#i love politics! they are interesting and complex and i enjoy learning more about the organization of society and economy

[leguink]

Sometimes u need to read books to be a good leftist... sometimes u need to read what big influential figures were/are saying and be exposed to different ideas and models to develop critical thinking skills... come on now....

[loredrinker]

The Distinct Eras of Solas's Existence

Solas’s life isn’t one-dimensional. He’s lived through three distinct eras of existence, each defined by transformation and struggle. What draws me to his story time and again is the tension between detachment and connection, immortality and change, and the weight of eternal choices.

Because Solas has lived through such vastly different phases of existence, each has forced him to adapt, rethink his perspectives, his morality and confront the consequences of his actions.

This constant cycle of transformation and resilience is why I believe he is capable of change.

I'm looking at his journey through 3 eras of his existence: 

Pre-Veil: Becoming a man (lyrium crafted) and living before creating the Veil.

Uthenera: Veil newly created. Centuries of slumber and existence in the Fade. 

Post-Veil: Waking in modern Thedas, reengaging with the world, joining the Inquisition, and culminating in Veilguard. 

First off: this post isn’t about the concept of Solas learning what it’s like to have a body for the first time. While I’m sure that experience was equal parts traumatic and exhilarating, that’s a post for another day. 

I’m also steering clear of the horrors and wars of Solas’s Pre-Veil existence - we already know he suffered terribly, made devastating choices, and carries immense regret. The blood on his hands and the weight of those decisions are undeniable. 

Lastly, I’m not entertaining the idea that Mythal had him bound or wielded some magical power (like a geas) to control him (you can read more here). To me, that narrative diminishes the complexity and the writers say you can interpret it how you want. I see their bond as one rooted in duty, loyalty, and complicated and twisted by shared choices. Every awful thing they endured and enacted together only deepened their connection, forged in the fire of mutual commitment and consequence. It's still a chain in it's own right, but a different kind.

Long post below. Everything below the cut is my imagination and interpretation.

Pre-Veil (Roughly 8,000-10,000 years – Time with the Evanuris / Rebellion Wars) 

I’m certain Solas’s time in Elvhenan wasn’t solely defined by war and rebellion. He served as Mythal’s second-in-command, likely handling battles and strategies, but he was also immersed in politics and court intrigue. His role was probably a combination of strategist, diplomat, and advocate for fairness and balance among the elven people. 

We know he enjoyed life in the courts, as he reveals at the Winter Palace in Inquisition: 

"I do adore the heady blend of power, intrigue, danger, and sex that permeates these events." 

He wasn’t just an observer of Elvhenan’s grandeur; he thrived in it. Heady - intoxicating. With a core essence of wisdom, Solas would have fully embraced the era’s philosophical debates, artistic endeavors, groundbreaking inventions, and empire-building. When he refers to “our great cities” and “our deepest mysteries” during his confrontation with Elgar’nan, he speaks as being a part of Elvhenan’s beauty and innovation - not separate from it.  

Solas’s Independent and Rebellious Nature - Hot Blooded and Cocky

Solas was far from a submissive figure, even in service to Mythal. He was independent, rebellious, and stubborn - “unmanageable, even by Mythal’s reckoning.” (I love this line from Elgar’nan. Even Mythal, who knew Solas best, was scratching her head at times because she couldn't control him – and also why I don’t buy the geas concept.) This fierce individuality is one reason the Evanuris gave him the name Fen’Harel. 

A Sensual and Spiritual Man 

Solas strikes me, based on the games, as someone deeply connected to life (how could you not be when you see spirits as people too), both spiritually and sensually. His conversations in Inquisition and Veilguard hint at an appreciation for the world’s beauty and experiences. He loved dancing (Inquisitor: Do you have any interest in dancing? Solas: A great deal…), savored food and drink, and created beautiful art and music. This isn’t someone detached from his physical form or the material world - he immersed himself in its richness. 

A man who composes music and paints intricate frescoes, full of symbolism and emotional depth, usually has a vibrant inner life – which makes sense for wisdom.  His art and creations are tools for reflection and introspection, ways to process his choices and regrets. But where did this come from? Did he learn these skills from a spirit? Was he taught by a wise elf or an inspiring companion? I love the mystery of these glimpses into his life - they humanize him and add layers to his character. 

Solas wasn’t a solitary figure either. He built connections beyond the Evanuris - with spirits, other elves, and likely even lovers (Ghilan’nain, anyone?). Far from being a lone wolf, he seems to have been actively engaged in the cultural, social and political dynamics of his thousands of years. His relationships, creations, and experiences paint the picture of a man tied to life, even as his long painful journey eventually pushed him toward isolation. 

Witnessing the Fall of the Evanuris 

But life in Elvhenan wasn’t all beauty and splendor. Solas witnessed firsthand how power corrupted even those who began with noble intentions. He saw the Evanuris rise to tyranny, and the defeat of the Titans - a major regret of his - became a foundational moment. While it enabled the empire’s growth and stunning cities, it came with immense moral cost to Solas. 

The Rebellion and Isolation 

Solas eventually reached a breaking point. When the Evanuris’ tyranny became unbearable - when they wouldn’t listen, not even Mythal - he walked away. He forged his own path, leading a rebellion to free the elven people. 

During this time, his relationships likely narrowed. He tells Rook it took him centuries to build bonds during this time (but he still built them). Playing a long game of strategy and sacrifice required isolation, though key connections, like Felassan, remained. Mythal’s murder drove him into despair, and he became even more isolated, pouring himself into planning the ritual that would change everything. 

The Creation of the Veil 

The Veil was a desperate solution to stop the Evanuris and the blight, but something went horribly wrong. It didn’t just destroy the world he knew - it reshaped reality. The Veil severed the Fade from the world, altering existence forever. And for Solas, it left him shattered. His physical body remained in the world he destroyed, while his spirit/mind retreated into Uthenera. 

Uthenera: The Dreaming State (3000+ years) *In Trespasser Solas says he lay unconscious for millennia, millenia is multiple thousands)

During Uthenera, his long "dark and dreaming" sleep, Solas existed in a liminal, dreamlike state - a place between worlds.

It’s striking that he entered Uthenera at the exact moment the Fade was severed from the physical world. The mental fortitude required to withstand such a monumental shift and prevent his total annihilation - or even a psychological collapse - speaks volumes about his strength. Solas’s power is undeniable, but for me, this also confirms that he is a deeply reflective man, one who cultivated a strong mind to endure such force, isolation and emotional cataclysm. (All New Faded for Her - now I must endure - again.)

I initially wrote about his activities during this time, but his claim of being unconscious in a dark, dreaming sleep suggests he was largely unaware of the world around him. Rather than delete it, I've left it in below but this more recent post shows my changed thoughts.

From this vantage point, he could witness the catastrophic aftermath of his actions: the loss of elven immortality, the severing of the Fade from the physical world, and the corruption of spirits into demons. He saw the rise of humans, the fall of empires, and the continued oppression of his people. Each new event added to his layers of guilt and grief. If the Fade reflects emotion, can you imagine Solas’s overwhelming feelings during this time? His emotions would have rippled through it, shaping the dream realm itself.  In the Fade, Solas remained detached, able to observe and reflect without directly engaging in the chaos of the broken world. He likely encountered the demons and maddened spirits born of his actions, forcing him to navigate this unfamiliar, broken Fade.  Perhaps this is where his greatest fear - dying alone - began to solidify. Without the complexities of relationships or the challenges of the waking world, his isolation left him emotionally detached and vulnerable to increasingly rigid thinking. After centuries of war and rebellion, his retreat to Uthenera may have offered recovery, but it also severed him from the connections that had once grounded him in “humanity”.  It’s assumed that during this time, Solas began to shape his plans to tear down the Veil – to fix his mistake. It also seems that it’s during this period at some point that Felassan reconnected with him, leading to yet another tragedy. Unlike Solas, Felassan had lived in modern Thedas for a time. He had built relationships, forged bonds, and seen the value in the world as it was. He urged Solas to give this new world a chance. But Solas, entrenched in his painful guilt and unable to let go of his vision, refused - killing his friend and brother-in-arms, adding yet another layer of grief and regret to his already growing burden. I wonder - Solas killed him in this detached state, in a highly emotional Fade state - could Solas have killed him physically face to face? 

For Solas, time in the Fade didn’t march forward as it did for mortals. What probably felt like yesterday to him was ancient history to the rest of the world. This disconnection from the flow of time would only deepen his sense of detachment, a gap he could only begin to bridge when he awoke in a world utterly changed from the one he remembered. 

So eventually he does wake up – a year before the Inquisition. 

Post-Veil: Modern Thedas – 14-16 years (Inquisition to Veilguard) 

When Solas woke up in modern Thedas, it was a world that had moved on without him - alien and unrecognizable. The magic he revered was now feared, spirits were seen as monsters, and elves were fragmented and oppressed. It was a rude awakening, and Solas had no choice but to reengage with life, relearning how to "be human" in a world so far removed from the one he knew - in a world that he broke. 

Solas initially tried to reconnect with the Dalish, but they rejected him (interesting how one of his first actions upon awakening was to seek connection...hmm). Then came the disaster at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, Corypheus, and the Anchor. Suddenly, Solas had a path: join the Inquisition, study the Anchor, observe the one who wields it, and figure out his next move - all while avoiding personal entanglements. 

Fail. 

Connections in the Inquisition 

Despite his best efforts to remain detached, Solas formed bonds with the Inquisition’s members, particularly the Inquisitor (in my world, low approval doesn’t exist for me but I won’t torment you either with my Solas Lavellan love).  

The exact timeline of the Inquisition is debated. While most agree it spans 1.5–2 years, there’s also an old fantastic post by @threestories that argues for closer to 4–5 years (complete with a detailed spreadsheet and timeline goodness). Either way, it’s plenty of time for Solas to weave himself into the lives of those around him – and for them to sneak their own ways in. 

During this time, Solas wasn’t an aloof observer. He shared meals, debated philosophy, laughed, argued, and played cards and continued painting. He fought alongside people like Blackwall, Iron Bull, and Cole, relying on them for survival. Solas is not the powerful being he once was. Weakened, he’s forced to navigate the world in a more vulnerable state. I believe this humility provides him with new insights and forces him to see value in collaboration and diversity once again (reflections of Elvehnan). 

The messy, imperfect beauty of life began to creep back into his perspective. Living and fighting beside mortals for this period of time forced Solas to confront the reality of their fleeting but rich experiences. It wasn’t something he could experience in the detached safety of the Fade. If romanced, his love for the Inquisitor only deepens his inner conflict, tearing him between personal connection and his mission. (He possessed knowledge beyond any mortal, yet even the Dread Wolf could not foresee what it would mean to fall in love - sorry, couldn't help myself).

Yet, despite these connections, he remained steadfast in his mission. After Corypheus’s defeat, Solas leaves. But he wasn’t quite done; he wanted the Inquisitor to know the truth of who he was. Two busy years followed, leading to one final reunion - a moment where we see a shift in Solas’s perspective. His relationship with the Inquisitor was important enough that Solas set this whole thing up. There was a part of him that would love to be turned away from his path, but not yet.  

The Decade of Isolation 

After Trespasser and his final goodbye to the Inquisitor, Solas retreated into a new kind of isolation - active but distant. For ten years, he worked through agents, manipulated events, and positioned himself for his ritual to tear down the Veil. This period seemed to harden him. If he was in love, he made the painful decision to try and sever that bond, he forced Cole to forget him so Cole wouldn’t follow him - Solas hardened his heart to a cutting edge, and put that pain to good use.   

And then, he killed Varric. 

The act wasn’t premeditated - it might even be argued as accidental - but it wasn’t without weight. Solas never intended to kill Varric, and we see the regret flicker in his expression, his eyes turning down for a moment. Yet, the symbolism of that moment is striking. If Varric embodies persistence - whether it’s the refusal to give up on life, friends, or hope - then his death by Solas’s hand reflects the cost of Solas’s mission. In hardening his heart, he’s cut away the very persistence Varric represented. 

But then came Rook.

Conduits and Catalysts

Forced to interact with Rook and the team, much like he was forced to interact with the Inquisitor and the Inquisition, Solas once again found himself entangled in the lives of others. What makes Rook interesting to me is their role as a conduit. While Solas is trapped in the Fade prison, Rook becomes his connection to the outside world. For someone who had been isolated again for a period of time, being compelled to engage with another person is significant.

Rook and Solas's conversations may seem simple at first, but they force Solas to talk, to reflect, to bring up memories, people, and choices he thought he had left behind. Regardless if he's lying to Rook, these conversations would stir things up for him, peeling back the layers of detachment he has built. They compel him to think about his past, his connections, and his mistakes - reminders of life beyond his mission.

When Solas finally escapes the Fade prison, he doesn’t retreat back into isolation. Instead, we find him fighting alongside the people of Minrathous and then eventually Rook and the team. While his goal remains focused - defeating Elgar’nan and tearing down the Veil - he’s participating in life again.

Even amidst the chaos of battle, Solas can’t help but connect. He talks with the team, echoing the camaraderie of his time in the Inquisition. In one of my favourite moments, he and Emmrich share a brief but mutual appreciation of spirits - on a battlefield, no less. It’s a small yet powerful reminder: no matter how much Solas tries to harden himself, connection finds him. And maybe, just maybe, he still seeks it.

If Solas’s experiences prove anything, it’s that he struggles to stay detached.

Solas’s Shifts 

The bonds Solas formed through his long life were personal. Sure, anyone can argue they weren’t, pointing to his lies and the secrets he kept while plotting the entire time. And yes, he absolutely had an agenda. But whether you played a high- or low-approval Inquisitor, Solas admits he grew fond of the mortal people in the Inquisition. These connections gave him new perspectives on this modern world, connections forged through the shared intensity of battle and survival, and filtered through his reflective, intellectual, and philosophical nature. 

And no, I don’t believe the Inquisitor alone could have swayed him from his path. His growth wasn’t tied to a single relationship or event. While his time with the Inquisition may seem insignificant compared to his millennia-long existence, it planted the seeds of change. I maintain that the foundation for his change was established in Inquisition. As I’ve said before in this post, his eventual shift at the end of Veilguard wasn’t an overnight revelation but the accumulation of these disruptions to his worldview (warning, that post is totally Solavellan). Rook, as a conduit and mirror, brought their own voice as well as the voices of Solas’s past back into focus, reflecting and reminding him of what he had learned.  

By the end of Trespasser, Solas went from planning total destruction to preparing a host of spirits to preserve as much life as possible in Veilguard. You can call him a liar if you want, still question this morally grey choice, but this is a fascinating shift to me.

Enter Sola's Fourth Era

And now, we stand on the edge of Solas’s fourth (and likely not final) era of existence. How will he step into this stage? As a broken, beaten man forced into submission? Or as a man of wisdom, finally able to see another way forward?

This is why, for me, the only ending that feels true to Solas’s arc (as I see it) is the Atonement ending and the only one that exists for me. It aligns with his defining trait: choice. It offers him the agency to forge his own path, just as he did when he walked away from Mythal and the Evanuris.

Whether Solas enters this stage alone or with his heart is up to the player, but the ending feels significant regardless. He returns to the Fade, not in the detached slumber of Uthenera, but with his eyes wide open - awake, active, and ready to face what comes next.

And yes, I’m a sucker for redemption stories.

A Journey of Growth 

The Inquisitor once called him a terrible liar of the heart, and I think it speaks to the core of who he is: wisdom seeking connection. At his heart, Solas is driven to reflect, connect, and understand - even when those impulses clash with his mission. 

Solas’s life isn’t a straight line, nor is it defined by detached indifference. Instead, we see a complex web of relationships, regrets, and moments of growth. His post-Veil life shows us that even an immortal can be shaped by the mortal world. While his immortality makes change slow, it doesn’t make it impossible. Every person he lets into his life - whether reluctantly or intentionally - leaves a mark. Figures like Felassan, the Inquisitor, Cole, Varric, and Rook all serve as mirrors, reflecting his flaws and his potential. That's the beauty of relationships - we are all reflections of each other.

For Solas, change isn’t the result of one grand revelation. It’s a slow, deliberate process, shaped by his experiences, choices, those around him and the experiences they shared together. If his journey proves anything, it’s that even the Dread Wolf isn’t bound by fate. 

[somerabbitholes]

Hey there! I'm curious—what were some of the best books you read in 2024? I need some recommendations...

Have a good day!! 💝 (⁠灬⁠º⁠‿⁠º⁠灬⁠)⁠♡

this took a while, because it's been a weird year for me. but here you are:

The Bee Sting by Paul Murray: I love family novels, and this was the best of the year. It’s about the Barnes family, who are doing badly economically, and sort of unravelling generally. The characters were beautifully crafted and I loved the sense of freefall in the novel

Orbital by Samantha Harvey: loved, loved, loved the way it thought about the earth and tried to articulate what the planet means. My phone is full of photos of pages and paragraphs I liked

India's Near East by Avinash Paliwal: this is about how India’s domestic and foreign policy along its border with Myanmar and Bangladesh basically influence each other. I learnt a lot here and it was generally interesting to see how the border region is governed and policed

The Social Construction of the Ocean by Philip Steinberg: this changed my brain. Steinberg is a geographer, and this book is about how the ocean means different things to different cultures and the meaning comes from specific political and economic histories of these cultures. It tries to trace the origins of current systems of ocean governance and it was so so interesting to be able to think about space this way

Employees by Olga Ravn (trans. Martin Aitken): same territory as Orbital in that it’s about what it means to be people. This is narrated as witness statements from people and humanoids working on a spaceship, but the book doesn’t tell you which is which, so it’s like an exercise in investigating what makes humanity unique

India trilogy by V. S. Naipaul: he wrote these three books over a thirty year period of visiting India, and I loved them for the amount of detail in them and for how they always managed to say something more complex and simply more interesting than a lot of other journalistic accounts on India. And I’ve always enjoyed that Naipaul goes to the logical end of his arguments, so that was great too.

Dominion by Tom Holland: this was my fun history read of the year. He traces the influence and persistence of Christian thought in wider European thinking and imagination now, and since this is not something I know a lot about, it was great to learn

Finally, I’m not yet done with Caledonian Road by Andrew O’Hagan, but it’s shaping up to be another favourite.

Have a nice day!

[youngsadlesbian]

more!!! marlene!!! fics!!!! (lovingly)

NAIVE — marlene mckinnon.

pairing: marlene mckinnon x reader

summary: marlene is very jealous, and you are too naive for her taste, which brings very funny situations.

a/n: here's another one for your happiness. it's totally random, but i hope you like it <3

word count: 838

warnings: just fluff and marlene being a jealous gf

Since the moment you and Marlene McKinnon started dating, Hogwarts Castle has become even more vibrant. Your friendly, distracted, and innocent personality perfectly contrasted with Marlene's protective and slightly jealous nature. Your friends loved to play around with the situation, resulting in hilarious and memorable moments.

You had been together since your sixth year, when, after many hints (which you clearly didn't notice), Marlene finally took the initiative and confessed her feelings. Since then, you were inseparable. However, your innocence often resulted in situations where you didn't realize you were being flirted with, leaving Marlene furious and your friends laughing.

It was a quiet afternoon in the Hogwarts library. You were absorbed in a potions book, trying to understand the complex processes described by Slughorn.

"Hi, do you need help?" a Hufflepuff boy asked, approaching you.

"Oh, hi! I'm trying to understand this part about the ingredients. It doesn't seem to make sense," you replied, smiling politely.

"I can help. I'm pretty good at potions," he said, moving closer.

Marlene, who was a few meters away, watched the scene with narrowed eyes. She quickly approached, placing her hand on your shoulder.

"Hi, love. We need to go, Dorcas is waiting for us," Marlene said, staring at the boy.

"Oh, sure!" you replied, getting up quickly. "Thanks for the offer to help!"

The boy seemed a bit disappointed but waved to both of you. Marlene pulled you out of the library, muttering.

"You really didn't notice he was flirting with you, did you?" she asked, slightly annoyed.

"He was? I just thought he wanted to help with potions," you replied innocently.

Marlene sighed and hugged you. "You're adorable, you know that?"

During a Transfiguration class, a Ravenclaw boy decided to sit next to you. Marlene, who was on the other side of the room, noticed immediately.

"Hey, want to work with me on this project?" he asked.

"Sure, why not?" you replied, smiling.

He started asking personal questions, trying to get to know you better. Marlene, watching everything from afar, was visibly irritated. Lily, who was next to her, chuckled quietly.

"Calm down, Marlene. He's just being friendly," Lily said, trying to calm her.

"Friendly? He's clearly flirting with her!" Marlene whispered back.

After the class, Marlene quickly approached you.

"Let's have lunch together?" she asked, holding your hand.

"Sure! I was hungry," you replied cheerfully, not noticing Marlene's discomfort.

"You really don't notice when someone is hitting on you, do you?" Marlene asked as you walked.

"Huh? He was flirting? I thought he just wanted help with the project," you replied, surprised.

Marlene sighed again. "You're incredibly naive, you know that?"

At one of the parties in the Gryffindor Common Room, James Potter decided to play a prank. He called Sirius, Remus, and Peter to conspire.

"Let's see how jealous Marlene gets," James said, laughing.

Sirius approached you with a charming smile. "Want to dance?"

"Sure!" you replied, always polite.

Marlene, who was talking to Dorcas, saw you two dancing. She quickly got up and came over to you.

"Can I steal my girlfriend back?" she asked, looking at Sirius with a challenging look.

"Sure, sure. We were just dancing," Sirius replied, winking at you.

Marlene pulled you closer to her. "You really need to learn to notice these things."

"Notice what?" you asked, genuinely confused.

She laughed and kissed your forehead. "Nothing, nothing. Let's enjoy the party."

On a trip to Hogsmeade, a group of Slytherin students approached you. One of them, clearly interested, started talking.

"Hey, do you like butterbeer?" he asked, trying to be charming.

"Yes, it's delicious," you replied, always friendly.

Marlene, who was beside you, squeezed your hand tightly. "Let's get our butterbeer and meet the others."

"Oh, sure," you said, still smiling at the boy.

When you were far enough away, Marlene stopped and looked into your eyes. "You really didn't notice he was flirting with you?"

"He was? I just thought he was being friendly," you replied, once again surprised.

Marlene laughed and hugged you. "I love you, you know that? You're the most adorable and naive person I've ever met."

Despite all the embarrassing situations and Marlene's jealousy, your relationship only grew stronger. Your friends loved to tease, but deep down, they knew you were perfect for each other.

One day, you all decided to have a picnic by the Black Lake. Your friends and Marlene were there. The sun was shining, and the atmosphere was perfect.

"You guys are the funniest couple I've ever seen," said Remus, laughing.

"It's true. Her innocence and Marlene's jealousy are hilarious," added Peter.

Marlene laughed and hugged you. "I wouldn't trade this for anything in the world."

"I love you too, Marlene," you replied, smiling.

While everyone laughed and had fun, Marlene kissed you softly. "Promise it will always be like this, naive and adorable."

"I promise," you said, happy.

And so, amidst laughter and moments of jealousy, you continued to write your love story, surrounded by friends who supported and loved you.

[machetesquirrel]

Neurodivergent Study Tips

A teacher at my school asked me if I had any study tips for other students with ADHD, Autism, Anxiety, ect. so I typed up a little list. Thought others might find it helpful as well! Sorry it's so long. This is just my experience, so they probably won't work for everyone, I would love it if everyone could add on there own things they do to stay focused.

Do you have something that you’re really obsessed with whether it be a piece of media, a video game, a book, a certain subject or a time period in history? Try to relate it to what you are learning! 

-Use mnemonic devices related to your special interest or current thing you’re really into.. When I often need to memorize certain terms I like to make my mnemonic devices relate to the tv shows I like (ex. I  needed to memorize the three main gunpowder empires so I used the term “Silly Oncologist Man” which reminded me of Wilson from House MD but the first letter of each word matches the name of each gunpowder empire; the Safavids, the Ottoman Empire, and the Mughal Empire.) 

-Relate the things you like to what you are learning about.  Find a way to tie in the things you enjoy into what you are learning about. For math and science this can be quite easy, especially when you are learning about motion and other things that can be applied easily to many scenarios (I turned all my equations on calculating the motion of an object into playing roller derby or throwing projectiles in dnd or video games I like) For me I often relate political movements in fictional TV shows to the part of American history or philosophy they most align with, I find that any TV shows with complex fictional governments or that explore certain themes and ideologies are good for this (I used the Battlestar Galactica Reboot for this, but you can really use anything that you’re interest in, even other parts of history, this can also help you develop a deeper understanding!) 

-Find some way to fit something you like or what you’re interested in into your study routine. I often have the soundtracks of my favorite tv shows, movies or video games playing in the background as I study, or I often keep something that reminds me of the things I like nearby.  (I like drinking coffee while studying because it helps me focus and reminds me of my favorite character Ianto from the tv show Torchwood, similarly I also have a scented candle I like that smells like the Sunnydale Library from Buffy the Vampire Slayer burning while I work) 

Find ways to reward yourself for studying. 

- Make a tangible final product. I often find that making a tangible product relating to what I’m learning or what I’m interested in can be quite helpful. For example, instead of just forcing myself to memorize all the neurotransmitters and parts of the brain for AP Psychology I made up a fake video game where each of the neurotransmitters was a member of an alien punk band and the parts of the brain were places they went on tour. I was able to make little skill trees for each of the neurotransmitters as their character leveled up relating to the effects of what would happen if you had too much or too little of that neurotransmitter, also allowing me to memorize the different causes of mental illnesses at the same time. At the end of this project not only did I have a little booklet and ton of sketches of my neurotransmitter characters, as well as many accompanying pinterests boards but I also memorized all the terms I needed to know, often in far more depth than my classmates because I would look up additional information to complete my project. Plus if you have something you can take with you outside of school and show to other people it often leaves you feeling much more fulfilled. 

-Use Technology I use a lot of study and task tracking apps to motivate myself to study. My favorites are the ones that tie you studying to taking care of some kind of virtual pet or gaining in game items. My favorites are Study Bunny which allows to gain coins every time you study to better take care of your virtual bunny, Finch which is more of a self care app but you can also use to set goals for the day to take care of your virtual pet bird, Focus Traveller which also lets you make soundscapes and travel a mountain by studying more, Habitica a fantasy themed task managing app where you get coins and equipments for completing tasks and Hatch where you get to hatch alien creatures for studying. You can also use rewards not tied to an app but tied to something you like to do or something that you are interested in, but I also just like the apps.  

-Make your place to study actually fun to be in. I know this can be a lot harder for some people depending on if you actually have your own space at home. But you can even bring a cute action figure or good luck charm to put with you while you study, or just find a place in your school where you like to be (I have a favorite spot in my school library where I love to sit in for studying.) Your environment could also include playing the kind of music you like while studying or creating a special soundscape with calming sounds like rain or birds. I also often like lighting a scented candle or incense while I work because I really like good smelling things and it makes me happy to be at my desk. I also just have fun stickers on my laptop and a cute computer mouse that has just the best texture, making me happy to work.  

Find ways to prevent yourself from leaving your desk or stopping the task you are doing. 

Create a reason why you can’t leave your study space or stop your task. For this I often like to light a scented candle because I can’t leave an open flame unattended for more than a few minutes because my cat Gus has a death wish. So because I don’t want to waste matches I often find myself staying put and continuing to work as opposed to getting up and wandering the house to go bother the rest of my family. You can also use an app like Study Bunny or Hatch that sets a timer for how long you need to stay put. 

Incorporate movement into your studying. I am often very very fidgety and find myself often leaving my desk to wander around the house if I haven’t moved for long enough. Instead I have started pacing while reading my textbooks or using a fidget while studying so I can still get some movement in. My mom has a little mini elliptical thing she keeps under her desk which she finds very helpful as well, though that can be a bit expensive. 

Limit technology based distractions. Apps like Study Bunny or Hatch will stop you from accessing the rest of your phone without losing your progress, which can stop you from getting distracted and texting your friends or scrolling social media. I also have the software Virtual Cabin which not only makes it feel like you are studying in a cozy cabin with a cute cat/dog and nice music/nature sounds but also blocks the rest of your computer from view, keeping yourself focused on whatever you are doing.  Frankly I just find myself trying to do assignments on paper/analog as much as I can because it eliminates the temptation of me switching out of what I am doing and looking at something else on my computer. 

Find ways to hold yourself accountable. I often find that telling someone that I am going to do homework before I do it can be helpful. I even sometimes tell them what assignments I am doing so they can check in to see if  I actually did them, though I often find this a bit stressful. My best suggestion is to find someone who understands how your brain works so they won’t shame you if it gets in the way of you doing work and they can even help come up with new strategies for working more effectively. For example I often tell my penpal that I am doing homework because they believe in me but they also have issues focusing and staying calm sometimes so they understand if sometimes that stuff gets in the way. You can also just sit with someone very quietly and work next to them this is called “body doubling” and I find that if I am working while someone else is working I feel more motivated to work and less likely to go through social media, because frankly I don’t want them to see the weird crap that I google when I’m trying to avoid doing homework (way too many questions about the lore surrounding video games I’ve never played and have no intention to play, and many weird questions for my various creative writing projects.) 

[acrossthewavesoftime]

I know that he's nothing at all like his historical counterpart, but do you enjoy the portrayal of John Graves Simcoe in Turn (even if it's just for the sheer outrageousness)?

Hello there Anon!

Indeed, I did - when I first watched TURN, Simcoe was what kept me watching beyond the pilot. I generally tend to enjoy antagonists in media of any kind more than the protagonists; my five-year-old self reasoned that the coolest role in Mozart's Magic Flute, which I had gone to see with my father, was the Queen of the Night because she had the best aria and the coolest costume, and I suppose my taste has overall remained fairly constant throughout the decades.

I was not at all interested in Abe as the main character, but Simcoe hooked me, because I enjoyed the way his character, for all his eager readiness for committing acts of violence, was written to have some sort of moral compass (albeit not one facing to everyone else's north), and also could be gentle, vulnerable, and even prissy at times - I also enjoyed Hewlett giving Simcoe his comeuppance in the end. In a way, he combined almost cartoonish traits with a, at a second glance, much more complex personality.

It was TURN that got me into researching Simcoe, starting off the thought "surely, he cannot have been that terrible, right?"

And, surprise, surprise, he was not. I still enjoy the character, but I wish the series would have worked more closely with the historical material (and portraits - Simcoe in TURN and Simcoe in history have next to nothing in common visually - the historical Simcoe, though quite tall, had brown hair, brown eyes, a much more average physique and was, as opposed to the show's indestructible villain, a severe asthmatic who frequently struggled with his illness) and the writers given the Simcoe-character an entirely fictional name instead.

From what is known historically about Simcoe, Hewlett, who is also a fictional character, was a lot more like the historical Simcoe, down to trying to win the heart of a local lady in Oyster Bay, being very attached to his horse, and (or so Simcoe presented himself in his own memoir at least), and being always happy to avoid violence wherever possible.

The more I learned about him, the more I was disappointed in the historical research (or lack thereof) that went into the show, because so many mischaracterisations and mistakes could have been avoided using some readily available literature - think e. g. John André's terrible little braid or gay General Sir Henry Clinton (who, y'know. Had 11 children by 3 different women). Those were unfortunate, because the show marketed itself as being based on a true story, but I enjoyed the storyline (and the characters of Simcoe and Mary Woodhull in particular), which I took with rather than a grain, an entire shaker of salt, and thus kept watching.

The only thing that continues to irk me to this day is how Samuel Roukin talked about the historical Simcoe in interviews at the time, betraying little to no understanding of the period, which gave him the impression (and thus inspiration for his role) that the historical Simcoe must have been a relatively unpleasant, pompous, even violent man based on having read his memoir of the American Revolutionary War - which more than anything was a campaign stunt as Simcoe wrote it in order to put himself on the political map back in England as he was eyeing political office following his return from the war, and Roukin misinterprets certain period typical turns of phrase and the tone severely.

The historical John Graves Simcoe could be a tad too loud, too boastful and slightly tone-deaf at times, but generally speaking, he was a very caring individual with a rather liberal view on women's rights, to use the term somewhat anachronistically, who had grown up in a loving, somewhat non-traditional family and passed this loving environment on to his own children. Perhaps one of the most touching details of Simcoe's character to me is that he appears to only very rarely, if at all, have used his first name; in his signatures, "John" is usually abbreviated to "J.", while "Graves" is spelled out. He was named John for his father, who died at sea when he was a young child, and Graves for his godfather, Samuel Graves, who stepped up and helped raise him. I suspect that he went by "Graves" rather than John, and felt attached to the name as it was given to him in honour of the man who would raise him, and even shelter and nurse him back to health when he was invalided back to England - but that is only my speculation on the, more than doubtlessly extant, softer side of John Graves Simcoe's character that his biographer Mary Beacock-Fryer documented extensively.

I would like to close with a quote from one of his letters to General Clinton which I think says a lot about the historical J[ohn] Graves Simcoe, his flaws and positive traits alike, in which he reflects on the American Revolutionary War, which he characterises as

"a swindling transaction in which mankind was robbed of its happiness and my King of his inheritance, under false pretenses of patriotism in G[reat] Britain, military talents in the Congress leaders, and integrity in both."

[anneapocalypse]

An ask I received:

(Please publish this anonymously!) Why do you like Briala so much?

I just think she's neat!

I fell very deeply in love with Briala when I read The Masked Empire, and that's where her character truly shines; while I enjoy her role in Inquisition as well, I don't think you can truly get a feel for her character from the game alone. In Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts you are positioned as an outsider; the Inquisitor is not Orlesian, has only a rudimentary understanding of Orlesian politics and cultures, and the advisors offer a pretty bare-bones understanding of the events leading up to this point. In The Masked Empire you get a lot more Briala, from multiple points of view, but most importantly you get Briala's own point of view.

For more on why I find that whole story, and Briala personally, so compelling, I have a whole post on The Masked Empire.

But in a nutshell, I love fantasy politics, and I love a politically-savvy underdog who knows damn well the game is rigged against them, but learns the rules of the game masterfully anyway and uses every resource at their disposal so that when the opportunity comes, they might be able twist things to their advantage and seize some scrap of power. I love stories that grapple with the nature of power in complex ways and Briala's story is all about that. I like that there is no perfect ending for her in Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts, and if you want to give her power in Orlais you have to grapple with some hard questions about what that power is worth and what it will cost her personally and everything that can go wrong. I like all the sticky questions surrounding her relationship to Celene and how that affects her relationship to the other elves she's trying to lead to revolution. I think her internal conflicts and the journey she goes on personally in TME is really compelling and heartbreaking. I think she's so interesting and compelling and messy and sympathetic and I love her.

Also I think she should have, at minimum, a cup of tea with Warden Tabris. :) (I think the idea of two city elves potentially becoming the first elven nobles in two neighboring nations is really neat, and they'd make good political allies.)

[kayray-art]

why do you ship tyzula? (not hating. just curious)

Simply put, I personally ship tyzula because i find the complexity of their relationship very interesting and enjoy imagining what they could have had in a world where they freed themselves from the things that tied them back.

Click “keep reading” to see me elaborate on how I interpret their relationship and what I feel holds them back.

(NOTE: I promise I am NOT one of those tyzula stans who disregards Ty Lee and her feelings. This analysis focuses on Azula because Ty Lee in canon is only restricted when Azula is restricted.)

Azula loves (whether platonic or romantic) in a strange and unhealthy way. She completely devotes herself to a person, bending to their will, in a desperate attempt to keep them by her side. This is why love is her biggest weakness. Outside of her family, Ty Lee is the person Azula cares about most. This is seen in the way she immediately softens when she realizes Ty Lee is crying.

Even when they are enemies, Azula does not wish to harm Ty Lee. She fights her when necessary and after subduing her she does not try to cause further injury. In fact, she looks shocked when it is suggested she would kill Ty Lee.

It is like the thought has never once crossed her mind. This scene makes even more sense when you remember how she ordered for Ty Lee and Mai to be locked up for treason, a crime that is usually punishable by death.

However, despite all this, we do see her harm Ty Lee in the show. In the first episode we see with them together, Azula intimidates Ty Lee into joining her mission. This is an inexcusable move as it scares, upsets and emotionally wounds Ty Lee. That said, the reasons behind the action itself are explainable.

The thing that restricts Azula, and thus restricts Ty Lee, is Firelord Ozai. Azula is the most dedicated to Ozai in the show because he is the only person who has consistently been by her side.

Ursa left home in a sacrificial act to save Zuko.

Zuko was banished and Iroh left with him.

Mai was forced to move for political reasons.

Ty Lee left to follow her dreams.

Thanks to Ozai, Azula was completely isolated with only him to rely on. She was dependent on his love alone so she would do anything to make sure he stays with her. That is why, in Return to Omashu, she was willingly to hurt Ty Lee in ways she normally wouldn’t. Every episode with the two of them outside of The Beach was them living in Ozai’s constraints. She can show her true feelings for Ty Lee in those isolated moments and Ty Lee can return that love without fear or hesitation.

I think that these two have potential in a world where Azula breaks free before she can hurt Ty Lee or, alternatively, a world where she learns to be better and seeks forgiveness from Ty Lee.

[qqueenofhades]

Can you recommend a random and obscure historic event or time period for me to go down a rabbithole researching? A lot of the stuff you talk about is very interesting and I’d love to have something like that to learn about

Nonnie, I have a great rabbit hole for you: the Balkans/South and Eastern Europe between about 1450-1500.

You have tons of super interesting historical figures/events:

Vlad Dracula The Man Himself, and all the very Vlad Dracula-like things he was doing, great if you enjoyed Dracula Daily and want to learn more about the man behind the myth;

Matthias Corvinus (the Raven King) and the mystery of his lost library, as well as all the subsequent Slavic folktales about him as a King Arthur-like figure (readers of some of my fics will remember our magical friend Matthias, ahem);

That time Matthias Corvinus threw Dracula in prison for fourteen years and whenever visiting clergymen were getting a little too pompous or full of themselves, he would trot out Dracula and scare the shit out of them;

Sultan Mehmed II, the conqueror of Constantinople, and his lover Radu the Fair (who was also Vlad's brother); allegedly Mehmed tried to seduce Radu, Radu panicked and stabbed him, then later decided that he was into it after all and they were together for years, especially as Mehmed supported Radu's attempts to unseat Vlad in Wallachia;

Renaissance artists and literature, religion, mysticism, magic, astrology;

The complex interplay of Muslims, Christians, and Jews in the Balkans, and the constant struggle between Ottoman and Christian political control, along with their related cultural legacies;

So much political intrigue and various battles, some of which continue to shape regional memory in complicated and interesting ways (i.e. did you know that they still ring the bells in Belgrade at noon, as a commemoration of John Hunyadi's 1456 victory over Mehmed and co?)

The rise of Rodrigo Borgia (Pope Alexander VI) and the rest of his scheming clan in the endlessly dramatic city-states of Italy;

The start of the so-called "Age of Discovery" and the conquest of the new world;

Anyway. I may or may not have written several episodes of a historical TV series set in this period. For reasons.

Have fun!

[thequietkid-moonie]

S/o with in-depth knowledge of psychology

[ HEADCANONS ] [ Mei, Teru ]

[ Toilet Bound Hanako-kun / Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun ]

⚠️ A little bit of spoilers in Mei's part

hehe want to heard something funny? I'm actually a psychologist soooo this may contain hints of actual psychology concepts and things... not too deep because there are waaaaay to much theories and ways to practicing psychology (test, exercises, branches of study, diferent theories, and so on, psychology encompasses many things) besides this should be just for fun!

Thanks for requesting it, I had a lot of fun with this!

Mei Shimiya

Mei sometimes feels trapped in her own rumor, having to always be painting can be pretty tiring at times and the gossips about the die of the Mei that once was alive just make it more tiring for her, but having you around definetly make it more bareble for her, she always has a sincere smile in her lips whenever you are around

Even if you aren't much of talking she always motivate you to talk about whatever you want while she paints, and even if she doesn't seem like it she always pays a lot of attention to what you say, even if you talk about silly things she heards you

She likes when you share your aknowledge about psychology with her, she isn't that interested on the topic but she does like a lot the passion in your voice, if you know so much it must be something you really like and that feeling give her some comfort because it reminds her to the human Mei Shimiya, the one who's wish was so stronge that even was able to pass death with her

Since she always paints you end up telling her about all you know about the psychology behing the art, about how the details are so important and can tell a lot of a person from it, although most of the time is used in specific test, asking for specific drawings and that each drawings reveal important and diferent things about the person. Or, also how there is a branche of psychology more based in the person's perspective, having of example the famous inkblots

As much as Mei likes hearing you rant about all of it she prefers if you don't talk only about art since she gets pretty tired of it quickly. She is actually really interested about all the aknowledge you have and is always willing to heard you rant about all you know, she can't help but smile and feel almost proud whenever you came to her to tell her something new you have just learn

Although, there are moments where Mei just want to stay in silent and enjoy your company, so she look at you in an attempt for you to catch what she is trying to say, if not she will ask you not so politely if you two could just talk about anything else, something that doesn't make her think and maybe cuddle. There are some times where also she need to be alone, all by herself, but if you really wants to be with her and talk about everything and anything she may end up drawing something with what you could distract yourself (she is willing to actually draw another Mei so you could just have her but also leave her alone)

After some time Mei will gain the courage to start asking you her own interest about psychology, by all the information you had share with her, Mei now has a better idea about the complexity of humans and now she can start asking herself, she tries to make it more general at first but slowly goes further and further in her point, asking about the humans in a aspect close to dead, as well about human's desire and passion, how they can get so determinated for something they want

Mei wants to be able to understand the human Mei Shimiya, the one that had unconsciously created her with her passion and wish of finishing that painting, she wants to be able to understand her so bad that she is kinda using you to try and understand her, she loves that you are willing to share your aknowledge with her because of love and that is why she hesitant so much while asking, she doesn't want to feel like she is using you or that she only wants you for your aknowledge or passion (and will hate for you to think that), and, in the other hand she is also a little scare of the answer, what if the answer she gets when understanding Mei doesn't let her satisfied or something? What would she do then?

Teru Minamoto

Teru's life is pretty rough, always having to worry about his studies, about his work as an exorsist, about his family, and for you too, he can't help but worry about you, but it isn't like more weight for him, he loves you so he doesn't mind at all having to look after you (even if you don't need it is just like a second nature for him)

Teru is really smart and is always taking seriously his studies since he wants to keep his status as the perfect student, so there are high chances that he also know a few things about psychology, although the field of study of psychology is so vast that it would be difficult for him to have as much aknowledge as you have (you can actually brag about how you win over him in this, it hits a little his pride but won't say anything because he loves you)

If you like talking about all your aknowledge Teru will be more than happy to heard you talk about it, maybe you two can debate about it with the little knowledge he owns, besides, he learn quickly so it won't be much trouble for him to follow you in the conversation, he likes to point out what he finds more interesting and hearing you own opinion about the topic, as well he will like to know what psychological current do you prefer, it may sound silly or simple but it could help him understand you more and the way you see the people and the world (but he won't tell you that, you could catch his protective intention on that)

Teru may or may not ask you for some advice with his brother, specially when he start feeling sympaty for the supernaturals, but aside from that he don't ask for much aplication of psychology in real life. If you do give him any advice for himself from psychology's point of view he will thank you with a smile but is more probably that he won't actually do it, not because he doesn't believe you, he is just too stubborn

Teru may be pretty easy to be tricked if you use any psychological technique on him, but only because he tent to let his guard down with you (unless he feels the need to protect you), although, is probably that it won't take him much time before he notice it and his reaction will depend on what you were trying to do, like trying to help him to get off of a bad habit he will just laugh at it and find adorable that you wanted to help him (and probably will finally listen to you), but if it is something that goes deeper and even gets into the limit, crossing to be more manipulative, you'll lose all his trust (even if he doesn't say it out loud)

If you two are together then you have to already know about him being an exorsist, and that lead him to warn you about the supernaturals, saying that they are a total threaten and there is no way they would feel any kind of sympaty for humans, so he insist that you shouldn't waist your time trying to aply psychology in them because they are far different from humans, it won't work anyways, the more you insist in trying to understand the supernaturals the more pushy he will be. But at the end he won't hurt you or stop you so if you really want to give them a chance he will make sure you don't go alone while trying to go and interact with them (even if is just you watching them from afar, you have him at your side), at the first and smallest threaten he will be already shielding you and vanishing the supernaturals, if it end up upseting you he will apologize but Teru can't just take the risk of something happening to you

[gealach-in-a-misty-world]

Kembral Thorne is spending a few hours away from her newborn, and she's determined to enjoy the party no matter what. But when the guests start dropping dead, Kem has no choice but to get to work. She's a member of the Guild of Hounds, after all, and she can't help picking up the scent of trouble. She's not the only one. Her professional and personal nemesis, notorious burglar Rika Nonesuch, is on the prowl. They quickly identify what's causing the mayhem: a mysterious grandfather clock that sends them down an Echo every time it chimes. In each strange new layer of reality, time resets and a sinister figure appears to perform a blood-soaked ritual. As Kem and Rika fall into increasingly macabre versions of their city, they'll need to rely on their wits - and each other - to unravel the secret of the clock and save their city.

"Your life was always worth something, you insufferable fool."

Melissa Caruso's The Last Hour Between Worlds is an excellent magical mystery with a Groundhog Day twist, immaculate world-building, and a compelling relationship developing in a matter of hours. This first volume in a trilogy that promises to be explosive sets the scene for a story with clear stakes and memorable characters.

The main character and sole PoV, Kembral, is a great protagonist. On leave after giving birth to her daughter, she's quick to action and set on doing the right thing, even if it might mean not seeing her infant child again. She's a competent protagonist without being overpowered, even if she does have a special skill that sets her aside from the rest of her colleagues, but it's a learned skill, and she's not the only one to have it. Her dynamics with rival Guild member Rika are a delight, their shared past the real meat of the story, and Rika's an equally compelling character with secrets of her own. Their verbal sparring is fun and the way they set to work together a marvel.

This isn't a romantasy, the central mystery means they're on a clock, and the book balances that out pretty well. The supporting cast does a lot of heavy lifting, a number of colorful and interesting characters, each with their own voice and their own complex relationships. I especially loved the fiery swordswoman and her sibling, and I can't wait to see them explored more.

The worldbuilding is precise while not being overwhelming. It doesn't hand-feed the reader, but rather it allows to glean everything from context in a clear and concise manner. The Echoes, parallel universes of sorts, were especially interesting with their slighter differences the deeper one goes, and the Empyreans - functionally demigods - were appropriately eerie. The inner workings were clear if one is familiar with Faerie and fairy deals, spinning a familiar environment for the reader while doing something new with it. The Prime world had a lot of interesting dynamics and politics, too, which I can't wait to read more about.

The Last Hour Between Worlds is a delightful introduction to a new world.

✨ 4.5 stars

[You can find more of my reviews about queer speculative fiction on my blog MISTY WORLD]

[bharv]

I see so many posts about how people are turning around on their criticism of Inquisition now Veilguard is out and how annoying that is, and that’s really interesting to me as somebody whose criticism of Inquisition has not changed lol.

Again I wasn’t annoyed by the same things as a lot of the fans though (I thought the backgrounds were okay, if a little under-utilised, but I didn’t find my inquisitor to be a totally devoid character like some. Maybe because the voice I used was Sumalee Montano? And I didn’t mind the limitations of being the Inquisitor, I only wish they’d leaned HARDER into the political implications of it) but also it was never my favourite either. Back then I was just as frustrated at how the attempt at open world went, and how baggy certain bits were compared to how rushed other parts were, that there was less consequence to how much political clout you had than would have been possible to implement. But I loved the companions, some of my favourites in the series. I loved that it felt like a workplace lol because it WAS. I enjoyed what we got of Orlais but wished that the game was primarily there so we could dive deeper, but I’m learning more and more that the politics that I enjoy is the least favourite part to most of the fandom. Blackwall is still a great character with a bad voice performance lol.

I think my only changed opinion is I’m maybe softer on the Cullen and Samson storyline. I still think Samson (and Calpernia) deserved a lot better from the writing but I’m glad that we had that level of complexity in both of those characters. The idea that Calpernia could have come back in datv….

[thoughtfulfangirling]

@katrani replied:

oh gosh, i tend to glaze over looking at big lists so i might throw questions at you over time, but. what's a top 5 for each of nf and fic?

Katrani, that is so valid! But also, thank you for asking!!! :D

In no particular order and without counting any re-reads:

Nonfiction:

Christmas Truce: The Western Front December 1914 by Malcolm Brown & Shirley Seaton

I just finished this days ago, and the amount of warm feelings it gave me was wonderful. Human beings, MOST OF THE TIME, really don't want to hurt each other. It's shit like this that made militaries change how they do things just to get humans to kill each other. I also thought the authors had a really good balance of showing these miraculous moments in 1914 while not pretending like it was all truce and good will. Humans are complex and there are so many factors involved in how things go down, and sometimes that meant people spent that Christmas huddled in the trenches under fire. But it clearly it didn't have to be that way.

The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity, and Love by Bell Hooks

As a woman super fortunate to have some lovely men in her life, this was such a healing read. Hurt people hurt people. Hurt people who have the power to hurt people hurt even more people. None of that hurt is good, but crazily enough, the healthier we are, the less we might feel driven to hurt others. Wouldn't it be great if we all could feel whole?

This Nonviolent Stuff'll Get You Killed: How Guns Made the Civil Rights Movement Possible by Charles E Cobb

TALK ABOUT NUANCE. This author generally prefers pacifism, but he makes such a great distinction of pacifism can be a political choice defined not by inaction, but very clear and concise action. And certainly it does not have to be a lifestyle. So don't be off put by this title nor let it make one believe he's arguing for taking up guns against the state. He talks about very specific kind of violence and gun use here.

The Unthinkable: Who Survives When Disaster Strikes - and Why by Amanda Ripley

I will never stop thinking about one of the main findings of this book: People who believe what they do matters fare better in disaster. Those of us who practice throwing up our arms and saying what we do doesn't change anything are practicing and reinforcing a mindset that will leave us vulnerable and paralyzed to act in a disaster. The disasters were interesting to learn about, much of the advice and findings valuable, but that strain in particular will never fade from my brain.

Fiction:

The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey

A short little sci fi that I think is really masterfully crafted. The story that's told between the lines is so loud and powerful and yet our POV character is so willfully blind to it. Love it!

On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong

Poetry. Just pure poetry. A beautiful narrative with such stunning prose. It was also a pretty quick read. Highly recommend.

Network Effect by Martha Wells

I almost didn't include a Murderbot book because I can never remember what happens when, but I distinctly remembered that I was very fond of the first novel-length book. I adored what the extra time allowed in terms of time spent with characters and their interpersonal dramas. And the Muderbot books generally are just so good!

Camp Damascus by Chuck Tingle

I really enjoyed the characters in this book! I also loved that Chuck is not interested in hiding his twists in ways that can only shock the reader. He gives us clues and space that allow us to see the beats before they come, but those beats are no less poignant for being predictable. It's nice when the story actually follows its own logic instead of twisting it just so it can surprise you. It also really appealed to the way I process stories. Very literal and following a series of events that make logical sense. This is not what can make a book good all the time, and I've got better at reading books that are totally not like this and are vague and I have to let lose some of my control on how I understand the work. Sometimes it is nice to not have to stretch those muscles though and still not lose quality in writing and storytelling for the sake of that XD

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

This may be the only historical fiction I read this year, which is a damn shame because I've really been starting to be very fond of that genre. There's a certain feel to a story where we sit with the day-to-day life of someone else and though we recognize the toil, it is also still so foreign to our own. Also the way the characters made their own life in the tragedies that befall them? Immaculate.

[everythingblreview]

Friendly lab- unlock ()- Review (and walkthrough)

Friendly lab was one of the bl games I was looking forward the most since announcement, not only because I like the art-style but also because it’s by Tennenouji and I love Tennenouji. It was first release for mobile and now finally for PC too, unlike the mobile version the PC version is R18+ I only played the PC version because I don’t like mobile games, so everything that’s mobile only content only, won’t be discussed here.

The first part of the review will be spoiler-free and will include a walkthrough (kinda) and general help, as well as an explanation of the game since it’s rather complex. The second part will be me pretty much explaining everything that happened in the ending and how I feel about it. So let’s start~

This is as R18+ as it gets

Story and gameplay.

The gameplay is very simple to explain, you are doing “friendly” experiences on the 2 subject Nishi (left) and Higashi (right). Both wake up together in an empty room and don’t have any memory who they are and how they got here, all they know they are stuck together in a room and someone (in this case you) are performing experiences on them. As you continue to play the two test subjects will remember more and more about their life. As you proceed you will find more and more keywords to their past. The goal here is to collect them all and unlock their memories in the span of 10 day. They are always in that room, the game’s text is only the dialogue of these two characters, there is no BMG since some of the experiments have music in them and there is also no voice acting (so you don’t hear them speak). Which sound maybe boring for some people, but I thought it was really interesting to play, partly because both characters are really well written and developed and you just enjoy spending time with them and learning about their past. The closer you get to the end of the 10 days the more intense the story gets and the more on edge you are, wondering what will happen next. The game goes from light-hearted and fun to dark and heavy in the span of the 10 days. Even if the experiences are considered “friendly” it doesn’t mean that their memories are too. There is some heavy stuff in the game which some may find disturbing and hard to swallow. So general warning here. I played all 10 day glued to my seat and ended it with pain in my heart, it hurts a lot but it was really good written.

Characters

For once I would like to mention that their names are translated in the English version, so Nishi is “West” and Higashi “East”, I’m not sure why they did it, sure that what their name means in Japanese, but I don’t see a reason to translate it. Since I played the Japanese version, I will use their Japanese names.

Nishi

Nishi always talks in polite Japanese, he looks kinda shady (according to the creator, which is true lol) but he is very kind, especially to Higashi. And from the very beginning it’s very obvious how deeply in love Nishi is with Higashi, he always comments how great Higashi is and how he loves to see Higashi make x face (basically every facial expression of Higashi) the more you play the more horny his comments get (lol). Despite being extremely horny for Higashi he has full control of himself and doesn’t do anything Higashi doesn’t want, he cherishes Higashi a lot and would always help him and even gives him his food, just to see him happy. He is very smart and loves to tell Higashi all kinds of random facts. Nishi is always smiling, and his sprite is always looking to the side so it looks like he is smiling at Higashi (hehe so cute). Normally I’m not into the polite type, but I love Nishi a lot, he is just so funny and cute and loves Higashi so much.

Higashi

Don’t get deceived by his cute face, he has a body builder body and would probably crush you in 0.2 seconds, but despite that Higashi is really cute, he has a somewhat childish attitude and loves aliens, he loves to play games and he draws if he feels like it (you can get him to draw pictures for you). Higashi doesn’t understand Nishi’s obvious flirting, he understands what Nishi is saying but he always thinks that since they are both boys it can’t be that Nishi is meaning it in such a way, but he enjoys being with Nishi and doing things with him. It's very obvious that he has some kind of trauma from his past and he often panics if he sees certain things, with Nishi always being there to comfort him. I love Higashi as much as Nishi, he is adorable and has a very cute happy smile, his past is very tragic and it hurt seeing him suffer so much, so I want him and Nishi just to be happy together.

Art & Music

As said before there is no music lol, but there is an opening which I really like.

The Cgs are drawn by queen Yura and are rather dark and lack colour, they have a very depressive vibe similar to some of the one in luckydog1+ bad egg, which I really really like. They fit the dark atmosphere of the game very well. There are some really cute CGs for Higashi and Nishi, but also a lot of disturbing CGs that are even hard to look at. Yura really did a fantastic job as always.

Short conclusion

Yes, the game is great, yes please play it and suffer with me. But if you can’t stand dark, heavy themes and see gore then I don’t recommend it, this is NOT a game for anyone who just wants to see some fluffy BL moments and cute romance, and also NOT a game for people who just want to see sex. There are, of course H-scenes in the game but, I can’t really say if watching them would make you happy. But if you’re fine with going through pain and suffer then I fully recommend it. 👍

Walkthrough and Gameplay explanation

(Short disclaimer, I don’t know how these things will be called in the English version, I just choose what I think fits best)

So, the main game is basically to find all the keywords in time before the 10 days are over. To unlock them you have to fill them out, like this

You have to do experiment to find hints for the keywords. You can find keywords in the experiences that don’t have this symbol:

You can select what experiments you want to do from these possibilities:

From left to right: Spying, Meal, Special things, Incidents, Amusement, water thingy (will be unlocked if you ask questions), question, pictures (bath and sleep) are not important The most important part are Spying - Amusement and the pictures tab You have to choose Spying basically every second time. While you can get hints in the experiments only the spying option will unlock the keywords.  You don’t have to do all that the game offers you on the day but around 80% of the Spying part since you can’t watch them on the next day like with the experiments.

Important is also for Higashi to draw you pictures to unlock certain ends.

Another things which is important to get some cute Cgs between Higashi and Nishi is the “intimacy %”

Fill it up to 100% before the day is over and you get some nice CGs (The day starts at 7:30 and ends at midnight when its bed time, at 6 p.m, it’s bath time until 6:30)

You also have the option to ask them question, this is more important for other ends than for the main endings. They sometimes will request things, if you fulfill their request in time, you can choice if you want some “happy gas” or “café au lait”. Give them several of one of these things and see what will happen. (You can only give them “happy gas” while they sleep, the café au lait is the “special things” tab at the very bottom)

There is also this water thing you have to fill to see “birth” fill it out if you have time and see what happens.

I recommend you to do reach one end no matter which, because the game will unlock a hint mode once you reach an end that can be used to get all ending in the game once you unlock hint mode for end 3 and finish it you can unlock hint mode for end 5, both helpful to complete the game.

Also another important thing: YOU CANT SAVE (meaning you have to restart from day 1 if you want to do different endings

General walkthrough (I stole it from the Japanese wiki lol)

Ending 1:  Follow hint mode for ending 3, don’t do 4-5 experiments that have keywords on the 10th day (I tried to get this end 2 times but failed, but apparently its an end that happens if you fail to collect all keyword in a specific way? But it’s not that important)

Ending 2: Follow the hint mode for ending 3 and choose to tell the true in the end.

Ending 3: Follow the hint mode for ending 3 and choose not to tell the true in the end. (you can get this end even without having to choose in the end)

Ending 4: finish end 3, follow hint mode for ending 3 and full the water thingy, the difference will happen after the ending 3.

Ending 5: Follow hint mode for ending 5 and do the the 5th black square experience.

Ending 6: Follow hint mode for ending 5 and do the the 5th black square experience but before you have to upload your game to version 1.5 or 1.6, you can do this by asking them question. (apparently the question with (↑) help with this but I not really sure because I also asked them just random question and it still worked. But you have to ask them a lot of question for it to work)

Ending 7: Follow hint mode for ending 3, use the “happy gas” 8 times (I don’t know if I recommend this end first or not, maybe it better to finish that in the beginning if you want to at least to enjoy the H-scenes? But you will be left with question, so keep that in mind)

Ending 8: Follow hint mode for ending 5, use the café au lait 8 times and give the 9th to Higashi, you also need to do the “a lump of ??? experiment.

Ending 9: Use the café au lait 8 times and give the 9th to Nishi, you also need to do the “a lump of ??? experiment, you need to finish ending 4

Ending 10: Follow hint mode for ending 5, do all the experiments with (★) in it, do as many experiments that raise the intimacy level as much as possible. (The one with the pink hand symbol)

Warning: If you want to play the game yourself don’t read the next part, the memory of the characters is the most important part of the game and the reason why its so interesting to play, I will talk about everything what happened in the game, only continue if you don’t plan on playing or really don’t care.

Ready?

Ok

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I will spoil it all, okay?

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Story

Before I played the game myself, I watched some videos of the mobile version online and really enjoyed it. It was fun to watch the characters react and although I heard form Japanese player that the game is sad, but I didn’t expect it to be, no not even bitter-sweet but a full on tragedy with no real happy end for neither of it’s characters.

Let me tell you in summary what things the memories of Higashi and Nishi will reveal. I don’t remember every single details since the memories are told in a not chronical order but I try.

In the game you mostly looking for Higashi’s memory because surprise Nishi remembers everything (explains why he has such an obvious crush in Higashi). The story basically start when Higashi was in elementary school his parents divorced and he chose to life with his mother, because Higashi really loves his mother a lot. In the first day of the experiments Higashi wants to escape so he can meet his mother again, but later we find out that his mother was actually murdered, of course Higashi wants to know why and who did it. But before the murder took place, his mother had a boyfriend after she separated from Higashi’s father, who was really controlling of her and abusing of Higashi (like with beating and all). Through the experiments we learn that Higashi was apparently tortured by various things like, burning his feet or giving him piss to drink. Baby Higashi had not a lot of friends in school and often was scared to go home. He even mentioned how a perfect day for him is a day when nothing bad happens. Because if his heavy trauma he has nightmares that he often draws pictures of (these are really scary to look at).   After Higashi remember that his murder was killed, he remembers how; she was poisoned by someone, someone who gave Higashi a present his mother eat and this was what had killed her. There is another important thing Higashi’s remembers that he had an important person who ones went to a summer firework festival. After Higashi came back from this summer festival his mother’s boyfriend got so mad and beat Higashi so extreme that this poor boy was in the hospital for 2 MONTHS ((T⌓T)), after release he was put in the children care center for one month but returned home later because he couldn’t leave his mother alone who was really bad at doing everything according to Higashi. His mother’s boyfriend was actually put in jail for that, which took place in the 6th year of elementary school, his mother was killed when he was in the 2nd year in middle school. All memories he had were only until the day his mother died, everything after was still in the dark.

So now to the important question, what about Nishi? What roles does he play? Well turns out Nishi and Higashi actually knew each other before, not only knew but they were actually best friend (༶ඬ༝ඬ༶) who played together all the time after Nishi moved to Higashi’s city. Nishi’s mother had a terrible accident that lead to her being heavy injured and even killed Nishi’s unborn sister, they moved to a bigger city to care for her, Nishi’ father is a man who works with Chinese medicine, I think? Nishi went to a different elementary school than Higashi but these two still spent a lot of time together. Nishi didn’t really go to middle school because he was always helping his father with work, who was home rarely. More important, Nishi was the one who Higashi went to the firework festival with (there is this really cute picture he draws of them as babies watching the fireworks (ಥ﹏ಥ)), and not only that but he actually lived a whole month with Nishi and his mother, after the abuse thing with his mother’s boyfriend.

On the 8th night (I think) before the go to sleep, Nishi tell Higashi he has something important to tell, and then he tell him how he was the one who actually killed his mother (Σ(°ロ°)) he used a toxic flower covered with chocolate which he knew his mother would eat because HE HAD GIVEN HER POISEN FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS (now that’s a twist… apparently she was sick in some way anyways so no one had noticed it before). Higashi flips and starts to strangle Nishi asking why he would do that but Nishi wants him first to remember everything, (Also, important to note that Higashi even though he is smaller, he is stronger than Nishi) so he stops and says that he doesn’t hate Nishi because he promised never to hate anyone ever again, he just feels very sad and wants to know why he did it. The following day Higashi remembers even more time he had spent with Nishi, but also remembers that Nishi’s mother actually died later which he really feels sad about because he really liked her a lot and wanted to meet her again. At night he once again starts to strangle Nishi wanting the reason for his mother’s death but stops because he gets some really weird flashbacks of Nishi.

On the last day you collect the last memories of Higashi and get more pictures from him (which play an important role actually). Higashi also remembers that he got a call right after he saw his mother die. Once the day is over Nishi and Higashi sit down to reveal the final missing puzzle. Everything from here was hard to swallow. It was Higashi’s mother’s birthday and Nishi gave Higashi the poisonous flower which he gave to his mother, which she ate and died. Shocked, Higashi gets a call from his Nishi with Nishi telling him that he was the one who killed her, Higashi is shocked and Nishi tells him to come over to his house so he can explain why. Hiagshi rushes over completely angry at him and attacks him, Nishi tell him that he want to listen to his last request but Higashi completely flips and starts to strangle Nishi until blood starts to drip from his eyes and mouth…………Higashi actually killed Nishi in that moment, he really died and Higashi remembers it now, the worst part is that Nishi knew it, he knew Higashi would kill him for it and he actually dug a hole in his garden so HIGASHI COULD BURY HIM(……I have no words). Nishsi actually left him a letter telling what to do once he killed him, but this is where it gets even worse, once Higashi realized he killed his best friend he completely loses it and begins to hit his head against something (don’t remember what exactly) until he CRUSHES HIS HEAD AND DIES. He literally committed suicide right there on spot, he died, Nishi died, they have been dead the whole time, that’s why Higashi couldn’t remember more because there was never a future to begin with. There were only 14 years old…. o(TヘTo) Hello darkness my old friend~

Nishi didn’t know that Higashi, too died on that day and is shocked to find it out. Once all of this is out you can choose if you want to tell Higashi the true or not

-If you don’t: Nishi will tell Higashi that he killed his mother because he wanted to free Higashi from her, because as long as she lived Higashi has to care for her and never can live the life he wanted. Then Nishi tells him since he now told Higashi everything, Higashi is free to kill him, but Higashi tells him that he won’t and that he still wants them to be best friends. The only question remains, if they died when they were 14, how are they alive, why do they look older now? (around 18, 19 ) Well, this question will probably never be answered, there is no full explanation who is behind this all, why are they alive, or are they even alive? It ends how it started with them in the room together.  (this is the end 3)

-If you do tell the true: Higashi will get a card and the only thing written on it is “Your mother abused you”, Yes Higashi’s mother was behind Higashi’s abuse, she did these horrible things to him not only her boyfriend, she burned his feet so he couldn’t go to school, she fed him rotten food and the piss. That’s the true reason Nishi killed her, because she abuse Higashi, but Higashi was so manipulated by her abuse that he still loved her. Once Higashi reads that he begins to remember, from the picture he drew what his mother did to him (that’s why they were important) but this is too much for him that he dies right in Nishi’s arm. Nishi follows right after. It seems Nishi knows that they can both died from that and the game hints that this experiment is constantly repeated, so they live and die in a circle. (ending 2)

Ending 2 & 3 are both like the true endings, yes this is all you get utter depression. I can’t with Nishi, he knew Higashi would kill him and yet he still couldn’t see him suffer from abuse, despite knowing the whole time he was dead he never was mad at Higashi ever he always looked at him with the most loving eyes, the love he had for Higashi was tragic, that ended in a tragedy for both of them. I can’t even be mad at Nishi or Higashi, I fully understand Nishi’s reasons and how can you be mad at Higashi for killing him when Nishi himself isn’t. Higashi was only a victim of abuse which led to all of this. If you finish the ending 3 you can read the letter Nishi wrote him before his death in the game start menu. In it it’s says how Nishi wants him to bury him in the garden and that he should go to the police after and how he saved money for Higashi so he can survive alone and there rest I will maybe know some day if I can stop crying while reading the letter………………….

Also you don’t get any H-scenes not even a kiss, this is just a full on depression game. Yet I’m still fine with it, it was a beautiful written tragedy, I just wanted them to be happy (╥﹏╥)

Ending 1: Like said I never did it because I couldn’t get it for some reason, but it’s a fail end where you fail to find all of Higashi memories and Higashi doesn’t remember killing Nishi or dying himself and Nishi doesn’t know he died (is what Japanese people told me).

Ending 4: Its basically ends with ending 3 and then you see Higashi and Nishi being reborn in some tank or some shit? Is it a hint that they were born in a labor and they only have memories from their previous life? I don’t know…You can only get this end once.

Ending 5: The black square will swallow Nishi and cut off his bottom part and he dies in Higashi’s arm. (very bloody end)

Ending 6: Same experiment as for ending 5, but this time they can pass through the square and leave the room only to end up in?? good question, it looks like outside but there is no other person also a piece of meat falls from heaven…okay?

Ending 7: The horny end lol. You have to give them the “happy gas” and Higashi gets high and horny and starts to make out with Nishi in the first night and they gradually make more nsfw things which ends with sex at the 8th time. This is the only way to get anything sexual between them, yes by drugging. The sex scene was WILD, Nishi tells Higashi that he needs to tell him thanks you for killing his mother or he won’t do xxx so he does while they go for it….eh ok. This feels even weirder if you know that they are both dead.

Ending 8: Higashi gets high from coffee and thinks he is eating his mother’s sandwich but he is actually eating Nishi’s hand….. Nishi is just fine with it (Okay Nishi you big simp)

Ending 9: Nishi gets high and remembers things he shouldn’t so the experiment is just stops?

Ending 10: Jeez, this one was the worst x.x If you raise their intimacy level really high, at night when they supposed to go to bed they let this giant man in the room ( I think it's Higashi’s mother’s ex?) and HE BEGINS TO HIT HIGASHI AND NISHI AND RAPES HIGASHI, Nishi and Higashi then try to kill him and somehow made it. It ends with Higashi crawling naked to Nishi who was laying on the floor completely covered in blood, saying that he only needs Nishi………………………………………………… WHY DO YOU GET THAT FOR RAISING THEIR AFFECTION TENNENOUJI WHYYY.

*cough* Anyway thanks for reading me suffer if you made it to the part, I’m gonna go be depressed and pray that the next BL game doesn’t rip my heart out like this did  (￣ ￣|||)

[javomelancholie]

Albedo is not an aloof person. He is an introvert. He's very polite and elegant to ordinary people, and will communicate to the best of his abilities. After all, we know that our Albedo is a successful homunculus who can blend with humans. We also know that he is quite popular and loved by many people for his calmness, collectiveness, intelligence and skills.

When Lumine first met Albedo, we learned that he is a mean little kind science man, he is a complex human being, is smitten with Lumine from the beginning because he is seeing in her a kindred spirit, is struggling with his loneliness and is interested in essence of life/self-improvement. Albedo also admited that investigative process is giving him only fleeting pleasure and everything that was once exciting for him eventually boring him. But he enjoyed spending time with Lumine and looking forward to meet with her again.

I really recommend to rewatch all events with him. Looking at all our interactions with him it feels like Albedo in the pop-up pictures and has stepped out, gradually getting to know you and becoming one with you, and only showing to the Traveler his mischievous side that others can't see.

He finally have a person in his life who understands him perfectly, accepts him and with whom Albedo can be at ease and himself.

Through the perspective of the Traveler we see the comprehensive nature of his character. Albedo isn't some kind of tamed, never annoyed, expressionless person.

For example, in the event "Hues of the violet garden" he asked Lumine: "Hehe, can't I come and see you when nothing is up?" referring to their conversation in his first story quest when Albedo asked Lumine if he can solicit her help again when need arises and she answered: "Sure, even if you just want some company, find me anytime". He is so considerate! Like Lumine! Or when during his first story quest he asked her to make him a meal as part of test but in reality Albedo was just hungry. Or when Albedo, Lumine and Paimon were making scary stories in the event "Shadows Amidst Snowstorms", Albedo said that he finds Paimon's story about replacing the victim amusing and said that he would like bring it up in the future conversations.

Paimon: Do you want to scare people with it?

Albedo: Yes (nodding)

Paimon: This guy has a real mean streak!

Albedo: (I will meet Lumine in the city and will deliberately hide the mark on my neck. Looking forward to it).

The victory expression of a successful prank! He is so funny! Lumine was smirking back and found his behavior amusing! Just get married you two! He is keeping a polite distance with others but with Lumine he is different. Albedo always talks about how interested he is in her and how he wants to spend more time with her (especially by themselves). He is slowly opening his heart to her. And is evolving because of her. He confessed his love for Lumine sweetly in the Serenitea Pot and asked for a date. Albedo suggested for Lumine to live with him on Dragonspine in the end of event "Shadows Amidst Snowstorms".

I think the plot of his character overall is pretty good. It's nice seeing that he is gradually gaining more friends and becoming a better version of himself after Albedo met Lumine.

During "Midsummer Island Adventure" event Albedo knew from the start that the "evil" Dodo King is Alice but didn`t tell anyone about that because he thinks that the game shouldn't be ruined, let people discover the warm surprise. He's nice and patient with Klee and is a kind brother to her. He appreciated Cyno's jokes. He promises to protect Lumine on numerous occasions.

In short, Albedo is a charming character. An elegant gentleman but a silly little man with Lumine and likes to tease her.

He is cute!

[animeandfilmotaku]

烏は主を選ばない-[A Raven Does not choose its master]-Intrigue and Insight.

In my normal regular brain, this is honestly my reaction to this series via a meme

But I am a serious film review writer, and I really really need to gush one of the best anime series I have watched in recent years, so shall jump into the world of Yatsugarsu.

I may come late to the court drama genre party, thanks to Apothecary Diaries (薬屋のひとりごと) [FYI I really highly recommend this, if you love strong female characters and intriguing plot twists), so unfortunately I have to wait til February 2025 for Season 2 (I should read the novels too, as I heard it is also good), but it would be another show that I will recommend. As for now, I need to talk about this series 烏は主を選ばない [A Raven Does not choose its master]

So it started simply about Yukiya, a country boy from Taruhi who has unexpectedly cross pass with Prince Wakamiya (the true Kin’u), to be his aide (Though Yukiya has his sassy ways when dealing with his antics). So for the first half of the series- we deal with the 4 consorts vying for Wakamiya’s hand in marriage. I said it was great, it was cool, the intrigue is amazing with every plot twist from each consort having its own affairs and personality-all vying for . Not going to spoil for one of the biggest twists for that arc, but not all that it seems in the courts, that even Yukiya-an observer be like I am too old for this shit with these delulu nobles.

I would say Hamayuu is my favourite among the consorts, because she radiated intelligence and wit that every time I see her, I be like QUEEN, I love you so much 😩

However I wanted to give the shout out to the next part of the series that totally solidify the series for me as a whole, so after the selection process of the consort is officially done (With oh course revelations of our lovely consorts, again no spoilers), trouble seems to brew at the countryside as there are mutated yatsugarasus and killer were-monkeys (These things scared the shit out of me TBH) prowling through the villages, killing the residents- which Yukiya is pulled back to the Prince’s side, to investigate these horrors. I guess that is how Game of Thrones fans feel like with the plot twists they watched, because Raven’s plot twists are muah Chef’s kiss. Like every time I be like ‘This so-so is SUS” and the same time, did not expect the unexpected with the motivations. Like from the intrigue on who shall win Wakamiya’s hand, now it become like there are drugs???? There are evil monkeys???? Gang pacts????? Quoting that Lady Gaga Meme;

You can say it makes you want more of its twists and turns in Yamauchi’s inner worlds.

Not to mention, I love the world-building that it is not jarring at all, but rather it serves you like a 9 course Michelin meal, which its politics, surroundings, mythos and livelihood interweaved so beautifully. I admit I am jealous how it is written, as I cannot even pen these worlds so intriguing and yet so brutal, which could be similar to real life.

As David Lean, one of my heroes said ‘I'm first and foremost interested in the story, the characters.’ and it really shined through the series, with the relationship between Wakamiya and Yukiya, who lived different lives; Wakamiya burdened with the destiny of protecting his fellow crows and Yukiya, a witty kid who learns that the world he lives is not what it seems and yet bonded by loyalty. They propelled the story through their observations and interactions with their allies, enemies or conspirators.

On the side note the endcard after every episode done by Natsuki-sensei (The illustrator for the Yatsugarsu series) which are so gorgeous by itself (I saw an online website where you can buy the postcard set itself, which I am jealous as it is expensive)

I am quite upset how this anime flew by the radar, with the more popular ones, but if you love court intrigue, refreshing world buliding and complex characters, this series is for you,and I hope you enjoy the ride as I was

I am hoping to get my hands to work on the novels by Abe-sensei itself so I can read it by itself, because it is just amazing