#and by six of crows I mean the duology lol

[after-nine-at-the-oasis]

sooo. . . I finished six of crows xd

everyone welcome the new blorbos :DDD

[batmanlovesnirvana]

— Faith in the grishaverse.

I’ve always thought that, despite the important role religion plays in the Grishaverse, it isn’t very well explained when it comes to the Ravkans.

There is no central Ravkan deity. People pray to the saints, who are the ones performing miracles, unlike the real-world concept where people ask saints to pray to God on their behalf.

Not all Grisha are saints, but it’s been debated that all saints were actually Grisha. Grisha used to be much more powerful, but their powers diminished after the formation of the Second Army and its orders.

The world was created in The Making at the Heart of the World (let’s call it MHW for short, lol), which is like the central point of creation where everything comes from. The Grisha are connected to MHW—they come from it and return to it after death, but the concept of "Grisha" came later than the Ravkan religion. People credit Sankt Grigori, who was a healer, with forming the first Corporalki, but even in Grigori’s time, saints were already a thing.

The religion is older than Ravka itself. The monks helped the first king of Ravka unify the country, and then founded the Priestguard in exchange for their help. It’s suggested that they were also Grisha.

It’s implied that all gods are the same god, meaning Djel, the saints, and even the Ravkan religion come from the same central source. (I don’t totally agree with this because Ghezen is opposed to Djel, but okay, lol).

Leigh has said the religion is based on Slavic paganism, but the very concept of having saints, cathedrals, icons, monks, and a kind of central religious authority (the Apparat) feels a lot like Eastern Orthodoxy, which was the official religion of the Russian Empire.

In an interview from 2012 (pre-Six of Crows), she said: “I never get specifically into Christianity. That was really important to me. There is no Christ in this world. The religion that is in the world is much closer to the kind of pagan tradition that was in Russia pre-Christianity, and even that grew out of the influence of Christianity, but that couldn’t tamp down these local mythologies.”

Interestingly, a concept of heaven or hell is never mentioned… The Fjerdans are very focused on not sinning against Djel, but we don’t really know what happens if you do. Djel has his saints and is the higher power for the Fjerdans, just like Ghezen is for the Kerch. But there isn’t a central Ravkan deity, and we haven’t heard much about the Shu religion either, just that they believe in some « seven knights », but it was never adressed. I think they believe in more sciency/superstitious and the Suli believes in their Saints, Gods and curses…

Grisha, on the other hand, don’t believe in life after death, though it’s unclear if non-Grisha do. In Crooked Kingdom, Inej tells Nina to let Matthias go to his god, which might imply some kind of afterlife for the Fjerdans. At the end of Rule of Wolves, it’s hinted that all gods are the same god (AGAIN I’d disagree—don’t tell me Ghezen and Djel are the same), suggesting Djel could be the central god of the Grishaverse, taking different forms depending on the culture.

The use of expressions like “heaven” and “hell” might just be a way of speaking that’s familiar to us in the real world. Sometimes authors reshape these concepts to fit their fictional worlds, but Leigh Bardugo doesn’t seem to have done that here.

Honestly, we don’t know much. We know more about the Grisha’s involvement in religion and how people interact with it than we do about the beliefs themselves… What do they believe in? Is there a code of behavior/practice? Is MHW like the Big Bang, or was it set in motion by someone else? I have questions, too…

I had another point, but I forgot it before I could type it out—I'll add it in the comments if I remember… The Nikolai Duology touches on this more, but it doesn’t explain a lot either. It’s more about the influence of religion on Ravkan/Grisha society than actual world-building.

[the-blue-eyed-firebender]

Hi!

Have I ever told you this? (Probably! But I'll say it again, ha) It's been an absolute treat reading your Royai fics. Thank you for joining this fandom!

What are your inspirations? 😃 In terms of writing style, but also ideas, etc. Please indulge us all, and please do geek out about your writing process too!

I always love learning about how fan fic writers work and write!

Thank you, and I hope you have a lovely day~

Hey there!

You are so kind. It's hard to put into words how much it means to have had such a lovely reception from the FMA fandom. I used to write a lot when I was a kid, but eventually stopped due to some unfortunate and painful circumstances. Writing for this fandom over the last couple of months has been an incredible journey. It has healed some very intrinsic parts of me that I’d forgotten were wounded, and I have written more in the last few months than I have in 15+ years.

So, first and foremost, thank YOU.

Inspirations: I've always been a lover of fantasy and science fiction. My very first fandom was Star Wars, followed shortly thereafter by Avatar: The Last Airbender. Recently, I've become a huge Sarah J. Maas fan (I read ALL of her books in the year 2023 - minus the new one that came out in January). I've also enjoyed Suzanne Collins and Leigh Bardugo (particularly her Six of Crows duology).

But really, I just love stories. I love adventure, magic, and romance. I look for complex characters, vibrant worlds, strong magic systems, and rich backstories. My favorites always involve women who embody strength (mental, physical, and emotional), capable leadership, and femininity. Characters who are equal parts war-like and compassionate, fearsome yet soft.

But my very best inspiration comes from real-life: my sweet husband. It's going to sound silly, but I feel like I write about true love because I've experienced it. This guy was 100% written by a woman (lol). He's read everything I've written, and provides the most wonderful feedback and encouragement.

As far as style/process, I feel like I am still developing it? Haha! It's only been a minute since I got back into writing. But it usually starts with daydreaming to music (often songs without lyrics; Secession Studies is a favorite), typically while I'm in the car. With my first FMA fic, The Counteroffer, I was listening to "Beautiful Things" by Benson Boone on repeat. Something about the way he sings "Please stay / I want you, I need you, oh God" really set the tone for that story. That, combined with inspiration from the infamous Chapter 54 of A Court of Mist and Fury.

There's usually an moment or a line of dialogue that pops into my brain first (for The Counteroffer, it was Hawkeye lifting the discharge paperwork to find Mustang has also given her an unsigned marriage certificate). I write that bit, then the rest of the story sort of fills in around it. I write in disjointed fragments, adding chunks here and there and then connecting them together. Sometimes I shuffle things around, moving chunks to different locations in the story to see how it changes the flow.

Beginnings, endings, and titles are usually the hardest for me to come up with.

And here's a few of my own patterns that I've started to notice:

I love stories that read with a poetic beat to them (I think the best example of this in my own work is Hourglass).

I use line breaks for emphasis a lot.

I am intentional about keeping things concise but impactful. When it comes to word count, my personal rule is quality > quantity, always.

I try not to use "said/says" without other descriptive words.

If a portion of the story is dialogue driven, I'll read it aloud to make sure it actually flows like real conversation.

I often drop "and" from sentences when I feel like it messes with the poetic flow ("She became familiar with the space between heartbeats, the squeeze of the trigger, the wet sound of a bullet finding its mark." - Hourglass).

In the same vein, I use a sort of "rule of threes" quite a bit. I break sentences into three parts, offer three descriptions of a character's observation/sensation/emotion, repeat the same phrase three times, etc. (Oh look, I've done it again.)

I write in third person, present tense, always from the perspective of one character at a time. I feel like this puts myself and the reader right in the middle of the action, as it's happening. I dive deep into the primary character's thoughts and senses, both internal and external.

I re-read/re-watch the original content (i.e. FMAB, the manga) often, even if it's just in small parts. It keeps me grounded to who these characters are, and prevents me from going OOC. It's so easy to lose track of characterization if it's been too long since I watched an episode or read a chapter.

Hoo boy this got long. Thanks so much for the delightful ask! It was a lot of fun to dive into my own writing process and habits.

[euphoniumpets]

The princess who never was | Tolya Yul Bataar x reader

Summary: Just like your brother, Nikolai, you never longed for the throne. So, you didn't hesitate to follow him to the sea, let along to fall in love with a certian heartrender.

Requested? Yes: Hi please could you write a Tolya x Reader fic?? Prompt being the Reader is worried about him getting hurt in a battle and he brushes it off, but when she gets hurt protecting him he realises how much she means to him?

A/N: girl, where are all the tolya fics??? I can literally only see little fics about him, i need more and tolya might be a little ooc in this since i've only know him based of the show. I know i haven't even finished my six of crows duology yet lmao but i'm just a slow reader who wants to buy more books in general, for the people who have sent in request, i see you! i'm just working slowly on the request!!!

(I changed the story a little bit but i hope you liked it)

Warnings: angst lol.

I DECIDED TO WRITE some fluff but it turned to angst lol

request rules | navi  | new masterlist

''You know, for a princess, you're quite handy with your sword fighting,'' Tolya remarked with amusement in his eyes as he looked at you. You chuckled and looked at him with a teasing smile on your face.

''You underestimate me,'' You pouted and lowered your sword before approaching him. ''It was my mistake, at first,'' Tolya admitted and chuckled as the two of you walked over to the edge of the hummingbird and looked over to the sea.

Along with the Sun Summoner, you'd been trying to find the Sea Whip for days. You was surprised that she had her suspicion on you and your brother, but she never voiced in any further. You found it quite amusing while she would say that she couldn't pick the finger on your brother.

When Tamar and Tolya had entered on the hummingbird for the first time, they recognized instantly that you were the princess and Nikolai was the prince. You knew that your identity wouldn't last long but Tamar and Tolya had shown their loyalty.

Ever since, you enjoyed having the twins around the ship. You liked Tamar quick wits and her teasing demanor whenever you and Tolya would often spent together, and when Nikolai was the protective brother.

And for Tolya, you liked him. He was different than the other princes you had met during your courting at the castle. Although, you were never a fan of his poetry. ''You know, back at the castle, I never went to the leassons whenever my mother would order me to,'' You replied and looked at him.

''I was like my brother, we hate the rules and would often be the troublemakers,''

''I can imagine you running around the castle,'' Tolya amused and you rolled your eyes. ''But, you know that you have to go back sooner or later,'' Tolya remarked. ''I know,'' You sighed. ''All though, it was never my dream to be a princess,''

''Let alone having to marry a prince that I barely know,''

''Is that why you chose your life at the sea?'' He asked, making you smile. ''The sea lets me who I am,'' You spoke. ''The castle never lets me do that,'' You spoke as you heard footsteps approaching you from behind. Turning around, you saw Tamar.

''We're close,'' She said and gestured to the side where you saw the island where the Sea Whip supposed to be according to Alina's tracker.

-

''You're not coming with us,'' Nikolai spoke when he saw you walking toward him down below deck. Everyone was preparing for capturing the Sea Whip and you looked at your brother with amusement.

''Funny one that you think you would stop me from going,'' You remarked and grabbed the swords. ''I'm serious,'' Nikolai retorted and grabbed your bicep to stop you.

''I will be fine, you have seen me of what I can do with these swords,'' You replied with a smirk and walked off. Nikolai sighed with annoyance before they prepared to walk to the island.

Finding the Sea Whip didn't take long since you had Alina's tracker and supposed to be a good one. ''There are holes in the cave floor,''

''So be careful where you step, otherwise, so,'' You gulped nervously and tried to stick closer to Tamar and Tolya. ‘’No, you can’t tell, or no, there’s nothing in there?’’ Mal asked him. ‘’Whichever makes you feel more comfortable,’’ Tolya remarked. ‘’Comfort is overrated,’’ Tamar commented, making you snort at her comment.

You heard a strange noise and suddenly, one of your crew got snatched by the Sea Whip. You gasped with shock and horror. ‘’Drop the nets! Aim to kill!’’ One of them spoke. You glanced around in every corner, in hope trying to find the Sea Whip. ''I couldn't see us, it's toying with us,'' You heard your brother speak.

''Converse your ammo, or we'll be dry by the time we need it,''

You exclaimed when you saw another crew member got dragged by the Sea Whip and you saw Tolya trying to keep you close. ''It can camouflage,'' You heard your brother speak with realiztion in his voice.

You gulped nervously as you kept your guard up and narrowed your eyes carefully. Nobody saw it coming when the Sea Whip showed itself again and lunged forward Tolya. ''NO!'' You screamed when the Sea Whip grabbed Tolya, but before the Sea Whip could even grab him, you stepped forward.

You grunted in pain when you felt the Sea Whip toss you into the wall.

''Y/N!'' You heard their voices as the Swa Whip was about to lunge forward again, Alina used her powers against the Sea Whip, making it drop to the water dead.

-

Back at the ship, Nikolai had to order Tolya to check on you if you had any injures before they could start with the amplifiers. ''I'm fine,'' You remarked and swatted his hand away.

''You're lucky that Alina was there and saved you,'' Tolya remarked, giving you a look. ''Do you have any idea how it would turned out if she weren't there?'' He asked, his voice hardening.

You frowned toward his behavior. Tolya was never the one who would snap at anyone. ''I am fine,'' You assured him, making him sigh. ''Yeah? But what would happen if I wasn't there to save you?'' You looked at him and it was then you understood.

''I couldn't bear the thought of losing you,''

''Tolya,'' You spoke with a low voice. Tolya was walking towards you closer and you could feel the heat from his body, his face almost close to yours.

You met his eyes but you felt your heart drop. You knew that he was right earlier and that you have to go back to your home sooner or later. And you knew that your life wouldn't allow to have Tolya with by your side.

''We can't,'' You whispered.

''I'm sorry,'' You spoke when his lips were dangerously close to yours and Tolya understood before he leaned back and walked away from you, leaving you alone in the room.

[belle-keys]

Can you elaborate on why you think Six of Crows is overrated

I don't like the series much either, but I can't exactly pinpoint what it is about it that I don't enjoy and people think I'm crazy or something so I'm hoping someone can put it in better words. There's just something... tiresome about the books, idk.

I think the duology isn't bad by any means (generally a 3.5-star duology from me), but it's just incredibly safe even by YA standards and kind of relies on simplistic representations of conflict. And a lot of melodrama. This is probably a little mean, but I kind of feel like the book was written to elicit a "oh, you poor thing" response from the readers towards the characters, lol. The book spells itself out.

Plus, and this is rather subjective, but I find the duology lacks chemistry. Lacks chemistry between the characters, fails to draw me in on a deeper level to who they are and their relationships. I find it overly didactic and really sanitized.

[saint-ambrosef]

Hi! I sent the Shadow and Bones anon to @that-catholic-shinobi and saw your replies! So now I'm curious and I love when people rant about things, in the show what do you think they got right? And what did you feel was done wrong? Was there scenes that they did from the books that were close to the source material, but felt different in tone/ect or were just wrong? Was the Matthias and Nina romance in the main trilogy or the Six of Crows section of books? (I watched the show, I felt weird with how hot/cold they would be in such a short amount of screen time, like being on a roller coaster, I think it made the romance feel extra sudden and strange to me)

Anyways, I hope all these questions don't bug you, I'd love to hear your thoughts cause you seem like you really enjoyed the books and know your stuff. I do think I will give the books a try cause you and that-catholic-shinobi made them sound pretty interesting! Thanks!

Oh hello! I love sharing my thoughts on stuff like this. :)

The first thing to know is that the duology and trilogy occur in the same world, but the stories are relatively unrelated. SOC is also set several years after the end of the trilogy. So none of the duology characters (Kaz, Inej, Jesper, Nina, Matthias) existed in Alina's story.

By combining these two distinctly separate stories, the plot felt disconnected and bloated. Cramming eight protagonists into one TV show spread the screen time too thin. The only reason they shoehorned in the SOC characters that otherwise have nothing to do with Alina's story is because they're fan favorites who will draw views - but then each character gets a fraction of their book counterpart's development. (Not to mention major side characters like Genya who barely show up at all).

The consequence is bad pacing. Stuffing the show with so many plot lines necessarily speeds up each. E.g: In the book, Alina is at the Little Palace for months, accounting for half the novel. So much happens: her friendship with Genya, the breakdown between her and Mal, dicey Grisha politics, the delicate balance with the Grand Palace, the lavishness between training and Small Army assignments, propaganda, in-depth exploration of Grisha magic system (!!!), tensions between the First Army and Second Army, etc. The show had to cut all of that to make room for the other story lines. It makes her story feel so shallow.

I mean, Kaz, Jesper, and Inej show up and look cool and do cool stuff but you don’t really find out much about them besides vague suggestions that Kaz wants revenge, Jesper is gay and gambles, and Inej is religious. It's such a disservice to their characters.

Most of Alina's story in the show is pretty similar to the book plot. There's just lots of little changes that don't make sense to me, portrayals of specific characters or scenes.

Was the Matthias and Nina romance in the main trilogy or the Six of Crows section of books?

It was in SOC. Even then, it's told as a series of flashbacks. Where they left off at the end of S1 (Nina pressing charges against Matthias to save him) is where they start off in the books. So they start off with a complicated, bitter relationship that is only gradually explained through Nina's flashbacks as the duology progresses.

Was there scenes that they did from the books that were close to the source material, but felt different in tone/ect or were just wrong?

Many lol. The main one that jumps to mind is the scene where the Darkling and Alina kiss. In the books, the Darkling's motivations are described as rough, wild, possessive, desperate without passion; he even says she's just a sexual distraction, and it's later revealed to be a manipulation tactic. It's disturbing and contributes to the theme of predatory authority. But the show depicts it as sweet, romantic, and motivated by affection. It made me gag.

The reason they did that was again for fan service. Book!Darkling is characterized as a cruel, possessive, power hungry man who would manipulate anyone and everyone for more power (literal or political). But of course many fans popularly decided he was a sexyboi with a secret heart and shipped him with Alina. So the show re-characterizes him as more sympathetic, emphasized his loneliness, downplayed his self-preservation and trumped up his "All I want to do his help Grisha" motivation.

The show additionally added in a sympathetic backstory to explain his creation of the Shadow Fold – that his pregnant wife (girlfriend?) was murdered in cold blood by muggles for no reason!! He just wanted revenge and justice!! This never happened in the book; he was just power hungry and wanted to terrify his enemies and Ravka by tapping into a power he couldn’t ultimately control

There's also the fact that they totally glossed over Genya's tragedy. She's a tailor grisha, which is rare. In the book, the Darkling "gives her talents" as a gift (aka enslaves her) to the Queen (who abuses her), and she becomes the very unwilling mistress to the King (which the Darkling relishes because now she can spy for him). Her life is miserable and she's considered an outsider even amongst Grisha. This is why she bonds with Alina. And that's why Genya's betrayal at the end of Book 1 hits so hard - she feels compelled to side with her ultimate abuser, the Darkling, because of his terrifying power. In the show we only have like three scenes of her and Alina interacting, yet they still act like Genya siding with him was some major betrayal.

But we don't have time for that subplot because the show-runners needed to shoehorn in all of Nina and Matthias' completely irrelevant scenes and focus on fucking Fyodor for some reason.

Characterization aside, the overall choice regarding which scenes to focus on was odd, too. The entire last episode was only like a 15 page scene in the book. They invented scenes of her and the Darkling yet breezed over the history of amplifiers and Morozova’s three legendary beasts. The first episode spends so much time embellishing how Mal and Alina end up going into the Unsea. Or the whole story the show concocted about West Ravka seeking independence (which is not a bad plot idea, but this show was already so bloated, why!!).

Then there were the details they changed for seemingly no reason. E.g. Book!Alina is an orphan born at Dva Stolba on the Shu Han border, which would seamlessly explain why show!Alina is half-Shu. But they changed it so her parents were destroyed by the Shadow Fold?? Why? And in the show, the court is suspicious of Alina because she’s Shu. But in the books, non-Ravkan Grisha (Shu, Fjerdan, Suli, etc) were quite common in the Second Army, as Ravka was known as the one place Grisha weren’t persecuted. So a half-Shu Sun Summoner wouldn’t have been that big of a deal. These are subtle changes that don’t really affect the show, but they are nonetheless unnecessary and/or slightly change the tone of a given scene.

Oh, also, they fucked up Zoya's characterization. They made her so cringy!!! She’s supposed to be this gorgeous, hot-headed, effortlessly smooth but sorta bratty squaller. Look how they massacred my girl...

There were definitely some casting wins. Ben Barnes as the Darkling was perfect. Kit Young portrayed Jesper perfectly and I cannot express enough how well he nailed the character. I thought the actors for Nina and Matthias did a good job too.

My most controversial opinion is that Freddy Carter as Kaz was a miscast. He's a good actor, he's just way too delicate and aristocratic looking to play a convincing street rat/bastard of the barrel.

Anyways. As a stand-alone television show, Shadow and Bone is quite good. The production value is impressive compared to most Netflix shows, with great cinematography, scene direction, and decent effects. It felt comparable to the big screen. Some of the actors were perfectly cast and the acting overall was positive. But ultimately, this show is a book adaptation. So of course there will be comparison to the original novel. To me, it's not a particularly faithful adaptation - everything felt pretty similar and yet slightly to the left, if that makes sense.

I really wish they made S&B and SOC separate shows. Or have their original stories run parallel to each other without interacting (sorta like the first few seasons of GOT with its different story lines).

Read the books!!!

[honshew]

i have read two ~500-page books in two weeks. i have about three more weeks to reach this reading program goal of 8 books by the end of july. that means i need to finish two books per week. i've got my work cut out for me

anyway six of crows by leigh bardugo was pretty enjoyable. easy read, fun heist. funny thing, i accidentally started crooked kingdom first and was like, 'none of this shit is making sense to me' and then i realized i had accidentally started with a direct sequel for the second time. oops! interesting experience tho knowing how the sequel will start before reading the original. i think it made whatever matthias and nina had going on more bearable lol.

i had heard that this duology was better written than the original trilogy, and truthfully, after watching the first season of the show, i'd probably agree. though mostly bc i don't enjoy "chosen one" narratives like i did when i was part of this target audience, but i've always loved a ragtag team working together against all odds.

[charlotte-of-wales]

kai left… mason left… christian will probably leave… honestly wtf next season when I’m stuck having to watch the boys play across different teams I *will* be blaming Chelsea

also second the book recs! honestly I’m into everything so I’d love to hear your faves! I read those f1 books and they were super fun to read even if it was unrealistic lol

no fr I’m having to subscribe to freaking Paramount+ if Christian joins Serie A

and as for books, if you mean the Dirty Air Series I LOVED IT! Emily Henry is a current favorite of mine and Elle Kennedy has really good college romances. For fantasy I also recommend the Six of Crows duology!

[six-of-cringe]

crooked kingdom spoilers but here's the scoop:

Tiny brain, gross, lacks depth: Matthias Helvar deserved to die/needed to die to complete his redemption arc

Huge brain, based, epic opinion: Matthias Helvar's death is the quintessential tragedy because on a narrative level, we see that despite how an individual (A CHILD) can do the hard work to free themself from indoctrination and unlearn systemic oppression, that system does not automatically go away, and to persist it could not allow this child to live. Matthias worked to overcome his prejudice, and thus presented a danger to the indoctrination of the next generation of druskelle. It was not a matter of Matthias needing to die to "redeem himself"; instead it was a matter of how his continuing redemption/unlearning was cut off by death at the hands of another child who hadn't escaped. After all the work he did to become better, the tragedy lies in how it all was taken away regardless.

Galaxy brain, massive dick energy, absolutely ascended: lol literally what are you talking about, Matthias is alive and super happy haha

[allsassnoclass]

yes i meant the mashton ficmas prompt. barefoot ash in the snow -> my first thought! or maybe i hacked your wip folder and i know everything 👀 im curious about which wip you meant and how it relates to the pic but. it's fine you can keep your secrets!!!! -monse

@lukemichaelcalumashton you know when you requested that one for mashton my very first thought was that pic because he's barefoot in the snow. it just fit too well!

as for the wips..... i will say that one is unmute simply because it was taken in utah which is where ashton lives there. but there's two mashton wips that i'm excited about and thought of, which i will keep secret as i am prone to do :)

[brekkerstan]

I just want short stories that are set in Ketterdam pre- soc. Like robbing a bank. Or stealing from rich ppl. Or gang rivalries and stuff.

[fruityshrimp]

Kaz: i recently read this article saying one in five people are gay

Nina, Kuwei, Wylan and Jesper: lol

[dreamsclock]

just curious :D

what’s your favorite book/s?

HI thank u for the q :D i used to be a massive reader and i still hold a lot of those books close to my heart and they still inspire me a lot SO !! without further ado here are some of my favourites under the cut :))

if we were villains / m.l. rio

amazing dark academia murder-mystery book <33 the characters are all assholes but still somehow v likeable, they’re all so self destructive, the moments they slip into quoting shakespeare are sooooo good and give so much double meaning to their characters/words, and it’s about theatre kids covering for one of their best friend’s murder. what’s not to enjoy about that :D

vicious / vengeful duology // v.e. schwab

my favourite book series ever :)) i actually have a dsmp au based off it !! two college scientists who uncover people can develop abilities after near death experiences and the absolute horrors that accompany them after they find this out. SO good, the (homoerotic) tension between victor and eli is so good and they’re both sympathetic but Huge Assholes,, and victor is canonically ace !! the side characters are so brilliant and i just love v.e. schwab so much, everything they write us incredible ^_^

the hunger games trilogy // suzanne collins

old series that most people have read but if you haven’t, i 100% recommend it. it’s a very gritty depiction of dystopia and revolution and although it’s YA, it doesn’t understate the cruelty of government or the horror of kids fighting to the death. this series stuck with me for literally almost a decade lol, that’s how i know it’s good.

six of crows duology // leigh bardugo

incredible show stopping amazing fantastic etc. the series is essentially about a group of Unlikely Allies who are tasked with an impossible mission for a ridiculous amount of money, but find challenges/love/found family/betrayal etc along the way. haven’t read the second book but ive heard it’s just as good as the first, and the characters are so loveable. anything by leigh is a good shout !!! i love her work !!

the cemetery boys // aiden thomas

SUCH a fun book and the only one ft. an Explicitly Trans character (the protagonist)!! i haven’t finished it yet but would 100% recommend, all the characters are so full of life (No Pun Intended) and the queer/poc rep is >>>. if you like ghosts, found family, teenagers getting up to no good TM and a (hopefully) happy ending, Read This Immediately Or You’re Transphobic /j

HONORABLE MENTIONS

the secret history // donna tartt

the picture of dorian gray // oscar wilde

the fever king // victoria lee

ninth house // leigh bardugo (!!!)

the revenger’s tragedy // thomas middleton

[longlivejasongrace]

about wylan van eck and kaz brekker

ever since i finished the duology i havent been able to stop thinking about the similitudes and differences between wylan and kaz. they certainly look like they should be at the opposite sides of the spectrum and they are but that doesn't mean they dont share some key traits that make them very similar if you care to look more closely.

wylan obviously personifies the role of the naïve member to counterpoint this band of thieves: a boy who grew up in privilege and who has never had to fence for himself until he had to swim for his life a couple of months before the events of six of crows. wylan's firm moral compass doesn't help him integrate to the thug life and only highlights how new he is to this world. in many ways, wylan is just like young kaz: honest and earnest, someone who believes in kindness over greed.

they are both very intelligent characters who are motivated by curiosity. i feel like people forget that kaz rietvield was the one who learned about magic and sleight of hand, not kaz brekker. he didn't try to crack that mystery because he thought it would be necessary or useful, he was just curious. he tries to spin it as a way to show how crooked he is, how he just cant let things go, but it doesnt change the fact that it was a very childish impulse which interested him so much in sleight of hand.

wylan is also very curious, he likes to understand how things work, he needs to understand. while kaz learned just because (at first), wylan uses his curiosity as a way to have more tools against the weakness he sees in not being able to read, a way to balance it out so to speak. since he cant learn via the academic route he throws himself in studying in his own way to try to parse this world which has closed so many doors for him.

you could say, well they're both curious about the world around them, so what? the thing is, the whole question about where the water comes from is how kaz discovers an escape route from the white island. if wylan had been motivated to keep digging he would have probably found the same answer.

expanding on this, kaz and wylan can see the world from the same perspective

it's not something that comes naturally to wylan in the sense that he usually doesnt use his knowledge to do criminal activity lol but they both see things as puzzles, objects to be made sense of.

another similarity: wylan can be pretty ruthless. i feel like people forget this too often

but of course, he wouldn't ever reach the level of cruelty kaz achieves since after everything wylan has a conscience lol (can you imagine wylan throwing someone off a building or taking their eye out with an oyster knife? yeah, i didn't think so. he's not above burning people tho lol)

this is a small detail but i believe it wasn't random, it's another link between kaz and wylan:

wylan is the only other character besides kaz to have a "scheming face". it's not only kinda funny to picture the 'innocent' wylan as some kind of evil mastermind, it shows how wylan does have the potential to be like the current kaz. he definitely has the brain for it

because by crooked kingdom wylan understands how kaz' mind works

(notable how wylan is one of the few who lies to kaz and kaz lets him get away with it. wylan knew it was no coincidence kaz gave that information for free but he didn't have enough context clues to imagine what he would find if he went to Saint Hilde)

his background and what he has learned from the crows also helps him see bad decisions where jesper does not

(what does it matter? because for all intent and purposes both wylan and jesper are outsiders, they didn't grew up in the barrel but wylan understood its laws from being there for like half a year while jesper has been a part of the crew for longer but still keeps a bit of his innocence when it comes to deals)

and wylan is usually the one who gets the most detailed parts of the plans

either from the merch side of the equation:

or the puzzle side:

this is a minor detail but another thing that links kaz and wylan together is jesper. not only because jesper expresses romantic interest in both of them, but because of what he sees in the two of them.

jesper about why he likes kaz:

jesper and how he sees wylan:

in conclusion (im sorry this is so long):

while i wouldn't say wylan is kaz' literary foil, he definitely embodies the impressionable kaz rietveld, just like jesper can be a projection of what jordie would have become if he hadn't died. wylan is very clever but unlike kaz he hasn't lost the things that connected him to his humanity and kindness: his moral compass and his hope for reuniting with his family. Marya Hendricks becomes a powerful motivator after wylan finds her and wylan goes through all these trials and tribulations for her. kaz lost that kind of connection when he was too young and went through a devastatingly traumatic event on top of that to ever be able to recover from it.

(not to say kaz is completely ruthless, he just has reshaped himself so he can supress that natural reflex of helping others. both wylan and kaz are very loyal to the people they trust, even if kaz has to disguise the fact and make it look like every freaking decision is made only to serve himself)

i wish people stopped seeing wylan as this angel who can do no wrong or as a wimpy kid who cant stomach what it needs to be done. it's a disservice to his character because while he is understandably scared through most of the duology, he makes conscious decisions not to lose himself in the violence and the cruelty of the barrel.

honorary mention: all the tricks and ways wylan has picked up to hide how he cant read, like using the fact he's a newcomer to not understand directions, mentioning how he doesn't know enough fjerdan to write the names in the plans he's drawing, claiming he doesn't understand someone's handwriting and many more.

[curseofaphrodite]

hi hi hi hi

fuck exams tbh i hate it with my everything *sobs* anywhore wishing you do well in your exams

aNYWAYS GUESS WHAT HAPPENED TODAY I LIVED MY WATTPAD MOMENT 😩 so yk my bf he came to my house and i was writing bio test at that time so he was talking and annoying my mother mary 😍👌 anyways once i finished the test he was like "aw i'm so proud of you yayay" *kisses my forehead* oh my god i died and came back bc that was so cute??? and the fact that he knew i probably need some sweet words bc yk i was sick and all so i missed a lot of time. NOW ONTO THE ✨WATTPAD✨ moment the next thing he says is "aren't you a good girl? why yes you are. my good girl." oh my god the fucking butterflies 🦋🦋😩🙏 (i'm pretty sure a whole ass earthquake occurred inside my stomach-) and and and he whispered it in my ear good great god it was so hot i think he knew that did things to me bc then that mf proceeded to smirk (he looked hot asf okay? he didn't look like some old creepy man while smirking. he a seggsy mf sORRY)

no thoughts mind empty just-

moving on

tHE PERSON WHO DRESSED UP AS MY GIRL OLIVE SMITH I HOPE YOU FIND SOMEONE LIKE ADAM CARLSEN<33 (lmao i stalk your profile when i'm bored sorry not sorry astoria)

and why have you not read the love hypothesis tori 🤨🤨🤨🤨 i force you to read it the second you're free ;) [pls do read it so we can simp over adam carlsen together ffs none of my friends like reading and i'm this close to find new friends- nvm i'm changing school so i kinda have to find new friends anyways] [have you read spanish love deception six of crows duology folk of air series dear aaron from lukov with love luna and the lie shatter me series ACOTAR series it ends with us reminders of him ugly love basically any coho books//mariana zapata books?? say yes pls i'm losing my mind i need someone to discuss these with &&& simp over the characters hahah lol i'm rambling nonsense omg bye i'll just go ig] [oh and punk 57 && marriage for one too for plot obviously never for the great smut and hot female oc] i swear i'm not high

since i'm such a generous person (🤣🤌) i'm gonna share another poem of mine with you (only you get to read it vip friend wife things💕)

me 🤝 using emojis unnecessarily

TAKE CARE I LOVE YOU AND I HOPE YOU DO WONDERS IN YOUR EXAMS MWAH MWAH<3

🔮

me 🤝 people who use emojis a lot

first up PLS YOUR BOYFRIENDS SO COOL IM YOUR MAID OF HONOR OK ITS LEGAL NOW IM LEGALLY YOUR MAID OF HONOR. tease him back next time and see how he likes it 😩

@iceaesthiexs FIND YOUR ADAM WHOEVER THAT IS.

also yes I'm yet to read love hypothesis hshjhdkj I generally don't read a lot of books which have romance as their main plotline. BUT I DID READ SIX OF CROWS BE PROUD! omg I read Spanish love deception too but it was a hit and a miss for me. I give it 3/5, deducting two simply because the author KEPT SAYING BLUE EYES LIKE JESUS CHRIST REFER TO THIS, you'll see what I mean. ill put a screenshot here anyway

AJDKA the writing was good tho bestie but the story was inconsistent, this is why i stick to murder mysteries.

I SAW YOUR POEM AND QUEUED IT I THINK!! i have a talented poet friend now 😩😩💌

im not gonna do any wonders but we'll seeeeee. how are your exams going on?

[stardustmorozov]

001 shadow and bone

I am going with the show and the six of crow duology bc I haven't read all the S&B books yet

Favourite character: the Darkling, David, Genya Least favourite character: Aleksi (but he's dead so yeah) 5 favourite ships (canon or non-canon): Darklina, Genyalina, Kanej, Wesper, Helnik Character I find most attractive: the Darkling, full stop (I mean, have y'all SEEN Ben Barnes, god that man is attractive) Character(s) I would marry: Alina, Genya, Inej, Nina, the Darkling Character I would be best friends with: David A random thought: Choices were made about having the Darkling be the villain, but I don't think they were the right ones. (that doesn't mean I think he is a hero bc he is very clearly an antagonist, but to have him be a full on villain.... anyway, I digress) Unpopular opinion: see above lol My canon OTP: KANEJ My non-canon OTP: Genyalina Most badass character: I am stuck between Kaz and Jesper, so, both Most epic villain: The Darkling lmao Pairing I am not a fan off: Alarkling. I can see the appeal, just not for me Character(s) I feel were screwed up (in one way or another): Jesper. In the books his gambling addiction is taken seriously, but in the show they made it a running joke and I really wish they didn't do that. (and I hope they will treat it more seriously in s2 but I have little hope), secondly Wylan. WHERE WAS MY SON DURING S1??? (I get why but still, I want to see my gay, dyslexic son) Favourite friendship: Genya and Alina and Jesper and Inej Character I most identify with: Alina and David Character I wish I could be: Ivan (bc Heartrender and I want to kiss his husband. yes he and fedyor are married, fight me) or Alina for well, obvious reasons (reasons: kiss darkling)