#best fitness gifts 2019 | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

inevitably-johnlocked · 1 year ago

Text

Christmas 2023 Part 2: Marked for Later

And here's part two of the Christmas Fic list for this year! Please make sure you check out the lists below for previous Christmas lists! Don't hesitate to add your own recent Christmas and NYE fics below! All will be added on subsequent reblogs! :D

Merry Christmas!

[PART ONE]

See also:

Christmas Fics (Dec. 2017)

Christmas: Oblivious That One or The Other is In a Relationship

Christmas 2019 Part 1 (All Bookmarks XMas and New Years)

Christmas 2019 Part 2 (Marked for Later)

G / T / K+ Rated Christmas Fics (Dec. 2018) (Updated Dec 2021)

Community Recs: Christmas 2020 (Updated Dec 2021)

Christmas Trees / Decorating

Christmas-Time Love Confessions

New Year’s Fics (Jan 2023)

Christmas & New Year's Eve 2023 Pt. 1: Bookmarks & WiPs

Not a Word by notjustmom (NR, 114 w., 1 Ch. || Dancing, Christmas) – Just them dancing in Baker Street.

Big question! The Gift by AnAnYaH (G, 508 w., 1 Ch. || Christmas, Love Confessions, Dialogue Only, Fluff) – Christmas is not far and John has plans for a perfect gift for his little daughter.

Costumes for Christmas by AnAnYaH (G, 518 w., 1 Ch. || Christmas Fluff, First Time, Costume Kink, Christmas Party) – It's a costume party , and Sherlock is late.

Deck the Halls However You See Fit by Yuliares (G, 752 w., 1 Ch. || Canon Divergence, Developing Relationship, Asexual Sherlock, Holiday Fluff, Mary Ships It) – Relaxed domestic holiday fluff. In a nebulous future where John and Mary move in downstairs after Mrs. Hudson retires, the gang preps for their annual Christmas party in 221B Baker Street.

Something red, something green, something sparkly by Silvergirl (M, 1,106 w., 1 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Christmas, Texting, Impending Desperation, Gift Shopping) – If you can't solve a puzzle yourself, ask the experts. Of course, the experts may be utterly useless ... until they aren't.

The Man in Aisle Ten by standbygo (G, 1,395 w., 1 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Christmas, Shopping, Gifts, Original Female Character POV) – It's Christmas Eve, the busiest day for shopping at Harrod's, and there's a guy in aisle ten who's snapping at every sales associate who dares to approach him. It's up to Moira to help him find the perfect present. [TRANSLATIONS: Русский || 中国]

221B's Christmas Tree by SatanDrankMyCoffee (G, 1,634 w., 1 Ch. || Christmas, Fluff, Bratty Sherlock, Domestics, Decorations) – One of the staples of most people's holiday season is decorating the tree; John and Sherlock are no exception.

Mistletoe is a Parasite by Breath4Soul (M, 1,896 w, 1 Ch. || Christmas Party, First Kiss, Mistletoe, Drinking, Dom/Sub Undertones) – It’s Christmas and after some interesting revelations at Molly Hooper's holiday party, Sherlock takes his cue from Mistletoe to take matters into his own hands. Mistletoe attaches, penetrates and absorbs... turns out that is right up Sherlock's alley...

A Little Christmas Spirit by Berty (E, 2,077 w., 1 Ch. || POV Sherlock, First Time, Blow Jobs, Christmas Fluff, Canon Divergence) – Sherlock should really learn NOT to tune John out when he's talking. He might just be missing something important.

Snap, Crackle, Pop by Call_Me_Clarence (G, 2,243 w., 1 Ch. || Pre-Slash, New Year’s Party, Panic Attacks, PTSD / Flashbacks, Dissociation, Cuddling, Caring Sherlock, Christmas Crackers) – John has a flashback during a New Years party. Sherlock tries his best to help.

Home For Christmas? by Bluebellstar (T, 2,572 w., 1 Ch. || Pre-Canon, Pre-ASiP, Captain John, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Sad Sherlock, Big Brother Mycroft, Soft Mycroft, Established Relationship) – Sherlock Holmes wants one thing for Christmas. The one thing he knows he cannot have. He wants John Watson back from Afghanistan. But with John's leave unexpectedly cancelled, Sherlock has to spend another Christmas alone. Part 3 of the Christmas at 221B series

The Christmas Dragon by eragon19 (M, 2,615 w., 1 Ch. || Christmas, Love Confessions, Fluff, Presents) – Sherlock needs to find the perfect gift for John. Luckily a toy in a shop window gives him an idea. Part 9 of the Prompt Fills series

The Joye of Snacks by khorazir (T, 3,373 w. 1 Ch. || Christmas, Baking, Domesticity, Friends to Lovers, First Kiss, Banter) – Christmas is approaching, and Sherlock surprises John with newly acquired culinary skills. John, in turn, simply ... surprises Sherlock.

The Romance Was There by apliddell (G, 4,011 w., 1 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post S3, Post Mary, Christmas, Domestics, Villain Mary, Platonic Bedsharing, Love Confessions, First Kiss, Angst, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Love Letters) – In which Sherlock reveals his merits as a housekeeper, and a few other things, too.

Shrivelfigs by lifespossible (T, 4,547 w., 1 Ch. || Teen Harry Potter AU || Christmas, Friends to Lovers, Pining, Fluff) – John and Sherlock were not a couple, ta very much. They were friends--close friends, best friends. But that was it. Just friends. If you asked John, he’d assure you that was the case. But if you got him on the right side of a couple firewhiskies, well, he might be inclined to tell you he thought it was a damn shame they were only best friends.

Crossing Paths by prettysailorsoldier (T, 5,346 w., 1 Ch. || Uni/Teenlock Coffee Shop AU || Crosswords, Christmas, Fluff) – It seemed like a great idea, a 24-hour coffee shop near a thriving university campus, but, when everyone goes home for the holidays, John finds himself trapped in a ghost town, wiling away the hours of the overnight shift any way he can. Of course, that gets a whole lot easier when a handsome insomniac starts making regular visits, and, somewhere between the case files, crossword puzzles, and copious amounts of coffee, John discovers he doesn't mind the late shift so much after all.

The Unexpected Exchange by testosterone_tea (E, 5,703 w., 1 Ch. || Christmas, Secret Santa, Vibrators, Masturbation, Love Confessions, Intercrural Sex, Bisexual John, Demisexual Sherlock, Fluff) – When Sherlock is made to participate in the Yard's Secret Santa exchange, he knew it would be a disaster. But even he didn't expect how much of a disaster it would be.

A Smart-Arse Consulting Detective Is For Life, Not Just For Christmas by Berty (T, 5,788 w., 1 Ch. || Christmas, Friends To Lovers, Trapped, Fluff, Grumpy John, Pining Sherlock, Sharing Body Heat, First Kiss, Frottage, Cold Weather) – So here they sit. Glaring at each other. Locked in an unheated, block-built tack room on a remote farm in Suffolk. With no mobile coverage. On Christmas Eve. Sherlock's definitely NOT on the 'nice' list this year.

If I Knew You Were Coming (I'd Have Baked a Cake) by standbygo (T, 5,850 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TRF, Christmas, Fluff, Baking, GBBO References, Friends to Lovers, Sharing a Bed, Cooking) – John and Sherlock aren't quite sure how they agreed to hold a Great British Bake Off competition... There will be decorative bread, misuse of the French language, terrible mispronunciation of German words, fluff, bed sharing, and profiteroles.

Such a Clatter by ArwaMachine (E, 6,183 w., 1 Ch. || Christmas, Anal Sex/Fingering, PWP, Toplock, Fluff, Hand Jobs) – Christmas is boring, and the guest bed in Mummy and Father Holmes’ cottage is far too loud for Sherlock and John to have any proper fun. Whatever is to be done?

Coup de Foudre by prettysailorsoldier (T, 6,446 w., 1 Ch. || Teenager/University AU || Alternate First Meeting, Skiing, Winter, Sherlock Speaks French, Christmas Fluff) – When John and his friends decide to blow off some steam after finals with a holiday to the Swiss Alps, he's expecting a week of roaring fires, hot chocolate, and snow as far as the eye can see. He is not expecting to fall head over heels for a fellow guest--a young Frenchman known only as "Blue Scarf"--but John's not one to let a little language barrier get in the way, and, with the help of Google Translate, it might just be a Christmas to remember after all. Part 7 of 25 Days of Johnlock

All I Want for Christmas (is Proof) by Raina_at (E, 6,471 w., 1 Ch. || Christmas Fluff, Porn Without Plot, Christmas Party, Gay Club, Costume Party, Mistletoe, First Time, Hand Jobs, Semi-Public Sex, Crack and Humour, Blow Jobs, Undercover for a Case) – John has been ridiculously in love with Sherlock for a while now, but he doesn't want to rock the boat if his interest isn't returned. Their newest case might be the catalyst they need to finally figure out whether they're on the same page. Or: Sherlock and John go undercover at a Christmas party in a gay club. In costume. Things... escalate.

That Time of Year by JRow (T, 6,717 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Christmas, Fluff, Misunderstandings, Presents, First Kiss, Confessions, Rosie) – It's Christmas Eve. The tree is decorated, the mince pies are out, and Rosie is fast asleep. Flipping his mobile in his hand, John wonders what Sherlock is doing. Then he wonders, not for the first time, what it means that Sherlock is never far from his mind. Before he can stop himself, John hits the call button.

The World In Solemn Stillness Lay by J_Baillier (T, 6,855 w., 2 Ch. || Post-S4, Christmas, Angst, Medical Conditions, Big Brother Mycroft, Friends to Lovers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Miscommunication, Family Issues) – Rosie's first Christmas without her mother is approaching fast, and John isn't coping well with the pressures of being a single parent. Can Sherlock scrape his new family back together?

Cross My Heart (And Hope To Die) by prettysailorsoldier (M, 7,306 w., 1 Ch. || University AU || Puppies, Miscommunication, Blow Jobs, Shower Sex, Christmas, Happy Ending) – When John starts acting suspicious in the run up to Christmas, lying about being at work and taking secret phone calls in the bathroom, Sherlock comes to seemingly the only conclusion, that John must be cheating on him. Unwilling to confront him, and apparently unable to make him stay, Sherlock does the only thing he can: leave before he is left. That is, until an unlikely phone call on Christmas Eve turns everything on its head... Part 11 of the 25 Days of Johnlock series

The Deepest Secret Nobody Knows by Raina_at (E, 7,568 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TRF, Christmas Party, Stuck in an Elevator, Light Angst, Semi-Public Sex) – Sherlock is back from the dead. Now all he has to do is get back his Blogger.

of midnight moments and mistletoe by hudders-and-hiddles (M, 7,669 w., 4 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Christmas, First Kiss, Fluff, Mistletoe, Snow) – John and Sherlock are throwing a Christmas Eve party, and the flat is all strung up with mistletoe.

Darkness reigns at the foot of a lighthouse by saintscully (E, 7,682 w., 1 Ch. || HLV Missing Scene, POV Sherlock, Mutual Pining, Light Dom/Sub, Angry Sex, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse, Infidelity, Angst and Feels, Implied Suicidal Ideation, Unhappy Ending) – Why John went back to Mary that Christmas.

The Way Home by Calais_Reno (M, 7,702 w., 1 Ch. || Alternate First Meeting AU || Christmas, Post-PTSD, Injury Recovery, Meeting the Parents, Coming Home, Past Drug Addiction, Developing Relationship, Moving in Together, Falling in Love, POV Sherlock Third Person) – It's Christmas Eve, and Sherlock's landlord has evicted him due to a little misunderstanding about a very small explosion that really only burned the curtains. Mrs Hudson isn't willing to let him move into 221B until after the holiday. He's left with only one alternative: go home. Spend Christmas with his family. On the train, he meets someone who might just be having an even worse holiday. Part 32 of Just Johnlock

Only Friends by HollyShadow88 (E, 7,514 w., 2 Ch. || University AU || Accidental Voyeurism, Christmas / New Year's, Light Angst, Embarrassed John / Sherlock, Roommates, Alternate First Meeting, Anal Fingering/Sex, Affection, Topping from the Bottom, Enthusiastic Consent, Sex Tapes, Student John / Sherlock, Blow Jobs) – John Watson is assigned Sherlock Holmes as his new roommate when he is transferred to his university. Only problem is, Sherlock's hot, and John has to work around his growing feelings for him while also secretly paying for school with an OnlyFans page. With the end of the term approaching, an accidental discovery changes their relationship.

Dear Sherlock by by Tara Laurel (T, 7,729 w., 3 Ch. || Post-TRF, Reunion, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Christmas) – "John was happy. Too happy. Of course Sherlock preferred to see his friend in good spirits, especially after the cloud of depression that had hung over him the past weeks, but this was simply maddening." John's got a serious case of Christmas spirit, but is there something serious hidden behind it - something that surprises & saddens a self-proclaimed sociopath?

Winning a Lost Bet by meet_me_in_samarra (M, 8,214 w., 2 Ch. || Christmas, Pole Dancing, Established Relationship, Costumes, Glitter, Muscular John, Sexy Sherlock, The Yard) – A lost bet makes Sherlock and John perform a pole-dance in costumes at the Yard´s Christmas party. It was supposed to be humiliating but instead the couple nailed it.

Pardon my French by archea2 (E, 8,232 w., 3 Ch. || Christmas, Fluff, Language Kink, Voice Kink, John in Afghanistan, Fever, Drunk Sherlock, Paternal Lestrade, Clothed Sex, Drunken Confessions, Humour) – Sherlock's closet Jekyll resurfaces when he's drunk, making him tender, earnest and extremely talkative with John. It's all fine with John - or would be, if Sherlock's Subconscious bloody let him speak English on these occasions.

Spell It Out by prettysailorsoldier (M, 8,344 w., 1 Ch. || Harry Potter Fusion || Teenlock, Christmas, Love Potion/Spell, Pining Sherlock) – Remaining at Hogwarts over break has become something of a tradition for Sherlock and John, staying behind together ever since their very first year, but, when Irene throws a gift of doctored coconut ice into the mix, plans quickly change, even if John doesn't. Part 6 of 25 Days of Johnlock

Tomorrow by Berty (M, 9,517, 1 Ch. ||PODFIC AVAILABLE || Magical Realism AU || Canon Divergence, Christmas, Hurt/Comfort, Spells and Enchantments, Married John/Mary, Difficult Decisions, Fluff and Angst, Spells and Enchantments) – The night before they travel to Dorset to spend Christmas with Sherlock's parents and John's wife, 221 Baker Street is peaceful with the smell of baking, flickering candles and presents under the tree. But Father Christmas can't be relied upon to bring the boys their heart's desires. Just as well Mrs Hudson - who is NOT a fairy godmother OR their housekeeper, thank you very much - is so good at her job.

Hot Chocolate by ohlooktheresabee (G, 10,756 w., 2 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post S4, POV John, Idiots in Love, Christmas Fluff, Developing Relationship, Sherlock’s Heart, Affection, Falling in Love, Past Child Abuse, Light Angst with Happy Ending) – With Sherrinford but a distant memory, Christmas season approaches and John Watson is not in the mood. His friend and flatmate Sherlock disappears for a week, leaving him behind again, and John doesn’t think that things can get any worse. However, with a little help from their friends, he might finally start seeing the reasons to enjoy this Christmas after all...

no man is a failure by blueink3 (T, 10,836 w., 1 Ch. || It’s a Wonderful Life AU || Christmas, Whump, Suicidal Ideology, Angst with Happy Ending, Familly, Hurt/Comfort) – “John, you’re talking to a dead girl on Christmas Eve in the middle of the Golden Jubilee Bridge. When I say, ‘perk of the job,’ the definition is vast.” She opens her hands in front of her and gives a tiny bow. “Congratulations, it’s December the 24th, 2016 and you, John Hamish Watson, have never been born.”

The Time Being by prettysailorsoldier (M, 11,008 w., 1 Ch. || University AU || John in Afghanistan, Victor Trevor, Time Skips, Poetry, Goodbyes, Christmas, Fluff, Drug Use, Angst with Happy Ending) – When Sherlock sends John off from King's Cross the day before Christmas Eve, he can't bear the thought that it's really goodbye, no matter how much John insists a clean break is best, so he suggests a compromise: Meeting up in that same place 7 years later. What follows are snapshots of the next seven Christmases, chronicling the changes in each man's life, but just because they're growing separately, doesn't mean they're growing apart. Part 3 of 25 Days of Johnlock

A Tale of Two Soldiers by batslikepastel (T, 14,136 w., 5 Ch. || S4 Fix It, Jealous Sherlock, Misunderstandings, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Christmas, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Developing Relationship, Cuddling / Snuggling, First Kiss, Stress Baking, Domestic Fluff) – It's Christmas, and Sherlock and John are finally flatmates again after the tumultuous events of the previous year. But a sudden revelation about John's sexuality and James Sholto's unexpected presence throw a wrench into Sherlock's plans, and his jealousy threatens to overwhelm him even as John remains blithely oblivious. Their relationship has reached a turning point, and the ball is in John's court now.

Silent Night by khorazir (M, 15,060 w., 1 Ch. || Codebreaker / WWII / Imitation Game-Inspired AU || Care Fic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Dev. Rel., Reunion, PTSD John, Christmas) – It’s Christmas Eve 1944, and Sherlock Holmes has received his most precious gift already: after a long, dangerous deployment, Surgeon Captain John Watson of the Royal Navy has unexpectedly returned from the front. As if this weren’t enough, there’s a case. Both events make for a night full of promise, excitement, and the difficult task of getting reacquainted with the man Sherlock hasn’t seen in three years and feared he’d lost forever. Part 2 of Enigma

A Story That Is Almost, But Not Quite, Entirely Unlike Blue Carbuncle by Iwantthatcoat (M, 16,468 w., 10 Ch. || Blue Carbuncle Adaptation, Holmes Parents, Christmas) – It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and the Holmes Family is all set to have one of those unimaginable Christmas dinners— but the game is afoot, as Mummy’s friend is caught up in a Christmas mystery.

The Secret of Hazel Grange by SilentAuror (E, 18,153 w., 1 Ch. || Post S4, Christmas, COVID-19 / Pandemic, POV Sherlock) – John has a secret, and Sherlock is bothered. Trapped together at Baker Street during the lockdown, the tension only grows worse as Christmas draws nearer...

Serendipity by Calais_Reno (T, 18,222 w., 3 Ch. || Serendipity Fusion || Christmas, Romance, Coincidences, First Meetings, Misunderstandings, New York City, Fate and Destiny) – A bit of New York Christmas fluff, based on the 2001 movie.

Breaking Christmas by MissDavis (M, 18,606 w., 18 Ch. || Christmas, Established Relationship, Fluff, Nipple Piercing, Ficlets, No Angst) – Join me in some established relationship Johnlock as I attempt to make Sherlock and John participate in some Seasonal Fucking Cheer.

Welcome Christmas by MissDavis (T, 18,774 w., 24 Ch || Post S4, Christmas, Winter, Parenthood, Canon Compliant, Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Bed Sharing, First Kiss) – Join John and Sherlock at Baker Street as they celebrate Rosie's first Christmas and beyond. From Rosie crawling around the flat as they tiptoe around each other en route to their first kiss, to a happy retirement with a young grandson who wants to be just like Grandad and Papa, this fic shows how Sherlock and John celebrate Christmas together through the years.

Mistletoe and Misdemeanours by Robottko (T, 20,738 w., 12 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || Christmas, Fake Relationship, Coffee Shops, Victor Trevor, First Kiss, Holmes Family, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Family Drama, Kidnapping) – When Victor Trevor backs out of the Holmes family Christmas at the last minute, Sherlock panics because he has no way to impress his parents. Thankfully there is a handsome army doctor with nowhere to go in his coffee shop, though it would be more helpful if he were a bit more willing.

High Mountain Tea Leaves by disfictional (E, 23,207 w., 1 Ch. || Post-TFP, TD-12, Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, Travel, Case Fic, Miscommunication, Shower Sex, Masturbation, Chinese Language, New Year’s Kiss, Toplock) – A mountaintop robbery on a Japanese-occupation-era train where the only item stolen was a small case of mysterious tea leaves in a backpack? An ideal Christmas gift, two days late. Sherlock convinces John to travel for tea.

Danger Nights by khorazir (T, 23,591 w., 3 Ch. || Post-TLD, Friends to Lovers, Mentioned Parentlock, Pining, First Kiss/Time, Winter, Folklore, Wales, Spooky Elements, Bed Sharing, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Spooky Elements) – According to folklore, the nights between Christmas and Twelfth Night are the most dangerous of the year. During them, the Wild Hunt rides, and ghosts and demons come out to haunt unsuspecting and misbehaving folk. An investigation of a series of strange occurrences leads John and Sherlock to Hay-on-Wye on the Welsh Marches, to face ghosts weird and ancient as well as close and personal – and perhaps to start the new year on a more hopeful note than the previous one.

All Roads Lead Home at Christmas by reveling_in_mayhem (T, 25,709 w., 24 Ch. || Post TRF, Christmas, Happy Ending) – Perhaps Christmas could truly be a time for miracles, for some. But John didn't believe in miracles. Not anymore.

Sherlock Holmes & The Mysterious Ex by Gatergirl79 (M, 27,942 w., 16 Ch. || Family, Romance, Holmes Family) – Sherlock and John are forced to spend Christmas with Sherlock’s family. An unsettling idea especially when John will have to play ‘Boyfriend’ thanks to Mycroft. But why exactly does Sherlock want to avoid a family party?

If There Were Any Time For A Miracle by Berty (E, 31,732 w., 3 Ch. || Jealous Sherlock, Mutual Pining, Christmas, Birthday Party, Misunderstandings, First Kiss/Time, Fluff, Sherlock’s Violin) – John and Sherlock are spending Christmas at the Holmes' family home. Sherlock has a plan that John doesn't know about. John has a wish that Sherlock doesn't know about. If there were any time for a miracle, this would be it.

Miracle on Islington High Street by Jaybeefoxy (M, 33,006 w., 7 Ch. || Christmas, Holmes Family, Mystrade, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Magical Realism, Friends to Lovers, Papa Lestrade, Rosie Watson, Caring Greg) – It's Christmas, and Greg does a favour for someone, only to receive a strange favour in return.

Consulting for Christmas by ohlooktheresabee (G, 40,153 w., 6 Ch. || Far Future Post S4 / Older Rosie, Thriller, Case Fic, Pre-Relationship, Christmas, Paris, POV Alternating, Fluff, Light Angst, Mutual Pining, BAMF John, BAMF Sherlock, Friends to Lovers, Idiots in Love, Jealousy, Misunderstandings, Mistletoe, Ice Skating, Heist, Awkward Romance, Developing Relationship, For a Case, Background Mystrade, Angst with Happy Ending) – The Louvre Museum in Paris is planning to host the celebrated Winter Fabergé Egg for its winter exhibition - quite the feat as it has not been on public display since 2002. However there is a snag: whispers of a world-renowned master-thief with his eyes set on the valuable prize. The curator has asked the famous Sherlock Holmes to consult on security, but the detective needs a lot of convincing: he is after all a bit busy with trying to woo a certain clueless ex-army doctor… At the same time, John is attempting to balance work, missing Rosie who is off on her gap year, a volunteer gig at a local London orphanage, and seething jealousy upon the arrival of an apparent old friend of Sherlock’s. Attempting to foil the heist of the century while remaining friendly and objective might just be a step too far... A Christmas crime caper packed full of misdirection, miscommunication and mistletoe, set against the romantic backdrop of London and Paris in the winter. Thrown into all this, will our two idiots finally manage to see what has been right in front of them all along?

12 Lays of Christmas Series by distantstarlight (E, 45,164 w. across 12 works || Post-S4, Stand-Alone Ficlets, Christmas, Friends to Lovers, Gratuitous Sex) – This series is made up of stand-alone ficlets of varying sizes, all resulting in Johnlock via a number of different routes, and all from my exhaustion fevered brain. Some will have sex and some will not. You don't need to read them in any particular order but I hope you enjoy them when you do. Happy Giftmas Everyone!

Erosion by saintscully (E, 53,386 w., 12 Ch. || Post TFP, Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Case Fic, Christmas, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-Con, Minor Character Death, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Psychological Trauma, Divorce, Estrangement, Family Issues, PTSD, Medical Conditions, Mentions of Dementia) – Sherlock’s father falls ill, leaving the surviving family members broken and rudderless. James Sholto shows up in London unexpectedly, his intentions unclear. John has to navigate the consequences of crime, illness and death and their impact on his frayed relationship with Sherlock.

Fairytale of New Scotland Yard by Ewebie (M, 57,858 w., 30 Ch. || Mystrade and Johnlock, Christmas, Advent Fic, Christmas Party, Christmas Presents, Christmas Dinner, Accidental Cuddling, Accidental Bed Sharing, Sharing Body Heat, Holmes Family) – This is a Christmas love story:Greg Lestrade loved Christmas. He loved winter, the bite in the air, the flurries and occasional actual snow, the colorful lights, the sometimes loud decorations, the songs, the singing, the parties, the people, the presents, the surprises, the food and the drink, and the genuine good cheer... Mycroft Holmes hated Christmas. He hated the winter, the cold actually made his knee and hip ache - though that was not something others were ever to know - the tiny crystals of frozen death that fell from the sky to disrupt the proper function of transportation were terrible, the blinking lights and loud noises brought about his migraines, the abysmal excuse for what passed as music - not to mention the people singing it, dear Lord - the ever increasing social obligations and nonstop political kowtowing, the people, the sheer volume of people... Part 7 of Guess My Race Is Run

You Teach Me and I'll Teach You by Burning_Up_A_Sun (E, 61,165 w., 15 Ch. || Teacher AU || Coming Out, Blow Jobs, Shower Sex, Bed Sharing, Christmas, Rimming, Homophobia, Beach Sex) – Dr. John Watson, with his recent PhD in music education, takes a job at Jesup Arts Magnet Middle School, where he meets the most obnoxious, irritating, fascinating, handsome gifted History teacher. With no where to live, John accepts Sherlock Holmes' offer of sharing a house on Baker Street. But will a Southern community accept two male teachers in a relationship or will they be forced to quit? Part 1 of the Adult Education series

6 Simple Rules For Dating John Watson by prettysailorsoldier (M, 81,958 w., 22 Ch. || Teenager / University AU || Cheating, Christmas, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Roommates) – John Watson's love life may have had its ups and downs, but at least it had some structure. That is, until Sherlock Holmes showed up on his doorstep.

So Grant Us All a Change of Heart by ArwaMachine (E, 83,276 w., 5 Ch. || Christmas Carol Fusion || T6T Compliant, Pining, Angst with Happy Ending, Smut, Temporary Character Death, Drug Use / Reference, Suicide) – It’s Christmastime at Baker Street, but things are far from festive. Mary is dead, John and Sherlock��s friendship is all but ruined, and Sherlock has become a right dick about everything. More convinced than ever that sentiment is objectively useless, Sherlock needs a little paranormal intervention to see the error of his ways or else run the risk of losing all that is important to him.

A Telling Touch by MiyakoToudaiji (E, 91,656 w., 28 Ch. || Post-TRF Divergence, Reunion, Hurt/Comfort, Drama, Soldier John, Friends to Lovers, BAMF John, Doctor John, War, Syria, Violence, Blood, Injury, Fighting, Soulmates, True Love, First Kiss / Time, Slow Build, Romance, Christmas, Family, Holmes Manor, Childhood Memories, Sherlock’s Violin, Case Fic) – After Sherlock’s death, John manages to get himself re-enlisted and is sent back to war. But when two series of gruesome murders link home and outland together, John is suddenly faced with more battles than he could have imagined.

By A Thousand Cuts by 7PercentSolution and J_Baillier (E, 95,662 w., 21 Ch. || Surgeon / Medical AU || Angst, Family Issues / Dynamics, Drama, Established Relationship, Autism Spectrum, Ableism, Depression, Romance, Hospitals, Neurosurgery, Anaesthesia, Doctor!John, Doctor!Sherlock, Christmas, Therapy, Psychological Trauma, Childhood Bullying, Career Crisis, Anger, Hurt/Comfort, Addiction, Sensory Processing Disorder, Parenting, Holidays, Whump) – It's hard to let go of the past, especially when going home for the holidays. An incident just before Christmas brings unpleasant memories to the surface, and the wounds Sherlock carries may take more than just time to heal. Part 11 of the You Go To My Head series

Wild About Harry Series by PlaidAdder (T, 397,189 w. across 9 works || Harry/Clara and Johnlock, Post-TRF, Canon Compliant, Dancing, Case Fics, Morning After, Teamwork, Drug Use, Doctor Who Crossover, Christmas, Alcoholism, Fix It Fics, Alternating POVs, Established Relationships) – This started as a post-Reichenbach fic and turned into a series in which Harry Watson is a repeating character. John and Sherlock get together in the first story ("Empty Houses") and thereafter it's either developing relationship or established relationship. Most of this is case fic and long, but there are a few shorter ones.

#johnlock fic recs #my fic recs #christmas fics #fics to read #long post

94 notes · View notes

rei-ismyname · 4 months ago

Text

From The Ashes - Mystique

So, Mystique has her own book once more with issue #1 dropping on October 16th. Given the state of the Marvel world at the moment (or at least the X-books, everyone else seems focused elsewhere while mutants are being slaughtered and imprisoned... again) it really feels like Raven Darkholme's time to shine.

Looks cool but feels like something's missing

She hasn't had a solo book since 2004 - 20 years - and a lot has changed since then. She was quite the breakout character during the Krakoan age - she got her wife Destiny back, she found a sort of understanding with their son Nightcrawler (and we all learned the truth of the retcon in a pretty slick way), and perhaps most importantly we got a sense of her interiority. I'd be remiss in not mentioning Rogue, but they weren't really in each other's orbits until Fall of X. YMMV, but she became sympathetic for the first time ever. We got to see her interact with almost everyone as an uneasy ally while still being her bad bitch black ops self. Not friends, but on the same team with the overarching investment in keeping their shared home working. There was a foundation of connective tissue there right until the end.

Be Gay, Do Crime?

Alas, the wheel has turned again and Krakoa is no more. The connective tissue is gone. However, out of the three people she was closest to narratively - Destiny, Kurt and Rogue - the relationship I'm truly invested in seeing more of is her and Destiny. The book isn't called Mystique and Destiny, and she's not in any of the solicits or preview artwork, but surely they wouldn't do a Mystique book without her, would they?

My favourite sapphic terrorists

Yeah, I think they would tbh. Destiny is a very complex character to write and she was so entwined with Krakoa from the start in HoxPoX due to the nature of her gift - seeing possible futures. As the narrative pulls away from Krakoa, as we look for those pieces of connective tissue, as character growth is left by the wayside or undone, the world and stories are getting much smaller. Destiny had reached the promised land and her gift was focused on survival - of the married couple and Krakoa itself. I'm just not sure where she'd fit in a From The Ashes world.

Such a strong partnership too - Sherlock Holmes and Irene Adler.

The elephant in the room is that the pair are very popular and I'm pretty sure the Mystique-buying demographic would have something to say about Destiny being absent. I'm thinking the Magneto treatment is likely, some contrived way of keeping her in the margins of the run or even depowering her. We know Mystique is going to be more of a face than she's been in the past, 'protecting mutants.' That is a good thing as her motivations were often baffling pre-2019. Her behaviour was often handwaved with 'craziness' which is not good for any character, especially a woman.

Destiny in her distinctive mask is visible in this header, although...

This was somewhat explained in Fall of X that Xavier's (consensual) memory tampering knocked something loose, for lack of a better term. I'm hoping the growth we saw sticks, and I don't think that's unrealistic, it's the rest of it. What prompted me writing this was the AIPT review of the first issue. It all sounds exciting but the only other character mentioned is Nick Fury, nothing on Destiny. Any reviewer worth their salt should have a sense of expectations, and the absence feels meaningful.

Obviously this is all speculation, which is fun, though I'm not going off nothing here. I'm trying to be mindful of being the 'Krakoa was the best and this shit sucks' person, but Krakoa WAS the best and I really don't want From The Ashes to suck. I don't have any control over that, though I do have control over my expectations.

Bling! knows what's up, leaning on the fourth wall.

The last thing I think needs consideration is that the couple got the Wedding Special very recently. It was pretty good, though I thought the best parts were the Claremont interview and Anole's ongoing protest. But it was popular!

Mystique would LOVE that. Bisexual Menace for life.

He ended up putting it on a t-shirt. I need one!

As fun as it was and as much hype it got at the time, remember that it was a Pride Month thing. Ever the rainbow capitalists, Marvel picked a winning focus but I don't think they'd have done outside of Pride Month. Sadly, that might apply to their relationship as well. I think it would be a miscalculation, but the signs point to it being a solo book. As I often say in my doomsaying posts, we shall see and I hope I'm wrong.

They're just too iconic and work so well together. Don't get me wrong, good writing can make anything work. Aside from my ongoing mourning of Krakoa, WLW rep is important and for all their faults they deserve love like everyone else. Maybe a Sisterhood of Evil Morally Ambiguous Mutants is on the cards?

20 notes · View notes

des2dream · 1 month ago

Text

A Daydreamer's Holiday Movie Marathon: The Many, Many, MANY Peppa Pig Christmas Episodes

Speedrun? Okay, go!

Peppa's Christmas (Season 2): While Peppa and her family get a Christmas tree and bring it home to decorate, she hopes that all of her friends get the gifts they asked Father Christmas for.

Santa's Grotto (Season 3): As everyone goes to The Christmas Fair to see the jolly man in his grotto, Peppa and her best friend, Suzy Sheep asks Father Christmas for a doll that walks, and talks, and close its eyes when it goes to sleep before she and her family head to her grandparents house to spend Christmas with them and the rest of her family.

Santa's Visit (Season 3): As Part 2 to Santa's Grotto, Peppa and her family wake up to find gifts under the tree on Christmas Day, but there is no present for Peppa!

Mr. Potato's Christmas Show (Season 4): Madame Gazelle takes Peppa's playgroup to the theater to see Mr. Potato's Christmas Show featuring Mrs Carrot, Sweet Cranberry, Little Sprout, & a special guest.

Father Christmas (Season 5): Peppa's playgroup is putting on a Christmas play for their parents and Peppa asks Father Christmas if he can stop by to watch their show despite his busy schedule.

Christmas at The Hospital (Season 6): It's Christmas once again, but Peppa has hurt her arm and Dr. Brown Bear rushes her to the hospital where Ms. Rabbit has everything has been beautifully decorated to fit the holiday spirit and she sees her friend, Pedro Pony is at the hospital too from a banged leg.

Christmas with Kylie Kangaroo (Season 6): Peppa and her family head to Australia to meet with Kylie Kangeroo and her family to spend Christmas with them and learn that Kylie's family spend this time of year pretty differently.

Grandpa Pig's Christmas Present (Season 7): Grandpa Pig receives a drone or a Quad-Copter in his words from Father Christmas and decides to test it outside until it eventually gets lost in the sky.

Christmas Cards (Season 8/Upcoming): Peppa's playgroup, Madame Gazelle, and Granny Sheep come together to make a giant Christmas card filled with messages, drawings, and gifts for Father Christmas as a way to say 'thank you'.

There's a likely chance there will be more Christmas episodes in the future since this series is ongoing.

Okay.....well, I certainly have some explaining to do! So.....Peppa Pig. She's been around recently. Well, actually no. Peppa Pig came out in 2004, but she's been skyrocketing in popularity since the last several years or so. She's all over YouTube and YouTube Kids. I used to watch this pig on cable TV from the Nick Jr. channel back when it was called, Noggin! Peppa Pig is currently on its eight season and still going on. You're definitely asking yourselves, "Why the heck are you watching that garbage kid show for babies? What, do you watch Cocomelon too?!" No. I don't watch Cocomelon. Yes. I do often watch Peppa Pig. I knew this show since I was young. I practically grew up with it. I watched that pig become popular in the blink of an eye! Every episode is like five minutes (unless it's a special in which it's either 10-15 minutes). I sometimes put this show on for white noise while I'm working and it's not that bad. It's not that annoying for me. Maybe in the first two seasons it was boring until Season 3 shook things up and that also helps with how Harley Bird voiced Peppa from 2009 til 2019. She did a great job with such a cheeky character. Personally, I enjoy watching all the special episodes. The Christmas episodes always have a nice charm to them. They're harmless and that's all I can ask for a five-minute kid show. It's just.....something nice to pass the time.

#december #holiday season #holiday movies #peppa pig

8 notes · View notes

rollercoasterwords · 1 year ago

Note

I haven't seen many horror films and would like some recommendations. What are some must-watch horror movies for someone new to the genre?

oooh this is such a fun question but so hard 2 answer bc horror is like. such a versatile genre & where u should start depends a lot on like what type of movies u enjoy/what ur looking for….

like if u want sci-fi/alien horror then the obvious place 2 start is w alien (1979) and aliens (1986) (there are other sequels as well but the first 2 are the best) & then also the thing (1982) and its prequel film that came out in 2011 (also titled the thing). AND of course the fly (1986) is a must-see...and if u want something more recent nope (2022) or no one will save you (2023)...both a little more artsy and slow-moving than the 80s recs on this list but very very good <3

if ur interested in slashers then again start w the classics scream (1996) is SO fun it deserves its spot in the horror hall of fame...i know what you did last summer (1997) is also a fun & slightly older slasher; cabin in the woods (2011) is great if u want some meta-slasher-horror; ready or not (2019) isn't necessarily a conventional slasher but i'd still include it in this category & it's one of my faves

if found footage is ur jam PLEASE start w creep (2014) probably my fave found footage horror film ever...but also i'm not a huge found footage fan generally speaking lol. that being said the blair witch project (1999) is of course the classic here but it's not my personal fave; other good options if u want something genuinely freaky/scary are the bay (2012) hell house llc (2015) and gonjiam: haunted asylum (2018)

if u want like possessions & demons etc then. start with jennifer's body (2009) if u want horror-comedy it is SO fun & a staple of the genre atp but if u want something scarier then it follows (2014) is a popular one. there have also been a lot of good possesion movies coming out recently i thought smile (2022) talk to me (2022) and when evil lurks (2023) (<- literally JUST watched this one today lol) were all quite spooky

& sort of possession-adjacent but if ur more into hauntings, ghosts, etc then start w the babadook (2014) or his house (2020) both SO good. also the shining (1980) is a classic & la llorona (2019) is a personal fave of mine (NOT. the u.s. 'curse of la llorona' movie. the guatemalan one.)

if u want witches then start w the craft (1996) another sort of fun one <3 or if u want a classic then hungry wives (1972). the love witch (2016) if u want a visually beautiful & less scary one; the witch (2015) if u want a scarier one.

if u want eerie fantasy-horror then the company of wolves (1984) or tale of tales (2015). if u want a creature feature then blood red sky (2021) for vampires, ginger snaps (2000) for werewolves, and a quiet place (2018) for like post-apocalyptic creature invasion horror.

& SPEAKING of post-apocalyptic. if u want zombies i could make a whole separate post but. START w train to busan (2016) & seoul station (2016) the dynamic duo <3 & then if u want some classics from the genre of course night of the living dead (1968), dawn of the dead (2004...i haven't seen the original one u could watch that one too tho...), and 28 days later (2002). raw (2016) if u want an artsier one, the girl with all the gifts (2016) if u want a fun spin on zombie apocalypse, cargo (2017) if u want 2 cry. & if u want something funny then PLEASE watch zombie for sale (2019) or anna and the apocalypse (2017) or one cut of the dead (2017)

if u want kind of a slower-build psychological thriller then the invitation (2015) is one of my faves, but mother! (2017) is also good if u want an artsy pick & gerald's game (2017) and lyle (2014) are good as well

and then just a grab-bag of horror movies that didn't fit perfectly into any of these categories: barbarian (2022) if u want something really scary, piggy (2022) if u want slow-building horror, midsommar (2019) if u want sunshiney culty a24 aesthetic, us (2019) if u want something that'll freak u out & is slasher-adjacent, get out (2017) if u want slow-build thriller vibes, and teeth (2007) if u want teen-girl horror classic.

bear in mind that many of these films overlap between the categories i've divided them into 4 this answer, as is the nature of horror...if u were asking me 2 just like. force myself 2 choose a top 10 horror movies 2 introduce someone 2 horror w no preference 4 genre or vibe...i think my list would probably be (in no particular order):

alien (1979)

2. the fly (1986)

3. jennifer's body (2009)

4. ginger snaps (2000)

5. train to busan (2016) (<- pains me 2 say bc seoul station is my fave zombie movie of all time but if i had 2 choose just one zombie movie 2 introduce someone 2 the genre it would be this one...beginner zombie movie...)

6. scream (1996)

7. his house (2020)

8. barbarian (2022)

9. creep (2014)

10. us (2019)

#ask #SUCH a fun question 4 me 2 answer <3 #hope u find something u like on this list anon...#movie recs

42 notes · View notes

twosentencereviews · 9 months ago

Text

Joker 2 will (probably) also be bad

I've gone on record saying Joker (2019) was a badly-conceived film, with ideas that are, at best, inconsistent and muddled.

And now they're making another one. With Lady Gaga as Harley Quinn. Maybe it will be better this time?

...no, probably not. Let me break it down.

So, the entire design philosophy of Joker (2019) from writer/director Todd Phillips was, quote, "we're gonna sneak in a real movie in the guise of a comic book movie". That is, Phillips wanted to make Taxi Driver...but he's only a talented enough filmmaker to make The Hangover at best, and The Hangover Part III at worst, and so Warner Bros only trusted him with an IP that was guaranteed to succeed regardless of quality.

This sucks on two levels. If we judge Joker as a "real film"...it fails utterly, because it's using the visual language of the 1970s to whine about 21st century woes, and even then doesn't have anything to say. The "failed standup act goes viral" plot beat doesn't fit with the media landscape of the 1970s, while the clown rioters echo the "eat the rich, defund the police" sentiment that was brewing in 2019 and would explode with George Floyd's murder in 2020. These things are included because Phillips is the kind of jerk who complains about "woke culture" on Twitter. The only reason Phillips sets the film in the 1970s...is because he's cheating off Scorsese's homework.

But if we judge Joker as a comic book movie, it also sucks, because it completely fails to live up to what makes The Joker so fascinating. See, The Joker is a Batman villain; a standout antagonist against the rogues gallery. You cannot understand The Joker except as a literary foil, as a dark reflection of the Dark Knight. Batman is a solemn, incorruptible force for justice. The Joker is a manic, incorruptible force of destruction. While many of Batman's villains are sympathetic (e.g. Mr Freeze), and others are garden-variety thugs with powers (e.g. Clayface), The Joker is pure. He cannot be reasoned with or negotiated with, he has no agenda beyond causing mayhem, and he has no better nature to appeal to. That charisma, that certainty of purpose, is what makes the Joker such a fun villain. Phillips throws all of that in the garbage--Arthur Fleck is weak-willed, cowardly, and just needs a friend.

And now, in Folie a deux...he's getting one, in the form of Gaga's Harley Quinn.

Now, Harley Quinn is different from the Joker. Harley was introduced in Batman: the Animated Series, voiced by Arleen Sorkin, as a counterpart to Mark Hamill's Joker. Her origin story is that she was Dr. Harlene Quinzel, a psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum, who tried to fix The Joker...only to be pulled in by his madness, taking a new name, costume, and falling head-over-heels for "Mista J", her "puddin'".

This is interesting because while The Joker only really makes sense as a Batman antagonist, Harley only really makes sense in the context of the Joker. Harley's story is one of domestic abuse; she is The Joker's greatest victim, and yet his staunchest ally. She sometimes realizes this and tries to get away, but can't escape his manipulative gravity. This obsessive love, however, is not returned; The Joker's soulmate is Batman, the yin to his yang, his equal and opposite. Nowhere is this more clear than in the iconic Mad Love, where Harley almost kills Batman as a gift to her puddin', only for The Joker to furiously lash out in a "no one kills Batman but me" kind of way.

So while the Joker is fun because he's so unsympathetic, Harley is fun because she is sympathetic. The Joker is fully evil, but Harley is only evil because of her exposure to The Joker; without him in the picture, she's just a manic antihero.

And that's exactly what's happened to her character over time; fan and authorial desire to see Harley achieve independence and escape the cycle of abuse led directly to her more modern portrayals, such as Margot Robbie in Suicide Squad (2016), Birds of Prey, and The Suicide Squad (2021). But even then, she was introduced in Suicide Squad against Jared Leto's Joker, and the start of Birds of Prey is her mourning her breakup with him. Her animated series starts the same way, seeking autonomy and an independent self-identity.

Folie a deux...isn't going to be doing that. It can't. It doesn't work with Arthur Fleck. The whole point of Joker (2019) is that Arthur Fleck is a loser, he's a failed nobody, he is the dregs of society that everyone ignores. His sexual frustration and loneliness form the basis of a major (and idiotic) plot beat with Zazie Beetz. He is a million miles from the "charismaniac" of Hamill or Ledger--there is zero possibility that he could "infect" a brilliant psychiatrist.

To his credit, Phillips realizes this, and is taking a different angle. From the trailer, it looks like Gaga's Harley is going to be a fellow Arkham resident, and she's going to be the one who initiates flirtation with Arthur, in a sort of "love letter to a serial killer" kind of admiration. The trailer leans heavily on the refrain of "what the world needs now is love, sweet love", and overall seems to be framing itself as an honest-to-god romance. Instead of the Joker/Harley relationship being abuser/victim, it looks instead to be toxic enabling, where Harley encourages Arthur to embrace his worst, most destructive instincts.

And...that's probably going to be framed as a good thing. See, if Folie a deux is going to be a romance, then plot constraints demand that there needs to be an obstacle dividing the lovers and preventing their happy union. What obstacle could exist between Arthur and Harley? Why, the entire legal system, of course--we see in the teaser multiple shots of them going up courthouse steps. It's likely that the pair fall in love in Arkham, escape ("let's get out of here", Harley says), are recaptured, and then have to defend themselves in court. This might have a "happy ending" where they win and leave together, affirming that enabling a violent criminal is a good thing. Or it might have a "sad ending" where the court outcome separates them, affirming Arthur's nihilism and anger at a system he perceives as unjust only when it inconveniences him. Either way, Harley is going to be framed as good for Arthur, making him better while making him worse.

Could this be done well? Maybe. It's certainly possible. Canon is already so broken that it's no longer a limitation. A talented director might realize the moral complexity in the relationship between two violent, mentally unstable murderers. One could frame the entire thing as a tragedy, where "boy gets girl back again" is shown to be disastrous (as in The Graduate). Or, it could even be something of an inversion of the more canonical Joker/Harley romance; instead of Harley realizing that she's better off without Mista J, it might be Arthur realizing he is better off without Harley.

But it almost certainly won't be any of that. Because Phillips thinks that Arthur Fleck is relatable. He thinks he's a martyr, a victim of targeted injustice, a doomed hero refusing to bow to societal norms. But he isn't. Arthur Fleck is an entitled white boy who simultaneously sees his suffering as a systemic failing, while also refusing to see how the system harms others, and refusing to see how his own choices make things worse for everyone. Arthur Fleck is an embodiment of denied privilege, where cishet white men expect to be lavished with unearned success, and are butthurt when they don't get it.

And above all, the thing that media has always told men is that a manic pixie dream girl is going to find you and fall madly in love with you despite your obvious failings. That is the heterosexual male romantic fantasy; love without effort, acceptance without labor, companionship without obligation. Todd Phillips might play this straight. Or he might set this up for Arthur, only to deny it as an act of authorial cruelty. But the first film demonstrates that he lacks the self-awareness necessary to actually deconstruct it, to criticize the expectation itself.

So no. I don't think Folie a deux will be better than its prequel. Because for Todd Phillips to make a better movie, he'd have to be a better person. And he's not.

#joker #joker folie a deux #folie a deux #prediction #harley quinn #romance

14 notes · View notes

mwhiteshelley · 2 years ago

Text

My Chemical Romance and the foundations of an endless night

It’s over…for now.

We knew it would have to end, we even knew the date, but who’s ever ready for the best things to end? After some of the greatest moments of our lives over the last year, we’re left to cling to our memories, replay our videos, scroll through every photo and wait with held breath for the next crumb of information from the band we love so much.

This tour was a journey for all of us, the band, the fans, the crew, the friends, families, everyone in its wake was traveling it together. The postponed dates for over two years, three years for some connected us through that passage of time, the wait for the thing we wanted so much to start, the delay of the inevitable end, the start of something new. It meant something at the beginning back in 2019 and 2020, it meant something even more after those that survived the pandemic made it to the other side and could count down to their first show. We waited for so long then, we can wait for a while now, right?

We weren’t sure the journey would continue, kept hoping to just see the word postponed instead of canceled on our tickets, and somehow, the first shows finally started to happen, and the return was in full motion, and we just had to wait for our turn. It was all so different even when some things were so much the same, but so much was different, and only in all the best ways. We saw them all reach for and gain their footing over the first set of shows. It was a learning experience, get back on the wheel, get it turning and fitting into the grooves again. And they all did it with so much more ease than seemed possible after so much time away, the best friends that you can connect with after years have passed, and it somehow feels like no time has passed at all.

Yesterday is today, today is the present and the past, and those kids were back, not the ones that ended their 12 year journey with the feeling of crushing pressure and lack of joy and the final parting gift of “Fake Your Death” lyrics that represented everything they felt back then. But those kids that started in the basements with only handfuls of people paying them any attention, the kids who put their hearts together after experiencing tragedy and wanted to do something right in the world, the kids who never dreamed they would be the anthem for so many and so much, those kids were back, but they were the grown up versions that knew better what life should be now. We saw these kids of today that beat their demons, marched beyond their fears, battled the addictions, held on for everything they had and came out on the other side to show all of us that it’s possible, and it’s very much real, and you can do any of it just like they did.

There was a new found joy that we hadn’t seen for years, maybe not ever because how is there ever real joy if you’re not fully free to be yourself? And that’s what this tour was if nothing else, it was being their true selves, being everything they all wanted to be, no matter when, no matter what, no matter who was watching. It was freedom, and they gave us the gift of watching that unfold and curl around the entire world as we looked on with an element of pride and absolute relief at the happiness that radiated from their faces.

That might be the biggest reason why it’s so hard to let this go…for now. Happiness of that amount is irresistible and infectious, and it didn’t matter if you were a new fan or a long-time fan, we wanted to hold on to that shared joy for just a little longer, forever if we had our way. So, in a turn of absolute surprise, even with ever-changing setlists and encores, they gave us an ending that was such a shock and so perfect that we all held our breaths even tighter, even longer together for those few moments after that last song. “Vampires Will Never Hurt You” was never something that had ended a show before, and yet, how could there have been a better way to end something that we ultimately didn’t want to have an ending at all? This full circle last parting gift of this tour was to leave us with the very first single they ever released over 20 years ago rather than something else in their catalog that was full of pain and goodbyes. And this band that delivered us a tour of being free, of being happy, of being yourself, gave us a perfect finale with no parting words and no goodbye group hug, the actual antithesis of an ending, complete with the words “Endless Night” emblazoned across the drum one final time.

It’s over…for now (if you want it), but we’re no longer waiting in the rubble of decay. We’re standing in the foundation of what’s to come, and our whole hearts will be ready for what’s next.

All photos shot by me (Twitter & Tumblr: mwhiteshelly / IG: @jmfstopimages https://www.instagram.com/jmfstopimages/) and cannot be reposted without credit

66 notes · View notes

brooklynbutterflyarts · 3 months ago

Photo

Blade runner poster framed Molding:Professional 1" Flat Top Black (solid-wood) Matte: 100% acid free board, Print: Full Color dry mounted glossy print Glass is included, Comes Fully Assembled Ready For Your Wall The double mat adds depth giving the display a unique "looking through a window'' appearance. The calendar print is bonded to foam core on a hot vacuum press. This bonding gives the print a perfect flat and smooth texture. This process also insures the print will never fold or fade with age or moisture. This wonderful display makes a thoughtful and original gift containing a classic vintage touch yet modern design, allowing it to fit alongside both modern and classic decor. BUY WITH CONFIDENCE. ALL OF MY DELICATE ITEMS ARE SHIPPED WITH A SPECIAL 3 LAYER PROTECTION SYSTEM. Blade Runner is a 1982 science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott from a screenplay by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples.[7][8] Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Edward James Olmos, it is an adaptation of Philip K. Dick's 1968 novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? The film is set in a dystopian future Los Angeles of 2019, in which synthetic humans known as replicants are bio-engineered by the powerful Tyrell Corporation to work on space colonies. When a fugitive group of advanced replicants led by Roy Batty (Hauer) escapes back to Earth, burnt-out cop Rick Deckard (Ford) reluctantly agrees to hunt them down. Blade Runner initially underperformed in North American theaters and polarized critics; some praised its thematic complexity and visuals, while others critiqued its slow pacing and lack of action. The film's soundtrack, composed by Vangelis, was nominated in 1982 for a BAFTA and a Golden Globe as best original score. Blade Runner later became a cult film, and has since come to be regarded as one of the greatest science fiction films. Hailed for its production design depicting a high-tech but decaying future, the film is often regarded as both a leading example of neo-noir cinema and a foundational work of the cyberpunk[9] genre. It has influenced many science fiction films, video games, anime, and television series. It also brought the work of Dick to Hollywood's attention and led to several film adaptations of his works. In 1993, it was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.

#nerd gift #sci fi decor #robots #blade runner #harrison ford #cyberpunk #cyber punk #futurism #cyberpunk poster #cyberpunk gift #science fiction gift #wall art

2 notes · View notes

folkwhore1998 · 4 months ago

Text

Meet me at midnight 🕛

She is a legend, an icon, she IS the moment! Midnights let Taylor be bejeweled again for the first time since 2019. She was most definetly shining with folklore and evermore, but she wanted deliver pop and she served it on an ice cold platter.

Midnights took awhile to grow on me. It was another slow burn just as 1989 was. I am by no means saying "it is a bad album" because that is the furthest thing from the truth and I do not believe she has a single bad album. I think what it was for me was it was such a big jump from what folklore and evermore was and I don't really know what it was I was expecting.

Reputation and Lover are some of my favorite aesthetics, but Midnights is right up there with them. The photos Taylor shot to promote the album were beautiful and I honestly believe they match Midnight's energy so well.

The rollout for Midnights was unreal and was so much fun. Midnights Mayhem with Me?!?! INCREDIBLE. It was such a creative way to engage and connect with her fanbase.

Side note: There are people who do not like Taylor and everyone is entitled to their (wrong) opinion. Because of this, they always try to discredit her and minimize her impact by saying "I just don't see the hype" or "I don't get why she is all I see on my social media" and the answer is: Taylor puts in the work to make being apart of this fandom so much fun and does things intentionally to connect with her fanbase. Of course every artist has to do this, however Taylor has made it a mission and priority to do this in a unique fashion that her fanbase truly engages with.

Would've, Could've, Should've (to me) is a song fueled by justified anger and resentment towards someone who took advantage of your youth. It is a matter of stealing and taking advantage of your time, but it is so much more a matter of stealing that innocence and blissful ignorance you have as a teenage girl. And to be honest, some of the lyrics in this song mirror how trauma from past abuse haunts me: (God rest my soul, I miss who I used to be The tomb won't close, stained glass windows in my mind; I regret you all the time; I can't let this go, I fight with you in my sleep; The wound won't close, I keep on waiting for a sign) I REGRET YOU ALL THE TIME. I cried the first time I heard it.

Here is my ranking of Midnights!

You're Losing Me

You're On Your Own, Kid

Mastermind

High Infidelity

Would've, Could've, Should've

Anti-Hero

Question...?

Labyrinth

Midnight Rain

Vigilante Shit

Maroon

Bejeweled

Hits Different

Sweet Nothing

Karma

The Great War

Snow on The Beach

Dear Reader

Lavender Haze

Bigger Than The Whole Sky

Paris

Glitch

Honorable mentions:

what does the upside down phone mean. please.

me when i'm snapchatting and realize i'm drunk

you're losing me altered my brain chemistry

youtube

and when i tell you i sobbed, i'm NOT joking.

youtube

it was rare, i was there (on a grainy livestream)

Check out these Swiftie small businesses!

Here is the link to anti-hero wrapping paper! I think this is SO much fun!!! Birthdays, holidays, and just because:

Look at how fun this anti-hero ghost crewneck is! Such a good crewneck for Halloween (or anytime):

You know whats coming... don't forget to vote for me for everything!:

https://vote.gov/

@taylornation. @taylorswift

6 notes · View notes

solangeloficawards · 1 year ago

Text

solangelo fic awards 2024!

oh hey! were back, and on a new blog! happy year 7 babes!

"best ____" fic nomination forms

best series nomination form

author of the year nomination form

let me know if you find any mistakes with the forms and i will fix it asap. you can also submit fics via message or ask! submissions end 01/31 and voting will (hopefully) be up by 02/02! <3

keep reading for past years, categories, & guidlines

2024 categories:

best fluff (award for the fluffiest, sweetest fics!)

best au (award for the best alternete universe or trope fics!)

best canon compliant (award for best demigod-centric universe following straight along with the classic riordan universe!)

best angst (award for the most heart-wrenching, angsty fic!)

returning category! best oneshot (award for one-chatper, under 5k word fics for our short story writers!)

new and improved! best wip (award for your favorite unfinished or abandoned multi-chaptered fics! previously best unfinished chaptered)

best misc (any fic that you dont think fits well into any of the other categories! this could include crackfics, crossover fics, miscellaneous oneshots, or any of your favorite tropes!)

best series (award for multiple fics within one series that all relate to the same plot/universe)

author of the year (to show your favorite author some appreciation!)

#rip chaptered finished and gift, forever in our hearts

references:

from the past: 2018 winners. 2019 winners. 2020 winners. 2021 winners. 2022 winners, 2023 winners

every fic masterlist: 2018 masterlist, 2019 masterlist, 2020 masterlist, 2021 masterlist, 2022 masterlist, 2023 masterlist

guidelines:

you can submit your own work

you can submit as many or as little fics as you’d like for any of the categories. the more the better!

fics published at any date can be submitted; however ,fics submitted after the deadline will not be included

fics cannot be any of the following: fics that have already won in previous years, non solangelo centric, orphan or anonymous fics (if i dont know the authors idk if they want to be included), explicit nsfw or any mention of underage nsfw (nsfw fics otherwise will be tagged as so), rape/non-con fics, graphic depictions of suicide, contains unnecessary racism/homophobia/trasnphobia or any other hateful content, harry potter aus, and any other content with homophobic or transphobic origins. fics submitted that violate any of these will not be included

you can submit multiple fics per category, however please do not submit the same fic for more than one category (if this does happen, i’ll just decide what category it best fits)

there is also a chance your fic may change categories from where you submitted it. this is only to help your fic do better, but you can let us know if you dont want that to happen

you are allowed to nominate fics that were nominated previous years; however, please do not nominate a winning fic from last year. the previous years nominations list and winners list can be found above (they will not be included in case you miss this, but if you do know please just save me some time

in the case that you do/someone else has submitted your work, you are allowed promote yourself, however you cannot offer anything in return for people to vote for your work. theres no prize for winning besides personal satisfaction so theres really no need

please do not be upset at me or anyone involved if you don't win. theres always next year!

all submissions are anonymous. a google sign-in will be required in order to vote when nominations do come out to ensure everyone is voting only once, but emails will not be collected or distributed! ou can always nominate or vote via ask (wont publish but ill lyk i received it) or direct message if you wish

please let us know if you see anyone violating the rules! we'll handle it from there!!

if you have any other questions, you can check out our faq! you can also message me or put it in an ask!

all relating posts for this year are tagged with #fic awards 2024! good luck :)

#solangelo #solangelo fic #nico di angelo #will solace #fic awards 2024 #nominations

147 notes · View notes

whileiamdying · 11 months ago

Text

The Essential Toni Morrison

Looking to read one of her books? Let us help. By Veronica Chambers Feb. 18, 2021

ebruary 18, 2021 would have been Toni Morrison’s 90th birthday. As we approach the anniversary of a global pandemic that has changed our lives in every way, it seems a fine time to dive back into the world of Toni Morrison. The questions she asked in a 2002 lecture seem wholly relevant now, almost 20 years later: “To what do we pay greatest allegiance? Family, language group, culture, country, gender? Religion, race? And if none of these matter, are we urbane, cosmopolitan, or simply lonely? In other words, how do we decide where we belong? What convinces us that we do?”

In everything Morrison wrote, she offered narratives that revealed the journeys of characters, specific but universal, flawed and imperfect, with a deeply American desire for freedom and adventure. One might say that because her characters were almost exclusively African-American, the quest to be free — in mind, body and spirit — was the consistent adventure. She was also a masterful crafter of windows; when you opened a book of hers, the worlds you entered were so rich with detail, you could feel the molecules around you change as if you’d just taken a long flight and were descending onto the tarmac in a town or city where you’d never been.

I’ll say this. Reading Morrison can be daunting. She won the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was, and will remain for lifetimes to come, one of the finest writers to craft narrative in the English language. As Dwight Garner wrote when she died in 2019, “Morrison had a superfluity of gifts and, like few other writers of her era, bent language to her will. Her prose could be lush, or raw and demotic, or carefree and eccentric, often on a single page. She filtered folklore,

biblical rhythms, dreams, choral voices and a steep awareness of history into her work. In the best of her 11 novels … she transmuted the basic matter of existence into profound works of art.”

One of the greatest joys of Toni Morrison’s work is knowing that you will never get it all on the first read. In her Nobel Prize speech, she famously said, “We know you can never do it properly — once and for all. Passion is never enough, neither is skill. But try.”

She was talking, ostensibly, about writing and writers. But I think it also applies to readers, her readers in particular, the millions of people around the world who have read and re-read her books. To read Toni Morrison is to know that from her brilliant opening lines to the stunning last pages that leave you shook that you will likely never match her wit and wisdom, but what joy there is in trying!

As someone who had the privilege of interviewing her several times over the last decade of her life, I think I can say with confidence that she wanted all of us — intellectuals and romance readers, book club aficionados and those of us who binge TV more than books — to get in where we fit in. Creatively, Toni Morrison set a large and lavish table of literature. If you’re new to her work, or haven’t read her in a long while, here are some thoughts about where to start.

My attention span is short.

If, like so many of us, you’ve found the anxiety-ridden free time of the pandemic not exactly conducive to deep reading, I’d start with her Nobel Lecture in Literature. It is a slim 10 pages, available as a digital download and it is a powerful meditation on why we read, why writers write, and why it matters.

It is, from beginning to end, chock full of the gorgeous, sugar-spun prose that the Nobel Prize judges noted when deciding to award the prize to Morrison, “who in novels characterized by visionary force and poetic import, gives life to an essential aspect of American reality.”

It was in this speech that she first uttered the words, “We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. That may be the measure of our lives.”

Relevant to the moment we’re in — and any hard times still to come — she offers up both an invitation and an invocation for the power of vulnerability to transform our relationships and ourselves: “For our sake and yours forget your name in the street; tell us what the world has been to you in the dark places and in the light. Don’t tell us what to believe, what to fear. Show us belief’s wide skirt and the stitch that unravels fear’s caul.”

And she does what she did better than almost anyone else, bring to life the humanity of enslaved African-Americans, writing them so real that you can almost hear their whisper: “Tell us about a wagonload of slaves, how they sang so softly their breath was indistinguishable from the falling snow.”

Published March 1, 1994, 40 pp.

Buy this book: Local booksellers, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.

I want to read one powerful, not too long, book.

Published in 1970, Morrison’s debut novel, “The Bluest Eye,” tells the story of Pecola Breedlove, a Black girl who has so deeply absorbed that whiteness conveys privilege and beauty and — this is important — protection, that she prays for God to turn her eyes blue.

It’s worth mentioning that white characters are rare in Morrison’s novels and among the many things this does is erase the prospect of easy villains. In “The Bluest Eye,” for example, the focus is always on Pecola — her jeopardy, her world view, her survival.

As Morrison would later tell The Times, “I was eager to read about a story where racism really hurts and can destroy you.”

But the book itself is by no means polemic. This is Morrison showing us how much she has mastered craft. There is not a single word in this novel that wasn’t considered, chosen and polished with the kind of love a real Pecola Breedlove would long for. An example: “Nuns go by as quiet as lust and drunken men and sober eyes sing in the lobby of the Greek hotel.”

Published 1970, 224 pp.

Buy this book: Local booksellers, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.

I want to read a masterpiece.

“Beloved” is considered Morrison’s most important novel and rightly so. Many know it from the movie adaptation that was produced by and stars Oprah. The novel was inspired by the true story of Margaret Garner, a runaway enslaved woman, who decided when realizing that her captors were upon her, killed her daughter rather than allow her to return to the brutality of plantation life. It had been Garner’s aim to kill all four of her children before killing herself. It was a case that made papers across the nation, including The Times.

As Rebecca Carroll wrote in her Overlooked obituary of Garner, “Garner’s story has been preserved in history as both sensational and singular. It writ large a question that had been unanswered in the homes and hearts of whites in pre-Civil War America: Was slavery a fate worse than death? Garner, with knife in hand, gave an answer that was impossible to ignore.”

Morrison would go on to write the libretto for an acclaimed opera about Garner. In 2010, she told NPR, “"The interest is not the fact of slavery, but of what happens internally, emotionally, psychologically, when you are in fact enslaved and what you do you do to try to transcend that circumstance. And that really is what Margaret Garner reveals.”

“Beloved” is Morrison at the height of her gifts, asking and answering dozens of questions across the narrative: What is required in motherhood when the world is at its most menacing? What might this story tell us about life after death, love after despair, the healing power of forgiveness and the shelf life of vengeance and rage?

As Morrison once told the critic Hilton Als, “I didn’t want to grow up to be a writer, I wanted to grow up to be an adult.” And so in “Beloved,” as we will in other novels like “Jazz" and “A Mercy,” we get to see what a grown-up love looks like. When Paul D., who was enslaved at the same plantation as Sethe, the protagonist, describes their relationship, he never needs to use the word “love” to say what she means to him: ““There are too many things to feel about this woman. His head hurts. Suddenly he remembers Sixo trying to describe what he felt about the Thirty-Mile Woman. “She gather me, man. The pieces I am, she gather them and give them back to me in all the right order. It’s good, you know, when you got a woman who is a friend of your mind.”

Incidentally, “The Pieces I Am” is also the name of the powerful documentary on Morrison.

Published Aug 12, 1987, 288 pp.

Buy this book: Local booksellers, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.

I love Marvel, mythology and origin stories.

“Song of Solomon,” the story of one Macon “Milkman” Dead, is infused with Morrison’s love of language and mythology. It begins with his birth the day after an insurance agent attempts to fly from the roof of the local hospital: “I will take off from Mercy and fly away on my own wings. Please forgive me. I loved you all.''

The palette of language Morrison uses in “Song of Solomon” is particular and vast. As she once said, “In my own family, there was street language, there was sermonic language.You know people actually quoted the Bible to you.” Morrison weaves that mixture of languages, high and low, slang and holy into a quest where the hero of the story searches for gold, purpose, meaning and truth.

In an interview about the book she said, “ “I was very enchanted with the myths and sagas, and, you know, mythological stories that had been told to us as we were kids. Because I thought, the one thing you can say about a myth is that there’s some truth in there, no matter how bizarre they may seem.

“And the one that I had always heard that seemed like just a child's wish was the one about Black people — Black slaves — who came to the United States, and under certain circumstances, they would fly back to Africa.”

She went on to explain that of course, the mythography that there were enslaved people who could fly had to do with escape. What struck her in reading narratives of former enslaved people that were collected in the 1930s was that this was a myth that came up again and again. Some people said they’d heard of people who could fly. Some claimed to have seen it with their own two eyes. But no one, Morrison noted, ever told an interviewer that the question was crazy or unheard of. The mythology of flight and freedom was deeply familiar to all of the former slaves. Throughout “Song of Solomon,” there is a beautifully woven thread of the possibility that this ancestral folk tale of black people and flight is true. (You can read more about this phenomenon in Virginia Hamilton’s powerful collection of African-American folktales and myths, “The People Could Fly.”)

Published 1977, 337 pp. Buy this book: Local booksellers, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.

I want to read a story about female friendships.

“Sula” is about two women, cherished friends, who take decidedly different paths. Hilton Als wrote, “Part of the extraordinary power of ‘Sula’ is that it’s a world where men are not the focus. It’s the sound of women’s voices that takes precedence, makes the story.”

At one point in the novel, Sula returns home, and the grandmother who raised her says, “Well, don’t let your mouth start nothing that your ass can’t stand. When you gone to get married? You need to have some babies. It’ll settle you.”

Sula’s response? ““I don’t want to make somebody else. I want to make myself.”

How does a woman make herself? How can two women be friends when they make radically different choices about what their lives might look like? What can you forgive in a friendship and where is the line when the friend who is outlandish, bold and maybe just a little bit unhinged, becomes more of a liability than an inspiration? A full 25 years before books and shows like “Sex and the City” portrayed female friendship as being the emotional center of smart and daring women who wanted to live by their own rules, “Sula” posited that two straight women could actually be the love of each others’ lives.

Published November 1973, 192 pp.

Buy this book: Local booksellers, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.

I love books, but make it fashion.

“Tar Baby” is the story of Jadine, a beautiful fashion model based in Paris, and the man she falls in love with — a working class guy from northern Florida called Son. (His father is known as the Old Man.) Can star-crossed lovers from different classes make it? As Jadine and Son traverse each other’s worlds, the question comes up again and again: What is home for these entirely different Black Americans? Is there one place where they can both feel whole?

Jadine and Son’s banter is so light and playful, one can only imagine the delight Morrison took in constructing it.

“Imagine something. Something that fits in the dark. Say the dark is the sky at night. Imagine something in it.”

“A star?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t. I can’t see it.”

“Okay. Don’t try to see it. Try to be it. Would you like to know what it’s like to be one? Be a star?”

“A movie star?”

“No, a star star. In the sky. Keep your eyes closed, think about what it feels like to be one.” He moved over to her and kissed her shoulder. “Imagine yourself in that dark, all alone in the sky at night. Nobody is around you. You are by yourself, just shining there. You know how a star is supposed to twinkle? We say twinkle because that is how it looks, but when a star feels itself, it’s not a twinkle, it’s more like a throb. Star throbs. Over and over and over. Like this. Stars just throb and throb and throb and sometimes, when they can’t throb anymore, when they can’t hold it anymore, they fall out of the sky.”

This novel is also a terrific way to explore Morrison, the naturalist. She slows down time when she takes in nature, with a wonder and precision that brings to mind the poet Mary Oliver. One example: “Bees have no sting on Isle des Chevaliers, nor honey. They are fat and lazy, curious about nothing. Especially at noon. At noon parrots sleep and diamondbacks work down the trees toward the cooler undergrowth. At noon the water in the mouths of orchids left there by the breakfast rain is warm. Children stick their fingers in them and scream as though scalded.''

Published Mar 12, 1981, 320 pp.

Buy this book: Local booksellers, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.

I want historical fiction that swings.

“Jazz” is the story of a love triangle gone violently wrong. But it’s also about Harlem in the 1920s. It is Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston, Paul Robeson and Josephine Baker. It is shiny and powerful, hopeful and talented, it swings with possibility.

One of my favorite passages of all time in any book is from “Jazz,” and it goes like this: “I'm crazy about this City. Daylight slants like a razor cutting the buildings in half. In the top half I see looking faces and it's not easy to tell which are people, which the work of stonemasons. Below is shadow where any blasé thing takes place: clarinets and lovemaking, fists and the voices of sorrowful women. A city like this one makes me dream tall and feel in on things. Hep.”

James McBride, the award-winning author who is also a musician, wrote in this paper that “it is through jazz, actually, that one can best understand the imaginative power and technical mastery that Morrison has achieved over the course of her literary journey. No American writer I can think of, past or present, incorporates jazz into his or her writing with greater effect. Her work doesn’t bristle with jazz. It is jazz. Her novel of the same name is an homage to the genre. Jazz eats everything in its path — rock, classical, Latin. Like the great jazz musicians who evolved out of bebop and moved to free jazz, and whose later work demands listening, Morrison’s later novels are almost as enjoyable listened to as read. That is why, I suspect, she spends exhausting hours in the studio recording her books, instead of letting actors do the job. She’s the bandleader. She wrote the music. She knows where the song is going.”

Morrison recorded most of her own audiobooks, and to hear her say these words and so many others compounds the value of the gift of her narrative. Pat Conroy said that the four most important words in the English language are “tell me a story.” Hearing Morrison read her novels is like having the most elegant, erudite, elder in your tribe saying, “Come. Sit next to me, let me tell you a story.”

In every book, and on every page, one gets the sense that Morrison, who did not publish her first novel until she was 39 and did not quit her day job until more than a decade later, took the art of fiction as a solemn calling. Everything she put on the page was carefully constructed. We feel at home in the pages of her novel because her work is orchestral in scope and yet, especially in the audiobooks, there is always this enchanting intimacy that pulls you in. The books are important and mighty works of American literature, and yet somehow, it feels like she is speaking, writing, singing, just to you.

Published Apr 07, 1992, 229 pp.

Buy this book: Local booksellers, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.

Photograph by Sara Krulwich/The New York Times.

Produced by Rumsey Taylor.

#Toni Morrison #Nobel Prize #Literature #The Bluesst Eye #Beloved #Somng of Solomon #Sula #Tar Baby #Jazz

2 notes · View notes