#i seriously recommend checking out the graphic novel

[doorplays]

Door Reviews: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (2001)

So! The Ace Attorney series. Iconic games, known by many. So many people have recommended this game series to me already. SO MANY PEOPLE. I got the first trilogy on the PC years ago, but it sat in my library unplayed for so long. And I have finally found the time to start it. And now, reader, I am so excited to tell you all about the first game!!! Let’s go!

What’s it about?

It’s about new lawyer, Phoenix Wright, and his foray into the world of Japanese courtrooms. We meet clients and assist them in getting a Not Guilty verdict. We see him learn the ropes, investigate crime scenes, endure his own trials, and persevere against all odds.

Disclaimer: In this review, I will mostly be talking about the first four cases. The fifth case will have its own section and its own rating at the end of this review.

STYLE (Gameplay, Graphics, Music)

Gameplay feels like a visual novel with investigative elements. You navigate areas, talk to people, and take note of evidence to present to people and at trials. The gameplay isn’t really anything to write home about, but the cases themselves are interesting to unravel.

To present evidence during, you have to select the right dialogue that the witness said, then present said evidence using the assigned hotkey (E for keyboard). It becomes a game of carefully reading what the witness said and cross-referencing it with the facts of the case, catching the lie using the evidence at your disposal.

It can get grating trying to find the exact dialogue to present evidence against. The cases can get roundabout at times, so you really have to make sure you understand what the witness said. I found that I have to double, even triple-check what the witness was saying, and check the whole transcript against my stack of evidence one by one.

Outside of the trials, it’s a visual novel-esque game where you go places and interact with items, making sure to talk to NPCs as well.

The gameplay itself is simple, but the game itself uses this simplicity to good effect in terms of storytelling, which I’ll discuss more on in the next section. All in all, I think the gameplay itself passes muster for me: good enough to play with, but not bad enough that I’d get too distracted by it.

The art looks sleek and expressive. The sprites look very anime. I like their exaggerated movements at times. Makes it feel like a wacky courtroom drama. The backgrounds are nice, too.

In terms of art, I think the best part are the character designs. The characters can be so zany and distinctive! And their animations reflect this, too.

The music, I think, stands out among all of these. They set the tone for various stages of the game, giving it whimsy, an air of caution, and an intensity too. I love the Turnabout music a lot! It is very iconic.

All in all, the style of this game is something I find charming. It’s simple, but because of that simplicity the game can use it to tell better stories.

SUBSTANCE (Story, Characters, Impact)

This game’s story is fun. It has a lot of wacky hijinks in it! Even the names of characters are so wacky: Lotta Hart. Sal Manella. April May. Redd White, CEO of Bluecorp. It’s such a silly game!

It has a lot of sassiness too. The banter between Phoenix Wright and a bunch of the other characters can be so funny. He can become the butt of the joke a lot but in the courtroom he WILL sass you to hell and back if he can press the advantage!

The dialogue of this game is soooooo silly. It feels like a Saturday morning cartoon in a way! It feels cheesy at times, yet I can’t help but crack a smile.

What I like most, though, is that this game’s story has a lot of heart (heh) and earnestness! It does character relationships so well, having a good balance between lightheartedness and seriousness. It presents character struggles seriously. And most of all, it emphasizes how difficult it is to be a defense attorney in one of the countries with the highest conviction rate.

We root for Phoenix Wright not just because he’s a silly defense attorney, you root for him because he tries despite insurmountable obstacles. He tries despite a legal system that can be cartoonish but is nonetheless still based on reality, where an accusation is practically a prison sentence. He tries because it’s the right thing to do.

That’s why I like this game’s story so much. At its heart, it’s a story about doing the right thing against all odds. It tells its story with such whimsy and silliness, yet is just so earnest when it comes to things that matter.

VERDICT

Ace Attorney is a gem of a game. I enjoyed playing it after work. It became something to look forward to after my day-to-day. I was rather bemused with the story, and slowly ended up loving it. I absolutely LOVE Edgeworth as a character and he is now one of my top 5 faves of all time (maybe even top 1…… he is my blorbo of the month). With such a strong first game, I am very much excited to play the rest of the trilogy. Play this game!!!

Door Rates Game: 5/5!

REVIEW: RISE FROM THE ASHES

SO! Rise from the Ashes is the 5th case in this game. This case here is an addition to the game after it got a Nintendo DS remaster. And it makes full use of the DS capabilities, with more expressive sprites, 3D evidence, and other gameplay quirks. Too bad we’re experiencing this on the PC!! Nonetheless, we push on with this review.

Case 5 is a fresh new case with a LOT of content. It’s like… maybe two, 2.5 cases in one? There are a lot of twists and turns to the story, and the devs introduced new gameplay, chief among which is the way you can now inspect each evidence you get. You go to the court record, press Enter, and you can look at it in 3D!!! You can get to inspect engravings, blood, and most importantly, you can now look at the back of receipts! Technology…

There are other new gameplay things they introduced, but they’re mostly just small things that try to tie you better into the game and also showcase the capabilities of the DS. Well, less that and more taking advantage of the new things the DS could do. With new technology means new ways you can make your game, and new ways to tell your story.

In my opinion though, these new things introduced in gameplay feel like they were thrown in for the sake of it, as if telling the player “oh, look at me! I can do this now!” Too experimental in a way… which makes sense, since this is in a way the first AA case on the DS. I haven’t played the other DS games, but I would hope that they found a way to integrate the capabilities of the DS better and in a way that makes sense for the story.

I found the story of case 5 to be amazing!! It had a bit of a slow start for me, but when it got going I was on the edge of my seat. It was thrilling, funny, and had heart, which is what I feel is classic Ace Attorney.

I liked it!! I would give this additional content a 4/5, if only because the new gameplay stuff hassled me a bit. They tried some new things, and some of them annoyed me, but I’m sure these new things would play out better in future installments. So far, I very much enjoy the series, and I’m excited to play more of its games!

#door reviews #phoenix wright: ace attorney #phoenix wright #ace attorney #aa

[pokemonfangame]

Looking for a game to play?

Well you can start with how they’re played:

Web browser based

Download first and then play

Use an emulator

Bonus: Here’s a quick writeup about emulators

Or check out some gameplay features:

You’re playing as a Pokemon

There’s new regional forms (or maybe some new megas and such)

Fakemon (original species only, no Pokemon)

Pokemon and Fakemon together

If you want an old school feel try:

Gen 1 graphics (back before color was invented)

Generation 2 (The look might be dated but the gameplay probably isn’t)

If you want something different, maybe try playing:

Parody games! They love Pokemon but don’t take themself too seriously

Visual novels

Platformers

+Sometimes I post games in languages other than English:

Spanish

French

Italian

→More recommendations? Check out the themed lists in this tag←

#Now there's a pinned post for the mobile view :) #I love tags let me know if there's other kinds of tags that would be helpful!

[blogthebooklover]

30 Things I Learned As An Adult

In honor of me turning 30 in January, I’ve decided to write out a list of 30 things I learned as an adult.  Now, some of these worked for me through trial and error, while others did not.

1. Self Care Is Important

I cannot stress this enough.  We all need to practice self care, to take time for ourselves.  It takes baby steps to find a good self-care routine, and there’s plenty of online resources to find one to your tastes.  Remember it is all about trial and error, and don’t worry about perfecting it right away.  Research some different self care routines online as a starting point.

2. Read Books, Not Fanfiction

Okay, don’t get me wrong, I do love reading some good ole fanfiction, and current events.  However, definitely pick up a book once in a while.  Whether it’s a graphic novel, comics, manga, please develop a reading habit.  It definitely helped me out a lot as a former college dropout, there are reading lists on sites like Goodreads, here on Tumblr, even colleges have lists what books students are required to read.  And it does help with expanding your knowledge and vocabulary.  As I’ve previously said, I’m a former college dropout who’s currently back in school, however, developing a healthy reading habit is what kept me grounded.  If you need a starting point, I recommend reading a fiction book, preferably in the SciFi/Fantasy genre; or reread a book from your childhood.  Also, PLEASE GET A LIBRARY CARD!  You’ll definitely be saving a lot of money, and we need to support our public libraries now more than ever.

3. Say “No” More Often

If you don’t feel comfortable going out, or if your manager calls and asks to cover a shift, just say “no.”  Remember, you have the power to set boundaries, especially with family, friends, and work.  This correlates to number 1 on my list, self care is super important, and you cannot put your health at risk for anyone.  I’m going to repeat that last part: SELF CARE IS SUPER IMPORTANT, AND YOU CANNOT PUT YOUR HEALTH AT RISK FOR ANYONE!

4. Register To Vote, And Vote In Every Election

With politics being so polarized and divisive in the past decade, and the upcoming 2024 US Presidential Election, please register to vote.  And voter suppression has been very rampant in the past two, arguably three, decades.  To anyone about to turn 18 here in the US, please register to vote ASAP!  And vote in every goddamn election, both national and local.  I seriously cannot stress this enough.

5. Eat Healthy, No Seriously

I love some fast food once in a while now, however, please take some time to learn about healthy eating.  It will catch up with you in the future, and our US healthcare system is already fucked as all hell.  I know the rising costs of everything, including food, is insane right now; but please keep informed about how to prepare good healthy food.

6. Take Breaks From Current Events, Social Media, and the Internet

This also correlates with number one.  While it is very important to stay informed with what is happening in the world/country of origin; especially with the US Presidential Election year.  Remember, it’s okay to take breaks from reading too much news, and scrolling through social media feeds.  It really does have an effect on your mental health, and unfortunately too many people tend to fall down the conspiracy theory rabbit hole on all sides of the political spectrum.  To the teenagers and young adults, take breaks and focus on your mental health and well-being.  To the adults, read the previous sentence.  With everything so polarizing, take care of yourself first.  

7. High School Friends DO NOT LAST!

My friends from high school and early college years were definitely the “ride and die” type of  friends, metaphorically speaking.  If you have that one friend who was/is the “give the shirt off their back” type, check in on them once in a while.  However, with the former, just move on.  The friends I had in high school definitely had a lot of childhood trauma, and in one aspect, I’m glad that they were honest about it; it was/is a way to heal.  However, any “friend” who just doesn’t want to better themselves and use you for any convenience, DUMP THEM AND CUT OFF ALL CONTACT!  Remember just as you set boundaries with your toxic family members, and even for your job, you should do the same with friends.

8. Change Jobs, ASAP!

This is a very important one.  I didn’t really have a job as a teenager, I wanted to enjoy being a kid for a little longer, however, I did have an occasional babysitting job.  At 23 years old, I got a job at a fast food place.  While I do appreciate part of the experience, like how to use the “customer service” voice, however, any red flags that pop up in your head, change jobs, ASAP!  It was toxic, too political (for some weird reason) and a lot of drama (and not from the teenagers).  The grocery store I work at now does have its busy times, however, it’s much more calmer, and I don’t see too many “Karen” types. 

9. Declutter More Often

This is also a definite must as you get older.  Whatever you don’t need anymore, donate them.  Whatever is completely broken, throw it away!  Whatever it is that is in good condition, sell it or maybe give it to someone as a birthday/holiday present.  Any old makeup, throw it away!  It’ll help reduce the amount of clutter and mess.  If you need a starting point, I suggest the KonMari method.  It really did help me out a lot.

10.  Use A Planner

This is a life-and-time saver.  Write down any appointments, cleaning days, paydays, bill charges, etc.; into a physical planner.  If you’re in college, please use one!  And write down any assignments to work on/turn in BEFORE the deadline.  Also, anything important, put into your calendar app on your phone and laptop as a reminder.

11.  Have A Skin Care Routine

Okay, I know having a skin care routine isn’t for everyone, and we all have different reactions to skin care products; however, don’t be afraid to experiment with a good skin care routine.  In my early teen years, I used Proactiv skin care for my acne, and it helped out a lot.  Remember: cleanse, tone, any serum of your choice, and moisturize.  This also helps out if you don’t feel like jumping into the shower.  Also, use sunscreen, seriously.

12.  Don’t Get Married, Until You’re Ready

This is coming from someone who is single, lol.  If you plan on getting married to your romantic partner, I’m proud of you! Marriage is about communication, being honest, and doing equal amount of work (finances, household chores, etc.)  Save money if you’re planning for a wedding, or go to your local courthouse to get a marriage license if you don’t want the big, fancy reception.  

13.  Don’t Have Kids, Until You’re Ready

Again, this is coming from someone who is single and childless, lol.  Having kids is a lot of work: physically, mentally, emotionally, and financially.  Not everyone is capable of being a parent, and I have read PLENTY of posts on here and other websites about toxic parents/parenting styles.  Take time and think about if you’re ready to become a parent.

14.  Learn How To Budget Your Money

This is for anyone of any age out there.  Please learn how to budget your spending.  Look for stuff on sale or clearance, or cut back on certain types of spending. I know most people have no idea where to start, but there is! There’s some great websites and YouTube channels on how to budget your money. Another great tool to use are spreadsheets like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. I use a Google Sheet template to help track my spending and budget my finances. Also, if you have gift cards from your birthday/holidays/etc; definitely use them, you won't be breaking your bank account :). Also, definitely have some paper cash in your wallet for emergency use.     

15.  Open A Savings/Emergency Funds Account, ASAP!

This is a huge one to have as an adult, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Anything left over from paying the bills, from a side hustle, or from your tax returns, put that into savings.  Certain banks will also have the option of creating “financial goals” in savings accounts; so I highly recommend using that as well.  This also correlates with number 14.  If you’re interested, open two or three savings accounts, the last one should only be for emergency funds.

16.  Get A Physical Hobby, AKA Exercise!

It doesn’t matter what type of exercise you do, please do it!  And for anyone who is physically disabled, there are modified options provided on YouTube.  We do lose certain motor functions as we age, so definitely pick an exercise that’s right for you, as they say. Even if it's just going outside for a walk for 30 minutes, please do some type of exercise.   

17.  Learn How To Meal Prep

It doesn’t have to be for every meal of every day, pick a meal you want to make and prepare ahead of time.  And prepare that meal the day before, so it will be on hand when you leave your house. There are some great videos on YouTube, and some ideas from Pinterest if you need a starting point.

18.  If You’re Able To, Go To The Dentist!

Seriously though, try and go for a checkup/teeth cleaning.  You’re only given one set of teeth after all your baby teeth fall out, and you need to take good care of them.  If you’re able to, or live near to one, local colleges have free cleanings through their dental training programs.   

19.  If Your Job Offers a 401K, GET ON IT NOW!

My old job at a fast food restaurant didn’t have retirement benefits, but my current grocery store job does.  I jumped on it right away, even if it’s not the job I want right now.  And it’s a good starting point to have some money saved up for retirement. If you leave the job that has a 401k, you can do what's called a rollover. This will put the money that was set into the first retirement fund into another one; you can do this with your bank or if your new job has a 401k.

20.  If You Don’t Have Health Insurance, Sign Up With The State, or Through Your Job.

In my experience, I have insurance through the state at the moment.  If your job offers health insurance as well, jump on it right away, even if it’s not the job you want, it’ll be a starting point that correlates with number 19.

21.  It’s Okay To Not Go To College

This is coming from someone who was a college dropout at 19, and currently back in school.  If you don’t feel ready to go to college, that’s okay too.  College is very expensive, especially here in the US, and not everyone can get a scholarship, even if they did apply for a lot of them.  Maybe get a part-time job or two (for some income), explore some hobbies you enjoy, and take some time to think about some goals.     

22. If You’re In College, It’s Okay To Stay At Home

Again, coming from a former college dropout, I stayed at home while attending a nearby community college in another state.  However, out-of-state tuition and housing is also very expensive.  If you have a good relationship with your parents, and if you’re going to school in-state, talk to them about staying home while going to school.  If you don’t, then talk to a trusted friend or family member about getting an apartment together that isn’t on-site housing while you’re attending school.

23. Watch Non-English Language Movies

If you’re a movie lover like me, take some time to watch some foreign language films once in a while; and I know we anime fans do, lol.  To be honest, it does get very boring watching English language films all the time, whether from the States, England, or Canada.  Watching foreign language movies will definitely help you to understand the world a lot better, if you don’t have the means for traveling yet; and they will help you to understand that no matter where we live, we all have similar issues, hopes, dreams, etc.  If you need a starting point, I recommend any of the Studio Ghibli movies, I would start with Kiki’s Delivery Service; or Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth.  

24. SET BOUNDARIES

Remember: toxic family members and friends are not worth it.  You are worthy and valid for love and respect.  This correlates to number 7.  This is also very useful in the workplace.  

25. Express Yourself Through Fashion

Like everyone else, I feel most comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt myself; however sometimes I like to dress up just for fun, or to build up my self esteem and image.  This also helps when learning to pair an accessory with an outfit.  Play around with different color palettes and clothing styles, and find the one you feel the most “you.”  For example, I’ve always looked my best in jewel tones and a cooler color palette.  Read some fashion articles or watch some YouTube videos about how to pick out an outfit.

26. It Is Not Selfish To Prioritize Yourself

This correlates with number 3.  I have noticed it’s mostly a Western/American/Christian culture norm, we’re always told to take care of others before taking care of ourselves; or we’re selfish for prioritizing ourselves over others. It is not selfish, it is part of self care. Again, this is tied in with number 24.

27.   Failing and Making Mistakes Is Part of Growing

There is so much societal pressure on trying to be successful in life and work, especially in the Western/American hemisphere. However, making mistakes and failing at something is part of growing, and learning as an individual.

28. It's Okay to Not Have a Label to Define Yourself

Hear me out. I understand the use of labels in society and culture in general; everyone wants to belong somewhere and feel accepted. However, it is okay to not have a label to define who you are, and who you want/choose to be. Take all the time you need to figure out what's best for you. And sometimes people don't realize a label will fit them until they are much older in life. Or they couldn't at the time.

29. Don't Compare, You'll Get There

We are human, and we all have the tendency to compare ourselves to others. Unfortunately, this doesn't end after high school and college. And that needs to seriously change, especially in the Western/American hemisphere. Simply writing down "don't compare, you'll get there" is a great reminder to have for yourself. Everyone learns and grows at their own pace.

30. It Really Is The Little Things That Keep Us Going

When life seems to get too hard, it really is the little things that keep us going. Whether it is something as simple as someone holding a door open for you, or someone complimenting* you on your outfit or your work ethic; those moments are the ones that matter the most. Remember those moments, hold on to them.

#january #january 27th #birthday #aquarius #self care #self worth #self improvement #mental health #reading #books #food #vote #physical health #personal finance #adulting #college #community college #university #movies #college life #study motivation #30th birthday #you are valid #you are worthy #lgbtqia

[pizza-is-my-buziness]

Hope you’re having a nice day. Can I ask what are the best queer books you’ve read?

Okay anon. I feel like I've trained for this my entire life lol

So full disclosure, most of the queer books I've read are sapphic books so pretty much all of my recommendations will lean in that direction.

Realistic Fiction/Romance (YA)

She Gets the Girl (this is my absolute most favorite in the entire world I think lol)

Forget Me Not

Home Field Advantage

Melt with You (another top tier favorite -I finished this book and cried because it was what I had been looking for my whole life and that's when it dawned on me that I could just...keep reading books like this forever)

She Drives Me Crazy

The Lucky List

Not My Problem

Out of Character

6 Times We Almost Kissed (And One Time We Did)

You Should See Me in a Crown

Margot Zimmerman Gets the Girl

Hazel Bly and the Deep Blue Sea (middle grade not YA)

Realistic Fiction/Romance (Adult)

Delilah Green Doesn't Care/Astrid Parker Doesn't Fail

Mistakes Were Made

Cleat Cute (it isn't out yet but trust me it's so great)

In the Event of Love

Payback's a Witch

Kiss Her Once For Me

One Last Stop

Horror/Fantasy/Sci-fi

The River Has Teeth (I am obsessed with this author)

Squad (graphic novel)

I'm the Girl (definitely check trigger warnings for this one)

These Fleeting Shadows

The Bone Spindle

The Restless Dark (seriously this author)

The Dead and the Dark (obsessed)

Missing Dead Girls

Scrapegracers

*I would probably check trigger warnings for most of the horror stuff just in case!

Also honorable mention to the Truly Devious series which is just so awesome but a secondary main character is in a queer relationship with a non-binary character and another character identifies as ace. The mysteries are also amazing.

Historical Fiction

Last Night at the Telegraph Club

Miseducation of Cameron Post (not so much romance, more coming of age)

The Mercies (does not have an on-page happy ending)

Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (I didn't love this one but it feels like it has to be said lol)

A Few Notes....

I know that I'm forgetting some. I basically sat by my bookshelf/went through my Goodreads for the past 3 years so I'm sure I'm missing some older ones or some classics.

Basically what I look for in a queer book is that it's going to make me happy and make me feel good so hopefully that will be true for other readers -horror is, of course, my favorite and...wow the romance just hits differently

I have a huge TBR I have amassed that has lots more titles that I haven't read personally but would be happy to post for anyone interested

I know that a lot of these books are of similar perspectives/backgrounds/etc. and would love further recommendations and suggestions!

If anyone wants to add to this list I would be thrilled!

#long posts #just #books #also where is all the historical fiction at???

[the---hermit]

Scheletri by Zerocalcare

This was the last unread graphic novel of my shelves, and I read it in a day and a half. I don't know how I managed not to pick this up earlier. This book is exactly what I expect from this artist. I have spoken about Zerocalcare in other posts, and I mentioned how I got into a weird position in which I couldn't read his books anymore because I associated them with a negative period of my life. I have never been happier to finally have his books back for my enjoyment, and I cannot wait to consume more. I feel like my love for his graphic novels is fully restored. This book is the perfect tie between very heavy topics and a sort of humor only this man has (as many of his other works). I have no idea how he manages to balance these two elements so well. I went into this graphic novel without knowing anything of its plot, and it's something I would recommend. It's inspired by the author's younger years, when he was just out of high school starting university and dealing with the imposter syndrom of someone who feels like they just don't belong there. And this is just the starting point of a story that dives into drugs, trauma and violence. As I mentioned very heavy topics that are taken as seriously as one should, but paired with a sort of humor that will make you laugh anyway, which in my opinion helps if you usually struggle with certain topics. If you aren't familiar with this author the pairing of such different elements might sound weird, but believe me it works. Zerocalcare's graphic novels work so well because at the end of the day this man is incredibly relatable. The type of existential crisis and thought patterns he shows are exactly those you might have, those you might have had. This is why I fell in love with his books when I was younger, I saw a man portay certain anxieties and emotions I had and it made me feel understood, and it also gave me an opportunity to laugh at thoughts that hurt me. What I am saying might make no sense to you, what I want to say is that the way his character reacts to both the best and worst things that could possible happen in life are very close to how you would react. I don't know if this very messy book review will get you to check his works out (many of his graphic novels have been translated in English as well as other languages). As I said I have a very deep love for his work, and I am very grateful I finally sorted out the block that took this enjoyment from me for so long.

I read this for the one word title prompt of the jumbo reading challenge.

#2023 book #book #books #book reciew #book rec #book recommendation #graphic novel #scheletri #zerocalcare #italian author #reading #bookblr #booklr #book cover #mine #the---hermit

[canonicallyanxious]

sarah's non-comprehensive Shortbox Comics Fair rec list

hi hello have you heard about the Shortbox Comics Fair? It's an annual digital comics fair that runs through the month of October and showcases over 100+ amazing shortform digital comics from a whole host of supremely talented comic artists which means it's about to end in like A DAY. Pls go check it out if you haven't, this tableau is seriously kickass and it's fun and good to support rad indie artists!!!!

anyway to show my appreciation for these amazing stories i wanted to pull together a quick rec list of some of my favorites of the ones i've picked up, although i just want to say i honestly and wholeheartedly loved every single story i picked up and also dearly wish i had the budget to pick up more! i truly believe this fair has something for everyone but hopefully this list can serve as something of a starting point [mind the content warnings]:

Adversary by Blue Delliquanti - Minneapolis, 2021. Curtis is newly out, single, and ready to take his life in a different direction. Anton is a mysterious young man who recognizes Curtis from their pre-pandemic lives and reacquaints himself in a way Curtis isn’t entirely prepared for.

Hoo baby this is an intense one but so incredibly worth it. The visual storytelling through the coloring and the shading is chef's kiss, the characters so fully realized in such a short space, the story so darkly compelling and yet with an current of hope under the simmering rage and hurt that's practically leaping off the page with every incisive line of dialogue. definitely one of those stories you need to sit with for a bit after you finish it. [i also highly recommend the completed webcomic O Human Star and the YA graphic novel Across a Field of Starlight by this author, they're one of my faves!!]

Between Sand and Sea by C.A.P Ward - A call to the sea, a call to the shore, a call home. When their family leaves the coast, a youth struggles with life away from the only home they know. Their longing calls the sea inland until a choice must be made, tide the changes this brings, or chart an uncertain path to find what it means to come home.

god what a gorgeous coming of age story from start to finish - beautiful art, beautiful writing, beautiful characters, a beautiful resolution, just everything about this!! i love the mythic quality of the storytelling and i love the quiet yearning for home and belonging and meaning that suffuses the whole narrative. and you know a bitch is weak for sea metaphors of birth and belonging!

Chamber by Chamber by Ryugere - An executioner grapples with the guilt of killing an old friend as they take care of an abandoned child.

Yes all the characters in this comic are snails. No none of them have faces or facial expressions. Yes it completely fucked me up regardless. Highly recommend for the subtle but gutwrenching world-building, the expressiveness of the characters [turns out you don't need faces to accomplish this to devastating effect jesus], and the complexity of morality the main character grapples with throughout the story.

Cynosure by Jessica Peng - If two women were trapped on a spaceship and one was a malfunctioning AI and the other is trying to kill the former with a hatchet would that be fucked up or what?

oh you know this is exactly my type of shit. it's the doomed narrative and the homoeroticism of antagonism and the two lonely people reaching for each other despite everything of it it all! i LOVE the way the story of this relationship unfolds through the story through the alternating povs, each chapter somehow throwing everything that came before it into a new and startling light.

Hourglass by Barbara Mazzi - The Hourglass is called many things: the perfect machine, the source of all life, the fountain of youth. It promises immortal comfort to the privileged, but it also looms over its creators, making them slaves to its tics and gears. Martel knows that there are other simple, inexplicable things that give life meaning, way more valuable than eternity. A system built on rejecting such principles is beyond fragile - it is a ticking time bomb.

The richness of the world-building in this story, my goodness. it really ticks all my boxes: impeccable steampunk vibes, searing social commentary and portrayal of structural inequality through fantasy allegory, endlessly charming characters from two vastly disparate worlds forming a fragile but profound connection. And that ending! What a read!

I Am Of Two Hearts by Val Wise - Emissary Thresa will be executed on return to his King. Before his death, he visits the temple of his birth

I don't want to spoil anything but this one. it really hit me somewhere tender and aching. Thresa is a thoroughly captivating protagonist and following his emotional journey through this comic honestly left me breathless. i'm going to be thinking about this one for a long while.

#sarah.txt #webcomics #comic recs #shortbox comic fair #looking at the summaries of these comics i have compiled like man have u ever been more on ur bullshit sarah lol #i promise tho there are so many different kinds of good comics here!! #horror comics and experimental comics and slice of life comics and sweet romcom comics and it's all so so good! check it out if you can!!!!

[firespirited]

Station Eleven

I very nearly tapped out - at the end of episode 1, I was dissociating heavily, remembering [redacted paragraphs on paragraphs of stream of consciousness trauma-dumping].

So you know by now that I was burned out on the post apocalyptic genre by my teens due to the ableism, misogyny and really bungled racial metaphors... but reviewers that I trust said this was different. Even so, I was going to drop this... but... uh since I was mentally spiralling thought maybe I could break it by pressing "next" and getting engrossed in whatever comes up... and boom: there was a disabled person front and center, not a skilled killer or doctor or anything superskilled, a disabled actor playing a disabled actor thriving in the future. If that had been in episode 1, it would have had me at hello. If there hadn't been an episode 2 on my hard drive, I was going to watch Dark City.

It's a hard sell, ten hours of people working through the wreckage of a pandemic with multiple timelines and puzzle pieces? But it's done in a way that keeps you hooked and not with cliffhangers and 'this is going somewhere eventually' mystery boxes.

I'm not going to lie, I was ready to drop it again by the middle, the type of person these kids had become due to their circumstances was reverting to the classic imaginary dystopia "primal state" (once supposed to critique the present state of affairs but has become a lazy trope). And then in episode 7, they turn that on its head. Our protag finds a way to forgive the child she was and we realize there is going to be real growth. Not just compounded trauma: healthy dealing with past, present and future fears.

The final episodes were amazing. And worth the 6 first hours which are not a slog because the pacing's good but still quite the emotional toil. You will probably cry at least 10–20 minutes of the finale if not a full 30-40 like me.

Miranda's arc and art is the backbone and heart of this show, she's already seen the end of her world, a pandemic is just the latest mess. That resonated with me and I suspect will for many of you, the ones for whom the pandemic was a huge deal but also at least your third time on the merry-go-round of human apathy to outright cruelty, getting your heart broken by losing people you trusted and facing bureaucracies designed to break you. I relied not just on art but seeing people who'd already felt like their world had ended before and gone through it who took this seriously with compassion not individualism guiding their actions and words. "Little apocalypses" like betrayal or poverty or a body falling apart.

And that's the story really, the art of people who've felt the world collapse and managed to put that into words and metaphors, it carries us. Shakespeare is used to heal multiple people's emotional wounds in this story but so does Miranda and her graphic novel.

This is the part where you go to YOURNAME.tumblr.com/archive/2020/12/ and look to see if you talked about any media that helped you during lockdown.

I recommend Station Eleven if you're looking for a twist on the dystopia genre, if you're ready to do a little exorcism on things you might not have dealt with yet (because it's ongoing *shakes fist*) and like stories written by women about women that also have a wide diversity of scope. A post apocalypse with no rape threats, no coercive pregnancies, no religious compounds with harems, no selling sex for food or shelter.

If you'd like to imagine TLOU's Ellie finds family with a travelling music and theatre group, deals with her attachment issues, is friends with her ex-girlfriends, learns enough emotional maturity to help others in crisis. This might be for you.

As always check doesthedogdie as there is violence, there is pandemic imagery, there is emotional violence and mental illness, there is a cult of traumatized children and teens who've grown up without parents and ethical frameworks and they're completely unfazed by death: that's some tough subject matter.

#saf #movie reviews #and also tv #station eleven #long post

[jazy3]

I posted 2,255 times in 2022

That's 1,674 more posts than 2021!

111 posts created (5%)

2,144 posts reblogged (95%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@hawkinslibrary

@sophiathebanished

@hotgluegunflower

@stephsxcorner

@dreamybevcrly

I tagged 2,232 of my posts in 2022

Only 1% of my posts had no tags

#stranger things - 1,446 posts

#strangerthingsedit - 705 posts

#steve harrington - 639 posts

#stancy - 403 posts

#nancy wheeler - 381 posts

#dailystrangerthings - 339 posts

#stedit - 269 posts

#tvstrangerthings - 193 posts

#st4 spoilers - 188 posts

#stranger things 4 - 182 posts

Longest Tag: 134 characters

#there’s so many complexities in max’s grieving and if it’s dumbed down to ‘i’m sad the billy died’ i’m going to punch a hole in the tv

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

For all the Steve and Nancy shippers out there I highly recommend you check out the Rebel Robin: Surviving Hawkins Podcast! Even if podcasts aren’t usually your thing. The series is set during Season 1 of Stranger Things and is about what Robin was up to during that time and there’s lots of great Steve and Nancy content going on in the background.

47 notes - Posted January 17, 2022

#4

Marry Me Review

!!!SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

I was really excited to see this movie based on the trailers and it did not disappoint! It was so good! If you haven’t seen it yet I highly recommend that you find some time this weekend and go! It’s so funny and the music is so catchy! It’s exactly what I needed to see right now! At its core Marry Me is pure, fluffy, rom-com magic. As others have pointed out what makes it so special is that it recaptures so much of that magic that early 2000’s rom-coms had without any of the offensive jokes, patriarchal nonsense, or stupid misunderstandings that could have been solved with a five minute conversation. There’s a reason it was the number one movie on Valentine’s Day this year.

Based on the graphic novel of the same name by Bobby Crosby, Marry Me is about a pop superstar named Kat Valdez who minutes before she’s about to go onstage and marry her fiancé Bastian finds out that he’s been cheating on her with her assistant Tyra via a gossip website. Distressed and heartbroken she picks a man holding a ‘Marry Me’ sign out of the crowd and agrees to marry him onstage. The man turns out to be Charlie Gilbert, a divorced math teacher, who is there with his daughter Lou and was guilted into going to the concert by his best friend Parker.

Following the concert Kat decides to stay married to Charlie for a few months to avoid people thinking she’s manic and that there’s something wrong with her and to put a positive spin on an otherwise terrible situation. Charlie reluctantly agrees to the arrangement out of kindness and as time goes on the two grow closer after getting the chance to spend time together outside of the media spotlight and her management team. Kat bonds with Charlie’s daughter Lou and gets to know his students and eventually the two fall in love for real.

The movie stars Jennifer Lopez as pop superstar Kat Valdez, Latin pop star Maluma as Bastian, Owen Wilson as math teacher Charlie Gilbert, Sarah Silverman as Parker Debbs the school guidance counsellor and Charlie’s best friend, and John Bradley from Game of Thrones as Collin Calloway Kat’s long-time manager and friend. Rounding out the cast are Chloe Coleman from My Spy and Big Little Lies as Charlie’s daughter Lou and Michelle Buteau as Kat’s assistant Melissa. Jimmy Fallon also appears playing a fictionalized version of himself throughout the movie.

What makes this film work is the quality of the writing and the adorable odd-couple chemistry that Kat and Charlie share. They make you fall in love with their story and root for them. The film perfectly leans into the silliness and romanticism that made early to mid 2000’s rom-coms so fun! I loved how the movie stuck to its premise and didn’t try to be something that it wasn’t. The film never takes itself too seriously or tries to make some big profound point. It’s everything that I hoped Isn’t It Romantic? the 2019 rom-com staring Rebel Wilson and Liam Hemsworth would be but wasn’t.

And the reason is clear. The problem with Isn’t It Romantic as a movie was that it took itself too seriously, was always trying to prove some big point about the patriarchy or social norms, and leaned so heavily into parody that it was no longer funny. I had high hopes for that movie and I know a lot of other people did too and while it was ground-breaking for its casting of a plus sized lead the movie ultimately fell flat and just wasn’t the success everyone had hoped for.

Where Marry Me finds its strength is in working within the conventional norms of the traditional rom-com and romantic movie genre while also pointing out things that are problematic in more subtle ways. Because of this when Kat gives a speech at a press conference talking about how ridiculous it is that women feel like they have to wait for a proposal and are expected to take their husband’s last name it doesn’t feel preachy or overdone. It feels authentic. It feels like the genuine complaints of a frustrated woman whose been through hell and back and that is a feeling I think a lot of women can relate to.

There is so much expected of us and going against the grain to do what you want and be happy can often be an uphill battle and come with challenges that most men, the straight ones anyway, rarely have to face. In truth, Marry Me is the feminist rom-com for the modern age that so many other movies have tried to be but didn’t really pull off. There were so many things I loved about this movie. I was surprised at just how funny it was! I knew it would have humour in it based on the premise and the trailers, but I was pleasantly surprised at just how on point the jokes were.

Concentrated heavily in the first half of the movie the jokes, humorous dialogue, and comical situations had me laughing non-stop. The opening number of Kat’s concert is an upbeat tempo number called ‘Church’ that finds J.Lo dressed in an ornament, bejewelled, Catholic cross inspired body suit surrounded by back up dancers in sexy shortened nun outfits. I couldn’t stop laughing and the song is really catchy! It felt like a cross between a Madonna and a J.Lo concert in the best way! It honestly made me want to see her sing live in person. Both Wilson and Lopez have great comedic timing together and Silverman knocks it out of the park as always. Bradley and Coleman shine in their comedic moments as well.

The second half of the movie focused more heavily on emotional moments and power ballads which served to give the movie its emotional punch and sentimental centre. Something I really loved about this movie is that it addressed a whole bunch of things that most movies or TV shows usually leave out or don’t address which are particular pet peeves of my best friend and I who I went to see the movie with. For example, we see Kat talking to her manager about filling the paperwork to make the marriage legal. This is a big pet peeve of ours as in most films or TV shows you see people get married by an officiant, but you never see them actually sign the paperwork or talk about it.

Likewise, when Kat got to the airport to go after Charlie, we saw her manager come to her rescue with her passport, a ticket, and some money as you can’t get on a plane without those things. I had a moment when I thought they were just going to let her through and onto the plane because she was famous which would have been super unrealistic in this day and age. It made for a really sweet moment between Kat and her manager Collin who showed himself to be a loving and supportive friend who genuinely cared about her and did what he could to protect her. I also loved the moment when she tried to buy someone else’s ticket and he had to explain to her that that was illegal and that everyone, or almost everyone, knows that. I’m glad that they chose to go the realistic route as it made for some funny moments and added a sense of realism to the film that a lot of rom-coms, even good ones, tend to lack.

I loved the scenes of Kat and Charlie getting to know each other and them challenging each other to step outside of their comfort zones. Like Kat getting Charlie to try social media and become more tech savvy and Charlie getting Kat to do things for herself when she hadn’t in a long time. I felt like spending time with Charlie brought Kat back to her roots and that was what made her fall for him. I love that Kat found a way to help Charlie connect with Lou more and the scenes with Charlie and Lou’s dog were adorable and hilarious.

I particularly loved the scene with the Ferris Wheel where Kat got the park to reopen for a night so that they could go alone, and he could experience something that brought back fond memories of his mother. Sweet romantic gestures that bring back good memories are the kind of “I’m rich and famous so I can do this” uses of power or influence that I can get behind. I also loved the scene where Kat gave Lou the Chanel purse and we learned that she works with a non-profit that helps women dress for success and get back on their feet.

I have to say J.Lo’s hat game was on point in this movie! Her outfits were stunning! I loved all of them from her concert ensembles to her date night getups. And the music in this film was incredible! My friend and I both said that we wouldn’t be surprised at all if the tracks from this film wind up charting and that if people use ‘Marry Me’ as one of their wedding songs unironically in the years to come. I’ve personally been blasting the soundtrack since I got home from the theatre and have no intention of stopping.

My personal favourites are the pop and ballad versions of ‘Marry Me’ by J.Lo and Maluma, the religiously inspired pop smash ‘Church’, the self-love ballad ‘Love of my Life’, pop ballad ‘On My Way’, and the yearningly beautiful ‘After Love’. I was shocked and surprised to see Utkarsh Ambudkar as one of the mathalete coaches! As long time followers will know I loved him Free Guy and I love him in CBS’ Ghosts. He’s one of a handful of actors that’s been cropping up in everything lately now that all of the pre-pandemic content that was put on hold for the past year to two years is finally being released and I couldn’t be happier for him.

All this being said no movie is without its faults. To this end, I often found Michelle Buteau’s character annoying and felt like she was a bit much at times. However, humour is subjective and since her style of acting and humour has never really been my thing my dislike of her character was kind of inevitable and I can appreciate that other people do enjoy her particular brand of humour. Something I found odd was how Jimmy Fallon was portrayed throughout the movie.

While the opening late night monologue we see playing at Kat’s apartment was funny, talking about how she married a random guy from the audience and joking that she would likely leave him for her Uber driver and then a bellboy, each successive appearance made Fallon appear more and more cruel and mean spirited. I found this odd because out of all the male late night talk show hosts I find Fallon to be the most kind and genuine. He’s one of the better ones in my opinion and I honestly enjoy watching him interview celebrities and I find his monologues and various segments funny and entertaining.

A big part of his appeal I think is how warm and friendly he is and that seems to genuinely care about his guests and the people who work on his show. Which is why I found it odd that he came across as so villainous and mean spirited in the film. I know he’s playing a caricature of himself, but I think he’s usual persona would have worked just fine. Throughout the movie he seemed to go out of his way to make digs at Kat’s expense and during a live television interview tried to get her to admit that her and Bastion were back together. None of which seems to fit with the person he appears to be in real life or at least the person we see on TV normally.

For instance, when he interviewed RuPaul on his show in February of 2020 and thought that he had insulted them by accident he looked horrified and embarrassed so I found it odd that they had him portray himself as a villain when they already had the philandering Bastion to fill that role. All in all, Marry Me is a feel good, hilarious, and heart-warming film about trying something different and finding true love in the process. If you haven’t seen it yet I highly recommend it!

Until next time!

51 notes - Posted February 19, 2022

#3

So for Season 5 of Stranger Things I really want to see the 1986 graduation and prom. If we don’t get it I will feel robbed! I want to see Nancy give the valedictorian speech talking about how her Barb used to joke about who would win. I want to see Nancy, Robin, and Vickie go prom dress/suit shopping and put on a fashion show for El and Max. I want to see Steve take Nancy to prom, but go as a group with Robin and Vickie so that they can go to prom together without drawing suspicion. I want to see the girls get ready at Nancy’s and when they come downstairs when Steve arrives to pick them up I want Karen to remark on how Steve looks like Tom Cruise and how Vickie looks like Molly Ringwald in Sixteen Candles, how Robin looks like Katharine Hepburn, and how Nancy looks like a movie star! I want Karen to take a million pictures and I want to see them have the best time. I can totally see Nancy dancing with Robin and Vickie so they can be close without it being noticeable and the girl dressed as a member of KISS from the Halloween party in Season 2 showing up to ask Jonathan if he wants to dance. I can picture it!

60 notes - Posted September 26, 2022

#2

If we don’t get a Beetlejuice reference where one of the kids says Joyce looks just like the actress in that new movie everyone’s talking about and Joyce blushes and says, ‘You think I look like a movie star? That’s so sweet!’ and Hopper says, ‘You always look like a movie star to me.’ At the end of Season 5 of Stranger Things then what is even the point?

91 notes - Posted October 16, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

Then Steve was in front of me, shoving me out of the way, squaring up with the bat like he'd face down the whole world and take a chunk out of it before he let anything get to us.

Max Mayfield in Runaway Max

This is probably the best description of Steve I have ever read! It’s exactly why I love him as a character! What makes it so funny is that in the book only a few pages prior Max is thinking to herself that Steve doesn't look like a hero and then this is the description you get when the monster climbs on the bus in the junkyard and tries to eat them. If you haven’t read Runaway Max by Brenna Yovanoff I highly recommend it! I also recommend Rebel Robin by A. R. Capetta. Both are good and great primers for Season 4 of Stranger Things! 

168 notes - Posted March 29, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

#tumblr2022 #year in review #my 2022 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

[hypnagogic-marshmallow]

So uh, do you ever do that thing where you think you did something, except you didn't do it, you only remembered to do it, and somehow your brain decided that was the same thing?

Yeah, that was me with turning on my ask box. ANYWAY.

@theskeletoninthegarden

(referencing this post)

 How many books did you read this year?

If we're counting manga (and I am because if it was good enough for my library's summer reading program, it's good enough for everyone else), I would guesstimate about...hmm...

113, perhaps?

Manga was my gateway back into reading after many, many years of Pointless Reading Anxiety Over Nothing. It's quick, it's good, and easy, so that made everything else easier to get into, too!

But including only the wordy-word books, that's about, uhh...

34? Many of them re-reads as I revisited old favorites.

17. Top five books of the year

Alrighty, here we go (in no particular order because I am bad at ranking):

-An Ordinary Wonder by Buki Papillon. Seriously, this one hooked me right from the beginning. It follows an intersex main character living in Nigeria. There are some harrowing scenes so read safely, but it was. Just so good. Pretty sure I cried.

-I had That Same Dream Again by Yoru Sumino. This one was so stinkin' cute and whimsical. I had a fantastic time, and it really reminded me of what it's like to be a kid again.

-The Killing Woods by Lucy Christopher. YA mystery about the sudden death of a girl, and all the people tangled up in it. This one was a re-read, and I'd only read it once before, but it really nails the type of writing style I lean towards.

-It Had to Be You by Georgia Clark. I historically haven't read a lot of romance, but this is the book that convinced me I should read more. Especially the fluffy kind. Bonus: an entire will-they-gay, won't-they-gay tension permeates the entire thing, with a payoff that I won't spoil. But I had a great time.

-Providence by Max Berry. If you like existential space horror and would enjoy a prominent character that you can easily headcanon as autistic, I'd check this one out.

Bonus shout-out to Haikyu! as the manga series that has devoured my soul this year. I fuckin' love my volleyball boys.

34. What’s a book you’ve recommended the most this year?

I haven't done much recommending, but I absolutely would suggest The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen if you are even slightly interested in graphic novels. I did me a nice cry over that one.

18. Least favourite books of the year

Well, nothing I outright disliked, so that's good! In terms of manga, I tried Dr. Stone for the first time, and it just was a series I couldn't get into. The Last Slave Ship by Ben Raines was very interesting, but was probably the hardest to get through.

Thanks again for the ask!! This was fun. :D

#reading #yearly roundup #thoughts #looong sorry lol

[onlymurdersintheafterparty]

6 International Mystery/Thriller Films to Watch on Netflix

Recently I've been trying to get more into the international side of Netflix to see what hidden gems exist in the other countries and they've got quite a bit! I decided to watch 10 films that grabbed my interest and made a list of recommendations. That being said, here's my list of 10 mystery films to check out on Netflix.

1. Murder Mubarak

Country: India

Language: Hindi

Director: Homi Adajania

When a murder occurs at a high end establishment called The Royal Delhi Club, ACP Bavani Singh and his sidekick officer Padam are on the case. To me this movie was a pretty solid whodunnit. ACP Singh and Padam gave me big Poirot & Chief Inspector Japp vibes and the club setting and its employees and wealthy guests gave me Knives Out vibes. It was kind of predictable but even then I found myself unsure who the murderer was. There was a brief graphic scene showing a dead cat as well as some shots of the same cat unconscious so just a heads up if you decide to watch it.

2. In Love and Deep Water

Country: Japan

Language: Japanese

Director: Yusuke Taki

Suguru Ubukata is a butler on a cruise ship that takes his job very seriously. A 42 day voyage that should go smoothly gets messy when not only does he discover his girlfriend is having an affair, there’s a murder that takes place on the night that the ship sets sail. It’s more romance than mystery in my opinion because a lot of focus is on the budding romance between Suguru and Chizuru Banjaku, the girlfriend of Suguru’s girlfriend’s lover.

3. A Deadly Invitation

Country: Mexico

Language: Spanish

Director: José Manuel Cravioto

Agatha Hernandez, a true crime fan and co-host of a podcast called Unsolved Crimes, unexpectedly gets an invitation to visit her estranged sister Olivia at her mansion. The reason for the invite? Olivia wants to play a deadly game. She lays everyone’s dirty secrets out on the table and the reasons they would have to kill each other. To no one’s surprise Olivia is dead before morning and it’s up to Agatha to solve the murder. It gives me The Last of Sheila (1973) vibes because of the similarities such as the secrets being revealed by the host on a yacht, but I think overall it does end up being it's own film. It's a straightforward mystery with minimal violence and gore and in my opinion has a satisfiable ending.

4. The Lost Patient

Country: France

Language: French

Director: Christophe Charrier

Thomas Grimaud, a 19 year old, falls into a coma for 3 years after his entire family is murdered except for his sister who disappeared without a trace. When he awakens he has no memory of what happened or where his sister is. With the help of a psychologist, Thomas tries to piece together what happened to his family. To be honest the film is a bit predictable but even then I found the ending to be a little bit confusing. It resembles the plot of a film that came out a couple of years before and I don’t want to spoil it so if you’re interested it’s listed at the end of this post.

5. The Postcard Killings

Country: England

Language: English

Director: Danis Tanović

Jacob Kanon, a detective with the NYPD, travels to London to find answers after his daughter and her husband are killed there while on their honeymoon. The police refuse to give out answers and when discovering that their deaths were committed by a serial killer who targets other newlyweds and leaves a signature post card, Jacob decides to investigate on his own. When an American journalist Désirée Lombard receives a postcard in Sweden, Jacob seeks her help to track down the killer and get justice for his daughter and all of the other victims. As Jacob closes in on the killer’s identity it becomes a game of cat and mouse and a race to prevent another couple’s death.

TW: Body Horror

6. Killer Book Club

Country: Spain

Language: Spanish

Director: Carlos Alonso-Ojea

A group of college students with a book club for horror novels are stalked by a killer in a clown suit after a revenge prank leads to a death. The killer clown is writing a story about the murder and devotes each chapter to one of the club members being punished killed. The concept of a horror book club being the target of a killer is an interesting new take on the slasher film genre. Since it’s a slasher film you can expect a lot of gory scenes. Some parts of the movie were predictable but I don’t think it took away from what was a simple slasher film.

TW: Sexual Assault

SPOILERS FOR THE LOST PATIENT

The movie that the Lost Patient resembles and imo executes the amnesia aspect and plot twist way better is Forgotten (2017) also on Netflix and starring Kang Ha-Neul.

#mystery films #thriller films #mystery/thriller films #Netflix #featured #movies

[musings-of-a-lit-student]

The Honeymoon: Part 6

Disclaimer: I don’t own Maus or any of Spiegelman’s work. I have attached the photos from the work itself, but do not claim to own the scanned version either. I highly recommend purchasing the book to support the original author. My thoughts do not represent the author's work and are merely my own interpretations.

Warning: MAUS is a graphic novel based on the author’s father’s experiences during the holocaust and includes anecdotes and scenes including violence, blood which may be considered triggering. 

Introduction: The work MAUS by Art Spiegelman is a novel that tells the story of Vladek Spiegelman and his experiences during the holocaust using an allegory and parallel storylines to depict the Vladek's past and Artie's present as he hears the story from his father. This work includes an autobiographical and biographical element due to the inclusion of two main characters - Vladek and Artie. Spiegelman makes the decision to introduce himself as a character in the work as a mouthpiece for himself.

Main Characters: Artie: The author Vladek: Artie's father Anja: Artie's mother Mala: Vladek's second wife Françoise: Artie's wife

Navigation ->The Honeymoon Masterlist -> Previous Part

MAUS by Art Spiegelman

Points of Interest:

Loss is common

During the war, and even after it, we see the Spiegelman family is often robbed. The confusion regarding intentions remains clear, as it could be due to antisemitism or merely monetary gain and the lack of understanding of the robbers perspective suggests that there is a lot of mundane events that trouble the Spiegelmans, besides from the Nazis even in the present.

Anja's Silence

Anja remains quiet while the men in her life discuss what has occurred during their time in the sanitarium. It is telling that after having 'recovered', she is still displaced in the family, and excluded from discussions that involve her things too. Her reunion with her father is limited by the business that involves only the men of the house.

Vladek's Dependance on his Father in Law

The reliance for funding and money to rebuild his factory suggests Vladek is making a lot of money by simply marrying Anja. He keeps referring to him, and Vladek is far from self-made right now, however his entrepreneurial skills and the such are what we shall see later. Right now Vladek leans on his family to move forward, just as they too shall do that in the future.

Spacious Courtyard

The largeness of the house is seen through the big courtyard Spiegelman draws. As he hasn't seen the house, we can assume he has chosen to present the house a spacious and open place to live in due to the information he has about the social and financial status of his family. It's a sharp contrast from squalor they live in during the war which he does to emphasise on the war's effects on his family.

Richieu's Innocence

Vladek's absent-minded parenting seems to reflect what Spiegelman himself has undergone. Vladek seems engrossed in the discussion of the growing danger, and Richieu is unaffected by all of this discussion about violence. The expectation that he may be troubled doesn't cross Vladek's mind, and Spiegelman seems to depict his own childhood where Vladek discussed violence, antisemitism and his experiences about the holocaust around him too. Check out the prologue here for a depiction of his childhood.

Violence Increasing

Hindsight is 20/20 and the discussion of Hitler's intentions in the present and the rising violence in the past is a clear sign of bad times coming, however within the past we see the characters do not take it very seriously, and only feel insults on a surface level. This suggests that they have covered a lot of ground between past and present, and with the knowledge of the past, the events and beliefs of then seem more unreasonable and unfounded.

Next Part

#maus #musings-of-a-lit-student #art spiegelman #literature #analysis #writing #long post #antisemitism #holocaust #graphic novel #comics #art #illustration #books and literature #books #book recommendations #novel #thoughts #reading #english literature #academia #dark academia #light academia #book bans #ban #banned books #education #trending #spilled thoughts

[frogsandfries]

Well that was obnoxious

I should've just stayed exclusively on mobile, but my phone is seriously dying and I want to blather about my actually better-than-expected progress this evening. I got to page thirty-four on Canva, which was all I had edited the apostrophes and quotation marks. I've already done something like ten new pages of this cleanup; that's really going to be the biggest drive.

The book punch is on its way in the next few weeks, and I ordered some *impressive eyebrow wiggle* tiny paper origami cranes for the bookmarks for Manacled! I'm going to try to spend this next few weeks typesetting Mirror.

I bought some red ribbon for Apple Pie--I bought a bone folder! Book corners, a five-ended cat tunnel, and a silverware organizer! I'm probably going to crack at some point in the next two weeks or so and buy yet another pack of paper.

I'm actually half-trying to find if there's a better paper I'm "supposed" to be using? And since I'm basically out of adhesive (except for the methcel???), I also went to find a new adhesive that's better for bookbinding.

You'll never fucking believe.

First, they still make Yes Paste--I gave my barely used, almost at least ten-year-old jar to my friend because she scrapbooks. Who knows how old it was when it was handed along to me, and still usable at the point at which I shared it.

Second, you better goddamn believe I'm slapping down nearly thirty bucks for about sixteen ounces of that shit. It'll last a million years.

Third, for those of you, like me and formerly not in the know, Yes Paste is kinda fucking amazing like. It's weird. So it's almost a solid gel. I'm not entirely positive how it's supposed to be applied. The few times I used it, I think I used my finger. I couldn't really think of how else to use it at the time without being destructive (I didn't have any disposable plastic cards on me at the time). I would recommend an old plastic card or, more formally, a rubber squeegee. It would be to thick and heavy to use a regular paint brush, but perhaps one of those plasticky "disposable" ones from Michaels? With the cheap metal handles?

Another cool thing about Yes Paste is, it's not wet!! Which makes it amazing to use on paper, because the paper won't warp.

I don't remember how it dries, but I feel like I remember it drying sticky; not sure if there were specific instructions for that, but I don't think I read the label on the jar.

Anyway, I do of course already have plans for my portion of next paycheck. I probably had plans for every check from the time I moved in till idk man, probably September or October, at the earliest. I needed storage for all the stuff that's been stuck in these totes I used to move. I want to revenge purchase this tree bookshelf (or a couple). My ex can't stop me and only made me want it more by saying they hated it. Some laptop accessories would not be amiss. I'm still waiting anxiously for a good opportunity to get a new soda machine.

Then I remembered that I need to start adding a couple of items to my wardrobe at least a month, if not every paycheck for a while. Soooooo......... Yeah. Then I added this bookbinding hobby to my roster for at least a few months here and there. Surely I'll get my fill after a while, like with the graphic novel, where I still pick at it here at there, waiting for some kind of trigger to throw me back in. Oh well, I needed to shake up my hobbies for a while. Don't forget also slowly gathering tools and materials for paper-making (just imagine using my leftover scraps of fabric from these fanfic books on my recycled paper sketchbooks--ooooooh).

Anyway, I can only expand within the bounds of my habit, so eventually the spending will need to stop. I only need so many dishes and kitchen accessories, bookshelves (okay, you think the limits of my container are going to help my bookbinding obsession???), clothes.......

#yes paste #bookbinding #materials #adhesive #glue #paste #recommendation #ramble #slightly stoned #just a touch

[nerdby]

I hate to say it but the one thing Moms 4 Fascism is doing right actually reading the books that their kids wanna read.

Like I fucking hate those people -- there are dads in the group too -- but it is really important to monitor and talk to your kids about the media they consume. When you do that without the intention of turning them into brainwashed fascists, then you're being a good parent. And I'm speaking from experience here. I did not have very good media literacy growing up. I ended up emulating very, very problematic characters because I didn't understand how or why their behavior was problematic. No one tried to sit down and explain it to me in a way that was not degrading and that made me dig my heels in even more.

If someone had come to me and tried to calmly explain the issue with the media I was consuming, I guarantee I would have listened better.

Like let's look at comic books. A lot of comics and manga are rated T or T+. A T rating means its suitable for ages 13 and up, and T+ is the equivalent of an R-rating which is intended for ages 17 and up. I was parentified growing up and was raising my sister who was a toddler and helping to raise two of my cousins when I first got really into Western comics and started checking them out of the library way back in 2005. I was fifteen years ols. So I did, at one point, tell the children's room librarian that I thought (some) graphic novels should be moved to the Young Adult section of the library.

Like kids over the age of 11 can read whatever the hell they want, ok, but I'm not about to hand a toddler a copy of Berserk or like Marvel's Alias/Jessica Jones or the 2005 Punisher arc.

And apparently the librarians agreed with me and the books did get more popular after being moved to the YA section of the library.

Like a lot of people don't realize how mature comic books really are because--

They're ignorant elitist snobs who think that comics are for children

They're misogynistic assholes who think girls shouldn't read comics because of bullshit gender roles

They're fucking fascists who believe that comic books are pure evil because of problematic male readers -- AKA radfems peddling gender essentialist bullshit

Anything adapted to film tends to be heavily censored, especially anime

But if you want to see how mature comics can be I always recommend Marvel's 2005 MAX run as those books are very graphic and political and marketed at adult readers. Or just watch any of the Netflix Marvel series which are a lot based off of the 2005 MAX run. Like seriously did y'all not see Wilson Fisk decapitate a man with a car door????

No???

Here ya go.

And the first season of Jessica Jones is a straight up traumatizing masterpiece of horror.

But you probably wanna stop after season one cause it gets kinda cringe from there on out. The Defenders series is worth watching as well, but really it's better if you just stick to the books with these. The books are definitely better. Except for the OG Iron Fist cause that entire concept gives off majorly racist white savior vibes but that's a story for another day. Read the newer Iron Fist books where the superhero from Asia that saves Asian people from Asian mafias and is the absolute best at Asian martial arts is now an actual Asian person and not some random white dude👌🏻

Check out Iron Fist: The Shattered Sword by Alyssa Wong here.

Like I had someone tell me that comic books are evil because children will try to emulate super heroes. Believe me, no one wants that so if you're a parent whose having that problem

Make them watch the movie Kick-Ass (2010).

Or enroll your kid in martial arts. There are also martial arts how-to's on YouTube. Be sure to emphasize that martial arts should only be used for self-defense because cops are fascist dicks and in real life superheroes go to prison. Because the government wants to prevent minorities from staging a potentially violent uprising and usurping their asses to bring about something that might hopefully be better🙃

Ok, you can leave that last part out but its kind of an interesting thought, huh?🤔

But like seriously if people would just monitor the media they're kids consume and talk them about how and why it might be problematic and why they should not emulate certain pieces of media then.....Well, it'd still be an issue cause fascists have and will always exist. Maybe it would be more contained, though?

Crazy idea, I know.

#comic books #mental health #marvel #marvel comics #mcu #marvel cinematic universe #graphic novels #marvel movies #books #dc comics #anime and manga #manga #anime #moms for liberty hate group #book bans #books books books #comic book movies #cbm #daredevil #jessica jones #netflix daredevil #marvel jessica jones #marvel alias #kick ass #my life #my childhood #media censorship #fascism #leftist #i will never not be annoyed by this

[midnightliar]

graphic novel recs!!!

mamo by sas milledge: just knowing your taste i know you'll love this...it feels a bit like kiko's delivery service but as a graphic novel

on a sunbeam by tillie walden: sci fi and loneliness and found family :O

laura dean keeps breaking up with me by mariko tamaki: this really, really does live up to the hype and is so very good.

the sleepless duology by sarah vaughan: admittedly it is het but it is also VERY very good. primary relationship i am crazy over and it has insanely cool worldbuilding.

are you listening by tillie walden: okay another tillie walden ik ik. older lesbian goes on a road trip with a much younger lesbian, feat cats and magical realism and metaphors galore. bittersweet and suchhh beautiful art.

it's lonely at the centre of the earth by zoe thorogood: oh my GOD. insane art. it's a deep-dive into depression but also general existentialism especially as young person in your 20s/30s. so so so good i cant recommend highly enough seriously!!! but also it does have a few heavy themes and topics so be warned.

cannonball by kelsey wroten: this gets a bit of flack for having a (sometimes) unlikeable main character but thats honestly why i liked it!! about a gay 20-something artist who is trying to get by and has sharp edges that other people around her keep getting cut on....kind of slice of life a bit but i enjoyed it especially for the unconvential main character

i have more but thats what i'm gonna rec you for now...hopefully you can find and/or will like some of these???

THANK U LEGEND!!!!!!! i have only read one of these (laura dean) so im excited to check the rest of these out thank youyyyy

#me and my stupid friends who can't read wanna do a book club so our idea is soft opening with a graphic novel lol #these sound soooo good wowow #ask #violaeade

[mechanica1-hands]

Just wanted to share some of my favorite expressions from the The Legend of the Fire Princess graphic novel.

BONUS: Catra just sitting on Adora

#this was the best purchase i've ever made #bow has an amazing line about his midriff #i seriously recommend checking out the graphic novel #drunkle speaks #spop #she ra #catra #mermista #perfuma #adora #catradora #i think it's rude for them to have only made one comic book smh my head #the legend of the fire princess #drunkle likes this post #2k

[sweetmotherof]

Haikyuu Fics: The Classics™️

EDIT: pt 2!!

I wanted to make a post to archive what I would call “The Classics” as far as Haikyuu fanfic on ao3 goes. For anyone new to the daunting world of Haikyuu fanfiction, these works are probably the most popular, talked-about works throughout the fandom, so they are a good place to start! I haven’t read some of these, but the reason I included them is that I’ve seen so much hype around them. Comment the ones I missed, and I’m definitely going to be doing a part 2. Enjoy <3 :D

*contains nsfw fics* READ TAGS BEFORE U READ

⭑=my faves

BOKUAKA

Rules by ConesOfDunshire⭑

E, 120 k words

Accountant Akaashi. Pianist Bokuto. WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT??? This fic is seriously novel-worthy, and Bokuto having Asperger’s is a beautiful component to the story. I found that the characterization and the attention to detail the author put into the story is what made it a truly distinguishable and unique fic that allowed it to rise to the top. It is worth every kudos, comment, bookmark, and more. Highly recommend.

Behind Bricks by DeathBelle⭑

E, 60 k words, cw: prostitution, choking, and heavy content so READ THE TAGS

This darker fic follows Akaashi as he deals with his life as a prostitute, and how Bokuto comes in and is able to change it for the better. I feel sometimes that heavy topics such as the trauma from sex work are really misrepresenting in fanfiction, but the author does a great job of portraying it in a real way and not romanticizing it at all. I loved to watch love bloom for Akaashi in the cracks of his tumultuous life, because he deserves everything <333

In Another Life by LittleLuxray⭑

T, 22 k words, cw: terminal illness, hospitals, major character death

As the highest-rated Haikyuu fanfic on ao3, this work is a monument and will go down in Haikyuu history. That being said, it honestly did such a number on me that I think it deserves the hype. This hospital au revolving around Akaashi and Bokuto’s budding relationship is truly heartbreaking, to say the least. Read it at your own risk, and oh, you can find references to it under almost any Bokuaka related post.

IWAOI

Conquering the Great King by SuggestiveScribe

105 k words, E

This rollercoaster of a fic, set in a universe where Oikawa and Iwaizumi meet in a bar, is funny, profound, and awe-inspiring all in one. The relationship dynamic between the two is very cute and well-done. I highly recommend this one if you are a sucker for some good, old Iwaoi, and I also love the side pairings. Just, overall, a really nice and satisfying read.

the courtship ritual of the hercules beetle by kittebasu(chanyeol)

T, 66.3k words, cw: injury, homophobia

This fic is a favorite on tik tok, from what I’ve observed. I haven’t read it yet, but when people discuss it, they always commend the writing and the non-linear narrative. I have personally not read this one yet, but I have seen people rave about this one because of the emotional impact it had on them. It seems to me that the writing and emotions on this one are its claims to fame, so definitely check it out.

Desperado by Verbrennung

M, 82k words

Talk about raved about fics, I have seen this one mentioned countless times on various platforms. This Iwaoi fic is set in a Vegas/Japan fusion setting, which immediately caught my eye. The premise of a heist fic also is probably what caught people's attention the most, because what is better than an Iwaoi heist fic (nothing. nothing is better.) I recommend this if you want a bit of a longer fic that had a tumultuous plot and a wild romance.

SAKUATSU

Burden of Blame by DeathBelle⭑

E, 91k words, cw: graphic violence, guns, ptsd, panic attacks, murder, death, injury and more so READ TAGS

Burden of Blame is THE mafia au fic of the Haikyuu ao3 universe. I love this fic soooo much. From it’s wild plot to the flawless writing, I was constantly on my feet. I definitely recommend if you want something that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Also, the enemies to lovers is CHEFS FUCKING KISS.

A Liar’s Truth by internetpistol⭑

E, 49.6k words, cw: HOMOPHOBIA!! read tags pls

Oh. My. God. I simply cannot with this fic. It turned me inside out, upside down, and threw me into the void. Please, if you have one singular brain cell, you will read this fic. This narrative about Sakusa’s life and his relationship with his sexuality is a masterpiece. I cannot recommend this one enough. You do not want to miss out on this genuine piece of art. 

Stick With You by lettersinpetals

E, 99k words

This fic follows Sakusa and Atsumu as they get stuck in the Philippines over quarantine. Honestly, if you want an enemies to lovers that really goes in depth into the trope, this is the one for you. One of my favorite things about this fic is the inclusion of the Filipino language, and I found myself reading all of the translations at the end. I would recommend this if you want a longer, feel good Sakuatsu fic. Also, lettersinpetals is a Sakuatsu classic author.

the Terminal Curiosity series by favspacetwink and moonlumie

E, total 112k words, not finished, 8 works, READ TAGS

This fic is probably the notorious BDSM fic, which I’m glad because it portrays it in a very consensual and safe way. I’m personally not into that stuff, but I still was able to enjoy it for the plot and the amazing writing. I definitely recommend it if you are looking for something with BDSM components with some focus on their relationship dynamics too. I actually did really enjoy this fic, and I think the way their relationship kind of progressed backward was really, really good. Even if BDSM isn’t your cup of tea, I still recommend checking this one out and reading the tags to see if it is something you’re willing to give a chance too, because, for me, it paid off.  

KUROKEN

the galaxy is endless (i thought we were, too) by cosmogony

T, 30.9k words, cw: illness, DEATH

I have yet to read this fic. I am genuinely too afraid. Similarly to In Another Life, I constantly see people discussing to the degree in which this fic destroyed them, and honestly after In Another Life, I don’t think I could handle another one. This soulmates au has crushed so many people throughout the fandom that if you want someone to give you more detail on why it’s the saddest thing ever, you probably wouldn’t have to look very far.

Of Monsters and Men by shions_heart

M, 220k words, cw: violence, temporary character death

This longer fic follows Kuroo, Kenma, and many others through a demon hunter/buffy the vampire-style universe, with magic, drama, and much more. If you are looking for a fantasy, action-packed, beautifully written fic, this is definitely one you should check out. The romance and action combination will always be chefs kiss, superb. 

#haikyuu #hq #hq fanfic #haikyuu fic recs #BokuAka #iwaoi #sakuatsu #kuroken #in another life #bokuto #akaashi #haikyuu fanfiction #iwaizumi #oikawa #angst #fluff #haikyuu fluff #kenma #kuroo #atsumu #sakusa