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lottiepumpkinofficial · 2 months ago

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day 22

chap’s 13,14

i’m in a funky mood, pls note my annotations may be strange/sparse today ALSO pls note there will be mentions of diet culture within this post- it will be labeled red as it starts and green as it ends, but please feel free to scroll if you don’t want to read that

i love ellie’s growing girl comment, i love that she constantly says and does things that flip gender on its head

tw diet culture. okay but it’s so fucking sad to me that jamie clearly only sees food as fuel, means to an end. he judges ellie for her food choices because he doesn’t care about the enjoyment or soul nourishment from food, he sees his body as a tool and therefore food as a means to make that tool work. he doesn’t even eat cupcakes for gods sake (i will never believe him that he doesn’t like sweet foods, i think he’s kidding himself) okay sad rant over

🌹

ooh friendly reminder that @rosewoodconch has created oscar’s diary and you can read it on ao3

stay fucking vigilant, that word is said to lottie almost as much as unprecedented was said during covid

i’m glad percy has counselling, but i wonder how it works for him, of course they’d have to have a counsellor who’s fluent in bsl or an interpreter, but i’m more curious about what he actually says, because he’s very private with his issues and if he doesn’t remember the kidnapping at all, what does he say? does he make up stuff? does he say nothing at all? does he talk about some stuff but not other stuff?

and the biggest question of all- if rosewood has counselling facilities, why the fuck do the royal trio not use them? lottie at least should, she was kidnapped for fucks sake

small classes are the best, i took two languages at gcse and only 9 of us were in the double language french class

i mean only two people you know have shown up lottie

lottie 🤝 binah

autistic

interesting that her tiara had been growing heavy for her but the second she sees something similar to her tiara it glows and her wolf pendant grows heavy

what happened to her? uh well she cut off her hair and founded the school you’re sat in

i love love love the parallels between ellie and liliana

also for anyone who does not know me, i am lottie and i am also william tufty 🩷🩷🩷

i also love that liliana is basically ellie and lottie smushed together as a person

okay so all the people in that class saw liliana wearing the tiara, and presumably they saw photos of lottie in it at the ball, how did nobody but professor devine and binah put two and two together

i’m also mildly confused that lottie’s vegetarian but she has a leather workbook, that feels very against her vibe but maybe that’s just me as a vegan

i wish we got more about binahs family, i know we get some stuff later on but i wish we got moreeee

heavy pendant=lottie connecting to herself

i think even from so early in the series, it’s a warning about giving up your own life for the service of someone else, no matter how much you love them- lottie and jamie giving up their own lives makes it so so much harder when inevitably it comes crashing down, because it had to, there was no way ever that things would be sustainable as they were. jamie needed to find himself, even if that meant briefly joining a terrorist organisation; and lottie needed to take her friends (especially ollie), her future and most importantly, her own feelings into account

again with lottie’s thoughts, i don’t think this is in her own voice, i think she’s imagining jamie telling her off

also the foreshadowing from this about jamie, she responds as herself, the princess does have a cousin

do we think binah knows about jamie at this point? is there anything binah doesn’t know?

okay clearly i do have a lot to say today

so there’s lilies everywhere- lilies=liliana and professor devine says lottie is connected to the flowers, i think if you pay attention there are so many floral hints in the books

also lilies symbolise purity and rebirth- do we think there’s a significance in this

oh of course he’s reading hamlet (princely reference?)

malevolent minx, i love it

well clearly she did summon up the spirit of liliana, she manifested lottie and she manifested going to rosewood

YES ELLIE DID SUMMON SOMEONE- YOU

howling- wolfy hints

this bit reminds me of carmilla (if you know what i’m talking about omg pls tell me)

uh oh, you’re halfway there to figuring it out lottie

pls lottie think of one other time you’ve smelt that without lola and micky present

#lottie pumpkin #ellie wolf #jamie volk #rosewood chronicles #rwch #rwchreadathon2024 #connie glynn #rwch readathon 2024

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carlos-in-glasses · 1 year ago

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I hope you're enjoying your fanclub. Are you going to thank me for that? Fuck you saying I don't have empathy. You don't know anything about me or what I've been through. Practice what you preach. "So lovely so kind thank you so much". You constantly write that, and what does it mean? I read hundreds of books I know when my intelligence is being insulted. All I wanted to know is what else I could read. Cunt.

To quote Rafael Silva who I've met in real life and is super lovely and he's touched my body btw: "Sweetie, no."

I don't have fans - I have friends, and I have kind people who I don't know but are rallying because that is what spaces full of nice people do. Authors and readers in this community care about each other and champion each other all the time. Authors and readers participate in Fic Rec Friday because it's exciting and an organised opportunity to recommend fics and have an entire library compiled for us - incredible. The fact that you've seen one of my same fics being recommended more than once should have been enough for you. But it wasn't. I dont think you care at all about 'knowing what else you could read.' I think you wanted to hurt somebody, and you did. Congrats. You hurt me. And then the 'fanclub' (as you bizarrely put it) healed me. So, now that I am stronger, I would like to tell you to come off anon and DM me. I am afraid of you, but I will also face you, and if you would like me to practice my empathy, I will. I'll talk to you about what you're going through. I want to know what has happened that has made you the way you are and think the way you do.

To answer your actual question: "So lovely so kind thank you so much". You constantly write that, and what does it mean?" You're totally correct - I do use this language a lot. The reason being: I often interact with people who are kind and lovely, and it means that I am responding with gratitude. AND I AM BRITISH. I AM A BRITISH PERSON. This is how I talk *in real life* because I am British and have a weirdly posh voice despite not being from a wealthy background. People on here who have met me in real life can confirm that I pretty much constantly say these words. Four members of the cast of Lone Star could also confirm it, because I have thanked them for their kindness in person too, nbd. Also because I AM BRITISH the word cunt does not offend me. It is a term of endearment.

Kindness is always something to acknowledge when possible. It's really, really important - maybe now more than ever. I'm not a smart person like you with your hundreds of books and bitchy notion of ratios. I don't even have a maths GCSE. But I have at least learned how terrible it is to be the reason someone's day becomes bad. Don't be that reason.

Also: Fire Island is fucking great. I've just started reading it back - and I recommend it too lol.

#Ask #I won't answer another anon from you. Come and talk to me.

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thatdesklamp · 1 year ago

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WAIT OMG-

been reading intrinsic warmth for a WHILE and your writing is top tier!! i always wondered to myself every time i’d read a chapter why the writing just STICKS, yk? i’m a MAJOR book girlie, i read 24/7.

AND THEN IMAGINE MY SURPRISE WHEN I READ ONE OF YOUR TAGS THAT YOU PUT UP ON ONE OF YOUR POSTS WHERE YOU WERE ANSWERING A QUESTION FROM ANOTHER LOVELY READER AND I SEE THAT YOU TOOK AN ENGLISH A LEVEL?

first of all (not 100% sure on this) but i’m pretty sure only british ppl take gcses, a levels, etc. YOU’RE BRITISH?

i feel like i’ve met my other half rn over something so tiny but yeah. IT LITERALLY EXPLAINS WHY YOUR WRITING IS SO GOOD:

i could point out the NUMBER of times i’ve seen juxtaposition, symbolism, foreshadowing in your fic to someone if they’d asked me to point it out for them. at first i thought you might’ve done it unknowingly, and then i decided that nope, bc foreshadowing is such a BIG writing technique that it simply couldn’t have been by accident.

it’s one thing to know about a writing technique and another to actually be able to SUCCESSFULLY incorporate it into your writing. if it isn’t clear enough, i’m saying that you did it AMAZINGLY. you’ve got a natural talent and i’m envioussss (in a supporting way ofc 😭).

you should really look into making your own book, and i think you EXCEL at the supernatural aspect of plot in stories. your writing is so unique and different yet so warm, it reminds me of autumn (my favourite season).

idk how to end such a long message, ultimately i don’t have a reason for typing this up and shit. ik you have tons of people probably saying the same thing and it might just get repetitive for you, but i wouldn’t feel comfortable not being part of said bunch-of-ppl-probably-saying-the-same-thing.

oh! and take your SWEET TIME updating. it’s your story, your fic, your writing. the ONLY thing we readers can give you as a payback and thanks is time, patience, and understanding <3333

RAHHH BRITTANIA 💪💪💪💪

Agh. Yes—I’m British (English to be precise, sweet sweet caroline etc), hence the use of ‘u’s in words like ‘colour’ and ‘humour’, and also why everyone’s parents are their ‘father’ or ‘mother’ and not mum/dad. ‘Mom’ feels too American but ‘mum’ feels too rah engerland, yk? I’ve mentioned previously that I’m looking forward to writing fics where the characters are actually from England and where I’m actually allowed to write them the way I talk, mostly. Good lord am I excited.

And yes lol I took English for an A-Level. Bloody smashed it too, if I get to brag, mwahaha. Didn’t take it any further (I’ve also previously said that I’m a # woman in stem uni student, which is true), but I still write a killer essay imo. Give me 10 minutes to do a refresher on ‘Othello’ (it’s been a while okay) and I can talk for donkeys about his tragic fall and how much of a wanker he is. Which he is! I’m a Desdemona defender for life.

You say ‘natural talent’. PLS. No!! God no. Not at all. I wish—that would’ve made it a lot easier, but whatever I can do rn is down to bloody years of toiling away on my shitty little laptop, I promise. I’ve got another anon ask that asked about some writing tips so I’ll do the bulk of them there but my number 1 will always and forever be to practise. Whatever skill I have now has been earned over the many years. You don’t even want to see some of the stuff that will never grace my ao3 page (atla had me in a chokehold through covid and I have never been the same).

But you are genuinely so complimentary: this is so so lovely of you. Thank you?? It’s really weird being someone who writes and also someone who enjoys analysing literature; you’re right, half of the ‘techniques’ are intentional (the number of times I’ve flicked through some chapters’ drafts and thought, ‘fucks sake none of this makes sense, I need to add some decent foreshadowing or none of this will make sense in two chapters’), but also so much of my writing is just thinking, ‘hmm, this doesn’t really feel right. No no, I don’t like the vibe of this. I want this to feel more GRAAHHH and less lalalala. Lemme change this up a bit’. Whether that leads to the whole, short sentences->speeds up the pace of the reader when reading the section->increased tension, mimics actual fight encounter, etc etc (all the stuff you blag on about in eng lit), then maybe that counts as intentional? And maybe not.

Making my own book? That’s lovely of you to say but I also really don’t have any ideas for anything non-fanfic’y! Lol. I love a good bit of canon compliance, that’s my issue. That being said—hey, another eng a level reference—I’ve made multiple references here to being the world’s #1 ‘Atonement’ hater. Unfortunately, it also lives damn rent free in my head and I’ve got the bare bones of a WW2-era, perhaps epistolary, longform fic buzzing around. (Fandom: Marauders. I’m a disgrace but here we go). I’ve written nothing for it and maybe I never will, but that’s one of the only things I can see as being more standalone from original canon. Anyway: it’s the fanfic life for me. Ali Hazelwood’s life is but a distant dream.

But anyway! Thank you again for your lovely words. The next IW chapter will take a very long time, I have to be frank, so thank you for the reassurance that that’s not absolutely disgraceful lmao T_T Thanks again!! <3

#intrinsic warmth #I hope I have not accidentally hidden my englishness #the biggest event of this month isn’t Halloween or 1989tv — it’s the switch from bst to gmt babyy

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economic-echoes · 9 months ago

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Finding My Way To Economics

Suki here,

Many moons ago, when I was a mere 15 years old, I was choosing my A-Levels. I went looking for a shiny new subject that would combine all my skills and interests. Would it be sociology, psychology or maybe even business studies? Those classic subjects that all prospective A-Level students seem attracted to.

To find the answer to my question, I decided to research the subjects I found most enjoyable and the ones that would go best with maths. The first place I decided to look was in my school library where I knew there were magazines designed specifically to help people choose their A-Levels. Having looked through several publications, while I found them all interesting, it wasn't until I picked up the November 2020 issue of Economics Review that I was truly entranced.

I stumbled upon an article that talked about the economics of pubs and evaluated their declining numbers. First the page examined some of the key economic issues involving the pub industry and then ended with a question: Should their fate be left to the market, or should the government intervene? I found this discussion very fascinating because I had rarely thought of the world through an economic lens much before, other than in geography case studies (which looking back, I enjoyed the most). The article introduced new themes to me like division of labour through the pin analogy from Adam Smith (Wealth of Nations) and how it can improve productivity. It also touched on topics like economies of scale and oligopolies. It was all so exciting and interesting, I found out there was a whole secret world behind the one I thought I lived in, and I was desperate to learn more.

To advance my knowledge in this subject I decided to find a book to read. After having googled economics books for beginners, I found myself enticed by Freakonomics by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven Levitt. I thoroughly enjoyed it as an introduction to economics because its humorous notes made it very entertaining. The authors also did an excellent job at helping me understand statistical concepts at an intuitive level, and how I could use the concepts to better understand the real-world problems discussed in the book.

After more research into the subject, I found out that not only did economics consist of microeconomics; the branch of economics that considers the behaviour of decision takers within the economy, such as individuals, households and firms, but also macroeconomics; the study of the actions governments and countries take to influence broader economies. So, this was where I decided to research next. At the time, ChatGPT had just been released and I was fascinated to know how this would affect the labour market. As part of my English GCSE coursework, we were assigned to write a speech on a subject of our choosing so long as it was compelling and interesting so then I decided to pick the topic The Economic Impact of AI. (I will upload this speech at a later date with current insights and reflections alongside).

Now I'm a 16-year-old amid my A-Levels; Economics, Maths, Further Maths, Computer Science. I'm getting stuck in and learning a lot.

#economics #economy #a levels #academics #artificial intelligence #freakonomics #blogger #featured

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phireads · 10 months ago

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My Books of 2023 Ranking 📖

This is a little late (it's the 12th of January when I'm writing this) but I read 18 books this year and I really wanted to just summarise my thoughts on them.

Obvious disclaimer: these are just my opinions and I would love to have a conversation about any of these books, whether you agree with me or not (the beauty of literature is that it's subjective) so please ask me any questions you might have.

Okay, let's get into it!

Re-reads:

The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Simply incredible. This was my fourth time reading this book. It does have a great deal of nostalgic merit for me so that surely makes me biassed and therefore I can’t say it’s definitively the best book ever (however much I might want to). It’s not some sort of philosophical masterpiece, nor does it present any new views on society or culture. But it does exactly what it sets out to do. It is a book written for teenagers and young people which teaches them, through vibrant characters and rich prose, that they are deserving of love and that a true sense of belonging can always be found if sought. I will be rereading this spring.

First Reads:

16. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

⭐️⭐️

Ugh. This was such a slog. I had only ever read one Dickens work before this - A Christmas Carol, as required by my English GCSE (standard examinations in England, taken at age 15/16) - and I really enjoyed it. Yes, ACC was a novella and therefore, much shorter than Great Expectations and, I believe, most of Dickens’ other novels but I think it also has a spirit to it which just isn’t present in this book. I’m not referring to the “Christmas spirit” or indeed any of the four supernatural spirits which visit Ebenezer Scrooge throughout the stanzas, but rather the sense of movement that tells the reader that a story is progressing and wills them to read on. Great Expectations, to me, felt uninspired and dull. I liked (as in enjoyed reading about them, not solely agreed with them morally) only two characters, Biddy and Joe. The rest of the characters simply didn’t interest me, as they were too trivialised (which seems to be a major component of Dickens’ writing and all I can say is: Bertolt Brecht does it better). I recognise and appreciate what Dickens was trying to do with Miss Havisham having created a monster out of Estella but the way it was conveyed, especially given Pip was telling the story, simply lessened the impact. I didn’t like the convoluted prose, nor did I find the plot particularly engaging. I will be trying another Dickens novel (I own a copy of A Tale of Two Cities but if anyone has a better recommendation, please let me know) but needless to say, my expectations won’t be all that Great.

15. The Tomb in Seville: Crossing Spain on the Brink of Civil War by Norman Lewis

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a travel piece which focuses on Lewis’ journey, with his brother-in-law, across Spain on an errand for his father-in-law, Eugene Corvaja to locate the Corvaja family’s ancestral tomb in (you guessed it) Sevilla. There were several elements of this book which I did enjoy, particularly Lewis’ way of imparting obscure facts (I had no clue there had been witch trials on the Iberian peninsula). Sadly, a lot of the anecdotal stories felt quite distant and unemotional. Perhaps, because I mostly read fiction, I was wrong to expect such sentiment from a travel piece but I do think there should have been more urgency felt when recounting being in the crossfire of a battle. I do want to acknowledge this book’s value as it demonstrates the rest of the world’s view of the guerra civil.

14. North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This one was honestly quite a disappointment for me. I know that seems ridiculous to say, given how I’ve rated it three stars, but I was just so excited to read this. I’d heard that Gaskell was an adept writer who did not shy away from political commentary. That much is true. I was extremely impressed by Margaret and Mr Thornton’s political sparring, as most Regency and Victorian era works that I’ve encountered disguise their political and social messaging so as to not create too much controversy. Gaskell, on the other hand, makes no attempt to veil the more sensitive issues of her time. What did disappoint me was her characterisation, or lack thereof. I did not find myself drawn to Margaret Hale, John Thornton, or any of their comrades and rivals. I’m very much a character-driven reader. To properly enjoy a fiction book, its characters must be at least one of three things:

Relatable - a character acts or thinks like me and therefore, I feel a bond with them and am invested in their fate (see: C. Brontë’s Jane Eyre or Austen’s Elinor Dashwood)

Recognisable - a character acts or thinks like someone I have encountered and therefore, feels realistic to me (see: Alcott’s Amy March or Stoker’s Lucy Westenra)

Compelling - a character acts or thinks in a manner with which I am not at all familiar and may find morally reprehensible but does so in a way which engages me and encourages me to read on (see: E. Brontë’s Hindley Earnshaw or Golding’s Jack Merridew)

That seems arbitrary to state but regardless, I must be engaged with the characters for a plot or the writing to be worth reading and unfortunately I was not engaged with the characters of North and South. I will still be picking up Gaskell’s other work though and I can see why she is an exalted author and want to give her another chance.

13. You’ll be the Death of Me by Karen M. McManus

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is not the kind of book I usually talk about on here, probably because I rarely read any young adult literature anymore (not for any snobbish reason, my tastes have just changed) and have never been a great fan of mysteries. However, I have an odd devotion to Karen M. McManus books, having fond memories of going to the supermarket after school to pick up her latest novel and trying not to bump into a tree as I read it on the walk home. So of course, I had to read this. It’s simply okay. The crime was basic and its perpetrator was unconvincing but it was an easy and fun read and I like to rate books based on my personal experience, rather than the general academic consensus. Would recommend The Cousins over this but still a good time.

12. The Return by Victoria Hislop

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I had read one Victoria Hislop book before The Return - Those who are Loved, published eleven years after this - and I’m very happy to say that Hislop is not a one hit wonder whose inspiration dims over time. I can see in The Return the ideas that would become her later novels. So naturally, this book was not as emotive or as fleshed out as I would have liked but it’s really nice to see a popular author who is very clearly dedicated to their craft and has improved. I really need to read The Island. Also brownie points for the Lorca mentions!

11. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m actually sort of nervous to post this on here - particularly because I have beloved mutuals who would sail a thousand ships for this book. I’d heard about all the satire and social commentary in Northanger Abbey so I decided to approach it with a more academic viewpoint (especially since I love gothic literature - yes, even the silly and melodramatic stuff which Jane Austen criticises - so I didn’t want to get personally offended). I really respect what Austen set out to do and this is certainly the most transparent social commentary I’ve read from her. I just didn’t connect with the characters. I understand that Catherine is meant to be almost a parody of herself but she didn’t feel as real to me as Austen’s other heroines. Nor did, I truly regret to say, Henry feel like a leading man. I wasn’t very invested in their relationship and felt that their obstacles were resolved too quickly. HOWEVER, biggest compliments to the author for creating John Thorpe, one of the most timeless and insufferable antagonists of all time. I adored the fact that he’s not comically evil, he’s just awful. Where Catherine hopes she might be a heroine, John Thorpe believes down to his breeches that he is a hero. I also thought it was so well done how he tried so hard to get Catherine to fall for him and ended up directly facilitating her relationship with Henry. All in all, I will definitely be rereading because I’m sure I’ve missed some nuance. Unfortunately, Ms Austen has set my expectations so high, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed.

10. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This wasn’t really anything new but Jennifer Saint writes beautifully so I would like to read Elektra and Atalanta.

To me, this novel felt like a story of sisterhood so I’m surprised it wasn’t called Ariadne and Phaedra. Due to it just being called Ariadne, I would always have had a sense of Phaedra’s tragic fate, even had I not known her mythology beforehand. I will say, I read this in Crete after having visited the real Knossos so that definitely helped my enjoyment of the book. I would absolutely recommend this to people wanting to get into mythological retellings but be warned - the feminism is really basic and bland.

9. Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck

⭐️⭐️⭐️

All men these days know how to do is get arrested, fall asleep, drink wine and steal vacuum cleaners. This is, again, a brilliant instance of a writer developing over years of honing their skills. In Tortilla Flat, we see Steinbeck’s trademark landscape of the hot California deserts combined with the first inklings of his masterful character work. Danny and his friends are instant favourites of mine - especially the Pirate and Jesús María Corcoran. The plot is pretty weak, especially for Steinbeck, but as I said, this is one of his earlier works. Still a very engaging and atmospheric read and made me wish for five friends to share a gallon (or two) of wine with.

8. The Wedding by Dorothy West

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I would 100% recommend this book to anybody who enjoys media concerning high society and decadence. The Wedding marries themes of familial and racial politics with an idyllic island setting. I found the conversations between Gram, Liz and Shelby to be extremely compelling. I wasn’t as interested in the parallel plotline of Lute and his daughters though so the ending fell a bit flat for me. I also wish that we had seen Shelby’s fiance, Meade. I think West intended for Meade to be a symbol of Shelby’s choice between her family/ race and her love and therefore did not need to be developed into a full character but I just felt that if we had got to know Meade, we would have better understood Shelby’s decisions. Also, this is the second book I’ve read recently where a man dies directly after intercourse - is this a common plot point in books???

7. Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Here we are. The behemoth. It’s not actually extremely long but oh boy, is it jam-packed? I really didn’t know how to rate this because it’s just so different from anything I’ve ever read before. I suppose I should get the negatives out of the way first by saying that I did not enjoy the structuring. I wish we didn’t know that the majority of the characters of the first half of the novel are already dead when Nelly recounts the story to Mr Lockwood. I understand that Brontë might have intended to show how all the first generation were doomed from the beginning and I think telling us of Catherine’s death was ingenious but I wish I’d found out about Isabella’s death in the main narrative. Otherwise, what a masterpiece! The pacing was a little slow for the first 100 or so pages but I honestly enjoyed that because it allowed me to really immerse myself in Brontë’s eerie moors. As someone who spent a lot of time in Yorkshire as a child, I found the descriptions to be absolutely transporting. I thought the first half of the book was brilliant but the second half - concerning Catherine, Heathcliff and Hindley’s children - is what makes this book a deserving classic. I have a lot more to say but I promised myself I’d keep these reviews short and digestible so I’ll move on.

6. Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was my fourth Fredrik Backman book (following A Man Called Ove, Beartown and Us Against You). I think if it hadn’t been a Backman novel, I would have loved it even more but you know how it is, I have high expectations. The writing was, as ever, extremely charming and engaging (shoutout to the most consistently brilliant translator I’ve ever read, Neil Smith) and the characters were so realistic and loveable. I just felt the plot dragged. Probably because the majority of the novel takes place in one apartment building and the same story is told from multiple perspectives. I felt a lot of joy whilst reading this but it’s definitely my least favourite Fredrik Backman book. Oh well, onto The Winners (which I know is going to make me cry)!

5. Before the Coffee Gets Cold: Tales from the Café by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was so beautiful. I feel I should start by noting that this book was bought for me by my beloved best friend and neither of us realised it was a sequel until I was halfway through reading it so naturally there were elements of the plot and characters that I did not fully understand but I have tried to not let that affect my judgement. The premise of the book is such an interesting one and, as a complete newbie to Japanese literature and a relative novice when it comes to understanding Japanese culture, I didn’t feel too overwhelmed by the different details. My favourite story was that of Yukio, Kyoko and their mother, Kinuyo. Since we’d already met Kyoko in Gohtaro’s story (and likely in the first book - take what I say with a pinch of salt), I had a fondness for the family by the time Yukio came to the café. I cried on the train because that was the best way that story could have concluded, in my opinion. The other stories were very powerful but it was Yukio’s that shone the brightest. I also LOVED the character of Kazu. I will definitely be reading the first (oops), third and fourth books in this series.

4. The Children of Jocasta by Natalie Haynes

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My second Greek mythological retelling of the year, The Children of Jocasta was actually quite a shock for me. I’m a huge fan of Sophocles’ Antigone (though I’ve never seen or read Oedipus at Colonus or Oedipus Rex) so I’m very picky when it comes to reimaginings. I found the semi-modernisation aspect to be pretty cringeworthy (not everyone needs a nickname) but I found Haynes’ writing to be so addictive that I could move past those aspects. I was so intrigued by the dynamics between Oedipus and Jocasta and the plague element gave the story a lot more historical grounding (given the Athenian plagues of that era). Such an enjoyable and compelling read. I don’t know if it’s necessarily a good introductory read for those unfamiliar with mythology. If you’re looking for a truly modern Antigone retelling, absolutely give Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie a go.

3. Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was the surprise of the year for me to be honest. A book written in the late nineteenth century by a man about a young maiden and her downfall? Sounds like the most maddening experience. But it wasn’t. Hardy’s portrayal of Tess, and of the women and girls she represents, was incredibly sympathetic. His writing was also remarkably atmospheric - especially during the final scenes at Stonehenge. Even the conversations with Tess and her friends felt like real teenage exchanges. Take notes, Stephen King and F. Scott Fitzgerald - men can write women convincingly and respectfully. Angel Clare also felt like someone I’ve met a million times over, someone who isn’t the epitome of evil but perpetuates so many injustices. Honestly a spectacular read. I’m so excited to pick up Far from the Madding Crowd.

2. Passing by Nella Larsen

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It feels almost strange putting Passing in second place, considering the profound effect it had on me. This book is completely incredible. Larsen’s prose is atmospheric and oddly breezy. It makes the plot feel deceptively light until we, as the reader, understand the stakes. From the second page, on which Clare is referred to as a “pale small girl” (the subversive ordering of adjectives bypassing English grammatical rules and thereby putting the utmost importance on the hue of Clare’s skin), the author puts so much consideration into her choice of wording which really makes this work stand out to me.Clare and Irene are truly two sides of the same coin (forgive the cliché). Their equal opportunities are made all the more clear by the wholly opposite way the two women deal with them. Clare chooses to hide from the truth (that her husband is a racist, that her marriage is founded on lies) whilst Irene cannot bear to live in ignorance when she recognises the connection between her own husband, Brian, and Clare. The two women are shining examples of what literary characters should be. They are complex and flawed and both seem to envy each other. Clare covets Irene’s life and Irene resents Clare for having the power to take that from her. Whilst reading, I considered many possible ways that the story might end but never that. Incredible. I just wish the penultimate scene had been a tad longer but that’s my own critique (barely even that, just personal preference). Also the film is spectacular and a rare faithful adaptation of its source material.

1. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Finally! We’re here! Ugh I love love love this book. Is it as socially or academically impactful as Passing? No, not at all. But it’s just a brilliant book. Anne is fiercely intelligent and kind and just an all-round wonderfully written protagonist. I loved Marilla, Matthew, Gilbert and Diana too. The scenes with all Anne’s classmates are just a perfect reflection of being a tween/ teen girl and feeling the joy of being surrounded by friends and being totally carefree. I feel like I knew Anne and all of her friends - I laughed with them and cried with them and watched them grow up and it was truly a magical experience. I want to visit St Edward’s Island because Montgomery paints it in such an enchanting way. I’m so invested in Anne and Gilbert’s relationship, it’s embarrassing. This book also found me at the perfect time - right as I was starting a distance degree. So I felt comfort in studying alone whilst also pursuing a career knowing Anne was too (I recognise that’s a little silly but oh well, it works for me). I wish I could start Anne of Avonlea right away but I know that I want to buy physical copies because I can tell I’m going to read these books again and again. Pure comfort. Pure timelessness.

📖

Alright, that's everything! Onto a wonderful new year of reading in 2024 <3

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plopspoodle · 1 year ago

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10 Book Recommendations

Hey! A very common thing in this motivation/positivity community is to encourage reading, however sometimes you may not know where to start. Perhaps you loved reading when you were younger but haven't read in a while; perhaps you only ever read books when you had to for book reports/school; perhaps you read all the time and want some recommendations! No matter what the scenario, here's what I have read and why people may also like these books.

Lil disclaimer before you go through my recommendations, some of these will be familiar to you if you have done English GCSE and A-Levels in the UK! My favourite genres are dystopian and southern gothic however there are other genres in here that I like reading. Each book will have a trigger warning as all of them have sensitive topics. Please read with caution.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

𓆩♡𓆪 TW: abuse, suicide, alcohol consumption, car accident 𓆩♡𓆪 Age Range: 15/16+ 𓆩♡𓆪 Genre: Tradegy/Modernism/Roaring 20's 𓆩♡𓆪 Summary: The Great Gatsby, Third novel by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald, published in 1925. Set in Jazz Age New York, it tells the tragic story of Jay Gatsby, a self-made millionaire, and his pursuit of Daisy Buchanan, a wealthy young woman whom he loved in his youth, narrated by Nick Carraway. 𓆩♡𓆪 Personal Rating: 9/10 𓆩♡𓆪 Notes: I read this in my English Language/Literature A-Level at 17 (got an A, well done me), and I fell in love. Gatsby is often hailed as a masterpiece of the 20th century and I completely agree, and I recommend it to anyone regardless of their preferred genres. Only reason it's not a 10 is because occasionally the characters don't make sense, but I don't necessarily mean that at the fault of Fitzgerald. Just be warned, you won't like the characters (at least by the end of the book).

1984 by George Orwell

𓆩♡𓆪 TW: gaslighting, sexually explicit scenes, torture, limited human rights, authoritarian regime 𓆩♡𓆪 Age Range: 16+ 𓆩♡𓆪 Genre: Dystopian/Science Fiction/Political 𓆩♡𓆪 Summary: 1984 is the story of a man questioning the system that keeps his futuristic but dystopian society afloat and the chaos that quickly ensues once he gives in to his natural curiosity and desire to be free. 𓆩♡𓆪 Personal Rating: 10/10 𓆩♡𓆪 Notes: This was the second book I ever read on my own. Granted, I read it at 13 (under the age I recommend), but that was more because I had a thing for reading "banned books", so only read it if you can cope with mature themes. It's very well written, as is anything by Orwell, and it holds true and very threatening warnings of what our future holds. Sadly, like A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, it was written with the intention of things being possible but not imminent. Now? It isn't as far from fiction as one would hope.

Flowers in the Attic by V.C. Andrews

𓆩♡𓆪 TW: (so many) attempted murder, child abuse, death, incest, poisoning, rape, religion, sexually explicit scene (one), starvation, neglect 𓆩♡𓆪 Age Range: 17/18+ 𓆩♡𓆪 Genre: Horror/Southern Gothic 𓆩♡𓆪 Summary: Blond, beautiful, innocent, and struggling to stay alive... They were a perfect family, golden and carefree—until a heart-breaking tragedy shattered their happiness. Now, for the sake of an inheritance that will ensure their future, the children must be hidden away out of sight, as if they never existed. 𓆩♡𓆪 Personal Rating: 7.5/10 𓆩♡𓆪 Notes: This is a very hard book to read. I do not recommend reading this if you are under 18 or are not in a good state of mind. As you can see, there are a LOT of trigger warnings. I also think it's important to know that whilst these topics are in the book, it does not glamorise them. If you are the type of person that thinks Vladimir Nabokov is a p*do because of writing Lolita, you will not understand this book. It tackles a very complex subject and overall has a message that if something is "bad" you should not encourage it but you should not also shield it: you should explain it to the person/people at risk so they understand. That is the most important thing about the book. It WILL make you feel uncomfortable. If you can't handle that, do not read the book (harshness is needed). My rating is 7.5 because the final chapter (epilogue) is awful and feels it's written by another writer, and it really slogs through at various points (with reason, but it just makes it that bit harder to read).

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

𓆩♡𓆪 TW: ableism & ableist language, alcohol consumption, body horror, death, murder 𓆩♡𓆪 Age Range: 13+ 𓆩♡𓆪 Genre: Gothic Horror 𓆩♡𓆪 Summary: Dr Jekyll is a kind, well-respected and intelligent scientist who meddles with the darker side of science, as he wants to bring out his 'second' nature. He does this through transforming himself into Mr Hyde - his evil alter ego who doesn't repent or accept responsibility for his evil crimes and ways. 𓆩♡𓆪 Personal Rating: 7/10 𓆩♡𓆪 Notes: I attempted to read this when I was 11 but gave up because the language is very difficult to understand sometimes. It was written in 1886 and uses a lot of old/Victorian English, so I was only really able to re-read it at 14 for my GCSE. Being able to analyse the language actually made it easier to read, so if you want to read this I do advise you to take your time and to be prepared to make notes. Overall it is a good story and a good book, but there are parts that feel disjointed and, other than the main characters of Jekyll and Hyde, I don't find it that memorable. I remember it was good, but I don't completely remember why.

Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

𓆩♡𓆪 TW: racism & racial slurs, homophobia, suicide, alcohol consumption, recreational drug use (smoking), emesis (being sick), gun violence, depression/life uncertainty 𓆩♡𓆪 Age Range: 14+ 𓆩♡𓆪 Genre: Bildungsroman, coming of age 𓆩♡𓆪 Summary: The novel details two days in the life of 16-year-old Holden Caulfield after he has been expelled from prep school. Confused and disillusioned, Holden searches for truth and rails against the “phoniness” of the adult world. 𓆩♡𓆪 Personal Rating: 10/10 𓆩♡𓆪 Notes: Catcher in the Rye is a very good yet odd book. I found when I read it (for the first time), it was kind of boring. And yet, I kept reading. There's something about the way Holden narrates that feels relevant to you but you can't pinpoint what it is. Even though I've put the age rating of 14+, the ideal age to read this book is between 14-21, essentially any young age when you are being faced with new, adult choices. The book is also pretty timeless: yes, some of the language is outdated along with some attitudes, but overall you could imagine this at any point in time (1920's, 1960's, now) and it would still work. That is a very incredible feat for a writer. And I haven't even talked about the artistry in this book! I am a bit of a h*e for symbolism, and all I have to say about the symbolism in Catcher in the Rye is this: the ducks. Remember the ducks. :)

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

𓆩♡𓆪 TW: racism, blood & gore, death, plane crash, animal death, tribalism (due to survival), child abuse (by other children) 𓆩♡𓆪 Age Range: 13+ 𓆩♡𓆪 Genre: Survival Horror, Psychological Thriller 𓆩♡𓆪 Summary: When a group of schoolboys are stranded on a desert island, what could go wrong? A plane crashes on a desert island. The only survivors are a group of schoolboys. By day, they discover fantastic wildlife and dazzling beaches, learning to survive; at night, they are haunted by nightmares of a primitive beast. 𓆩♡𓆪 Personal Rating: 8/10 𓆩♡𓆪 Notes: This is, once again, a book I read at school. I think I read this at 13, though it is often pushed as a book to read once you're able to read bigger words - child advice, don't do that. Being able to read words doesn't mean you can or should understand them. Whilst the book features children as the characters, it's not really for children, and is much more aimed at adults and the theme of innocence. It is a good book, but unfortunately I can't give much reason why as I haven't read it since the last time.

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

𓆩♡𓆪 TW: strong physical and sexual violence, rape, domestic abuse, alcoholism, mental health issues (psychosis, hallucinations, compulsive lying, primarily Schizo-affected symptoms) 𓆩♡𓆪 Age Range: 16+ 𓆩♡𓆪 Genre: Southern Gothic, Play 𓆩♡𓆪 Summary: Fading southern belle Blanche DuBois is adrift in the modern world. When she arrives to stay with her sister Stella in a crowded, boisterous corner of New Orleans, her delusions of grandeur bring her into conflict with Stella's crude, brutish husband Stanley Kowalski. 𓆩♡𓆪 Personal Rating: 7.5/10 𓆩♡𓆪 Notes: To start with, I don't really like reading plays, and I had to read this for A-Level. That being said, it is very well written. I usually have more of a problem of the people who read/watch's reaction rather than the play itself. It is meant to be a very tragic tale of what happens to those who are mentally ill and don't get support, but instead people very often label the main character as "crazy" (as an insult) and "a bad person" whilst labelling the man in the gif underneath as "misunderstood" and "hot". Abuse is obviously a very difficult subject, and Tennessee Williams deliberately chose Marlon Brando to portray the character he does in order to show how people take advantage of their natural assets to take advantage of others. Like with Flowers in the Attic, if you are someone who only likes reading the surface and not in between the lines, I do not recommend this. If you are, like me, someone who loves symbolism, this is the story for you!

An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley

𓆩♡𓆪 TW: suicide, upper class priveledge, alcohol, gaslighting 𓆩♡𓆪 Age Range: 14+ 𓆩♡𓆪 Genre: Modern Morality Play, Drama 𓆩♡𓆪 Summary: The action of the play occurs in an English industrial city, where a young girl commits suicide and an eminently respectable British family is subject to a routine inquiry in connection with the death. An inspector calls to interrogate the family, and during the course of his questioning, all members of the group are implicated lightly or deeply in the girl's undoing. The family, closely knit and friendly at the beginning of the evening, is shown up as selfish, self-centered or cowardly, its good humor turning to acid, and good fellowship to dislike, before the evening is over. The surprising revelation, however, is in the inspector… 𓆩♡𓆪 Personal Rating: 6/10 𓆩♡𓆪 Notes: I don't personally like this play a whole deal, mainly as it is (again) a play and something I had to read at GCSE. That being said, it is quite fun. I've put the age range as 14+ because while the trigger warnings aren't as strong as previous entries, a decent knowledge on the time period and context is needed in order to understand this properly. I personally dislike the ending, and I think the tone is quite inconsistent, but I still think it's a good play, and a very good introduction to plays if you are wanting to read more.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

𓆩♡𓆪 TW: animal abuse, murder, death, suicide, violence, authoritarian regime, communism 𓆩♡𓆪 Age Range: 13/14+ 𓆩♡𓆪 Genre: Dystopian Political Satire 𓆩♡𓆪 Summary: When the downtrodden animals of Manor Farm overthrow their master, Mr Jones, and take over the farm themselves, they imagine it is the beginning of a life of freedom and equality. But gradually a cunning, ruthless elite among them, masterminded by the pigs Napoleon and Snowball, starts to take control. Soon the other animals discover that they are not all as equal as they thought, and find themselves hopelessly ensnared as one form of tyranny is replaced with another. Orwell's chilling 'fairy story' is a timeless and devastating satire of idealism betrayed by power and corruption. 𓆩♡𓆪 Personal Rating: 9/10 𓆩♡𓆪 Notes: This is the first book I ever read on my own! As you can probably tell from this being the second book by George Orwell on this list, I love his writing. He had such skill for these dystopian topics and the phrase "all animals are equal, but some are more equal than others" will forever be etched in my brain. Whilst I hail it so highly, I haven't put a 10 merely because of the ending. It reminds you that it is a political satire so I understand, I just wish it went a bit differently.

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

𓆩♡𓆪 TW: ableism, misogyny, alcohol consumption, recreational drug use (smoking), murder, gun violence, animal death, the Great Depression (economic hard times) 𓆩♡𓆪 Age Range: 13+ 𓆩♡𓆪 Genre: Social Realism, Tragedy 𓆩♡𓆪 Summary: An unlikely pair, George and Lennie, two migrant workers in California during the Great Depression, grasp for their American Dream. They hustle work when they can, living a hand-to-mouth existence. For George and Lennie have a plan: to own an acre of land and a shack they can call their own. 𓆩♡𓆪 Personal Rating: 8/10 𓆩♡𓆪 Notes: Good book, had to read it in Year 9 for school. Pretty sure it's one of those books where the teacher reads out the n-word because it's "educational", but disregarding that it is a good read and a very important view into the lives of those during the Great Depression and how people with disabilities go through life.

And that's all my recommendations for now!

I may have more in the future as these aren't the only books I've read, but I think they're a good introductory look into what I like and what I hope others would like. Also, though I don't always seem like it, I don't really have a problem with readers who don't like reading deeply in between the lines. It's absolutely fine if you want to just read it as you go, I just personally am naturally analytical. However, I would recommend that if you are one of those people, please listen to those who talk about the deeper themes of what you're reading. A lot of books and authors are misunderstood by those who want to believe life is black and white; good and bad. Life is complex, and so are stories. The beauty is finding your favourite shade of grey. As long as it's not 50 shades. That I don't know if I can condone.

#kpop #kpop moodboard #wonyoungism #coquette #motivation #positivity #reading #books #book recommendations

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radical-thots · 1 year ago

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It makes me sad/mad that people who did Lit in their gcses/A level had to not only read sexist books where men were the main focus and violence on women was normal, but had to sit through hundreds of lectures dissecting and calling female characters whores and painting them as the villain. Like it genuinely upsets me because when I did my gcses, I'm so glad that the book choices were far far better. I did The Namesake and two plays, Journey's End and Death and the king's horseman - all which were incredibly diverse (one's about Indian immigration and cultural crisis, the other's about war/relationship and the last one's about duty and colonization.)

And the poems we did had so many feminist theme and female writers - Like a poem I vividly remember was 'Now let no charitable hope' about gender inequality and 'Forsaken wife', a poem where a woman calls out her husband for cheating (seriously check her out, the poem was super super bad ass). So, every time I here about young girls having bad experience with Lit, it makes me so sad because these girls deserved better. They deserved better than having to sit through their teachers calling that one characters wife a whore because she wore red nail polish or something. There are so many great female writers that should and can be included instead of same old sexist books. (Plus, I'm so glad I had a great female teacher!)

Small part of the poems I was talking about: Forsaken Wife, Elizabeth Thomas.

Show me a man that dare be true, That dares to suffer what I do; That can for ever sigh unheard, And ever love without regard: I then will own your prior claim To love, to honour, and to fame; But till that time, my dear, adieu, I yet superior am to you.

Like??? The confidence in this woman to be like, fuck u, I'm superior to you??? I'm in love with her.

And the other poem: Now let no charitable hope, Elinor Wylie.

I was, being human, born alone; I am, being woman, hard beset; I live by squeezing from a stone What little nourishment I get.

Do I even need to explain how great of a stanza this alone is?

#radical feminst #radfemsafe #radfem #radfemdointeract #radical feminists please interact #english literature #gcses #peotry #btw The Namesake is written by a female writer (Jhumpa Lahiri) who's writing I simply adore #feminists #feminism #dark academia #studyblr

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iraliira · 1 year ago

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Life update

22/08/23

This past week has been better because my life is starting to fall back into place. Although its going slowly, its comforting to know that im doing better both mentally and physically.

This week i managed to prove to myself that im capable of fufilling my own promises to myself and im becoming better at self discipline. And the more i do it, the more i feel confident about myself. Real confidence. Because before i had fake confidence and by fake i mean i made myself believe i was confident but in reality i was lying to myself so that i dont have to face my own miserable reality.

Here are the things that im doing:

1. I began to workout, its been difficult at first and im not doing it concistently but its a start and i am trying my best. So far i managed to complete a whole workout which was a great accomplishment and i was proud of myself.

2. I decided to practice fasting. Im following a pattern where i eat for 12 hours and fast for 36 hours. I am following this pattern in order to get my measurements down to about 34-23/22-35. And so far i managed to complete a 36 hour fast and whilst i was fasting i realised that i dont get hungry easily and its just that i eat out of boredom.

Fasting has a lot of benefits and this is a short-term diet since i am not fat and just out of shape and during my 12 hour eating pattern i can eat anything i want. I DON’T HAVE AN EATING DISORDER and im also fasting for the other benefits such as: autophagy, cognitive performance and other amazing benefits. And i have fasted before so i know what im doing. If you want to learn more watch this video.

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3. I decided to read a book a week. For a number of reasons: i want to spend less time on social media, i want to increase my knowledge, i want to widen my vocabulary, i want to speak properly because even though english is my first language, i cant speak because i keep tripping over my words and mid sentance my brain goes blank.

Other things that ive been doing:

im watching my comfort show One Tree Hill and im soo close to finishing the show which is making me sad because i dont want to finish it. The show is my absolute favourite thing in the entire world. The characters in the show are relatable in a lot of ways and this show taught me that being a teenager can be confusing but its also fun because im learning and going through a lot of change

Also the cast are soo fine

I mean…

Lucas scott (chad micheal murray) is soo fine

Anyways, back in June, i did my GCSES which if you don’t know is some standerdised exam every 15-16 year old does in the uk, and i get my results this week Thursday. And im not nervous about the actual exam results, im more worried about meeting everyone at school again and seeing my “friends” again. Which im planning on cutting them off and im really really scared about it because i hate confrontation. But im going to do it for myself and i dont want to live a lie anymore. Its exhausting. So im going to say to them that i dont want to be friends with them anymore.

I personaly am sick and tired of letting other people around me dictating my life and controlling the type of person i should be because thats my job. All my life ive been trying to please everyone and not myself. I also am a shy person (according to literally everyone around me) but i believe that im not and im sick of being “quiet” and “introverted” like i cant even set boundries or stand up for myself. WHICH IS SOOO PATHETIC. So that has to change because this type of behavior prevents me from achieving many things in my life.

And im not a little girl anymore and my parents arent always going to be with me so i need to grow up and act grown. I really hope i change and i believe that i can because this summer i went abroad for vacation and i spoke a lot of people so i can.

I really need to believe that im not who i used to be and if i want to have my desired futrure, i need to act like my desired self.

Well thats all i’ve been doing so far and im starting to like this new version of me.

Thank you, ira

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sophie-e-b · 2 years ago

Video

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Philippa Perry is a psychotherapist, artist and writer who has a weekly agony aunt column in the Observer. She has written the only book on parenting that I feel speaks to me, and that I recommend to other people.

It's called: 'The Book You Wish Your Parents Had Read (and Your Children Will be Glad That You Did)'. Her big messages are that talking to your children about feelings is key, and that all feelings are acceptable, so don't shut them down. I agreed with her when she said: how well you get on with people is more important than how well you do in your GCSEs. I met up with Philippa (and her mischievous cat Kevin) in mid December at the beautiful Georgian house she shares with her husband, the recently knighted artist, Sir Grayson Perry.

We sat in their living room with the fire going, and partway through the conversation she pointed out that the fireplace is a stucco art piece about fertility, made by Philippa herself, when she was trying to get pregnant. 31 years on their daughter Flo, also an artist, has recently illustrated Philippa's graphic novel 'Couch Fiction', about the world of psychotherapy. Philippa shared how, as a child, her nanny had been her most significant other, but when she was sent to boarding school aged 4 she never saw her again, which deeply upset her. This experience impacted Philippa's style of parenting, and she didn't want any outside help, retraining as a psychotherapist when her daughter was 18 months old, and only working while her daughter was at school.

Today she divides her time between writing and art. She talked about how exciting it is to have, as Virginia Woolf described, a room of one's own, dedicated to creating art. We talked about teaching children to communicate, and when we touched on the subject of sibling rivalry, Philippa got me to do some role-play with her. She showed me how getting the children to brainstorm, to solve a dispute, is so much better than a parent taking what they think is a short cut, and deciding how a quarrel should be resolved. I learned a lot.

And at the end of our incredibly informative and helpful chat, I had a proposition for her: "How do you feel about moving into our house for a while...just for a few years...to observe and help us sort everything out...?! Kevin can come too!"

Listen now: smarturl.it/spinningplatesShow less

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i-wear-the-cheese · 4 months ago

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i've reblogged this recently but i just realised why so many people have this issue (at least in the uk). the sketchbook is a graded part of GCSE art. it's not a sandbox, it's a progress record for coursework. meaning you need to tick boxes and jump through hoops to have included things in it that meet the criteria for the sketchbook. i think "has sketchbook, art is in it" should be the only criteria for it, and teachers should encourage free sketching time like you get free reading time in english class. we could fix an entire generations approach to sketchbooks so fast this way i swear. as for me, i need to find my nearest sketch book and make it messy

"It took me TWO years to finish this sketch book!" Well that's cuz you're not fuckin sketching. Those are fully painted pieces dawg that's a renderedbook. I've gone through four sketchbooks in my off time this year alone I just draw stupid faces and shit for fun. pussy up like the rest of us and start drawing stick figures with guns

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the-martyrfication-of-the-matron · 14 days ago

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So, have you seen the some of the drama in regards to a fan of Interview With the Vampire? Like, I am gonna explain it anyway but brooooo.

So, an iwtv fan decided to fly from their home in Englad to Louisiana, specifically New Orleans. Which is cool, whatever, beautiful place. Except this woman decided to visit a plantation and take photos there with her Louis Funko pop, the slave owner book accurate one. On a slave plantation.

Like, I am not a fan of the books because any character that is both a sympathetic protagonist and a slave owner is extremely tone deaf to me. I also don't believe we should even still have plantation homes unless for the express purpose of showing the horrors that occurred. So just having a photo shoot is wrong as hell.

This is also to partially ask about how England is taught about slavery and the machine that happened in the U.S. by them bringing it over here? I am just wondering if it is in the same tone deaf way America is taught about our actions in Cuba and Korea.

tw, talking about racism and the sexualisation of kids

I did hear about that, yeahhh! me and an irl were talking about it yesterday, because they're a fan of the movie/show, and i have read some of the book. and we both just found it SO WILD. like FUUUUCk.

and the apology was so bizarre. 'lack of education'??? That's... if you know what a plantation is, you should understand why that was wrong. Not to mention, i heard that the plantation house is like a haunted house thing too??? Like that's so fucking gross.

You're totally correct in your discomfort with the slave stuff in the books. It's... certainly very uncomfortable. I ended up taking a very long Hiatus from the book because there was just a lot of uncomfortable things going on. I'm still on that Hiatus.

because obviously engaging in tone deaf/problematic media with an awareness of why that stuff is wrong is not something I'm opposed to, especially when the author is dead and cannot profit, so I went into it with the knowing i would yuck out, i just... wasn't prepared for everything. And so reading the plantation things, and how Lestat specifically treated the slaves, and going 'yeah that's wrong' was an experience enough, like three millimetres away from my limit, and then i just got jumpscared repeatedly with the sexualisation of kids and i had enough of everything. Like i can't grasp how this book got so popular with the way kids and black people are spoken about.

As for england's education on the Trans-atlantic Slave Trade, and our involvement, it's complicated. A lot of history education depends on the area, and so i can only speak for the schools i attended in the area i have lived in my entire life.

for the first 2 years at my secondary school, we had general education in regards to lessons, so basically everyone did standard curriculum classes, including history. Whilst at that point i don't think they discussed britain's involvement, the education on slavery was at least there, people understood what the slave trade was and the impact it had, and we were taught about how that impacted (and continues to impact) black americans even after slavery was abolished.

but i continued on with history for GCSEs, and even though it wasn't part of the exam courses, we did learn more in depth on England's involvement, including a diagram i half-remember that discussed why it was called 'trans-Atlantic'. and how England benefitted off of it in way of resources and money, even if they didn't have plantations in england. and that lead into the whole discussion of England actively contributing.

So the long and short of it is basically just that : I had teachers who taught it, because i bothered to continue history at a higher level, and they could be bothered to teach me, but at a basic gen ed level, it was... rudimentary.

#not proofread bc eyes hurt #and its a lot of words so i hope it makes sense

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the-rhyme-witch · 4 months ago

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You know when sometimes you find out something you wish you didn't know? That's where I am now.

If I may, please let me explain.

My name is James Jamieson. I currently work as a receptionist at a dental practice but my background is British Army. I enjoy cycling and football and am happily married to my gorgeous husband Roger Restrange. We have no kids and no pets -though we did have a little dog that got stolen- but we love babysitting for my little nieces, Ava and Ellie, who are just the scrummiest little kids.

I've also been listed in The Guardian, The Sun and The Mirror as the UKs "Most Dangerous Supervillain". Which sounds bad, I'll admit.

Please, let me explain.

Here in the UK, since the rise of modern superheroes and supervillains, national newspapers and magazines have started publishing ranking tables for us, much as they do for universities, festivals, restaurants and Sexiest Man Of The Year. I feel I am personally better qualified for the latter but my supervillain alter ego Archangel means it's the villain tables for me.

I feel the need to emphasise that The Archangel is not a name I picked for myself. There is a comic book character called Archangel and I'm not so basic, and contrary to popular belief, archangels are low ranking in the Christian belief, not high level boss angels. I wish I had named myself early before the tabloids had slapped a nickname on me but I had never meant to become a supervillain. I don't entirely identify as a villain now, not deep down. Perhaps no villain does. Deep down, I think I'm...not good, exactly, but certainly not bad.

I can explain.

I trained with the army straight from school. I hadn't done well: not because I'm unintelligent but because the nineties was not a kind time in community schools for non-heterosexual kids and I had found bunking off preferential to bullying. School kids can smell "different" like sharks can smell blood and my teenage self reasoned that only a fool stepped bleeding into a pool of emotionally unstable sharks. I used to take myself off instead, go to the woods and practice shooting. Slingshots and Neft guns evolved into BB guns and paintball guns and by the time I left school, I had GCSEs in Maths and Physics and nearly 500 hours air rifle time. I joined the army, flew through Phase 1 training, joined my regiment and ended up a sharpshooter.

Then my mum died.

What should have been a basic coil fitting to help with her menopause symptoms ended up with my mother dead. I left the army and went home to my little sister and our dad. If this is sounding like a supervillain cliché, please hold your horses. I didn't go rampaging. I didn't go mad. I got frayed in places and occasionally crumbled but if you've lost your mum, you'll understand and if you haven't, I'm happy for you. I got a supermarket job to pay the bills and settled down into a little grief cocoon with my loved ones, not healing -never healing- but evolving to be able to function in a new way now that mum was gone. My heart was bruised, my identity was different. I felt that I'd buried my old self along with my mum, because wish as I might, I was too hurt to be that man again.

Then the scandal broke. A politician in government in my country -the country I would have fought and died for- had cut deals with their cronies for discount medical equipment. To shave costs and line their pockets, they had actively bought and supplied hospitals with unsafe medical products. Including hormone coils.

A greedy politician, not a shock tragedy, had killed my mum.

Just let me explain.

I didn't immediately go immoral. I joined campaigns. I joined fundraisers. I set up petitions. I stood outside parliament with signs. I paid copious money for therapy, to help with my betrayal. I even went so far as to obsessively look them up , to read their biography, to try and see them as people with families and friends rather than callous millionaires. You know what came of it? After months of shouting, of campaigns, of spending my free time chasing justice for my mum and others like her, the politician issued a public apology. They called it a "misjudgement that was deeply regrettable." They wished "deepest condolences" to families like mine.

That was it. My mum, who loved yoga and Take That, who volunteered at a charity shop on Fridays and bought coffees for strangers, who had hurt many a houseplant but never a fly, she was dead and they were "sorry". They didn't even have to give the purloined money back.

I killed them.

I didn't regret it. I don't now. I think perhaps I have explained enough to let you know why.

Then I met Roger and I am not embarrassed to say I was smitten from day one. Not the horny, frantic lust I'd felt before but a warm, addictive, envelope of adoration that felt like molten caramel in my chest. Perhaps the universe had taken pity on me and put in a kind word on my behalf, because Roger unexpectedly felt the same. I had spent my love life up until that point cautious, afraid to look beyond today for fear of no tomorrow, but Roger's love made me brave. Our wedding was more beautiful than I'd ever allowed myself to hope for. My life became beautiful too. Roger's family and mine got on and while I never have "gotten over" Mum, I have learned to welcome my grief for her like an old friend, to see the space in my heart as a place my love for Mum can go when it can't find her here.

I wish I didn't have to explain that The Archangel was not a one off.

The trouble with doing something for the first time is that after that doing it again is much easier than first time round. I didn't mean to, I promise I didn't, but I accidentally became an avenging angel with a gun. Or a devil, perhaps, I take no pleasure in killing, but some people....well. Sometimes you must kill one person to save hundreds. And I did.

The cabinet minister who had been raiding small boats desperately crossing the sea to sell people into modern slavery.

The pop star who was a serial rapist, yet continued to play on the radio.

The vocal right wing millionaire who had been inviting hate crime.

The minor royal who had beaten his pregnant wife not once but again and again, over many pregnancies.

I worked alone. I was not cruel. I killed cleanly. I was not like true supervillains, not really, I feel my work explains itself. I feel more like a Robin Hood figure, punishing people with more power than morals when all other avenues fail.

Which brings me to today.

I wish I didn't have to explain.

Roger and I each have a little room of our own at home in addition to our bedroom and shared living space. Roger joked when we bought our house that we should keep the mystery in our marriage and given the amount of guns I own illegally, I readily agreed, much like how I agreed we should keep our own names when we got married. We are a partnership. We love eachother. We don't need to become eachother. I've never trespassed in his room, nor he in mine. Up until today, that is.

I have to explain.

It's a silly thing. I'd been out issuing justice. I've been trying to step back from sharpshooting and have tried to issue "a hearty warning thrashing" instead, though this was been of zero success and was more dangerous besides. My targets have security and I have no wish to go to jail or end up in an unmarked grave in the Scottish Highlands. I'd escaped narrowly but had been so drenched in blood and sweat and mud, I'd jumped straight in the shower and accidentally flooded the bathroom, causing water to dribble through the downstairs ceiling. I was shaken from the fight and, in an illogical panic, worried the water would be bloodstained (not to mention the risk of rot and silverfish) so I picked the lock on Rogers room.

There on the table was a doomsday device.

I might not identify as a supervillain in my heart but I keep track on superhero/supervillain news. I knew that that doomsday device was the same one the hero The Red Rescuer had liberated from the villain Grey Golom last month.

Like a line of dominos, realisations queued up to fall down. I was not the only one in the Super business in my house. My husband... Roger was the Red Rescuer. He was a modern superhero in the flesh and my alter ego was his mortal enemy.

For a wavery moment, I considered confessing all. Selfishly, I didn't, but I have a more altruistic explanation too. Roger is a perfectionist. It is one of his faults, along with his indifference to puppies. I know my husband and I knew in my heart that knowing he lived with The Archangel? It would break him. My bold, handsome Roger is strong but he is brittle. The shame would be too much. They say "takes one to know one" and there's a thin edge between superhero and Supervillain. Do I want to be the catalyst of the start of my husband's spiral into villainy? He already technically has a doomsday device.

I can't do that to him. I won't. He can't know about my alter ego.

That needs no explanation.

You are the most dangerous supervillain and have been happily married to the world’s greatest hero for years. You’ve found out your spouse’s secret identity and are desperate to hide the truth from them for life because you fear they may end the world if they found out.

#writers #writers on tumblr #writing prompts #original fiction #supervillian oc #superhero

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themascarasnakeuniverse · 4 months ago

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Being a “writer.”

Since I was in my early teens I have wanted to be a writer. I just liked the idea of it. I was under the impression that they where rich, people listened to them and they could just sit in a bookshelf lined study and work alone, unhindered and in their own time. I can pinpoint when the desire began. I was experiencing what I know understand to be psychological bullying at school. I talked about my interests and what I was “obsessed” with a lot. At that time it was certain TV shows. My fellow pupils began to tease me about spending too much time in front of the good old idiot box. Anything was an excuse to mention it. If I had not attained a good enough mark at a certain piece of work it was because I was too busy watching TV and did not study. If I could not catch them when we played “tick” (tag or tig depending on what part of the world you live) it was because I spent too much time sat in front of the telly and was unfit. If I had not watched TV on a certain I would make sure to mention it the day after, most of the time I was ignored. The teasing continued when it suited them. One of my peers had a shelf full of videos that where unsuitable for a boy his age but that did not stop him asserting I consumed too much media.

This affected me more than it should and I internalised the opinion that I was overly inclined to spend time in front of a screen. I went to the library with the intention of withdrawing an adult book. Something I could read instead of turning on the TV of an evening. As I did not know anything about books or authors I was at a loss as to what to get. Had I asked for help the librarian would have directed me towards the age appropriate books. I did not want that. I spent a good while looking blankly art the shelves. Then I saw them. The books of Stephen King. I knew the name. I knew his books contained swearing. I knew I was not allowed to watch movies based on his work. But my parents could not stop me getting a book from the library. I chose “It” because that was the bulkiest tome available with his name on it. “I could miss a LOT of TV because of this book” I thought as I handed it to the librarian. Part of me was expecting her to stop me taking it home. But that did not happen. I put it in the bag I had with me and rode home on my Raleigh Flyer with the buckled wheel.

It took me a good three months to finish “It” and I can remember little of it now. That and many other books by the esteemed Mr King are on my to read and re-read list. As I worked my way through the adventures of “the losers club” from Derry, Maine I began to form an opinion. Stephen King was rich, if I got that rich I’d never have too see my tormentors again. I bet nobody got on Mr Kings case for watching too much TV. I though that if I became a successful novelist I could do what I wanted and everything else would fall in to place. Also, people listened to and respected someone who had written a book.

Perhaps I should have pursued English when I went to college. But I had to resit GCSEs in order to progress to A-Levels. I did not have to resit English Language or English Literature. By the time I had completed these resits I had decided not to go for A-Levels and chose a vocational cause for the next two years. Perhaps had I studied English at A-Level things may have taken a different path. I abandoned my plan to write professionally in every way except in my dreams and daydreams.

As I sit here as a cynical adult I have a very different outlook. I still love the idea of being a solitary writer, having a study and closing the door on the world whilst I compose a masterpiece. However I am aware that writers have to do things like promotion and book tours. They have to please an editor. They have to write what is popular and likely to sell. I am also aware that many fantastic writers produce amazing books for small presses and still have to keep a day job whilst Dan Brown can write utter bollocks and the money flows in because tomes sell to millions of idiots who would not know a good book if it kicked them between the legs.

I have also learned that writing is not easy. It takes time and mental energy and rejection is heartbreaking. Yet I cannot give up the romantic notion that writing would bean ideal life and would make me happy. Many writers tell me that poor mental health is almost guaranteed. And I still hang onto the belief that it would be an ideal career for me. And I still look at creative writing textbooks on the shelves of the library and thing “I should get those, shut myself off and work my way through them.” I never do.

As I sit here in a cafe in my home city that was a famous haunt for actors, writers, musicians and creatives around forty odd years ago I realise my ideas are at best misplaced. I do NOT need a retreat. I need to shit or get off the pot. I need to get on with it. More resources are available to me than where to that thirteen year old with bad friends who took things to heart. I can pirate textbooks. I can look at YouTube videos about famous writers and take advice from a million other enthusiastic amateurs. I have just had to look up a correct spelling on Google. That was not available to me when I held that copy of “It” in my teenaged hands and thought “I will do this myself one day.”

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denimbex1986 · 9 months ago

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'I have mentioned in my other reviews that my mother recently died, and so I like to read films through her memory, judging whether she would have liked it or not. It is no surprise then that I was apprehensive to watch Andrew Haigh’s ‘All of Us Strangers’, which directly confronts grief, nostalgia and loneliness. The recentness of my grief surely effects my viewing of the film, but then maybe not. In one of the best lines, Andrew Scott’s Adam tells Paul Mescal’s Harry that his parents died when he was a child. “It was a long time ago” says Scott but Mescal beautifully replies, “yeah, I don’t think that matters”. So maybe for anyone watching this film, whether you have recently experienced grief, experienced it historically, or simply are an adult who has to deal with the sadness of saying goodbye to childhood, this film will resonate.

We begin with Adam and Harry, strangers but neighbours, living in a huge tower block that is yet to be populated. The sense of isolation and loneliness is palpable from the first shot. It is reminiscent of Scarlett Johansson’s longing looks out the hotel window in Sofia Coppola’s ‘Lost in Translation’, that feeling of being in a city full of life yet completely alone. As some one who has lived in those huge blocks, yet felt very lonely, I felt very seen. This leads Adam to try and get in contact with his past by visiting his childhood home, yet finds his parents living inside, the age they were when they died, waiting for his return. The surreal nature of this is when the film works best. The avoidance of ‘ghost’ tropes or time travel is what feels refreshing, and allows the film to be unapologetically about feelings and loss. The parents presence is simply a vehicle to allow for certain conversations, it does not matter how they come to be, they just are. If you like this idea, you should certainly pick up Toshikazu Kawaguchi’s ‘Before the Coffee Gets Cold’ series of books, where people can travel back in time to speak to a loved one, but only in the time that it takes for the coffee to get cold. This principle means that it is not about effecting the past, or great revelations, but simply closure within personal relationships. If you were to see your dead parents again, what would you say? It is exciting that a British film has been able to adopt a concept like this when other Western films about ghosts have generally stayed away from this therapeutic angle.

However, the film at moments loses its nerve on this, almost landing within melodrama or cheesiness. The whole film is on the nose, that’s the point. Character’s speak the themes out loud, there is a lot of showing rather than telling, and its unapologetic about this. In some ways, it could push this even further, and allow itself to become more abstract, more slow. Instead, it tries to retain a more conventional drama story structure which lets it down, and then falls into some of the ghost tropes it had so beautifully avoided. In my Letterboxd review, I described the film as a really really well done GCSE play, and I stand by it. This really lets the film down, especially towards the end, which I won’t spoil. All I will say is that I was almost constantly crying through the entire rest of the film, apart from the last third where I think the film maker wants you be crying the most. Even the choice of song over the end credits felt too much, and at that point rather than hammering the point home, just left me feeling like we had lost all the nuance. I am not alone in this, as when I was getting up to leave at the end of the film, I overheard the people behind me wishing they could just erase the last ten minutes. I ended up chatting to them about it because they had so perfectly said out loud what I was thinking inside my head. For a film about loneliness, maybe it is fitting that I connected with some strangers through it.

Regardless of this complaint, the performances make the film. Andrew Scott is incredible, watchable and you feel deeply for him throughout. Paul Mescal also shines, somehow becoming a man that is so familiar and so pitiful, and the sex scenes between them are wonderfully done. I haven’t yet mentioned that this film is as much about being gay today as it is about grief, and amalgamates the two. It is superbly done, using tropes yet also being honest about them. Again, the best bits of the film are when it just frankly discusses what it is, reading more as a collection of conversations than a narrative. Jamie Bell and Claire Foy as the parents are also wonderful. I have been a long time Jamie Bell fan as I think he is underrated, and I cried every time Claire Foy uttered a word. These are the only characters in the film, so it really relies that each one is exceptional, which they are.

So would I recommend it? Yes, maybe for the performances and first half alone. Would I recommend it if you’re grieving, if you’re lonely, if you’re gay? It will be rougher, as it hits certain places deep inside that frankly just hurt. But I was also slightly underwhelmed. I thought I would be uncontrollably sobbing throughout, that I would be wrecked for weeks, and I wasn’t. By the end, you are reminded that it is a film, and then it suddenly makes it all a bit more manageable, which maybe is a shame.'

#Andrew Haigh #All of Us Strangers #Andrew Scott #Paul Mescal #Claire Foy #Jamie Bell

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