#as much as you can know about a secondary character without getting her pov

[yennas-stuff]

Me to Elain when ppl say we still know nothing about her and that she's a blank slate

[msmargaretmurry]

would love to know which romance novels you’ve enjoyed!! i feel like we share a lot of “standards” so it would be pretty likely for me to enjoy anything you recommend.

p.s.: have you read any emily henry books? i feel like you might like those. <3

i have not read emily henry but i've heard pretty good things! i actually have a copy of beach read on my shelf that i am hoping to get to this summer. thank you for the recommendation! <3 will talk about some romance novels i've enjoyed under the cut. i am always accepting recs btw!!

my platonic ideal of a contemporary romance novel is evvie drake starts over by linda holmes. the setting feels real, the characters feel real and have real problems, the emotional stakes are proportionate and believable. bonus points for the portrayal of baseball and the main guy's relationship with baseball feeling normal and real. linda holmes's books (i also really enjoyed flying solo, tho not as much as evvie drake) are so character-driven that it almost feels like the romance arcs are secondary to the character arcs, which is ideal to me personally!!

i read a lot more historical romance than contemporary because i find it easier to get over the "that's not how that works!!" of it all in historicals, for reasons not worth elaborating on here. i tend to enjoy kj charles because she's very good at having a strong exteral plot in addition to strong characters! think of england is my fav of hers. for het historical romance i really liked courtney milan's brothers sinister series (esp. the countess conspiracy) and tessa dare's girl meets duke series (can't remember which one i liked best but i listened to them on audiobook at work and i do remember having to stop during a sex scene because i was like oh my god this is actually hot i can't listen to this at work LMAO). i have read every bridgerton and they're all a little dated and some are more mid than others but the francesca book, when he was wicked, is the best one imo.

i liked bringing down the duke by evie dunmore but i did not like the sequel so i haven't read more of hers 😅

it's not structured quite like a traditional romance novel but i really loved peter darling by austin chant, a gay trans peter pan retelling.

i do want to give a shoutout to a romance novel i did NOT think i would enjoy but wound up actually liking a lot, canadian boyfriend by jenny holiday. i was going to skip it because i don't like alternating first person pov but my coworker who loved it told me joshua jackson does the male pov chapters in the audiobook and i was like. fine i will listen to joshua jackson. and i had plenty of quibbles with the book (for one thing i thought the whole book could have been done without the central "fake canadian boyfriend" premise and might have been better for it, lol) but i was surprised by how moved i was by the male lead's complicated grief as a widower and i thought the hockey parts felt realistic and good. going in i was also like urgh ough hockey player/ballet dancer romance is gonna go so hard on the big strong man/tiny dainty woman of it all but it DIDN'T, and i thought the female lead's relationship with dance was nuanced and interesting. i don't think i could have read this book with my eyes due to the povs but the audiobook with alternating narrators worked nicely. and definitely not a perfect book (if i were to rate it on goodreads i'd probably do like a 3.5 rounded down?) but i liked it so much more than i expected to and i feel like i need to demonstrate that i am NOT a hater by default and i CAN be a generous reader when i think a book has earned it 😂

[ianthe-is-a-bitch-and-i-love-her]

Have you got any WLW books where at least one major character is transfem? Because I've been looking for some time and not really finding any.

Ah, my white whale. I have also been looking for good wlw books featuring transfem characters, and I have found a few, but only a few, and I can't recommend any of them without caveats.

Dreadnought is a YA book about a closeted teenage trans girl whose body is transformed when she inherits the power of the greatest superhero to ever live. This book's prose, pacing, and character work are very solid, and it's worldbuilding was competent, if not particularly original for a book about a world full of people with superpowers, but I found it an agonizing read because so much of the book is spent watching this young girl who is so, so happy to have a thing that she always thought was impossible get beaten down over and over again by individual and systemic transphobia. It rang true, but maybe too true. I empathized too much with the protagonist to really enjoy myself.

The Book of Flora is the last of a trilogy set after an apocalyptic disease nearly wiped out human race. Crucially, however, the disease killed (and continues to kill) about ten times more women than men. The book is framed as a memoir being written by an older trans woman reflecting on her life as she waits for an army to arrive and destroy her home. I found her narrative compelling and her character dense and multifaceted, with an experience of transness that rang very true. Fair warning, though, that one of the central themes of the series is the commodification of women, and sexual assault is an everpresent element. Flora is also only a pov character in the final book, though she is a major character in the second.

Then there is The Final Strife, which has the dubious honor of being the only queernorm book I can think of to include a trans character in a way that is not unbearably clumsy. The fantasy setting was solid and interesting, the main plot fairly compelling and the main paring decently written. Our trans character, however, is not part of the main pairing. She is instead the third POV character, and she is more of the most important secondary character than a main character in her own right. Also, as a direct consequence of the book being queer norm, I found that her experience of transness was shallowly explored, if I'm being generous, and erased if I'm not. (Feel free to ask me about my beef with queer norm fiction sometime if you're curious)

I normally never do this, but as those are the only three out of over a hundred wlw books that I've read that fit your very simple criteria and that I would recommend, I'll also throw out Light From Uncommon Stars. I did not finish that book - i just could not get invested in it - but it does feature a transfem POV character and I have no gripe against the book beyond that it didn't capture me.

I really hope that helps, and I invite anyone who knows of a wlw book with a transfem main character that I missed to add it in the comments.

[juniperhillpatient]

How’s it going @juniperhillpatient ?

I just read chapter VII of “The devil You Know”. The chapter was a roller coster and the story is really heating up. Poor Yue…

Was it truly a mere accident that Sokka’s coffin laid on top of Yue’s and Fy Lee”. He is very suspiciously close to many deaths. Toph was killed soon after she found out he and Suki were implicated in (I think it was Chan’s?) death. Speaking of Suki, it’s quite interesting when she protested how her phone wasn’t working, only for Azula to notice that it suddenly began to work again when it came time for Yue’s video to appear. Yue of course being an idvidyal that Suki has a grudge against. Via Sokka. Speaking of Yue, her POV this chapter was a gut punch. As was Katara’s in the beginning.

Also Jets’s POV drew several points about Ty Lee from his perspective. That she was smarter than she initially appeared. And that she six identical sisters. In appearance and voice.

What if Ty Lee hadn’t died at all. What if merely faked her death (by sacrificing one of her sisters) and engineered the call to Azula. Blaming Zuko for something he hadn’t actually done. From Jet’s PoV we know that Ty Lee’s parents wouldn’t actually notice if one of their daughters disappeared. Which may make it easy for Ty Lee to fake her death and switch with one of her sisters. If indeed she is one of the killers. I could just be reading into something that is’t there after all.

One of the killers expressed heartbreak over Azula. And we know that something happened between her and Ty Lee. Maybe enough to push Ty Lee into being a killer? Their’s also Mai, who may have been acting the fool this whole time. Her anger at Azula is readily apparent. My distrust of the two stems from canon. Though their actions are understandable I’ve got a thing about people betraying their friends. So their deeds at the Boiling Rock still leave a bad tastes in my mouth. Minus saving Zuko/Sokka/Suki’s lives of course.

So I like Suki and Sokka for Ghostface. With Mai coming in as a secondary suspicion. And If my theory about Ty Lee faking her death is right, she immediately jumps to #I suspect

In the end scene, where Katara is perving on Azula. Is Azula blacking out like in the first chapter? In which Zuko is taking of Azula in that moment?

And a message for Azula. “Tell your girlfriend important shit! Your brother being accused (supposedly at least) in being a killer definitely qualifies. Also don’t cheat on her”. That’s a bit fucked up. Unless you blacked out for it. Which makes Zuko’s action monumentally more fucked up. But then, every character in this story is a bit screwed in the head. But then, that’s one (though by no means the only) of the reasons we love all the ATLA main crew (Gaang+Dangerous ladies+Yue).

Also, I’m pretty sure Kiyi is Hakoda’s and Ursa’s bastard child. Does Sokka suspect which married women that Hakoda slept with (Ursa?). He’s been a big brother figure to her thus far, so maybe. Out of all the characters, I’m hoping Kiyi lives. Even more so than Azula or Katara (I know, It me saying that!). Also hopeful she doesn’t end up as one of the killers…

I enjoyed the chapter, and am greatly looking forward to next! I want to see this mystery unraveled!

Bestie I wish you could like.....watch my face journey as I read through your speculations because I had a BALL reading this!

I seriously LOVE all the theorizing & I feel like I'm interacting less than usual with readers when it comes to this story because I'm always just like -

"love the theories :))))" but also I literally CANNOT respond with anything to theories without giving away if you're close or way off LMAO

But just know. I feel so validated in putting as much thought as I do into this story (trust me it's a lot lol) & I just get SO excited about seeing the different possibilities when I get messages such as this. Just - AHH !! :)

As for Kiyi - I can go ahead & confirm that she is indeed Ursa & Hakoda's child. I don't consider this a spoiler given it is pretty much confirmed in the latest update. More on how much Sokka knows about this very soon!

Anyway - THANK YOU. Whenever I see notifications from you I get so happy because you are so thoughtful & insightful & so supportive <3

[hubbery]

Patience

Title: Patience Characters: Inezra Thamus, Dialus Bolrik POV Character: Inezra Thamus POV: First Person, Present Tense Originally written in 2018 for @sleepytrolls.

—

She asks you a million and one questions from the barstool set up at your counter. Sometimes she swivels around with raised arms, or her nails tap against the laminate in time to your strumming. You’re more than a little lost when she asks you what you think of her, and the expression on your face reveals your struggle. 

The guitar has never felt so useless in your hands—and a string snaps. A part of you willing to see the humor in it thinks that tracks, but you don't have the heart to put it down. You need something to hold.

In the silence between words; she stops, she listens, and without hesitation she tells you, "Take your time."

You don't know how long it is before you give her an answer. 

You know the way your voice cracks and your face heats in shame on the first try. You’re intimately familiar with the emotions that surge forth afterwards, the mortification that has your hands clenching and skin pulling taut around your knuckles. The creaking and splintering wood in your hand is secondary. You owe her a response.

“I think I like you.” I think I like you—and you’re surprised that you managed to say it aloud. Your mouth shuts quicker than your eyes do at the ensuing nausea. Took you long enough. You’re thinking it's almost pathetic, and your internal monologue barely has a chance to get worse before you remember you don't really have an in-the-midst-of-schoolfeeding-wrigglerhood-crush to fall back on to compare against this embarrassing level of sincerity. You were too busy being violent to feel much.

Then you’re not thinking about anything at all, words spilling out in a rush while you finger the few unbroken strings your guitar has left. 

"I think about you too much, and I like that you listen and that you sit there and wait out the stops. I like the way you look, and the way you sound, and I'm sorry that sometimes I don't know how to say it in words."

She crosses the distance between you before another hour can pass in silence, peels your trembling fingers from the strings of your guitar and holds your hand like you'd always hoped she would.

[jonsaslove]

for the fic writer questions 1-10

Thanks anon!

1 Do you prefer writing one-shots or multi chapter fics?

Both honestly. Multi chapters are often more satisfying because you get to tell a lengthy story, and interact with your readers more but one shots challenge you to tell a story in a compact amount of time with a high emotional impact.

2 Do you plan each chapter ahead or write as you go?

I'm definitely a planner, but my outlines are not super super detailed. With my WIP castling the king, I had a pretty solid outline from the start but I decide on the finer details as I go in order to flush out the main ideas I already have.

3 Describe the creative process of writing a chapter/fic

This is fun! I always start by outlining, and for me that looks like breaking up the chapter or fic into scenes. This can just be 1 or 2 sentences about what the fic is about, and then I write chronologically, I'll very rarely go out of order if inspiration really strikes me. Then I go back afterwards and edit things. I'm the type of person who can just write without stopping for anything for a few hours.

4 Where do you find inspiration for new ideas?

Everywhere lol. Music, shows, books, other fics, even gif sets on tumblr. Usually it's the smallest thing that strikes inspo for me!

5 Do you like constructive criticism?

I do...but I also think sometimes people do not understand the difference between constructive criticism and just criticism lol. Be nice to your fic writers, at the end of the day we are doing this for free and for our own enjoyment.

6 Do you have your work beta'd? How important is this to your process?

No, I never have. I don't know how common it is for fic writers to do this. That being said I do spend a lot of time editing my own work.

7 How do you choose which POV to write from?

Ah. It always depends on what story I want to tell. Usually it is from one or both POV of the characters I'm writing from. But when I'm writing longer stories for GOT especially, one of the things I love about the show and book is the breadth of the storytelling and how the world feels expansive so I will often include many secondary POVs.

8 Do you prefer the beginning, middle, or end of a story?

For long fics, definitely the middle. The beginning is exciting but intimidating knowing how far you have to go, and the end gets bittersweet because you know it's almost over.

9 Do you comment on stories you read?

About 75% of the time I try to yes! I know how nice it is to receive even simple comments.

10 Ctrl+f 'blinks' on your WIP and paste the first line that comes up

This is from the chapter I'm currently working on in castling the king.

Robb looks at his wife, blinking several times before looking back at Arianne. The Dornish princess does not falter, her smile stays fixed.

Thanks so much anon, if anyone else wants to ask any questions you can find the post here

[okamirayne]

*a wild friend just phases into existence before you*

SO! 14 chapters into this masterpiece - I was surprised at my reading speed but then I remembered I once read 14 books in 7 days so I'm actually dallying right now - and can I just say I love how you connected the different groups into the same coherent narrative

Like, how you go from the kids to Kakashi and Genma to Ibiki and so on, it's very dynamic. I hate switching povs usually cuz they tend to slow shit down but you manage to keep everything feeling smooth and fluent. Quite the feat

Also, I adore the dynamic between Neji and Tenten. She deserves so much more than canon gave her and I get the vague feeling you agree xD

I'm also still very intrigued with how you write DID. Media portrayal tends to be very monotone if not malicious, you go for a very nuanced and appropriately unsettling portrayal that feels very respectful. Like, yeah it's terrifying, not because it immediately makes someone do evil shit (Criminal Minds!) but because changes in the mental landscape of a person are really fucking scary.

I'd also like to say you deserve a reward for managing the fucking 180 in the ShikaNeji dynamic compared to BtB without making it redundant. Lots of writers fall into the same patterns over and over until it becomes stale, you absolutely do not belong in that group

Uuuuuum, yeah that's it for now. I won't talk about That Man because I don't want to think about him *sniffs disdainfully* what a turd

So back to it I hop!

*the wild friend just drops onto the floor and keeps reading*

Dammit, Wild Friend...you're getting my Dastardly Twins emotional...

I'm so damned chuffed by this amazing feedback you're generously taking the time out to leave me...Thank You.

Also, I adore the dynamic between Neji and Tenten. She deserves so much more than canon gave her and I get the vague feeling you agree xD

Oh absolutely. I'd have loved to explore her more. I know Kishimoto's focus was predominantly on the male characters (understandably, I suppose, given the genre), which is why the women are interesting to flesh out. Especially secondary characters. I mean don't get me wrong, a deep-dive into Sakura would also be interesting. I touched on it a bit in HHU, but it's too easy to go down character rabbit holes. Must. Contain. Myself.

I'm also still very intrigued with how you write DID.

Thank you, Wild Friend. I hope it was respectfully written within the bounds of creative licence and storytelling. I had to do my homework surrounding this condition for an OC. No research is wasted.

I'd also like to say you deserve a reward for managing the fucking 180 in the ShikaNeji dynamic compared to BtB without making it redundant. Lots of writers fall into the same patterns over and over until it becomes stale, you absolutely do not belong in that group

I'm super happy you think so, Luv. Fortunately their own personal arcs help a lot with that...until of course....THE UNSPEAKABLE CANON HAPPENING...

[sophia-sol]

Island of Ghosts, by Gillian Bradshaw

I first heard about this book from sholio years ago, and I'm glad it rang a bell when I stumbled across it in a used bookstore! I picked it up, and it is GREAT.

This is a historical fiction book set in Roman Britain, which is a time/place I've only ever seen get attention from Rosemary Sutcliff, so it was honestly a little bit disconcerting - I kept expecting it to be more Sutcliffy than it was! But Bradshaw has different interests and different prose styles than Sutcliff. (Some better, some worse, some just different without judgement!)

The ongoing Sutcliff reminders did make me worried going in about emotional devastation, but that's not what Bradshaw wants to write about, and you know what, I'm here for that, much though I love having Sutcliff rip my heart out. Also Bradshaw is interested in her female characters actually having their own names and identities and goals and drives apart from the men in their lives, which I am ALSO here for. (even the fridged wife,Tirgatao, gets brought up often enough and with enough specificity that she felt like a real person!) I missed Sutcliff's nature porn though!

Anyway, Island of Ghosts is about a bunch of Sarmatian warriors who were defeated by the Romans and get sent to Britain to supplement the Roman troups in keeping back the British barbarians at Hadrian's Wall. The main character, Ariantes, is a prince and a leader among the Sarmatians, but despite the warrior culture of his people he has become sick of war. As well, he is caught in a difficult situation between remaining as Sarmatian as he can, and needing to learn how to interact with and ingratiate himself with the Romans in order to better agitate for good treatment of his men - which then leads him to be seen as a Romanizer by some other Sarmatians.

It's a book where the central conflict, then, is about identity and what it means, and how much you can or should change your identity when circumstances change. This is present among the Sarmatians, but it's also a recurring theme with various secondary characters who are of a British background and are to a greater or lesser degree assimilated into Romanness as well. And is there such a thing as a pan-British identity, rather than specific tribes being important? And is one's identity as a not-a-Roman sufficient to make people allies?

All of this is fascinating and wonderful, and I love the complexity with which Bradshaw addresses these questions.

There is an actual plot as well, not just questions of identity, but it's not the kind of book that's interested in maintaining the reader's sense of tension by withholding information from the reader. It's obvious from fairly early on who the main antagonist is, and it's more about how the issues will get addressed.

I am a little annoyed though about Aurelia Bodica being the Designated Evil Person to the degree that she's an animal abuser and baby killer. She can be self-centred and ambitious and cruel without adding those kinds of short-hands to make her extra-hateable!!

I do love though how so many characters beyond the protagonist are allowed to have things that really really matter to them, even though they aren't of any importance or interest to the POV character. And they have delightful complexity too that makes them feel real! And not everybody who's an ally of Ariantes likes him at first (or even necessarily ever). Facilis and Longus are both so great!

The other thing to talk about is the romance arc. It's rather too love at first sight for my tastes really, but honestly this works far better for me than love at first sight usually does, given the particulars of the situation and the people involved! I can see why this is how these particular characters might actually feel! Also, after this, they end up having to have multiple ongoing conversations with each other about the issues and concerns that arise in their relationship, especially due to the cross-cultural nature of it, and how much work it still does take to understand each other despite the bond they have. So overall I'm here for it!

I also love the note the book ends on, a bittersweet refocusing on the ways that life continues to suck even as Ariantes has succeeded wildly in all he's been attempting to do over the course of the book. He wants a world without hatred, but that is impossible, but there IS still joy to be had in the world he lives in.

Overall an excellent read! And now I have a list of other Gillian Bradshaw books to seek out as I have the opportunity.

[thenotebookwizard]

Messengers of Illbeor

Fellow fantasy fanatics, I beseech thee!

No, really. Go read this book. I've linked it. Up on Amazon. On KU, for those of you who use it, but only about three bucks otherwise. Full disclosure, my friend wrote it. I edited it. Because honesty is the best policy.

But this is Ye Olde Hellsite, and what's a bit of shilling for your friends between mutuals (and anyone else I can get to read this book.)

Because really, y'all, I want everyone who loves fantasy, thinks they might like fantasy, or who hasn't liked fantasy in the past to go read this book.

I have known the writer a long time. She's an amazing lady, a great friend, and she has good ideas. (Those are easy to come by, but she gets more than most of us.)

You can't say any fantasy world is really 'unique,' because the elements that make fantasy into fantasy are pretty standard, right? Right! But TJ has put her own spin on this, and it's fun - it's about as unique as a western fantasy world gets, and in all the right ways. Her world is very synergistic, very lively, and full of different cultures and attitudes and ways of looking at the world. While 'culture clash' isn't probably a theme she's told me about (maybe she did? this has been years in the making), it's there. The worldbuilding is top notch, and the world is full and rich - something a lot of debut fantasy writers don't hit on.

Most of all, I love the characters. We follow two, for the most part - Alanda and Tostig - both messengers, helping keep Illbeor connected and communicating. Alanda is one of the best representations of a character with a disability I've read in a long time. As an albino, she burns easy, but works an outdoors job. The plot starts because she has to deal with being albino, and it never gets ignored or set to the side. But seeing how she overcomes it, how people help her - and how it doesn't stop her from being a strong person without it being disability porn.

Tostig's adventure is very much standard fantasy, but well-written and well-crafted. He's a great character who has to deal with an immense amount in a short time, and his voice is strong, clear, and shows a very masculine character written without being an asshole or a moron.

The plot is focused. Laser focused - the pace moves fast, and takes you on a tour of a corner of Illbeor. Beautiful places, scary places, desolate places, romantic places; it's all there. But that focused plot that carries our characters doesn't keep us from diving down some fun side trails and meeting characters.

Now this, my friends, is where I think this book rocks the world: secondary characters who aren't at all secondary, but pivotal. From mysterious wanderers who know more than they should to shamans with life debts and frustratingly vague visions to gay Elves who are gifted songs by magic, speak in musical whistles, and who flow through the world with ageless grace and a bit of racist politics.

No one is perfect in Illbeor, but no one is truly evil.

Okay. Except maybe him. Altonier. One of the more compelling 'mysterious villains' I've read in awhile (and I read a lot, y'all). You want your sexy anime villain tropes? Got 'em. Want a tragic backstory? Got it! Want twisted manipulations, gaslighting, underhanded scheming, and a completely unreliable villain POV? Check.

Altonier is the best kind of bad guy to love and the easiest villain to wonder if you shouldn't be rooting for.

Of course, the ending has revealed secrets, higher stakes, and a sequel in the works.

But please. Also. Support your indie writers who craft amazing tales. Support your indie writers who are bringing you stories trad pub won't touch with a ten foot pole.

Because diverse stories matter - we all know that. It's a theme of the fiction and fanfic fanatics of Ye Olde Hellsite. Been here awhile, and we've never stopped talking about. And this?

This is how we get them.

[beautyinthespacebetween]

A lot of thoughts about the last two episodes of The Sex Lives of College Girls - spoilers below the cut

Lila continues to be my favorite outside of the main four. She's so funny and just shines. I can't drink anything when her scenes come on because I'll do a spit take, and I've been really happy with the A+ material they've been giving her this season. She's so fun to watch and I hope she continues to get the same level of screen-time next season.

First off, oof, Bela. Things really got to get worse before they can get better for you, huh? Like, seeing her be awful to that girl was so hard to watch, because she was being everything that she was trying to get away from when she left the Catullan.

She's been making so many awful, destructive choices this season and pushing so many people under the bus in her desire to create the future that she wants for herself. She's so ambitious and that's one of the things I like about her, but she's prioritized her ambitions so much that she's hurt herself and the people around her, and ironically set herself back when it comes to her future prospects. For the last scene, there was a tiny part of me that was hoping she was talking to a therapist even though the setting didn't make sense.

I think Amrit Kaur does a great job of showing that vulnerability beneath the awfulness, and I'm hoping that we get more of that in season 3. If she has a 1.8 GPA, she won't really have very many options to transfer, so I'm hoping that she's going to have to stay and deal with the problems that she's created. Pulling a Nico (ie. not coming back next season) would make no sense in the story they're trying to create, so I'm curious how they're going to have her stay next semester.

Next, Leighton. Her conversation with her mom talking about Kappa was a pleasant surprise. It felt a bit like a 180 with her being so supportive of Leighton when we haven't seen that from her before, but it was so nice to see that progression even if the build-up wasn't really there. The scenes with Leighton talking about inclusivity and challenging the alumni woman's POV about sisterhood only to get shut down by the new Kappa president was such a good moment. Like our little Leighton has really grown since the beginning of the school year, and having her get everything she seemingly wanted only to realize it wasn't her anymore was truly just *chef's kiss.*

I have mixed feelings about Alicia coming back. I really liked Alicia and Leighton together. In fact, they were probably my favorite couple out of every couple we've seen on the show. But, I thought the scene last week of Tatum saying there's no timeline on coming out was such a refreshing change of the "being in the closet means not being true to yourself" narrative that gets shown a lot in tv shows. I know there's queer people out there who believe that, but overall, it feels very much like a straight-person point of view rather than a queer one. So, having Alicia and Leighton get back together without really talking about that aspect of their relationship felt a bit rushed.

To be clear, I honestly don't really care that they broke up Tatum and Leighton. I figured they'd break up at some point, but I do wish we got to see it onscreen since they took the time to show the progression of their relationship.

Hopefully we get more Leighton and Alicia next season. I do really like their chemistry and I hope we get to finally see Leighton in a relationship that she's not anxious about.

Loved Whitney choosing biochem as her major and really falling in love with science this season. She's really the only character we got to see in a school context for more than an episode of two at a time. For everyone else school seems to be secondary to their social lives. Sure, we've seen them in some academic context - Leighton is a math genius, Bela wants to be a comedy writer, and Kimberly cheated on her Econ exam, but Whitney's the only one where we got a season-long arc about school and learning. It was fun seeing Whitney trying to figure out how to keep her sex buddy just her sex buddy. I really didn't like science dude at first, but he grew on me and I felt bad when he was crying in front of the whole class during his presentation. It's for the best that she ended things, but they actually had really good, ahem, chemistry, and them bonding over basketball was cute.

I wish we got more about Willow outside of being Whitney's friend. I get that the show is about our main four, but I feel like we got a decent amount of personality with Eric, Alicia, Canaan, and Lila so it's not like it's impossible to do. She's been in most episodes, but it feels like she's more of a plot device to get Whitney's perspective through dialogue, rather than a character in her own right.

Now, down to the storyline I really didn't like. Kimberly having feelings for Canaan felt like it came out of left field. They've always had good 'friend chemistry', but they don't really have romantic chemistry imo. I liked her and Jackson together, and it was nice to see Kimberly with a sweet boy after last season's fiasco with Nico.

I understand Whitney realizing she still had feelings for Canaan, even if I didn't find them all that compelling as a couple, but Kimberly liking him feels so random. I also just really hate the trope of girls fighting over a boy. It's not out of character for Kimberly to prioritize a guy over something that's more important, but the storyline is so tired and boring and I hope it's something that gets resolved early on. Whitney going to Kappa to request Leighton's room was a power move, and if I wasn't so annoyed with this friendship betrayal storyline, I would have been cheering her on.

Overall, I really like this show. I think they've done a good job developing complex characters who are flawed (and in some cases, very, very flawed in a way that we don't get to see a lot of women get to be on television) and real. I'm sad that our four girls aren't going to be rooming together next season, but hopefully we still get to seem them as a cohesive unit in season 3.

My main complaint is that I don't think 10 half hour episodes a season is enough time to tell everyone's story, which is why I think everything felt so fast at the end.

[kitewithfish]

Wednesday Reading Meme - Nov 30 2022

Bit of a milestone: I was trying to record what I've been reading this year and see how many books I actually read without putting much effort into it. I just went in and totted up all the books so far, and we're nearing a nice round number! (For the purposes of this accounting, fanfic over 50K count as novels.)

What I've Read: walk by faith/tell no one what you've seen by Killbothtwins Fandom: Star Wars prequels and novels My thoughts: The ending on this first part was a bit of a woo-woo magic solution, but it was *very* emotionally satisfying. I really enjoyed the slow building of Obi-Wan's network of people to include almost all of the Jedi who Fall in canon - he's not just fighting the existing dark siders, he's actively seeking ways to support people so they don't fall in the first place. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/31805044

Winter's Crown by Astolat Fandom: Game of Thrones Author's Summary: “When the Night’s King rides,” the giant said, each word slow as cold honey pouring, “the King in the North must answer. The King in the North…whose name is Stark.” My thoughts: This fic is divided between Robb's and Jaime's POV pretty equally and that works really well. It feels like an extension of Astolat's published work, Spinning Silver, in its focus on a darker folklore element and the idea of promises made to inhuman powers and what those will cost you to keep or to break. I loved Robb's determination and slow descent into not being a being not entirely human, and the way Jaime kept pulling him back from that. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/42924834

What I'm Reading: A soul that's born in cold and Rain knows sunlight by KillBothTwins Fandom: Star Wars Author Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi, time traveler, finds trouble once again when he and Qui-Gon are called to Mandalore— but not THAT Mandalore mission. This one involves still pretending to see the future, babies, a slavery ring, and bothering even more people into becoming his friend. As usual, Obi-Wan drags everyone else along for the ride, including some interesting allies. My thoughts: This is FUN. I really enjoy the way that the ripples of the first fic are helping save the galaxy, including making Jango Fett just a better dad. Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/33144037

Carry On by Tamryn Eradani Fandom: Supernatural Author Summary: When Sam gets into Stanford, Dean needs a bigger paycheck than Bobby's garage can give him. Luckily, he knows a guy. My thoughts: This is Supernatural version of Needs Must by thatotherperv, which is a wildly perfect Suits fic. This variation, which was removed from AO3 when the author went pro, is delightful and indulgent in similar ways. I'm savoring.

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey - Post-apocalyptic queer women using their position of trust to circumvent the controlling powers of patriarchy and patriotism? A Western that focuses on a baby bookbinder? Adorable. I pulled this out of my metaphorical stack of ebooks that I got for free from Tor because I read this author's discussion of how this book helped her tease out why she kept calling herself "straight" and giving her queer characters tragic endings. https://www.thebooksmugglers.com/2018/06/between-the-coats-a-sensitivity-read-changed-my-life-an-essay-by-sarah-gailey.html

Still Reading - Holdovers from last week: Westerns: Making the Man in Fiction and Film by Lee Clark Mitchell Moby Dick by Herman Melville - Whale Weekly

2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson - Book Club - I'm technically not actually finishing this in time for book club and I'm okay with that. I think it's probably better to just bask in it -plot is very much secondary. Honestly, I feel like the summaries and discussions I have read of this book undersell just how much of it is about the messiness of human relationships - there's a great deal of hard scifi awesomeness, but also a great deal about the main two characters and their slow romance.

What I'll Read Next: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance by Dorothy Johnson - I watched this movie for the Westerns portion of the Great Queer Supernatural Re-Watch, and I was curious. The movie stars John Wayne and Jimmy Stewart, and it is so perfectly apt for their types that I wanted to see if the story had been greatly altered to fit. I find Jimmy Stewart excellent in comedies and tragedies, but his style of acting is pre-Stanislovsky and it seems like it would work better for me in a theatrical setting. It felt a bit odd here. John Wayne is a piece of shit who supported the House Un-American Activitoes Committee and was ardently racist. As an actor, he's usually boring and uninspired, tho I will admit his role in Stagecoach was charming.

Library books in the house: Maul: Lockdown - Joe Schreiber Tiger's Daughter - K Arsenault Rivera Riot Baby - Rochi Onyeuchi The Silence of the Wilting Skin - Tlotlo Tsamaase Whispers Underground - Ben Aaronovitch Penric's Demon - LM Bujold The Book of the Unnamed Midwife - Med Elison The Uncle's Story - Witi Ihimaera

Newly purchased: Man, this is just an ongoing backlog

Owned and need to read: NK Jemisin's The World We Make, Frey Marske's A Restless Truth, California Bones, the Grief of Stones by Katherine Addison, Raven Song by IA Ashcroft, Kraken's Sacrifice by Katee Robert, Even Though I Know the End by CL Polk, True Colors by Karen Traviss, At The Feet of the Sun by Victoria Goddard, Tamryn Eradani's Enchanting Encounters Books 2 and 3, Like Real People Do by EL Massey, Rescued by the Married Monster Hunters Ennis Rook Bashe

[utilitycaster]

Can you talk more about why you like 2nd person POV?

How do you read it without arguing with the author about what happens? Like, "Even though you don't kniw him, you smile at him." Excuse me, author, I've never smiled at a stranger in my life. I know there's supposed to be suspension of disbelief, but when the author uses 2nd person, isn't the whole conceit that they're telling me what I did?

Well, because, and this might seem like a wild stretch, I'm capable of distinguishing fiction from reality and I understand that the author is not speaking to me, M Utilitycaster, M.Sc., first of her name; but to a role that I as the reader shall assume for the duration of this book. It's no different from the fact that I know, for example, that Middle Earth isn't real, but Lord of the Rings is presented as a history, and Quenya is presented as a real language from that world, and that's part of the conceit. Like yeah, there is supposed to be suspension of disbelief; so why should I stop suspending my disbelief just because it's not asking me to imagine the map and the history of the world are different than they are in reality, but rather that I am different?

Also you are on anon and I don't know how you came upon this post but if you follow this blog for its primary focus...how is this any different than making a D&D character and the DM saying "you come upon a broken bridge that looks over a deep canyon, shrouded in mist. It is gray and rainy"?

Major spoilers for two series I love dearly (Locked Tomb, The Broken Earth) and would hate to spoil for others below a cut since those have really good illustrative examples, but in summary: much as the choice to use first person should be about viewing a story from a particular perspective; second person should be about who is telling the story, and who their audience is. It can definitely be poorly executed, as can anything, but good use of the second person is supposed to make the reader perhaps feel a little on edge or disoriented. [also: if you've read one of these books but not the other feel free to ask me for the one you don't mind me spoiling].

If you don't want to get spoiled but do want an example, I mentioned Bright Lights, Big City, which I'm happy to spoil because it came out in like the mid-80s. Anyway the "you" of that story is a young, professional, and fairly privileged man going on a full 1980s bender (there is a lot of cocaine involved), and it's revealed that it's because his wife recently left him, and then it's revealed that his mother died a year ago and he hasn't really grappled with it and his relationship was mostly at his mother's behest. It's someone going through a lot of turmoil and taking a lot of drugs and the "you" of it makes it feel very alone and somewhat distant, almost as if he is watching himself do all of this without feeling it. It's a very deliberate choice and it would not be as notable a book without it.

So for the examples in question:

The Locked Tomb's second book, Harrow the Ninth, is in second person. This is ultimately revealed as the story having been told by Gideon, protagonist of the previous book, whose soul is alive within Harrow and partitioned away [long story, not the point]. It serves a secondary purpose of creating this somewhat dissociative feeling for Harrow (since the reader knows 'you' refers to Harrow), who is experiencing physical illness, unreality, and hallucinations throughout the story: "you" are Harrow, but Harrow doesn't really feel like "I" right now.

In the Broken Earth trilogy, there are sections in second person throughout; there are a few different timelines and character POVs that converge and one is consistently in second person. It is revealed at the very end that the story is being told to the newly awoken reincarnation [kind of, anyway...long story, not the point] of the character who is referred to as "you" in the novels, by someone who knew her in her previous life, who is trying to remind her of who she was. It's also a fairly intense series of novels and I do find that "you" puts the reader into the action in a visceral way that "I" or 3rd person would not.

[thegirlwhowrites642]

Why Harry is your favorite character? He's my favorite too but I feel like the Fandom doesn't appreciate him enough or even talks about him. Like I know the books are from Harry's pov and all ( we are basically him inside the story) of course people usually don't pic themselves as someone favorite etc but he's not appreciated. Do you think if Harry wasn't the main character he would be more loved?

I've already posted some stuff about this that I'm going to link.

Here I was asked which HP character was my favorite, and I said Harry explaining why I think he's a great main character and also saying that I relate to him.

In this post, I listed the main reasons why I relate to him.

As for your last question, it's a tough one but let's try to find an answer.

If Harry wasn't the main character would he be more loved?

If your question was "Do people not pick Harry as their favorite character just because he is the main character?" then my answer is that probably someone does but it's also impossible to evaluate a hypothetical scenery where he is not the main character without changing the amount of information we have on him.

A lot of the things that I love about Harry are things that I know because we have his point of view, an insight into his feelings and thoughts. I can guess people would enjoy his one-liners even more if he were a secondary character because they would be even more dominant in the perception of his personality but we would lose a lot of context around his actions and struggles.

[I'm assuming that with "main character" you meant the person who gives us their point of view on the story. Otherwise, I wouldn't know how to answer the question "if the story were to be different would people like Harry more?"]

But let's see what are our reasonable options for another point of view.

Ginny's pov

Ginny is the only other character in the series who would make any sense to have as the one who gives us their pov, if you want that character to also be the hero of the story [if you have doubts on this statement look at this].

In a story from her point of view, I don't see how Harry wouldn't be a very beloved love interest, she has a deep understanding of his emotions and actions. So maybe he would be more loved? He may not be everybody's favorite character but he is not hated so it's not like his level of likeability would change that much.

Ron's or Hermione's pov

If you took the Conan Doyle route, using Hermione's or Ron's pov, I'm afraid you'd just be worsening the situation. They don't have a great understanding of Harry's emotions. Harry has a personality that if you don't get can be really difficult to like. Just imagine OotP. Ron is conflict-avoidant with him and Hermione literally cries when Harry gets angry. Also, Ron's pov would have some jealousy involved that, being Ron's pov, wouldn't make Harry look his best. And then in Hermione's one, there would be some pity towards him and Harry's recklessness would look on the verge of idiocy I'm afraid. There's also the fact that Harry and Hermione's relationship has a tendency to be one-sided. Hermione puts a lot more effort than him into it. Imagine reading it from Hermione's pov.

Of course, they are his best friends and they love him. I'm not saying he would be hated but his perception would absolutely not improve.

Final answer

I think Harry is good where he is. I don't think another pov would suddenly manage to make him the most beloved character on earth. I will always find it a bit absurd how he's not the most liked character in his own series but he's still a very loved one.

[fantasyforbeginners]

hello! this is probably a question you've already answered before, but do you have any tips on how to introduce a fantasy world with new races, magic systems, and countries etc, without just infodumping in the first chapter?

in a story i'm working on, there are two races of characters who are very different from humans and don't appear in like. folklore or anything (ie they're completely made up), but since i don't want to infodump i end up sort of talking about them like the reader should already know who/what they are, and that's really confusing i think. i'm just not sure where i should put my information, there never really seems like a right time but i know it needs to be somewhere

any help is really appreciated, sorry if you've already received a question like this !

So this is something where character voice and distinctiveness is going to be your way out. A lot of this depends on your POV character(s) and how much they would notice about any given person and/or creature. If your POV character for some of these introduction scenes does not belong to either race, they can be an effective conduit for info dumping in a way that doesn't feel egregarious.

I'm assuming you're working on secondary (i.e. set in an entirely different fantasy world and everyone is from that same world) > portal or hidden world fantasy, so this advice is catered slightly accordingly.

However, the concept of an audience conduit is true for all of these. In portal or hidden world fantasy, this is the Ordinary / Secretly Special Kid who Discovers a Thing or Falls through some Portal and needs to get everything explained to them as a result of having literally no or very little context.

In secondary fantasy, this is often a character who's more naive or a little less worldly (think the Hobbits in LOTR) who although they inhabit this world, haven't seen too much of it first hand. ATLA also handles this very cleverly, as Aang educates Katara and Sokka about all the places they haven't been, and they can educate him about how the world has generally changed in the 100 years since he's been gone / about the war.

What I mean in terms of character voice is something like this:

In another life, the meadow would have awoken under her touch, with unfurled petals, blooming blades of grass, and warmth. But Ally just prodded the lifeless husk of grass with the frosted rim of her boot. She’d hoped the walk and crisp wintry air would clear her head after a restless night, but to no avail. She’d been off—well, more off-kilter all week. Why was it that the more important it was to sleep well, the harder it was to do?

(Fun fact, this is the first paragraph of my WIP).

Immediately we know there's a subverted expectation, a sense of loss of power (and what those powers may be), that my protagonist is worried about something, and that we're in a world that generally experiences a snowy form of winter. A lot of this is conveyed through subtext, but there's also plenty of tell. The next 10 pages are about establishing her Ordinary (extraordinary) life, her outsider perspective, and establishing the immediate and some of the possible future stakes these hold for her.

Again, what do we have to know in order to understand an immediate, personal issue, even for something vast and sprawling, in order to get us invested? Could be a relationship, could be a character, could be something to prove - but always best to start small and specific > broad and wordy.

As my first piece of formal advice, if I had to take a guess, is that likely you're trying to establish too many stakes too in-depth at once. It may be worth stepping back and thinking "What is the most important information that has to be there, and everything else is set dressing?" For myself, this meant establishing my protagonist's broken chosen one cycle and her personal stakes. The other sets of powers, the broader world (including whole countries), the long and complicated history of the lore... all didn't matter. Or at least, doesn't matter yet.

Ask yourself: What are the personal stakes for your POV character in the first 10 pages, and figure out what worldbuilding has to be included from there? Are they a merchant, a scientist, a knight? An outsider? And then you go from there, for every ten pages onwards. Figuring out what to add later for a bit more cohesiveness or foreshadowing can be a second draft thing, and it is okay for your reader to marinate in implications or not entirely answered questions for a little, too.

Additionally, if you're worried about tossing too many names and titles, you can generalize. We don't have to know the names of every country; if say, there's an issue with one in the north or south, you can say "The northern provinces are starting to complain," and that gives us details without giving us cumbersome details (at least this early on).

If your POV character, or one of them, belongs to one of the new species, there will still be variations (or not, which is very notable) between themselves and others within their race that they can notice. For example, is the POV's characters pointed ears smaller than others'? Are the horns or assortment of limbs different or uniform across the species in contrast to other features, like hair or skin or eyes, that might differ further?

For example, I have three different types of elves in my world, but they all look slightly different from each other and have different attitudes regarding their ears / whether ears can be pierced, should be covered by hair, etc. Little things like that that a character from any of the three types would draw attention to.

Of course, that can only really be done once details concerning that distinctiveness. And again, it's okay to give more general descriptions at first and go into more detail later. Quality > quantity. Some parts of exposition really are just info-dumping (aka a paragraph on how a certain race or even building or city looks) and there's no really getting around that, but the most important thing is spacing it out. Your reader can't take it all in at once and you don't have to write it all at once.

I have offered advice on how to create a sense of distinctiveness in worldbuilding in a pretty simple way (as you seem to be working in threes already, which may work out).

I hope this helps, happy writing, and feel free to pop into my DMs or inbox with more specifics if you'd like to chat more! <3

[psychee92]

Why ACOTAR 5 Is (Without a Doubt) Elain’s Book

Warning: This post will be a long one, and will analyze the series as a whole (including ACOSF). As you read it, please consider taking your shipping goggles off, as none of this has anything to do with shipping and everything to do with character development/plot/the overall narrative of the series/good storytelling. Thank you!

Main points: 

Elain’s role in the ACOTAR series

Elain’s character evolution throughout the series

The foreshadowing in ACOSF (+ bonus POVs)

The overarching plot 

SJM’s own words

The ACOTAR Series and Elain’s Role

We have multiple interviews of SJM saying that Nesta and Elain’s role started off as a fairytale trope: that of the evil sisters. Then, Nesta surprised her when she decided to go after Feyre in ACOTAR, and the rest is history.

The sisters went from being a trope to being an instrumental part of the series. In ACOMAF, they were a link to Feyre’s human life (a final thread that she needed to let go of), as well as a means to an end (first, by being a bridge between the IC and the Queens, and then, as leverage, or weapons that were used against Feyre in Hybern). The final scene in ACOMAF was the catalyst for everything that happened in ACOWAR—and everything that is yet to come—but, most importantly, it also opened the door to two new character arcs/journeys—two new protagonists.

The protagonist exists as a sympathetic device to drive a story. To be effective in this role, they are usually there from the inciting moment to the end.

The similarities between their journey and Feyre’s are astounding: human made into something that she was raised to fear; coming to terms with trauma; letting go of the past; accepting her new condition; and the list goes on and on.

Now, who had more to lose by becoming fae?

And who lost more than anyone else?

Elain lost a future.

She was happy, content, in love.

Then, everything was ripped away from her in the span of a few minutes.

She was turned into something she had been raised to fear, something that her own fiancée had been raised to hate.

And, if that wasn’t enough, she was also forced into a bond neither her, nor Lucien, wanted. Mated to a man who participated, even if unknowingly, in the loss of her life—of her future. A man who did not know her, want her, love her.

This, right here, is good storytelling. It sets the stage for what is to come—for Elain’s future story and character arc.

ACOWAR is centered around repercussions:

For Elain, this book is one of healing, at least on the surface. SJM built the foundation of Elain’s journey, evidenced by:

Elain hitting rock bottom

Erasing any hope of a future with Graysen

Severing the last thread to her human life (with the death of her father)

This book also emphasizes Elain’s vital role in future books by:

Making her powerful (a seer)

Making her instrumental in the war against Hybern (due to her visions)

Having her save both, Nesta and Cassian (the protagonists of ACOSF)

Creating a connection between her and Vassa (and, ultimately, between Lucien, Vassa, and Jurian)

Having her introduce the next big bad (Koschei)

Hinting at her being the only one who can locate the one thing that can kill Koschei (the onyx box)

So, when you add everything that we know from ACOMAF and ACOWAR, what do we have? Potential.

We also have a character whose journey has been building since ACOTAR. The most significant hint is the constant use of the “dirty hands” imagery in reference to Elain. But more on that later.

Once the ACOTAR series wrapped up, we learned that, while Feyre and Rhysand’s journey was over, Sarah had more stories to tell—specifically, Nesta, Elain, and the ICs. As such, ACOFAS had two purposes:

To wrap up Feyre and Rhys’s story.

To introduce the future plot/main conflict and, with it, the next couple.

ACOFAS, however, also served to set up the stage for future protagonists, as well:

We saw some progress in Elain (her keeping busy with gardening and baking, her still having bad days, her friendship with Nuala and Cerridwen, and her slowly finding her place within the IC)—all of this was brought up again in ACOSF.

We got hints about Azriel and Elain’s growing feelings for each other (a storyline that was present throughout ACOSF, and confirmed in Azriel’s Bonus POV).

We learned about Azriel’s estate—Rosehall.

We got Mor’s POV, and learned some new things about her which will probably factor into her future book.

Again, SJM spent time focusing on Elain, fleshing out her character (while still giving Nesta and her journey center stage), which only solidifies the fact that she will be getting her own story soon.

It’s interesting to note that Azriel was not given a POV like Mor, and had very little character development (in comparison to Elain).

Now, let’s look at ACOSF. We have:

New conflicts—with the Queens and Beron

A new villain—Koschei

An overarching plot that connects the conflicts with the villain—the alliance between Koschei, the Queens, and Beron

A secondary, but related, plot—Vassa and, with her, the Band of Exiles (Lucien and Jurian)

Potential weapons—the Made objects

A potential solution—the onyx box

What do all of these have in common?

Elain.

She is directly tied to both, the Queens and Beron (and the Autumn Court). She’s had ties to Koschei since ACOWAR (she was the first to tell the IC about him, after getting visions about him). Her visions, in turn, led to the introduction of Vassa, which created a link between them both (and Lucien, because of their mating bond). She is the only one, apart from Nesta, who can find the Made objects (and a 4th one was introduced in ACOSF). She is also the only one, apart from Nesta, who can Make an object. Finally, she is the only one who can locate the onyx box (an image she’s been seeing since ACOWAR).

As a seer, Elain is arguably the most valuable character in the NC. She has been having visions about both, Koschei and Vassa, since ACOWAR.

Most importantly, however—her journey has been hinted at since ACOMAF:

Her role in future books having already been established, what about Elain as a character, as a protagonist? 

Let’s begin by looking at what a character arc is:

While main characters might face big challenges, character arcs have to do with internal, personal change. Characters will find their strengths and weaknesses tested over the course of the story—so that by the time they arrive at the story's end, they are a changed person.

When the protagonist overcomes external obstacles and internal flaws in order to become a better person, it becomes a hero’s journey.

At its core, this arc is made up of three points:

The Goal: Every character needs to have a goal. It might be to fall in love. Or it might be to make as much money as possible. Either way, their journey will be hindered by...

The Lie: A deeply-rooted misconception they have about themselves or the world that keeps them from reaching their true potential. In order to reach their goal, they’ll need to acknowledge and overcome the Lie, by facing…

The Truth: While the character may have their own plans, the positive change arc has its own goal: self-improvement. This is achieved when they learn to reject The Lie and embrace The Truth.

Now, let’s look at what we know about Elain:

The Goal: To defeat Koschei/the Queens/Beron.

The Lie: That she doesn’t have what it takes. That she is not as strong as her sisters. That she is the weak link, too gentle and sweet to get her “hands dirty.”

The Truth: That she is just as powerful AND capable as her sisters, and that she can do anything she puts her mind to (find the 4th object, discover the location of the onyx box, fight against Koschei/the Queens/Beron).

We already see SJM start to break down the Lie in Feysand’s Bonus Chapter:

This is followed by Feyre saying:

So not only is Elain not afraid to get her hands dirty, she’s also not afraid of getting hurt in the process.

ACOSF is filled with moments that hint at Elain becoming just as powerful (if not more so) than her sisters. She has a very important role to play in future books, because she is the only one who can locate Koschei’s box and the 4th object. Her visions have been instrumental in the series so far, and there is a big hint that she might have more than just seer abilities:

Powers. Plural.

It makes sense for Elain’s book to be next. SJM has been scattering crumbs for her story since ACOTAR, and she is the character who would add the most to the plot—the only character who can move the plot forward.

You cannot ignore all the foreshadowing:

= a literary device that writers utilize as a means to indicate or hint to readers something that is to follow or appear later in a story.

Clear foreshadowing in ACOSF (it would take too long to list all the passages in previous books, as well): 

These are just a few examples but, for me, the one that gives it away is this passage (that can easily be overlooked) in Feysand’s Bonus POV:

SJM is basically telling us that, once Nesta’s journey ends, Elain’s will begin.

And it makes sense!

This series is about the Archeron sisters. About human women turned fae.

The first three books were about Feyre. The fourth about Nesta. It would not make sense to skip Elain, only to return to her story in the final book. Why?

Because, in order to defeat Koschei, all three sisters need to have reached their full potential. All three need to be healed, and strong, and fully in control of their lives and powers. You cannot cram everything into one book: Elain’s healing journey/character arc, Vassa’s own journey (because there is no way that SJM will NOT write a Swan Lake retelling—just look at her Pinterest board!), finding the 4th object, finding the box, and, ultimatly, defeating Koschei.

Feyre had a whole book to heal—ACOMAF

Nesta had a whole book to heal—ACOSF

Elain will have a whole book to heal, as well.

No other character adds as much value—or has as much untapped potential—than Elain.

Also, there is no way that SJM will postpone telling her story in favor of a male character (Azriel). If you’ve read any of her books, you know that it is always the female characters that eclipse the male characters.

Also, if Elain will become dark or even a villain (temporarily), then this will take place in her own story, and will not be used as a plot device for angsty!Azriel or for another couple to make sense/be pushed together.

If we look at the pattern in ACOTAR, we have:

The first book ends with a happily ever after. The MC has defeated the big bad and has walked off into the sunset with her LI. There are hints about a future conflict, but nothing is fleshed out (in ACOTAR, Feyre’s bargain with Rhys + a potential conflict between the courts and with Hybern).

The second book is all about development (both, character development, in the form of the MC’s healing journey, and plot development). The scene is being set for the final conclusion (the war/battle), and everything that takes place serves to bring the characters closer to the main conflict resolution. The book ends on a false happily ever after (Feysand’s mating bond, having what they need to annul the Cauldron’s powers), followed by a cliffhanger (the sisters turning fae, Feyre returning to the Spring Court).

The last book is centered around defeating the big bad and ends on a happily ever after for (almost) everyone involved. It brings the main players together in a final showdown that ends with good ultimately defeating evil.

If we are to look at this pattern, then:

ACOSF - Ends with a happily ever after (Nesta has healed, reconnected with her sisters, found her place in the IC, and has a family outside the IC—Gwyn, Emerie). She has defeated Briallyn, but the biggest threat—Koschei—has barely made an appearance, and there is no ending in sight.

ACOTAR 5 - Elain’s healing journey. Finding the 4th object. Knowing exactly what has been happening behind the scenes with Beron, the Queens, and Koschei. Finding the 4th object and uncovering the location of Koschei’s onyx box. Cliffhanger: Koschei has been freed/has found a way to free himself.

ACOTAR 6 - The journey to find the onyx box or a way to destroy whatever is inside. The repercussions of Koschei’s freedom. Vassa’s story coming full circle. Now that all three Archeron sisters have reached their full potential, they will most likely join forces/powers to hold off Koschei long enough for Vassa (because she NEEDS to have the killing blow) to finish him off.

This post is already long enough, but here are some honorable mentions that I haven’t spoken about because I wanted this to be a mostly character-driven argument:

The mating bond—Elain needs to either accept it or reject it, and I cannot see this happening in the last book because it would lose its effect (considering that they need to defeat Koschei in this book)

Elriel—The unresolved feelings between them need to be addressed/dealt with.

The Blood Duel—There is no way this isn’t happening. SJM wouldn’t mention it without it playing some sort of role in Elain’s book.

I might make another post (because I still haven’t addressed everything I wanted to), but Elain’s book is (without a doubt) next.

As a reminder: SJM has recently said that writing about characters that are hated/disliked is something that she loves doing. I think it’s safe to assume that, given the recent wave of hatred/dislike towards Elain, we are in for an epic journey.

[twin-books]

Canon Adrien and Zoé

Oh boy... man... you just asked for so many words. I apologize in advance for everything you'll have to read. Here's hoping I don't get too distracted and go on 5 million tangents. But, firstly, thank you for the ask. <3

I have less to say about Zoé than Adrien so I'm gonna start with her.

In short terms... I have no idea what I feel about Zoé. She's... she's not really a character. Like the girl is nice and wants to be an actress. That's it...

Oh yeah, she was, I guess, bullied and has cool shoes?

Speaking of her shoes, let's just discuss the chaos that is Zoé's design. Like, what the freak? Girl has more going on than a party! Why is she so decked out compared to even Marinette??? She also looks like she would be a street artist (honestly I would be 100% down with that).

She's not ugly, by any means. She actually looks pretty decent. It just drives me insane that nothing really matches but it doesn't look bad that's just my personal design choices butting in to complain. There is some things I would just ditch all together so she stops cluttering my screen. I actually used a dress up game I have to design her an outfit I would kind of prefer (game's called Love Nikki btw. Recommend it and it's 3D version, Shining Nikki). But I just couldn't find the perfect stuff I wanted. Maybe I should try again...

These were the best I got;

The game is very detailed so it's still a tad cluttered but I tried to simplify them as best I could. Something like this would be nice but still not the ideal look I was going for. I wanted more actress like vibes, I suppose. I think I failed. XD I also think I would have done better if Zoé actually had a semblance of a character. That's basically how I design, based off the character and then I build from there. Hard to do that when there's no... character.

But the main problem with her design is she sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the other miraculous characters. She has way too much going on compared to most everyone else. The only other designs in the show that even come close to comparing to her are Aspik and Viperion and they needed a lot going on since they both have skin tight suits. (Absolute pain to draw, btw and I still find those two kind of cluttered anyway. Like add a bobble or something, stop painting textures on them. It hurts to try and draw).

I really wish they thought her design out more. Just like I really wish they thought a lot of their designs out a bit more.

Moving on to her introduction... I hated it. It was very weird to me.

For some reason, even though we have never seen or heard of this character before, the episode is mostly in Zoé's POV instead of Marinette's. It's like they expect us to just kind of know her already or she's like the new protagonist or something? That's also just completely unfair seeing as it took them 4 seasons to show the POV of their secondary lead (which sucked, btw, but we'll get to Adrien in due time) but this minor character for some reason gets it for her introduction. Nice to see we're playing favorites.

Because we suddenly get jerked out of Marinette's POV to follow this random girl's POV instead, it felt like I was watching something other than miraculous. I actually thought I was watching an entirely different show despite I knew I had clicked on a miraculous episode. I have no idea why the freak they made this choice. It was so off-putting.

To make it weirder, she feels like um... the best way I can describe it is well... You know those games you play where you start as an main character (usually an unnamed character that you can name yourself though sometimes they have a name already) who's mostly just a blank slate? Like they have a few hints of a personality but for the most part you choose who they really are?

Yeah... That's what Zoé feels like (but just... without the fun and... choices). And that could have been cool if this was actually a new show she was the main character of. But it isn't. It's still miraculous, so it's just weird.

She feels unfinished. Which really confirms what I have always thought about this character... just something thrown in last minute as a peacemaker for the writers who didn't want Chloe to be Queen Bee and the other writers who wanted Chloe to be Queen Bee. Zoé was the compromise. And it really shows. 

Oh yeah, here's an idea, ml team... Maybe show us how nice she is instead of constantly repeating it. Ground-breaking, I know. /s 

The fact that they had to repeat it so many times makes me feel like Zoé's actually secretly evil (which I would also be totally down for). And it solidifies Sole Crusher as yet another prime example of why show don't tell is a very important tool the ml team should use otherwise you get... well... that.

Oh yeah, let's talk about the message of Sole Crusher because I have issues with it. I'm sure that shocks absolutely no one.

So, I like the message I think they were trying to go for. Keyword being, think. Thing is, they screwed it up so massively that I can't be sure if that's what they were really going for. But I think the message is to never assume the worst of people based on their situations and their family relations. I think the message was to get to know someone first before judging them.

Let me just go point by point as to why this message seems unclear to me and poorly executed. I'm going to go from best to worst;

1. They already did this exact same message with Adrien in Origins. Which wouldn't be an issue if it wasn't basically the same thing. They even have the same exact relationship that initially causes people to assume the worst in them. The only difference is Zoé actually decides to play cruel to impress Chloe (for some reason), Zoé shows no real signs of being nice to the people who assumed the worst of her and never really does (beyond maybe two scenes), and it's all dialed up to 11 (for some reason). This makes Zoé feel like Adrien 2.0.

2. It makes literally no sense why Marinette is so convinced Zoé is a good, kind person. She doesn't know her. They just freaking met. There's no way she should even know Zoé was acting. 

They showed us nothing that would make this even remotely believable. Marinette hadn't even seen her do anything that good besides reaching down to help her pick up the crate of apples Marinette spilled all over the place. (Sidenote; How can Marinette confidentially carry a crate of apples? I am actually asking. I still get nervous using knives because I used to be so clumsy I would accidentally cut myself constantly. We sure this girl has low self-confidence)? That is not enough evidence to suggest "Hey, Zoé's a totally kind person".

3. Zoé still chose to be mean. "Acting" really means nothing. She still hurt people but she's played off as being the victim, as if she was forced to do that. She wasn't. Obviously, I feel bad for her but she still chose to hurt people.

Yes, she was afraid Chloe and her mother would outcast and treat her badly. I understand that. But this is an assumption which goes against the perceived message of the episode. Was it a correct assumption? Yes. But you can't have this both ways, guys. Zoé has never met Chloe before. 

Now the show acts as if Zoé has known her mother for a while so her assumptions for Audrey at least make sense but the show also states she has never met Chloe. How does she know Chloe will really be as terrible as she may act? Outward appearances can be misleading.

4. So... Marinette is our protagonist, correct? Marinette is the person we should be following and learning from, right? Cool, so if that's the case then, depending on how the episode is written, she is our example of what not to do and what to do. Hopefully we can agree on that.

So the scene where Zoé enters the bakery, and the rest of the stuff that follow it until Zoé exits, was a perfect example of what not to do with a stranger. Marinette immediately trusts this stranger based on one act of kindness and invites Zoé to a get together with her friends without even asking her friends if that's okay with them. She gives Zoé her phone number despite just meeting her and only knowing her for about 5 minutes, max. This is a great example of what not to do.

Trusting strangers with very little evidence to support them being a good person and offering them your personal information without getting to know them first is very much not a good thing to do. We all agree on that, hopefully. 

Now, here's the problem with it... The scene wasn't written in a way that discourages kids from doing this.

In fact, it shows this behavior as positive and the right thing to do. There's no repercussions for Marinette giving a stranger her phone number. Actually there's benefits and rewards for it. Now, is this a possibility that can happen? I guess, sure. But it's most definitely not worth the risk! 

Now assuming I got the correct message this episode was trying to teach, I get that the message is to not assume. I get it. We shouldn't immediately assume everyone is out to hurt us. But that should go both ways. You also shouldn't immediately assume just because someone seems nice that they are a safe person to invite into your friend group, your home, and your life.

I can't believe this made it past all those people and no one saw an issue with it! This especially upsets me as someone with two young nieces who like to watch this show! You should never ever assume a nice stranger is going to have your best interests at heart. Never. Not even if they are your same age. You should always get to know them first before inviting them over to group parties or your house and way before you even think of giving them your phone number. That's not even being unfair, that's just a healthy and safe mindset!

Now that I have complained enough about that let's move on to Zoé herself. Um... There really isn't much to say about her, is there? There's nothing interesting about her. She was actually more interesting when she was acting evil. At least then she was entertaining. It actually made me wish Chloe and her would switch roles, to be honest. (Side note: ML, I am literally begging you to stop matching siblings' names in "cute" ways in miraculous. Every miraculous character that has a sibling has their name inexplicably match up. The only ones not like that is Nino and Chris and that's only in the English dub. As a twin, this personally irks me. Please quit it).

I guess I could say that I do ship Zoé with Marinette more than I ship Marinette with Adrien so... hey, that's a plus... maybe? Ironic since, again, she is basically Adrien 2.0.

But that's all I got on Zoé. She's like... a 2 out of 10, I guess. She's not too offensive, her episode was mildly entertaining, but overall I think she contributed nothing and her episode only teaches kids to be far too trusting of strangers who happen to be nice. I find her terribly forgettable and you could easily remove both her episodes without much consequence to the plot of season 4. I am speaking as someone who still hasn't seen Queen Banana and literally didn't need to watch any of that episode to watch other episodes. All I needed to know is it introduced Vesperia who replaces Queen Bee and that Chloe was solidified to be bad to the point Adrien cut their friendship off (which isn't much of a change since it was basically nonexistent in the first place). I didn't even need to know that Vesperia was Zoé.

The only other thing I have to say about Zoé is about her last name. I had a friend come to me complaining about her last name, how it seemed kind of fishy a white girl got a Chinese last name. And that's a fair thing to be upset about but Lee is also a European last name. Since Zoé was from New York which is in North America (US) which started with an English background, it's entirely possible for her to have such a last name. I just wanted to clear that up and save the writer's some grief, maybe. ^^

With all that said... I think I need to take a rain check on Adrien as I realized I have way more to say about him and a lot of it is comparisons. I have many reasons for this but spoiler, I suppose... To me Adrien is an incomplete character and shows no signs of gaining any solidification. He's got more personality than Zoé (thank goodness) but that may not be a good thing depending on the writing.

I plan to compare Adrien to a wide variety of characters he feels like but never really seems to be any one of these types of characters. Like they just can't decide. As well as some stories from these characters that are similar to a lot of the "arcs" the show tries to do with Adrien but inevitably fails or comes up short (in my opinion) almost every time.

These may change but so far characters I am considering for this are; Sonic the Hedgehog (Sonic Archie and IDW comics), Ben Tennyson (Ben 10), Kiro (Mr Love: Queen's Choice), Gavin (Mr Love: Queen's Choice), Luke Pearce (Tears of Themis), Marius von Hagan (Tears of Themis), Eugeo (Sword Art Online season 3), and Corliss (Raven Saga on Webtoons). Maybe even Thoma (Genshin Impact). Hope that gives you an inkling of the mess that Adrien feels like to me.

I'm sorry I couldn't get him done here though. I shall try to get to him soon but he's gonna take a while especially since Adrien as a character personally impacted a large portion of my life so I have a lot of feelings to sort through.

Thank you for reading all that. You're truly a trooper and thank you ever so much for the ask. I hope you're having a wonderful day, night, afternoon, evening, or whatever time it is where you are. Sorry this is so late. <3

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