#readerbookclub asks

[appleinducedsleep]

What rating did you give Tomorrow and Tomorrow and tomorrow in the end?

Thank you for ask!

I gave it 3,5 stars. The writing style was great, but I also have to like the protagonists enough to love a book. And while I generally like bleak, sad stories, I didn’t truly care for the main characters beyond their childhood friendship.

[tams-writeblr]

Hey there! I have an ask for the book club :) "Shiv Skeptic" clearly means a lot to Alex and Isaiah, and his music helps the two of them bond. Have you ever had a musician/artist that meant a lot to you?

Hi! Thank you for the ask!

Yes, of course there was a band that deeply impacted me when I was about the age between Alex and Issaiha! When I was around 13 my best friend introduced me to the favorite band of his older brother (the brother was already 18 at that time) which was the German punk band Die Ärzte. I know they are known in some parts outside of Germany, mostly European countries, so I don't know if anyone reading this knows them.

Die Ärzte have some really funny songs, that's why they are called fun-punks too but they also have a variety of very political strong songs, which I always preferred. My favorite will always be their 2005 album Geräusch (probably since it's the album that was released the year I started listening to their music) and their 1998 album 13. I also highly recommend Planet Punkand Die Bestie in Menschengestalt.

I still listen to their music a lot, even if it's not as much as it used to be and I'm ecstatic that I'll finally see them live next year, after 17 years of being a fan! I saw their lead guitarist solo with his band when I was like 15 but seeing the three of them united is something that still fills me with joy.

I didn't manage to go see them earlier, since I suffered form heavy anxiety when I was younger and crowds would just make me wanna cry. The concert when I was 15 was hell for me and I ended up standing in the very back. But I got my issues under control now, so I hope I can enjoy that concert next year as much as I should! I really related to Alex' fear of going into the crowd when reading that part!

What's an artist that impacted you a lot? Were you able to see them live and if yes, how was that experience for you?

[solitarystudies]

Movie Review: The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

So the @readerbookclub​​ read TGLAPPPS last month (you can see what I thought about the book here). But in summary, I understood the appeal of the novel but didn’t enjoy it that much. I was expecting to have a similar response to the movie, but I actually really liked it. This post is an attempt at explaining why I enjoyed it. 

First off, if you’re expecting a movie that stays true to the book, you won’t enjoy this. The creators of the film take it upon themselves to change quite a bit of the story, while maintaining the general spirit and message of the book. I know that this is something that really annoys a lot of readers, but I don’t mind it too much. I think filmmakers are entitled to add their own ideas and creativity into a film, rather than having to adhere strictly to the book. Sometimes, a direct translation from print to screen just wouldn’t make a good movie. Now that that’s out of the way, here are some of the main reasons I liked the film:

1. Mark and Juliet’s Relationship:

This is one of the most drastic differences between the two works. In the book, Juliet is dating Mark, but that’s the full extent of their relationship. Throughout the entire book, Mark is a complete and utter dick. He’s selfish and rude and never seems to genuinely care for Juliet. In the movie, however, he’s an entirely different character. He’s very loving to Juliet and showers her with gifts. And they get engaged before she leaves for Guernsey. 

This was something that @appleinducedsleep​ already talked about, so I was fully prepared for it. What I hadn’t expected was how much of a difference this would make to the story. 

I didn’t like how Mark was written in the book, and as others have pointed out, his only purpose was to create conflict. He was obviously a bad guy, and it was frustrating that it took Juliet so long to notice this. When their relationship ended, I thought “Finally!”. I didn’t have any shred of sympathy for him.

Movie Mark, however, is an absolute sweetheart. He’s a genuinely loving guy, he’s just not a good fit for Juliet. He’s not interested in literature and reading (although in the book, he’s a publisher), which clearly isn’t compatible with Juliet who’s a writer. He’s also very much a businessman, chasing a life of wealth and luxury, which Juliet doesn’t want. Despite all this, he deeply cares for her. She’s the one who doesn’t share his affection (when they break up, he asks her if she ever loved him and Juliet’s response is “I loved our time together”, pretty harsh if you ask me).

I felt that reworking the character of Mark and his role of the story was one of the main reasons I enjoyed the movie. He felt much more realistic this way, compared to the book where he came across as one dimensional and exaggerated. When Juliet breaks off their engagement, I couldn’t help sympathizing with him. I think having characters who feel real and sympathetic (even when they’re supposed to be an obstacle for the protagonist) makes for a better story.

2. Juliet’s Nosiness:

The two Juliets are also quite different. In the book, Juliet corresponds with many members of society before visiting Guernsey. They’re all aware of her arrival and there’s a huge welcoming party. In the movie, however, Juliet decides to visit without letting them know. She just shows up uninvited, and the society reacts accordingly. They act uncomfortable in her presence, especially Amelia, who doesn’t want anyone snooping around their business. This was an unexpected dynamic, but one I really enjoyed. It made Amelia feel like a much more important character, and her relationship with Elizabeth was shown through a new light. 

Movie Juliet was quite curious, and poked her nose where it didn’t belong. She kept trying to find out what happened to Elizabeth, and asked questions that were better left unasked. Although this made her character more flawed, I really enjoyed it. Juliet no longer felt like a perfect person, she was someone who isn’t always well-mannered and open-minded. One such instance is when Juliet finds out that Elizabeth had a child with a German soldier and is completely shocked. She quickly comes around, but that’s not the point. Movie Juliet messes up and makes mistakes, but she owns up to her actions and apologizes. That made her much more human to me. 

3. Isola:

Out of all the characters in the book, Isola was the one who felt the most exaggerated to me. The writers obviously wanted her to have a unique personality, but she came across like a caricature. Movie Isola, however, was a far more loveable character. She was still recognizable as the same person I had read about in the book, but more real. She sold liquor instead of  potions, wasn’t smart but didn’t come across as dull, and didn’t have a weird interest in phrenology. 

I especially loved the scene when Juliet shows up at her house late at night, and they become roommates. It showed her kindness and generosity, as well as her deep sense of loneliness. The relationship that grew between the two of them was one I thoroughly enjoyed. I just never connected with book Isola in the same way.

4. Elizabeth’s Story:

I think this is the most important point on the list. Elizabeth was a wonderful character at the core of both works. And I have to say, the book did a wonderful job of establishing her personality and everything she stood for. But, her story resonated with me more in the film. For some reason, seeing her selflessness on screen invoked emotions that I simply didn’t feel while reading the book.

Usually the book is the one that provides a deeper connection to the characters, but in this case, I was very confused while reading it. As I’ve explained before, I was too busy trying to keep up with all the characters and their individual letters to be able to really enjoy other aspects of the novel. And it seems that paying less attention to Elizabeth was a consequence of that. In the film, however, I could watch her more closely, and I loved getting to know her again. 

That’s pretty much most of it. There are a few other minor points, but they’re not worth mentioning. Having said all this, it’s important to mention that the movie did leave out many important aspects of the book (the most prominent being Remy and her story). While I understand that this meant key parts of the story were missing, I think the film was nonetheless pretty good. After all, there’s only so much you can show in two hours. 

That’s all I have for this book/movie, and I can’t wait to start our discussion next month :)

[bowieziggyfan]

Hey! Is there any specific scene from the Journey Under the Midnight Sun that you really liked? Why is that?

Great question, @readerbookclub,

In full honesty, I couldn’t really find a specific scene that I really liked.

This was because, the book at times( particularly the massive jumps of time between the chapters), would leave me dazed and confused, on what happened or why the character does an action that leads them down that path?

What I kept asking, to myself was would the themes, the writing style or the overall motives for the characters have made me confused? Or better yet, the story and plot, itself.

I felt like the book had a lot of potential and a lot of good points, it just felt like I was missing something, a little drive for the characters, and. a little more drive, plot wise.

But as I say, a book is a book, you get what is written, and you can’t always get, what you what.

[endystudyblog]

Hello and welcome to the first...episode? Ok, I like it: the first episode of my adventure with @readerbookclub​. I decided to join this adventure for two reasons: first, I was tired of reading only University-related books and, second, I wanted to improve my English. As you probably may not know, I'm Italian so English is not my first language. In May we had read "The Ocean at the End of the Lane" by Neil Gaiman. It was my very first time reading a book completely in English so it was a challenge. Even though Gaiman is one of my favorite writers,  I had never read this book before and I didn't have any idea about the plot and the story, I only knew that my bff loved it. It was really an  adventure. It wasn't an easy reading, Gaiman’s style  is not very not-English-speaker-friendly BUT I made it and I'm so happy because I succeeded in reading a full novel in English and I really liked it.

I decided to answer a few questions that @readerbookclub​ asked on their blog, so... let's get started!

This is Part 1 of 2, with the Generic Questions!

What did you think of the book? What were the things you enjoyed and the things you didn’t enjoy?

I loved it! It was strange and magical, that kind of magic and strangeness I can only find in Gaiman's books. I really loved the story and I have to admit that I just fellin love with the Hempstocks, all of them. They are magical and special girls I would love and simultaneous be pretty afraid to know in real life. ALSO, I WAS REALLY STRESSED OUT IN SOME POINTS OF THE STORY, LIKE STUPIDLY STRESSED OUT. I DON'T KNOW WHY BUT IT REALLY AFFECTED ME.

Did any quotes or passages stand out to you? What where they and why?

“I lived in books more than I lived anywhere else” and any passages with books. I relate with those . I'm going to talk more about it in the specific question.

What did you think of the author's style? Have you read any of their books before? Would you read their work in the future?

First of all, Neil Gaiman is on Tumblr but I don't know if he is still using this platform. I don't want to check. I don't think he is the kind of person who searches for his name on the web but he could read all these things I'm writing, in my broken English, and it's a wild thought. Sir, if you are reading these words of mine, thank you for Sandman from the bottom of my heart. Your words never failed me, they make me feel less alone in this enormous and crazy world. So... yes, I've read some of his books before (read it like "a lot of his books but not all") and I will definitely read his works in the future. And I would like to read The Ocean at the End of the Lane a second time, but in my mother language, and see if my perception of the novel changes.

[appleinducedsleep]

Hello 👋 I have a question for the bell jar!

Esther was a very frank and honest narrator who shared her deepest and darkest thoughts with us readers. What did you think of this narration style?

There is something very detached about Esther's narrative voice, even if it's written in first person. I could still relate to her at times, and, of course, there was something poetic to it too.

Apart from that, she was probably an unreliable narrator, because her depression coloured our view of her world, she was both selfish and unlikable at times, and yet... I wonder what happens after the novel, I hope fiction can have a happier end.

[tams-writeblr]

That's exactly what I thought were the visions too! It also reminded me a lot on my axiety attacks I had duing my early twenties. Isaiah's visons seem to me like the tendancy of overthinking a lot of people with mental illnesses suffer from. What could I have done differently, was it my fault that this happened? You get the picture.

Heyo! I have another question! Did you feel that the superpowers were a metaphor for something else? Or were they just superpowers?

Ehhh...until now I just thought of them as superpowers...so after the question I really thought there might be something but still can't think of anything yet:')

What about you guys @everyone ? Did you guys feel something else?

[tams-writeblr]

The Cost of Knowing - General Questions

During the last month I read the book The Cost of Knowing by Brittney Morris, a black writer and long time participant of NaNoWriMo. @readerbookclub published their questions for members of their club who've read the book on July 1st and I'm gonna do my best to answer them as good as I can. I wanted to point out, that this is the first novel I've read in English since my school days and while my English is good enough to understand everything, it was still an unusual feeling having a book that's not in my mother tongue before me. Now on to the questions:

1. What did you think of the book? What were the things you enjoyed and the things you didn’t enjoy?

In my opinion it was a very good book. I honestly enjoyed reading it and while I mostly did read the book during my lunch breaks at work, I sometimes really struggled to put it away. While it typically wouldn't be the book I would choose for myself (it's MC is very far away from my own living reality and as stated above, I usually don't read books in English and it hasn't been translated (yet)) I am glad I was pointed to read this amazing story. It gave me insights of the truth of so many people and fears that I as a white woman never have to worry about. I really enjoyed how the book portrayed Alex' struggle with what it meant to be a man, how the somewhat old-fashioned views of his father would conflict with Alex fragile and anxious personality. I also related a lot to Alex when it came to going into crowds since I myself had a very grave anxiety of crowds when I was a teen and early twen.

2. What are your thoughts on the plot? What were the things you liked and the things you didn’t like?

The plot is rather compact going only on for a few days with necessary flashbacks. At first I was surprised by Alex "curse" to see the future 'cause the blurb made me think touching this photo would cause a one time event of a vision while instead he always had those visions while touching something. I can't imagine how horrible that must feel... Overall I like everything about the plot, the only thing that I would have liked is to know a little more about Isaiah's point of view. I know the book is written from Alex' perspective and this kind of limitation comes with a first person narrator. This is the reason nower days I prefer reading books in third person as it gives you the insight on all important characters. I personally would have loved to know if Isaiah believed everything that Alex said about his future or if he felt that he might be lying maybe even knew from his own ability. I actually thought his ability was more interesting than Alex' and would have loved to know more about it! The other thing that I didn't like was Alex' whole dealing with his "curse". That was getting on my nerves through out the book. It is very clear that he really loves Thalia so why doesn't he trust her enough to tell her about it. I know he was afraid because of the Shaun-incident but he was a freaking scared kid when all that happened. Imp it would have been a shit move from Thalia to blame him for what happened when he really took the time to explain everything to her (that what he sees is definite etc.). She would probably have understood his fear of loosing Isaiah too and that whole unnecessary fight before the concert could have been avoided.

3. What scene did you find most emotional in this book?

Surely the one around the shooting on the concert. I was holding my breath during that scene since secretly I still hoped Isaiah's future could still be adverted, I really don't wanted him to die... I was almost sure it would happen at the concert and I seriously wasn't ready to read him die. The scene of his death itself wasn't so emotional since it kind of happened out of nowhere (what surely makes it even more unbearable for Alex).

4. If there’s one character you could meet, who would they be and why?

Oh I would love to meet Thalia, she seems like a great girl and reminds me a lot on myself when I was her age, always changing hair colors and the way she dresses. I think we'd get along well.

5. Were the characters convincing? Or did they come across as unrealistic?

Hm, that's kind of though. Some reactions weren't realistic imo. Like Thalia's before the concert when she found out about the "curse". I don't think that beetle as a proof for Alex' skills would be enough for me personally. And I don't think I would instantly jump on conclusions that he also knew that her brother would die. For me it didn't get clear if she really believed him 'cause it's never mentioned again that she ask him about the curse, why it's gone etc. but of course that could be off screen (what would be dumb...). So in total the characters came across as realistic but with unrealistic touches.

6. Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Already have =) Gave the book to my fried yesterday. I really think it's a great story and made me wonder about the issues poc are still facing in today's society. I also had a really intense conversation with a friend of mine how's from Ivory Coast and his experiences with the police and I was shocked that it's just the same here in Germany as it is in the US. He also had a cop sitting on his neck, luckily only for two minutes but he still feared for his live. I would everyone recommend to read this book since it really opens your eyes about the injustice that poc are still living with.

7. Would you consider re-reading it in the future?

I don't re-read book much tbh. But I'd consider it if it ever gets translated. And I would love to see a movie! The soundtrack would be amazing! (I created a playlist with the artists that are mentioned in the book and it's my power playlist now xD)

Thank you @readerbookclub for the great questions and this wonderful (for me) first reading recommendation. I'm looking forward on discussing the book with you guys and I hope we are talking soon!

[tams-writeblr]

I really can't put my finger on it, but Isaiah just seemed to know there was something going on. I personally would question my brother's intentions when we were basically living next to each other without interacting much for years and he suddenly starts to worry about an be interested in me. Isaiah also seemed pretty down at times and he surely felt the regrets Alex' haboured about him. Him being able to cancle his gift like Alex could would also be an interesting possibility. Though I don't think he was able to, from what he said about the world screaming at him. Hot take: The book from Isaiah's persective would be 66% more interesting xD

Should Alex have kept his vision from Isiaiah? Or was he right to protect his younger brother?

If I had been in Isaiah's place I would have wanted Alex to keep it from me.

If Alex saw that Isaiah would die in a couple of years, he should have told him. That amount of time would have given Isaiah the opportunity to plan accordingly. He would've been able to tick items off his bucket list, say goodbye to everyone he loves, and make the most of what time he had left.

But that wasn't the situation. Isaiah had only a few days to live, and so telling him would have caused him too much pain. If Alex had said something, he would have made Isaiah's last days full of worry and anger. The lying allowed Isaiah to be happy before he died.

A slightly (un)related thing that came to mind. A sentence @tams-writeblr wrote in their review, caught my attention: "I personally would have loved to know if Isaiah believed everything that Alex said about his future or if he felt that he might be lying maybe even knew from his own ability." I wonder if Isaiah was able to detect Alex's regrets, and if that made him aware that something was about to happen. After all, he was able to find out that Alex and Talia had been in a fight.

[tams-writeblr]

Hey again! I have another ask :) The book shows the main characters, Alex especially, struggling to cope with their emotions. How do you feel about the way these internal conflicts were written?

That's honestly hard for me to answer. Internal conflicts, struggling and personal problems vary greatly among different people. I can't really say it was written good or bad. It got me annoyed from time to time how we were constantly reminded of Alex' struggles with everything around him but that's just my personal thought. He could have avoided a lot of his problems if he didn't hide so much in his thoughts and came out more towards others, talking about his problems and stuff. I know as a teenager you don't want to talk about what's bothering you, but you could at least talk to your friend (boy-/girlfriend, best friend) about what's going on. I was internally screaming at my book the whole time: Just don't bath in your misery, talk to her (Thalia) about what's going on inside of you!! xD

Sorry for not being able to give a coherent answer, those are just my humble thoughts xD

[tams-writeblr]

The Cost of Knowing - Specific Questions

1. The book addresses issues of police brutality and racism, through the lens of a young Black boy.  Did seeing these issues through Alex’s eyes teach you something new? Or show you a new perspective?

They absolutely did! As I stated in my "General Questions"-post this book gave me a huge insight one the reality of Millions of PoC all over the world. It really made me, a white woman, think about so many things I never had to deal with. It's a sensible topic for me to call this eyes opening experience when we are surrounded by injustice and intolerance but for me it really sensitized me for the struggles PoC have to live with and it made me question my own way of dealing with injustice and prejudices.

2. How did you feel about the way the book linked the characters’ superpowers to their ancestry and heritage?

I wish this part was more elaborated in the book. It was narrated by Isaiah but not very well imo. I didn't really get why their ancestor got those powers and I don't really get why the brothers got rid of them they way they did. What brings us to the next question:

3. The book shows the main characters having to face their fears to rid themselves of their curse. What did you think of that message?

I think this is a kind of difficult message. Facing your fears can be very dangerous and in the end it did cost Isaiah's life. I don't want to say that you should never face your fears. It's an important part of growing up. Everything is scary when you are a teen, falling in love, falling out of love, the massive changes your body goes through, school, having to decide what to do after school, there are tons of things teens are right to be afraid of and all those mentioned before are in fact things that Alex is afraid of. And he handles them, some of them better than others (he tries to avoid having to deal with falling out of love for example) and those were also fears he could have stand up to while they weren't that dangerous. Facing your fears shouldn't mean doing anything reckless and dangerous (and while it isn't dangerous to visit a rap concert per se, it is reckless to go without telling your caretaker and talking your 12 yo brother with you) but be mature enough to face difficult situations without avoiding them and growing through getting through difficult times. As I think the curses are a metaphor for mental illnesses, getting rid of them though facing their worst fear is like dealing with this illness and regaining a stable mental health.

4. A major focus of the book is the relationship between Alex and Isaiah. Do you feel like the book depicted sibling/family relationships well?

I don't have siblings, so it's always a bit difficult for me to judge the relationship between them in media. But those I know that have siblings are either thick as thieves or totally estranged. Those that are totally estranged usually had a bad fight in the past or just aren't compatible personality wise. When I started reading the book I felt it was a bit strange that the brothers were that estranged while living under the same roof an having gone through the massive trauma of loosing their parents. I would have thought something like that would make you get closer (at least when you loose your parents as a kid, I know that many adults are having conflicts with their siblings after their parents died, you know 'cause of the finances...). I liked the conversation between Alex and Aunt Mackie, though it kind of felt like she was just now realizing something was off with her nephews. And that might very well be, I don't want to judge her, she's been dealing with some heavy sh*t those past years too, loosing her sister and suddenly having to care for two boys aside from what seems to be a successful career. It's just kind of sad that this family is kind of scattered into each member on their own until it's too late and they finally realize they should be there for each other and support each other. I also liked how the book deals with found family, Thalia's family is clearly more for Alex than just his girlfriend's family, he sees them as part of his family too and I think that's really cute.

5. Through Alex’s visions, we are shown snippets of later scenes in the book. How did knowing what would happen, affect your reaction to key events in the plot?

I want to be honest, I was hoping the whole read long that Isaiah wouldn't die. And I was honestly SURE he wouldn't. So I was really devastated when he did. Even during the hospital scene I was always waiting for the door to open and for Isaiah to walk into the room, totally unharmed. I was also surprised that the Thalia-incident happened so soon. It would have been totally okay for me to know that the incident happens somewhere in the future. Wouldn't it been nice for Alex too to be able to touch her without seeing further visions. I mean he would know, that him and her would eventually split up, but he could accept that and enjoy his time with her until then. I mean most high school sweethearts don't stay together until death do part us. So yeah, that was kind of a surprise too. And finally I can think about the vision were Alex sees a man buying the ice cream shop he works in. I love that he finds a ring that's the same as the man in his vision's. It leaves the book on a hopeful note that even an angsty black teenager can make headway.

Thank you for recommending this book @readerbookclub! It's been a pleasure reading it and answering your questions!

[appleinducedsleep]

10 and 5 for the TSH ask game!💐💐

Thank you for the asks 🥰 I will elaborate more in a review, but here are the short answers:

5. What message was the book trying to convey? Do you agree with it?

That FOMO is real, you guys. Beyond that, it’s a satire of dark academia, and a lesson in why you shouldn’t mindlessly chase the Greek mythology aesthetic.

10.  How did you find Richard as a narrator? How do you think having Richard as a narrator affected the story?

I liked Richard, though I’m in the minority (except when he had that one violent thought). He was awkward and always on the outside looking in, and that definitely influenced how we experienced the story. He was also pretty unreliable, which I love in a narrator, like please lie to me and make me doubt everything. It definitely helped make the Murder Group more mysterious, and made you want to know them too.

[appleinducedsleep]

Interesting questions! I wasn’t really active when the booklr community was big (and I’m still a small booklr) so I don’t really know the difference, but;

1. Book pictures. I want to do reviews, but I don’t know quite how to start yet.

2. All of those things. Though mostly the same people. And mostly the tags. I try to leave asks often (even when I don’t reblog the ask post), because I know how nice it is to receive one.

3. Sometimes. Though more often someone’s review will be the reason I buy a book.

4. I love participating in reading challenges, even when I fail. It sometimes takes a lot of energy though, but it’s nice to see people connecting. And I try to be active with posts when I actually join something.

5. I started out with reblogging Jane Austen and bookish things, and I still do that, because no-one around me was really interested in it (not at the same level at least). So it was great to be able to talk about it to people with the same passion.

6. I really miss the bookclub that I was in here on tumblr (shoutout to @readerbookclub) so I would like to have an active group talking in posts about the same book.

okay so as i’m getting back to being more active on booklr, i have questions for people! i’m always curious about how other people use this site so please reblog/reply if any of these questions are interesting to you:

1. what’s your favorite kind of content to make? reviews, photo challenges, something else?

2. how do you engage with other bloggers—do you leave comments (in tags or in the body of a reblog), do you send asks? how often do you engage in discussion (im defining this as anything where you leave a comment or reach out—basically anything except only liking a post or reblogging without a comment)

3. do you look for reviews from people you follow when you’re thinking about reading a book?

4. do you participate in reading challenges? why/why not?

5. what’s the main reason you’re on booklr?

6. what’s something you miss from booklr—either something you used to see or something you’ve never seen but think would be a good addition

[appleinducedsleep]

Hi! I have a question about the maidens :) what do you think of this book being classified as a mythology retelling? While I was reading it I legitimately forgot that the theme this month was mythology, and I don’t understand how it got pitched to publishers/booksellers that way! Did I just miss something?

-Emma (@astreamoflight)

@readerbookclub

I actually also forgot the theme, because it just seemed like a murder mystery with a dark academia flair. In the author's words, "I began with Iphigenia in Aulis by Euripides, thinking about the themes of sacrifice and grief". He might have been very loosely inspired by those myths, but I don't think it actually is a retelling.

I talked about this with @reyofseokshine before and we did agree that the ending seemed to echo mythology the most. Maybe she has some more thoughts on this? Or somebody else in the bookclub? It’s an interesting question.

[appleinducedsleep]

What did you think of the dynamic between Tristan and Yvaine?

I normally love the enemies to lovers trope, but it wasn't really developed well. Tristran was hung up over Victoria, and then he became a mouse, and suddenly he was in love with Yvaine. Yvaine seemed much more consistent, but I still didn’t really understand the shift. I just accepted it as fairytale logic, but I was hoping for more.

[appleinducedsleep]

@readerbookclub I accidentally deleted your ask about the Romeo and Juliet allusion!

Anyway, I didn’t think it really applied. The play starts with:

Two households, both alike in dignity,

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene,

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny

I feel like both sides were very much at each other’s throat before anything started to bloom between Blue and Red. Yes, there’s two opposing sides, but that doesn’t a doomed romance make. Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet?

Though it’s mostly that the characters were rather world-weary, while the youthful romance of the play was the tragedy of it all.

What do you think?