#drama novel

[bimbo-graphic-novel]

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[lilmackiereads]

Winter Solstice (2000) by Rosamunde Pilcher -- Spoiler-Filled Review

My Score Chart:

0 Stars = Hate it/ Regret reading it

1 Star = Meh, not for me

2 Stars = Ok/ neutral

3 Stars = I liked it

4 Stars = I loved it

5 Stars = One of my favorite books ever!

Overall Rating and Basic Summary: 2.5 Stars

If you don't want a spoiler version, click here!

I found this novel in the Little Free Library and took it for a spin. From the cover and title, I thought it was going to be a story about witches celebrating Yuletide, however, it ended up being a bittersweet drama taking place during Christmas in Scotland where a group of five people with tragic backstories bunk together. I finished it in three days while I was sick with a cold, but if I hadn't been home sick it probably would have taken me longer since there were a lot of redundant bits of repeating plot and dialogue every time a new character was introduced (which was often!) This book would have been better at about 300 pages total since the inciting incident of Oscar's family dying in a car crash is nearly 100 pages in. There seems like there is a lot of dead air between plot points as the characters are brought into each other's lives through very loose family relations and persnickety. I kept waiting for something to happen and would have to speed read at parts since it was going so slow.

Even though this had nothing to do with witches, I did appreciate that they explained the difference between Yule, Christmas, and Winter Solstice especially since this is a very Christian-coded book! I also agree that Jesus (if you believe in him) was born in the spring and that the original Christians and Catholics stole a lot of Yuletide practices (decorating a tree indoors, gift exchange, mistletoe, caroling, bonfire/ Yule log, worshiping the moon and change of seasons, etc.) since they were trying to eradicate pagan beliefs. ANYWAYS, I digress...

Something I did like was that there are a lot of character foils with different emotional and socioeconomic backgrounds. While all of the characters are ethnically Caucasian and from the U.K. and/ or the United States, there was a diverse range of different character ages and marital statuses. Singles, divorcees, widows, widowers, mistresses, and the like were all mixed together in this abode. It was very PG as not much happened between characters other than kissing or "making love" instead of using more graphic terms or smutty scenes.

My favorite characters were Carrie, her niece Lucy, and friend Rory. I couldn't stand Nicola and Gran! Carrie was my favorite character until I found out she was a mistress. If she had been unaware that she was a mistress and was tricked into dating a married man, that would have been one thing, BUT SHE ADMITS TO KNOWING THAT HE WAS MARRIED WITH KIDS. UGH. I understand that Pilcher was trying to make her more well-rounded and make her imperfect, but I feel that there were other ways to show her flaws. When she kept dreaming about her ex-lover, Andreas, I thought maybe he had died in a skiing accident because she works at the lodge in Austria. I was so disappointed when this cheating part was added in, ESPECIALLY when Pilcher tries to set her up with Sam, A MAN WHO IS GETTING DIVORCED BECAUSE HIS WIFE CHEATED ON HIM. So annoying. The whole thing just felt cheap and stupid. She was the most amazing aunt to Lucy and sticking up to Gran and Nicola (Lucy's mom), and I would have rather that she been a spinster or figuring out her sexuality -- a LGBTQIA storyline would have been way more interesting and progressive, especially in 2000 -- than this crappy storyline.

Lucy and Rory were sweetie-pies, and I have no complaints about either of them. At first I thought that Pilcher was trying to set them up romantically, but I think Rory sees her more as a little sister. It was hard to tell though because in Lucy's diary she talks about Rory as a "best friend," and "older brother," but then she will contradict herself and gush about him. Someone has a little crush. Ooooohhoooo.

The rest of the characters, including, but not limited to, Elfrida, Oscar, Sam, Major Billicliffe, Arthur, Mrs. Snead, Peter, Tabitha (and more) were ok. I didn't dislike them, but I wouldn't go out of my way to hang out with them, either.

My main issue with the relationship between Elfrida and Oscar wasn't that they met when he was married and that they had a spark. I feel like that is very reflective of real life, especially for people who have loved and lost, as they are both in their 60s. My issue was that they got together like A WEEK OR TWO after his 12-year-old daughter and wife and dogs died in a drunk driving accident! That's insane and gross. Yeah yeah, I know some people would say "you can't choose who (or when) you fall in love." I DON'T GIVE A FUCK. That's NOT ok. Pilcher should have had the accident occur in the spring and then had them get together in the winter to give them like a six month lead up so he's not hopping into bed with another woman so fast while he's still actively grieving. I do like both Oscar and Elfrida, since they are spunky, snarky and fun, but I just hated their romantic timeline. Even their engagement at the end bothered me. It was too quick. Not even two months after their deaths. That's some bullshit.

Sam was ok. I thought he was kind of stuck up with Carrie at times and it bothered me that he fell for a woman that literally did what his wife just did to him. Like huh??? I'm so confused. Go be single you moron. Both of you! I did like that he bought her a painting at the end, since I think it's more romantic and thoughtful than the average gift, but it was a bit expensive and felt flashy like he was showing some sort of dominance or something. Idk maybe it's just me.

I would put my liking of Horace the dog in-between the two groups as he was a bit of a dummy, but I liked him more than most of the human characters. At least he wasn't problematic!

The end was a bit predictable, but full circle and a mostly "happy" ending with Osar and Elfrida getting to take care of Lucy and living in Major Billicliffe's house after his passing. I would have liked it to end after Christmas since there are still some unanswered questions. I think if it continued it probably would have ended with Sam and Carrie officially together (lame) and Elfrida and Oscar's wedding (cute, but too fast). I'm not sure if Rory and Lucy would end up together due to their age gap, but this would have been fun to explore.

Would I read this book again?

No, but it did help pass the time on a weekend at home! I would give one of Pilcher's other books a chance if one sounded interesting. On the bright side, I learned over 100 new words while reading this 500+ page book, most of them U.K. slang or phrases. Since I don't plan on rereading it, I will put it back into the Little Free Library for someone else to read.

Would I recommend it to others?

You may like this if you like Hallmark-y dramas (especially ones with lots of solemn backstory). I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who are depressed around the winter holidays (even though most of the characters are also depressed, this is a story of how they "get over it" since it could send some people into a deeper depression.) Specifically, if you have trauma regarding drunk driving, marital infidelity, or fatal diseases.

[swet99]

In the enchanted kingdom of Arbek, where magic thrived and mysteries unfolded, a cursed illegitimate princess was born. Her existence, a stain upon the regal lineage, was met with disdain and rejection from the moment she drew her first breath. The empress, her mother, perished during the arduous childbirth, leaving behind a fractured family and a world fraught with darkness.

The cursed princess never knew her mother's tender touch or heard her gentle voice. She was left to navigate a treacherous path in a kingdom where she was unwanted. Her father, burdened by grief and resentment, turned a blind eye to her existence, choosing instead to immerse himself in his own sorrow. Her elder brother, a fragile soul torn apart by the loss of his beloved mother, directed his anger towards her, holding her responsible for the tragedy that befell their family.

Whispers of the curse that tainted her birth spread like wildfire through the kingdom. The people, fearing the unknown, branded her as a creature of darkness and harbinger of evil. Everywhere she went, she was met with scornful gazes and scornful words. The weight of their judgment crushed her spirit, and she found solace only in the fleeting moments of solitude.

As if the curse upon her birth was not enough, the cursed princess also suffered from a life-threatening affliction. For an entire year, she teetered on the precipice of death, barely sustained by meager rations and the faint flicker of her own will to survive. The servants, servants in name only, treated her with disdain and indifference. They reveled in her weakness, making disrespectful remarks and subjecting her to cruel abuse whenever they pleased.

Yet, despite the torment she endured, the cursed princess clung to a sliver of hope. In the depths of her heart, she yearned for her family's affection, dreaming that one day they would see her worth and cast away their animosity. Her days were filled with efforts to please them, to earn their love and acceptance. But alas, her endeavors were in vain, as her father remained distant, her brother's hatred unyielding, and the empress a mere phantom of a forgotten time.

The fateful day arrived when the sword of her own husband became her deliverance from a life riddled with suffering. Betrayed and deceived, she fell victim to a cruel plot, her trust shattered into irreparable pieces. She was used, abused, neglected, and finally silenced in death's embrace.

And then, a miracle occurred. The cursed princess was reborn, transported to a realization that shattered her world anew. She discovered that the realm she resided in was not reality but a tale inscribed upon the pages of a novel. In this narrative, she was the villain, and the saintess, a character bestowed with endless love and prosperity, played the role of the heroine.

Armed with this newfound knowledge, the cursed princess was faced with a profound choice. Would she succumb to the vengeful urges that seethed within her wounded soul, seeking retribution against those who had wronged her? Or would she rise above the shackles of her past, forging a new path toward survival and freedom?

Guided by her indomitable will, she recognized the power she now possessed. A mysterious system had mistaken her as an ally of the saintess, endowing her with incredible abilities. It expected her to aid the saintess in her quest to rule the world. Yet, her loyalties wavered, her convictions tested. Should she play the part assigned to her, or should she carve her own destiny, defying the constraints of the written word?

[ninhodabea-blog]

Existem coisas pelas quais vale a pena viver e lutar, mesmo que o medo acompanhe cada passo.

Tratado de Vidro

[gwen-tolios]

Bryce Dwight Mood Board

Bryce is the main character in The Adventure List, my current WIP.

He loves Chicago and going on adventures in the city - you'd think he would have run out by now. He also loves his girlfriend Candy (who takes way better photos then him). Andrew is his best bud, the brother he never had, and he will never pass up a hot dog.

[airoarts]

yellowfang, i wish you were here. my sister is dying.

ID in alt and under cut

ID: digital painting of Cinderpelt and Brightpaw from Warriors. They are two cats curled around each other. Brightpaw, a ginger-and-white cat, is badly injured with cobwebs as bandages around her face and other injuries. She is unconscious and lying on her side in a moss nest. Cinderpelt, a gray cat, is curled around her with her tail over Brightpaw's back, looking at her with concern. They are in a shaded den surrounded by autumnal ferns, with a pool of water in the corner, and a strip of bright sunlight illuminating their faces. end ID.

[gaywaren]

ILLUSTRATED GHOST RUT SCENE FROM TGCF RADIO DRAMA

everyone, say thank you changyang for giving us these official illustrations!! you can watch this scene on this link

[bogkeep]

ok so i think that my favourite fantasy subgenre is The Inherent Tragedy Of Being Born Into Royalty. which mostly means that i like to read about gay princes but with some nuance

[gillianfx]

Meet Leighann DaCosta

Meet Leighann DaCosta. A fifteen-year-old with a thriving music career, and on the fast track to becoming a superstar.

Meet Leighann DaCosta. A fifteen-year-old with a thriving music career, and on the fast track to becoming a superstar. Her fans love and worship her, but they don’t know the truth behind her smiles. What would they think if they knew that she was created by ‘her people’? What would they think if they knew that she suffers from anxiety, burnout, and isolation? She is marketed as a role model…

[fiftypiercings]

I can't believe I decided to read orv on a whim because I just wanted a good manhwa with no romance subplot and here I am knees deep into the novel questioning my whole life because whatever these mfs have got going on is much more nastier and visceral than any romance.

[fenedhislasa]

say what you want about solas but you have to respect that he's a girl's girl. he's like one of those dogs that growls at all men and will only snuggle with women. elgar'nan? he's never despised anything to the core of his being more than that guy. falon'din? he can't help himself but to spill the tea about that psychopath. and yet mythal? even with all their weird and twisted history? she's an old friend. he hisses at elgar'nan for even deigning to speak her name. he calls ghilan'nain 'brilliant' and 'sensitive' even though she's always been transparent about the fact she thinks the blight is Good Actually. the only remark he has about andruil out of everything he could've said is that she's the god of sacrifice. sacrifice, king? i think that might be putting it mildly. i just fucking love that he turns into a chest-beating idiot in front of any man but he's for sure cried in front of every woman he's ever known

[bimbo-graphic-novel]

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(a/n: I don’t know how soon I’ll be able to update next. I’m having surgery on both arms on the 15th and don’t know how soon I’ll be able to draw afterwards. I’ll try to push out another update, but it’s highly unlikely I’ll be able to finish it in time. thank you for your understanding and your patience. Much love, nona.)

[florencziya-blog]

[swet99]

[xinyuehui]

Mu jiejie~~~~ (*´ﾉ∀`*)

Love Game in Eastern Fantasy · 2024

[bloodybellycomb]

In a capitalist dystopia, your company gets to determine your sexuality, but one brave man will rebel against this system. In a world full of bisexuals, one courageous man decides to take a bold stand and come out as straight. Read this popular ya novel that is taking tiktok by storm now.