dont even like diego to return later or something. IDK I MIGHT BE CRAZY READING INTO IT. but the parallels to it and dio from pb and erina and everything is like... ok...
but it was duMB
ALSO
the whole page about johnny going to Gyros home land jUST for his family to not even be there anymore. then be like, and that grand quest gyro was working on this whole time for that boy? well that boy was set free! gyros life and dedication to his choices payed off!!.................
then that boy died of a cold or some shit a few years later
WHAT IS THE POINT OF TELLING ME THAT
those last chapters was a wait of all of our time
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If it's okay can I please ask for any character that you want with ema and you can pick anything really it's up to you
Personality
Kind-hearted and caring
Can be motherly at times but mostly for children
Has no desire to hurt anyone as long as they don't hurt her or her friends and truly has no Cruel Intentions with anyone
Facts
She's an omnisexual
Likes watching anime
A hard worker
Good with bullets and guns
Like certain things with pink
Likes cats and dogs but prefers dogs
Can't decide on which weather she likes
Dislikes
Does not like the idea of using or hurting people
Hates her disgusting Step Brothers that she's cut off ties with
Society and Society itself
And any type of bug
Likes
Making friends
Sleeping
Cute clothes
This isn't everything but if you want you can find more information about her on my page here on Tumblr
Hi, I did a sort of ship scenario I hope that okay, I picked one character from the first game and one from the second, hope that you like it.
Trigger Happy Havoc
For Trigger Happy Havoc I would probably say that she is mostly likely to fit with Makoto, of all the kids that were thrown into that scenario he was the one that probably would have understood and worked with her the best.
He soft spoken until it’s absolutely needed. He loves animals the same as she does, he had a pet dog and would be open to having another one if she wanted and would watch anything that she wanted with her, although I feel like there would be a lot of explaining that needed to be done because as smart as he seems in the trials he doesn’t follow everyday life very well. He works just as hard as she does and he’d never let her take on too much work, he’s always willing to help.
Given everything that you both have been through, he fully understands that she doesn’t like society or the principles that it’s built on, he supports her in her beliefs and only ever asks for her trust when he does something. He understands suspicion and believes that it has its place after all it’s the only thing that kept him alive once. I’m not sure that he’s going to be able to save her from bugs but he’ll never judge her for being afraid of them and will likely be afraid of them with her.
I don’t see Makoto having much of an opinion on what she wears but he does like the cute style that she takes up. He's up for making as many friends as she is as well, they are a sunshine pair that befriend anyone that crosses their path. Her napping habit would have a good effect on him as well with all the trouble he gets himself into he forgets to look after himself, so when she slows down for a nap he’ll likely do the same.
Goodbye Despair
For Goodbye Despair I think Soda would be one of the best picks for her, he truly does not have a bad bone in his body and he'll probably fall for her immediately. Since she is for the most part really nice, he’d probably follow you around like a lost puppy all the time and offer what skills he has whenever she needs them.
Let’s be honest Soda loves pink as much as she does, and his hair shows you that. He honestly will go out in all weather so it doesn’t matter that she doesn’t have a favourite, he’ll dance in the rain or bathe in the sun as long as she’s there with him.
He dislikes a lot of the same things that she does and given the fact that he’s part of a group that society hates he’d welcome anyone who thought that was wrong (because they did nothing wrong but that’s a fight for another day). He might not be able to fight her older brothers but he will stand with her if she ever comes face to face with them again, has no problem laying it all on the line for her. That being said, don't expect him to be saving her from any bugs because he ran the moment he saw it whether she was with him or not.
Soda hasn’t really been good at making friends or keeping them so he is relieved that you can, he likes being around people but in his efforts to get people to like him, he can sometimes come across as childish or annoying but with her there it happened less often. He likes the cute clothes, he often gushes about how cute she looked and often tells her what his favourite outfit was. He will fall asleep anywhere with you to avoid having to do work or be away from her, he loves being around her and will do anything to stay around her.
Request Here!!
#danganronpa oneshot#danganronpa reader insert#danganronpa imagine#danganronpa#naegi makoto#naegi makoto imagine#naegi makoto oneshot#kazuichi soda#kazuichi soda imagine#kazuichi soda oneshot#imagine#oneshot#one shot#original character#OC#female character
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𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 : 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘥/𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘢𝘺 𝘚𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴
The Addicted/Calloway Sisters series by Krista and Becca Ritchie is an amazing line of work. This is the longest series I’ve ever read and easily part of my top 3. Devil’s Night by Penelope Douglas is my all time favorite, but Addicted/Calloway definitely gave it a run for its money. Overall, I couldn’t get enough of this series. I originally was only going to read the first book. When I kept seeing the rest of the series all over my TikTok, I decided to read books 1-3. Once I closed the 3rd, I knew I was in it for the long haul. I was terrified to commit to a 10 book series. Looking back, I’m so grateful that I gave it a chance. When people ask me for recommendations, Addicted/Calloway is one of the first titles out of my mouth.
Below I’m going to talk about my individual ranks of each book, in the reading order. Please be careful, I tried to remain spoiler free, but please be cautious.
This Series as a whole is an easy 5 stars! Continue down for reviews of each book :D
Addicted to You│Addicted, Book 1 - 4 Stars
I liked addicted to you, but I unfortunately started this series while waiting for Kill Switch by Penelope Douglas to arrive at my house. This was a book that I was really looking forward to, therefore Addicted to you became a filler read. Looking back, I wish I would have read it as its own long term project. After finishing it, I lacked a desire to continue on, but I obviously picked it back up eventually. Overall it was an easy, quick read that I did enjoy. I’ve never really read a book that didn’t have this moment of clarity that everything will be ok. Lily and Lo were constantly fighting an uphill battle, as a reader I couldn’t have predicted how things would shake up. The problems they faced cannot simply disappear overnight. I loved the contrast. Addicted to You was made to show that their life isn’t a fairy tale and that hard things take time to fix. As I said, I was more invested in another series when I picked this up, but there is something magical about these people. I eventually did find my way back to the series.
Ricochet│Addicted, Book 2 - 4 Stars
It took me 2 months to finally pick up Ricochet. Not only was I not convinced that I really wanted to continue on, but a lot of people would say Ricochet is their least favorite book in the line up. Not only am I confused at why they hate it, but I’d rank it above Thrive. The lack of Loren definitely wasn’t my favorite, but seeing the journey of Lily Calloway over those 3 months was something that we couldn’t skip over. It needed its own book because it was one of the biggest trials that the series faced. Obviously we want the fluffy, sweet romance that Lily and Lo have, but their story simply isn’t pretty. That’s the honest truth. It is a shorter book, so we don’t have to commit to 500 pages of Lily struggling, it’s a perfect 250 pages. Just long enough to make us feel what she’s feeling and truly get excited for Loren’s return.
Addicted for Now│Addicted, Book 3: 5 Stars
When I finished this book, I knew I was in it for the long haul. We get to see Lily and Lo reunite, which is great, but now there are new challenges that come along with reuniting. The way they fight for each other and are each other's safe place is something I haven’t seen in a book before. As of October 27th, I’ve read 63 books this year. I have yet to find another book or series that contains a couple like them. They are so resilient throughout all of the trials and tribulations they went through together. Absolutely loved this book.
Kiss the Sky│Calloway, Book 4: 5 Stars
Richard Connor Cobalt ladies and gentlemen. I’m in love with this man. He’s my favorite character in the whole series. His intelligence, his looks, the way he speaks, the way he treats Rose, and some much more. Everything about him is just perfection. Don’t get me started on him and Loren’s bromance. It’s everything. Then there's Rose. She’s everything. She is such a strong, independent, beautiful woman. I’m in love with the two of them together and separately. I loved the whole concept of this book being about their reality show, it was so fun to read but I wanted to bash my head into the wall at times. But that’s what a good book does! It makes you feel all sorts of things. Overall, this book is a masterpiece. Cabollway is my favorite couple hands down.
Hot House Flower│Calloway, Book 5: 5 Stars
Where do I even start? Daisy and Ryke have my whole heart. Cabollway might be my favorite couple but Hot House Flower is my favorite book of the ten. I know some people are ify about this couple, but I’m obsessed with them. When Ryke was arrested, the screaming match between Loren and him nearly killed me. When he ran for 3 miles to the hospital with Daisy in his arms. Stop it right now. He never checked her pulse. He just ran. It ripped my heart out of my chest. It is disgusting how much I love them. I’d say the majority of people would claim that Long Way Down is the best Raisy book, but Hot House flower just has a special place in my heart.
Thrive / Addicted│Book 6: 3.75 Stars
I have mixed feelings about Thrive. I loved Kiss the Sky and Hot House Flower, but I feel I read Thrive pretty fast. I skimmed a lot of extra banter, but there are several moments that live in my head rent free. When they found Loren in the kitchen, that was gut wrenching. When Lily and Rose found out they were both pregnant at the same time. I was scared but so excited for them. Overall I’d say that thrive is a good book for people who enjoy reading novellas. You know the story that we’re following already, but here’s a new perspective and some extra information. I didn’t not enjoy reading it, it was just the one I skimmed the most. I would still recommend reading it if you want the full experience.
Addicted After All│Addicted, Book 7: 5 Stars
I was so excited to read this book. We would finally see Rose/Connor and Lily/Lo become parents. It was so fun to watch play out. Rose having Jane in the limo and Connor delivering her was a moment where you find yourself gasping for air when it’s over. You don’t even realize that you’ve been holding your breath the whole time. I was gutted to close this book for the final time, knowing that Some Kind of Perfect would be the last time I read from Lily and Lo’s perspective. This book was so amazing, there are no perfect words to describe it.
Fuel the Fire│Calloway, Book 8: 5 Stars
Ugh how I missed Cabollway. I loved Fuel the fire so much. For so many reasons. Let’s start off with the fact that Connor deserves the world to be outed the way he was. It was so hard to see Rose and Connor try to stay strong but at times lose their bearings. They tried hard to cover it up, but knowing that the world is trying to prove that you don’t love your partner has got to be the most intense heartache. It broke my heart to watch them cry and hold each other in the closet, trying to hold it together. They are such strong people, it was so hard to read. This book reminded me how much I loved them. I never forgot, but Fuel the Fire only cemented them as my favorites.
Long Way Down│Calloway, Book 9: 5 Stars
DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED. Long Way Down and Hot House Flower are easily my top 2 out of 10. This book freaking gutted me. Between Daisy having fertility obstacles and Adam’s accident, this book was the one that choked me the worst. I nearly cried finishing it, the line about Daisy being able to sleep for 10 hours really got me. The core six watching the sun at the end all together was so beautiful. They all truly got what they deserved. Raisy are truly soulmates like Cabollway and Lilo. Daisy and Ryke are the definition of the grumpy sunshine trope, and I’m here for it. I’m here for it all day long. All year long. For the rest of my existence honestly. Such an amazing book.
Some Kind of Perfect│Calloway, Book 10: 5 Stars
For some reason this book took an entire month to get to my house, BUT IT WAS SO WORTH IT. The amount of babies born in this book has got to be some sort of record, but it was so wholesome. Getting to watch everyone with their families and watch all the kids grow up was so precious. Watching all of the kids' personalities mature and come to light was so fun to see. They truly are all the perfect combination of their parents. Closing this book hurt, but I can’t wait to read the Like Us series. :D
#lilpadfavs#lilpadreviews#calloway sisters#addicted series#rose calloway#daisy calloway#lily calloway#ryke meadows#connor cobalt#loren hale#lilo#raisy#cabollway#book rating#bookblog#books#reading#book series#book review#review#addicted to you#richochet#addicted for now#kiss the sky#hothouse flower#thrive#addicted after all#fuel the fire#long way down#some kind of perfect
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Ya as a Jew the Nazi shit in From Eroica with Love is very uncomfortable, with what I’ve read so far it’s not….the worst, but i would much prefer it if Aoike didn’t include that nazi shit at all (and I’m pretty sure canonically Klaus’s father was a Nazi officer sooooo -_-)
In my opinion if goyim are gonna include nazis (or Nazi analogues) in their story then they must be able to write a full page essay on why their bad and include that in the story, even if it’s just a throwaway line. Idk man I’d like to enjoy my gay led zep art thief manga without being reminded that their r ppl out their who want me dead :/
Ya sry if that got too tense ;^;
-🪺
oh i absolutely feel the same way 💀💀
like why even make klaus come from a military background in the first place, thats already making it 10 times more uncomfortable considering the series takes place in the 80s, and his father would have been an adult in the 1940s. like just make his dad be a conservative or something
the whole thing with his father is. to me. a plot hole the size of the sun, and i'm putting my whole analysis under the cut, because it's quite long, and its hard to talk about
so pretty early in the series, in ''dramatic spring'' specifically, theres this uncomfortable moment where eberbach is called a nazi, and he corrects (and threatens) the american who does it, adding that his dad was in the national defense army
so yknow. okay, fine, that's settled, thank god. you can judge me for this, but i'm not going to bother to looking that army up - as a writer, i think, you should be able to tell your audience "hey my character and his family arent fucking nazis"
and then after this, theres more than one instance where eberbach punches nazis - to show that, deep down, he surpasses the bare minimum to be a normal person
(from "glass target")
BUT then. comes the kicker. and i was reading this chapter yesterday so i might still be processing it from how wild it was
edit: forgot to mention lol, this chapter is "seven days in september", part 3
mischa the bear cub, who hates the major's guts (understandable), and has literally called him a nazi TO HIS FACE (no comment), decides that their final showdown will be in el alamein - one of the first battles in the war where the germans lost
he even makes a comment that, eberbach's dad being a tank commander himself, would be ashamed of this battle ever being brought up
and then you think ha! well mischa surely youre about to get your ass handed to you (personally i like him), because the major's dad was in the national defense army, and not, in fact, a nazi
but then the author COMPLETELY backtracks herself (and i'll dig into this deeper). and when eberbach, nazi puncher extraordinaire, sees that mischa lured him into el aIamein, not only is he ashamed, but he talks about it like it and its commander like its a tale of lost glory, instead of being a tale of, yknow, a nazi commander losing the war
(the gag with james is funny though)
he literally says it hurt his pride! he doesnt even bring up anything about being compared to nazis!
and then as if this chapter didnt give 15 consecutive blows to my stomach (and klaus' likeability), mischa was actually right - not only was eberbach's dad ashamed by the (nazi) loss in eI aIamein, klaus has constantly heard about this story since he was a child. eberbach's father, national defense army, was embarrassed and ashamed by the nazi loss in eI aIamein. eberbach, nazi puncher, got his pride hurt because he was reminded of how the nazis lost one of their first battles. end of chapter.
but, heres an honest conclusion, from yours truly. i might be mean
while i think this chapter is... mostly, fine (i really dislike when eberbach becomes much more important than dorian in arcs, because dorian really is a lifesaver), this chapter, "seven days in september" part 3, is absolutely the worst of the series
at best, it is utterly embarrasing to do research this flimsy, and not know what 'the germans' were really doing in the north of africa in ww2, and at worst, its almost ahistorical or apolitical. notice that in most of these screencraps, and i doubt this was just a thing the translators did, its always "the germans" "the german tanks" and "the story of The General". there is literally no mention of the word 'nazi' in this chapter, even when, at least now in 2023, most of us know what ''the allies'' were doing to fight ''the germans'' in the north of africa
but, to ge back to the characters, i cant stress enough how just appaled i am at how apolitical this is, how its simply a matter of 'eberbach is embarrassed cause germans lost a battle here', and not, well, what the text says
the worst part is that like, it REALLY did not have to be like this. this could have easily been another cringe (but understandable, given how openly conservative eberbach is) scene of mischa comparing him to the lowest of the low, and then eberbach saying "ha! i'm not. fuck you"
but, for some reason i literally could not understand, aoike went with this. she went with this, and i'm 100% putting the blame all on her, because i cant tell you how easy it is to NOT make your main action hero be a nazi. because she knows how easy it is - she's done it more than once
honestly, for my own sanity, and for the sake of this character and even the series as a whole, i'm going to be completely erasing this horrible chapter from my mind and pretend it doesnt exist - i Of Course dont expect this of everyone, but to me this chapter is so out of nowhere, filled with such a big a plot hole, that i think it's easier to pretend it doesn't exist, rather than try and justify it. and i would never try to justify something like this
thats it from gio with love byeeeeeeee
#i hope my point was made clear here but#most importantly as a non jewish person i hope this isnt like . terribly embarrassing to read 💀#i really like this series but yeah this was goddawful i had to get it out of my chest snd break it down#ask#anonymous#led zeppelin shoujo yaoi manga tag
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