#book: dragonfly in amber

[transparentdreamruins]

Jamie & Claire

"Oh, Claire, ye so break my heart wi' loving you." ~ Dragonfly in Amber

[inlovewithquotes]

"Claire," he whispered. " Please. Let me give ye comfort."

"Comfort?" I said. "And how will you do that? Can you give me back my child?"

He sank to his knees before me, but I kept my head down, staring into my upturned hands, laid empty on my lap. I felt his movement as he reached to touch me, hesitated, drew back, reached again.

"No," he said, his voice scarcely audible. "No, I canna do that. But....with the grace of God....I might give ye another?"

-Dragonfly In Amber

[jemscorner]

Outlander parallels - 2x13 | 7x05

Nothing is lost . . only changed.

[themusicsweetly]

All the time the ghosts flit past and through us, hiding in the future.  We look in the mirror and see the shades of other faces looking back through the years; we see the shape of memory, standing solid in an empty doorway.  By blood and by choice, we make our ghosts; we haunt ourselves.

[tragedyandterror]

Randall, retreating before the inexorable blade, slipped on the wet grass and went down. He arched his back, attempting to rise, but the grass was slippery. The fabric of his stock was torn, and his head was thrown back, dark hair rain-soaked, throat exposed like that of a wolf begging mercy. But vengeance knows no mercy, and it was not the exposed throat that the descending blade sought.

+some detail close ups!

[bonaesperanza]

There's no plot beat more unsatisfying than a protagonist who is trying to escape the Cool Adventurous Setting for some reason. I get that it's sometimes realistic for them to do that but it's really difficult to root for someone or get emotionally invested in their success when their main goal is to get away from all the stuff you find interesting to watch/read about.

You get about the same frustrated feeling like when you're at a party and hitting it off with a person but the friend you're with is whining about wanting to go home.

[whats-in-a-sentence]

It had everything you could want on an occasion of that sort – rumbling waterfalls, silver cascades, deep, amber-colored pools, mossy rocks, and deep moss on the banks in which you could sink over your ankles, every kind of fern, jewel-like dragon flies, sometimes a hawk overhead and once (Peter and Trumpkin both thought) an eagle.

"The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" - C. S. Lewis

[wakingupnexttoyou]

I have two reading buddies today 🥰 it's really too bad I can't just sit here all day. I have a little running around to do in a bit here but one of my errands is taking my Nana to the doctor so I'm gonna sit in the car and read while I'm waiting for her lol.

For those of you wondering here is my current read:

I don't know what it is about these books but I feel like it takes me longer to read these than any other book. I feel like it's probably the accents written in lol I keep having to go back and make sure I understood what they said because I'm not used to the Scottish accent or the way they speak. But they're so so good!! Eventually I will sit down and watch the show as well.

[litandlifequotes]

I stood still, vision blurring, and in that moment, I heard my heart break. It was a small, clean sound, like the snapping of a flower’s stem.

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

[pizzawrench]

AGHHHHHHHHH

[transparentdreamruins]

Jamie & Claire

"[...] Jamie was my heart and the breath of my body." ~ Dragonfly in Amber

[inlovewithquotes]

"I will find you," he whispered in my ear. "I promise. If I must endure two hundred years of purgatory, two hundred years without you--then that is my punishment, which I have earned for my crimes. For I have lied, and killed, and stolen; betrayed and broken trust. But there is the one thing that shall lie in the balance. When I shall stand before God, I shall have one thing to say, to weigh against the rest."

His voice dropped, nearly to a whisper, and his arms tightened around me. "Lord, ye gave me a rare woman, and God! I loved her well."

-Jamie Fraser

[semper-legens]

21. Dragonfly in Amber, by Diana Gabaldon

Owned: No, library Page count: 963 My summary: 1968. Claire Randall and her daughter have returned to Scotland from America, tracking the history of a band of Jacobites. But why did Claire leave Jamie and return to the future? Back in 1744, there's a war to stop. Armed with foreknowledge of the future, Claire is trying desperately to keep her friends alive. Jamie won't be doomed to die at Culloden if Culloden doesn't happen...right? My rating: 4/5 My commentary:

Ah, Outlander. While I may have only read the first book on a whim, I found myself enjoying it far more than I thought I would. What can I say, there was just something charming about our hero, ex-World War Two nurse Claire, travelling through time to meet her Scottish rebel beaux, Jamie Fraser. They were strong characters, very engaging, and the story itself (though not without flaws) was interesting enough to keep my attention for all of its 800+ pages. So of course I tracked down a copy of the next one. And for the most part, it's just as good! Immediately, it grabbed me with the opening premise - Claire and her daughter Brianna, who is obviously Jamie's, have travelled back to Scotland in 1968 after Claire's twenty year marriage to original husband Frank Randall ended in his death. How did Claire get back to her present? Why is she in Scotland tracing the fates of the Lallybroch men? And what actually happened to Jamie Fraser? These are the mysteries of Outlander book two - Dragonfly in Amber.

(Warning for talk of rape under the cut.)

There's so much to talk about in this near 1000 pages of novel, so I'm just going to hit on some key points here. Jamie and Claire continue to be brilliant. Claire is pregnant for much of this novel, and Jamie feels a lot of protectiveness towards her, which often frustrates her. Jamie is in his element, fighting both physically in the field at Culloden and more mentally and socially in the courts of France, and doing a good job at both. I think the reason I like Jamie and Claire so much, in hindsight, is the fact that they could so easily be one-dimensional stereotypes of their genre, but have a lot more depth than that. Claire is often in distress and needs Jamie to save her, but she's also cool-headed from her time as a war nurse and is very capable of arguing her case and getting her way when she knows what's best. Jamie is a rugged, tough Scot, but he's also got a core of vulnerability and kindness beneath him - and moreso than just the 'burly guy with a heart of gold' stereotype either, he's as emotionally reliant on Claire as she is physically reliant on him, and the pair of them make an excellent team together. There's a lot of character to them, we find out a lot about them as individuals, and they're both as flawed and liable to make mistakes and argue and fall out as each other. The saving grace is, of course, their genuine and deep love for one another. It's lovely to see their passion and devotion, even through the trials they have faced across these two books.

Sex and sexual violence rear their head thematically once more here. The sexual violence and rape that is often either threatened or actioned in these books are somewhat sensationalised - see poor Mary Hawkins being raped by strangers on the street, a fate that Claire very closely avoids. Randall continues to be a sadistic monster. Jamie's trauma comes back up, and he responds by wanting to fight it - literally, in the form of Randall. It's very matter-of-fact, and part of me does wonder if Claire being threatened so often is meant to be somewhat titilating for its assumed audience. But then, perhaps I am being unfair. Such things are shown as being as traumatic as they are in real life, with Mary basically becoming catatonic as a result of her treatment, Claire being duly freaked out by her narrow miss, and Jamie still suffering the aftereffects of Randall. And to balance that, there's plenty of consensual sex. Mary and Alexander Randall find solace in each other, Claire and Jamie enjoy a very healthy s-x life even through her pregnancy, and nobody is ever shamed by the narrative for wanting consensual sex. And for a story largely set in the 1740s, that's a huge breath of fresh air. I feel like sex is used very deliberately in these books, as both a means of characterisation and as a fact of the 18th century lives our protagonists lead. Because it's everywhere, from the gossip and frivolity of the French court to the bawdy Scottish warriors to the intimacy of Claire and Jamie's bedchamber. It happens. And that's a very mature attitude to the subject, I think.

And finally, there's something I haven't talked about yet, either in this or the last time I've talked about Outlander - the idea of fate, destiny, and changing history. Claire is from nearly two hundred years in Jamie's future, and given that her husband was interested in both Jacobite history and his personal family history, knows a fair amount about what is to happen in the uprisings. Given that Claire has no intent to revisit the future, is it possible for her to change it? She has a close personal connection to Lallybroch and the Lallybroch men (other than Jamie, that is) and doesn't want them to die at Culloden, as many Jacobites did. Claire and Jamie's reason for being in France assisting Bonnie Prince Charlie is actually to avert the Jacobite risings, though they have to be subtle about it lest they be branded traitors to both Scotland and England. Can Claire change fate? She knows that Jack Randall was meant to die at Culloden, despite his apparent ignominious death at Wentworth. Yeah, I thought that was a bit too quick and throw-away a death for a figure that haunted the first book. Turns out Randall's alive and up to his old tricks, leading to Jamie wanting to kill him dead as well as having panic attacks and bad dreams thanks to his trauma. (As an aside, I did find that Alexander Randall being Frank's true ancestor as was implied here to be a bit of a cop-out - of course Frank couldn't actually be the direct descendant of a sadistic rapist.)

This ambiguity, however, of whether Claire and Jamie can actually save anyone is a large theme of the book, and I like that. It's a kind of time travel narrative that skips all the moralising about paradoxes and gets to the personal. Claire loves Frank, and wants him to have existed in the future. Claire loves Jamie and the Lallybroch men, and wants them to survive Culloden. Claire and Jamie want to save as many people as they can. And that's a noble cause, and not something the narrative punishes them for. For all the pain and trauma that come about as a result of the uprising, it doesn't rest at the feet of that caring impulse. Which is nice to see, you know? Claire's just one person trying to make the best of it in an intensely hostile world, and her struggles and choices make for an engaging read.

Next, something not all too far from Outlander - a look at sex in Medieval Europe.

[sgiandubh]

Calling all Landcon 7 shippers

Landcon is happening April 26 -27, 2025 : that is, of course a full week-end for us. But many will be coming to Paris earlier and/or leaving later, so here is the deal:

As you all know, I thought a nice, no frills International Shipper Dinner would be a great idea to meet, hug and celebrate. Now I know there is also that (rather expensive) cosplay ultra secret dinner with the cast, but I doubt all of us will book it, for many reasons. A nice pizza joint near our hotels has been mentioned and I think it could be fun and very easy to organize - if you have any other venue in mind, please mention it in the comments and we will decide together.

At the same time, I wanted to honor both this whole experience and our shipper community, so I felt something more could be done, if we all agree to it. Paris has been home to me for a long while and I am (also) a historian with a deep passion for and knowledge of the Eighteenth century. A 'Dragonfly in Amber' tour of Paris would have been a bit too much to digest, however, and difficult to organize. But I think a half day tour of Versailles is manageable and could be both enriching and fun.

So, if you remember this...

... wouldn't you like to visit the place where it 'happened', along with the faint echoes of all that gossip and intrigue, at the court of Louis XV?

If so, let me guide you around, informally and for free. That means if we decide to go for it, we could equally split the cost of a roundtrip transfer and perhaps even book entry tickets at a group price. The more being the merrier, I think renting a van with driver is achievable and not too expensive. I will do the talk, in full transparency. We will discuss all the offers together and settle for the best one. I will never ask you for anything else: this is not how I work and this is my way to thank you.

The reason I am proposing to rent a van is obvious: it is easier to coordinate the group and it takes less time, as there is no direct public transport link between Courbevoie and Versailles:

It would take us at least one hour/leg, with quite some walking and it will require us to change two trams and (perhaps) one bus also, depending on traffic. However, if you decide this is something achievable, why not?

To make this very clear, I compared the prices for a round trip with a rented vehicle (different types, depending of how many of us would join the group). The company is randomly picked on Google, it's the first offer that I could see online, without waiting for an email:

So a round trip with van and driver could cost anywhere from 108 euros/pax to 19 euros/pax (unrealistic, perhaps, as we would have to be 59 for that). Again: the more, the merrier.

Using the public transportation network is, indeed, less expensive, as a Navigo Day Ticket (unlimited trips on the entire network) will cost 20.60 euros:

Whichever we choose, I am fine with it and happy to help everyone.

This poll will help us decide quickly and effectively, together:

This poll will remain open for one week and I will pin it to my page to make it more visible. When it will be closed, we will decide together. I am not forcing anything, nor selling anything. I will simply be over the moon, at any rate and cannot wait to meet all of you.

If you think it's interesting, kindly share this poll. Thank you all!

[goatyuuji]

Sorry for the delay, but it's here now… Most of them are NC-17 and R rated, so read the tags.

One shots (1k-9k)

Incense by cielelyse (E, 6.6k)

“We wanted to know,” says Mimiko, “who between the two of you is the better fighter?” (Or: Satoru tries to prove he's better at close combat, but Suguru has other plans.)

Curiosity Killed the Crush by xBarbarellax (E, 7.5k)

Today was the day. No more chickening out, no more waiting for him to make the first move, no. Today, Hina was going to ask out Gojo Satoru.

all the world’s a stage by ruche

“I don’t deserve to love you,” Suguru offered. It was placid as a temple pond, at odds with all his feelings. His arms went limp at his sides. He smiled again, sweet and hollow. “Right?” Satoru recovered well enough. Intensity seemed to evaporate off of him within a few stiff seconds. “They deserve this, I deserve that,” he said after a beat. “Who died and made you king of the universe? Talk about obnoxious.” Suguru is horny and Satoru makes that Suguru’s problem.

closer to the bone by sanctify (E, 6k)

“How thoughtful of you.” Gojo eventually says as he rests the cuffs on his lap, skimming a finger along the black padding on the inside of one. “I saw that you had added them to your wishlist.” Geto hums, tilting his head in his direction, the sharp amber of his eyes like spools of molten honey. “I hope it wasn’t too forward of me.” This has Gojo burst out into a brief fit of laughter, the bright whites of his teeth showing as he leans forward to lay a hand on Geto’s chest, easy and playful and flirtatious. “I invite you over so I can record you fucking my brains out and post it online, and you think you’re being forward?” Gojo laughs again, a soft pink coloring the curve of his cheeks this time, accentuated by the highlighter he wore.

Thought you were about to get some foreplay with me by SaintOfAthena (E, 5.7k)

See, Gojo Satoru has a problem: there is a frontier that his true feelings cannot breach. When they try to force it, it is only at the cost of their true nature that they are allowed to pass. Consequently, after a mental breakdown due to a pimple that leads to Geto taking care of him, he jumps on the chance to tell him how he feels but things don't go as smoothly as expected.

up the river, we can go slow by Eskarina (E, 5.8k)

Satoru looks ethereal this way—like nothing has ever touched him. Like Suguru couldn’t even touch him if he wanted to. He does want to, eventually; ask Satoru if he’s allowed to leave marks that won’t disappear within the blink of an eye. He doesn’t think they’re quite there yet.

Trials and tribulations of loving Satoru Gojo.

Woozy by Kiboutie (E, 2.5k)

“I have infinity, remember? No one can touch me,” Satoru repeats, before slowly reaching forward and tucking a stray strand of hair behind Suguru’s ear with a wistful sigh. “Unless I want them to.” Alternatively, The one where omega Gojo continues to spend his heat with Getou, even after they've parted ways.

Longer fics (9k+)

4AM by damiselart (E, 10.8k)

Suguru and Satoru's meet cute but it's horny instead.

His **** is What?! by owl_beans (E, 10.1K)

Gojo Satoru did not have a crush on Getou Suguru. They had never even spoken to each other. Satoru was just curious about what neat and polite Getou Suguru was like when he wasn't all buttoned up. The answer was not at all what Satoru expected and even better than he had imagined. To no one's surprise, they hit it off infuriatingly well.

in the eye of the dragonfly by backbones (E, 9.3k)

Suguru first heard about the Six Eyes when he was still a child. Like most children his age, it sounded like a legend, or a fairy tale out of a book—and when he was a teenager, it became more real. Suguru was slated to be a sorcerer, but he still came from a modest clan inside the same village where the Six Eyes was born, and occasionally he would hear little truths: he was a boy of sixteen (like Suguru), he had eyes like the sky (unlike Suguru), or he will be the strongest sorcerer alive (not if Suguru had a say). But— He’s a boy, Suguru thought. He’s a boy. (In which the Gojo clan arranges a marriage between Satoru and Suguru.)

lovesick lullabye by pastelcoloureddreams (E, 18k)

"Satoru, you can't pretend like there's nothing more to us," Suguru appeals, grabbing the crook of Satoru's elbow. That certainly makes Satoru freeze but his eyes remain hard, an impenetrable fortress to the soft and vulnerable boy he knows still lives inside Satoru. "I still love you." "Love? Is that why you left me?"

Slow Hands by megumiblues (E, 12.3k)

Satoru is in desperate need of a massage, so who better to ask than famous masseuse Suguru, who just so happens to be the best friend he’s been in love with for over ten years now?

The Traveller's Song by No_Ir (E, 23.3k)

When it comes, the death of summer is vapid and quiet. It tastes like stale water and smells like memories gone bad in the heat. Nothing mourns it and the air is speckled with bits of seawater that cling to the dampness on the back of his neck. Crickets chirp throughout the night and the bed is too warm to sleep in, so he buries his face into pillows that smell like dust and salt and ignores the stabbing behind his eyes till he can feel the irritating warmth of another day on his back. I miss the sea, he thinks, staring at the familiar outline of the window, palm resting on the friend-shaped dent on his bed. Exhaustion drapes itself over his shoulders and sweat beads like pearls at the roots of his hair. I miss the sea like I miss my friend.

The Future of a Broken Past by dazylein (34.5k, ongoing)

Temporary amnesia due to severe trauma. It’s all the doctor can tell Satoru when he wakes up bloodied and bruised with no ID on him and no fingerprints matching any record. Plagued with the idea that his life must have been meaningless if no one is even looking for him, Satoru finds himself in front of a buddhist temple that proves him otherwise. As the haze around his memories clears, the guesses of who did this to him and why turn muddier and muddier.

[cryptidclaw]

Cryptidclaw's WC Prefixes List!

Yall said you were interested in seeing it so here it is! 

This is a collection of mostly Flora, Fauna, Rocks, and other such things that can be found in Britain since that’s where the books take place! 

I also have other Prefixes that have to do with pelt colors and patterns as well!

Here’s a link to the doc if you dont want to expand a 650 word list on your Tumblr feed lol! the doc is also in my drive linked in my pined post!

below is the actual list! If there are any names you think I should add plz tell me!

EDIT: I will update the doc with new names as I come up with them or have them suggested to me, but I wont update the list on this post! Plz visit my doc for a more updated version!

Animals

Mammal

Badger

Bat

Bear

Beaver

Bison

Boar

Buck

Calf

Cow

Deer

Elk

Fawn

Ferret

Fox

Goat

Hare

Horse

Lamb

Lynx

Marten

Mole

Mouse

Otter

Rabbit

Rat

Seal

Sheep

Shrew

Squirrel

Stoat

Vole

Weasel

Wolf

Wolverine

Amphibians

Frog

Newt

Toad

Reptiles

Scale

Adder

Lizard

Snake

Turtle

Shell

Birds

Bird

Down

Feather

Albatross

Bittern

Buzzard

Chaffinch

Chick

Chicken

Coot

Cormorant

Corvid

Crane

Crow

Curlew

Dove

Duck

Dunlin

Eagle

Egret

Falcon

Finch

Gannet

Goose

Grouse

Gull

Hawk

Hen

Heron

Ibis

Jackdaw

Jay

Kestrel

Kite

Lark

Magpie

Mallard

Merlin

Mockingbird

Murrelet

Nightingale

Osprey

Owl

Partridge

Pelican

Peregrine

Petrel

Pheasant

Pigeon

Plover

Puffin

Quail

Raven

Robin

Rook

Rooster

Ruff

Shrike

Snipe

Sparrow

Starling

Stork

Swallow

Swan

Swift

Tern

Thrasher

Thrush

Vulture

Warbler

Whimbrel

Wren

Freshwater Fish 

Fish

Bass

Bream 

Carp

Dace

Eel

Lamprey

Loach

Minnow

Perch

Pike

Rudd

Salmon

Sterlet

Tench

Trout

Roach

Saltwater fish and other Sea creatures (would cats be able to find some of these? Probably not, I don't care tho)

Alge

Barnacle

Bass (Saltwater version)

Bream (Saltwater version)

Brill

Clam

Cod

Crab

Dolphin

Eel (Saltwater version)

Flounder

Garfish

Halibut

Kelp

Lobster

Mackerel

Mollusk

Orca

Prawn

Ray

Seal

Shark

Shrimp

Starfish

Sting

Urchin

Whale

Insects and Arachnids

Honey

Insect

Web

Ant

Bee

Beetle

Bug

Butterfly

Caterpillar

Cricket

Damselfly

Dragonfly

Fly

Grasshopper

Grub

Hornet

Maggot

Moth

Spider

Wasp

Worm

Trees

Acorn

Bark

Branch

Forest

Hollow

Log

Root

Stump

Timber

Tree

Twig

Wood

Alder

Apple

Ash

Aspen

Beech

Birch

Cedar

Cherry

Chestnut

Cypress

Elm

Fir

Hawthorn

Hazel

Hemlock

Linden

Maple

Oak

Pear

Poplar

Rowan

Redwood

Spruce

Willow

Yew

Flowers, Shrubs and Other plants

Berry

Blossom

Briar

Field

Flower

Leaf

Meadow

Needle

Petal

Shrub

Stem

Thicket

Thorn

Vine

Anemone 

Apricot

Barley 

Bellflower

Bluebell

Borage

Bracken

Bramble

Briar

Burnet

Buttercup

Campion

Chamomile

Chanterelle

Chicory

Clover

Cornflower

Daffodil

Daisy

Dandelion

Dogwood

Fallow

Fennel

Fern

Flax

Foxglove

Furze

Garlic

Ginger

Gorse

Grass

Hay

Heather

Holly

Honeysuckle

Hop

Hyacinth

Iris

Ivy

Juniper

Lavender

Lichen

Lilac

Lilly

Mallow

Marigold

Mint

Mistletoe

Moss

Moss

Mushroom

Nettle

Nightshade

Oat

Olive

Orchid

Parsley

Periwinkle

Pine

Poppy

Primrose

Privet

Raspberry

Reed

Reedmace

Rose

Rush

Rye

Saffron

Sage

Sedge

Seed

Snowdrop

Spindle

Strawberry

Tangerine

Tansy

Teasel

Thistle

Thrift

Thyme

Violet

Weed

Wheat

Woodruff

Yarrow

Rocks and earth

Agate

Amber

Amethyst

Arch

Basalt

Bounder

Cave

Chalk

Coal

Copper

Dirt

Dust

Flint

Garnet

Gold

Granite

Hill

Iron

Jagged

Jet

Mountain

Mud

Peak

Pebble

Pinnacle

Pit

Quartz

Ridge

Rock

Rubble

Ruby

Rust(y)

Sand

Sapphire

Sediment

Silt

Silver

Slate

Soil

Spire

Stone

Trench

Zircon

Water Formations

Bay

Cove

Creek

Delta

Lake

Marsh

Ocean

Pool

Puddle

River

Sea

Water

Weather and such

Autumn

Avalanche

Balmy

Blaze

Blizzard

Breeze

Burnt

Chill

Cinder

Cloud

Cold

Dew

Drift

Drizzle

Drought

Dry

Ember

Fall

Fire

Flame

Flood

Fog

Freeze

Frost

Frozen

Gale

Gust

Hail

Ice

Icicle

Lightening

Mist

Muggy

Rain 

Scorch

Singe

Sky

Sleet

Sloe

Smoke

Snow

Snowflake

Soot

Sorrel

Spark

Spring

Steam

Storm

Summer

Sun

Thunder

Water

Wave

Wet

Wind

Winter

Celestial??

Comet

Dawn

Dusk

Evening 

Midnight

Moon

Morning

Night

Noon

Twilight

Cat Features, Traits, and Misc. 

Azure

Beige

Big

Black

Blonde

Blotch(ed)

Blue

Bounce

Bright 

Brindle

Broken

Bronze

Brown

Bumble

Burgundy

Call

Carmine

Claw

Cobalt

Cream

Crimson

Cry

Curl(y)

Dapple

Dark

Dot(ted)

Dusky

Ebony

Echo

Fallen

Fleck(ed)

Fluffy

Freckle

Ginger

Golden

Gray

Green

Heavy

Kink

Knot(ted)

Light

Little

Lost

Loud

Marbled

Mew

Milk

Mottle

Mumble

Ochre

Odd

One

Orange

Pale

Patch(ed)

Pounce 

Prickle

Ragged

Red

Ripple

Rough

Rugged

Russet

Scarlet

Shade

Shaggy

Sharp

Shimmer

Shining

Small

Smudge

Soft

Song

Speckle

Spike

Splash

Spot(ted)

Streak

Stripe(d)

Strong

Stump(y)

Sweet

Tall

Talon

Tangle

Tatter(ed)

Tawny

Tiny

Tough

Tumble

Twist

Violet

Whisker

Whisper

White

Wild

Wooly

Yellow