#but *no*; i’m stubborn and so i stand by my statement that ‘the foxhole court’ is my favorite

[sinterblackwell]

for the ask game, you know i’m gonna say all for the game

thank you, i literally reblogged that ask game simply so i could talk about aftg 💜

all for the game trilogy by nora sakavic

my favorite female character:

renee; where i connected the most with her is in her understanding that there’s a lot more to notice than what’s on the surface, in both situations and with people. her relationship with andrew is a prime example but now that i think about her and allison, i can see it even more clearly.

i have particularly mixed feelings about allison’s character but when i think of that moment where renee protected her in “the king’s men” after andrew retaliated at allison for slapping aaron (+ another moment in the same book when the foxes are in baltimore and neil notices the bruises that renee and allison share after the riot in binghamton), i understand why so many people love them together. how we see allison is debatable but how renee sees allison means that there’s a connection somewhere, like with andrew; one that you can’t judge upfront.

my favorite male character:

kevin; i talked to you in particular @evxnbuckley about my feelings toward him but to put it short here, i bonded with him during a small period in my life where i was feeling very intensely (and still do) a shame that he as well faced in the books. seeing that shame reflected by aftg fans who defend him with all their heart, reading ao3 fics in where his shame is explored better despite being from another character’s perspective; it was hard to not grow attached to him.

plus there’s so many fun facts about him that i’ve read through those tumblr posts i’ve read; like the headcanons of him being bisexual and how he acts in the history classroom + him being a history major in general; what his love for the trojans means to everyone (when i think trojans, i think of the trojan war thanks to having read “the song of achilles” by madeline miller (despite it being categorized as greek mythology, i still define it as a point in history, hence new headcanon; kevin likes mythology) and how kevin being a history major means that there could be something even way more to why he loves this particular exy team and i love that).

i just love him and the little headcanon i have of him myself where he’s hispanic; i don’t really know, it just feels right to me. it probably doesn’t make sense, but it popped up in my head a while ago and now i can’t stop picturing him as such.

my favorite book/season/etc:

“the foxhole court”, book one; despite having only rated it four stars on goodreads, i greatly enjoyed this wild introduction to all the characters in the aftg trilogy. what i loved even more (which perhaps wasn’t the best decision on my part) is that it started out as a mild curiosity of a trilogy that i briefly recalled a booktuber had ranted about a while ago (i completely forgot said rant, besides something about the misuse of drugs), and yet there was nothing more. i didn’t know too much of what to expect besides what i gleaned from the short summary.

i think it’s having had that curiosity and being surprised with the characters i met, plus diving into something that i didn’t foresee i would fall in love with that makes the first book a favorite. it’s something sentimental to me, now that i think about it. it wasn’t until i read the last chapter that i realized just how deep i would go into this trilogy, especially with how...ominous it felt with andrew + neil’s last conversation (the nature of it, to be more clear) being the closing of the first book. i couldn’t not want to read what happens next for all of the characters.

my favorite episode (if it’s a tv show):

my favorite cast member:

my favorite ship(s):

andrew + neil; nicky + erik; kevin + happiness

nicky and erik’s relationship, in particular, is something more in the background; but when i’m seeing nicky and how much he puts himself forward so much of the time (in times also where it’s inappropriate), how much he cares for the foxes and especially andrew + aaron, i think of how erik must have helped him so much in learning how he could be himself and love who he is for himself. how that path towards self-love directed nicky to want that so much for the foxes, for neil. i wish we could’ve heard more from erik; seeing him in “the king’s men” felt bittersweet because he was always spoken through the other characters and yet this was the one time we could actually hear from him. that one just didn’t feel like enough.

but it’s quite alright, that’s what fanfiction is for.

a character i’d die defending:

kevin; i don’t speak too much about him, i let all those posts i reblog that are centered around him speak for themselves. but i have moments to myself where i think about how some people (who i’ve only ever crossed paths once) dislike him for the things that i’ve connected with. it’s more personal to me when this is a character i created a bond with and some of the things that i read from others is how much people bash him (or at least used to) and it sucks the energy out of me while also fueling me beyond belief; imagine that, imagine a character who you see yourself in, who you see so much potential in, get overlooked or overly judged as if there isn’t much more to them. as if this scene doesn’t exist:

- “the king’s men” by nora sakavic

(+ i feel like only those who actually read aftg will understand this but my point still stands)

exy is something he truly loves, a sport that was forced down his throat but he didn’t grow to hate it, no he loved it; and he was brilliant at it. this was the time he was going to show everyone just how much; just how much he was worth beyond the the ravens and riko. he was going to try with everything that he could and this was his first step. doesn’t that mean anything to you?

a character i just can’t sympathize with:

none; if i wasn’t reading “the unkindness of ravens” by @/crazy_like_a on ao3, my first choice would have been seth. but since i am, and since the author is doing such a monumentally fantastic job with his character by developing him way more than canon could have even had the decency to attempt, my opinion has changed.

to be quite honest, i’ve sympathized with most of all the characters. the only way i can answer this is to say that characters i just don’t care for at all are kengo and tetsuji. their fates in “the king’s men” didn’t matter much to me because they were such faceless characters in the trilogy, only really spoken of or shadowed through the actions of characters like neil, kevin, jean, riko, and even ichirou.

there’s nothing to really sympathize them for, that’s basically it, but this is somewhat my thoughts; if that’s enough.

a character i grew to love:

kevin; my attachment to kevin came not when i was first reading the books, but when i became swept up in aftg fics on ao3 afterwards and found myself reblogging heaps of content about him on this blog. i found myself growing very defensive about him, and was pushed to start seeing myself in him as i got to see his perspective better.

there’s this one scene that kevin has with neil in “the king’s men”, where he questions how neil could be so brave among all the threats that are posed against him. this question is coming from someone who’s spent so much of his life having his voice being told it didn’t matter and it just being:

exyexyexyexyexyexyyou’llalwaysbesecondyou’llalwaysbesecondyou’llalwaysbesecondyou’renothingwithoutmeyou’renothingwithoutmeyou’renothingwithoutmeyou’renothingwithoutmeyouhearme?nothing.

reading that scene and understanding the implications of what kevin was asking neil and the fear and terror he has been holding onto for years, the longing to be someone so much more, it was that first inkling of how much he really meant to me. 

my anti-otp:

kevin + thea; i greatly prefer the former being single and that’s very valid of me.

[saotome-michi]

10 female characters I’m in love with from 10 fandoms 

Tagged by: @gwkimmy

Tagging: @aprincesswholovesinsects, @madelide, @dorotheian, @letheandlilies (Only if you have the time!! But also anyone can do this!!!) 

Lol i’m just going to use this as a chance to promote some shows I’ve been watching. In order of most recent to least. 

1. Hamasaki Yuka (Saikou no Rikon) 

I’m only three episodes in, but damn am I liking this jdrama (which means you all should try watching it!!). 

Saikou no Rikon looks at two couples and their troubled marriages. Despite the corny sounding premise, the story is surprisingly heartfelt, possibly because of the relatable characters. One of them, the cheerful, lazy, and somewhat crass Yuka, divorces her husband because even though she loves him, she can see he currently hates their married life and thus, her. She’s a character who I initially found annoying, but am quite fond of now. Maybe it’s because her aggressive and “unsophisticated” ways remind me of myself and other women in my family. Plus, I do like a woman who stands up for herself. 

2. Phryne Fisher (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries)

God I love this woman. God I love this show. If you’re not watching it you really, really should it’s on Netflix and it’s fabulous. Phryne’s fabulous. Honestly, all the female characters are quite well developed– I dare say this show could pass the Bechdel in its sleep. 

Phryne Fisher is a woman way ahead of her time, the 1920s to be exact. She’s charming, vivacious, accomplished in many different skill sets and fields of knowledge, and very against the idea that one must stick to social norms just because. So of course she becomes the first and only Lady Detective in Melbourne, Australia. Dressed immaculately (because she likes it and, as she tells her companion Dot, “A woman should dress first and foremost for her own pleasure”), she goes around stirring things up in search for the truth. (While also flustering Detective Inspector Jack Robinson, who I was not impressed with at first but now have a serious crush on. He and Phryne have the most beautiful chemistry and I want them together now.)

3. Rita Madsen (Rita) 

I started watching this show on Netflix, because I wanted to improve my Danish and I heard it was good. It is good. In fact it’s fucking great. It ended up exceeding my expectations with the first episode alone. 

Rita Madsen is a stubborn and willful schoolteacher fighting against the establishment (who or what that establishment is changes case-by-case). She says whatever’s on her mind in blunt and provocative fashion, and honestly? It’s a joy to watch. She’s also the single mother of three children, who the show also focuses upon. In order from oldest to youngest: there’s Rikko, who’s about to get married to his uptight girlfriend; Molly, who doesn’t know what she wants to do with her life; and Jeppe, who at age 15 is the only kid who’s still at school and discovers that he’s gay. They’re all very realistic and relatable characters, and it’s nice seeing them slowly grow–Rita, most of all, as she has to learn to confront her own occasional hypocrisy and struggle with parenting. 

4. Tracey Gordon (Chewing Gum) 

Chewing Gum is comedic genius and Michaela Coel should be proud - not only because of her fantastic screenwriting, but also for her marvelous performance as Tracey Gordon, the show’s protagonist. Tracey is honest, outspoken, and wonderfully cringy, and her actions lead to all sorts of hilarious outcomes. Many of the female characters on this list are “cool”; Tracey isn’t cool in the traditional sense, but she’s unabashed around who she is and that makes her the coolest person on the show. 

(Shameless plug-in: This show is on Netflix and you should really give it a go, the characters are hilarious and relatable, and I think it’s one of the few shows that really depicts sex as the awkward, messy activity it is.)

5. Amanda Rollins (Law and Order: SVU) 

After many, many years of people telling me I should watch SVU, I have finally started watching it... from Season 14, since those are the only seasons available on Netflix. (Don’t worry, I have watched around 4 episodes that were pre Season 13 and therefore do know something of Elliot Stabler and his beautiful partnership with Olivia Benson) 

But maybe it’s because I started from Season 14 that I seem to have a different opinion of Amanda Rollins than most other fans do? Correct me if I’m wrong, but after prowling around the internet, it seems that most fans dislike Rollins or at least find her tedious. I, on the other hand, really like her and her character growth... hmm guess that’s a mystery we’ll have to put aside for now. 

6. Na Kyung Shim (Strong Woman Do Bong Soon)

If you’re also a fan of the show, you might be thinking: What about Do Bong-Soon herself?? But while I love our plucky heroine, I love her plucky best friend/sidekick even more. Na Kyung Shim doesn’t get that much screen time, but in the scenes she gets she shines as a sweet and snarky girl, who just wants the best for her friend. And I just have such a weakness for those kinds of characters. 

(Also if you haven’t watched Strong Woman Do Bong Soon and you’re looking for a new rom-com kdrama to watch you should totally pick this one) 

7. Chaewoon (Love Barometer) 

I’ve talked about my foray into Korean webcomics before, but in those posts I neglected to mention Love Barometer, and that is a crime that I must correct. 

Love Barometer is one of the cutest romance manhwas that you will ever read and I stand by that statement until my inevitable demise. The thing I love about it? The lack of unneeded drama. Our heroine Chaewoon has a good head on her shoulders and that means that most problems that might, in other manhwas, drag on for entire volumes before getting resolved, don’t exceed more than two chapters here. And it’s wonderfully refreshing. (Also the romance!!! Is so cute!!! I’m going to die!!!). 

(The series is on Lezhin FYI and I think the first 30 chapters are like free to read.)

8. Road Kamelot (D. Gray-man) 

Listen: I have loved Road Kamelot since I first saw her at age 13 and I have loved her ever since. My first online blog had her photo as the header and the only D. Gray-man fic I ever tried writing was Allen/Road. I would gladly give up my life for her, which probably makes it a good thing that she’s not real. Nonetheless... I love her. 

Road’s featured here because I’ve been catching up with the new chapters of D. Gray-man and wow has that been a trip (still can’t get my head around certain plot twists). I think I might give my Allen/Road fic another try... 

(Also if you’ve never heard of D. Gray-man before, you should give it a go if exorcists are like your thing.) 

9. Ren Kougyoku (Magi) 

(Beautiful edit made by @skania) 

My love for Road Kamelot can only be rivaled by my love for Ren Kougyoku (and I just realized that both of their initials are R. K. :O what could this mean?!?) and they definitely share some similarities, starting with the fact that they will both kick your ass if you cross them. I feel like a proud mother, watching Kougyoku grow from being a princess ashamed of being “lowborn” to a proud and beloved Empress T_T 

I’ve finally read the last few chapters of Magi and honestly? It’s always sad to finish a manga that you’ve been reading for a long time, but in this case the farewell was made easier by the fact that the whole last arc of Magi was disappointing, which meant that I could say a preemptive farewell to it a year earlier. But although the ending was anti-climatic, at least I can rest assured that Kougyoku’s character arc was, for the most part, wonderfully executed, and that her friendship with Alibaba will go on for their lifetimes. ( “Alikou 4ever!” my shipper heart cries, but I shove it down and tell it to save its energy for fic writing). 

10. Renee Walker (The Foxhole Court) 

Oh Renee, love and light of my life. You are possibly the only Christian character whose moralizing I enjoy, because from you it actually makes sense and doesn’t sound patronizing. 

Renee’s one of the most beloved characters in the fandom and I don’t think my reasons for loving her are particularly unique; One of her most-quoted (aka most used in photosets and moodboards and whatnot) lines is “I am a bad person trying very hard to be a good person” and that’s the appeal–at first glance, she’s a harmless, goody-two-shoes Christian, but the truth is she has one of the darkest backstories out of anyone in the series, still carries that darkness around because it’s still needed, and that speaks to her strength. What a badass bundle of goodness she is. 

(Btw The Foxhole Court is a book series that reads like an angsty YA series and a sports manga combined, so if that in any way sounds appealing to you, you should give it a go.)