#'another source has told me henry percy is not a reliable source'

[fideidefenswhore]

Whether or not this is a true composition, and the details do sound convincing, it is written from a position of strength. Anne was confident that she was soon to bear a son and that she was beyond the reach of any harm that Mary or her party might intend her. The letter distances Anne from self-interest in the matter, presenting the purest motives, urging Mrs Shelton to action out of her duty to the King. The tone is not consistent with Chapuys' contemporaneous report that Anne frequently wept in the period immediately following Catherine's death, in the realisation that a significant obstacle had been removed should Henry choose to set her aside.

Anne Boleyn: Adultery, Heresy, Desire (Licence, Amy)

[libcaro]

FBAWTFT My little review *Story*

So I’m going to summarize and comment on the key points I saw on the movie.

The story started with two major lines, the creatures that are missing and the suddenly destruction in New York.

At first all is just happy and fun with Newt being captured by Tina. A really minor dilemma that keeps escalating.

Then we go to the other side where  we have the disaster in new york followed by the MACUSA, but also with mini stories of the  Salem’s, the…  senator (the rude guy… Shaw Henry) and of course Percival.

They seems really disconnected from one another… just little coincidences among this two narratives like Tina (someone who knows Percival and Newt), the beast that Percival claims to be the source of the problem and of course credence; but credence is not as obvious as the other two because at the start we just see him as a source of information for Percival and nothing more.

Here is what I love about this, all the time I was like… “Why the fuck are you showing me this particular case of family abuse?”  And well, when Percival talks to him it seems obvious and we think “oh… this is that type character which is being taking being advantaged of … but why?” This is fed too by the constant shots on the little girl… Modesty, like is really well played and you can see the intention on it, most of the shots about the Salem’s are on her, making us believe she is the obscurial that Perci wants to find so desperately.

And this is one of the things I love in this movie; in my opinion a really well structured one, because all of the scenes has a meaning…more like an intention … and addition to the story. They are there for a reason and without one of them we wouldn’t get the whole thing.

And … I have seen the movie 3 times, the first time I got the entire “Newt stuff like getting to know him and understanding him; then, the second time, was more onto Tina and all of the characters relationships and the final time i got more into credence. That’s to say in general but in the first one at some moment before credence reveals his powers I knew he was the obscurial, because of the death of the senator, I just connected the dots at some point. And the movie answers more of the questions at the end of the movie… but it gave us hints all over it.  

Something like this:

¿why does Percival wants to find an obscurial?

¿what the hell is an obscurial? (!)

¿why does Percival wants the MACUSA to belie81ve it’s a beast?

In general … ¿what the fuck is Percival doing? (!)

Like now thinking of it, yeah all of this surrounds him since he is the “Evil” in here, the bad guy, the one making troubles for everybody. Like if he wasn’t here… Newt would have just deal with Tina and the Beast laws and credence would still be abused by that inhuman lady of the Barebone.  

Man I just realize this literally… I don’t know how should feel.

Anyway, following my preview line of thought.  

Besides Perci other questions arise, like:

¿why is the true of Newt’s visit to America?

¿why does Newt have an obscurus?

¿How does Newt plays in all of this?

Pretty simple ones, like:

¿is Newt going to collect all the creatures?

¿is he finally going to be penalized for bringing the creatures?

¿why does he bring Jacob all along?

And we got hints; Perci… seems no at all reliable.

¿why?

In the moment someone he supported doesn’t give him something he can use he just leaves. That happened with Tina. *remember that Case scene in MACUSA*

All the time something felt wrong, like something was about to happen and we were just waiting. (Building the suspense)

Then most of them start to be solved when Tina exposed Newt into the… into what I would call “the parliament of magic”.

(Because newt betrayed her trust, going out to look for the creatures with Jacob, seriously Newt… she gave you Coco :c (but well, he has broken heart and trust issues, I can’t be mad at him…

I can’t!!) )

Anyway, there we get that:

1-what is happening is not thanks to a beast but by an obscurus, said by the self-proclaimed Magizoologist himself, NEWTON SCAMANDER (clearing the doubts of the president).

2- Perci reveals his true nature… again cleared by our beautiful Magizoologist (interrogation scene)

3-Newt told us and Tina (because he wanted to convince her above anything, beautiful…) why did he had an obscurus.

4-newt told us what an obscurus is

Additional note: you know, now I see why Jacob is here, he asks for the things the audience doesn’t get, like what is an obscurus since. This is an “adult magic word” some things are taken for granted in terms of vocabulary so … he kind of asks and we get to know what the hell they are talking about.

5- We get to know who the obscurus is

6- We get to know the real intentions of Percival manipulator graves (and that get us to the final but last question that no one asked, though it makes part of the “why Percival does this” question but anyway…)

7-Percival’s real identity and final revelation of his nature. This is a plus.                                              

BUT!

We get hints, hints like:

-Greendelwald at the start in the newspaper, we knew he will have to appear in some sort of way here.

-the necklace Perci gives to credence, deathly hallows reference of Gellert and Dumbledore (I read the whole thing in wiki because I didn’t know how they are connected).

-the scene of the senator being mean to credence

-the haircut of Gellert at the start and Percival’s one

-the reason behind credence being abused by his adopting mother

- Credence hesitation to tell Perci who was the obscurus. For what I got he seems to be avoiding the topic, he never responds at first I thought it must be for his low self-esteem but now I see it more as a “he wasn’t sure if he wanted to trust him and tell him”.

And there is maybe more that I’m ignoring.

All of this gave more base to the final outcome, for me it was like just putting a camera on a series on events that are already happening… like a portion of the story. It is not like other story that starts with direct introduction of the character, it lets the character introduce itself with their actions.

Also, it gave us some previous story that we don’t know about completely but that entrails with this one.  

I think is because fantastic beast seems more like “how Newt got into this mess” so that’s why we are starting from there.

Mmm it’s also about the book thought, the title says it all. So is not just showing us the era where it was created and the person who did it, but also showing us that books have a social and a human background to it that is important to address when we read something.

A book could tell us a story but also an understanding of other eras, customs and ways of living and immerse us there, without us being there.

And FBAWTFT give us a little of that.

Since the post get really long I will separate the review into 3 posts.

CHARACTERS

RELATIONSHIPS

[thesaltydigest]

REVIEW: "The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue", or: Fetch me a couch, for I nearly swoon!

Title: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue

Author: Mackenzi Lee

Review by: Captain Clo

Verdict: adventures of a bisexual scoundrel unable to keep his mouth shut and pathetically in love with his biracial male best friend. I had the time of my life, would totally recommend, go read it right now! 5 stars

Trigger warning for: homophobia, slight racism, parental abuse

Sometimes you just need an adventurous, fun and queer book in your life. The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue definitely fits the bill. It can look daunting with its 500 pages, but they fly by like nobody's business. An apt summary of its plot would look more or less like this:

Dramatic escapes through Europe! Highwaymen! Pirates! Alchemy! The mysteries of Venice!

And last but not least, best friends hopelessly pining for each other.

I think the official summary of the book actually sells the book short – it's so much more than just "two friends of noble station – and a little sister – go on a Grand Tour through Europe". It's actually two friends and one sister go on a Grand Tour, the dummy of the trio enrages the Prime Minister of France, then proceeds to steal something of said Minister out of pettiness, dashes out of Versailles stark naked, and then discovers what he stole isn't just a trinket, but the key to an alchemical secret. Slightly spoilerish? I guess, but it's so much more interesting put that way.

When you read "Grand Tour" maybe you think of Mary Shelley, Percy (coincidence??) Bisshe Shelley and Lord Byron going on their disastrous romp through Europe... and  A Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue is definitely not that. Unless you think of Mary Shelley as a bitter teenager snarking in disgust at her stupid male companions, and of Lord Byron as a pathetic mess trying too hard to look like a hedonist Casanova, and... well actually that kind of works, but Percy Shelley definitely wasn't a biracial violinist... with a crush on Lord Byr--- I mean, Monty... I mean I'm no expert but reliable sources told me that he was an ass! And a jerk! Percy doesn't deserve that, he's an angel.

Enter the protagonist: Henry Montague, aka Monty. He's a hot mess. A rogue, a scoundrel, a ladykiller, an unrepentant bisexual, with the good looks and the charm to get anyone he wants in his bed. Alas, he's hopelessly in love with his best friend, Percy, who is exactly the kind of level-headed, serious person who's just perfect to rein Monty in. Monty is witty, superficial and a pleasure-seeker, refusing to take anything seriously, and especially anything his father wants him to do – like being a respectable lord, studying with profit at Eton, or running a family estate, for example. Monty loathes the very idea, so what better course of action than doing every single thing his father would disapprove of?

Enter Felicity, Monty's little sister. Wicked smart and with a cutting tongue to match, she's the opposite of Monty in every way. She looks forward to the museum trips, to the scientific lectures, to the operas and the landscapes. Too bad she's a woman, and so she's not invited. Felicity loathes it, and she also loathes how Monty is so obviously unwilling to take advantage of his privilege in every way it's denied her. Felicity wants to study and to become a doctor, and she would welcome the offer to learn how to run the estates. Instead, soon she'll be shipped off to a school of good manners for young ladies, where at most she'll learn to curtsy.

Enter Percy, Monty's best friend and crush. He's the biracial son of an English member of the gentry, grudgingly accepted into the family when his father dies. He has all the things Monty doesn't have – and that he's in love with: sensitivity, artistic sense (he's a violinist and, as Monty himself notes with delight, the kind of person who loves Italian opera and can recognize an aria by its first verse), and height.

What I found most interesting about Percy is that he is actually what moves the plot along. At first, the book looks like it'll be about a hedonistic journey through Europe; but a revelation about Percy spins it in an entirely different direction – one that also challenges Monty to overcome his selfish tendencies.

I am dying to tell you what Percy's deal is because damn, I was delighted and surprised, but I can't take that away from you. Just know that it was very satisfying to see how his main problem wasn't directly linked to his race, although he does get shit for it sometimes. His relationship with Monty is the sweetest thing, but it doesn't lack thorns (read: drama), mostly because Monty is pretty clueless and it often borders on insensitive. For example, Monty always defends Percy when someone is a racist ass to him (yay!) but he doesn't see why Percy doesn't just say something witty and rude to every lord who insults him (less yay) and thinks there's really no problem, Percy is just a little darker than most, so? Which, bless him, is a very simple thing to think, and definitely not the truth. But he's also so pathetically sorry when Percy snaps at him for it, I can't really hate him.

"I could say something to your uncle."

"No."

"Why not? If he won't listen to you-"

"I know you think you're being helpful when you say things like that, and when you defend me, and I appreciate it, I really do, but please, don't. I don't need you to stand up for me – I can do that."

"But you don't-"

"You're right, sometimes I don't, because I'm not the light-skinned son of an earl so I haven't the luxury of talking back to everyone who speaks ill of me. But I don't need you to rescue me."

"I'm sorry." It comes out soft and meek, like the bleat of a lamb.

I made a very undignified noise when I first read this. Actually I just did it again.

I found the book wonderful in how it blends serious moments, scenes that tugs at the reader's heartstrings, and witty banter. On the serious side, Monty is an alcoholic, suffers from panic attacks, and although he flaunts a charming and flippant persona, he's actually consumed by self-loathing and an atavistic fear of his father. At first, it can look like Monty self-sabotaged or defied his father by getting himself kicked out of Eton, but then we learn the truth: he was kicked out because of his relationship with another boy. His relationship with Felicity is a frustrating affair where both give the worst of themselves. Monty, as mentioned, is incapable of seeing how privileged he is and how much Felicity is put down in her ambitions just because she's a woman; but Felicity has absorbed a lot of how their father treats Monty, it's hard to see her treating him like he's worthless and stupid. Every time it seems like they might get along, one or both of them revert back to old patterns, and you're just there wishing you could smack their heads together and tell them, Now love each other properly!

Then there are the moments when Monty remembers he's in love with Percy, and has the gall to get all mushy and pathetically in love like this:

"[Percy] reaches out, almost as though he can't help himself, and puts his thumb to my jawline. The tips of his fingers brush the hollow of my throat, and I feel the touch so deep I half expect that when he moves, I'll be left with an imprint there, as though I am a thing fashioned from clay in a potter's hand."

And then there's the witty banter. Everywhere. Witty banter for days. Oscar Wilde would be proud, and I'm so so happy. There's witty banter to seduce:

"She smiles, then flicks open the ivory fan hanging from her wrist and begins to work it up and down. The breeze flutters the single ringlet trailing down the back of that neck of hers that swans would envy. I have been mentally patting myself on the head for keeping my eyes on her face the whole time we've been speaking, but then the bastards betray me suddenly and dive straight down the front of her dress.

I think for a moment she may not have noticed, but then her mouth twists up and I know she's seen. But instead of slapping me or calling me a boor and storming off, she says, "My lord, would you like to see..." Telling pause. Eyelash flutter. "More or Versailles?"

"You know, I believe that I would. Though I'm short a guide."

"Perhaps you'll allow me."

"But this party seemed to be just picking up speed. I'd hate to drag you away."

"Life is filled with sacrifices."

"Am I a sacrifice?"

"One I'm happy to make."

Witty banter when Monty shows how much of a dunce he is, and how much he cannot spy on people properly:

"Helena stopped awfully short when she realized I was listening."

"Well, you were being rude."

"I wasn't being rude!"

"You were eavesdropping."

"No eaves were dropped, I was just standing about. It's their fault they weren't speaking softer."

There's witty banter almost every time he utters a word with Percy. Or utters a word, period.

"How is it that we've landed the only bear-leader for hire who's entirely opposed to the true purpose of the Tour?"

"Which is... remind me."

"Strong spirits and loose women."

"Sounds instead like it's going to be weak wine with dinner and handling yourself in your bedroom after."

"No shame in that. If the Good Lord didn't want men to play with themselves, we'd have hooks for hands. [...] Hold on, are you keen on all this cultural thing?"

"I'm not... not keen." And then he gives me a smile that I think is supposed to be apologetic but instead looks very, very keen.

"No, no, no, you have to be on my side about this! Lockwood is tyranny and oppression and all that! Don't be seduced away by his promises of poetry and symphonies and – Dear Lord, am I to be subjected to music for the entirety of out Tour?"

"Absolutely you will. And the only thing you will hate more than listening to Lockwood's selected music will be listening to me talk about said music. Sometimes I'll walk to Lockwood about music and you will hate it. You're going to have to listen to me and Lockwood using words like atonal and chromatic scale and cadenza."

"Et tu?"

Honestly, what are you even waiting for. Go buy it right now!