I love how Luke and Serene showed Elliot a self defense maneuver and Elliot acts like he doesn't even care enough to even look up from his book, then later he proceeds to execute it perfectly on Jace IN BED. Elliot Schafer is a pacifist in the streets but a warrior in the sheets
Opening my art blog with my favorite book, In Other Lands by @sarahreesbrennan !! I made some character designs and a little illustration featuring Luke, Elliot and Serene
edit bc of confusion: first one is bestie has a seven WORD name not letter! like Mary Ellen Kate Susan Junior The Third! obv no judgement on those who misunderstood—lots of people have haha
this is crazy specific so nobody cheat!!! only click if all terms apply! if the two guys who shook you out of a tree were brunettes don’t click that option! If it wasn’t a butter knife don’t click that option!
ignore the physics of how Elliot probably could not possibly lean half in, half out of one world— though he would absolutely test and see if it was possible— and just enjoy the ✨✨symbolism✨✨ of the concept
the unicorn incident is so crazy. calling luke a virgin in front of the whole camp. what was the point of all that. was it just to be mean. answer for this @sarahreesbrennan
still thinking about how elliot & luke are both entirely convinced the whole world is in love with their boyfriend. and also are both entirely right. elliot is funny & attractive & interesting & flirtatious & smart & a hero. luke is ALSO funny & attractive & interesting & smart & a hero. like those are the two most desirable men in the border camp tbh like they both catch your eye immediately and take up every room they walk into. and the best part is both of them think they personally are unloveable and nobody would ever want to date them because they’re not as cool as the other. dorks
I love in other lands bc like, every example of Elliot and Luke interacting is like a study in how to make the miscommunication trope believable and genuinely enjoyable in a story.
Like Elliot tells Luke gleefully that Dale Wavechaser fell out of a tree when he saw Luke shirtless in an effort to cheer Luke up. Only for Luke to get offended at the idea that Elliot would think people falling out of trees and getting hurt would make him happy, and it is the perfect example of the miscommunication trope working to actually improve a book.
Elliot and Luke’s miscommunications are always “thing said with good intentions (or at least earnest emotion)” —> “hurt response based on both neurodivergence and the fundamental belief that the other person is always assuming the worst of them”
Meanwhile the reader is aware the whole time of how much they love, respect, and want the best for each other
elliot is so fucking funny because he’s a know-it-all, prickly, mean, judgmental, apt to long monologues about things no one else cares about, and yet he pulls SO EASILY because he can act genuinely interested in what people say to him. (and also is like so tall and ripped. i feel like we forget that he’s so tall and ripped sometimes, because elliot doesn’t really think of himself that way, because he’s surrounded by the hottest people in multiple worlds. you guys. he’s so tall and so ripped.)