#i don't see myself doing too much with these characters in a historic sense

[leatherbootlace]

The Lakeland Bank Railway

Many years ago on the Mainland, there laid a small railway with small engines. The railway was founded by the Raven family, local landowners and shipping magnates, who had taken a keen interest in the creation of their own estate railway after visiting the lines of Sir Arthur Heywood.

Opened in the early 1900s, this railway was first known as the Raven Hall Railway, and existed only to serve the Family Estate and connect it to a local town. It was serviced by a selection of small tank engines, named after the family’s children: Lila, Ulla, Ariel, & Brady.

The Engines of the Raven Hall Railway.

Lila (She/Her), an 0-6-0 Tank Engine, was the engine most plagued by difficulties over the Raven Hall Railway’s brief history. She had trouble steaming, trouble seeing, and trouble staying on the track. However, Sir Morton remained adamant he could cure her ails, and often would take her on night runs when the line wasn’t as busy.

Ulla (They/Them), an 0-6-0 Tank Engine, was Lila’s twin, and suffered many the same problems as her. Unfortunately, they weren’t as doted upon as their sibling, and often felt overshadowed by her. But they were determined to prove themself, even if they just wanted to be thought of as a part of the family.

Ariel (She/Her), an 0-8-0 Tank Engine, was the biggest and strongest engine of the Raven Hall Railway, though was difficult to handle due to her size. All the same, in spite of this she was the engine most respected by outsiders, even though others felt she was more burdensome than anything else.

Bradley (He/Him), an 0-4-0 Tank Engine, was the “baby” of the line. Despite this, he had a will to power unlike any of the other engines, and would do his best to tackle any train no matter how long, even if it was better suited for the other engines. He was a particular favorite among the family’s children.

These four would continue in service for some time, but after the end of the Great War, a new fortune would strike the line. Metals such as Copper and Iron Ore were discovered on the Raven Estate alongside good stone, and Sir Morton Raven sought to capitalize on this. With his son Brady assisting him, he began his expansion proper as the Lakeland Bank Railway, servicing the new quarries in the area.

With this, more engines would be needed, and, as Heywood had passed away, he sought assistance from Bassett-Lowke and Henry Greenly, who graciously supplied him with the new engines he desired as well as rolling stock. Among the Bassett-Lowke engines arrived two familiar engines named Rex and Mike.

Glenda (She/Her), a Bassett-Lowke Class 30, was the railway’s new flagship engine. She headed the line’s limited passenger services, and acted as quite the celebrity in the local area. Unfortunately, her position would later be usurped by another engine, which did plenty of damage to her ego.

Magnus (They/Them), a Bassett-Lowke Class 60, overtook Ariel as the line’s goods engine, and developed quite the rivalry with her -- one that threatened to destroy them both in time. They were stoic and believed in adhering to authority, but had a great respect for their predecessors. The same couldn’t be said for their brother, unfortunately.

For a time, the line was considerably profitable, but tragedy struck in the late 1920s when Ariel and Magnus collided with one another in a wreck that nearly destroyed both goods engines. Despite his aging condition, Sir Morton got to work with his son to undo the damage that had been done, and as Ariel was in the better condition, she was rebuilt into an 0-8-2 tender engine under a new name. Magnus would not be so fortunate.

Things changed drastically for the line afterwards, as not long after, Sir Morton Raven passed away. His son Bradley inherited his Baronetcy, but had to sort affairs regarding the family’s shipping company, leaving the line to the now widowed Lady Douglas Raven.

Lady Raven worked to ensure the line’s stability during the Great Depression, though at times this meant some engines had to part ways with the line. Bradley was sold off first, being unable to manage the workload. Lila and Ulla were withdrawn and scrapped during the 1930s, with Glenda sold to another railway shortly after. Come the Second World War, only Three Small Engines were left: Rex, Mike, & Bert.

The War went by fairly uneventful, as the engines were mothballed in the ghastly Raven Estate. But the return following proved very difficult. Much of the equipment used by the railway hadn’t been invested in since the 1920s, and by the 1950s, the line officially closed. A worn Sir Bradley returned to oversee its closure, and placed what he deemed salvageable in storage on the Raven Estate. And for some years, that was that.

But, in the 1960s, Sir Bradley received a visit from a rather famous Stout Gentleman, seeking engines to run a special project of his in the Arle Valley on the Island of Sodor. Sir Bradley was eager to find a new home for Rex, Mike, Bert and the line’s old rolling stock, but sad to see the last of his father’s dream leave the line.

#ttte #rws #lore post #ttte rex #ttte mike #ttte bert #ttte ocs #i don't see myself doing too much with these characters in a historic sense #i would like to write something about glenda though #since i kinda combined synolda and sans pareil into one engine for the sake of making things easier for me #also in case you didn't pick up on it bert is ariel rebuilt (also trans-masc) #i'm not doing whatever the fuck was river mite (i) for mike though #lakeland bank railway

[greekceltic]

FAQ Page

I'm not quite done with this, but it'll be nice for later.

Is it okay if I take inspiration from your art and concepts? I've been in a situation in recent years where another artist has taken far, far too much. You've probably seen me talk about it. It's a subject I'm pretty burnt out on. I recently saw another artist's take on this and it seemed sensible to me. I'm just going to quote theirs. I have tried to find my own words, but right now I find myself more comfortable using someone else's. "Well, if you’re having to ask me for permission, either your design is too similar or you’re being overly nervous about a normal artistic process. You’re absolutely free to use my work as a source of inspiration but I’d strongly encourage you to think about the details from my design you like most, and remix them with other concepts into your own unique take."

Taking inspiration is something everyone does, but please don't become a shadow I get bi-weekly alerts about. Ideally your pool of inspiration will be many artists and concepts re-imagined into something unique to you- and that you're being honest with yourself about the result.

Your art is being copied! / Will you tell me who the copy cat is? I know your intentions are in the right place, and I appreciate that, but I get a lot of messages about this and am tired. I'm sure if my art ends up somewhere it shouldn't be or there's a significant event, the community will get it to me through people I know, but let me rest. I'm just sayin' get a second or third opinion before coming to my inbox.

I sent you a message and you didn't respond. Sorry about that. I tend not to stress about messages because it can be a drain. You're more likely to get a response if you let me know from the get go what you want, but nothing is guaranteed. Sometimes I didn't see it, sometimes I got busy or forgot, sometimes I plan to do it later, sometimes I just opted out. It's not personal.

Are you okay with fanart? What about OC interactions? Can I post it? Sure, just don't profit off of it and please credit me. If you want to draw my OCs interacting with yours that's also fine- though I prefer situations where their actions make sense. Alf wouldn't make your character cry for fun, for example. He's grumpy but not cruel. Posting it is fine. Where do you Rp? Are you looking for more partners? Discord mostly. Roleplay consumes a lot of time so these days I mostly only play with my buddy Thema. I probably wouldn't have time to play, but I like to hang around people that do and I don't mind being asked. Just please don't be sad if I never get around to responding! I'm most compatible with people who are comfortable with radio silence.

Can I use your characters in roleplay/as roleplay refs? Considering I actively roleplay my OCs and there's a potential for confusion, I'd rather you didn't. Though I think there's a difference between linking to my art and saying 'this is my character', and linking to it to say 'this has the mood I'm going for, but here's what's different about my character--'. The latter is fine.

Can I make Fan OCs for your setting? Thinking about this makes me tired. Maybe I'll get to a point where I'm more comfortable later, but for now I'd rather you didn't make something directly from my worlds. But lets be real, you don't need my permission to draw cat monsters and I take a huge amount of inspiration from ancient history. Many of my concepts are inspired by things that you can read about and be inspired too. If you see something and are curious if there's a historical source, just ask. Hopefully I'll remember.

Can I repost your work? I don't mind as long as I'm credited. Most of my art has a signature on it already. If it doesn't, please add a link or my name so people can find me. I'm less okay with my work being used as a pageviews grab on a site where I have an active social media presence, but it's probably not worth my time to care.

Do I have permission to draw NSFW art of your characters? No, for a plethora of reasons, some easy to explain and some not, but I probably can't stop you. Just don't profit off of it or show it to me.

Do you have a website for your OCs? I have RP pages for them scattered all over the place and many of them are outdated, but as I type this I recently put some up on Toyhouse. https://toyhou.se/GreekCeltic

Do you have a website for your comic? Sure do. It's an expensive fuck. https://catswaycomic.com/ When does your comic update? Sporadically. I work on it when I have time. My income is solely freelance commissions and Patreon- mostly commissions.

There's other places you could post your comic! Yeah, I know. I may do that someday, but for now I like having my own house, even if it's an expensive fuck. (Not really, the renewal just hits around tax time, Lol).

#faq #stuff

[ddarker-dreams]

Hellooooo I have been DYING to know this from you 👉👈. You know how there's a lot of tips for writing stuff? Well do you happen to have any tips for reading stuff? I want to read the books you recommend but I fear I'm just too dumb 😭 and won't understand what is going on let alone the themes and philosophies discussed. I feel like I would be insulting Dostoevsky by reading his work looool. We were never taught this stuff in schools ;O

I'm talking about critical thinking and analysis skills, media literacy, being able to picture and visualise sceneries; characters' voices/appearances etc., and just overall being able to comprehend one sentence that doesn't use the most basic active voice structure 😭 thank you if you choose to answer!!!!

SWEET ANON !!!! YOU ARE NOT DUMB !!!!

this is coming from a survivor of the american education system, so it might not be universal, but my experiences in middle/high school made me dislike reading books. no joke. i didn't see the point and thought reading the classics was a waste of time. i'm sure that's partially teenager arrogance, but from the conversations i've had with others, reading was rarely framed in a way that stoked intrigue. we're not given the tools to engage with the text so i'm rarely surprised when i see the worst takes imaginable on a piece of media i enjoy from a 14 year old.

i'm still learning myself when it comes to media literacy, it's an ongoing journey. when i read notes from underground for the first time last year i was literally so confused. i can normally read anywhere from 80k-100k words in one day if i'm motivated enough, but NFU, a novella at around 43k words, took me over a week.

i say all this to reassure you that you're not alone!

some advice that comes to mind when reading a dense work:

do some background research on the author. i know teachers hiss at wikipedia for some reason but reading a few paragraphs about the person's life, beliefs, politics, etc really helps put their writing into perspective.

look into the time period it was written. what were the pressing social issues at the time? who was in charge? what conflicts were ongoing/just ended? what was the predominant religion? books don't exist in a vacuum, a lot of the classics are filled with jabs at ideologies the author doesn't like (i'm looking at you, dante).

if the author's from a different country than you, getting a basic grasp on the culture helps a lot. with reading dostoevsky specifically, historical events like the emancipation of the serfs was an entirely new concept to my american brain.

not everything is going to make sense. sometimes the cultural/historical layers go so deep you'd need to have been alive at the time to immediately get it. fortunately, there are nerds with degrees in book who do extensive research and can give insight. i'll think i maybe understand a book okay, go to read a journal article on it, and go ??????? wat???? page 632 paragraph 3 references euclid's optics?? how was i supposed to know that.

finally, you're not going to like every book you read, even if it's well written. there's a difference between persevering and actively torturing yourself with words. if you dread picking it up again, there are other books to check out instead. there are some classics that i don't care for much (some of edgar allen poe's short stories, the fall by albert camus, no longer human by dazai osamu, to name a few).

ask yourself questions while reading. why did this character do that? is there a reoccurring motif throughout the work, and if so, why might the author be trying to highlight that? what perspective is the work from? is the protagonist lucid, are they an unreliable narrator? what themes are being explored here?

i hope some of this helps dsfhgkdjshgks there's a lot to be said on the subject but i didn't want this post to be miles long.

#answered #Anonymous

[marzipanandminutiae]

Finished A Haunting On the Hill. Assorted thoughts without spoilers:

At first I wondered why Hill House was focusing on all of them equally instead of picking a single victim from the beginning the way it did with Eleanor. Then I realized that bringing it a bunch of traumatized queer theater people is basically like presenting someone with a Golden Corral buffet

My babygirl (32) is all grown up (dead for 60 years) and haunting the narrative (Hill House, only appearing as anything like a distinct figure for like 5 seconds near the end while the story focuses more on a random Merricatcore teen boy OC, in terms of past victims)

This felt like a...different take on HH, I guess? More focused on the house as an unequivocally evil entity whereas in the original, I sympathized with it a bit. HOWEVER. I recognize that the original has one POV and it's that of a woman slowly falling under the house's spell. So I don't hold the altered perspective against it- and there's something of Eleanor's mindset in the house's chosen tribute this time around, as the story unfolds

I thought Eleanor feeling at home there was as much a product of her own independent IssuesTM and outlook on the world as manipulation by the house. However, the way it was presented in the story as purely the latter, this time around, worked for me because that attitude was explored.

I don't prefer the interpretation that it's just one of Hill House's tricks myself- shocker to anyone who knows me -but I can accept it as a valid reading. If that makes sense

This is definitely a more Modern Horror take on the house, which I did not enjoy when it became jarring. No actual body horror/gore, but it leaned way more in that direction a few times than I liked

My biggest complaint: too much showing; not enough leaving things up to the reader's feverish imagination

That was one of the original's biggest strengths and what makes it, still, ranked among the scariest novels of all time. This go-around, you see EVERYTHING the characters see, and they are always within sightline of the Weirdness. No mysterious noises from the other side of a door. Nobody glancing back and shrieking at someone to not do the same. Just "there was an apparition/object moving/sound without a source and the character was in the same room and here's what it was."

Hill House bby who filled you with modern trash furniture. I will kill them and not in a fun, subsume-y way. It's realistic but Thanks I Hate It regardless (not a writing criticism)

I DO adore the genre of "the present looking back on a historical fiction story or a work that has since become historical fiction" so that aspect was fun. Reddit threads about Hill House- I bet they're legendary

Overall: A fun, fast read. Did not reach into my brain and heart and Pull Levers the way Haunting of Hill House did, but I generally enjoyed it

We all get something different out of Hill House- or it gets something different out of us

#a haunting on the hill #the haunting of hill house #elizabeth hand #shirley jackson #book thoughts

[peonycats]

Hey, so as a person who has in my unpublished works a story wherein APH Greenland is minorly featured, after I saw your post complaining about Greenland's current characterisation in fanworks, I realised that my story 100% fits all the things you were complaining about. And if it's not too much trouble how would you characterise Greenland in a way that is less problematic?

Or do you have any reccomendations for resources I can use to educate myself about Greenlandic culture?

So, I will preface this with the following:

I AM NOT INDIGENOUS. I AM NOT INUK. YOU SHOULD GO ASK SOMEONE INDIGENOUS OR BETTER YET, SOMEONE WHO IS GREENLANDIC INUIT.

However, in this post, I will primarily give some guidelines that are generally applicable to any nation personification of color that has experienced colonialism/imperialism by a Western nation and is still dealing with its legacy. Keep in mind that what you're asking for is a lot, however- we're touching on topics of national anthropomorphizations in political cartoons, the depiction of the colonized, particularly the indigenous, and the relationship between the colonized and the colonizer.

Don't make Greenland America and Canada's relative.

Don't make Greenland Denmark's kid, biological or otherwise.

Don't use sensitive contemporary issues in Greenland for fandom content.

Don't Make Greenland America and Canada's Relative

Every time I've seen this come up, this is usually justified one of two ways-

a) Greenland is related to America and Canada because the Vikings set up the first European settlements in continental North America, so they would be related via their Norse heritage. b) Greenland is related to America and Canada because America and Canada have a native parent, and Greenland is a sibling of that native parent.

To head things off- The first one is bad. See my next section for the issues of making Greenland a child of the Nordics/Nordic ancestors.

The second one almost always carries the implication of that the native parent of America and Canada is some kind of nebulous pan-American "APH Native America" personification; the issues with having the many indigenous peoples of the Americas as similar and interchangeable enough to warrant only one personification to represent them all are obvious, I should hope.

The slightly more plausible alternative is that America and Canada's native parent represents some Inuit group, and through that, Greenland is their sibling. Even if more plausible, we run into the same issue of turning a group into a monolith- there are many different Inuit groups, all with their own unique histories and cultures. Though Inuit groups may be more related than all Indigenous Americans to each other, they are still not a monolith, and determining their relationships to each other shouldn't be resolved with a blanket solution of "they're all related, nuff said."

If we want to dig into the weeds of historical accuracy, it makes no sense for America to have Inuit heritage, seeing as the United States began as the Thirteen Colonies in the Eastern Seaboard of the modern United States which doesn't overlap with the traditional lands of the Inuit. The Alaska Purchase was not made until 1867, hundreds of years after the establishment of the Thirteen Colonies.

I would also like to point out another issue I’ve seen with many “Auntie/Uncle Greenland depictions” in the fandom. Whenever you do see such depictions of Greenland in the fandom, almost never do we see the creator of such interpretations shedding light on any other indigenous characters (particularly ones not related to the USA and Canada). Therefore, such depictions are exceptionalizing and exalting an indigenous character above all other indigenous characters because they have more of a connection to major Western countries. 

Overall summary: The primary issue with making Greenland related to America and Canada is that Greenland is never allowed to exist outside of their links to these two. If you want to depict Greenland with respect, the most basic thing you can do is to not reduce Greenland into a tool for you to better characterize America and Canada and flesh out their background.

Don't make Greenland Denmark's Child, Biological or Otherwise

TW: racist caricatures of black, Latino, Native American, and Asian people

So first some quick historical background: Norse settlement of Greenland began around the 900s-1100s and died out sometime between 1450 and 1500 due to a variety of environmental and sociopolitical reasons. The surviving Norse settlers most likely either left or assimilated with the local Inuit populations, so there is some genetic legacy, but 85-90% of the population of Greenland today considers themselves Greenlandic Inuit.

For the following centuries, there were sporadic interactions between European whalers and the local Inuit. It was only until 1721 that another attempt at colonization was made, this time by the missionary Hans Egede, who founded a trading company and Lutheran mission near present day Nuuk, with the express permission of the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway.

Greenland took on a special status in both Danish policy and imagination, a far-off land that was "vulnerable" to other nation's influences and in need of Danish protection. In line with that thinking, the Danish state held an exclusive monopoly on Greenland's resources and all trade with Greenlanders. It pressured Greenlandic Inuit to stay in their occupations of hunting and fishing so that Denmark could maintain access to resources Greenland provided, mainly animal products from local wildlife the Inuit hunted.

Additionally, the Danish also tightly regulated interactions between the Danish colonial population and the local Inuits. For a time, intermarriage was strictly controlled, limited to only Danish men and Greenlandic women of mixed descent and had to be approved by the colonial administration. When the US wanted to build military bases on Greenland for military purposes during WW2, a major concern of Greenlandic authorities was minimizing contact between the US soldiers and the local Inuits.

Of course, Greenland didn’t stay this way forever. Against Denmark’s wishes, Greenland did open up and become further integrated into the global economy and order of nations, and to this day a lot of Greenlanders have a Danish ancestor somewhere in their family tree.

However, to make Greenland (substantially) related to the Norse is to do a disservice to the hundreds of years of Greenlandic Inuit culture that already existed and then continued to thrive for hundreds of years in the absence of continued Nordic contact and influence. It implies that the ethnogenesis of the Greenlandic Inuit was kicked off by the Norse settlers, when in reality, the Greenlandic Inuit are largely descended from the native Thule people and later waves of migration of other Inuit people from modern day Nunavut and Nunavik. To make Greenland the child of Denmark is worse, and stands in stark contrast to the fact that compared to other nations and their settler colonies (think, England and America), Denmark heavily controlled Danish migration to Greenland and wanted to keep Greenland isolated and contained.

Now, moving past the issue of historical accuracy, there's been a long history in political cartoons starring national anthropomorphizations of allegorizing international relationships as familial relationships, or "mentor-mentee" relationships, especially when it comes to colonizer-colony relationships.

REPORT FROM THE FILIPINES Send more soldiers -Otis Uncle Sam: Balm in Gilead! Well, thank heavens both my new daughters haven't got the same disposition.

'School Begins', cartoon of Uncle Sam teaching a class in civilisation to pupils labelled 'Philippines', 'Hawaii', 'Porto Rico' and 'Cuba'

In these cartoons, the colonized is portrayed as child-like, infantile, in need of the US's benevolent guidance to be "civilized." After all, if the relationship between the colonizer and its colonial possessions was like that of a parent and their children (or a teacher and their students)- well, children need their parents, so therefore, the colonies need the colonizer and its guidance, right? By doing so, it portrays the relationship between the colonizer and its colonies as a necessary, benevolent one, one done for the benefit of the colony, and masks the inherently exploitative, unequal nature of colonialism. 

To make Denmark a parental influence on Greenland, then, is to replicate the same paternalistic attitude Denmark took to Greenland as a colonial possession in need of guidance and direction, and possibly whitewashing the toll Danish colonization has taken on Greenland. Even depictions of Denmark and Greenland that emphasize their “little brother/big brother” relationship are problematic, because they fall into the same colonial rhetoric of Greenland "needing" Denmark's civilizing guidance.

Moreover, sensitivity is another concern for depictions of Greenland. At the risk of speaking for groups I do not belong to, having a child Greenland be raised by Denmark and the other Nordics (esp if Greenland has a negative relationship w them) hews a little too closely to the real life kidnapping of Indigenous children from their families to be raised instead by white families, in an attempt to remove them from their heritage and culture. Unless you're actually Greenlandic Inuit or indigenous, I don't think this is your story to tell.

Don't Use Sensitive Contemporary Issues in Greenland for Fandom Content

Don't use sensitive contemporary issues for fandom content, especially as an outsider. Don't be like the person I saw making angst headcanons around Greenland's high suicide rate.

---

Recommended Reading

This video is a great introduction to Danish colonization of Greenland, and how I began my dive into Greenlandic history. Bear in mind that this is a 25 minute long video, so it's compressing a lot, but it's a jumping off point, not the end-all be all. Content warnings should be in the beginning of the video.

Phasing out the Colonial Status of Greenland by Erik Beukel

This is a report commissioned by the Danish government and Greenlandic Home Rule analyzing the period between 1945 and 1954, where Greenland's status was changed from that of a colony to an equal part of the Kingdom of Denmark. It's a series of political science essays looking at this period, but I found Chapter 2 the most useful, as it provides an overview of the relevant historical background factors in the relationship between Greenland and Denmark. Warning for some dated language (mostly because it uses Esk*mo at certain points) but otherwise there's not really any content warnings.

Worldviews of the Greenlanders: An Inuit Arctic Perspective by Brigitte Sonne

I haven't fully read this book so I can't totally vouch for this, but given the difficulty of accessing academic material of Greenland (especially as someone who doesn't speak or read Danish), this does fill in some much needed gaps in perspectives on Greenland. I realize the inherent problems of needing to read about Inuit perspectives in a book compiled by an outsider academic as well as the issues with the field of ethnography as a whole, but this may still be useful to some!

Articles I enjoyed that look at Greenlandic history and contemporary issues:

The Arctic Suicides: It's Not the Dark that Kills you

A Brief History of the Indignities Heaped Upon Greenland

How a failed social experiment in Denmark separated Inuit children from their families

#hetalia #ask #hws greenland #// long post #historical hetalia #wowee this took a while! #// colonialism #// genocide #// suicide #recs #praying-mantis-knight

[shrimpmandan]

I think at this point anyone who calls themselves a proshipper but is like, staunchly aggressively no-matter-what anti-RPF is either deluding themselves or thinks that the concept of "real people being reimagined as fictional characters" hasn't existed for decades at this point.

Everyone was fucking raving about Hamilton and Clone High barely a few years ago. A lot of extremely famous, influential movies are based off of real people, such as The Wolf of Wall Street. Every single fucking cartoon you've seen that references a real life historical figure like Cleopatra or Napoleon is technically doing RPF to some degree. THE MAGIC FUCKING TREEHOUSE IS RPF.

All this is ignoring how much we WORSHIP AO3, but-- but but, the founder of AO3 very much supports RPF. And by supports I mean they actively WRITE RPF. Tons of American Idol stuff that's all obscenely popular!

Now of course, there's gonna be some people who have a kneejerk rebuttal about how it's "different" with historical figures, that it doesn't matter because they're all dead, or that movies and books are different from fanfiction that may or may not be sexual. Except all of those arguments make absolutely zero sense when you think about them for more than two seconds.

Shouldn't the subjects being dead make it... more disrespectful, on a base level? You could made a valid case that with historical figures, nobody is left alive to mourn them. In comparison, people who have died relatively recently still have loved ones alive to mourn their deaths, and who would very likely be negatively mentally impacted by stumbling across an RPF fic. Understandably so--

but wasn't our whole argument that other people's feelings are their own to deal with, and not our responsibility?

You can make a similar case for serial killers, too. The victims of Jeffrey Dahmer still have friends and family that are alive. I would imagine they wouldn't want to see posts sexualizing or glorifying him-- but I doubt they're seeking out anything related to him /at all/, frankly. And then we're back to point one about how all that matters is that shit is consistently tagged and that people simply don't read what they don't like.

In my opinion, the sole, sound argument against RPF would be sexual RPF of minors. Even if no contact or even grooming is happening: that is still sexual content of a living minor. That is CSEM. That is a completely valid thing to be against. I honestly fail to see why sexual drawings of real minors are illegal, but not writings. Still, writings and drawings do not involve the same amount of /direct/ abuse as 'regular' CSEM and CSA, but making the argument of psychological harm is fair, especially when this is a case of a child being directly sexualized against their will.

But then we're still back to square one.

Don't like don't read.

Honestly, I'm neutral on RPF. I'm against anything that involves a sexualized depiction of a real child, and I'm generally not super interested in or comfortable with reading fics about real people, but it's also not a topic I can just disassociate myself from and say that it's somehow disconnected from proshipping. It isn't. Proship communities are built off of the backs of RPF shippers, like it or not. And honestly, I couldn't care less so long as the shipper in question is still respectful of the privacy of the subject(s) they're writing about. The version of the person they're writing is fundamentally not real, and that's a weird thing to wrap your head around. One could even argue my own reasons for singling out child sexual RPF is hypocritical or contradictory, and I wouldn't disagree. I think having mixed feelings on the subject is understandable. But being completely, over-archingly against it due to knee-jerk discomfort? It just seems a bit silly to me.

#shipping discourse #rpf discourse #proshipper #proship #profic #pro fiction #profiction #proshipping #anti anti #tw csem #tw csa #<-- for mentions

[dramavixen]

are producers the clowns for approving subpar endings or am i the clown for expecting more

**Spoilers for:

Love Like the Galaxy (China, 2022)

The Red Sleeve (South Korea, 2021)

Late as I am to every bandwagon, I at last completed my first watch-through of Love Like the Galaxy a few days ago. For the past couple of weeks, I have done nothing but think about, consume, and breathe this story. At last, a show that was ticking all the boxes! I could tear myself free from this drama slump of mine!

This celebration lasted until I sat down with my parents to observe that thing the producers might call an "ending," but which sparked a frustration in me so severe that it triggered a post-COVID coughing fit, which in turn almost made me throw up. I couldn't comprehend it: was this the same show? Did I accidentally click on a parallel universe version where everyone's intelligence was operating 20% capacity?

Since I'd like to avoid making myself physically ill again, I'm not going to focus too much on how logic abruptly becomes an imaginary concept throughout the last two episodes. At least all that did was make me angry. What I can't accept is that they use that lack of logic to curse our leads with the most careless of reconciliations.

To alleviate my distress, we're going to perform an investigation. A deduction, if you will, of precisely what the ending was lacking, and utilizing a case study of how to conclude a story in both a fitting and compelling manner.

An unresolved misery

In recent years, my tolerance for male leads' misbehavior has plummeted down into the core of the earth. You could say that after years of being brainwashed by media into excusing male characters' questionable actions due to how much they "love" their partners, I'm taking back my common sense. So when faced with Zisheng's killing spree while armed with the knowledge that a "happy ending" was endgame, I anticipated how the writers would close such an abyssal rift in the leads' relationship. And the result was...well, not all that worth it.

If you need a memory refresh or you're reading this without fear of spoilers (godspeed), the conclusion of LLTG sees Shaoshang being kidnapped multiple times by people who she knows don't hold good intentions, but she goes along with them anyway. Don't ask why (the answer is so Zisheng can swoop in to rescue her). Some needlessly dramatic things lead to Shaoshang assuming for a few seconds that Zisheng has died in an explosion. But lo and behold! Here he comes, emerging unscathed from the ordeal. She flies into his arms and forgives him. Then they run off and save China, because it's not a historical C-drama until they do.

By the time we got to the fire/explosion scene, my mental state had already been reduced to a pulp. Therefore, to write this piece, I had to rewatch that part and make sure I was getting all the details right. It shocked me into a second round of holding my head to prevent my brain from ejecting itself as it sought to escape this reality.

(Also, I have to take a moment here to demand justice for He Zhaojun. They leave a pregnant woman on the floor after dragging her out of a fire, while she's having contractions, so they can instead take the time to hold a premature mourning session for Zisheng. Guys, it's not the end of the world if you don't have a brain. But please don't throw away your conscience.)

However the writers did it, it still counts as a happy ending. Such a conclusion should come as a relief, so why do I find it so hard to come to terms with? Let's rewind a tad.

Both Shaoshang and Zisheng grew up under grim circumstances, their identities subjecting them to emotional and social turmoil. But while they share a similar internal struggle, they must deal with it in opposing ways. Shaoshang opens herself up to anyone who shows her true kindness, desperate for someone to accept her for who she is. On the other hand, Zisheng can only isolate himself from everyone, unable to reveal his true self due to both political and personal interests.

Their eventual parting is unavoidable. Shaoshang is moved by Zisheng's unwavering love for her. Can't blame her all that much; just look at him. But the closer she gets, the more Zisheng fears dragging her into his mess of a life, and the more he pulls away. When Zisheng chooses vengeance over love, he's already crossed Shaoshang's bottom line several times by refusing to share his troubles whenever she asked—the irony being that he once scolded her for keeping things to herself.

ZS: If, one day, they really intend to kill you, would you not tell me then, either? Shaoshang, exactly who do you take me for? Why must you always act on your own, and not trust me? SS: It is not that I do not want to trust you. I simply— ZS: You simply do not care about me. After betrothing you, I would frequently think about how great it would be if I could become your confidant and anchor. You could tell me about all of your fears and loneliness. I do not wish to control you. All I hope is that you can be honest with me. But how is it that your heart never warms toward me?

I see that Zisheng is a loyal believer of the "do as I say, not as I do" doctrine.

While it's initially funny to look back on the above scene in context, it's quite sad once you mull over it more. Zisheng's desire to know Shaoshang's troubles is rooted in a concern for her safety that is both emotional and practical in nature. When Shaoshang later applies that same thinking on him, the tables have turned completely. Zisheng is now aware that few situations are simple enough to be resolved just by being honest with someone else. And if the problem is severe enough, doing so may only aggravate it further.

From his perspective, telling Shaoshang would mean ruining her and her family's lives by association. Not to mention, she herself swore that she would stay with him through everything. So if he dies as a result of carrying out his revenge, the possibility of her dying solidifies itself as an inevitability. Leaving her behind is the one method he has to ensure that he alone would suffer the consequences.

Like it or not, it's hard to blame either of them for the end of their relationship. Is Zisheng wrong to keep Shaoshang in the dark? Arguably yes, arguably no. But is Shaoshang justified in her anger about being kept in the dark? Absolutely.

While we can be reasonably upset that post-timeskip Shaoshang possesses none of the outspoken nature of her teenage self, her lingering depression is the most realistic result of everything that happens. She has tried repeatedly to find her place in the world, yet arrives at nothing but failure every time. Not to mention, she suffers from an inferiority complex that intensifies the ache of each and every rejection. She isn't unfamiliar with being abandoned, but Zisheng doing it to her is the final straw that breaks her. The coffin her family was preparing for her didn't go to waste—the moment that Zisheng turned his back on her, he killed a part of her. Meanwhile, Zisheng becomes a corpse with a pulse, someone who only continues to breathe so he can regret what he has done.

When you delve into how much Zisheng hurt Shaoshang and himself, it becomes clear that a Michael Bay explosion shouldn't have been the answer to their problem. After the timeskip, the issue at hand should be less about her forgiving him than it is about each of them needing to redeem parts of themselves that they lost to the circumstances. That's why their interactions at this point are so painful to watch. Every word, every look, every movement brims with love for the other person, but they are both shells of their former selves that cannot move on.

No words for the above; too busy sobbing as they each individually accept that they'll never experience true happiness again.

As a viewer, you know that Shaoshang accepting him at this point would be an objectively bad idea. But it's also hell to watch two people, both overly accustomed to suffering, walk away from the person who brought them the greatest joy in their life. That's the art of tragedy, flourishing before us in a quiet, leaden fog. And they killed it in a bloom of gunpowder, of all things?

The beauty in tragedy

To say that a tragic ending is inherently superior to a happy one would be a pretentious fallacy. At the same time, a forced happy ending will feel unstable enough that the slightest of questions will cast it into doubt. The genre of an ending is irrelevant. It only matters that the ending is the right one.

So should LLTG have ended with the leads parting ways for good? To find the answer, I want to first dig into a successful example of tragedy. For that, let's look to our dearest, our legendary, our precious: The Red Sleeve.

Similar in premise to LLTG, TRS features a female lead with independent thinking and a dream for freedom, faced with a man of high social status who goes about chasing her in a way that flaunts his power. The stakes are higher in TRS since the man in question will one day be king, but the highlight of the show is the same as in LLTG: you bounce back and forth between hoping that she ends up with him and praying to any god that exists that she runs far, far away from him. You can't really win.

One day I'd love to write a thorough analysis on the amazing character that is Sung Deok-Im, but for our current purposes I'll focus on the nature of her ending. TRS is roughly based on history, and a quick Google search when you begin the drama will inform you that our female lead is fated to die at 33 years old—only a few years after she is "promoted" from gungnyeo to Yi San's consort. As a result, you spend much of the drama battling the lurking dread of how her death comes about.

A few months after her young son passes away, Deok-Im falls ill and dies. The unborn child in her womb follows her. Yi San is beside her as Deok-Im slips away, and her dying wish is cruel but fair: should they meet again in another life, she begs Yi San to pass her by. Only then can she choose to live a free life, full of choices, which was all she had wanted until she fell in love with him.

While watching LLTG, my emotions mirrored those I endured through TRS. Both dramas force you to get to know the female lead as someone who wants to be herself, a baffling idea in the face of a society where women's primary identities are those associating them with someone else: daughters, wives, sisters, mothers. Yet she continues to harbor hope that she can control her own life, even as she falls in love with a man whose station will certainly snuff out that possibility. The saving grace in LLTG is that Zisheng is not a part of the royal family, and even then Shaoshang goes through her fair share of frustration. TRS on the other hand...even if you haven't seen it, you can likely guess what happens.

The biggest tragedy in TRS is not that Deok-Im dies young. It's the despair that trickles through every part of you as she transforms from a free-spirited, boisterous young woman into an obedient consort whose every word and movement is straight out of the books of etiquette, who isn't permitted her own feelings or thoughts in the face of the country's interests. History may not share the specifics behind how the consort actually died, but the drama all but tells you that depression played a major role. By the end of the drama, Deok-Im hasn't existed for a while. She dies as Royal Noble Consort Ui.

I wonder what I have gained by being in this place, and what I have lost.

I cry inconsolably whenever I see this expression of acceptance and resignation on her face as she sends off her friends and her former self, knowing full well that she has caged herself into a life of sadness so she can be with the one she loves—a man whose first priority can never be her.

But oh, no; our suffering doesn't end there. Yi San lives on after her, looking after his country while carrying the lingering pain of Deok-Im's death. At one point, he retrieves her belongings and appears stunned by her gungnyeo clothing:

It is so small. Were you always so small? Yet, I loved you.

In Yi San’s memory, Deok-Im was a person of great stature. What she may have lacked in social position, she more than made up for in personality. Her tenacity made her appear so strong that only in hindsight does Yi San understand just how vulnerable she was.

Yi San is also someone to be pitied. When we watch palace dramas, it's easy to say that the king's consorts have it far worse than the king. They fight over a man in order to survive, and arguably their sacrifices are greater in number and magnitude. But it's egregious to host a competition of suffering, and you can't deny that Yi San himself leads an unfortunate life. In the cold isolation of the palace, Deok-Im gives him warmth and company. It's no wonder that he wishes to have her by his side, but he is still willing to let her go when she pushes him away.

Almost every other palace drama would have you turning up your nose at the king or emperor's so-called "love" for one of the women in his harem. TRS leaves no room for such doubt. The throne takes away Yi San's ability to choose, and ultimately his ability to wholeheartedly love someone. Even so, Yi San holds Deok-Im so dear that you might want to blame him for how she ends up, but it's hard. Really, really hard. (For anyone interested and who hasn't already, I highly recommend reading the actual history behind this drama. Dude was so in love that it physically hurts.)

In the final scene, he reunites with Deok-Im in the afterlife. At last, they are together and without all the frills and chains of royalty tying them down.

Many years have passed, and at times, I was not certain myself. Do I truly miss you, or do I simply glorify the past? Now I know. I missed you, and I missed the time that I spent with you. [...] Now I understand that we do not have much time. And we do not have the luxury to wait. So, love me. Please. Love me.

I'm always scared to watch the last episode because I just spend the full hour and a half bawling until I can't breathe. Taking these few screenshots was truly a test of my entire being.

So what makes a good tragedy? Tragedy is not "bad things happen." It's "bad things may have happened, but I wouldn't have chosen any differently." When Deok-Im becomes Yi San's consort, it isn't because he keeps her there. She chooses to stay. She loves the prospect of freedom, but she just loves Yi San more. It's awful, it hurts, and it's perfect.

What could have been

We've taken a slight detour, but have at last arrived back at the topic of: how should LLTG have ended?

If given the choice between Shaoshang and Zisheng being together and them not being together, I would obviously choose the former while beating the latter into a permanent nonexistence. With any degree of empathy, you can't watch two people suffer as Shaoshang and Zisheng do, then turn around and wish for their continued misfortune and loneliness. So although I'll concede that it would have easily made for a fantastic tragedy like TRS, I can't bear to say that it should have been one. But if the writers want to go for the non-obvious happy ending, it still has to follow the progression of things.

The current problem is this: Zisheng abandoned Shaoshang and scorned her trust in him. We're now in a position where Shaoshang has the decisive say in whether the relationship can be revived.

LLTG's primary focus has always been Shaoshang. Though multifaceted, her personality and motivations are pretty straightforward. Each time she suffers is a result of her lack of agency. She had no choice in her parents leaving her as an infant, no choice in her poor upbringing, no choice in agreeing to marry Zisheng. Even when she gave up Lou Yao, was that truly a result of her volition alone? For someone whose greatest enemy is helplessness, what matters most is maintaining her own free will.

Through this lens, each time Shaoshang asks Zisheng if he has something to tell her, not only is she asking him to trust in her as his equal, she wants him to let her decide to stay with him. Zisheng turning her away scars her so deeply because it's the same thing as telling her, "I don't care what you want to do." He's drawing a line while taking away from her the power to choose—the one thing she's told him repeatedly matters to her.

SS: I used to hate you for abandoning me. I hated that you acted on your own. I hated that you would rather leap from a cliff than walk alongside me. I hated that I loved you so truly, whereas you told me lie after lie. It has been five years. It was not easy to let go of all of this. I can no longer give away my heart or trust again. ZS: I am sorry. Regardless of what choice you make, I will respect it. These last few years in the Northwest, not a day went by where I was not filled with remorse. I know you. I knew completely that you feared being abandoned. Yet I still chose to harm you in the way that would hurt you the most. In the first twenty years of my life, I lived in hatred. And for the rest of my life, I will live in remorse. If I could, I would tear my heart from my chest to show you. But I know I no longer have that right.

"A married couple exists as one entity." Such is what the drama emphasizes time and again, but what does that mean? Not that one party is in automatic agreement with the other. It's about learning to reach compromises and understanding what's important to the other person. When you don't give your partner their say in that conversation, then what relationship is there to be had?

That is why Shaoshang's unwavering desire for individual opinion matters even more after entering a relationship, and why she still struggles to come to terms with what Zisheng has done. She doesn't blame him. She doesn't want him to beg for forgiveness. After everything she's been through, she just can't put herself in the same vulnerable position again. And he's learned to fully respect her opinion, which means that he has to let her go.

TRS's ending works for the simple reason that it remains true to the characters and their motivations. The tragedy isn't there to make us sad, it's just where the story was always going to find itself. This is why we as viewers hate the ending, but we wouldn't have wanted it written any other way—to do so would be betraying Deok-Im and Yi San.

But when you look LLTG, it gives you a very weak argument for Shaoshang and Zisheng's reconciliation. In front of you are two people whose love for one another could not run any deeper, yet there are legitimate obstacles to their relationship. Shaoshang needs to relearn trust and feel respected. Zisheng's conflict mimics that of Yi San's; as much as he may regret the past, there is nothing about it that can be changed. That regret is something that has to be addressed. (Of course, in Yi San's case, that was addressed through his death. So maybe not that for Zisheng, if you please.)

I can see where the writers attempt to cure Zisheng's remorse, but come on now. They stage a bizarre speech for him where he denounces his previous actions, like a child being punished by his parents and being forced to write a 200-word essay reflecting on his wrongdoings, and while they're being held in the most asinine hostage situation ever known to man. He seriously proclaims that he should have walked the honorable path instead of opting for vigilante justice.

This entire scene was a nauseating roller coaster, but that last part threw me for a major loop. Sir, the only reason you can say that so shamelessly is because your soon-to-be wife found evidence after you killed the guy. Are you really going to stand there with a straight face as you tell me that you regret how you killed the man who you watched murder your father, and who brought about the horrific deaths of your entire family? There was no other option at the time. Of course you had to kill him. It was as much a personal vendetta as it was political. No one likes what happened after that, but those are consequences that should be dealt with separately. Also, Shaoshang's qualms aren't rooted in you killing the guy, they're rooted in you killing him and then trying to kill yourself, all without taking her desires into consideration.

And just as I was thinking the above, the next thing that happened on-screen: Shaoshang turns to him with an expression that says, ah, so he's learned his lesson! Oh...my goodness.

Hi, ma'am? Question. What exactly is more emotionally persuasive about this weird declaration now than when he laid his heart out that night when you wished one another well and said goodbye? Is it because he almost explodes afterward? In the five years he spent out on the battlefield, was he not always in danger of exploding, or being stabbed, or being tortured to death, etc.? Did he not almost die saving you from falling off a cliff two days prior? Why didn't you waver then, especially since it should remind you of, you know, the other time that he jumped off a cliff?

During the scene where she runs to him after discovering he miraculously is not dead, a severe suspicion came over me that perhaps they inhaled so much smoke that they were no longer thinking straight.

A solid happy ending was clearly a possibility. Even if they wanted to go with the above nonsense, could we not also have had a moment where they admit to one another that while overcoming their pain will be difficult at first, being apart from one another for eternity would be much more painful? That nothing in life is easy, but it will be easier with each other? That that commitment is what makes a married couple a single entity, and they just want to commit to each other? Then they can go off and save China, whatever.

They deserved an ending that had me rejoicing that these two are finally, finally, finally on the same wavelength. It should have been more introspective and more considerate of Shaoshang's hurt and Zisheng's regret. Their psychological wounds are instead dismissed through an absurd monologue in a basement and the arbitrary realization that death is lurking around every corner.

The hilarious part is that in the last two episodes, even the actors are noticeably less enthusiastic. In their performances, I see essences of how I feel when a client requests edits to a design that will make it significantly uglier. You gotta do what you gotta do to pay the bills.

Sigh. I could forever grieve what could have been, but this is still one of my favorite dramas. Characters that feel like real people, relationships that make your heart hurt. Those should be common sense in media but are hard to come by in reality, and I'll continue to appreciate what LLTG gave me.

All I really want from the drama industry is for it to please, for the love of our collective sanities, stop thinking that "happy" endings are a valid shortcut to satiating an audience. Good tragic endings are difficult to write, yes, but good happy endings are not any easier. To underestimate that is to let down the story and characters that were so painstakingly brought to life in the first place.

#星汉灿烂 #love like the galaxy #scribbles* #i had to get this out of my system before i created a reco graphic #otherwise it would have haunted me the entire time #anyways now onto rewatching nif to relive baby wu lei #lltg

[pink-strawberry-kissess]

What do you think of Ada having a sibling?

i have a few feelings

ada would've been born in the 70s along with leon, i never really saw her as a younger sister type. if she were to have a younger sister, that would maybe make sense to me? i never saw her to have a younger brother tho

BUT if the younger sibling was born in the 80s, AND her family was in china then the one child policy would've been in place. now, not everyone abided by that law, so it's still possibly for her to have had a sibling. or she could have fled in the 80s to somewhere else like the states or canada lol

i do kinda see her coming up from a rich family... but i also can see her being middle class. all those "origin" stories for her have all been not confirmed as canon so we kinda have to figure out what we want ig

i very much like the idea of ada not really remembering her origins anymore. if she had a family or not. if she were adopted or orphaned. having no ties to family has always made characters be a perfect spy/mercenary or government agent. so i do like the symmetry of ada and leon being both orphaned young

i also have seen things where ada's name was taken from a sibling or childhood friend who was killed so that she would be using a "dead person's name" as opposed to her own.

but also that makes it make less sense sometimes cause if someone really wanted to, they could trace that person back to her. but then again i guess she could allude to the idea that she died instead. (like back when her family died too or something)

i have a lot of thoughts. i think anyone can really write whatever they want for her origins and it could still work. (obviously as long as it's not egregiously incorrect politically and historically and canonically, like don't change that she's not chinese imo)

i've seen some "origin" stories for ada and various fics and i do like bits and pieces of them but i don't think i've found an origin story for ada, for myself that i enjoy enough to write about yet

#cbros5 #ada wong #ask heart #heart answers

[hyenahunt]

Obbligato: The Devotion to Tatsumi Kazehaya - 11

Writer: Akira

Season: Spring, three years ago

Characters: Tatsumi, Kaname, Jun

Proofreading: Remi + 310mc (JP) & honeyspades (ENG)

Translation: Peace & hyenahunt

Tatsumi: The smears of darkened blood and scorch marks of ages past that stain my childhood room are proof of that.

[Read on my blog for the best viewing experience with Oi~ssu ♪]

Tatsumi: Do you think my worries are unfounded? That people are not so foolish, that they wouldn't be so prejudiced?

That even if I did reveal myself honestly, I wouldn't be cast aside and given the cold shoulder?

I'd like to think that as well. However, the mementos of those who were ruthlessly executed for believing in the God they wished to believe in, all of which sit within my family's church, speak differently.

Kaname: ... Of those secret Christians, you mean?

Tatsumi: Yes. Jun-san seems to have had a less than normal childhood himself, and so he may have never learned of it before...

But in this country, it is a historical fact that religions were oppressed.

The smears of darkened blood and scorch marks of ages past that stain my childhood room are proof of that.

You may think me foolish, you may laugh at me for it, but I truly feared that I would be slaughtered as those hailed as martyrs before me.

At least, I did when I was young.

When you were a child, you might have been afraid of ghosts, speeding cars, or even large dogs who barked far too much...

But for me, that was my equivalent to those childish fears..

Kaname: .....

Tatsumi: And so, in order to overcome such fears, I sought to become someone who would be acknowledged, who would be loved by all.

Or, at the very least... I wanted to be in a position where I wouldn't be carelessly crushed under heel and killed.

You see, I don't want to become a martyr. I don't want to be hated, to be trampled over, as if I were some inhuman creature. [1]

Jun: Mmm... Sorry, but it's all kinda hard to believe. Are you for real right now? Is all that seriously true?

Well, I guess even my own family lore sounds like unbelievable bullshit to any outsider.

I mean, what kinda fuckin' father would train up his son to beat the rival who once kicked his ass, right?

Tatsumi: Haha. Though Jun-san and I's upbringings … are both extreme cases, fundamentally, every family is different in one way or another.

It’s almost as if you were looking into a different world entirely. Every bit differs from the other: the rules you lived by, the common sense you were taught, the atmosphere you were brought up in.

That thought may even extend past families and into more general concepts, such as schools, companies, and even countries.

The most important thing is to make sure you don't blindly believe that your own world is the only correct way of seeing things, and to avoid pushing your beliefs onto others as if their own worlds don't matter in the slightest. Don't you think?

I believe that is the most basic of fundamentals.

Kaname: .....

Tatsumi: Haha. You seem to be getting annoyed, HiMERU-san, so I'll cut my tangent short and return to the main topic at hand.

I was fortunate to be talented enough to be recognized as a Special Student, and to be skillful enough to handle one job after another.

Perhaps it was because I did everything I could to complete any sort of work, whether I disliked it or not, that I became liked as a rather reliable person by those around me, and the work I received continued to pile up.

Jun: Well, places like TV stations'll give returning jobs to people who do good work for 'em, don't they?

Tatsumi: Yes. The Yumenosaki alumni have gained infamy for their tendency to slack off with their work, so comparatively I was doing rather well.

Though I merely did as asked, I soon found myself surrounded by job offers.

And, as those offers only grew day by day, it became impossible for me to keep up.

The industry as a whole was within a recession, so this was truly something worth celebrating.

I asked those who attended Reimei Academy, whom I'd been close with for a while at that point, if they would lend me a hand with my work.

I hadn't wanted to turn a single request down, you see. I was still just a newcomer myself, so it wasn’t as if I was in the position to simply turn my nose up at what was offered to me.

And thus, what one could not accomplish alone was done easily when working with others.

Even the Non-Special Students, those who wished to become idols yet were barred from such a dream by the school they entered, were of great help to me.

Fortunately, it seemed as if everyone was more than happy to help me out.

Jun: I mean, that's a given... Non-Specials can't even take part in idol activities, let alone debut.

We enrolled in this school to become idols, but all we're doing is working our asses off on pointless chores.

Even if it’s just lending a hand, it's work an idol would actually do — so they'd be more than happy to help, yeah?

Tatsumi: Yes, something like that. Everyone was so motivated while they were working alongside me...

And as a result, every job was a grand success. I suppose it's as the saying goes, isn't it? "Those who like the work they do will do it well." They all were truly happy to be able to do what they'd wanted to do.

As motivated as everyone was, it's no surprise that the result was favorable.

However, because it was my name signed onto the work, only my own reputation grew due to it.

Kaname: I see. To the TV stations, you were the only one they asked for. The common masses were merely only helping you in the end.

I understand now. So that is the secret of your success? To obtain the status you have now, you took advantage of those Non-Special Students by having them work for you while you reaped the benefits of it.

Tatsumi: While I feel as if the use of that expression is somewhat misleading, well... It isn't as if I can fully claim otherwise.

In truth, the only reason I find myself in the position I do now is, in fact, because of those who aided me.

The name Tatsumi Kazehaya is, so to speak, merely a "company". Other companies then seek to invest in having Tatsumi Kazehaya as a business partner, and reach out a hand.

Each time I receive a job such as that, I gather all those I "employ" to handle it. Then, together, we ensure the work is done most splendidly.

We purchase any necessary equipment needed for the job, and we also offer employee training on the spot.

For example, I teach those who I employ as my back-up dancers the basics of how to dance.

Well, it’s big talk to say that when I’m still merely a student, though. By having my employees improve their skills, the result of my next project will be even better.

Such results and expectations will lead to another job, and so the cycle repeats.

Once such a virtuous cycle takes root, it only follows that in the end there would be countless sparkling achievements lying ahead.

Kaname: ... So this is the truth of Tatsumi Kazehaya, Reimei Academy's Top Idol.

Tatsumi: It is. I myself am nothing special, more than likely.

However, due to the strength of all those who surround me, I have become a rather big name.

As an idol, I have, so to speak, become something on the scale of a company or a country: a leviathan. [2]

[ ☆ ]

✦✦✦✦✦

Translation Notes:

1. This line was changed the original, which read as follows: My parents, and those others of my family, seem to want me to go into missionary work, to spread the doctrine... but I don't want to do that. 両親は、俺に自分の一族の教義とかを布教させたいっぽいんですけどね。べつに、俺にはそんなつもりはないんです Frankly speaking, I don't want to be a religious leader at all. 俺は正直、宗教家では在りたくありません The reason for that is simple: I don't want to become a martyr. I don't want to be hated, to be trampled over, as if I were some inhuman creature. 何故なら、俺は殉教者にはなりたくないからです。人間ではない何かおぞましい生き物かのように、��まれ嫌われ、踏み殺されたくないからです ... They did pay for my tuition and the like, however, so I suppose I should do something to repay my parent's kindness in some way. ........それを期待して学費な��を払ってもらえたんですし、すこしはそんな親の恩義に報いるべきなのかもしれませんけど

2. The Leviathan in Christian Mythology was said to be a serpent with a dragon's head, alluding to Tatsumi's own reading of his naming using the dragon and serpent definitions. There are various sources that speak of the Leviathan and its purpose, including one that notes it as the "serpent that guiled Eve from the garden," and generally has connotations as "a powerful enemy" in metaphor. It is said to be a sign of God's strength. It's also equated to the cardinal sin of envy.

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#enstars #ensemble stars #enstars translation #hyenahunttl #jun sazanami #tatsumi kazehaya #kaname tojo #s: obbligato

[bababaka]

What i'd change in this piece of media! Or just rewritting it. Because truly it is right now.

Today's episode is.... Twilight!

Because for some reason i started thinking about Edward and Jasper and how they could be fixed and it turned into this clusterfuck. Anyways.

Twilight.

It is so damn boring! But it has potencial.

Ok. Let me explain myself. I started reading twilight's fanfiction without having ever watched the movies. At the time the movies came out, i was too young to take any interest in it, although the women around me did, and they fawned over Jacob and his shirtless scenes. Which was how i was team Jacob (not anymore tho ew)

Nevermind that, thing is, i only watched the movies after reading the phenomenal and creative fics. So, to me the movies paled in comparison.

Don't get me wrong. Twilight was a huge sucess, so it clearly did something right. This is only my opnion, okay?

Lets go.

So, the author created so many interesting characters and then proceeded to give us the most boring ones as the protagonists.

And Edward and Bella are actually interesting. But we got stuck with their annoying versions.

And beyond that, the really interesting side characters never have a chance to be developed. T-T

Not as much as they deserved at least.

And please, the Volturi needed a spin off of their own. Something akin to The Originals and The vampire Diaries.

Anyways, in this first part, i want to talk about how we could get into and actually develope the characters. I'll talk about each movie later.

First, our protagonists. Edward Cullen and Bella Swan.

Ok. I would LOVE if we had Edward at his antihero phase. Maybe at the tail end of it, maybe at its climax.

Would love to see Red Eyes Edward. Avenging men and women who were raped, tortured, murdered as he battles with his own sense of humanity and self hatred. Trying to do something good while still being a monster.

And yes, he would still be his edgelord self. But now his breakdowns would happen as he is covered by someone else's blood and insides. Rocking himself in a alleyway's corner, looking at nothing as the body at his feet just gets colder and colder.

At some point, he would kill someone inocent. Who was wrongly accused of something. And when he discovers this, he sees his victim's mother crying, yelling at the heavens, begging for answers, for justice. For something. Anything. And Edward would hate himself for thinking for a moment he could do good. "You're a murderer, a demon. You're the one who deserves to die."

And then we have Bella, just as she is. I wouldn't change much about her really. Just make her a bit less "not like other girls" and lessen her infatuation with Edward. Or maybe amplify it. But in a different way. She is taken with Edward not because wow, he is handsome, misterious or smth. But because he is weird. Maybe even have a monsterloving Bella. Who is fascinated by this idea of an angel of death. But as she encounters it, him, she realizes nothing is black in white. He kills people. Humans like her.

She would be attracted, but terrified. Battling against her morals. He has to feed, but he kills only those who are criminals. But who is he to play the judge and jury? And would be interesting for Edward to become more attached to life and morals (as in, murder is murder, bitch. Stop killing people even though theyre criminals and deserve it. Youre not God).

I would love to see their oposing ideas inspire each other and provoke drama and grownth.

Also, id love to see Bella's reasons to be a vampire to be more than Edward. I saw this idea on tiktok i think. And it makes so much sense.

Her reasons would be: she is a bit of a history nerd and wants to be there as historical moments are happening and live to see its repercursions; she is afraid of getting old( but not dying, since she is suicidal and has a kinda morbid curiosity about it); she doesnt want to lose Alice, or Emmett, nor Jasper or Rosalie and Carlisle and Esme; she wants to feel part of something, this family, something she severely lacked as a child and still do as a teenager.

I want a Bella that is in love and obssessed with Edward, but as the story goes on, she learns to be independent. She learns how to be confident in her weird self. And have more than just Edward, although she is very much in love with him.

She would not get pregnant. But would be a vampire because dude. She is so much better as a vampire. Lord above. And well that would be the culmination of her character growth.

Next episode:

Alice, Jasper and him being a confederate soldie or smth :)

Reminder, if you do not agree with me, thats okay. If you want to let me know about your opnion, be nice about it.

Aaaand, this is only for fun. I've never read the books, and its been a long time since i've watched the movies. So, chill.

#series: rewriting stuff #twilight #edward cullen #bella swan #twilight saga

[littledigest]

Asteroids for the Womanizer vs. Knight in Shining Armor

Players, womanizers, casanovas, smooth talkers, hard-to-resist

Predators, predatory behaviors

Promiscuity, flirtatiousness, fulfilling sensual desires

Romantic or overly romantic; Idealistic or overly idealistic

Chivalrous, gallant, or wanting to be gallant towards others

Not succeeding in becoming a "knight in shining armor"/ideal person

Hanging onto a romantic past (personal past or in history)

Desperate for the attention of the other; doing anything for the other; simp

Where we want to be seen as a hero; where we want to be saved

Our ideal image of a good man; how we overidealize our perfect partner

7328, 3552, 29391

NOTE: All three asteroids are men or historically male. However, in astrology, I don't believe these have to be gender specific. So many ways these could play out in a chart. See what makes the most sense for you.

Casanova 7328

Named after Giacomo Casanova, a Venetian adventurer and writer

Known for his affairs with women, so much so that his name is synonymous with the term womanizer

Casual love and sex, nothing serious; flirtatiousness, games, short-term relationships

Dominated by sensual urges; passion for the opposite sex

Made sure not to get anyone pregnant

His modus operandi: Save an attractive woman from a bad lover; woman shows gratitude, and he seduces; affair begins; gets bored and tells her he is unworthy; pairs her with a worthy man and leaves

Using every persuasive skill that exists to soften the woman's heart

Values intelligent women but not educated women

Predatory, dangerous, especially for younger women/girls; doesn't go for too easy or too challenging targets

Known for gambling as well

I have Casanova in Capricorn in 5th house square Venus, conjunct Jupiter. This being in Cap in 5th conjunct Jupiter square Venus is giving me gambling vibes...or lots of short-term relationships? Both don't sound like me right now, but between the two, gambling seems more plausible. Had an intense lottery phase for a little while a few years back.

Don Quixote 3552

Named after Don Quixote, a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes

Alonso Quijano (main character) reads too many chivalric romances and cannot separate fact from fiction

Under the name Don Quixote, he imagines that he is living out his knightly fantasies; feeds into his own delusions

Chivalry is dead; post-chivalric world sees chivalry as useless; hanging onto a romantic past

Don Quixote is in Leo 12th house opposite Mercury. Is it me, or does this placement sound like the character in the novel 😳 ? I wouldn't call myself delusional, but I do romanticize the past a lot, but all that romanticizing mainly stays in my fantasies (12th) in my head (Mercury). I just probably do too much romanticizing and should get back to reality every so often.

Knight 29391

Means a man who served a sovereign as a soldier in armor in the Middle Ages

Knight in shining armor = an idealized man who comes to the rescue of a woman in a difficult situation

Funny enough, I have Knight conjunct Don Quixote. It is also conjunct Pluto. I do idealize Scorpio men more than any other sign.

#astrology #asteroids #natal chart #birth chart #synastry #synastry chart #composite chart #casanova #don quixote #knight #knight in shining armor #womanizer #player #simp #chivalry #littledigest

[chireikiden]

Translation trivia!

Despite being so very simple, Tanzawa's title went through a couple different translations. Military and official ranks are always such a hassle. Mayumi being demoted from the leader of an army to "lance corporal", literally the lowest possible rank of officer, is a good example of what a too dictionary-dependent translation can do.

Blessed are those who don't know about or simply have the power not to care about titles in fiction. Unfortunately, I can be a bit of a stickler about them - or mostly just don't want to make unforced errors myself.

The title used here is 小隊長 shoutaichou, very literally "small force commander". In real-life, modern Japanese usage, the "small force" (platoon) would typically sit between a "part force" (squad) and a "medium force" (company). The title of 小隊長 itself doesn't have a direct translation, because it isn't really a rank used in real life: if anything, it looks more like a position than a rank. However, in English, it seems more natural to address military/police superiors by rank rather than, I dunno, job title. And, well, you could expect a platoon to be led by some flavor of lieutenant. Lieutenant is also an easy (and kind of "cool") term people recognize, so it's a pretty appealing choice. As such, I called him Lieutenant at first.

However, as I said, a lieutenant typically leads a platoon, and is actually of decently high rank. A platoon generally consists of several squads, and at least has a lot more than just two people. Tanzawa's subordinates consist precisely of Momiji and the kid. While the squad/platoon distinction doesn't actually come up in the manga, it seems obvious that a squad is what you'd call them, and 小隊 (which, again, kinda just means "small force") is not being used in its exact real-life sense. So, I demoted him to Sergeant - more appropriate for the leader of a mere squad, while still recognizable and similar in vibes to Lieutenant.

You may notice that this whole time I've had the problem of trying to force real-life, modern titles onto a fictional, archaic organization. Given how some of tengu society has modernized, the white wolf tengu might as well have adopted the Imperial Army system or something, but it doesn't seem that way. If a 小隊 consists of two regular soldiers and their boss, and we haven't really seen the rest of the hierarchy for now, it's probably a bit bold to assume that real-life modern titles like private, sergeant or lieutenant can or should be used in the first place. Using one of them makes you assume the presence of other, lower and higher ranks and structures that the tengu might not actually have. They also bring in other mental images and associations that don't necessarily belong.

But it's not like 小隊長 is some historical samurai term, either: it's just generic and descriptive, literally the most basic thing you'd call someone who leads any kind of "small force". As I already mentioned above, it's more of a position than a rank per se, but in a sense, that didn't really click for me until this point. Much like Mayumi's 兵長 just means "soldier commander" rather than any specific real-life rank, Tanzawa really is just a "squad commander", and trying to speculate beyond that is just overcomplicating things.

Now, I'm not completely happy with this. Always defaulting to "[X] Commander" feels a bit generic and uncreative on my part. It would also cause trouble in the long run if the manga dealt with different ranks a lot, forcing me to differentiate between platoon commanders, company commanders, brigade commanders etc., but luckily this isn't the case, and 小隊長 is the only one we really see. As such, there's no harm in just calling him Commander for short. If other ranks ever start to become relevant, I'll just have to burn that bridge when I get to it.

Also - and this is unironically important - Commander is always a fun thing to call a character.

(On a side note: it seems the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force used the term 小隊 for groups of 4 planes, i.e. a "flight" in English. Calling tengu squads flights and him a Flight Commander would've been really fun to be honest, but in the end I decided against it as a bit speculative on my part, since it'd mean going from the most generic term to an extremely specific and possibly anachronistic one. Who knows, maybe I'll still backtrack and change my mind on that.)

#wholly red disc. #translation meta

[age-of-moonknight]

How would you break down the alters' personalities?

Oooooh this is a really fun ask to receive! Thank you so much for sending it to me! :D I feel like I need to preface this though that the way each of the alters' personalities (and to a certain extent, their dynamic within the system) is presented fluctuates a bit with individual writers and mediums. Like, currently, I am wrestling with myself over how best to respond to this ask, because there's the part of me that wants to give the most direct possible answer to your question (how /I/ specifically might parse out the alters) and then there's the part of me that wants to take any opportunity I can to discuss the varying ways the guys have been portrayed across the whole expanse of Moon Knight comics. 😅 So I very well might do both???? For now though, I'll stick with the former because,,,,the latter will take considerably more time than I have at this very moment; however, please just let me know if I misinterpreted your ask as I would be MORE than happy to eventually produce something that's a bit more,,,,historical, if you will. Personal Feelings, Sir aka fair warning, this is entirely just my opinion and I tend to pull a lot from the first volume (but with all of the improvements made by later volumes), so please take the ramblings under the cut with a grain of salt.

MARC

Marc is....over all not a very happy man. He's incredibly tactically proficient with an infantryman's razor sharp sardonic wit and if you share a common goal, he's a great ally to have by your side, but...he's seen things that weigh on a soul and done things he's not proud of and you can tell. Like, there's just a certain intensity and hyperawareness that some combat veterans get that you can see in their eyes and I definitely feel like that comes through with Marc. Kinda taciturn, one might even say at times "brusque" (but he might argue "efficient/economical/laconic"), but there are those he genuinely cares for and he's not without a sense of humor. The issue is that he's definitely aware of his own lethal capability and views it not just as a learned skill but as an integral part of who he is, that "there was never anything kind or gentle about [him]" (Moon Knight vol. 9/2021, #5). Oh, and he's got issues with authority as well as an independent streak that could span the Chicago River that have from his time spent in his father's house to the Marine Corps to his mercenary days burned many bridges, so between that and the very real crimes against humanity he's committed, homeboy's got a lot weighing on him. But he's trying his best to be better from here on out and his degree of faith in whether or not he can actually be better may change with the day but he tries nonetheless, making all the difference.

STEVEN

You ever seen, like, a leopard seal hunting? That's how efficiently Steven navigates high society. He has a perfect handle on old money manners and old money charms and knows exactly how to utilize them. I wouldn't say he's "tactical" with the same connotation of martial violence of action that hangs over Marc, but he's definitely analytical. Highly analytical. I want to make it clear that none of the alters are by any stretch of the imagination dumb, but just by the nature of character dynamics, Steven always ends up the Superego even when Marc and Jake take turns being the Id. Whereas Jake is jovial and street smart and Marc was a CIA operative for a reason (even if his heavy guilt and, if you will, angst can still on occasion sneak up on him and take him out), Steven is the numbers guy. He's the one that takes care of the business end of things and sometimes that means being the level-headed one of the bunch as well. Now, I don't want to make Steven sound like a cold fish (or worse, a bit too much of a shark). I would be remiss if I didn't mention that sometimes, particularly in earlier issues, he can come across as a bit of a dandy, perfectly happy enjoying the finer things in life. More importantly, "the finer things in life" include friends and just genuinely positive relationships. He may have a perfectly crafted persona for society functions that includes a very convincing fake laugh, but he's also far more open to loving and being loved than Marc with all of his hang ups could ever possibly be.

JAKE

When Mr. MacKay described Jake as "avuncular" (Moon Knight vol. 9/2021, #14) and a piratical "rascal" (Moon Knight vol. 9/2021, #15) that took me the heck out because, YEAH! While Steven's the perfect party guest, Jake is the life of the party. He's a force of nature and a bit of a whirlwind, the kind of cabbie that can comfortably (both for you and for him) talk your ear off for the entire fare with the thickest Chicagoan accent you've ever had the privilege of hearing. He's a steadfast and steadying support to those he calls friends (of which he has many since he has a tendency to make them where ever he goes), but he's not above settling a matter with his fists if the situation calls for it. He's nothing if not scrappy after all, because hey, the streets of New York where he spends most of his time aren't exactly easy. Similarly, he's also, I don't want to say "a gossip" per say, but he picks up gossip and other bits of intel like a lint trap. He has a wide net of connections, and don't get me wrong, he loves people dearly, but he's very keen when it comes to knowing exactly which people to tap if he needs a certain line of information. He's honest and lovable and an absolute rogue that makes it very hard to remain mad at him, no matter what mischief he might get into.

#Knight Mail #Thank you so much for sending this and giving me an excuse to ramble about my favorite guys! #I hope it doesn't look like I have a bias (though that would be a fascinating experiment.... #seeing who people think might be my absolute fave...or if I even have one hahaha) #I hope that this was???? at least in the neighborhood of what you were looking for???? #but again please don't hesitate (and this goes for anyone who would so like to) to send in an ask as I'm always happy to respond #and shoot there's a very real possibility that I'll be returning to this topic at some point #the only reason I didn't drop the full essay right here and now is uuuuuh because I definitely should not be awake at this hour.....whoops #got a bit carried away 😅

[shakespearefreak]

New friend! Meet Virginia Wilde, from the late 1880s - early 1890s.

I've wanted Truly Me #115 for a while now, and I found a very good deal on her recently. I originally had intended to make her into Luna Lovegood (in fact, I'd already bought a fan-made Ravenclaw uniform for her), but as a trans person with trans and Jewish friends, Harry Potter has become... much more complicated for me the last few years. There's still a lot I really love about the series, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that (as long as I don't buy official merchandise etc.), but a lot of people I know are starting to see HP as a signal that someone isn't safe to be around (which, to be fair, makes a decent amount of sense, especially given Rowling's comments about the fanbase supposedly supporting her agenda). Anyways, the point to all this is to say that while I was planning to make #115 Luna, I also knew that for the comfort of those around me, I couldn't post a lot of photos of her or bring her out in public as I do my other dolls. I also was very torn on having a reminder of how betrayed I feel by Rowling in my room for me to see on a daily basis. Every time I find myself thinking of the Potterverse, it makes me happy, then immediately sad and angry when I remember how Rowling has harmed and continues to harm people like me. I was considering maybe keeping her stored away in her box part of the time.

But here's the thing... when she arrived, I took one look at her face and knew I couldn't do that; I loved her too much. So... now I had a very, very beautiful doll and no idea who she was. And I'd never, even as a child, bought an AG just because she was pretty and made up a character for her later. I definitely wanted to keep her though, so I just decided to wait until she told me who she was.

The first one I got came with a manufacturing defect, so I returned her to the seller and got a replacement. While the replacement was in transit, I racked my brain trying to decide who she should be. I had some vague ideas, but a lot of them seemed contradictory: I kept picturing her in historical gowns, but also found myself thinking of her in contemporary gothic alt fashion. In my mind, she was both a cheerful, creative artist type and an unusual “old soul” who made many people uncomfortable. Then, when the replacement arrived, I found myself thinking of her physical features: her pale skin, wide cloud-gray eyes, and flaxen hair, and tried associating her with pre-existing characters with similar attributes; and suddenly it clicked. She’s a Victorian gothic heroine; her biggest influences are Virginia Otis from “The Canterville Ghost” (which is also where her name came from: “Virginia” from the character herself, “Wilde” from the author), Edith Cushing from Crimson Peak, and Johanna Barker from Sweeney Todd.

She’s a little older than the rest of my dolls (15). Her father died shortly before her story starts, which is why her Meet Outfit is a mourning gown (I also want to get her some accessories inspired by Victorian mourning jewelry). She was quite close to her father, and became interested in the paranormal after his passing. She also loves art (especially painting). She’s quiet but cheerful, despite her more morbid interests, and friendly when you get to know her. Like Samantha, some of the dress codes of her time period frustrate her, and she surreptitiously rebels against them when she can.

I wanted her to be from 1884 originally (because of the old AG tradition of starting each story in years that end in 4), but then I had the idea of giving her a doll-sized Ouija board (which I’d found on Etsy ages ago, but never found a good use for!), and while spirit boards were used at the time, the Ouija board specifically was invented in 1890, so I’m leaning towards 1891 (I know I could use 1894, but then only a decade would separate her story from Samantha’s). I’ve been having trouble finding affordable era-appropriate doll clothing on Etsy, and I don’t know too much about the fashion from that period myself, so I’m kind of kicking myself for choosing this backstory, but now that I’ve seen it I can’t unsee it. (Any information about the time period any of you have, or any ideas for where to get outfits/furniture/accessories for her, would be more than welcome; thanks in advance!)

Since I don’t have a black Victorian-style gown (yet), for this photo I put her in the nightgown my mother made for Samantha when I was a child. I think it suits her more than it ever did Sam, so it’s hers now.

#cw: harry potter mention #cw: j. k. rowling mention #terfs fuck off #terfs dni #rowling apologists dni #american girl #american girl doll #doll oc #truly me 115 #1880s #1890s #victorian era #victorian gothic

[karahalloway]

This or That - Tag Game

Thanks for the tag @angelasscribbles!

Historical or futuristic?

Historical - always. While I've read/watched sci-fi, it's not one of my favourite genres as I much prefer fantasy (which tends to be more 'historical' in setting). Dunno why... Just always been more intrigued by the past than the possible future. Maybe because there is more 'romance' to it, somehow...

Opening or Closing Chapter?

Ohh... Hard! Opening chapters are great if they can grab your attention and suck you into the story from the first page... but closing chapters can be awesome too if they tie up everything nicely, or leave you on a cliffhanger (in an earlier book - hate cliffhangers at the end of the series/standalone book - I NEED CLOSURE PEOPLE!)

Light and Fluffy or Dark and Gritty?

Dark and gritty - while I don't mind light and fluffy, I don't think I could deal with it for an entire book. Like @angelasscribbles and @jerzwriter said, it is much more satisfying to struggle through the hardship with the character, see what they're made of, and come out of the other side stronger and more mature/aware.

Animal Companion or Found Family?

Gah! This is hard! I love animal companions - they are basically like people! But found family also works, so... Both?

Horror or Romance?

100% romance 😅 Can't stand horror - never could. I have nicer things to do than intentionally scare myself half to death and deal with heart palpitations for 2 hours lol

Hard Magic or Soft Magic?

Not quite sure what this question is asking... But if it's asking whether I prefer 'overt' magic to 'implied' magic, then definately overt magic (magic wands, spells, sparkling light shooting from fingertips, etc.) Because I love the idea of there being more to this world than we can see/touch with our 5 senses!

One project at a time or Juggling 2 or more?

A year ago, I woud've totally said one project at a time. But now I'm in the brave new world of having half a dozen projects on the go at the same time 🫣 So while it's nice to have options to bounce between depending on what mood I am in, I am desperately trying to get this list down to like 2-3 projects max because having to many unfinished things on my plate stresses me out 😅

One award winner or One bestseller?

Bestseller, definately. Partly because (a) I don't think I can write the type of book that would be considered to be an 'award winner', and (b) just because you've written an award winning book does not mean that people actually 'like' you book (as award winners tend to be avant guard in some sense, and deal with 'heavy' topics... at least that's been my experience/impression). I 100% believe that books should be for enjoyment, and I think that's better reflected with a bestseller, as opposed to an award winner.

Fantasy or Sci-fi?

As I said above, definitely fantasy over sci-fi.

First Draft or Final Draft?

Ohh... Hard 😅 While starting a first draft is always exciting, I do love the final, polished aspect of the final draft ever so slightly more.

Love triangle in everything or No romantic arcs?

Love triangle, definately! I much prefer some sexual tension in my fics rather than just platonic interactions. It ups the ante to delicious and juicy heights!

Constant sandstorm or rainstorm?

Rainstorm, obviously. I mean, I don't know about you, but sand sucks. It gets everywhere and it's itchy and annoying and gah! While I don't particularly like being wet, I'd take that everyday over sand - sorry residents of Arrakis!*

*Just because sci-fi isn't a fave genre of mine, does not mean I'm not aware of it lol

Tagging my permas in case anyone else wants to share!

Permatags:

@twinkleallnight @lovingchoices14 @kingliam2019 @petiteboheme @angelasscribbles @aussiegurl1234 @nestledonthaveone @queen-arabella-of-cordonia @tessa-liam @alyshak92 @secretaryunpaid @princessleac1 @walkerdrakewalker @tinkie1973 @twinkle-320 @knaussal @nikkis1983 @lunaseasblog @ficloverevie @indiana-jr @differenttyphoonwerewolf @kristinamae093 @eversoaringqueen12 @peonierose @3pawandme @alexabeta @veebug8 @fangirling12566 @queenmiarys @lancelotsimp @coco-lina-s @lolablackwrites @ivyflowers13 @persephone13 @hollygirl1269 @adri-ja-96 @harleybeaumont @katedrakeohd @uneravine

#this and that #tag game #kara halloway

[aroaceoutinspace]

What I Read in July!

For so long now I have been in the worst reading slump, getting through a book a month at most, but I got so much read in July and I'm so proud of it. I finally feel a bit more like myself 🥰

1. Babel by RF Kuang

I was dying to read this book for so. long. and it didn't disappoint! This was a fantasy story set in 1800s Oxford in a fictional Translation Institute, Babel. The storyline and imagery was just incredible, and everything felt so accurate to that timeline. The way it explored linguistics and meanings that got lost in translation fascinated me, the characters broke my heart, and the way RF Kuang handles racism in the story was just as educational, accurate and raw as always. Anybody who read this and said 'oh it made me feel guilty for being white!'.... you're the problem.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

2. Gallant by VE Schwab

This was a really satisfying fast read in my opinion, or maybe after the monster that is Babel anything would seem fast 😂. Since many pages are taken up by illustrations and journal pages with little writing, the story itself is fast but still really good. It explores a girl in an orphanage who has always been able to see ghosts, and the only possession she has is her mother's journal who tells her she will be safe as long as she stays away from Gallant. I am a sucker for dark fantasy and the concept of entities entering from other worlds, and really loved this story. I did feel slightly underwhelmed at the ending, but the story and atmosphere was enjoyable nonetheless.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

3. Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo

Trust me when I tell you that this is what Shadow and Bone wishes it could be. Murder, secret societies, college campus, magic and a girl who can see ghosts. What's not to love?! I adored Alex's sarcastic character, and her back story was so raw and unjust. If you like dark academia vibes and fantasy, just read it. One of my top books without a doubt.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

4. Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo

If course I immediately devoured the sequel and was not left disappointed. Finding out more about a certain ability interested me so much, and so many elements came full circle! Fair warning however, this is not the end, and now I must endure the wait for book 3 🥲. Story of my life.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

5. A Marvellous Light by Freya Marske

Honestly I tend to stay away from romance books for the most part because of amatonormative themes that often crop up, but in my experience gay romance is more modern in that sense, and this plot was far to amazing sounding for me to skip. Yet another historical setting, a misunderstanding that plunges somebody not magical into the magical world, curses, and forbidden gay love. What's not to love! That twist at the end of something unrectified was brilliant and I will have to read the second book very soon!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️/5

Other

Now this isn't technically a book.... but I mean audiobooks count as reading so audiodramas do too? Right? 😂

I am currently in the depths of a Magnus Archives obsession, and finished season 2 in July. I am now halfway through season 3 and so much is happening I am enraptured. I need to know everything-

The Magnus Archives is a horror audiodrama (but more the slightly gorey than jumpscare type. As someone who reads dark fantasy and not horror I still enjoy it). The Magnus Institue deals with researching paranormal cases and investigating their credibility, but everything mentioned becomes important at some point. That is how beautifully crafted it is. Names and themes crop up over and over and you find yourself trying to make so many connections. Its just amazing

If you do plan on listening to it, don't worry if you don't notice connections at first. It's at MAG 16-20 you should start noticing the similarities. Season 2 (MAG 40-80) was a bit of a drag, but trust me when I say it crawled so Season 3 could run like a maniac. New obsession here I come.

3.5-4 stars for Season 2 but 5 stars for season 3 so far!

Thank you for reading, I hope you'll give one of these a try!

#booklr #bookblr #what i read #what i read in july #july reads #read so far #booksbooksbooks #books #fantasy books #audio drama #ninth house #hell bent #gallant #a marvellous light #babel an arcane history #magnus archives #book reviews #fantasy book reviews #fantasy booklr #fantasy book recs #book recs #book reccomendation #book reccs #book reccomendations