#Cinderella’s Departure for the Ball

[paul-archibald]

Fairy tales

Fairy tales have stimulated generations of composers to write some of their finest music. With a rich source of characters that includes dragons, dwarfs, elves, fairies, giants, gnomes, goblins, monsters, talking animals, trolls, unicorns, witches and wizards, it’s no wonder these stories have captivated the imaginations of compsers and audiences alike. Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921)Hansel…

[princesssarisa]

Disney's unconventional "Cinderella" (1950) (long)

Having watched most of the many adaptations of Cinderella, I've come to realize what a unique adaptation Disney's 1950 animated classic really is. Unlike Snow White, which only had a few stage and screen adaptations before Disney produced its groundbreaking film, Cinderella had already been adapted many times before Disney's turn came, and Disney's version makes a surprising number of departures from the standard Cinderella "formula." It was definitely a fresh, creative Cinderella when it made its debut, and it arguably still is. Yet because it's become so familiar in pop culture, and today so often serves as our childhood introduction to the tale, it's easy to overlook its inventive storytelling choices. The 2015 live action remake uses several classic Cinderella adaptation tropes that the original 1950 film actually subverts!

Here's a list of the often-overlooked ways in which Disney's Cinderella stands out from earlier adaptations, and from many later ones too.

Cinderella herself. Disney's Cinderella isn't a traditional Cinderella in personality. The "traditional" portrayal of Cinderella, seen in virtually every adaptation before Disney's and several afterwards too, is the portrayal I call "The Waif": a very young, fragile, melancholy girl, dressed in pathetic rags and smudged with ashes, who makes the audience want to rescue her and who wins the Prince's heart with her wide-eyed innocence and artless charm. But whether chiefly to set her apart from earlier screen Cinderellas or from Disney's earlier delicate ingenue Snow White, Disney's Cinderella is none of those things. She comes across as older, or at least more sophisticated. Nor is she waif-like, but instead combines down-to-earth warmth with ladylike dignity, even at her lowliest. She doesn't sit in the ashes ("Cinderella" is her real name in this version), and her servants' dress is humble yet clean and only slightly tattered. She's gentle and kind, yes, but also intelligent, practical, playful, sometimes sarcastic, philosophical, optimistic, genuinely cheerful when she's with her animal friends, and yet angrier and stronger-willed than virtually all earlier Cinderellas. She doesn't beg to go to the ball, but asserts her right to go, and then sets to work fixing up an old dress of her mother's for herself. Only her stepfamily's sabotage, first by keeping her too busy to finish the dress, and then by destroying it after the mice and birds finish it for her, prevents her from taking herself to the ball without a Fairy Godmother. To this day, she stands out as a complex, unique Cinderella, which pop culture too often forgets.

Lady Tremaine. Some critics today complain that Disney makes Cinderella's stepmother a total monster instead of giving her "nuance" and call her portrayal "sexist." But can't we agree that her sheer cruelty enhances the film's dramatic power? And compared to earlier portrayals of Cinderella's Stepmother, it definitely makes her stand out. In most pre-Disney Cinderellas and many after, the Stepmother is a pompous, vain comic antagonist. Once again, Disney was innovative by portraying Lady Tremaine as a dignified, manipulative, and truly sinister villain, who takes quietly sadistic pleasure in abusing Cinderella and will stop at nothing to prevent her from going to the ball or marrying the Prince. As far as I know, she's also the first Stepmother to realize before the slipper-fitting that Cinderella was the lady at the ball and to take action to prevent her from being found. That's a commonplace plot device in more recent adaptations, but in 1950 it was a creative twist!

The mice and other animals. Viewers debate whether Cinderella's mouse friends, Jaq, Gus, et al, and their misadventures evading Lucifer the Cat are a welcome addition or take away too much screen time from Cinderella herself. But there's no denying that the presence of the mice and birds is an inventive storytelling choice, which makes Disney's Cinderella stand out! And I can provide a long list of reasons why they're more than just "filler." (1) They add liveliness, humor, and appeal for younger children. (2) They gave the animators an outlet for the type of character animation they did best, rather than binding them to the harder work of animating realistic humans. (3) They give Cinderella someone to talk to besides her stepfamily. (4) They give her a way to demonstrate her kindness. (5) The struggles of the mice with Lucifer parallel Cinderella's abuse by her stepfamily, and Cinderella's undying optimism not only keeps her from despair, but inspires them too. (6) They arguably provide a further reason why Cinderella stays with her stepfamily – not only does she have nowhere to go, but an entire community of small sentient creatures relies on her for food and protection. (7) They reward Cinderella for her kindness. From the start, her friendship with the mice and birds makes her life easier to bear, both by easing her loneliness and because they do helpful deeds for her, like mending and cleaning her clothes. They fix up her mother's dress for her to wear to the ball – only the stepfamily's last-minute cruelty requires the Fairy Godmother to step in. And in the end, they're directly responsible for Cinderella's happy ending by freeing her from her locked room. They do all these things because Cinderella has protected them, fed them, made them clothes, and been their friend. Therefore, Cinderella's good fortune never feels "just handed" to her: her kindness directly earns it.

The Fairy Godmother. It's always varied between illustrators whether Cinderella's Fairy Godmother is portrayed as a grandmotherly old woman or as youthful, regal, and beautiful, but screen and stage adaptations before the Disney version virtually always took the "youthful, regal, beautiful" approach. That is, when they didn't change her into a wise, fatherly male magician-advisor, as in several opera adaptations! At any rate, seriousness and dignity were the norm for this character in most adaptations from the 19th century through the 1940s. Making her a sweet, comforting, grandmotherly figure, with a comically and adorably absent mind, was another of Disney's fresh choices.

Cinderella's entrance at the ball. We all know the classic image of Cinderella's entrance from other adaptations. Cinderella appears at the top of the grand staircase that leads down to the ballroom, and a hush falls over the assembly, as not only the Prince, but all the guests and members of the court are amazed by the unknown lady's beauty and magnificent dress. Even in versions without a staircase, Cinderella captivates the room the moment she enters. Adaptations both before and after Disney's, including Disney's own 2015 live action remake, play her entrance this way. But the 1950 animated classic subverts it! The grand staircase leads up to the ballroom, not down to it, and Cinderella's entrance isn't a triumph at first, but a vulnerable moment as she makes her way up the stairs alone, dwarfed by the splendor around her. Then, when she reaches the ballroom, no one notices her at first, because the other ladies are being presented to the Prince and all eyes are on him. But then the Prince notices her in the shadowy background as she quietly marvels at her surroundings, and leaves his post to approach her and invite her to dance. Only then does the rest of the assembly notice her, because she's the one the Prince has singled out. It's more understated and it feels more realistic than the traditional entrance, as well as more clearly symbolic of Cinderella's venturing above her station, then both literally and figuratively being led out of the shadows by the Prince's unexpected attention.

The slipper-fitting plan. Over the years, it's been fairly popular to mock the idea of using the glass slipper to find the Prince's love, as if there were no chance it would fit anyone else. Disney's version is creative by having the slipper-fitting search be the comical, hot-blooded King's idea, not the Prince's, and making it clear that it's not, nor is it meant to be, a foolproof plan to find Cinderella. The Duke points out that the slipper could fit any number of girls, but the King doesn't care if they find the right girl or not: he just wants to hold his son to his pledge to marry "the girl who fits this slipper" and force him to marry the first one who fits it. This also means that Disney doesn't do what most adaptations do and have the Prince conduct the search himself, but follows the original Perrault tale by having a gentleman, in this case the Grand Duke, do it instead. This prevents audiences from mocking the Prince for relying on the slipper instead of knowing his beloved's face.

Cinderella breaking free and asking to try on the slipper. Even though in Perrault's original tale, Cinderella asks to try on the slipper, she almost never does in adaptations. In most versions other than Disney's, including Disney's own 2015 remake, Cinderella's presence in the house (and/or the fact that she has the other slipper) is either discovered by accident or revealed by Cinderella's allies, not by Cinderella's own initiative. In some versions, she even tries to hide from the Prince and/or the search party, either out of fear of her stepfamily or because she feels unworthy of the Prince in her rags. But not Disney's animated Cinderella! First of all, she has an assertive emotional breakthrough when she calls on her dog Bruno to chase Lucifer away and free Gus to slip her the key to her locked room. Earlier on, she urges Bruno to try to get along with Lucifer, lest the stepfamily not allow him to sleep in the house – it's clear that Bruno represents her own rebellious side, and in that scene she's really talking about herself, revealing that she tolerates her stepfamily's abuse so she won't lose her own "nice warm bed" and be homeless. But in the climactic scene, when she finally sees a way out, she gives up playing nice and seizes her chance. First she unleashes Bruno on Lucifer, and then she runs downstairs and directly asks to try on the slipper, not caring how her stepfamily will react, or what the Grand Duke will think of her shabby dress, or whether the audience will accuse her of gold-digging or not. This isn't a common breakthrough in other Cinderella adaptations, but it fits perfectly (like a glass slipper, you might say) with the Disney Cinderella's stronger-willed and more self-assured characterization.

"I have the other slipper." We can probably all safely assume that when audiences first saw Disney's Cinderella in 1950, they all expected Cinderella to try on the glass slipper she lost, with her identity revealed by its perfect fit. They never would have expected Lady Tremaine to trip the footman and break the glass slipper... only for Cinderella to calmly reveal that she has the other one. It's yet another clever and unexpected twist, not seen in any other version. Not even Disney's own 2015 remake.

Disney's Cinderella deserves far more credit than it gets for being unique among the myriad versions of the tale, especially compared to the versions that came before it.

[buckets-and-trees]

Huffily Ever After: A CindereLloyd Story [series masterlist]

a modern Cinderella AU featuring Lloyd Hansen COMPLETED WORK - 50.5k total

You find yourself an unlikely Cinderella when attending your first conference. Having worked tirelessly to rise through the ranks, you know all too well the sting of being underestimated and mistreated by your team, but you're here.

At the first night's masquerade ball, you share an enchanting encounter with a intelligent and alluring masked stranger.

But you're too sensible to waste this incredible opportunity surrounded by the who's who of the PR and Marketing world to go searching for Prince Charming. Instead you dig in and try to make the most of the conference - and your efforts do not go unrewarded. Now if only you can manage to escape the orbit of your toxic teammates and director and stop continually crossing paths with the cocky and condescending Lloyd Hansen, this conference could change your career trajectory - and your life - for the better.

Characters/Pairings: Lloyd Hansen x curvy Millennial Female!Reader

Content Warnings: [check individual parts for their respective warnings] modern Cinderella adaptation, unknown identities, enemies to lovers, toxic coworkers, eventual smut

SERIES: ↠ chapter 1: The Masquerade [5k] ↠ chapter 2: Conference Day One [6.4k] ↠ chapter 3: The Panel [4k] ↠ chapter 4: The Awards Gala [6.5k] ↠ chapter 5: Fallout and the Final Morning of the Conference [6.6k] ↠ chapter 6: An Afternoon Adrift [6.5k] ↠ chapter 7: Conversations on the Final Night [6.9k] ↠ chapter 8: Departure Day [6.7k]

↠ Main Masterlist | Aspen's Ask Box | Field Guide to the Forest Chris Evans Characters Collection

[bilightningwriter-writing]

List of Book Ideas I'd love to publish someday

Aka: things that may become a Ko-fi/Patreon/something that I do [context for why linked here]

Most* of these are planned to be Medieval Fantasy in a world of my own creation, including land masses, kingdoms, magic system, religious orders/pantheons, and more; as well as a majority being Fairy Tale or a Legend retelling though others are original ideas; all of them having LGBT+/Neurodiverse/Disabled/PoC/some combo of these MCs

*a few do branch into a version of the "modern world", but still connected to the other so there is overlap, such as they share the same magic system

My main ideas:

King Arthur's daughter and her childhood best friend discover the secrets of Camelot and the Empire, and on the way fall in love (with the exception of the oldest origin story characters, the Guardians, this is my oldest and most precious pet project on this list) Cinderella re-told as a trans man along with Allererirauh, both of them going to the ball together to fall in love with the princess and prince of the kingdom respectively 12 Dancing Princess sapphic retelling (different from my "Belonging to Nightmares" idea, these sisters being princesses following more of the "traditional" retelling), the love interest being a soldier to come back from the war to become a bodyguard for them Alex in Wonderland where "Alice" is trans and gets sucked back to Wonderland after escaping the land as a child, but this time he's back with his best friend, Alice, who everyone in Wonderland now thinks is him Little Mermaid retold as a genderflip, the little Mermaid being a trans merman Bearskin retold as a mlm romance (probably would be more of a novella than a novel), somewhat connected to 12 Dancing Princesses because soldier MCs fought in the same war A polyamourous trilogy romance combining Sleeping Beauty, the Water of Life, and Six/Wild Swans (because no way in heck can I combine everything I plan for them in just one book like the rest) Beauty and the Beast also as an mlm romance, though they were childhood friends (at least in my og version; I've been fiddling with this since I read an older version of the tale and might be making major changes) Princess and the Pea, probably as another novella, hetero romance but she's autistic Princess and the Pauper combined with Bluebird, poly sapphic romance, but not quite in the way you would assume Rapunzel retold as a sapphic romance, but after the prince "rescues" Rapunzel (who's paralyzed from the waist down) and she ends up falling for his ex-fiance What I've been calling "Snow Anastasia", combining Snow Queen with the more modern Anastasia legend, another sapphic romance The Goose "Girl" where the princess escapes and is a trans man, mlm romance and trans man has a daughter before getting to the capitol for the romance to "officially" unfold Princess and the Frog sapphic fae retelling (probably another novella) Sapphic retelling of Speed Racer (yes this is a departure from the rest, but like, I just kind of thought it up one day and it didn't want to leave, lol) Teen mom+foster kid MC with another Anastasia type princess romance in a magic school (I kind of have the idea to parallel some of the medieval stories with a "modern" counterpart) A young mom selkie story who escapes her abusive partner to re-fall in love with a childhood best friend and his current partner A twice kidnapped lost elven princess and a trans prince werewolf that were childhood friends that fall in love An origin story of the current medieval world where someone with a certain type of magic that was thought to be wiped out ends up leading a revolt to change the world and bring magic/belief in the old gods back An even older origin story of following the Last Guardians the downfall of the belief of the gods to an ever encroaching monotheistic religion and government throughout the land to spread across continents An original story about a prince inventor and his new manservant he falls in love with Stand-alone from above stories, but a mlm teen romance between two theater kids (unsure if I'm making one or both trans or neither), might change my mind and make it part of the "modern" world, but as of now it's not connected Stand-alone (maybe) superhero story following a trans man, his estranged twin brother, and his LI/twin brother's best friend (so three PoVs)

Other ideas I've written down somewhere but have forgotten details of:

Something about a wlw couple named Vestia and Chanel, I thought it was one and the same with the Speed Racer story, but maybe not? Maybe it was my modern Snow White, I should have more notes somewhere A changeling assassin (genderfluid) story that I don't remember the details of other than the love interest is a male elf (my version of elves, that is) A sort of Top Gun polyamourous romance Cinderella, but square poly romance where all of them are neurodivergent and/or disabled and in college A teen superhero story at a summer training camp

This is all I can remember at the moment/have come up with currently. I'll keep writing what I have on tumblr and keep the current stuff here (including original stuff I probably could publish, unless I change my mind in future, though that's a while off, tbh). But yeah, this is just what I've kept close to my chest and have always dreamed of creating physical books of. With the current US administration, though, who knows. I just hope I'm still around to tell them.

[comparativetarot]

The Chariot. Art by Nara Lesser, from Neurotic Owl’s Faerytale Tarot.

Y’all, I spent at least 5 minutes sitting and thinking through stories wondering what on earth could be the chariot AM I DUMB.

Ok, ok, but real quick first, if you like art and tarot and weirdness and whatnot you have two days left to get in on the Alleyman’s Tarot.  I do not read tarot; as I think I said back when I started the first deck, I enjoy the cards as art objects and symbolism puzzles, but that means that getting 137 cards by different artists chock full of weird art and puzzling meanings is IDEAL.  Also, one of the booster packs Seven has added is going to include a happy squirrel card.  A HAPPY SQUIRREL CARD.

So, back to the Chariot.  I mean look, it’s a very famous fairytale carriage, how could I not, BUT ALSO she is so victorious in this moment!  She is going to the ball, dammit!  She is going to have a BLAST and she is all dressed up and feeling fab, and her whole situation is getting ready to be upended.  This is a departure from what I’ve been doing in that it’s closer to the modern tellings than the Perrault; among other things, her slippers were originally fur, not glass, and I’m pretty sure fur would be waaaaaay comfier for dancing in.  Of course, the older story is where you get the vengeance angle that’s a possibility in the card – when at Cinderella’s wedding the two wicked stepsisters get their eyes plucked out by birds which is definitely exactly the kind of heartwarming scene you totally want at your royal event.  Love means ignoring when really fucked up shit happens to your new stepsisters implying that your lovely bride may have some kind of terrifying bird control powers, I guess.

Also, I’m messing with the period by not having her in stockings, but nobody wants to see stocking toes squished into glass slippers, and also whatever, she’s sitting on a giant pumpkin phaeton harnessed to mice. Come at me, authenticity snobs.

[daily-rayless]

As the moon rises on Halloween night, Cinderella prepares to depart for the ball, pausing only for one last kiss from her fairy godmother.

I suspect that with its iconic pumpkin carriage, Halloween Cinderella's been done many times before, but I wanted to give it a try. In many tellings, Cinderella's magical night only comes about because she's been praying tirelessly to her dead mother. So in that way, an undead godmother makes perfect sense to me, as does the skeletal horse she raised to speed Cinderella along her way -- a devoted old family horse that once enjoyed apples and scritches from her parents.

I love the combination of oranges, reds, and purples, so we took a departure from the classic blue-gowned Cinderella. She got a fancy black stocking to show off her glass slipper. As well as a mask, because a) Halloween, and b) also it gives her prince some kind of excuse for why he can't recognize her unless her shoe fits.

And while I was drawing her and positioning everything, the idea of a prosthetic left leg suggested itself. So there is actually only one glass slipper. In some tellings, when the prince is toting around the glass slipper for everyone to try on, the evil stepmother deliberately breaks it to thwart Cinderella from getting her chance. This Cinderella will either have to be faster than her tormentor -- or rely on some other means to make her true identity known.

[myhahnestopinion]

THE AARONS 2024 - Best Film

This year, 83 films compete to join the prestigious ranks of the past decade of Aaron Award winners. That said, the very first winner of this award back in 2015 was Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and it’s finally time to admit that was a mistake. This is not a joke. Someone stole my envelope - La La Land had won Best Picture. Here are The Aarons for Best Film:

#10. The Wild Robot

Rather than go down the photorealistic rabbithole, Dreamworks went rogue with a new painterly animation aesthetic initiated by 2022’s The Bad Guys and optimized in last year’s Wild Robot. The striking storybook style, which renders an isolated island with vibrant colors and an unmistakable human touch, immediately engulfs audiences in Wild’s unpredictable world. Though the harshness of nature is on full display in the survival tale, Robot operates itself foremost by its heart, easily endearing the audience to its optimistic and insubordinate protagonist. While kids will be enamored by the adorable animals, adults may love the film even more for its profound pondering of parenthood; fittingly, The Wild Robot defies clear-cut parameters. 

#9. Longlegs

Longlegs is a towering achievement for director Oz Perkins, son of Psycho’s Anthony Perkins, who has been rightfully amassing a following in recent years for his measured terror. The thriller is every bit as diligent as its titular serial killer as it spins an unnerving tale of cold cases spanning decades, linked only by a series of mysterious letters. With one foot in hair-raising cat-and-mouse games akin to Silence of the Lambs and another in cosmic horror, Longlegs holds a unique formula for burrowing into one’s brain. An expertly utilized Nicholas Cage is the highlight of the film, but everyone involved, from co-star Maika Monroe to cinematographer Andrés Arochi Tinajero, can stand tall. 

#8. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

The new Planet of the Apes was left in a precarious position after the departure of its main architects, star Andy Serkis and director Matt Reeves; seamlessly passing the baton to The Maze Runner’s Wes Ball, Kingdom has secured its renewed reign. Like its predecessors, Kingdom is the crown jewel of special effects driven blockbusters; the top-notch motion-capture technology preserves every nuance of the planet-sized personalities at play, most notably Kevin Durand as a damn dirty ape antagonist. The perilous adventure wrestles with legacy on a metatextual level as characters clash over their lost leader’s ideology, advancing the mature themes of 2014’s Dawn. Taken as a whole, the series now forms a proper epic; Apes together have never been stronger. 

#7. Heretic

One would be forgiven for having doubts: it’s all part of Heretic’s design. The thriller from A Quiet Place writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods is so patiently devoted to toying with its prey that one wonders whether a satisfying answer to its mystery box is even possible. It’s a testament to the strength of its performances, namely Hugh Grant as the mischievous trap setter Mr. Reed, that the film would entertain even if all its pop-culture infused religious dissension had ultimately amounted to nothing. Luckily (or perhaps providentially), Heretic is one step ahead at every turn, bringing all its pieces together in a profound and perturbing peroration; viewers who kept the faith will find themselves richly rewarded.

#6. Anora

Anora’s connection to the classic Cinderella story is a bit slippery. The film may start with a young sex worker being swept off her feet by the son of a Russian oligarch into an enchanting life of glitz and glamor, but it quickly veers in an unexpected, electrifying direction. The road trip antics of its second act are more comparable to the Coen brothers and their incompetent criminals, or classic screwball comedies like Bringing Up Baby. Just as one settles in for a riotous time though, the film veers yet again in a stripped down ending that lays bare the emotional weight of the turbulent journey. Cumulatively, director Sean Baker cooks up a multifaceted masterpiece. 

#5. Challengers

A lot of worthy contenders vied for a spot in this list this year, but Challengers claimed one without breaking a sweat. Its advantage? The trio of all-star actors (Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor) that comprise its love triangle, its director’s playful approach to the material, and a pulsating score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Each element adds a larger than life allure to the sports drama, as the well-rounded characters become increasingly tangled together in tennis nets and bed sheets. Deeply immersed in the action by dynamic camera angles and privy to every volley of coquettish banter between the three, viewers are the clear winner here.

#4. Juror #2

The verdict is in: Clint Eastwood’s latest is one of his best. Channeling the same cynicism with which he deconstructed the myths of the Western genre in Unforgiven, Eastwood takes aim squarely at American classic 12 Angry Men. Here, the holdout juror’s motive is far more self-serving - a fear he may have in fact perpetrated the very crime he is called to adjudicate. As the moral quagmire compounds, the mirror held up to our own often overriding self-interest becomes impossible to ignore. The trial reaches a conclusion after many riveting twists and turns, but Eastwood refuses to ever let audiences off the hook; the pit formed in one’s stomach is not easily vacated.

#3. Hit Man

Richard Linklater’s films often aim to inspire deep introspection while sweeping viewers off their feet; his latest hits both targets from an unexpected angle. Loosely inspired by the true story of a college professor who assisted police by posing as an assassin-for-hire, Hit Man’s premise is primed with questions on the malleability of identity that have long preoccupied its director. He finds his perfect match in Glen Powell, who manifests these questions in a peak performance as the professor (and his various personas). Infused with an uneasy sexual chemistry by Adria Arjona’s femme fatale, the film has all the components of a guaranteed crowd pleaser; if you’re looking for a hit, man, look no further.

#2. The Substance

Style over substance? Coralie Fargeat’s body horror film about an experimental de-aging drug has an excess of both. The Substance knows how to flaunt it too, with flashy cinematography highlighting the gnarly practical effects. On its mind are the commercialization of bodies, dangers of addiction, and fleeting nature of fame. Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley form two halves of the same character fighting to take charge of their life; both effortlessly control the screen during their allotted time. If that’s not enough, the film unleashes an excessively blood-soaked finale to ensure the satire sinks in; The Substance could not bring out a better version.

AND THE BEST FILM OF 2024 IS...

#1. Hundreds of Beavers

One of the best aspects of modern times is the democratization of filmmaking: a great work of art can come from anywhere and stand alongside the classics. The best film of last year came from a crew of six, a budget of $150,000, and a handful of modified mascot costumes. Flawlessly translating the harebrained scheming of Looney Tunes cartoons to live action, Hundreds of Beavers has no shortage of gags packed into its breezy runtime. As a trapper goes to increasingly absurd lengths to win the heart of a merchant’s daughter, the technical ambitions of the black-and-white indie filmmaking grow in turn. Even before the ludicrous secret hidden within the beavers’ lair is finally revealed, viewers will be asking, “Damn, how did they do that?”

NEXT UP: THE 2024 AARONS FOR WORST FILM!

[bloodstained-ballgowns]

prokofiev and saint-saëns out there making the most missy-coded pieces of music gotta love 'em

[ggblasts]

Alright, Upper East Siders, the Sweetheart Ball isn’t slowing down, and neither is the gossip. Our newest arrivals have made their entrances, some dripping in gold, others cloaked in mystery. But behind those masks? Secrets, schemes, and scandals waiting to unfold. Let’s get into it.

Brittany walked in looking like a literal Oscar statuette in this shimmering gold gown, and honestly? It’s a power move. The sweetheart neckline, layered tulle, and that glittering perfection make it impossible to look away. Pair that with bold red lips and a black-and-gold butterfly mask, and she’s giving high-society royalty with a touch of danger. @xoxobrittanya

Colin is all about controlled power, and his gold-and-black suit is the perfect mix of luxury and subtle authority. The tailored fit, the gold vest, and the sharp lapels? Perfection. But it’s the horse-adorned blue mask that’s raising questions—because something tells us this isn’t just about looking good. It’s about making a move. @xoxocolins

Evelyn’s dress is a literal fairytale. The structured off-the-shoulder bodice, the intricate floral embellishments, the rose-gold shimmer? Dreamy doesn’t even begin to cover it. And the matching butterfly mask? It’s like she floated in straight from a fantasy novel. But let’s be real—nobody this perfect is innocent. @xoxoevelyns

Waverly’s navy butterfly gown is straight out of a celestial dream, and paired with icy blue makeup and those sky-high heels, she looks like a queen of the night ready to cast a spell. The detailing is impeccable, but something about the look feels a little too perfect. @xoxowaverlyb

Blair stepped in like the legend she is, wrapped in glittering silver and champagne-colored perfection. The one-shoulder gown with floral embellishments and cascading details? Iconic. The diamond-draped mask? Regal. And let’s not even talk about the dangerously precise red lip. Blair doesn’t just attend a ball—she owns it. @xoxoblairwb

Tony’s brown suit is a bold departure from the standard black-tie affair, but somehow? He makes it work. It’s giving mysterious outsider, and paired with that steampunk-style mask, we have to wonder—who let him in, and what does he want? @tonyxsalazarx

Dimitri walked in wearing head-to-toe red, and we all know what that means: he’s here to steal the show—or someone’s date. The double-breasted suit is dangerously attractive, and the Venetian-inspired mask adds just enough mystery to make people wonder if they should be running toward him or away from him. @dimitrixharrisonx

Monet didn’t need a dramatic ballgown to make an impact—her sleek black dress and gothic-inspired mask are doing all the talking for her. The slit? Risky. The structured bodice? Dangerous. The overall energy? Lethal. @monetdehaanx

Jordan came in looking like a villain straight out of a gothic romance novel, and we’re not mad about it. The all-black suit, the lace-detailed mask, the brooding energy? It’s giving dark prince, and it’s working. @jordanbarnes

Blaze is playing the long game, and his powder-blue suit is a bold choice—soft, but still commanding. The silver-and-navy mask? Effortlessly charming. He’s making it look easy, but let’s not forget: charm is just a mask of its own. @theblazemartinez

Kiara showed up in a silky, rose-gold masterpiece that looks like it was poured onto her. The one-shoulder draping and thigh-high slit? Flawless. The gold lace mask? Delicate, but don’t let that fool you. She’s giving soft, effortless elegance—but we all know that Kiara isn’t the type to just stand in the background. @thekiaracarrera

If anyone was going to pull off a hooded cape gown, it’s Marilyn. The oceanic blue dress makes her look like she’s descending from the heavens just to judge the mortals below her. And that rose-gold-and-blue mask? A masterpiece. She’s floating through the crowd like she knows something the rest of us don’t, and honestly? She probably does. @themarilynsinclair

Briar has officially dethroned Cinderella in this otherworldly white gown. The corset-style bodice, the flowing iridescent layers, and that heavenly feathered mask? She looks like she just materialized from a dream. But the thing about dreams? They always have a dark side. @thebriarcoleman

And just like that, the Sweetheart Ball has reached peak glamour and peak scandal potential. The question is—who will still be standing by the end of the night? Something tells me the real show is only just beginning.

XOXO, Gossip Girl 😘

[monkeyssalad-blog]

When the bell chimes, it's too late, Japan, April 1977 by jp.ads Via Flickr: This poster, which depicts Cinderella rushing from the ball at the stroke of midnight, is meant to warn passengers against the danger of trying to rush into the train after the departure chime sounds. Part of a vintage Tokyo subway manner posters series. Via pinktentacle.com/

[jk-keno]

Hiral (23sjccc031)

CINDERALLA

Let’s consider “Cinderella”. In the original fairy tale, Cinderella attends the royal ball, loses her glass slipper and the prince searches for her, based on how the slipper fits her foot

ALTERNATIVE ENDING:

After Cinderella’s hurried departure from the ball, she realizes she dropped her other slipper in the carriage. She writes a letter to the palace the following day outlining her

circumstances and expressing her wish to see the prince once again.

Her honestly touched the prince arranges a way to meet all the women in the kingdom not just those whose feet fit the

slipper. He finds Cinderella, recognizing her by the kindness in her by the kindness in her letter and her genuine demeanor.

This ending highlights the prince’s commitment to finding true love beyond physical appearance. It emphasizes communication, honestly and the importance of the character, adding depth to their eventual union.

Their love story becomes an inspiration, a testament to the belief that true connections are based on the essence of one's character rather than material things or appearances.

And together, they embark on a journey that celebrates empathy, understanding, and the power of genuine love.

PERPESTIVE:

The alternative ending underscores the idea that true connections are built on more than just a perfect fit or external appearance.

It highlights how important sincerity and communication are in relationships, enabling characters to connect on a deeper level than just surface-level than just surface-level attributes, this shift promotes the idea of mutual understanding and genuine connections as the foundation for a meaningful relationship.

[drleeladevi]

@ofdoesnoharm

{I briefly shut out everything that was happening around us as Devon and I shared this pivotal moment together on the dance floor. As silly as this sounded, I knew this was like some kind of Cinderella moment. No, I don't mean the fairytale cheesiness of that story, but what I was referring to was how fleeting the moment would be. I was here for Devon's special recognition... To cheer him on and support him as he was honored with a well-deserved award, but after this ceremony ended, it meant my departure from Baltimore too. Just like Cinderella went into the ball knowing it would all end at midnight, I was now feeling that same sense of dread at my own connection to that realization. I silently considered as the two of us continued to remain flush to one another as we swayed in sync to the music. I smiled softly up at him when he confessed that he knew I was meant for greatness. Words couldn't describe just how much I appreciated his support, and also knowing that he believed in me. He gave me a shot to prove myself when nobody else at that hospital would have. If Conrad or Bell had learned of my disability, they would have immediately fought to have me cut from the program. Just as AJ intended to do after I failed him in the OR. Devon though... He was different. Instead of thinking the worst of me, or claiming that I was a fraud, he figured out why I learned differently than the others, and gave me a chance to prove that I could do this. I would forever be grateful to him for all of that. We began as colleagues, over time became friends, and before I knew it, I was madly in love with him. Then life happened, you could say. Devon got the opportunity of a lifetime in Baltimore and given that it was in the midst of us having trouble in our relationship, Devon took the job. I was crushed, of course, and was still kicking myself for not asking him to stay, but deep down, I knew I couldn't ask him to stay. It wouldn't have been fair of me to ask him to give up such an amazing and deserving opportunity to me. Maybe he would have stayed or maybe he still would have left, but I'll never know the answer to that. What I did know was that I couldn't take the risk that if Devon did stay, he'd have regretted it, and ultimately resent me because I was the one he stayed for. I couldn't do that. It would have been fair to Devon or our relationship. All in all, Devon left and he was happy here, so yes, although I missed him, I was happy to see him so happy} Okay, we can talk more afterwards if you're able to. {Knowing we were catching a flight back later tonight, so we wouldn't have much of a window to talk, but I was open to it if the opportunity presented itself. By now the chief started to speak, so everyone left the dance floor in order to take their seats. At that I reluctantly released my hold from Devon so we could return to our seats with everyone else}

Continued

@drleeladevi

Time moves, yet feelings sometimes never do. Devon knew he made mistakes when it came to Leela, when it came to how easily he had walked away. He wasn’t proud of how he abruptly ended to relationship. He knew his research was the escape patch of healing. The offer came when it was becoming difficult to be around her; to pass her in the hall and fight the urge to reach for her hand. To look her in the eye and feel like we were tainted. Devon was a fixer; he wanted her to be family; and at the time our wants didn’t line up with each other. 

His heart still ached for her, He thought about her everyday, it was obvious how often his heart beat for her in this instinct. In the instinct he saw her; in that gorgeous dress. She was breathtakingly beautiful. I tried to fight it but instantly I felt the smile tug at the corners of my lips. I invited her because in the best night of my life being honored on my cancer research there’s only one person I wanted by my sider; her. It always came back to Leela. I was surprised she came; she never called or texted not that I had either; so it probably would’ve been awkward if we did have a message exchange. But in this moment; I felt myself walk towards her. I wanted to be close enough where I could smell her strawberry perfume she loved to wear, where I could feel the skin on my arms crawl from how close we were. 

Kit and Bell were talking to other honorable people; probably from the research lab, not that I cared to glance backwards. Because my focus was on her; until I found myself inches from her. 

Tension in the air; two people who cared so deeply for the other, yet felt like strangers. Devon used to know how to speak, but once Leela was in reaching distance, he felt himself fumbling, he wanted to blame it on the look. The dress, her hair down over her shoulders. He suddenly felt like a fish out of water; until she spoke. Her voice was like a wave calling him home. Not to mention the way her hand felt against his tie, he swore he couldn’t think on his own. Swallowing the lumb that formed in his throat; the male managed to find the right way once her hands dropped back to her side. 

“ Thank you, you look remarkable. That color did always look great on you.” Compliment; it was probably the best route to go. Lifting his arm to extend towards the brunette; he hoped she’d take it. “ I’m happy you came, you kept me on my toes making me believe you had declined the offer.” A soft safe conversation; maybe we’d make it through tonight; and who knows perhaps it’ll open the deeper conversation the one we had spent so much time avoiding.

[princesssarisa]

Nicolas Isouard's "Cendrillon": a semi-forgotten "Cinderella" opera

My latest project related to both opera and fairy tales has been an interesting one: I've introduced myself to the 1810 French opera Cendrillon, with music by Nicolas Isouard and a libretto by Charles-Guillaume Étienne.

Without this obscure opéra-comique, Gioacchino Rossini's more famous Cinderella opera, La Cenerentola, wouldn't exist. In 1814, its libretto was adapted for an Italian opera, Stefano Pavesi's Agatina, o la virtù premiata ("Agatina, or virtue rewarded"), which was staged at La Scala. Two years later, when Rossini and librettist Jacopo Feretti were commissioned to write a new opera for the Teatro Valle in Rome, and they chose Cinderella as the subject, Feretti evidently used Agatina's libretto as the springboard for his own, and the quickly-produced result was La Cenerentola.

I haven't read the full libretto of Agatina yet, just skimmed over it, but it looks like a faithful adaptation of Isouard's Cendrillon, while La Cenerentola makes some creative departures from both. So for now, I'll just focus on discussing the Isouard/Étienne version.

@tuttocenere, @ariel-seagull-wings, @adarkrainbow

*The plot's basic outline is very much the same as in Rossini's more familiar opera, as are the characters' names, albeit in French forms rather than Italian. The setting is Italy, and Cinderella's love interest, Prince Ramir, is the Prince of Salerno. The traditional wicked stepmother is replaced by a stepfather, the impoverished yet arrogant Baron of Montefiascone (although he's not named Don Magnifico in this version, but just called "the Baron"), and her stepsisters are named Clorinde and Tisbé. As in Rossini's version, the Prince spends most of the opera disguised as a squire, while his servant, Dandini, masquerades as the Prince. And the traditional Fairy Godmother is replaced by Alidor, a wise gentleman scholar who serves as the Prince's tutor. He disguises himself as a beggar at the beginning, and is turned away by Clorinde and Tisbé but shown kindness by Cinderella, and so he resolves to wed her to the Prince.

*Unlike Rossini and Feretti's "realistic" comedy of manners, however, this version is still a fairy tale. Alidor is a magician as well as a scholar and tutor, and he dresses Cinderella in finery and transports her to the ball by magic. He also gives her a magic rose to wear, which makes her unrecognizable to anyone who knows her (so all the confusion in La Cenerentola about the mystery lady's "resemblance" to Cinderella is a Feretti/Rossini invention) and which gives her new confidence and ladylike grace. I find the last detail interesting, because La Cenerentola also has a striking difference, in both the text and the music, between Cinderella's demeanor in her rags (so innocent, awkward, and vulnerable) and as a well-dressed lady (dignified, confident, sweetly commanding). In Isouard and Éttienne's version, this change has a magical explanation; in La Cenerentola, without any magic, it becomes psychological.

*This version also includes the traditional lost slipper, not the bracelet of La Cenerentola, because the French were less squeamish than the Italians about letting women show their ankles onstage. It's described as a green slipper, not a glass slipper, however. I assume they made this change because no one can wear glass shoes safely and comfortably onstage, but the word "vert" (green) is similar enough to the word "verre" (glass).

*In La Cenerentola, I've never been sure if the setting is meant to be the medieval principality of Salerno, meaning that Prince Ramiro is already the reigning monarch (which would make sense, since his father is dead), or if he's the crown prince of the Kingdom of Naples (whose crown princes were titled "Prince of Salerno" much like the British crown prince is titled "Prince of Wales") and just hasn't been crowned king yet because his father's will requires him to marry first. Most Cenerentola productions seem to take the latter interpretation, since they set the action around Rossini's own time, in the late 18th or early 19th century. Isouard's Cendrillon more clearly takes place in the medieval principality of Salerno, however. Prince Ramir is explicitly the monarch already, and referred to interchangeably as "the prince" and "the king" by the other characters. Another medieval touch, which La Cenerentola omits, is that the ball includes a jousting tournament: there, the disguised Prince champions Cinderella as the most beautiful of all the ladies, fighting several opponents who champion Clorinde and Tisbé on behalf of Dandini, and defeating them all.

*Cinderella also shares a scene at the ball with her stepfamily, who don't recognize her. She gives Clorinde and Tisbé gifts of her own jewelry, much like the gifts of citrus fruits in Perrault's version, and gives the Baron a jewel as well to take home "for his stepdaughter" (which of course he doesn't).

*As in La Cenerentola, the Prince and Cinderella first meet at her house before the ball, when he comes in his squire disguise. Unlike in La Cenerentola, however, Alidor is present and immediately tells the Prince that Cinderella is a member of the family, and Cinderella then articulately tells the story of her mother's marriage to the Baron and subsequent death. Nor, unlike Rossini's Don Magnifico, does the Baron ever lie that Cinderella is just a servant or that his stepdaughter died: both he and his daughters freely acknowledge her as their stepdaughter/stepsister. It seems to have been a Feretti/Rossini invention to have the Prince not know that Cinderella is of high birth. Which leads to the next point...

*When the Prince meets Cinderella in her rags, he pities her and remarks on how pretty she is, but he doesn't seem to fall in love with her yet. They don't sing a duet at this point; Cinderella sings an aria telling him about herself. Nor does he get angry or try to defend her when her stepfamily refuses to take her to the ball. It's only when she's dressed in her finery at the palace that they they sing a duet and fall in love. This is another difference that stands out from the Feretti/Rossini version. In La Cenerentola, it's Cinderella in her rags whom Ramiro falls for; their great moment of connection is in their lengthy duet when they first meet, and their interactions at the ball are minimal. He only seems to fixate on "the beautiful unknown" because she looks like the "servant girl" he met earlier, whom he presumably thinks he can't marry because of her "low birth." This changes the essence of the Feretti/Rossini version almost as much as the decision to remove magic does.

*Dandini's portrayal is a bit more mean-spirited than it would be later in La Cenerentola. He's portrayed as stupider and more incompetent, and both the Prince (with whom he barely interacts) and Alidor emphasize that he's the crudest, most idiotic man at court. This is obviously meant as social commentary, since everyone overlooks his faults and fawns over him anyway when they think he's a prince. But considering his actual low status and the glorified portrayal of the real Prince, it does feel a little too harsh at his expense. I prefer his wittier and more cunning portrayal in La Cenerentola, and his rewritten dynamic with Prince Ramiro where they co-conspire and confide in each other like friends (even if Ramiro does still call him "idiot" now and then). Not to mention his hints of flirting with Don Magnifico that the original Dandini doesn't have with the Baron. :)

*Cinderella's departure from the ball is different from both the classic tale and the Feretti/Rossini version too. After the joust, in front of everyone, the Prince and Dandini offer Cinderella the crown and the Prince's hand in marriage together, but without yet revealing which of them is really the Prince. Cinderella still thinks Dandini is the Prince and doesn't want to marry him, so she runs away, accidentally losing her slipper. Again, Feretti/Rossini made a significant change by turning this into a private scene, having Cinderella openly admit that she loves the "squire," and then having her test his love by giving him her bracelet and urging him to search for her.

*Clorinde and Tisbé both have bigger roles than in Rossini's version – each one has her own aria to sing, as well as a few duets with each other – while the Baron's role is much smaller than Don Magnifico's. In keeping with this fact, the comic scene where Dandini finally reveals that he's not the Prince is a reveal to the sisters, not to the Baron as in La Cenerentola. In a "romantic" scene with Dandini, whom they still think is the Prince, the sisters both assure him that they love him for who he is, not for his status, and that they would still want to marry him if he were a poor peasant. But then the Baron bursts in, having learned Dandini's true identity offstage, and reveals everything to his daughters. Then the real Prince arrives too, and proclaims that since the sisters "love" Dandini so much, he commands one of them (the choice is theirs) to marry Dandini that very day. The sisters, of course, refuse to do such a thing.

*The climactic scene is also entirely different from La Cenerentola's version, and a creative twist on the fairy tale's ending too. The morning after the ball, instead of traveling in search of the "beautiful unknown," the Prince invites all ladies of noble birth back to his palace, without explaining why. (This supports my theory that many early stage adaptations of Cinderella had the slipper-fitting take place at the palace, as some early screen versions do too.) Cinderella hears the proclamation and comes to the palace without asking permission, surprising her stepfamily when they meet her there. In her, Clorinde and Tisbé see what they think is the solution to their Dandini problem: they tell her about the whole Prince identity deception, then order her to marry Dandini in their place, but Cinderella refuses. Next, she happens to meet the Prince, who recognizes her as the Baron's stepdaughter he met earlier, but not as the lady he loves. Cinderella pretends to have had a dream where she saw all the events of the ball, and she assures him that "the unknown lady" loved him and only fled because she thought she would have to marry Dandini. The Prince now bitterly regrets having disguised himself, while Cinderella privately laments that the Prince doesn't recognize her and only loves the lady she pretended to be. But then Alidor gathers all the visiting ladies together and announces the reason they were summoned: whoever fits the green slipper will be the Prince's bride. Cinderella then speaks up and insists on trying the slipper on, despite the scoffs and protests of the chorus. Of course the slipper fits, and then Alidor transforms her rags back into the ballgown in front of everyone.

*A general observation, about more than just this opera: French adaptations of Cinderella seem especially prone to have Cinderella come out of her shell in the end, discard her submissiveness, and actively seek the slipper and the prince. We see it in this opera, where Cinderella goes back to the palace in her rags despite knowing her stepfamily will disapprove, flat-out refuses her stepsisters' command that she marry Dandini, and then openly insists on trying the slipper on in front of the court. We also see it in Massenet's later opera, where she calls on her fairy godmother to transport her back to the palace to try on the slipper. Maybe this is because Perrault's Cinderella openly asks to try on the slipper; maybe it also shows the influence of Madame d'Alunoy's bold Finette Cendron. But it's very different from La Cenerentola, where, when she realizes Ramiro is the Prince, she tries to hide her face and run out of the room, only for Ramiro to spot the bracelet on her wrist. Or, as another example, from Russian adaptations like Prokofiev's ballet or the 1947 film, where she not only hides her identity from the Prince, but even tries (under orders) to help one of the stepsisters fit the slipper, only for the truth to out when the other slipper is accidentally discovered in her possession. Not to stereotype different countries, but I somehow suspect this is a cultural difference, with the Italian and Russian writers more concerned about keeping Cinderella "modest" than the French writers were.

*Cinderella forgives her stepfamily in the end, but it's briefer and gets less dramatic emphasis than in La Cenerentola. I suppose several of the changes Feretti and Rossini made – their expanded role for Don Magnifico, for one thing, and their general framing of the story as a morality tale rather than a fairy tale – led to their choice to make Cinderella's forgiveness of her stepfamily a bigger emotional climax than her marriage to the Prince.

Unfortunately, the one complete recording of the opera is out of print, but bits and pieces of it have been uploaded onto YouTube. The musical score is very sweet, lyrical, elegant, and gentle – again, very different from the sparkling florid sound of Rossini. As I mentioned at the beginning, it's also an opéra-comique, meaning there's spoken dialogue between the musical numbers.

I've found it fascinating to explore this opera, both as the forerunner to the more familiar La Cenerentola and as an interesting and charming Cinderella opera in its own right. I think it would be nice to see it revived onstage more often.

[cielrouge]

YA SFF Books by Black Authors 

A Song Below Water by Bethany C. Morrow: About the strength of black sisterhood set in Portland, OR, best friends Tavi and Effie discover their true supernatural identity when Effie starts being haunted by demons from her past, and Tavia accidentally lets out her magical siren voice during a police stop.

A Chorus Rises (A Song Below Water #2) by Bethany C. Morrow: Teen influencer Naema Bradshaw is an Eloko, a person who’s gifted with a song that woos anyone who hears it. Everyone loves her — well, until she's cast as the awful person who exposed Tavia’s secret siren powers. When a new, flourishing segment of Naema’s online supporters start targeting black girls, however, Naema must discover the true purpose of her magical voice.

A Song of Wraiths and Ruin by Roseanne A. Brown: Inspired by West African folklore in which a grieving crown princess, Karina, and a desperate refugee, Malik, find themselves on a collision course to murder each other, despite their growing attraction.

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor: Sunny Nwazue, an American-born albino child of Nigerian parents, moves with her family back to Nigeria, where she learns that she has latent magical powers which she and three similarly gifted friends use to catch a serial killer.

Akata Warrior (Akata Witch #2) by Nnedi Okorafor: Now stronger, feistier, and a bit older, Sunny Nwazue, along with her friends from the the Leopard Society, travel through worlds, both visible and invisible, to the mysterious town of Osisi, where they fight in a climactic battle to save humanity.

Bad Witch Burning by Jessica Lewis: For fans of Us and The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comes a witchy story full of black girl magic as one girl’s dark ability to summon the dead offers her a chance at a new life, while revealing to her an even darker future.

Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi: After he eats the sin of a royal, Taj, a talented aki, or sin-eater who consumes the guilt of others whose transgressions are exorcised from them by powerful but corrupt Mages, is drawn into a plot to destroy the city, and he must fight to save the princess he loves and his own life.

Beasts of Prey by Ayana Gray: Two Black teenagers, talented Beastkeeper Koffi and warrior-in-training Ekon, must trek into a magical jungle to take down an ancient creature menacing the city of Lkossa, before they become the hunted.

The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton: In the opulent world of Orléans, where Beauty is a commodity only a few control, Belle Camellia Beauregard will learn the dark secrets behind her powers, and rise up to change the world. 

A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney: A whimsical and butt-kicking Alice in Wonderland retelling featuring a black teen heroine who battles Nightmares in the dark and terrifying dream realm known as Wonderland. 

Bleeding Violet by Dia Reeves: 16-year-old Hanna reunites with her estranged mother in an East Texas town that is haunted with doors to dimensions of the dead and protected by demon hunters called Mortmaine.

Blood Like Magic by Liselle Sambury: Set in near-future Toronto in which, after failing to come into her powers, 16-year-old Black witch Voya Thomas must choose between losing her family’s magic forever or murdering her first love.

The Bones of Ruin by Sarah Raughley: Set in Victorian England, African tightrope walker Iris cannot die; but soon gets drafted in the fight-to-the-death tournament of freaks where she learns the terrible truth of who and what she really is.

The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris: A gripping, evocative novel about Black teen Alex Rufus, who has the power to see into the future, and whose life turns upside down when he foresees his younger brother’s imminent death.

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi: 17-year-old Zélie and companions journey to a mythic island seeking a chance to bring back magic to the land of Orïsha, in a fantasy world infused with the textures of West Africa.

Children of Virtue and Vengeance (Legacy of Orïsha #2) by Tomi Adeyemi: After battling the impossible, Zélie and Amari have finally succeeded in bringing magic back to the land of Orïsha. But with civil war looming on the horizon, Zélie finds herself at a breaking point: she must discover a way to bring the kingdom together or watch as Orïsha tears itself apart.

Cinderella Is Dead by Kalynn Bayron: 16-year-old Sophia would much rather marry Erin, her childhood best friend, than parade in front of suitors. At the ball, Sophia flees, hiding in Cinderella’s mausoleum. There, she meets Constance, the last known descendant of Cinderella and her step sisters. Together they vow to bring down the king once and for all.

The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris: A gripping, evocative novel about Black teen Alex Rufus, who has the power to see into the future, and whose life turns upside down when he foresees his younger brother’s imminent death.

Crown of Thunder (Beasts Made of Night #2) by Tochi Onyebuchi: Taj has escaped Kos, but Queen Karima will go to any means necessary--including using the most deadly magic--to track him down. 

A Crown So Cursed (Nightmare Verse #3) by L.L. McKinney: Alice is ready to jump into battle when she learns that someone is building an army of Nightmares to attack the mortal world, before she learns of a personal connection to Wonderland.

Daughters of Jubilation by Kara Lee Corthron: In Jim Crow South, black teen Evalene Deschamps finds her place among a family of women gifted with magical abilities, known as jubilation - a gift passed down from generations of black women since the time of slavery.

Dread Nation by Justina Ireland: The Civil War is over, but mostly because the dead rose at Gettysburg—and then started rising everywhere else. Fighting the undead is a breeze for Jane McKenne, an Attendant, trained in both weaponry and etiquette to protect the well-to-do. But the fight for freedom? That’s a different story.

Deathless Divide (Dread Nation #2) by Justina Ireland: After the fall of Summerland, Jane McKeene hoped her life would get simpler. But nothing is easy when you’re a girl trained in putting down the restless dead, and a devastating loss on the road to Nicodermus has Jane questioning everything she thought she knew about surviving in 1880’s America.

A Dream So Dark (Nightmare Verse #2) by L.L. McKinney: Still reeling from her recent battle (and grounded until she graduates) Alice must cross the Veil to rescue her friends and stop the Black Knight once and for all in Wonderland.

Early Departures by Justin A. Reynolds: Jamal’s best friend Q is brought back to life after a freak accident … but they only have a short time together before he will die again.  How can Jamal fix his friendship without the truth?

Fate of Flames by Sarah Raughley:  Before they can save the world from the monstrous phantoms, four girls who have the power to control the classical elements: earth, air, fire, and water must first try to figure out how to work together. 

For All Time by Shanna Miles: Tamar and Fayard, two Black teens, are fated to repeat their love story across hundreds of lifetimes, from 14th-century Mali to the distant future, as they struggle to break the cycle.

The Gilded Ones by Namina Forna: Inspired by the culture of West Africa, a feminist fantasy debut traces the experiences of 16-year-old Deka, who is invited to leave her discriminatory village to join the emperor’s army of near-immortal women warriors.

The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis: The country of Arketta calls them Good Luck Girls--they know their luck is anything but. Sold to a "welcome house" as children and branded with cursed markings. When Clementine accidentally kills a man, the girls risk a dangerous escape to find freedom, justice, and revenge.

Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron: Set in a West African-inspired fantasy kingdom, Arrah comes from a long line of powerful witchdoctors, yet fails at magic. When Arrah trade years off her life for magic to stop the Demon King from destroying the world—that is if it doesn’t kill her first.

Legacy of Light (The Effgies #3) by Sarah Raughley: After Saul’s strike on Oslo—one seemingly led by Maia herself—the Effigies’ reputation is in shambles. Belle has gone rogue, Chae Rin and Lake have disappeared, and the Sect is being dismantled and replaced by a terrifying new world order helmed by Blackwell. If the Effigies can’t put the pieces together soon, there may not be much left of the world they’ve fought so desperately to save.

Legendborn by Tracy Deonn: In this King Arthur retelling, Black teen Bree Matthews infiltrates a secret society of powerful magic wielders to find out the truth behind her mother’s untimely death.

Mem by Bethany C. Morrow: In alternate reality Montreal (1925), a young woman’s personality is the result of a startling experimental procedure, leaving her to struggle with the question of who she really is.

Miles Morales, Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds: But Miles Morales accidentally discovers a villainous teacher's plan to turn good kids bad, he will need to come to terms with his own destiny as the new Spider-man. 

Oh My Gods by Alexandra Sheppard: Half-mortal teenager Helen Thomas goes to live with her father—who is Zeus, masquerading as a university professor—and must do her best to keep the family secret intact.

The Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds: After falling for Kate, her unexpected death sends Jack back in time to the moment they first met, but he soon learns that his actions have consequences when someone else close to him dies.

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith: Set in a futuristic, hostile Orleans landscape, Fen de la Guerre must deliver her tribe leader's baby over the Wall into the Outer States before her blood becomes tainted with Delta Fever. 

Nubia: Real One by L.L. McKinney & Robyn Smith: When Nubia’s best friend, Quisha, is threatened by a boy who thinks he owns the town, Nubia will risk it all—her safety, her home, and her crush on that cute kid in English class—to become the hero society tells her she isn’t.

A Phoenix First Must Burn: 16 Stories of Black Girl Magic, Resistance, and Hope edited by Patrice Caldwell: Filled with stories of love and betrayal, strength and resistance, this collection contains an array of complex and true-to-life characters in which you cannot help but see yourself reflected. Witches and scientists, sisters and lovers, priestesses and rebels.

This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron: In this contemporary fantasy inspired by The Secret Garden, Black teen Briseis has a gift: she can grow plants with a single touch. Up against a centuries-old curse and the deadliest plant on earth, Bri must harness her gift to protect herself and her family, when a nefarious group comes after her in search of a rare and dangerous immortality elixir.

A Psalm of Storm and Silence (A Song of Wraiths and Ruin #2) by Roseanne A. Brown: As the fabric holding Sonande together begins to tear, Malik and Karina once again find themselves torn between their duties and their desires.

A Queen of Gilded Horns (A River of Royal Blood #2) by Amanda Joy: After learning the truth of her heritage, Eva is on the run with her sister Isa as her captive, but with the Queendom of Myre on the brink of revolution, Eva and Isa must make peace with each other to save their kingdom.

Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko: In a West African-inspired empire, Tarisai is raised by The Lady and sent to kill the Crown Prince once she gains his trust. Tarisai won’t stand by and become someone’s pawn—but is she strong enough to choose a different path for herself?

Redemptor (Raybearer #2) by Jordan Ifueko: For the first time, an Empress Redemptor sits on Aritsar's throne. To appease the sinister spirits of the dead, Tarisai must now anoint a council of her own, coming into her full power as a Raybearer.

The Ravens by Danielle Page & Kass Morgan: The sisters of Kappu Rho Nu share a secret: they’re a coven of witches. For Vivi Deveraux, being one of Kappa Rho Nu’s Ravens means getting a chance to redefine herself. For Scarlett Winters, a bonafide Raven and daughter of a legacy Raven. When Vivi and Scarlett are paired as big and little for initiation, they find themselves sinking into the sinister world of blood oaths and betrayals.

Rebel Sisters (War Girls #2) by Tochi Onyebuchi: Though they are working toward common goals of helping those who suffered, Ify and Uzo are worlds apart. But when a mysterious virus breaks out among the children in the Space Colonies, their paths collide.

Reaper of Souls (Kingdom of Souls #2) by Rena Barron: After so many years yearning for the gift of magic, Arrah has the one thing she’s always wanted—at a terrible price. But the Demon King’s shadow looms closer than she thinks. And as Arrah struggles to unravel her connection to him, defeating him begins to seem more and more impossible.

A River of Royal Blood by Amanda Joy: A North African-inspired feminist fantasy in which two sisters, Eva and Isa must compete in a magical duel to the death for the right to inherit the queendom of Myre.  

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves: In Portero, Texas, teens Kit and Fancy Cordelle, daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, bring two boys with similar tendencies to a world of endless possibilities they have discovered behind a mysterious door.

Siege of Shadows (The Effigies #2) by Sarah Raughley:  After Saul reappears with an army of soldiers with Effigy-like abilities, threatening to unleash the monstrous Phantoms, e-year-old Maia and the other Effigies hope to defeat him by discovering the source of their power over the four classical elements, but they are betrayed by the Sect and bogged down by questions about the previous Fire Effigy's murder.

The Sisters of Reckoning (The Good Luck Girls #2) by Charlotte Nicole Davis: The blockbuster sequel to an alternate Old West-set commercial fantasy adventure.

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow: Set in the near-future, in which a captive teen human and a young alien leader—bonded by their love of forbidden books and music—embark on a desperate road trip as they attempt to overturn alien rule and save humankind. 

War Girls by Tochi Onyebuchi: Set in a futuristic, Black Panther-inspired Nigeria, sisters Onyii and Ify, separated by a devastating civil war, must fight their way back to each other against all odds.

Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst: When the goddess Bayla fails to take over Liyana's body, Liyana's people abandon her in the desert to find a more worthy vessel, but she soon meets Korbyn, who says the souls of seven deities have been stolen and he needs Liyana's help to find them.

The Weight of Stars by K. Ancrum: After a horrific accident brings loners Ryann and Alexandria together, Ryann learns that Alexandria's mother is an astronaut who volunteered for a one-way trip to the edge of the solar system.

White Smoke by Tiffany D. Jackson: Black teen Marigold and her blended family move into a newly renovated, picture-perfect home in a dilapidated Midwestern city, and are haunted by what she thinks are ghosts, but might be far worse.

Wings of Ebony by J. Elle: Black teen Rue, from a poor neighborhood who, after learning she is half-human, half-goddess, must embrace both sides of her heritage to unlock her magic and destroy the racist gods poisoning her neighborhood with violence, drugs, and crime.

Witches Steeped in Gold by Ciannon Thomas: In this Jamaican-inspired fantasy debut, two witches from enemy castes—one seeking power, and one seeking revenge—will stop at nothing to overthrow the witch queen, even if it means forming an alliance with each other and unleashing chaos on their island nation.

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood: An Ethiopian-inspired Jane Eyre retelling in which an unlicensed debtera, or exorcist, Andromeda, is hired to rid a castle of its dangerous curses, only to fall in love with Magnus Rochester, a boy whose life hangs in the balance.

Yesterday Is History by Kosoko Jackson: Black teen Andre Cobb undergoes a liver transplant and as a side effect winds up slipping through time from present-day Boston to 1969 NYC on the eve of the Stonewall riots, delivering a story that is part romance, part gay history, and part time-travel drama, exploring how far we have and haven't come. 

[hotshotblackburn]

Three Artifacts in the Museum of Injustice

The Sun’s Prince and the Moon’s Daughter: A Romance in Four Seasons An extended series of twelve related illustrated tales, published in the now-banned Viric Fairy Book (despite evoking their work, there appears no authorial connection to Andrew or Leonora Lang). Describes the courtship and growing romance between the human youngest son of the Sun and the crescent-winged, sickle-headed eldest daughter of the Moon over the span of a year, from their first meeting in “Sun’s Prince and Moon’s Daughter” to their final elopement in “The Liberation of Night”. Notable for its mixture of classical motifs and contemporary political themes: “The Spider and the Starry Ball''s inclusion of an impossible task (listing all the noble families of the stars), supernatural helper (the nebula-weaver) and loss of an identifying object (the ring which keeps the prince from being burnt by his family) will be familiar to any child who has heard Cinderella, but they will likely be less familiar with the commentary on the relationship between subject and ruler noted by the daughter in “The Silver Farmers’ Moon-Song”. The series ends with a drastic departure from older tales, when the prince chooses defiance against his father and abdication of the throne to be with his beloved; the engraved illustration of her flying him away from the Sun’s castle is considered to be one of the standout artworks of the book as a whole.   

The Peasant’s Tapestry A deliberately unfinished mixed-materials embroidery (despite the name, it is not a tapestry), multiple anonymous creators, currently hanging in the Museum of Injustice’s Aeons Collection. Oral documentation indicates a long and fragmented history, with multiple contributors adding on to the piece over time: the current version measures at least eighty meters long with individual contributions ranging from years to millenia old. Despite the patchwork nature of the fabric, age, and artwork, the tapestry is unified in its subject: generations upon generations of working laborers and serfs, at once struggling and yet still supporting the future generations to come. Figures gathering reeds and laying bricks prepare tables of beer and sweet-fungus in one embroidery for people farming maize and tanning hides in the next, who in turn come to lay out bandages and herbs for the horse-groomers and personal servants of newer additions. The tapestry - according to the Museum’s curator - represents a side of Neath history not acknowledged by those that have ruled and rule it: a class solidarity that has survived across both centuries and Cities. 

The New Farmer’s Almanac Book copy found in the possession of an American immigrant to London, originally surrendered to the Ministry of Public Decency but recovered prior to burning. No authorship is attributed, but colophon indicates publisher as the Pennsylvania Carillon (possibly fictitious: no official records of such a company have been found). Both the appearance and contents of the book appear to be heavily derivative of the popular North American Old Farmer’s Almanac, with content mainly revolving around weather predictions, the positions and movements of the stars, planting and gardening advice, and animal husbandry tips. There are, however, a number of unusual additions: notes on the trends of recent developments in chess-match strategies, charts for observing and predicting degrees of darkness, and times of year when certain caves will be flooded or dry are just a few. Some of the advice given for farming and gardening are similarly strange, in some cases bordering on the superstitious: how to identify sick animals by the patterns of firefly movements, which crops to only grow by the light of the moon, and notes on what to do if Sirius begins to glow brighter than normal.  

(catching up with @fl-revs-appreciation's prompts for days 2, 3, and 4! Moonlight, Melancholy/Comfort, and Stars [with a hint of Chess] respectively)

[nyxshadowhawk]

Dark Royalty Core Playlist

People seemed to really like the Beltane playlist so I thought I’d post more of my playlists! I started making this one when I learned that the Dark Royalty Aesthetic was a thing, and I am so happy that it is a thing! It’s now one of my favorite aesthetics, and it got me into more traditional classical music. This is intended to be a “master playlist” -- some of these pieces are taken from oliviaalee on youtube, but many are favorites of mine.

“Masquerade - Ballet Suite: 1. Waltz” by Aram Khachaturian, London Symphony Orchestra, et.al. “Expectation” by Herold Kittler, Nikolai Sergeyev, et.al. “Leopoldine” by Ez3kiel “An Extraordinary Tale” by Peter Gundry “Ghost Waltz” by Abel Korzeniowski “Dance of the Damned” by Peter Gundry “Lestat’s Recitative” by Elliot Goldenthal “Amur Waves” by Max Kyuss, Nikolai Nazarov, et.al. “Gnossienne no. 1″ by Erik Satie, Alena Cherney “Tocka” by Оркестр "Классика" “Midnight Waltz” by Adam Hurst “The Secret Garden” by Adrian von Ziegler “The Second Waltz” by André Rieu, Johan Strauss Orchestra “An Embassy Waltz” by Mickymar Productions Ltd and Failbetter Games  “Tonight Ve Dance” Peter Gundry “Gramophone” by Eugen Doga “Merry-Go-Round of Life” by Joe Hisaishi “Cinderella, Op. 87, Act 1: No. 19, Cinderella’s Departure for the Ball” by Sergei Prokofiev, André Previn, London Symphony Orchestra “Valse sentimentale, Op. 51, No. 6″ by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Josef Sakonov, et.al. “Wood Carving Partita” (cover) by Tim Stoney “Danse macabre, Op. 40: Poème symphonique d’après une poésie de Henri Cazalis” by Camille Saint-Saëns, Rudfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin, et.al. “Legacy of Sorrow” by Nox Arcana “Nocturnal Waltz” by Johannes Bornlöf “Incantato” by Adam Hurst “A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 61: Scherzo No. 1″ by Felix Mendelssohn, Staatskapelle Berlin, et.al. “Serenade for Strings in E, Op. 22: 2. Tempo di valse” by Antonín Dvorák, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, et.al. “The Shadow’s Bride” by Peter Gundry “Nocturne No. 20 In C Sharp Minor, Op.posth” by Frédéric Chopin, Alice Sara Ott “Ghost Bride” by Adrian von Ziegler “Suite Gothique, Op. 25: I. Introduction et choral” by Léon Bollëmann, Michael Phol “2 Romanian Rhapsodies, Op. 11: Rhapsody No. 1 in A Major” by George Enescu, Heinz Rögner et.al. “Bagatelle No. 25 in A Minor, "Für Elise", WoO 59” by Ludwig van Beethoven, Lang Lang “The Nocturnal” by Peter Gundry “Piano Sonata No.14 In C Sharp Minor, Op.27 No.2 -"Moonlight": 1. Adagio sostenuto” by Ludwig van Beethoven, Daniel Barenboim “Insomnies” by Ez3kiel “Dance of Gold” (cover) by Tim Stoney, Kristin Naigus, et.al. “Parliament of Owls” by Agnes Obel “An Amalgamation Waltz 1839” by Joep Beving “Dance of Pales” (cover) by Tim Stoney *** “Symphonie Fantastique, Op. 14 (Episode de la vie d'un artiste) : II. Un Bal (A Ball)” by Hector Berlioz, Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra et.al. “Ritual” by Adam Hurst “Forest Tale” by Wilhelm Becker, Nikolai Nazarov, et.al. “The Awakening” by Peter Gundry “Ceremonial Spell” by Adrian von Ziegler “Autumn Moon” by Eternal Eclipse  “Phantastic Dance No. 1″ by Dmitri Shostakovich, Christian Funke, et.al. “Waltz of Souls” by Adam Hurst “Agnus dei” by Samuel Barber, Roderich Kreile, et.al. “14 Romances, Op. 34: No. 14, Vocalise” by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Jan Vogler, et.al. “Holberg Suite, Op. 40: IV. Air” by Edvard Grieg, Staatskapelle Dresden, et.al. “Gaspard de la nuit, M. 55: No. 3, Scarbo. Modéré in B Major” by Maurice Ravel, Cecile Ousset “Waltz” by Eugen Doga “Dorian’s Theme” by Charlie Mole “Children's Corner, L. 113: IV. The Snow is Dancing” by Claude Debussy, Peter Rosel “Duo in G Major: II. Air” by François Couperin, Barbara Sanderling, et.al. “No.9 - Finale - Swan theme (Andante)” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra  “Organ Sonata in C Minor: I. Grave - Larghetto” by Julius Reubke, Michael Pohl “Requiem for the Gods” (cover) by Wayne Strange, Chad Schwartz “Death Waltz” by Adam Hurst “Lacrimosa” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Lisa Beckley, et.al. “Weeping Willow” by Gabrielle Aapri “Eternal Slumber” by Yonder Dale “Midnight Masquerade” by Nick Murray “The Vampire Masquerade Organ Version” by Peter Gundry “Cloak and Dagger” by Eternal Eclipse “Appassionata” by Rolf Lovland, Secret Garden “String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, D. 810 "Death and the Maiden": II. Andante con moto - Arr. Gustav Mahler” by Franz Schubert et.al. “Reflections” by Toshifumi Hinata “Mariage d’Amour” by Jacob’s Piano “Carnival of the Animals: XIII. The Swan” by Camille Saint-Saëns, Yo-Yo Ma “Victor’s Piano Solo” by Danny Elfman “Sofia’s Waltz” by Carvajal “The Nutcracker, Op.71, TH.14 / Act 2: No. 14a Pas de deux: Intrada” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Mariinsky Orchestra, et.al.

Spotify Link:  https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3yFvAGB5xdoOELbmiJ136U?si=1d1f15e826ac445b