#Book Of Dragons page 116

[mysticmoondancer]

Black Blood Rose Dragon

Don't let its beauty fool you, as they are quite deadly and vicious. They have a bit of a temper and are very protective of their young, as well. They don't trust humans very well and will attack if you dare enter their territory. The vibrant red rose at the end of its tail symbolizes their life and health. If the petals are somewhat turning brown, then that means it is sick and if the petals begin to fall off then that means its life is coming to an end soon. Their young are called Black Blood Rose Bud dragons since their tail rose has yet to bloom and are still just a bud. Once the flower finally does blooms then that means they have fully matured into an adult now. Some of them tend to migrate for the winter to avoid the colder temperatures. These dragons can absorb nutrients from the soil much like a plant can by digging their claws into the ground like roots. They love to sunbathe, and they can store up energy in their bodies from it, too. They can breathe fire, but they can also attack by having these two vines come out from their neck rose and using them like whips or tentacles.

[hollowed-theory-hall]

Harry Potter is Probably Gay and Here's Why

So.... a lot of this fandom likes to call one Harry James Potter a Bi disaster. Personally, I think he's gay and I can use book text to prove he isn't actually attracted to women at all.

So here goes:

How Harry Describes Men

Harry describes many men as attractive and handsome in the books, not only that but in general Harry goes into more detail when describing male characters. I'll mention it again in a later section in this post, but when describing men, even those Harry doesn't find attractive, he tends to describe much more details about them than about girls he supposedly does find attractive. Something that to me suggests, he doesn't find these girls attractive at all.

Here are some examples of Harry finding men attractive:

Charlie Weasley:

Charlie was built like the twins, shorter and stockier than Percy and Ron, who were both long and lanky. He had a broad, good-natured face, which was weatherbeaten and so freckly that he looked almost tanned; his arms were muscular, and one of them had a large, shiny burn on it.

(Goblet of Fire, page 52)

Bill Weasley:

However, Bill was — there was no other word for it — cool. He was tall, with long hair that he had tied back in a ponytail. He was wearing an earring with what looked like a fang dangling from it. Bill’s clothes would not have looked out of place at a rock concert, except that Harry recognized his boots to be made, not of leather, but of dragon hide.

(Goblet of Fire, page 52)

Cedric Diggory:

Cedric Diggory was an extremely handsome boy of around seventeen.

(Goblet of Fire, page 71)

Sirius Black:

Sirius was lounging in his chair at his ease, tilting it back on two legs. He was very good-looking; his dark hair fell into his eyes with a sort of casual elegance neither James’s nor Harry’s could ever have achieved, and a girl sitting behind him was eyeing him hopefully, though he didn’t seem to have noticed.

(Order of the Pheonix, page 642)

Sirius stared around at the students milling over the grass, looking rather haughty and bored, but very handsomely so.

(Order of the Pheonix, page 644)

Firenze:

white-blond hair and astonishingly blue eyes, the head and torso of a man joined to the palomino body of a horse.

(Order of the Pheonix, page 598)

Professor McGonagall turned next to Parvati Patil, whose first question was whether Firenze, the handsome centaur, was still teaching Divination

(Half-Blood Prince, page 174)

Blaise Zabini:

He recognized a Slytherin from their year, a tall black boy with high cheekbones and long, slanting eyes

(Half-Blood Prince, page 143)

Draco Malfoy:

It was Draco Malfoy. He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat.

(Chamber of Secrets, page 133)

Malfoy, who had a pale, pointed, sneering face

(Prisoner of Azkaban, page 79)

A pale boy with a pointed face and white-blond hair

(Goblet of Fire, pages 116-117)

Tom Marvolo Riddle:

There was no trace of the Gaunts in Tom Riddle’s face. Merope had got her dying wish: He was his handsome father in miniature, tall for eleven years old, dark-haired, and pale

(Half-Blood Prince, page 269)

The door creaked open. There on the threshold, holding an oldfashioned lamp, stood a boy Harry recognized at once: tall, pale, dark-haired, and handsome — the teenage Voldemort.

(Half-Blood Prince, page 364)

Harry recognized Voldemort at once. His was the most handsome face and he looked the most relaxed of all the boys.

(Half-Blood Prince, page 369)

followed by a tall young man Harry had no difficulty whatsoever in recognizing as Voldemort. He was plainly dressed in a black suit; his hair was a little longer than it had been at school and his cheeks were hollowed, but all of this suited him; he looked more handsome than ever.

(Half-Blood Prince, page 434)

I don't think anyone would argue Harry isn't attracted to men... He's kind of obvious. What I want to go more into detail about is him not being attracted to women, as that's what I think I disagree with most of the fandom about.

How Harry Describes Women (for comparison)

So, we saw how Harry describes men, specifically men he finds attractive, so, let's compare to how he describes a girl he thinks is pretty, like Cho Chang:

Harry couldn’t help noticing, nervous as he was, that she was extremely pretty. She smiled at Harry as the teams faced each other behind their captains, and he felt a slight lurch in the region of his stomach that he didn’t think had anything to do with nerves.

(Prisoner of Azkaban, page 259)

“Good luck, Harry!” called Cho. Harry felt himself blushing.

(Prisoner of Azkaban, page 304)

She was waiting for him a little to the side of the oak front doors, looking very pretty with her hair tied back in a long ponytail.

(Order of the Pheonix, page 556)

These are all the physical descriptions I managed to find of Cho, the girl Harry supposedly has a crush on from 3rd to 5th year... yeah, I don't see it. Sure, he mentions she's pretty, and he blushes around her, but he doesn't describe anything else about her. Not eye color, not hair color, skin color, eye shape, physique — nothing! Compare this to how he describes Bill Weasley or Blaise Zabini even, with so much more detail in their description.

Now, details in descriptions when writing from a character's POV are very important. Because a character would use more words to describe what's most important or striking to them... and in Harry's case Cho isn't it.

We know she's pretty and Harry's nervous around her, but the descriptions are just so stale and distant compared to: Tom "handsomest face in the room" Riddle, or Sirius "handsome handsomed handsomely" Black.

And I want to talk about Harry's crush on Cho more, but first:

Fleur Delacor:

I want to talk about Fleur for a bit. Because Harry's reaction to Fleur is very interesting, specifically because Fleur is a quarter veela.

Ron was still goggling at the girl as though he had never seen one before. Harry started to laugh. The sound seemed to jog Ron back to his senses. “She’s a veela!” he said hoarsely to Harry.

…

many boys’ heads turned, and some of them seemed to have become temporarily speechless, just like Ron.

(Goblet of Fire, page 252)

Veelas are literally magically attractive, if you are attracted to women, you'll find a veela woman attractive and be mesmerized. We see it with Ron and other boys, as Harry notes in the above quote. Ron and many other boys all stare, speechless at Fleur because that's how her magic works.

Harry, on the other hand, isn't affected at all. To the point, he's confused by Ron's drooling over Fleur. He later in GoF wonders why Ron wanted to go with Fleur to the Yule Ball so much, as he didn't see the appeal.

Harry is literally not attracted to a woman who is magically attractive to anyone who's attracted to women.

Looking careworn, she [Fleur] left the room. Ron still seemed slightly punch-drunk; he was shaking his head experimentally like a dog trying to rid its ears of water. “Don’t you get used to her if she’s staying in the same house?” Harry asked. “Well, you do,” said Ron, “but if she jumps out at you unexpectedly, like then . . .”

(Half-Blood Prince, page 93)

It continues in his later interactions with Fleur, like when he arrives at the Burrow in HBP in the above quote. Harry asks Ron if he shouldn't get used to Fleur and stop drooling whenever he sees her, to which Ron responds that you do to a degree. The thing is, Harry isn't used to being around Fleur, he just arrived, after not seeing her for over a year. But still, he isn't affected at all, like in 4th year, he seems to not get what all the fuss is about.

That being said, Harry does react to the full veela in the Quidditch World Cup:

But a hundred veela were now gliding out onto the field, and Harry’s question was answered for him. Veela were women . . . the most beautiful women Harry had ever seen . . . except that they weren’t — they couldn’t be — human. This puzzled Harry for a moment while he tried to guess what exactly they could be; what could make their skin shine moon-bright like that, or their white-gold hair fan out behind them without wind . . . but then the music started, and Harry stopped worrying about them not being human — in fact, he stopped worrying about anything at all.

...

And as the veela danced faster and faster, wild, half-formed thoughts started chasing through Harry’s dazed mind. He wanted to do something very impressive, right now. Jumping from the box into the stadium seemed a good idea . . . but would it be good enough? “Harry, what are you doing?” said Hermione’s voice from a long way off. The music stopped. Harry blinked. He was standing up, and one of his legs was resting on the wall of the box. Next to him, Ron was frozen in an attitude that looked as though he were about to dive from a springboard.

(Goblet of Fire, page 103)

I'm not sure exactly about the full veela's effects. Mostly because Arthur Weasley doesn't seem as affected as Harry and Ron, and Harry describes the crowd in general reacting to them, not just the men. Hermione doesn't seem affected though.

Something I want to note is that Harry only becomes affected once they start dancing, and not just by looking at them the way Ron and some of the boys are described as being with Fluer. Only when the music and dance start Harry becomes mesmerized. Before that, he is wondering how their hair moves behind them without wind... Additionally, after the music stops, Harry snaps out of it quickly, Ron on the other hand doesn't and proceeds to tear his Ireland merch.

So, while full veela, can influence him, it isn't by their appearance alone but by magic beyond their regular magical attractiveness.

Note that even with the veela, Harry barely describes anything about them. his descriptions of them aren't as detailed as his descriptions of men he finds attractive.

So even if he is attracted to women, it's very minor and barely there.

Harry's Disastrous Relationship with Cho

So, Harry and Cho... I don't think it's a pairing that has fans, but I might be wrong about that. Regardless of your opinion about it, I don't think Harry actually liked Cho. Like, at all.

They looked at each other for a long moment. Harry felt a burning desire to run from the room and, at the same time, a complete inability to move his feet. “Mistletoe,” said Cho quietly, pointing at the ceiling over his head. “Yeah,” said Harry. His mouth was very dry. “It’s probably full of nargles, though.” “What are nargles?” “No idea,” said Harry. She had moved closer. His brain seemed to have been Stunned. “You’d have to ask Loony. Luna, I mean.” Cho made a funny noise halfway between a sob and a laugh. She was even nearer him now. He could have counted the freckles on her nose. “I really like you, Harry.” He could not think. A tingling sensation was spreading throughout him, paralyzing his arms, legs, and brain. She was much too close. He could see every tear clinging to her eyelashes. . . .

(Order of the Pheonix, page 456)

Cho, the girl Harry is convinced he's crushing on since he was 13, is about to kiss him under the mistletoe, and he's thinking about nargles and Luna... And how does he feel about kissing Cho?

"a burning desire to run from the room"

He wants to run away from kissing Cho. And, well, it doesn't get any better than that.

“What kept you?” he [Ron] asked, as Harry sank into the armchair next to Hermione’s. Harry did not answer. He was in a state of shock. Half of him wanted to tell Ron and Hermione what had just happened, but the other half wanted to take the secret with him to the grave. “Are you all right, Harry?” Hermione asked, peering at him over the tip of her quill. Harry gave a halfhearted shrug. In truth, he didn’t know whether he was all right or not.

(Order of the Pheonix, page 457)

He is not sure he's alright after kissing Cho. Harry thinks about kissing Cho like it's a traumatic experience... He's happier talking about Voldemort's resurrection than about his first kiss. (WTF Harry?)

Harry doesn't like Cho. Not even a bit.

“Did you kiss?” asked Hermione briskly. Ron sat up so fast that he sent his ink bottle flying all over the rug. Disregarding this completely he stared avidly at Harry. “Well?” he demanded. Harry looked from Ron’s expression of mingled curiosity and hilarity to Hermione’s slight frown, and nodded. “HA!” Ron made a triumphant gesture with his fist and went into a raucous peal of laughter that made several timid-looking second years over beside the window jump. A reluctant grin spread over Harry’s face as he watched Ron rolling around on the hearthrug. Hermione gave Ron a look of deep disgust and returned to her letter. “Well?” Ron said finally, looking up at Harry. “How was it?” Harry considered for a moment. “Wet,” he said truthfully. Ron made a noise that might have indicated jubilation or disgust, it was hard to tell.

(Order of the Pheonix, pages 456-458)

I don't need I need to add anything here... Harry speaks for himself.

“You just had to be nice to her,” said Hermione, looking up anxiously. “You were, weren’t you?” “Well,” said Harry, an unpleasant heat creeping up his face, “I sort of — patted her on the back a bit.” Hermione looked as though she was restraining herself from rolling her eyes with extreme difficulty. “Well, I suppose it could have been worse,” she said. “Are you going to see her again?” “I’ll have to, won’t I?” said Harry. “We’ve got D.A. meetings, haven’t we?” “You know what I mean,” said Hermione impatiently. Harry said nothing. Hermione’s words opened up a whole new vista of frightening possibilities. He tried to imagine going somewhere with Cho — Hogsmeade, perhaps — and being alone with her for hours at a time. Of course, she would have been expecting him to ask her out after what had just happened. . . . The thought made his stomach clench painfully. “Oh well,” said Hermione distantly, buried in her letter once more, “you’ll have plenty of opportunities to ask her. . . .” “What if he doesn’t want to ask her?” said Ron, who had been watching Harry with an unusually shrewd expression on his face. “Don’t be silly,” said Hermione vaguely, “Harry’s liked her for ages, haven’t you, Harry?” He did not answer. Yes, he had liked Cho for ages, but whenever he had imagined a scene involving the two of them it had always featured a Cho who was enjoying herself, as opposed to a Cho who was sobbing uncontrollably into his shoulder.

(Order of the Pheonix, page 460)

Okay, so I have two things to mention about this quote.

The first, Harry realizes he doesn't like Cho and probably never did. He didn't consider dating her until Hermoine mentioned it. He doesn't want to date her. He's terrified and grossed out by the notion.

This isn't a boy with a crush. I'd argue this proves he isn't straight at all. I mean, a guy who is attracted to girls, even if not crushing on Cho specifically, wouldn't be horrified to a painful degree at the thought of going on a date with a pretty girl. Or kissing a pretty girl. His reaction is just too viscerally grossed out.

The second is Ron's response. Not really related to Harry being gay, but I love Harry and Ron's friendship so I want to mention it. Hermione and a good chunk of the fandom dunk on Ron for having "the emotional range of a teaspoon", but he clearly doesn't. Ron is Harry's best friend, he knows Harry better than anyone else, yes, better than Hermione even, and this scene proves it. Hermione is flippant, ignoring Harry's responses to his kiss with Cho, just saying he should ask her out as if it's obvious.

Ron on the other hand, Ron notices Harry's expression and the turmoil thinking of dating Cho causes him. Ron is the one who speaks up that maybe Harry doesn't want to date Cho. He immediately defends Harry and his option to choose not to date Cho. (Ron would be very supportive if Harry ever came out, is what I'm saying)

They sat down at the last remaining table, which was situated in the steamy window. Roger Davies, the Ravenclaw Quidditch Captain, was sitting about a foot and a half away with a pretty blonde girl. They were holding hands. The sight made Harry feel uncomfortable, particularly when, looking around the tea shop, he saw that it was full of nothing but couples, all of them holding hands. Perhaps Cho would expect him to hold her hand.

…

In the time it took for their coffees to arrive, Roger Davies and his girlfriend started kissing over their sugar bowl. Harry wished they wouldn’t; he felt that Davies was setting a standard with which Cho would soon expect him to compete.

(Order of the Pheonix, page 559)

The above quotes are from Harry's disaster of a date with Cho. I think no one needs me to explain that the date went badly, but what I want to note is how uncomfortable and grossed out Harry is by the very notion of holding Cho's hands. That he'd have to kiss her again.

Like, again, even if he isn't crushing on her, a guy who's attracted to girls wouldn't be grossed out and pained at the thought of kissing or holding hands with a pretty, attractive girl.

Harry has never been attracted to Cho, and I don't think he's attracted to girls at all.

But What About Ginny?

So this post has gotten quite long already, but I don't think Harry actually likes Ginny. And I have evidence for it in the sequel to this post that is taking a while to write.

No hate for Hinny shippers, but I don't see the pairing, like, at all. I did write some of my thoughts about Hinny here until I finish with the more comprehensive post about them.

But in general, let's just say Harry never uses the word pretty (or good-looking, or nice-looking, or attractive) to describe Ginny. Ever.

And when I looked for his descriptions of her all I found were descriptions of her hair:

He felt a strange twinge of annoyance as she [Ginny] walked away, her long red hair dancing behind her

(Half-Blood Prince, page 136)

she was the only real thing in the world, Ginny, the feel of her, one hand at her back and one in her long, sweet-smelling hair

(Deathly Hollows, page 103)

(There are more descriptions of her hair in the books, but they follow the same lines as these and don't add more information)

Again, contrast these descriptions to the ones of the guys earlier. No eye color, face shape, eye shape, or descriptions of her body or clothes — nothing.

I have more to say about their relationship, but that's for another post.

[vanillapetrichor]

on the terms ‘somniari’ and ‘somniar’ in dragon age

it is quite possible that multiple people have made this point before since gamers love to pick apart lore and this isn’t hard to cross reference

it is also quite possible that i am such a language nerd that only i noticed this or bothered to think about it this much once i did notice it

anyway

the dragon age wiki page for the elvish language lists two terms that immediately jumped out to me

[image description: a screenshot from the dragon age wiki, listing the elvish terms Somniar: To dream (71 in superscript to cite the source), and Somniari: Dreamer (112 in superscript to cite the source) - end id]

these caught my attention as being very obviously based on latin languages - latin for ‘to dream’ is somniare, spanish is soñar, catalan is literally somniar, etc - because this is really unusual for DA elvish. some pronouns could have a generally indo-european basis, e.g. ‘I/me’ is ‘Ir/mir’, but i can’t find any other latin looking words on the whole page. 

(side note, i don’t really know what languages, if any, inspired DA elvish, i’d guess celtic languages for a start since the elves are voiced by celtic actors (my joy when i first heard northern irish elves, i swear), and going off the usual tolkein-esque model i could also hazard a guess at semitic (probably aramaic or hebrew if anything), plus maybe also some scandinavian or at least norse type stuff bc of ‘fen’ meaning wolf, but these are guesses so if anyone knows hmu)

so to start unravelling this, let’s follow link for that second entry, Somniari: Dreamer. the source for this is a quest from dragon age 2 called ‘night terrors’, which centres on a young half-elf boy and his power to control the fade (the magical realm). keeper marethari, the leader of the dalish elf clan currently in the area, says the following:

[image description: a screenshot from the game dragon age 2 in which keeper marethari says “The magic he possesses makes him what the tevinters called “somniari”, a dreamer.” - end id] 

(video credit to Denny Ayard on yt)

aha! the tevinters! DA’s own magic romans! now this makes sense, as tevinter names and terms are very much based on latin. the tevinter imperium invaded the old elvish homeland elvhenan way back when, and also have the most knowledge on magic stuff, so it makes sense to use their word for it (idk why the elves wouldn’t have their own word for this but whatever i guess)

so basically, somniari isn’t an elvish word at all, it’s a tevinter one! so why is it on the wiki page for elvish? at first i wondered if it might be an error by whoever submitted these entries to the wiki, but both do have sources linked, so let’s look at the first term now, Somniar: To dream.

the source for this isn’t as simple. it comes from the irl guide book ‘dragon age: the world of thedas volume 2′, specifically the section about in-universe book of children’s stories ‘the seer’s yarn’. this book contains a dalish lullaby called ‘mir da’len somniar’, and this is the first verse:

[image description: a screenshot from the dragon age wiki showing the first verse to the song ‘mir da’len somniar’. the elvish lyrics are “elgara vallas, da’len, melava somniar, mala taren aravas, ara ma’desen melar”, with the english/common translation “sun sets, little one, time to dream, your mind journeys, but i will hold you here” - end id]

so as shown in the title (which means something like ‘dream, my child/little one’) and this first verse, somniar is used in this song to mean ‘to dream’. no mention of it being a tevinter word; this is a traditional dalish elf lullaby, so the implication is that somniar is a standard elvish word.

this goes against other entries in the wiki, though. there are three other entries whose definition refers to dreams:

[image descriptions: three screenshots of the dragon age wiki, listing three elvish terms. Theneras: Dream (116 and 67 in superscript to cite the source). Uthenera: The name of the ancient practice of immortal elves who would “sleep” once they tired of life; immortal (60 in superscript to cite the source), literally “eternal waking dream”. Setheneran: Land of waking dreams; a place where the Veil is thin (110 in superscript to cite the source) - end id]

which are likely all related to this entry:

[image description: a screenshot of the dragon age wiki with the elvish term Then: Awake, alert. - end id]

so we have a range of words (from a few different sources) to do with dreams in elvish that seem to share the common root ‘then’ (though weirdly no source for this one so i don’t know how we know this). sure, none of these words mean ‘dreamer’ or ‘to dream’, but you would expect those to also share the ‘then’ root, not be completely different (and potentially loaned from the tevinter language). the key here for me is context: i can believe that somniari might be used as a loanword, a description of a specific phenomenon for which they previously had no word, but there is no reason that somniar would be adopted as the common verb ‘to dream’, so common as to appear in songs for children.

so what happened here then? it wasn’t the wiki contributor’s error exactly - somniari is not claimed to be an elvish word in game, it is just used by an elf to describe something, but somniar is used as a genuine elvish word in the guidebook, and they are so close in form and meaning that they must be related.

well, if not the wiki contributor, then it can only be bioware themselves. dragon age 2, where the tevinter word somniari is mentioned, came out in 2011. the guidebook in which the verb somniar is found came out in 2015. fairly simply, i think that given the time between the two, whoever wrote the song misremembered the origin of the word somniari, taking it as a standard elvish word rather than a loaned tevinter one. based on that, they then incorporated an altered form, somniar, to act as a standard elvish verb, not noticing that it conflicted with existing elvish words about dreams. if they’d based their lyrics off those words instead, this post wouldn’t need to exist! arguably it didn’t anyway but it did to me lol 

all this to say (tongue in cheek) that bioware made a mistake in their guidebook and now the wiki is wrong and one of the few whole elven texts we have is ruined for me bc every time i look at it all i think is ‘wtf is that latin doing there’ XD basically this was a me problem and now i’ve made it everyone’s problem (or anyone who can make it through this essay that is haha)

don’t let language students near your fantasy series i guess, or sci-fi for that matter bc BIOWARE HOW DO THE TRANSLATORS IN THE MASS EFFECT OMNITOOL WORK HOW DO THEY WORK HOW DO TH-

[moonsofkrynn]

Lately, I've been reading any and all Dragonlance books I can get my hands on, and most recently finished The Second Generation. Having only now started Dragons of Deceit, I was tickled by the apparent difference in the book when it comes to Justarius's opinion on our good friend Dalamar—the dark elf mage that dated his daughter, Jenna.

Take a look at this excerpt of "The Sacrifice", from page 293 of The Second Generation:

If Justarius had sent them, he would have told her first, and she’d had no word from him in months, ever since their last quarrel. He strongly disapproved of her lover.

Compared with page 116 of Dragon of Deceit:

And although Justarius was a Red Robe, a follower of Lunitari, daughter of the god Gilean, and Dalamar was a Black Robe, follower of Nuitari, son of the goddess Takhisis, the two were friends.

...While I understand that these books were published decades apart...It is way more entertaining to pretend that Justarius's issue with his daughter's partner had nothing to do with the normal reasons Dalamar is maligned—Justarius just wants his friend back!

Jenna, please lend your poor father his study buddy back, he misses him!

[eyesanddragons]

Moonwatcher opinion bingo, perhaps?

Oh Moonwatcher...I have Feelings about Moon, a character that is somehow deeper yet also not as deep as they seem and I find that disappointing cause Moon's potential as a character was just dashed over and I will never be over it. I will never be Moon's possible characterization.

Okay so, Moon for Arc 2 - her book, is like one of those love interests who's personalities change suddenly for ship tease, her opinions about things change so suddenly it's genuine whiplash, it's so hard to get a genuine grip on Who She Is, as a character, because Who She Is, is being superseded by the LOVE TRIANGLE, and that sucks because Moon under all that nonsense is a genuinely interesting cast member.

Something I consider Defining about Moon is that she considers Thought over Action, a persons thoughts say more about them than there actions, Moon instead of looking at someone's actions or the environment around them, will go to there thoughts, that's how she found Icicle, Sora's issues, Winter's loyalty and family issues (A THING I WILL GET TO BECAUSE THAT IS ACTUALLY A REALLY IMPORTANT SCENE) she comments on if a dragon's mind has darkness or if it's surrounded with flames yadadadada.

For Moon it's Thought > Action, see Darkstalker as an example of that, Moon has a hard time accepting Darkstalker as a genocidal murderdragon because his intentions, his reasons, his Thought are so good, Moon knows, or thinks, Darkstalker wants to do the best, and that's sort of true but we know that isn't Darkstalker's true reason.

Qibli and Moon have a discussion about this on page 115-116 of Escaping Peril, in it Moon says that Winter won't come back because she's seen inside his head, he's too loyal to his family (A sentence I feel weird about because Winter's homelife SUCKS and I feel like if you spent a second in Winter's mind you'd understand that but I digress) Qibli says "You know Moon sometimes you focus too much on a person's thoughts that you miss what there actually doing, and what they do tells you more about how their like," and Moon is like "That make's no sense." but we know cause of Darkstalker that Qibli will be proven right, Darkstalker's actions say more about him than his thoughts. Same With Winter, but also Qibli, Qibli's actions say more about him than his thoughts, because Qibli's conflict is with his personal identity, so Qibli has emotional stake in this conversation and I'd like to believe this conversation started this insecurity about if Moon would actually love him.

This conversation is weird cause Moon was the one who even suggested the grace period so going back on it is kinda weird but I think this conversation is consistent with what Moon has been doing this entire Arc.

And I wish there was more of this, cause aside from how she interacts with Darkstalker, stuff that doesn't even get addressed, except for that one time Winter calls her out for defending the genocidal murder dragon and get's told he's wrong for doing that which would be genuinely interesting characterization for both Moon and Qibli EXCEPT THERE CONSINDERED RIGHT-

And then Moon ends the arc not with a bang but with a whimper, and I'm upset cause we could have gotten such an interesting moral discussion about Thought vs Action, tying into the pre-existing themes of Control, and Moon could of been the perfect character in that kind of conflict cause she can both see the future and read minds, thus embodying lack of control and the importance of thought, you can even see this in her personality, she's shy and timid and doesn't take initiative because she's worried about how everyone else will think of her, and her having no control over her life mirrors how she has no control over her powers, and then she could of been a DARKSTALKER MIRROR because Darkstalker steals people's agency and judges based on there inherent morality.

Imagine me punching a wall for a moment, because that is what I'm going to do after this is posted. Moon deserved so much better than becoming a bad love interest.

[booksociety]

Book Society presents its May and June reading event! This time, the members have selected In Another Universe as our theme. We invite you to wander with us through various universes of the Earth - be it an alternate reality, history or future. We hope you enjoy and join us on our reading adventure! This event is open to everyone, not just our members.

✧ how to participate:

optional: reblog this post; check out our network and members

read (or reread) a book of your choice that fits this month’s theme

share what book you’ve chosen, thoughts, reactions, and/or creations

use the tag #booksocietynet in your posts, and include “@booksociety’s In Another Universe event: [insert book title here]” in the description of your creations

the event starts on May 8 and ends on June 30

✧ reading recommendations (under the cut):

1984 by George Orwell (classic, dystopia; 237 pages; tw: torture, violence, misogyny, police brutality)

A Darker Shade of Magic (Shades of Magic #1) by V.E. Schwab (adult, fantasy; 400 pages; tw: violence, blood, torture, self-harm, death)

A Dead Djinn in Cairo (Dead Djinn Universe #0.5) by P. Djèlí Clark (historical, fantasy, steampunk, mystery; 43 pages; tw: death, suicide, gore, body horror, violence)

American Gods (American Gods #1) by Neil Gaiman (adult, urban fantasy; 635 pages; tw: death, violence)

American Royals (American Royals #1) by Katharine McGee (young adult, contemporary, romance; 448 pages; tw: cancer, toxic relationship, death, death of a parent)

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing (The Carls #1) by Hank Green (adult, scifi, lgbt+; 343 pages; tw: gore, violence, death, blood, confinement, hate crime)

Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days #1) by Susan Ee (young adult, paranormal fantasy, romance; 288 pages; tw: violence, gore, torture, child death)

A Song Below Water (A Song Below Water #1) by Bethany C. Morrow (young adult, fantasy, contemporary, mermaids; 288 pages; tw: racism, police brutality, bullying)

Burn for Me (Hidden Legacy #1) by Ilona Andrews (adult, urban fantasy; 406 pages; tw: death, violence, torture)

Certain Dark Things by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (adult, historical, paranormal fantasy; 272 pages; tw: violence, gore, blood)

Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #1) by Ilona Andrews (adult, urban fantasy, sci-fi, paranormal; 227 pages; tw: death, gore, violence)

Deathless by Catherynne M. Valente (adult, fantasy, historical, romance; 352 pages; tw: domestic abuse, death, body horror, toxic relationship)

Dread Nation (Dread Nation #1) by Justina Ireland (young adult, fantasy, horror; 455 pages; tw: racism, violence, gore, death)

Dry by Neal Shusterman & Jarrod Shusterman (young adult, scifi, dystopia; 390 pages; tw: death, gun violence, blood)

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury (classic, dystopia; 294 pages; tw: death, murder, suicide, torture, drug abuse)

Flame in the Mist (Flame in the Mist #1) by Renée Ahdieh (young adult, fantasy, historical, romance; 392 pages; tw: violence, death)

Geekerella (Once Upon a Con #1) by Ashley Poston (young adult, retelling, contemporary, romance; 336 pages; tw: death of a parent, bullying, grief, emotional abuse)

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman (urban fantasy, humour; 412 pages; tw: death)

Heiress Apparently (Daughters of the Dynasty #1) by Diana Ma (young adult, contemporary, romance; 304 pages)

His Majesty's Dragon (Temeraire #1) by Naomi Novik (historical, fantasy; 356 pages; tw: animal death, animal cruelty, violence, blood)

How Much of These Hills is Gold by C Pam Zhang (adult, historical, lgbt+; 288 pages; tw: racism, transphobia)

Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu (adult, contemporary; 273 pages; tw: racism, xenophobia, hate crime)

Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore (young adult, scifi, lgbt+; 464 pages; tw: kidnapping, animal cruelty)

Kiss of Steel (London Steampunk #1) by Bec McMaster (adult, historical, romance, paranormal, steampunk; 423 pages; tw: violence, blood, suicidal thoughts, physical abuse)

Lore by Alexandra Bracken (young adult, urban fantasy, mythology; 480 pages; tw: misogyny, violence, gore, death, death of a family)

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1) by Ilona Andrews (adult, urban & paranormal fantasy; 261 pages; tw: gore, violence, death, body horror)

Moon of the Crusted Snow by Waubgeshig Rice (adult, scifi, dystopia, horror; 213 pages; tw: violence, death, animal death, gore, racism)

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (adult, scifi, dystopia; 288 pages; tw: medical trauma, bullying, trafficking, death, grief)

Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (new adult, romance, contemporary, lgbt+; 421 pages; tw: homophobia, drug use mention, panic attacks)

Rivers of London (Rivers of London #1) by Ben Aaronovitch (adult, urban fantasy, mystery; 392 pages; tw: death, murder, violence, facial disfiguration)

Royally Matched (Royally #2) by Emma Chase (new adult, contemporary romance; 264 pages; tw: parental abuse, misogyny, panic attacks)

Scythe (Arc of a Scythe #1) by Neal Shusterman (young adult, scifi, dystopia; 435 pages; tw: death, violence, murder)

Shadows of Asphodel (Shadows of Asphodel #1) by Karen Kincy (adult, historical, fantasy, romance, dieselpunk; 352 pages)

Temporary by Hilary Leichter (adult, contemporary, fabulism; 208 pages)

The Bear and the Nightingale (The Winternight Trilogy #1) by Katherine Arden (young adult, fantasy, historical; 319 pages; tw: misogyny, death, religious bigotry, death of a parent, violence, animal death)

The Bone Season (The Bone Season #1) by Samantha Shannon (adult, scifi, fantasy; 466 pages; tw: slavery, violence, death, torture, trafficking)

The City of Brass (The Daevabad Trilogy #1) by S.A. Chakraborty (adult, fantasy; 533 pages; tw: violence, blood, gore, slavery, xenophobia)

The City We Became (Great Cities #1) by N.K. Jemisin (adult, urban fantasy, lgbt+; 437 pages; tw: racism, xenophobia, homophobia, sexual assault)

The Darkest Minds (The Darkest Minds #1) by Alexandra Bracken (young adult, scifi, dystopia; 488 pages; tw: violence, torture, death, sexual assault, physical abuse)

The Deep by Rivers Solomon (adult, fantasy, lgbt+, mythology; 166 pages; tw: slavery, genocide, death, grief, mental illness, self-harm, panic attacks)

The Factory by Hiroko Oyamada (adult, dystopia; 116 pages)

The Ghost Bride by Yangsze Choo (young adult, historical fiction, paranromal, romance; 390 pages; tw: death, death of a parent, drug addiction, misogyny)

The Gilded Wolves (The Gilded Wolves #1) by Roshani Chokshi (young adult, fantasy, historical; 388 pages; tw: violence, death, child abuse, torture, panic attacks, racism, ableism)

The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials #1) by Philip Pullman (young adult, fantasy; 399 pages; tw: violence, kidnapping, animal death, child death, religious bigotry)

The Golem and the Jinni (The Golem and the Jinni #1) by Helene Wecker (adult, historical, fantasy; 486 pages; tw: violence, rape)

The Handmaid's Tale (The Handmaid's Tale #1) by Margaret Atwood  (adult, dystopia, feminism; 314 pages; tw: rape, violence, misogyny, sexual violence, death, miscarriage, suicide)

The Host by Stephenie Meyer (adult, scifi, dystopia, romance; 619 pages; tw: death, violence, medical gore, loss of bodily autonomy, grief)

The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune (adult, urban fantasy, lgbt+; 394 pages; tw: child abuse, xenophobia, confinement, fatphobia, bullying)

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games #1) by Suzanne Collins (young adult, scifi, dystopia; 374 pages; tw: violence, death, blood, gore, body horror, alcoholism)

The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa (adult, scifi, dystopia; 274 pages; tw: confinement, police brutality, death, animal death)

The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (adult, contemporary, fabulism; 228 pages; tw: suicide, grief, depression)

The Power by Naomi Alderman (adult, dystopia, feminism; 341 pages; tw: rape, violence, sexual assault, torture, murder)

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (young adult, contemporary, romance, lgbt+; 389 pages; tw: death, death of a parent, grief, violence)

This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone (adult, scifi, romance, lgbt+; 209 pages; tw: violence, death, gore, murder, body horror)

White Tears by Hari Kunzru (adult, fabulism, mystery; 271 pages; tw: racism, murder, police violence)

[bookcub]

End of the Year Reading Tag

I saw @aliteraryprincess do this so I followed suit

did you reach your reading goal for the year (if you had one)?

yeah my goodreads goal was 65 and I read 116.

what are your top 3 books you read this year?

excluding my rereads, The Scapegracers by Hannah Abigail Clarke, Nimona by Noelle Stevenson, and mmmmm either Elatsoe by Darcie Little Badger or Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert

what’s a book that you didn’t expect to enjoy quite so much going in?

Something to Talk About by Meryl Wilsner and Knit, Purl, a Baby, and a Girl by Hettie Bell were both romance novels with premises that sounded. . . a little not my speed, but I gave them a chance because they were sapphic and i cried reading both of them.

were there any books that didn’t live up to your expectations?

plain bad heorines. I really wanted to love it, but I couldn't connect with it at all.

did you reread any old faves? If so, which one was your favourite?

ooo yeah, old and new favorites!! graceling, fire, bitterblue, the duff, golden, the squad, hold me, girl gone viral, Leah on the offbeat, red white and royal blue, the summer of jordi perez, frog princess, dragons breath, Charlotte's web, most of vampire academy and bloodlines, hold me closer necromancer, and the seven husbands of evelyn hugo. I really embraced rereads this year

did you dnf any books?

haha so many, I always put down books when I'm bored with them or don't think they are worth my time: plain bad heroines, the ex hex, the witch king, I want to be where the normal people are, and sisters red

did you read any books outside your usual preferred genre(s)?

I guess not really. romance still feels new to

what was your predominant format this year?

e library books, I think. but I'll get physical books from libraries, buy them, or buy ebooks. or reread what I own physically or electronically.

what’s the longest book you read this year?

According to Goodreads, Jane Eyre which has 532 pages.

what are your top 3 anticipated 2022 releases?

The Scratch Daughters, which is the sequel to The Scapegracers, The Hopeless and the Romantic by Meryl Wilsner, and Talia Brown's new books.

what books from your tbr did you not get to this year, but are excited to read in 2022?

I have no idea, my tbr may be a list but I do not consult it very often lol.

[hireath24]

Everything wrong with ACOFAS: A Rant Part Three

Disclaimer: This is part three and will continue from pages 97 to 150. Part one can be found here. Part Two can be found here. Part four can be found here. These page numbers come from the UK paperback edition of A Court of Frost and Starlight. This is my own opinion of the book - the writing, the grammar, the characters, etc. I won’t be commenting on anything that may have been plagiarized or that has been ripped off from the history of other cultures as SJM has a tendency to do. If you disagree with my opinions, I’m sorry and hope you see the error in your ways.

Page 99: Saying ‘wine will make you feel better’ really gives off the wrong impression when this is a book targeted at young kids. I mean, it’s written for the YA genre which is typically categorized for ages 12 and up. 

Page 101: I’m so fed up of people talking badly about Nesta. Having Amren say ‘That’s if she shows up sober’ when she has walked in to see Feyre, Cassian and Azriel all drinking wine? Feyre and Cassian being ‘drunk’? Double standard! Unfair! 

Page 102: So Elain managed to become a seer with the cauldron, right? So… Are there other people - sorry, Fae - who are seers? Why does the cauldron affect people in different ways? 

Page 107: Amren was turned into a High Fae in the last book, which means that she no longer has to drink blood as food. But why did she ever have to drink blood? I don’t think it was ever explained. Why?

Page 108: Elain asks Amren if she could have taken on a male form and Amren replies with ‘Before, in my other form, I was neither. I simply was.’ Was that supposed to be SJM’s cheap shot at adding some gender diversity? Because I would have loved to see Amren be this non-binary power house asexual dragon but who has time for that but she uses she/her pronouns throughout the entire series and this is the only mention of her being able to switch between genders. 

Page 112: ‘…A few drunk revelers spotted us and fell silent. Felt Rhys’s power, perhaps my own as well, and found somewhere else to be for a while.’ Why would they want to find somewhere else to be as soon as their High Lord and High Lady show up? Why are they showing fear at the feeling of their power? Aren’t Feyre and Rhys supposed to be the good guys? This reads a lot like the people of Velaris are scared of them…

Page 115: ‘Gentlemales’ GENTLEMALES. GENTLEMALES. GENTLE FUCKING MALES?!?!?!?!

Page 116: ‘Indeed, some people were turning our way.’ This is just… This word is useless in general but in this book? I don’t think it was edited properly. 

Page 118: ‘A scene. This was about to become a scene in the worst way.’ SJM does this quite a lot in this book. These little two sentences where she says something and then expands on that something. It was used twice before already and I didn’t write it down because I thought it was just a writing choice but… it’s a poor one. It feels like a way to get the word count up somehow and, quite frankly, it’s bad writing.

  Page 118: Feyre is annoyed that Nesta is asking for her to pay her rent? How else does she suppose that Nesta should pay for her rent? She had a home that was taken from her back in the human world (that was taken from her because of Feyre, mind you) and all she asks is that Feyre pay her rent because she doesn’t have a job in fairy land? That seems pretty reasonable. Feyre shouldn’t be mad. 

Page 121: ‘But those were her deaths to claim.’ Why does everything have to be paid with death? I think it would be a lot more empowering if Mor would meet with those who wronged her, say something about them and her and just walk out of their lives entirely? SJM should start preaching forgiveness a little bit more but, hey, that’s just my opinion. Plus, this is really making Rhys seem like a bad ruler. Wanting to kill his enemies? No. 

Page 122: ‘Keir is coming soon, isn’t he.’ Yeah, no, this wasn’t edited. 

Page 122: ‘When.’ 

Page 125: ‘Az has a list of kingdoms most likely to cross the line.’ I’m wondering why the Night Court is in charge? Why does Rhysand get to decide which kingdoms and courts cross the line? Why does he get to decide where the line is? 

Page 126: As I said for Page 118, Rhysand says: ‘Tempting. So damn tempting to tell…’ See what I mean? 

Page 126: If Rhysand deals with conflict by fighting fire with fire, then his court is going to fall apart. Why is he allowed to get away with attacking Tamlin the way he did? What are the basic rules of the court - any of the courts? Surely the people wouldn’t want an insufficient ruler so do they get a say in it? WHY ARE THE HIGH LORDS ALLOWED TO ACT LIKE BLOODTHIRSTY BEASTS?! 

Page 126: ‘Too long. She’d been cooped up within the borders of this court for too long.’ Wow, once you tune into it…

Page 127: I really want to make one thing clear. Not every piece of dialogue has to have a tag attached to it. Sometimes things work much better if you just use ‘I said’ or ‘he/she/they said.’ At least then it would mean less lines such as this ‘I laughed again. ‘Certainly not Amren. Not if we want peace,’ I added.’

Page 127: Also, Rhysand ‘want(s) peace’? Bullshit. Not seven paragraphs ago did he laugh about Mor wanting Tamlin dead and a page ago he was tempted to tell ‘the High Lord of Autumn that his eldest son coveted his throne.’ Do not think for one second that Rhys is a level headed ruler. SJM has a tendency to tell us that he is rather than show it. 

Page 128: ‘…Even the wine I’d returned home to drink couldn’t dull.’ Teaching young, impressionable people that alcohol might solve some of your problems. Great. And what - Feyre can say this but Nesta can’t drink? 

Page 129: ‘Decadent - it felt decadent…’ I really wished I had never picked up on this.

Page 129: Feyre keeps complaining about the amount of work she has to do but here she is shopping with Elain? When her people are scared, heartbroken, without a home and in mourning after the war?

  Page 129: ‘So different. This place was so different…’ ON THE SAME FUCKING PAGE?!??!

Page 131: So I guess that nobody ever told SJM that a character description goes beyond eye colour, hair colour and clothes? 

Page 133: ‘I might ease that grief, make the pain less.’ Feyre’s powers allow her to do that? When, why, how and fucking what?

Page 134: ‘I was lucky - so tremendously lucky.’ 

Page 134: Rhys was dead and he was brought back to life, right? It wasn’t like with Feyre’s death where she was still slightly conscious because she could hear what was going on, no. No, with Rhysand’s death, he really was dead. But he was brought back to life and somehow… feels nothing from this? I would love to see if there are times where his body becomes slightly misty and ghostlike, if his veins turn black under his skin because they had stopped working during that brief moment of death. I would have loved to see something other than just him feeling a little bit tired!

Page 134: ‘How.’ 

Page 135: I’s very clear to me that, for whatever reason, SJM wanted Feyre to be able to paint but she has no idea how to write about it. Whilst Feyre is painting, we only read about her need to create and what the end result looks like. Even during her process we hear nothing about light and perspective and I’m not a painter but there’s a true science behind it. And where is she getting the paints from? Rhys was able to give her some with his magic but from where?

  Page 138: It disgusts me that Feyre thinks that she can solve the people of the Night Court’s problems by teaching them how to paint. These people went through a war! And before that it was Under the Mountain! Painting and creating art in general can help with recovery from mental illness and trauma and PTSD and depression and everything else, but there comes a point where therapy is needed. Memorials are needed, ceremonies are needed. How are people supposed to paint what they feel when they can’t understand what they feel? It’s bullshit and, really, quite a childish thing to even suggest. How is this a ruler? 

Page 139: Why do jigsaw puzzles exist. Why are they called jigsaw puzzles. SJM is not a high fantasy writer. 

Page 140: ‘Good thing indeed.’ You guys know how I feel about this word by now, right? 

Page 140: ‘Indeed, each seemed like a different decade.’ So the fashion changes with time, does it? Great! Tell me more. Tell me why and how and when. Also, indeed.

Page 143: ‘The females bring their jewellery. I bring my weapons.’ But Cassian is a feminist, right? Yeah, no, guys, it’s alright. He’s a feminist, it’s all fine. 

Page 146: ‘You being too drunk to climb the stairs last night.’ I’m really not okay with the amount of casual drinking in this book - and not only that but the way it’s treated. Nesta is shamed for it, Feyre mentions that even wine can’t help her, Rhys makes jokes about his friends being drunk. It sends a really bad message. 

Page 147: ‘Illyrian baby indeed.’ 

Page 147: I’ve said this before but someone should really tell SJM that every scene in a book should further the plot. This has been three pages of bickering, useless drivel about a bed being too small for Cassian and cheap jokes about alcohol. The entire thing could be cut and the story wouldn’t change. 

Page 148: ‘Indeed, as Feyre emerged from the kitchen hallway…’

Page 148: ‘Strange - so strange to see…’

Page 149: ‘Indeed.’

Page 150: ‘Mor was instantly on her feet, offering - insisting on wine.’ This is just teaching kids that you need alcohol to be able to have a good time! Which isn’t true in the slightest! And it’s wrong on so many levels - especially insisting that everyone has wine! Peer pressure?? SJM deals with sensitive issues so badly (see what I said in another post about Rhysand and sexual assault) that it’s… It’s hard. Yikes.

[alywats]

February 2021 Reading Wrap-Up

It’s that time again, folks. What I read in February, the month of love: Romance, poetry and... math? And in the last book of the month, all 3!

1. The Female Persuasion -Meg Wolitzer (480 pgs) 3

The first third of this book, I was trying to figure out if it was supposed to be ironic or not, then the second third, I was deeply invested in it *not* being ironic, then in the last third? Let's just say the ending was the worst part.

A commentary on feminism that tried to be self aware, but ultimately ended up as un-intersectional, lacking in plot, and predictable. My favorite character was Cory, I felt like he had the best moments of struggle and growth, and it seems underwhelming that in a book so focused on feminism and female empowerment, it was a man's story that stood out. This book seems like a valiant swing but total miss. Sorry bout it.

2. Shipped -Angie Hockman (336 pgs) 3

I needed some escapism and that is exactly what this Romance On A Galapagos Cruise novel did for me. Winter and the pandemic are both hitting me hard so it was nice to think about the sun and travel and falling in love. The actual plot and writing here did fall into pretty predictable and mediocre tropes, so I can't say that this novel had a lot of depth.

3. Dearly: New Poems -Margaret Atwood (124 pgs) 3.5

Margaret Atwood has a distinct voice that carries throughout all her writing. This was the first poetry I had ever consumed by her, and I was happy to hear that voice in her poetry. With themes of womanhood, climate change, and slug sex, I found myself fully engaged throughout. My criticism is only that some of it seemed overly wordy, making it hard to keep track of Atwood's actual point. I listened to Atwood read it herself, making sure that I wasn't missing the pacing or tone, and every poem fell into the same rhythm, which made it hard for anything to stand out against the rest.

4. Station Eleven -Emily St. John Mandel (333 pgs) 4.5

This was a masterpiece of pandemic fiction: it was very reminiscent of The Stand, but 800 pages lighter, and was still able to capture the humanity and nuance of The End Of The World. After I read Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell, I had a lot to say about Shakespeare and the plague, and Station Eleven reinforces it: Shakespeare wrote in a time where the Black Death couldn't be ignored, and yet plague is not a central theme of his work. Instead he wrote about corruption, the hunger for power, the grief of losing loved ones. The Traveling Symphony in Station Eleven perform Shakespeare to the small camps of people who survived a pandemic:

"They'd performed more modern plays sometimes in the first few years, but what was startling, what no one would have anticipated, was that audiences seemed to prefer Shakespeare to their other theatrical offerings."

Whether during the Black Death, the fictional Georgia Flu, or Covid-19, Shakespeare transcends.

5. X + Y: A Mathematician’s Manifesto on Gender -Eugenia Cheng (272 pgs) 2.5

*see previous post*

6. Leave The World Behind -Rumaan Alam (241 pgs) 4

Is this a thriller? No, but it is certainly anxiety-inducing. Reading this in 2021 is hard, because the plot and the emotions it evokes are very near to reality. I loved the claustrophobia of this book, I loved seeing into the thought processes of the characters, and how relatable each person's priorities and analysis of the situation was. Nothing was known for certain, not everyone cooperated, hard decisions did have to be made. It was well done.

7. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo -Stieg Larsson (465 pgs) 3.5

I am always a little bit skeptical when I go back and read major bestsellers, because I never think they are going to live up to their hype. And for the first 150-200 pages of this book, I was definitely feeling like this was going to be a major disappointment. But then, shit started going down. Yes, there are issues with this being just another thriller about how violently women are treated, yes there are some issues with the way Lisbeth's character is communicated to the reader, but overall I was impressed by the depth this novel was able to capture. I was on the edge of my seat, I kept reading because I wanted to know how it would all end. And I think that is the mark of a good mystery or thriller. I am going to be continuing this series, and I am hopeful that the depth will continue.

I think I also give this series a little bit more lenience, because the author died after only writing the manuscripts for this series, he was not around for the edits or translations, or to take criticism or change anything in later books after public consumption or reaction to this first one.

8. I Love My Love -Reyna Biddy (116 pgs) 1.5

This poetry collection is very much of the "Rupi Kaur" genre of poetry, which is not for me. I hate to be a pretentious poetry person, but "instagram poetry" where you hit them with a one liner that is obviously trying to be sooooo deep, feels so disingenuous to me. I just lose any authenticity that I may have found in the writing. Some of the themes here were great starts, but Biddy didn't develop them enough poetically for my tastes.

9. The Unhoneymooners -Christina Lauren (400 pgs) 3

Earlier this month I read Shipped by Angie Hockman, which claims to be inspired by or reminiscent of this book. And I found some great escapism in Shipped, reading about love and travel and warm weather was what I needed during this Washington winter, so I decided to treat myself to another. The Unhoneymooners was very similar, I read about love and travel and warm weather while I was in a snowstorm during a pandemic. It did it's job, but I wouldn't say it was revolutionary to the genre or to literature as a whole.

10. Beyond Infinity -Eugenia Cheng (304 pgs) 3.5

This is a fun book if you want a broad guide to thinking about infinity. I think the level of depth is great for both people with a lot of mathy background knowledge, and for people who are just starting to get their feet wet. My major setback with Eugenia Cheng's writing is this: she uses non-math metaphors to make math "relatable" to people who may not have had experience with the content she is explaining. But she doesn't use metaphors that work! I found it so frustrating that she was making the math she was explaining MORE vague and MORE confusing, like by comparing the natural numbers to a Great Dane puppy (??). I just found that those choices in communication made it less effective at it's goal of communicating cool maths!

11. The Feather Thief -Kirk Wallace Johnson (336 pgs) 4

I found this work of nonfiction to be so interesting. At every stage I was shocked that I had never heard about any of this. Science, museums, birds, fly fishing, crime, lying, eBay investigations, the moral implications of feigning mental illness, and what it even means to have a mental illness, this book has explorations of it all.

12. 84, Charing Cross Road -Helene Hanff (97 pgs) 4

What a sweet collection of letters. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and the ending was so sad yet so beautiful. Simply warmed my heart and I think you should read this too.

13. Strange Attractors: Poems of Love and Mathematics -Sarah Glaz, Joanne Growney (255 pgs) 5

More on this to come…. But basically this book is everything to me. 

[mostwonderfulstory]

Goal: 5000 pages

Read:

Loveless by Alice Oseman (435 pages)

Giant Days, Vol. 2 (128 pages)

Giant Days, Vol. 3 (112 pages)

Giant Days, Vol. 4 (112 pages)

TRUEL1F3 by Jay Kristoff (480 pages)

Giant Days, Vol. 5 (112 pages)

Giant Days, Vol. 6 (112 pages)

Giant Days: Extra Credit (112 pages)

Giant Days, Vol. 7 (112 pages)

Giant Days, Vol. 8 (112 pages)

Giant Days: Early Registration (112 pages)

Giant Days, Vol. 9 (110 pages)

Giant Days, Vol. 10 (112 pages)

Giant Days, Vol. 11 (160 pages)

Giant Days, Vol. 12 (112 pages)

Summer Days and Summer Nights (388 pages)

Giant Days, Vol. 13 (112 pages)

Giant Days, Vol. 14 (112 pages)

Percy Jackson's Greek Gods (416 pages)

I Will Judge You by Your Bookshelf by Grant Snider (128 pages)

Lampie and the Children of the Sea by Annet Schaap (336 pages)

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow (400 pages)

Check, Please! Book 1: # Hockey (288 pages)

Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay (323 pages)

Check, Please!, Book 2: Sticks & Scones (336 pages)

The Tea Dragon Festival (136 pages)

Voyages in the Underworld of Orpheus Black (320 pages)

Fence: Rivals (112 pages)

Percy Jackson's Greek Heroes by Rick Riordan (404 pages)

Fence: Striking Distance by Sarah Rees Brennan (368 pages)

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas (435 pages)

Fangirl, Vol. 1: The Manga (216 pages)

Wonder by R.J. Palacio (318 pages)

The Dark Prophecy by Rick Riordan (414 pages)

Camp Half-Blood Confidential by Rick Riordan (163 pages)

With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo (400 pages)

Girl. Boy. Sea. by Chris Vick (320 pages)

Unbroken (Started, 177 pages)

The Empire of Gold by SA Chakraborty (Started, 367 pages)

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (Started, 116 pages)

Total: 9538 pages.

[unfortunate-stranger-losers]

The Incomplete History of Secret Organizations - How to Crack the Code

Now that Season Three of A Series of Unfortunate Events has aired, I feel it’s about time to finally tell y’all the Code from The Incomplete History of Secret Organizations- for those of you who can’t get the book, haven’t read it yet, can’t figure out the code, or who just don’t wanna spend time finding it out yourselves. 

On page 188 of The Incomplete History of Secret Organizations, the key to cracking a code sprinkled throughout the book is provided: 

WARNING → THERE IS A SECRET MESSAGE IN THIS BOOK

You may have noticed a cross-referencing technique that appears throughout these pages, looking as such: (See: Notorious Researchers, pg. 30). This device is a helpful way to direct readers to relevant information that can be found elsewhere in a text. 

It is also a handy way to send a secret message. 

Every librarian knows that books contain secrets, and hiding a secret message in the pages of a book is a frequent VFD tactic. Volunteers who cleverly cross-reference will discover the message, while their enemies, who rarely finish a book, remain unaware. 

If you have read this far, you may be wondering how to discover this message yourself. First read the book carefully, making note of any parentheticals shaded an unusual hue. This is no printer error; it is a key informing you that part of the message can be found on the suggested page. Follow the references and locate the letters colored a corresponding hue. These letters are scrambled, not unlike an anagram. Once you have unscrambled the word, write it on the color-coded line of this telegram. Completing the telegram will reveal the answer to a question that has stumped philosophers, police inspectors, and even Lemony Snicket: 

What comes after the end of The End? 

Next to this description is a photo of a telegram, which is fourteen words long: 

___ ____ __ _______ 

____ ___ __ _____ 

____ ____ _____

__ _____ _____

And, indeed, each word is underlined in a different color. 

Now... onto cracking the code.

As referenced, there are occasional cross-references in the text. And sometimes, the See: is in the color you need to look for. 

If you follow each See to its corresponding page, you’ll find letters scattered across the text that are in the color you need to find. These letters make up each word. 

Word-by-word, let’s see what we can find: 

The first word, in dark purple, is on page 133: The Reptile Room. To be honest, this is the hardest word to find: the dark color is very close to the color of the actual text. There are three letters here, in the following sentences: 

You always want to do something new, but at the same time, I wanted to see if there were clues I could integrate into the design. 

This flips it so the priority is the reptiles, and his own living space is sort of diminutive. 

And in “The Reptile Room,” [Monty]’s delighted to share his world with these kids. 

otw

The second word is on page 99: Toupees for Toddles, in an orange-ish color. There are four letters, which can be found in the following sentences: 

“Well, we can’t put a wig on a baby.” 

It’s one of the oddest things I’ve ever done in my career, applying a little wig on a baby. 

When we started the second season, Presley had grown her hair long enough that we could actually create the ponytail with here own hair, which was a relief. 

ests 

The third word, in a hot pink, is on page 130: Mr Poe’s Office. There are only two letters, which can be found in the following sentences: 

It can be goofy, but it’s never goofy-stupid. 

He’s the guy that’s literally standing between Olaf and the Baudelaire fortune. 

of

The fourth word, on page 110: How to Dress for a Masked Ball, in a gray-blue color, can be found in the following sentences, with seven letters: 

The flashback that opens “The Carnivorous Carnival” is set at a Venetian-style masked ball, where masks conceal a number of familiar faces. Cynthia Summers designed each mask with the character in mind, including Dr Orwell’s “eyeglasses,” a Medusa-inspired snake mask for Uncle Monty, and theatrical comedy/tragedy masks for the Snicket Brothers. (Jacques wears the comedy mask, while Lemony, of course, is tragedy.) The ball also marks the first on-screen appearance of the mysterious Beatrice, described in the script as “a beautiful woman dressed as a dragonfly.” 

eidnrsf

The fifth word, four letters long, is on page 45: Olivia Caliban/Madame Lulu, is in gray: 

A dangling thread from Season One was a certain book on secret organizations discovered by Justice Strauss - a book whose title will be familiar to anyone reading this. 

Still, they liked the idea of a character finding The Incomplete History of Secret Organizations and having the book change your life, as it will no doubt change yours. 

While the book’s version of Olivia is a veteran agent of dubious morality, the show reinvents her as a noble school librarian struggling against institutional corruption. 

There, disguised as Madame Lulu, she fulfills her mission of passing the book to the Baudelaires - and sacrifices herself at the lion pit to save their lives. 

jtsu 

The sixth word, colored light orange, is on page 109: How to Dress for a Career in Food Service. The three letters can be found here: 

Author Daniel Handler explains that the VFD agents we meed in the show are the types of people whom children notice by adults overlook. 

You’re going to notice things that are invisible to the adults talking over your head. 

Take a good look at the restaurant’s terrifying logo. 

uto

On page 141: The Miserable Mill is the seventh word, in two red letters: 

“The Wide Window” left us with no more stage space, so it forced us to shoot the mill at a real location, an old dock building which we then tried to make look like a stage. 

Klaus comes back from the eye doctor, but he isn’t quite himself. 

fo

The eighth word is on page 97: The Real Sugar Bowl. There are five light purple letters: 

According to Esme, it was stolen from her by Beatrice, and according to Olivia, it may have been the reason for the VFD schism. It’s not the first sugar bowl to play a vital role in a work of classic literature (interested parties may seek out We Have Always Lived in The Castle at their local library), but Daniel Handler muses on another possible inspiration: “There a whole sugar scene in the movie Midnight (See: Snicket, Jacques, pg 44) that must have seeped into me when I was a child. Somehow I think that was one of the sugar bowls of literature that ended up sneaking in.” 

The existence of four identical sugar bowl [props] may be of interest to Esme Squalor, or at least her actress, Lucy Punch, who requested to keep one when the series wrapped. “My character was so desperate for it,” says Punch. “It seemed appropriate.” 

eahrc

The ninth word, in blue, is on page 172: The Carnivorous Carnival. There are four letters: 

There’s literally no program you can watch that’s any wierce. 

The aesthetic of carnivals and circuses is naturally creepy and absurd to begin with. And then you add the overlay of our material, where everything is filtered  through the Baudelaires, so the sets are designed to be seen as if you’re a vulnerable child glimpsing this horrible world and trying to maintain hope. 

Count Olaf arrives at Caligari Carnival, where he hopes the fortune-teller can help him. 

wlli

The tenth word is on page 89: The Many Faces of Barry Sonnenfeld. There are four green letters: 

and in “The Vile Village,” he’s the fire chief posing with his Dalmatian int he firehouse-turned-saloon. 

A common ancestor to our series’ interconnected families? 

Barry birthday is April Fool’s Day, and for his birthday, I decided to knock off a painting with him in it. 

We’re shooting the Hotel Denouement right now, and the whole hotel isi based on the Dewey Decimal System, and each floor is a different subject. 

eetm

On page 64-65: The Sinister Songs, you can find five magenta letters for the eleventh word: 

“I was a huge fan of the books in my twenties, and I  was also a huge fan of Barry Sonnenfeld, so to see those two come together and actually be a part of it was unreal.” 

Count Olaf introduces himself to the Baudelaires with this song and dance - ignoring the fact he’s already met them. Handlers says, “Singing is perfect for Count Olaf because he imagines himself so wonderful.” 

All of the dance numbers were choreographed by Paul Becker, who pulled double duty in the first half of “The Carnivorous Carnival”.

She’s had quite an exciting / Time on the road

agina

On page 24: Violet the Inventor, there are two gray letters for the twelfth word: 

But now those inventions, like the Baudelaire mansion itself, are gone. 

She promised her parents she would always look after them, and while Count Olaf’s schemes have put that promise to the test, Violet’s managed to stand strong in even the most unfortunate situation. 

on

Pages 116-117: Deciphering Code: Using the Dials of the Spyglass, has five purple letters for the thirteenth word: 

As a volunteer, you already know why and when the spyglass was created (See: Motion Picture, Pg 10) but we will briefly recap its history here.

A permanent mark has its advantages, since even the most absent-minded member rarely leave the house without their ankle (See: Peg Leg, pg 86), but it has its drawbacks too, particularly if the organization undergoes a schism, so that the same symbol that once stood for comradery and literacy suddenly represents treachery and pyromania now that it is inscribed on the ankles of your enemies. 

But just as a movie might be more than a movie, a spyglass can be more than a spyglass. 

Critics called these films terrible, which was the point: Sebald wanted to ensure that no one would want to see them besides other volunteers, who would be more interested in their secret messages than their artistic value. 

The cinema’s projectionist assigns the film a production code made up of a unique combination of numbers and symbols. 

riynb

The fourteenth and final word can be found on page 32: Who is Lemony Snicket? There are five pale green letters: 

He is currently investigating the lives of the Baudelaire orphans,  though his reason for doing so is unknown, as are his whereabouts. 

Mr. Snicket can be identified by his dry wit, his tailored suits, and his ankle tattoo, as well as his tendency to launch into wordy monologues containing Very Frequent Definitions. 

But when developing the series for Netflix, Barry Sonnenfeld and Daniel Handler independently felt that their Snicket should be seen as well as heard. 

And they both independently thought of Patrick Warburton, a frequent Sonnenfeld collaborator whom Handler had loved in a little-seen film called The Woman Chaser. Volunteers who track it down will note that it features Warburton speaking to the camera in a suit and a deadpan style that one might call Serlinig-esque - or Snicket-esque. 

haebc

The Code

So now we have all the words:  

otw ests of eidnrsf 

jtsu uto fo eahrc 

wlli eemt agina 

on riynb haebc  

Which do not take a long time to unscramble... 

What comes after the end of The End? 

Well, it turns out... the code is a couplet... 

Two sets of friends, just out of reach 

Will meet again on Briny Beach.

[radio-ha-ha]

1 12 17 32 44 58 60 62 78 116 118 120 133 142 aaaaaaand 150 ❤️

yoshki matryoshki nifiga sebe

1. Who was the last person you held hands with?

I don’t remember. maybe my mum or my brother. but honestly, i don’t know

12. What are your 5 favorite songs right now?

oh please don’t ask me that, i have a rly hard time picking fave songs? let’s say Dragon Attack, My Melancholy Blues, Almost (Sweet Music), In the Woods Somewhere and Drowse

17. Do you think there is life on other planets?

chick, we’ve been friends for several months now, and you dare to ask me this question? of course there is. maybe not our solar system, but out of it, HELL YEA

32. Which celebrities would you have a threesome with?

no

44. Trip to outer space or bottom of the ocean?

as much as i love space.... i thought of choosing the bottom of the ocean, bc of the fauna there, but then i realised that well, it is hella dark there and i wouldn’t see shit, and wouldn’t rly find any too interesting creatures at the bottom, they all tend to be pale and flat and even creepy. it is more interesting in space

58. Last thing you ate?

rice + minced meat in tomato sauce. no. oatmeal cookie

60. Ever won a competition? For what?

several! one of the most remarkable ones is my project on the history of violin i did when i was 9 or 10 in Moscow and won the first place at school. I bear the Master Of Music title at our uni, plus, we won an Elementium competition again at uni in November (??), it was oriented, well, surprisingly, on the periodic table elements. maybe smth else, i am not sure

62. Been arrested? For what?

nope!

78. Favourite ice cream flavour?

strawberry

116. Are you listening to music right now?

no, although, another brick in the wall is playing in my head atm

118. Do you like Chinese food?

unfortunately, never had a chance to try any to say

120. Are you afraid of the dark?

yes, i sleep with a lamp turned on

133. Favourite lyrics right now?

sorry, nothing comes to mind, you know, i don’t really pay attention to lyrics. however, i guess “i’ll tell you my sins so you can sharpen your knife” from hozier’s take me to church impressed me earlier this week

142. Favourite month?

April/May and October

150. Get the closest book next to you, open it to page 42, what’s the first line on that page?

“Then he put my foot on his head. He wanted to show that he was my slave.”

WHAT THE FUCK I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP, IT IS THE ACTUAL LINE, THIS SOUNDS LIKE SOME CREEPY BDSM SHIT, BUT IT’S FROM A ROBINSON CRUSOE EXTRACT IN A CHILDREN’S BOOK! 

this

was

long

but

i

had

fun

thanks

my

darling

enjoy

[tabloidtoc]

People, July 1

Cover: Carrie Underwood -- How Faith and Family Made Her Stronger 

Page 3: Chatter -- Madonna, John Legend, Adam Sandler, Eva Longoria, Kevin Jonas, Lena Headey 

Page 4: 5 Things We’re Talking About This Week -- Marie Curie subs for Mariah Carey, Julia Roberts reveals Pretty Woman’s dark alternate ending, Krispy Kreme plans a New York City megashop, Disney debuts the Frozen 2 trailer, Courteney Cox’s daughter borrows her dress 21 years later 

Page 7: Contents 

Page 8: Contents 

Page 10: Editor’s Letter 

Page 12: StarTracks -- Kate Middleton’s wild week 

Page 14: Beloved TV Casts Reunite -- Amy Poehler and Retta, George Wendt and Ted Danson, David Denman and John Krasinski 

Page 16: Adele and Spice Girls Geri Halliwell and Mel B and Emma Bunton and Melanie C, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s son Archie, Owen Wilson 

Page 17: Tom Hanks, Cardi B

Page 18: Jon Stewart, Kawhi Leonard and Drake, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel and Jermaine Dupri, Ice-T and daughter Chanel Nicole, Olivia Newton-John and daughter Chloe and husband John Easterling 

Page 21: MTV Movie & TV Awards -- Lizzo, Elisabeth Moss, Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt with their son, StyleTracks -- metallic dresses -- Judith Light, Sienna Miller, Tiffany Haddish, Sophie Turner, Claire Foy, Mandy Moore 

Page 23: Jennifer Lawrence getting ready to wed 

Page 24: Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk keeping the split civil 

Page 26: Heart Monitor -- Ally Maki and Travis Atreo engaged, Rachael Leigh Cook and Daniel Gillies divorcing after 14 years, Wendy Williams and Marc Tomblin new couple, Chris Pratt and Katherine Schwarzenegger happy newlyweds 

Page 28: The Bachelorette Hannah Brown’s front-runner Jed Wyatt allegedly had a girlfriend at home who says he betrayed her, Lauren Bushnell engaged to Chris Lane, Sean and Catherine Lowe expecting baby no. 3 

Page 31: Taylor Swift and Katy Perry reunite, inside Britney Spears’ life after treatment 

Page 35: Inside Keanu Reeves’ private world, This Week in People History -- Miley Cyrus’ sudden stardom 

Page 36: Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds’ fight for LGBTQ acceptance 

Page 38: Stories to make you smile 

Page 41: Passages, Why I Care -- Dave Matthews launches a wine to support the International Rhino Foundation 

Page 44: Weddings -- Caroline Wozniacki and David Lee 

Page 45: Hunter McGrady and Brian Keys 

Page 46: Krystal Nielson and Chris Randone 

Page 49: People Picks -- Toy Story 4 

Page 50: The Last Black Man in San Francisco, Rolling Thunder Review: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese 

Page 51: The Bravest Knight, Mark Ronson -- Late Night Feelings 

Page 52: Years and Years, The Raconteurs -- Help US Stranger, Q&A -- Bruce Campbell 

Page 53: Instinct, One to Watch -- Big Little Lies’ Douglas Smith 

Page 54: Books, Q&A -- Vanessa Bayer 

Page 56: 100 Reasons to Love America 

Page 57: Cover Story -- Carrie Underwood -- Life, love and living the dream 

Page 64: The modern women of country music -- Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves 

Page 65: Kelsea Ballerini 

Page 66: Tiger Woods, Timothee Chalamet 

Page 69: Michelle Obama, Cardi B and Bruno Mars 

Page 70: The Jonas Brothers 

Page 71: Beyonce, Tim Tebow 

Page 72: Andy Cohen, Kenan Thompson 

Page 82: Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez 

Page 86: Cassie David 

Page 87: The Marvel Universe 

Page 90: Farrah Fawcett’s final days 

Page 94: Hailey Burns’ abduction nightmare 

Page 98: Gayle King -- her time to shine 

Page 104: Preventing youth suicides -- Greg Hudnall’s Hope Squads 

Page 109: Remembering Stonewall 

Page 113: Gabrielle Grunewald -- a beloved runner’s sad goodbye 

Page 114: Jennifer Aniston -- single and happy 

Page 116: The incredible life of Gloria Vanderbilt 

Page 118: Mysterious deaths in the Dominican Republic 

Page 122: 61-year-old surrogate Cecile Eledge gave birth to her granddaughter 

Page 128: Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie -- inside the close bond between Queen Elizabeth’s granddaughters as they tackle royal duty, work in the real world and prepare for the next chapter in their family life 

Page 132: Ryan Michelle Bathe on her childhood experience with corporal punishment and why she and husband Sterling K. Brown chose another way 

Page 137: Style -- sandals -- Karlie Kloss 

Page 138: Beauty -- The 7 products Nicole Kidman can’t live without 

Page 148: Home -- Trisha Yearwood’s down-home decor 

Page 150: Travel -- The Big Little Lies travel guide to Monterey, California 

Page 155: Second Look -- Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson 

Page 156: One Last Thing -- Emily Deschanel 

[beyond-far-horizons]

The Meeting of Two Minds

Dumbledore may have been Love’s greatest advocate in later years but for now the young and brilliant Albus likes to think himself above such frivolous sentiment. Until he’s introduced to the infamous Gellert Grindelwald that is… One-shot, Rating K+.

‘Let me not to the marriage of true minds. 

Admit impediments’.

Sonnet 116. Shakespeare.

With the The Crimes of Grindelwald out, here’s my take on the first meeting of Dumbledore and Grindelwald. I dedicate this to the amazing Broad Strokes prequel fan film - Dumbledore and Grindelwald - The Greater Good, which inspired this fic a few years ago. Their Gellert will always be my Grindelwald - I encourage you to watch it on YouTube if you haven’t seen it already!

Albus Dumbledore stood outside the vine-laden cottage of Professor Bathilda Bagshot, his hand hovering over the oaken door. Normally a visit here provided a brief respite from the gnawing dullness of Godric’s Hollow, but last time she had casually mentioned a visit from her Bavarian nephew and would he mind being introduced? Naturally Albus could not refuse on civility’s grounds let alone disappoint a benefactor of such kindness, yet now he chaffed under the obligation. Yet another burden getting in the way of precious research time. What little of it Aberforth and Ariana left him…

Which was awful and unkind and all too common a thought infecting his head of late.

I suppose he’ll be from Durmstrang too so I should prepare myself for some coarseness…

He sighed, biting his lip and looked back down the cheery ramshackled path to the front gate. If I can’t manage a better grace I should come back another time. Professor Bagshot deserves that much courtesy at least…

The door opened and his heart sank.

“Albus, there you are!” Bathilda answered the door in a deep garnet dress, her blonde hair pinned in a knot on top of her head. “How nice of you to pop round. I was just talking about you.”

“What a coincidence, Professor.” Albus said, turning and forcing his face into the best approximation of a smile. “I- I can’t stay for long, but I thought I would stop by just to introduce myself at least.”

There, Ive given myself an excuse if I require one.

“Well at least stay for a cup of tea. I’m sure Aberforth can manage till then.” Bathilda’s eyes twinkled and Albus had the uncomfortable impression she could read him far better than he would have liked. She waved him in, passed shelves weighed down with books and took his coat and hat.

As always the cosy cottage smelt of baking, woodsmoke and dried vellum. He wished that smell didn’t seem more like home compared to the house next to it. Aberforth did try his best…

“Into the sitting room, Albus. I’ll call Gellert down. He’s been looking forward to meeting you.”

“Has he?” Albus tried to inject enthusiasm into his voice as he edged around a tower of tomes that had grown since his last visit.

He could see it now - yet another dull exchange where he would have to pretend to be interested in the mediocre achievements of someone everyone assumed he would get on with because they were vaguely the same age.

Come on Albus, at least try not to be so stuck up! He chided himself, selecting his favourite chintz armchair and removing a selection of papers from it. If he’s related to Professor Bagshot then he should at least be intelligent.

“Or perhaps not…” He smirked as he caught sight of notes on Uric the Oddball scrawled across the page he was holding.

“Oh I am sorry Albus, I meant to clear the living room before you came.” Bathilda said as she took the notes from him. She stacked them neatly on a writing desk in front of the bay window that already teamed with scrolls, books and dried inkwells.

“Embarking on your great endeavour at last?” He smiled as he took a seat. “Although forgive me for my presumption Professor, but critics might not take the book too seriously if Uric the Oddball has a starring role.”

“Nonsense, Albus.” Bathilda said, taking his teasing in good humour. “Why, if I’ve learnt anything about Magical History, it’s that the eccentrics are the ones that push us to new heights.”

“My sentiments exactly, Aunt.”

Albus stood up, intending to make a quip about jellyfish hats, but the joke died on his lips as Bathilda’s hand swept towards a tall youth in black with blond, curling hair and an intense, evaluating gaze.

“Albus, this is my great nephew. Gellert, come in.”

Blue eyes met grey and Albus felt a lurch in his chest.

“Albus Dumbledore.”

“Gellert Grindelwald.”

His outstretched hand was met with a firm grip and he struggled not to flush. He nodded, keeping up his polite veneer as any proper British wizard would, only to see a flash of merriment on Gellert’s face.

Albus took back his hand, feeling mildly irritated. According to Professor Bagshot he was slightly older than her nephew so why then did he feel like the naughty schoolboy?

“Albus is exceeding bright, Gellert, I’m sure you will have lots in common.”

“Yes I’ve heard the name. Even in Durmstrang you are famous, Master Dumbledore.”

Albus had been expecting a veiled insult given Gellert’s previous smirk so was instantly wrong-footed. “Oh, it’s just Albus, please. And it’s nothing really.”

“Nothing?” The glittering eyes were back. “I’d hardly say ‘Most promising contribution to Alchemy in Cairo’ is nothing, Albus.”

Albus’s heart gave another lurch at the praise and the way the other boy said his name.

What is this?

Pushing the thought aside he smiled and at a nod from Bathilda sat back down. “Well, I like to apply myself.”

Gellert took the opposite chair and leaned back, stretching out his legs with a careless grace Albus envied. “And yet you are here. Forgive my curiosity but I thought a man as promising as you would be on the Grand Tour by now.”

Albus’s smile dropped and he fought back the resentment that burst up in his chest.

“Albus is very devoted to his family, Gellert.” Bathilda cut in quickly. He didn’t miss the significant look the witch gave her great nephew.

Wonderful, so he knows I’m the newly appointed head of the family. Would that they all knew just how truly devoted I am…

Pushing down the sense of shame that perpetually dogged him, he accepted a cup of tea from Bathilda’s floating tray.

“A noble sentiment - family.” Albus couldn’t work out if the tone was genuine or sarcastic. “And something I’m sure my great aunt thinks I could learn from.” The blond boy took the other cup but his gaze was still fixed on Albus. “But you can’t say this place isn’t full of history itself. If you know where to look, of course.”

Is he referring to the Hallows? No…most wizards think they are just a legend…

“Well you both know my feelings on the subject.” Professor Bagshot chuckled and suddenly all Albus wanted was for her to leave the two of them alone.

“It’s true, I suppose.” He replied carefully. “Although with all due respect to the professor, it can feel like something of a backwater at times.” He couldn’t quite keep the bitterness from his voice.

“Then I hope you won’t think me presumptuous to say I’m glad to have met you.” Gellert’s smile was infectious. “I was looking forward to exploring, but nothing beats meeting someone with the same interests.”

“You’ve also studied alchemy?”

“Yes and I actually found your contribution very interesting along with your theories about dragon’s blood. You know you had our Potions master at Durmstrang almost spitting fire himself saying that dragon’s blood didn’t work that way.”

Albus found himself on the edge of his seat. “You wouldn’t believe the amount of times I get that reaction! It’s like-”

I can’t say it. How arrogant would it sound? That I know better than-

“- like they refuse to see the truth because of your youth?” Gellert’s lips were pursed and he set his untouched tea down with a clank. “When the reality is, it is they who are blind?”

Albus’s mouth opened. “…Yes.”

Is he a Legilimens too? He felt uncomfortable at the thought.

Gellert leaned forward, lazy ease replaced by seriousness. “Actually I would believe it. They are blind, Albus. What is worse - they are jealous.”

“Jealous?” Albus laughed, hiding his shock. How many times have I thought that? How many times have I railed against the Establishment, feeling that they were holding me back? “Conservative, maybe…”

“I’ve heard the British are famous for their modesty. It’s charming, Albus, but let’s be honest, there are many who feel threatened by innovation, especially if it comes in the form of someone young, someone who might actually deserve the titles and accolades they have only gained through decades of toil.”

Albus looked down. “Experience is to be respected.” He mumbled and looked up sharply at the roar of laughter from the other chair.

“The archetypal gentleman wizard.” Gellert grinned and warm giddiness spread through Albus’s body.

He’s laughing at me! Albus tried to force his face into stern affront but the teasing light in those grey eyes was impossible to hate.

“Experience is to be respected but what of talent, Albus? What of true imagination? In Durmstrang we believed that only the strongest, the ones that proved themselves constantly, had the right to stand at the top.”

Albus had a sudden vision of a cold, dark landscape, of mountains, vast skies and powerful, brutal wizards standing on soaring pinnacles with their foes lying crushed beneath them. Gellert’s face was foremost amongst them, staring down at him as he did now with that haughty cockiness.

“Are you suggesting I should have duelled them into submission?” He replied coolly.

Gellert laughed again. “Maybe. Perhaps it would get them to try something new at least, rather than just passing judgement on the rest of us.”

“It sounds like you had a trying time at Durmstrang.”

Gellert waved a dismissive hand. “I’m beyond that now, on to better things. Speaking of which I tried your dragon’s blood solution in a compound of my own.”

“And?”

“It worked as you said it would.”

“You see! There are far more uses that can be made of it, I’m sure of that!”

The two boys didn’t notice Bathilda smile as she was quite forgotten.  She slipped silently up to her study, happy that her wayward but brilliant great nephew seemed to have finally met his match.

“I knew it would be good for Albus to talk to someone his own age.” She said softly to herself as she took out an elegant old quill. And if anyone can keep Gellert on the straight and narrow it’s Kendra Dumbledore’s son.

Dipping the ancient quill in ink, she sat down to write a long letter to Gellert’s mother.

Such good beginnings…

Albus’s throat was dry. Periodically he tried to take a sip from his tea cup and then remembered it was stone cold.

Odd…

He kept meaning to ask about another drink but then Gellert would say something else and he would be lost, excitedly explaining his latest theories or questioning his new friend about his own thoughts and experiments.

I can hardly believe it. He thought, the steady thrill that had been building in his body bursting again into life. I can’t believe someone like him would come here of all places. Finally something good is happening to me!

There was a brief pause in conversation as both parties stopped to gather their thoughts. Gellert was standing by the fire he had conjured earlier, one hand on the high mantlepiece, the other stretched towards the flames as if to catch them. Albus curled in the comfortable chair, his head on his folded hand and found his eyes tracing the other boy’s proud profile. Light danced across the handsome face, turning it molten and cast his long shadow into the cosy room. Albus dared not speak for fear of breaking the moment.

Was it just this morning I thought I would be trapped here forever? Now I never want it to end…

Gellert’s face, however, had dropped its perennial smirk. He stared at the fire with a concentration that was almost severe. A small tongue of flame pulled itself from the hearth and began to dance around his fingers.

“Freeze-flame. Wordless and wandless. Very nice.”

“I’m not trying to impress you, Albus.” Gellert’s voice was soft but firm, and more flames gathered, encircling his outstretched palm like a fiery serpent.

“What are you doing then?”

“Thinking.”

Albus raised his head. “Care to share?”

Gellert snapped his fingers abruptly and the flames were extinguished. “I think I’ve shared enough with you for one day.”

Dismay dispelled the happiness Albus had been feeling but he covered it with courtesy. “I hope you don’t regret it.”

White teeth flashed and the dazzling smirk was back. “Not at all. It is perhaps a little surprising. I’m not usually given to talking about myself so much.”

Albus’s heart turned over again but he wasn’t going to loss the opportunity to tease. “Aren’t you?” He replied with an innocent look.

“You see,” Gellert turned towards him, “already you know me too well.”

Albus chuckled, feeling like he had consumed half a barrel of his father’s firewhisky. “Not that well, I still haven’t asked you why someone as brilliant as you isn’t on the Grand Tour himself.”

The grin dropped as fast as it had appeared. “That would be because I should still be at Durmstrang.”

Albus’s face fell. “Should be…” The words escaped before he could lock his mouth shut.

Away from the fire and facing towards Albus, Gellert face was now wreathed in shadow. “I was expelled.”

Why? The Dark Arts? But they teach them there. What could he have done that would have been bad enough for Durmstrang to expel him?

Gellert’s smile was slow and secret like a siren’s song. “Ah but how could they expel such talented and affable person as myself?” He spread his arms in mock hurt. “Let’s just say you aren’t the only one that was held back by…how did you put it earlier? ‘Conservative’ witches and wizards.” He turned towards the stairs and looked back over his shoulder. “Goodnight, Albus.”

“Night?” Albus stood up, horrified to see the window confirming word with telltale blackness.

Has it truly been that long? Oh no, Aberforth! Ariana! I said I’d only be an hour at the most!

“It was good to meet you…”

“You too…” Albus replied distractedly, then realised how rude and inadequate that sounded about the wonderful discovery of their new-found friendship. He turned back to offer a better goodbye but ex-Durmstrang boy had disappeared up the stairs.

All thoughts of his siblings melted away.

I should have said-

-But what did he mean-

-Wish I had-

Damn.

He stood there staring stupidly at the place where Gellert had been, before realising how bizarre and embarrassing it would look if his new friend came back down and found him still gawking like a lost troll.

He saw himself out, wondering idly where Professor Bagshot had gone.

Until tomorrow then…

There was barely a minute’s walk between the two houses but he stretched it out with several backward glances. A light was on in the Bagshot’s small guest bedroom.

That must be Gellert, what is he thinking? Is he thinking about what I said? …Is he thinking about me?

Albus paused on another doorstep, this time his own. The light that shone through this door was the complete opposite of the one he yearned for. It spoke of interrogation not illumination. Aberforth would be sat the other side, by the stairs so he wouldn’t miss his errant elder brother. Oh no, Aberforth never missed an opportunity to upbraid him, even if he did deserve it. Albus sighed, leaning his head against the wood, then glanced again at the narrow upper window in the Bagshot cottage.

Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough…

Reviews and thoughts very welcome! I’m so glad to have finally finished this piece. Such an intriguing and ultimately heartbreaking dynamic. Also if you are wondering why Bathilda didn’t come down and offer them lunch or dinner etc I suspect this was one of those rare ten hour first meetings between visionaries where she wouldn’t have been able to get a word in and would have gotten the Gellert Glare TM if she’d tried to interrupt, poor woman.

[femmesfollesnebraska]

Artist-Poet Feature: Claudia Serea & Maria Haro

Pleased to feature artist Maria Haro alongside poet Claudia Serea with some of their collaborative work...

Where are you from? How did you get into creative work and what is your impetus for creating?

Claudia Serea:

I was born and raised in Romania, and I started writing poems when I was around 14 years old, in Romanian, of course. I wrote until my third year in college, then stopped. I immigrated to the U.S. in 1995 and took up writing almost 12 years later, this time in English. As for the reasons, I write because I believe I have something to say: my experience growing up behind the Iron Curtain, my immigration story, and the fact that I am constantly moving between two languages and cultures, not fitting perfectly in either of them. I also find inspiration everywhere around me, on New York City streets, in everyday life. I don't have to make up almost anything, just type what I see really fast. :)

Maria Haro:

I was borned in Madrid, Spain. Ever since I remember, I have been creating. My father is also an artist, so I grew up surrounded by art. I started my professional career in 1994 when I moved to New York City after graduating in graphic design.

My impetus for creating has evolved through the years. It started as something I liked to do, then something that I liked and I needed for a living, and now is evolving into something I need to do in order to make sense of it all.

Tell me about Twoxism, your current project and book, and why it’s important to you. What do you hope people get out of your work?

Claudia Serea:

I started the blog Twoxism in 2015 together with my friend, photographer Maria Haro—but the idea is older than that. The project concept came from Maria's friend, the Spanish photographer, Koldo Mirren Guinea Herran. He contributed some excellent photography to our project; he also designed the amazing cover and created the layout of the book. One of the poems I wrote for his beautiful photograph of tools was shared 1,600 times on StumbleUpon alone. I’m sure a lot of its appeal is because of this iconic image. Here it is: 

Sometimes I feel like a mechanic

Sometimes I feel like a mechanic, hammer and wrench instead of hands,

fitting the small parts, turning them this way and that, until they lock together, tight, teeth clenched.

I test the wheels, try the belt, turn the engine on and off, and on again,

listening to the wheezing, the whirr, until it works, and the growl comes on,

and the propeller starts flipping and swooshing,

and the shiny thing lifts into the air and flies into the world,

leaving me behind with my greasy hands and grimy nails,

grinning.

Maria Haro:

Twoxism started as a poetry-photography collaboration blog (www.twoxism.com) for which I took the photos and Claudia wrote the poems they inspired. In April 2017, 33 selections from the blog became an art exhibition that opened in New York City. Recently, Twoxism became a book published in December 2018 by the Canadian press 8th House Publishing. 

Twoxism is an invented word for all things two—among them, love, friendship, and relationships. We had a great response to the blog, with +15K page views and +40K impressions on Twitter and growing. As a project, it finds beauty in unexpected places and sees the mundane with redemptive eyes. As a book, it speaks of love and relationships in a new way. We hope others find it fresh, inspiring, and authentic. I personally started to better understand personal relationships through the photos I take and the lens of the artists who contribute to Twoxism.

Does collaboration play a role in your work—whether with your community, artists or others? How so, and how does this impact your work?

Claudia Serea:

I love collaborating with other artists. Collaboration gives my poems the chance to be shared with and enjoyed by more people. It gives the poem a new life. Apart from Twoxism, I collaborated with film directors who turned my poems into videos. My poem In Those years, No One Slept was set to music for choir by composer Rich Campbell, and the song won the top prize at the 2018 Uncommon Music Festival last August. I have another ongoing poetry-photography project with artist Mike Markham which, who knows, might become an exhibition or book in the future. And Maria and I we’ll keep Twoxism growing as long as it can. We are just getting started.

Maria Haro:

My biggest drive now is to discover what is possible through collaboration, and everything has to have a purpose. I am mostly interested in creating work than helps others using my design, photography, and artistic skills. I always have more projects on my mind that time to execute them and make the best of them. That is where collaboration really makes sense to me. Things are always better together.

Considering the political climate, how do you think the temperature is for the arts right now, what/how do you hope it may change or make a difference?

Claudia Serea:

Creativity knows no limits and no one can contain it, although some might try. The arts are hot in the U.S., and they will always be. Language is also extremely important in shaping our message and connecting us with emotion. Here is a poem from Twoxism that explores language’s important role, accompanied by Maria’s evocative photo:

About languages

In what language does the house painter paint?

Does the wind in Chile speak Spanish to the trees?

Do the gulls over the Hudson River cry Whitman’s verse?

And what about the Statue of Liberty?

In what language does she keep silent?

Coming from Romania, I feel fortunate to be in the United States and share my poems in English with the artists here. Who knew something like this could happen? I never thought I would get here in the first place. We get to write and express ourselves, and that is thrilling to me. I am very grateful for that. In turn, we must fight to open doors for others, and not create in a vacuum. There are countless artists and poets who live under oppressive regimes and don’t get this chance. We need to raise our voices and help them in any way we can. It’s an uphill battle, but I have faith we can contribute to the change.

Maria Haro:

Being an artist is hard, and it will always be, no matter where you are and what political climate you’re in. But it really helps to be in Madrid and in New York City where there is freedom to express yourself and a lot of receptivity to art.

Art is very intangible. You can only break through when you touch the viewer’s emotions and cause disruption. I will continue to try to do that for the rest of my life.

Sense of humor is another great weapon to have. I love to explore through my art the political environment and discover in deeper layers what is really going on and how it translates into our daily lives. Here is a twoxism that illustrates that:

High stakes entertainment

When all of this is over,

we'll have invented a new game,

the American roulette.

All is fair in love and war. So pass the popcorn, the wine, lots of wine, and the remote.

Artist Wanda Ewing, who curated and titled the original LFF exhibit, examined the perspective of femininity and race in her work, and spoke positively of feminism, saying “yes, it is still relevant” to have exhibits and forums for women in art; does feminism play a role in your work?

Claudia Serea:

In Twoxism, we explored the topic of empowering women in several combinations of poems and photographs. The goddess woman, the working woman, the skateboarding girl who is afraid to fall, the mother, the lover, the friend, they all find voices in the book. One of my favorites pieces is “Ode to the warrior woman,” paired with a beautiful photo of red lipstick as a “weapon” of choice by Maria Haro. Here it is:

Ode to the warrior woman

Beautiful woman, the world is still cruel and wild.  Bring out the thunderbolts and don’t be afraid of the fight.

 Put on your lipstick and pull up your boots. Grab your sword and slay the dragons on your way to work.

Walk in knee-high blood on 7th Avenue and don’t let anyone see the quiver in your heart.

 Be kind and smile. Don’t let them see that you’re hurt.

Sharpen your talons, merciless bird.

Woman, you da man, the man’s womb, you da bomb!

 Galaxies explode from your sex,  Milky Way swirls and pours out of your breasts.

Tell the little girl inside you to hush.

Swing the bow on your back and spread your eagle wings.

There is so much to fight for, so much to do.

Put on your lipstick, girl.

The world is waiting for you.

Maria Haro:

There isn’t really a choice for us to demand equal rights for women. It’s mandatory (and I have projects coming up that directly address this topic.)

Ewing’s advice to aspiring artists was “you’ve got to develop the skill of when to listen and when not to;” and “Leave. Gain perspective.”  What is your favorite advice you have received or given?

Claudia Serea:

Keep writing even if you get rejected. Be honest and true to yourself. And, most importantly, never give up. Persistence is the most important quality.

Maria Haro:

Attack your fears by being fearless.

How do the birds know when it’s time to fly?

They must feel a restlessness, or a clock striking in their brain,

an itch, or a longing in the bones.

Or maybe the roads are calling, unfolding ahead,

new balconies of the city, glimmering windows and highways of air.

That’s when I have to say goodbye to my friends of the same feather

and prepare to travel light, with only love as carry-on.

Then, without thinking too much, the leap:

the push off the ledge, a flap or two.

I lean my chest against the wind and glide.

The current pours and lifts me up, up, so I can see everything.

Farewell, past.

Twoxism by CLAUDIA SEREA & MARIA HARO

Published by 8th House Publishing, Montreal, Canada

Order the book here.

6 x 9 | Paperback | December 2018

116 pages | Price: $20.00

ISBN 978-1-926716-53-4

Follow us on the blog Twoxism and on Instagram @Twoxism.

Claudia Serea is an award-winning Romanian-born poet whose poems and translations appeared in Field, New Letters, Gravel, Prairie Schooner, RHINO, The Malahat Review, and elsewhere. She has published five poetry collections, most recently Twoxism, a poetry-photography collaboration with Maria Haro (8th House Publishing, 2018). Serea is a founding editor of National Translation Month and a co-host of The Williams Poetry Readings series in Rutherford, NJ.

Maria Haro grew up in Madrid, Spain, where she studied fine arts and graphic design. She graduated from the School of Graphic Communications and moved to New York City in 1994. She has won several global awards as a Creative Director in pharma advertising. She collaborates with other artists on projects that inspire her. You can find her photos on Instagram @mariavisualdesigner.

~

Les Femmes Folles is a volunteer organization founded in 2011 with the mission to support and promote women in all forms, styles and levels of art from around the world with the online journal, print annuals, exhibitions and events; originally inspired by artist Wanda Ewing and her curated exhibit by the name Les Femmes Folles (Wild Women). LFF was created and is curated by Sally Deskins.  LFF Booksis a micro-feminist press that publishes 1-2 books per year by the creators of Les Femmes Folles including the award-winning Intimates & Fools (Laura Madeline Wiseman, 2014) , The Hunger of the Cheeky Sisters: Ten Tales (Laura Madeline Wiseman/Lauren Rinaldi, 2015 and Mes Predices (catalog of art/writing by Marie Peter Toltz, 2017).Other titles include Les Femmes Folles: The Women 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 available on blurb.com, including art, poetry and interview excerpts from women artists. A portion of the proceeds from LFF books and products benefit the University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Wanda Ewing Scholarship Fund.

Current call for collaborative art-writing: http://femmesfollesnebraska.tumblr.com/post/181376606692/lff-2019-artistpoet-collaborations

https://www.facebook.com/femmesfolles

[shslmahoushoujo]

Covering the rest of :RE in 12 episodes

Well, I did say I wanted to sit down and figure out how you could possibly do chapters 59-179 in 12 episodes. What I’m running with here is the assumption that it’ll hit the same major plot points without being exactly the same plot, in fact, I did a fair bit of cutting and changing things to lead to the same ending, and I thought also about which cuts could make this ending feel more satisfying, too. General outline and explanation of why I’d do certain things a certain way like this. And no, this is not the 10 chapters an episode solution you’d need to cover it otherwise. And of course, needless to say, after the cut I’ll be going into spoilers, so if you’re anime-only, I’d advise staying away from this post.

So let’s start with some general notes: First, I’d cut Koma and Irimi except for their reveal as living Quinques. Kaneki's fast aging and weaker regeneration would not be addressed, and he’d never turn into Dragon, avoiding a fair bit of issues raised with the finale. Tooru’s downfall storyline would be cut off preemptively by the Qs confronting him, parts of the Clown Siege would make their way into Rue, and the recording of Eto-Furuta conversation would be made public following Cochlea/Rue, allowing compression of content between 100-156. The Clown Siege and Dragon arc would be merged heavily, with only some aspects of the 24th ward arc remaining. Urie and Kuroiwa would join Amon and Yomo in going after the clowns, Saiko wouldn’t get infected and would have a more active role, and since we’d have aspects of the Clown Siege, Touka and the White Suits would be busy aiding people and rejoin the fight at the end rather than a sudden Naki revival and Touka just waiting. Anyway. Here’s how I’m thinking it could work.

- Episode 1: Chapters 59-63. Set up the upcoming conflict, set up the idea of humans and ghouls coming together through Eto's book and the concept of the One Eyed King.

- Episode 2: Chapters 64-68. Beginning of the conflict, first proper look into Kaneki's mindset, promise to kill the One Eyed King, Kaneki's martyr complex.

- Episode 3: Chapters 69-74. :RE enters the fray, battle against Arima, Furuta makes his move, Kaneki's new kakuja, crusher cliffhanger.

- Episode 4: Chapters 75-76, Cochlea parts of 81-86. Defeat and death of Arima, defeat of Eto, truths revealed (Marude and Yoshitoki scenes from Rue remain), reveal of the One-Eyed King and the meaning of :RE.

- Episode 5: Chapters 77-80, Rue parts of 81-85, 87. Tooru's transformation, mystery of the dead Special Class and follower's suicide, Suzuya vs. Kurona seen through to the end, cliffhanger with Seidou and Akira.

- Episode 6: Chapters 88-95. End of Tatara. Akira's inner conflict and Tooru's descent into darkness, fights with Seidou and Amon. Battles in Kanou's lab and the playground. Arrival of the Qs to the scene.

- Episode 7: Chapters 96-98, Clown Siege and Dragon aspects. Battle between the Qs and Amon, but Amon escapes. Kaneki's part of the group that arrives in Rue, so Kaneki and Amon's encounter from the lab arc happens here. Kanou's suicide from 149, Kimi and Nishiki reunion. Conflict between the Qs and Tooru over Tooru's actions against Akira (new version of Dragon arc event).

- Episode 8: New version of chapters 113-120, last page of 98, chapter 99. Attack on Matsuri from 116, battle between Takizawa and Amon; conversations between Kaneki/Touka and Amon/Akira, Furuta obtaining power and reveal of Rize alive, formation of Goat.

- Episode 9: Furuta and Kaneki conversation from 100/101, some major plot points between 121-149. Recording forces Furuta to force his hand and unleash dragon, destruction of :RE, Touken happens. Humans turning into ghouls, dragon orphans appear, chaos in the streets. Goat reconvenes in the 24th ward, Hide finds them and begins arranging the alliance.

- Episode 10: Aspects of 127, major plot points between 150-168, aspects of Clown Siege. Kimi determines the origin of Dragon and that humans are suffering from ROS. Goat rescues people above ground and forms the alliance with the CCG. The alliance unites against Furuta/Clowns/V, Clowns and V attack with some controlled humans and controlled Eto (mix of Clown Siege and Dragon fights). Urie, Kuroiwa, Amon and Yomo go to face off against the Clowns. Kaneki and Ayato head underground and are forced to separate.

- Episode 11: Chapters 169-174, new version of the office fight with Roma and Shikorae. Climactic battles against the clowns. Urie and Kuroiwa face Roma and Shikorae, and Urie faces the truth about how he felt about his father. Yomo and Uta face off, Amon stands up against his own demons and defeats Donato. Kaneki fights and overcomes Furuta.

- Episode 12: Chapters 175-179. Furuta's death, human-ghoul alliance takes down V thanks to the assist from Eto and the White Suits, humans controlled by Donato are saved following his death. Kaneki faces off against Rize/Rize's death, finale happens.

Would it fix all of the issues? No. But a few. Kuroiwa would certainly be in bad shape following the fight with Roma and Shikorae, but without Furuta stabbing his neck, his survival is more believable. And having Urie be part of the group fighting the clowns would succeed at having Donato address the stuff with Urie’s father (which could connect with Amon’s development) while still allowing him to reach his development from 137.

You might notice there’s also another glaring omission: The oggai. I thought a lot about this, and frankly, I think cutting them is for the better in this case. For one, because of time; but two, because their death is never really addressed the way it should’ve been and I think Kaneki not going on his dragon-transformation rampage would make the ending more palatable without that one issue.

Then there’s Tooru. Having Urie decide to act when he thinks about it in a prior chapter and confront him on his actions rather than just staying quiet and fighting Amon is a perfect way to cut off that storyline before it really gets moving, and it both avoids controversy and makes it possible to compress a hell of a lot of content.

Kaneki’s arc would be the most interesting to work around. The main thing is that he stagnates a lot between 100-159 and he makes a lot of bad choices due to it. It’d take some finesse, but I think it’d be possible to have him get to his post 159 self not long after Cochlea. My idea has him showing some presence in Rue (which I feel was originally meant to happen but never did, but that’s another topic) which gets some of his Clown Siege development set, he internalizes it and is a bit more mature when forming Goat, and by the time Touken happens he’s got a better head on his shoulders than when it happened in the manga.

There’s probably more I could say about my reasoning here, but I think I’ll end this here before I lose my train of thought. Even if the anime doesn’t go this direction (it could go for 144+movie or even the dreaded 10 chapters an episode) it certainly was a fun exercise in thinking and I honestly just really want to see how it actually plays out. I’m pretty damn excited!

And just a little final addition. One of the main things I tried here was adding actual original content, but rather just recontextualizing, merging, and reordering canon events to make this work out. And working this like a puzzle in a way is fun. If the screenplay is any similar to this, I can see why the writer would call it a bold arrangement though. It’s not just slap things together, understanding the manga nicely makes it easier to know what to cut and so on. It was good times.