#A Marvelous Light

[oriato]

A great scene from A Marvelous Light ✨

[daveyfvckingjacobs]

this is funnier to me that just posting the screenshots w the names you’re welcome

[afurtivecake]

robin and jack don't interact much but their impressions of each other are hilarious.

robin meeting jack for the first time and being like, "Oh damn. he looks like a knight in shining armour... unfortunately, his personality." and jack ,seeing robin chat with manning, thinking to himself, "hm...maybe i should have tried to hit that...? no, what am i talking about that's crazy."

[gendrsoup]

i really wanna read a marvelous light but i'm afraid that being hyperfixated on two pieces of media with characters who are (allegedly) so similar and have THE SAME FIRST NAME might make things slightly difficult for me

[snotsloth]

Planning a companion piece for A Marvelous Light to go with the A Restless Truth piece I'm working on, and it will definitely involve Robin kissing Edwin up against William Morris wallpaper and I keep chuckling to myself and muttering, "Don't worry about the arsenic. I'm sure there's a spell for that."

And here's the current state of Maude and Violet, since you're here:

[thepathlesstrekked]

I finished A Power Unbound a week ago and I can’t stop thinking about it. I haven’t fallen in love with a series like this in a long time.

Like I want to go reread all of three right now. I’m sad that there isn’t more. I turned to fanfiction the same day I finished it!

I NEED MORE FIC. I have lost the fic writing bug but I NEED MORE FIC DAMNIT

[gildedgaze]

“Exploits of a cabin boy,” “Heavy on the whippings” IM-

Laurent? Your Highness, Exalted Damianos is this song about you? HJJDFHF

fuck this book already has my whole ass omg 👋🏼😭😭😭

[tigerballoons]

I've been debating with a friend whether I should adopt one or both Sad Gay Captains dying slowly in the Arctic, and whether it's weird to do that without watching the show.

The purpose of adopting my various sons is to wrap them in fluffy blankets, which is so incredibly what these guys need, oh my gods. I was worried though because I don't usually adopt both halves of a couple. Their prospective brothers will be jealous. Also I'm pretty sure you're a bad parent if you let your sons kiss each other?

But this has led to my considering the allocation of blankets among my sons generally, because it turns out it isn't equal anyway.

Matthew Venn gets one normal blanket and has no complaints.

Thomas Hamilton gets one extra fluffy blanket because he is an angel, and it's also larger than usual. For sharing.

James Flint glared when I tried to give him a blanket and is now pretending he isn't sad to not have one.

John Granby gets as many blankets as I can foist on him because he is an angel and deserved better, also because being smothered in so many blankets he can't walk up or down stairs is fitting.

Seivarden Vendaai gets one blanket and she's pissed it isn't extra fancy.

Will Stanton and Bran Davies definitely get a blanket each because they're only teens when the series ends, and all these other grown men can shut up and deal.

Edwin Courcey gets the best blanket from my personal collection.

It's debatable whether Ralph Lanyon is my son or not, but for the purposes of this exercise I'm happy to give him a blanket and it's the extra fanciest one.

[victorian-cat-lady]

August Reading Wrap-up

I graduated from college in May and one of my goals during my gap year is to read more and I want to document that. This month I read three books- the most I've read in a month in years.

The first book was A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske

I really enjoyed this book! It had a bit of a slow start but I really enjoyed the magic system, the romance, and the setting. I'm just now getting more into urban fantasy and I feel like if you like Harry Potter and want to explore more books like it but don't want to support JKR this is a great place to start.

3.5 stars.

The second book I read was Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune

This was a great read. Super thoughtful and deep. Great character development and very lovable characters all around. Despite this book being about death there was a lot of levity and humor to it that I really appreciated. The tension between the main character and the love interest was A+.

4.0 stars.

The last book I read was Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan.

This book surprised me. It was recommended to me by my mom and I had absolutely no expectations going in. This book was not predictable. I could not have guessed the outcome or the plot twist, but nothing was too out of the blue. It all flowed very well. It was very well written and dealt beautifully with trans issues. My only personal complaint was that the thirty-minute section (I listened to it on audiobook) where it explained Transness 101 was a bit boring for me, but that's because the book didn't have to convince me that trans people are people. I will say, however, that for the middle-aged women this novel is geared toward I think that could be a very educational experience and could hopefully open some people's minds and hearts towards trans folks.

4.0 stars

[queer-book-character-tournament]

Character, book, and author names under the cut

James St. Clair- Dark Rise Series by C.S. Pacat

Shuos Jedao- Ninefox Gambit by Yoon Ha Lee

Jack Alston/Lord Hawthorn- The Last Binding Trilogy by Freya Marske

Alastair Carstairs- The Last Hours by Cassandra Clare

[oriato]

Y'all remember that one scene? Yeah I do too :-)

[daveyfvckingjacobs]

unstoppable force (robin, maud, alan) meets immovable object (edwin, violet, jack)

[thequeenofsastiel]

Just started "A Marvelous Light" and I think I read about a hundred similes in twenty pages. I'm genuinely not exaggerating. The story is interesting, but I don't know if I have it in me to read one more "like a-". I find myself waiting for the next simile so much so that I can't engage adequately with the story. I'm worried it's going to ruin similes for me, like how a hurricane that destroys your home can ruin your enjoyment of storms 🙄

Has anyone else read this? Do the similes get rarer? Or is that the only literary device this author knows?

[wholelotofweird]

Okay, gamers, the first quarter of the year is over and I want to share with you the books I've consumed thus far.

I've recently been using StoryGraph and damn, it's really fun if you like data and also logging the stuff you read. Would recommend. I say that, because a number of these books were consumed thanks to one of the challenges they've set for the year, to read a number of books in different categories. Let me say, this is the most diverse spread I've read in YEARS. So. Anyway.

Lycanthropy and Other Chronic Illnesses, by Kristen O'Neal

I would 100% recommend reading this book, if you are able, in print format instead of audio. There are a number of sections where the main characters are talking over text chat and I'm not sure how well that would translate over audio.

This book had me saying, "They're just like me fr" non ironically multiple times. It's such a lovely look at friendship and building our own communities and struggling with chronic illness. There is at no point any gatekeeping of what a chronic illness should look like or what a person with a chronic illness needs to look like.

The one thing that I didn't love was the fact that a white author picked first person POV of a POC. It isn't the best choice. I feel better about it after looking through O'Neal's website where she has readily admitted that it was a choice she would not make again. I appreciate the thoughtfulness of not making the "monstrous" character a POC.

Overall! I really enjoyed this book. It's a pretty fast read, but it is heartwarming and hopeful and full of genuine joy.

A Magic Steeped In Poison, by Judy I. Lin

This book was SO fun! Magic, romance, court politics, betrayal. What more could you want? Other than the magic system being tea based. That's right babies, TEA BASED! Monch monch monch, what a beautiful system I am in love.

This is another fast read. I've always been a sucker for magical tournaments and historical fantasy. If any of that is your vibe I would absolutely recommend picking this up. I know there is a second book, but I haven't had the opportunity to read that one yet.

Found, by Margaret Peterson Haddox

Now... Like I said... I was picking books for a reading challenge I'm doing. This one was from "read a middle grade book you never read", so I am FULLY aware that I am not the audience for this book.

That being said, oh my god, this was a rough one. I think my biggest gripe is that the cast are all 13-15 year olds but you would never know it. They're out here acting like 20 year olds. Maybe when I was 13 I would have been able to buy it, but at 30-whatever I am not. This is the first of multiple books and I can't say I regret not reading more.

Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers, by Deborah Heiligman

So, I'll be honest, the reason I was drawn to this was because I got to see this amazing Van Gogh art instillation last year. Part of that instillation was a display of excerpts of the letters between Vincent and Theo, and let me tell you, that is what made me cry.

This book is certainly nothing ground-breaking. It's a biography of these two men. It tells their stories at the same time, side by side. I also cried reading this.

Am I emotional? Is it because I have younger siblings I'm very close to? Is it because I, too, am mentally ill and an artist?

Who knows, gamers.

Quackery - A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything, By Nate Pedersen & Lydia Kang, MD

Again, nothing groundbreaking. This book is a funny and informative look at medical process through history. I'm a sucker for medical history. I did listen to the audiobook for this and I think it really helped the humor shine. If you're also a fan of bizarre medical history (or the podcast Sawbones), this is the book for you.

The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson

I enjoyed this book! For a person who is bad at remembering names, though, it was difficult to follow at times. There were so many players in the conception and realization of the Chicago World's Fair that I would lose track of just who I was hearing about.

That said, it was a very cool look into the trials and tribulations that went into making the spectacle a reality. This book managed to touch on SO much, not even to it's detriment. Despite getting confused by names the main through-line was easy to follow. I was invested start to finish.

In the Vanishers' Palace, by Aliette de Bodard

Do you like beauty and the beast retellings, but instead the beast is a very cool dragon, and also it's hella gay??? Then do I have the book for you! It does one of my favorite sci-fi things where there is a world, there are facts of that world, but you aren't supposed to learn them. Those aren't what matter, they are simply table setting. It's a beautiful story. I do wish there was a bit more depth into the romance, but that's just me.

Beautiful, atmospheric, and emotional. Lovely book.

A Marvelous Light, by Freya Marske

Damn, the pining in this book??? Truly a wonder.

This book is such a lovely blend of interesting plot, intriguing magic system, and just lovely gay romance. I've been trying to consciously read more queer books this year and so far I am having a wonderful time. I'm going to be 32 this year and for the first time since I was a pre-teen I'm seeing myself really reflected in books. It's such a fuckin' cool experience. I'm an emotionally compromised teenaged girl.

[semiprecioussideblog]

beautiful lighting! I love this

A Marvellous Light promotional art, part of a series for Freya Marske/@fahye's stunning The Last Binding trilogy. See the ones for book 2 and 3 here!

My intend was 'how can I pour as much of my love for the arts and crafts movement in one painting'. It's what Robin would have wanted.

(Please also check out this perfect Edwin song that I listened to for weeks while painting.)

my The Last Binding tag for more of these two softies, and my art tag.

[abookishidentity]

Books finished in October 2024

-Fire With Fire by Charles E. Gannon started September 30, 2024 and finished October 4, 2024- 3/5 stars. This book was a bit boring. If the book focused more on first contact then it would be more interesting. I just felt bad for the main character the entire time. He was cryogenically frozen for like 13 years and forever being manipulated by these two dudes for most of the book. I also didn't like that there was a woman who was in the same boat and they essentially used her and put her together with the main character. That bothered me. Not going to finish the rest of the series

-The Naming of the Beasts by Mike Carey started October 4, 2024 and finished October 7, 2024- 5/5 stars. I enjoyed this series so much. I wish the final book wasn't $40 and less than 200 pages? Anyway Felix was able to save his best friend in this book. Would have loved them to tearfully reunite with each other but his friend saying "Fix" and then passing out is good enough.

-The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman started October 7, 2024 and finished October 10, 2024- 4.5/5 stars. This is an excellent start to a series. I need to read more of this series. It's such a cool world.

-The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz started October 11, 2024 and finished October 13, 2024- 4/5 stars. I am glad I read this book. It had such cool ideas and such interesting characters. The world buidling was super interesting too. Need to check out more of Annalee's books.

-The Book of Doors by Gareth Brown started October 14, 2024 and finished October 16, 2024- 4.5/5 stars. This book was excellent. As soon as the book of doors was revealed to let you travel through time (spoilers) it became much more interesting. This is like the third book in which in order to change the future the character has to live in the past for a while. Utterly fascinating though. Don't see the point of a character of getting her memory wiped only for her to be tortured for information and slowly learning back her memory anyway? Also you can show a man is evil without making him racist and misogynistic right?

-Velocity Weapon by Megan E O’Keefe started October 17, 2024 and finished October 20, 2024- 3/5 stars. This book was a little long for my taste. Three stories taking place. The main character, her brother, and this woman who is in a gang of tech thieves? I didn't really care for the final side of the story. She didn't interact with the two other characters. It seemed pointless. Book became much more interesting when it was revealed that the AI rogue robot ship lied to the main character and it wasn't 200-300 years later but merely like 2 years. Not going to continue the series.

-Wicked reread by Gregory Maguire started October 20, 2024 and finished October 23, 2024- 4/5 stars. I reread this book because the musical movie is coming out soon and there will be more stuff from the book in it. Just dont' know what they would include. The book is a lot more raunchier than I remember. Still a good book though.

-Apostles of Mercy by Lindsay Ellis started October 24, 2024 and finished October 27, 2024- 4/5 stars. This book was better than the second book at least. I thought Cora was going to leave with Ampersand to space in the last book but this book picks 18 months later and they are still on earth. I know this is my own fault but I am getting sick of reading sci fi in which the earth is doomed. Ahh well at least this book didn't end with genocide.

-A Marvelous Light by Freya Marske started October 28, 2024 and finished October 31, 2024- 4.5/5 stars. Oh this book was quite good. I like the magic system in this book. Felt for the main character who was magicless and was thrust into the world because of a clerical error. I don't usually read books in which the romantic pairing is with two men but it was quite entertaining and interesting to read. Maybe its the aroace in me but these men only knew each other for a week before they had sex with each other. And after they nearly died twice. Still it was written very well. I need to read the other two books in this trilogy. Maybe the two men appear in it again.

-Remote Control by Nnedi Okorafor started and finished October 31, 2024- 3/5 stars. Short book. Interesting characters and world building. Should read more of Nnedi's work.