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cort!! hope you've been doing well <3
this is really random but i remember you posted somewhere on your old blog you were reading this thing between us by gus moreno and i just finished it recently and was wondering about your thoughts!
finally answering this, sen! literally just finished the book after slamming it out in like a day.
first and foremost:
overall rating ⭐⭐⭐.5/5
fucked up rating 💀💀💀.8/5
MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR SPOILERS
overall, I think it was an interesting read and a fascinating take on the whole "possession" trope while integrating the inescapability of technology, grief, and struggles with cultural identity. those themes came thru consistently and potently throughout the entire story and I'm glad for that.
interestingly, I'm actually really delighted to have a protagonist like Thiago bc he never really grows from his experiences—only dissolves deeper into his grief and struggles, still blames himself, and I think his story was really the exploration of the opposite side of grief. usually, we read novels where the protagonists overcome their grief or, at the very least, learn to accept their lives as they were by the end—thiago just sort of continually spirals throughout the entire thing and sort of relents to the fact that he's going to die no matter what he does
I don't have a lot to say in regards to the cultural identity stuff bc it isn't something I can relate to on any level—but, moreno made sure this was a pretty significant focal point throughout the story, albeit quite spotty, and other reviewers don't seem pleased with the route he went with it.
I've read some people think moreno just spent a whole lot of time trashing mexican culture than anything else, but I do think that his idea was to write about a character who came from a "hard" background, who grew up knowing nothing besides that, and never really was given the opportunity to fully escape that. sure, vera is there, and he loves her, but I feel like a big point moreno tried to make was not only the significance of having vera come from a "easy" background (both parents, never having to struggle), but to have them culturally similar to sort of... idk really drive home that Thiago holds some sort of internal resentment towards her for that, and that he could never view himself as anything other than less than.
I could be completely wrong, but that's just sort of how I ended up interpreting it. some reviewers definitely didn't approach it critically, but even tho it was done poorly in some places, moreno really tried to give the cultural identity stuff complexity and I can respect the attempt there.
uhhhh
man, I am too tired to try to theorize about what the fuck was happening half of the time in the novel, but I do think: 1) this was more than a demon, but an interdimensional entity trying to make itself "real". 2) why it was trapped in a itza I have no fucking clue 3) probably the scenes of the beach and the table were easily the creepiest scenes in the book
it's fascinating bc Thiago does a pretty good job doing everything "right". he resists. he avoids. he runs. he destroyed the itza. tried to destroy the wall. tried to do the rituals that diane suggested. he's a lot more mentally robust of a character than he was aware of it and it took MULTIPLE deaths and possessions to finally get him to fully surrender; whereas he spent the entire novel believing that he was the weak one compared to vera.
one thing I'm thinking about is that this is technically a psychological horror—there are numerous times throughout the story where reality shifts, you're not sure of your head or your ass, and what the hell is going on. I think that's partially bc moreno may not be too familiar writing those sorts of things, bc I was confused more times than not BUT
in the beginning when thiago first met the cook at that diner, he drank the milkshake and it seemed to me that the diner actually existed. just like the possessions of brimley and jacobson actually existed, but, like, idk it makes me wonder how much was actually hallucinated vs real idk
gore was plentiful, somewhat gratuitous, but not really detailed enough to make me squeamish so it's whatever. tho, not-brimley's zipper mouth of teeth and Jacobson's eel eyes definitely put unique images in my head that are gonna hang around for a while. I really digged how moreno described the cook's real body bc as being fibrous, viscous, like some sort of bug covered in something—i think. it sounds and feels like it'd be gross and unnatural.
moreno's descriptive language was quite good imo. his imagery never really fell flat and he had this way of creating very specific, saturated images in your head that I really respect and is probably one of the biggest things I took away from his writing style. that imagery definitely did most of the heavy lifting for the story bc w/o it, the writing would've kinda just... a pissed off, grieving man whining the entire time.
one thing I did find jarring was how direct he could be with some details e.g. the scene where Jacobson throws Thiago into the grave and, like, hits him with the shovel and basically scalps him—it's so point blank that I'm like ?????
like, cool. I get it, but ???????
as a writer, I understand not everything deserves a paragraph of description to make it effective, but some elements could've been expanded imo
hands on hips
the ending was pretty bleak and it was meant to be bc this is, ultimately, a man who's been chased down to the point of being physically, emotionally, and psychologically exhausted and has completely surrendered by the end with a dim smolder left to fuck with cook just as a final 🖕🏻. fitting.
I felt pretty neutral about it tbh. not particularly impressed. not really able to say it was awful. it was kinda just "eh, that works, I guess. nebulous as hell, but whatever"
and, yeah!!! it was an okay book that was pretty easy to read and shred thru. not really making any of my lists for outstanding literature, but worth the time if you wanna read something sort of gory, highly atmospheric
what are your thoughts?????
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the "new normal" couldve been respirators & rapid tests & hepa filters & universal basic income & accessibility & caring about other people.........
edit: if ur reblogging this but u dont REGULARLY mask in public in ur daily life u should reflect on that ❤️
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oh my GOD you can’t just ask someone why they’re barking
now on instagram!
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sharing a very sage bit of advice from The Simpsons' own John Swartzwelder that i've been trying to hamper down in my writing and drawing alike. let your inner crappy little elf do his worst
#i've been so blocked with writing and drawing lately and so i'm trying this out for my review of Bugs Bunny Gets the Boid and i can feel it#helping but i'll be so glad when i get to the revising stage because right now it feels like my brain has thousands of flaming needles#poking it and making me go AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! the perfectionism devil is hard to shake#but he will be no match for my crappy little elf
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Goncharov coming third in tumblr's top 100 movies of 2023 is so damn funny. Imagine being a film studio exec who spent millions making some of the other 97 movies listed below it only to be beaten by a film that cost exactly zero dollars to make and doesn't exist
#goncharov#tumblr#goncharov 1973#year in review#movies#film#not that studio execs care what movies people are talking about on the unprofitable website but still lmao
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no offense but you guys need to learn the difference between someone implying their experience is universal and a post simply just not being about you
#i’ve seen people respond to my personal posts venting about my own experiences and say that it’s ‘not universal’ or ‘needs more nuance’#like??? no it doesn’t ?? it’s a vent#i don’t need to pass it through peer review#text post#10k#top posts#15k#20k#25k#30k#40k#50k#60k#80k
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Writing Description Notes:
Updated 9th September 2024 More writing tips, review tips & writing description notes
Facial Expressions
Masking Emotions
Smiles/Smirks/Grins
Eye Contact/Eye Movements
Blushing
Voice/Tone
Body Language/Idle Movement
Thoughts/Thinking/Focusing/Distracted
Silence
Memories
Happy/Content/Comforted
Love/Romance
Sadness/Crying/Hurt
Confidence/Determination/Hopeful
Surprised/Shocked
Guilt/Regret
Disgusted/Jealous
Uncertain/Doubtful/Worried
Anger/Rage
Laughter
Confused
Speechless/Tongue Tied
Fear/Terrified
Mental Pain
Physical Pain
Tired/Drowsy/Exhausted
Eating
Drinking
Warm/Hot
#creative writers#creative writing#fanfic review#fanfiction#fanfiction tips#helping writers#how to write#references for writers#wingfic#writer#writers#writers and poets#writers community#writers corner#writers of tumblr#writers on tumblr#writing#writing advice#writing community#writing help#writing inspiration#writing life#writing prompts#writing resources#writing tips#writing tips and tricks#writing description#descriptive writing
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this fucks
#i wish i could turn off the replies of this post now 😭#men are so insecure#you’d think barbie herself called to kill all the kens#barbie movie#barbie#barbie review#1k#10k#20k#30k#40k#50k#60k#70k#80k
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"this is a universal queer experience"
>ask if it's universal or white
>they don't understand
>I pull out a diagram explaining what is universal and what is white
>they laugh and say "It's a good experience sir"
>I'm a native american trans woman
>Experience is white
#spinning my web#based off the one post going around#anyways.#other poc peer review plz#also europeans warning you in advance dont be annoying. youre just as bad about this as your colonies.
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love elizabeth s.
#original poem#original quote#love elizabeth s#love poem#love poetry#love letter#relationship quotes#relatable quotes#relationships#dark acadamia quotes#quotes#love quotes#sylvia plath#virginia woolf#my poem#poetry#poetry community#spilled thoughts#spilled ink#spilled poem#poem#writing#books#booklr#reading#book review#book lover#dark academia#dark academia quotes#short poem
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Reading Mockingjay as an adult is extra devastating because. Of course the plucky teenager and her ragtag friends aren't going to sneak into a government building to kill the president with a bow and arrow. That's absolutely ridiculous. It's the kind of thing that's only possible in the kind of propaganda that Coin developed. But she's so good at it that in some ways she tricks the reader into thinking that's the kind of story this is, too--even after 3 books reminding us that pretty much everything that Katniss does the second she volunteers is manipulated by adults pulling strings to make propaganda in some form or another.
#rotating it in my brain#monstrous-femme said Coin was using the YA novel format as propaganda#and yeah. YEAH#where's that review that's like. oh. turns out it wasn't about the love story after all.#thg#the hunger games#mockingjay
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#girlhood#girlblogging#tumblr girls#just girly things#lana del ray aka lizzy grant#lana del rey#this is what makes us girls#coquette#blythe doll#coquette dollete#gone girl#childhood#downtown girl#movie review#sad thoughts#gilrblogger
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ocd is like this
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a guide on how to enjoy: LEAF 🍂
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people are drawing Steamboat Willie Mickey doing all this crazy shit and whatnot, but you could always do that. you can do that now, with current Mickey, just fine. it's fanart and it's legally protected. hell you could take Disney-drawn Mickey and put a caption about unions or whatever on it and it would still be protected under free speech and sometimes even parody law.
what is special about public domain is that you can SELL him. you could take a screenshot and sell it on a tshirt. you can use him to advertise your plumbing business. people have already uploaded and monetized the original film.
you could always have Mickey say what you want, but now you can profit off it.
#steamboat willie#Mickey mouse#Disney#public domain#you can't trademark him as like a logo or mascot of your plumbing business i just mean like#you can slap him in your commercial or side of the van#i just have seen soooo many people make ORIGINAL art of him and I'm like#no that's not the point!! you can already do that!!!#(obvs if it's a comic or something talking about him being free or whatever then yeah like i get it)#(but those people who put him as a fighter in their game?? Quinton reviews uploading the original video?? boss shit)#(THAT'S what it's about)
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