#thea’s reading adventures

[rekikiri]

books I read in feb, 2024

a slow month because I got super sucked into fanfics (glad I can’t easily track how much i read fanfic because good lord…) + shadow and bone was sooo hard to finish for me ://

***

mister impossible - maggie stiefvater

greywaren - maggie stiefvater

opal - maggie stiefvater

six of crows - leigh bardugo

crooked kingdom - leigh bardugo

shadow and bone - leigh bardugo

jan, 24

[capinejghafa]

I will say, this is the 3rd fucking book this year that I read where the premise is literally the Vampire wakes up in modern times, falls for the "normal girl"... and maybe a kidnap will happen BC A KIDNAP ALWAYS HAPPENS. I really hope the Vampire in question isn't going to magically produce tropical fruit, bc I can't do that again... iykyk.

[boldlypaletraveler]

Such a pretty book 😍😍😍

[encyclopediacr]

Tusk Love is becoming a very real novel! Written by Thea Guanzon, with a cover illustrated by Erion Makuo, the favorite novel of Jester Lavorre herself will be published July 1, 2025.

The publisher's summary from Random House Worlds reads:

As the daughter of an ambitious merchant, Guinevere’s path has been predetermined: marry into a noble house of the Dwendalian Empire, raise her family’s station, and live quietly as a lordling’s obedient wife. But Guinevere longs for a life unbounded by expectations, for freedom and passion and adventure. Those distant dreams become a sudden reality when her caravan is beset by bandits, leaving her guards slain and Guinevere stranded alone on the dangerous Amber Road. Her only chance of survival is to travel alongside Oskar, the aloof half-orc who saved her during the attack. Unlike Guinevere, Oskar’s path is not so set in stone. With his mother dead and his apprenticeship abandoned, all that’s left is a long, lonely walk to a land he’s never seen to find family he’s never met. The last thing he needs is a spoiled waif like Guinevere slowing him down—even if the spark between them sizzles with promise. Despite his cold exterior, Oskar is brave and thoughtful and unlike anyone Guinevere has ever met. And while Guinevere may be sheltered, she brings out a softness in him that he has never dared to feel before. As the flames of their passion grow, they realize that soon they’ll need to choose between their expected destinations or their blossoming romance.

You can find more information about this and other Critical Role books at CriticalRoleBooks.com.

[2deadkat]

i'd love to hear ur complaints abt modern geronimo! If u'd like to share that is

Thank you for asking anon, I’d love to share and you have inadvertently entered the dragon’s den/lh

But fr tho, it’s a lot. It’s mostly pertaining to the writing.

The reason why I hate modern Geronimo is in the biggest nutshell possible, they screwed up the original dynamic for the Stiltons, a majority of the books is just one big game of Geronimo torture porn between the other characters, and overall a lot of wasted potential for unique interactions between the wider cast and the rest of the Stiltons as its limited to just Geronimo himself. Hell a lot of the plots could have the input from the other Stiltons if they were brave enough. And there seems to be a new character every few books and there’s no rhyme or substance to it anymore. Since when did trap reproduce???

And you’re telling me von Volt has another relative???? Yk at some point you just stop reading the books. Oh and do not get me started on the Thea problem…

Let me start with the Stiltons real quick, somehow they got worse by watering down their personalities to a bunch of cheap jokes.

What made the classic (or early) books work was that the whole point of Geronimo’s character is that yes he’s a wimp, but that’s because he’s a tired boss who gets dragged into his family’s shenanigans, and by extension his friends and allies around him. Everyone has some eccentric personality that shocks or baffle him in some way, and that’s where the comedy comes from. He’s able to stand on his own because of his duties and eagerness to stay in his comfort zone is where the meat of the interactions come from.

His family especially Trap and Thea were meant to be respective foils to him. Trap consistently bullies him and Thea is meant to be the direct opposite of him, she’s the driving force in the group and has more pants to cover up what Gerry doesn’t have. She’s the one behind a lot of their adventures or scoops, hell she’s also the one who keeps finding them in the first place and drags her family and connections into them which makes sense because that’s her job and also where a lot of the plots start from. She fills out the spots that Gerry doesn’t have. Trap is just pure comic relief and is basically that outside force to the group. Hell the two even have a dynamic of their own where’d they just fight over the most trivial things and that makes us side with Geronimo more because of the ridiculousness of his family, that’s what made it click (to me). Highly recommend you read the early books, it shows the strongest character imo (#1-20).

Now Geronimo has all his autonomy stripped away and he’s been reduced to a nothing but a punching bag for everyone around him. I hope I’m not kidding here but try reading a classic book (let’s say #7 or #26) and compare it to the writing in a modern book (let’s say #46 or #74) it’s very jarring. They put more emphasis on different ways his day is ruined and give him no room to breathe or stand on his own. There’s just no charm to that anymore. There’s no fine line with his relationship with the other characters (Run for the Hills Geronimo is probably the worse one and represents everything I don’t like about the new dynamic)

Now over time that initial draw to action is also done by Trap, which I thought was cool because it still plays into the idea of Geronimo’s family dragging him into their shenanigans and the motives make sense to him specifically. It’s like he keeps getting calls from his relatives on schemes which is fun. But the more you keep reading the modern books the dynamic gets skewed over time and here’s the part I’ve been waiting for…Thea gets shelved completely. And now it’s somehow the GOD DAMN GINGER BROS SHOW?????

Now I think about it, Trap used to be a lot more clever in the classic books as well, he’s essentially a bumbling fool who keeps falling into the wrong situations to make a quick buck which slowly backfires on him. If you know me that well you know I’d call him a less scummier Grunkle Stan. The fact that there’s no Thea to balance it out or at least ground the dynamic to some level feels really annoying now.

You don’t really see much of her anymore as she’s either smiling at the back or doesn’t say more than five lines anymore, which is baffling because she’s the one who can pick up the pace the most. I really wished they showed more of her involvement again…They’re a trio, not a duo…and the books are suspiciously phasing her out to make room for the ginger bros fail routine and it ultimately feels very empty…there’s not much acknowledgement or involvement from her really like they could say she’s busy at mouseford or something but nope! Shelved completely without an explanation or a missed opportunity for a tie-in mention.

So far the only redemption I see is the Mayan Mystery one and the Soccer one where she had a more integral role which are way more recent but it still bothers me that they just shelved her for a majority of the modern run.

Listen if the modern books weren’t cowards she would SOLO all these people

she’d probably have an interesting dynamic knowing that she gets along with everyone well and is technically an adventurer. It’d be such a good parallel to her brother to play off of.

hell it’s even worse in the comics. Like there’s legit no acknowledgment of her at all, when trap is absent that gets an explanation but she’s just suspiciously…gone and the only time she does have a major role is when she’s used as a fake mask for a psyche-out to the villains (I’m sorry but if the comics are gonna pull that shit then I’m baited to believe that Thea and (cat lady) would have a homerotic switcheroo fight akin to Ms.Bellum and Sedusa. SHES THE TOUGHEST AND SMARTEST RODENT, USE HER GODDAMIT)

Idk man I tried reading some of the comics and it never worked out that much, again the dynamic feels suspiciously empty with zero acknowledgment. It’s not the Stiltons it’s just the fucking ginger bros for some reason. It doesn’t feel solid like it used to. I really can’t get into them which is a shame, and tbf why would I want to read a comic where Geronimo goes back in time and helps a colonist do his thing 💀

I’d be very happy if someone here can give me one good reason to get into them somehow, I want to like modern Geronimo, please/s

Look if there’s one character I don’t mind them putting in complete absence it’s probably the unaccompanied minors/s…Or Petunia which makes much more sense since she’s a family friend!

Look I actually like Ben and Bugsy as a duo, I think their whole concept is really wholesome, but the books don’t really push their parts that much, like there’s no meaningful interaction they have with the adults which is a lot of missed potential that or it’s just limited to Geronimo. Like listen I get that the whole point of the books was that it was from Geronimo’s perspective, but it’s not like everyone else was just “present”. They had more active roles and Gerry would just write all his observations down. You want a good example? The Mona Mousa Code.

Still…Benjamin had more charm and a bigger role in the classic books…that boy can hyper fixate and master niche skills in anything and was the emotional rock for Geronimo. But now he just goes along with his uncle being a punching bag routine :/ and I KNOW they could do a lot more for Bugsy here, especially since the paws are practically family friends.

—-

But you know…I’ll do give it credit here this era has one of my favorite art styles in the series and notably the one I grew up with the most (classic books illustrations still hold more charm imo) but the way action and expression is illustrated is just *chefs kiss* there’s a certain bounce to it that makes it so memorable.

And I’ll do admit all those geography facts (even if it’s just basic facts I mean it’s a kids book) and long detailed lists or charts about a characters detail is really cool and somehow makes it more immersive.

And it’s really nice to see the universe get expanded.

But overall, the writing is not the same anymore, the original dynamic is screwed up, and lots of missed opportunity to round up the cast together. It’s either empty or I’m just getting too old…Maybe I’m just nostalgia-biased in different areas who knows. But that’s pretty all my thoughts I can pull out.

[vlagg20]

One thing about me is that if there's a book/comic that I really want to read but couldn't because I am to broke or because it doesn't exist in my country, I will resort to just going to many online shopping to search for the book/comic. Not to buy them mind you but to see if the seller's give previews/sneak peeks of the book so I can get a glimpse on what is happening in the book, even if its just a small crumb lol

BUT ITS FUN THO (for me). Like, I love the thea sisters books and it is kinda unfortune that there still so many books of theirs that haven't been translate to English (or some contexts/features in the Italian books that didn't made it to the English books). So my solution is to search them up on online shopping websites to see if there are previews of the books for me to see. Im basically just treasure hunting for the books at this point lmao

And I DO manage to find some crumbs there :D! Here, have Nicky trying her absolute best to balanced the heavy tapestry while riding on her bike in treasure seekers and her doing Tai Chi in one of their adventure back on China (its kinda blurry but oh well)

Look at her!! So silly <3 (and apparently a beast because it took two grown man to carry that tapestry while walking and here is Nicky carrying the entire thing on her bike with no help WHILE running away from the bad guys. Like, she is something else at this point)

[fallingsapphires]

i've made it my mission to collect and read all the books in the thea sisters series, and then review them!

i remember genuinely liking the stories of multiple books in this series, and when i found out they had released a story set in malaysia, i was excited. then it spurred a desire in me to continue reading the series that was so popular among the girls during middle school. i've already bought 2 books recently and just finished them, and i wanted somewhere to document my reviews of it so here we go! some info under the cut for me to keep track of everything.

these are the ones i read as a child:

the dragon's code (book 1)

the ghost of the shipwreck (book 3)

the mystery in paris (book 5)

big trouble in the big apple (book 8)

the mystery on the orient express (book 13)

the dancing shadows (book 14)

the legend of the fire flowers (book 15)

the spanish dance mission (book 16)

it's a bit blurry to me if i've read the cherry blossom adventure and the prince's emerald before, but since i don't remember the stories, i won't include them.

as of 23/10/2024, these are the ones i've read as i'm older:

the secret city (book 4)

the secret of the old castle (book 10)

the hollywood hoax (book 23)

i'll eventually make a full list of all of them but i just wanted to see my full thought process physically before i fully review any of them sjhsjjs. also,,, my reviews won't be too long and not super serious jsyk. i won't be reading them chronologically, because the series doesn't really require you to do that (from what i remember !! this might change if i'm wrong LMAO) and also i'll just read what interests me first SJHSJFD okay lets go

[bookinit02]

bookinit’s byler fic recs

happy new years! to celebrate, i’m posting a list of some of my favorite fics of this year, sorted by word count. i tried not to include a bunch of super well-known, commonly-recced fics, and of course, there are SO many more that i didn’t include just because there isn’t enough time in the world. but i really wanted to lift up some amazing authors, my friends included, as well as some more underground fics. happy reading!!🥳

my top byler fics of 2022

1 - 10k

- it’s a choice (getting swept away) by @wiseatom. i just skimmed this again to see if i wanted to include it, and even just SKIMMING, i was having goddamn heart palpitations. there is something so special about healthy communication and resolving misunderstandings with emotional intelligence and kindness instead of anger. don’t get me wrong, big dramatic blowups are lots of fun to read, but this one stands out for how quiet it is. how gentle. not only is the willel done FANTASTICALLY, but byler here is so soft and tentative, and i was eating up every minute of it. as always, with thea, a phenomenal read. (categories: post s4, mileven breakup, painting conversation, getting together, willel)

- the body is a blade by inblue. this author is severely underrated—incredible prose, such unique fics, and so much genuine emotion in such a short space. i sincerely recommend all of their works!! phenomenal, and despite their short length, they’ve stuck with me since i read them—this one in particular. (categories: poetic, unique, character study, will byers needs a hug)

10 - 20k

- i’m caught up in you by @wiseatom. the first half of this is genuinely novel-worthy—beautifully written & crafted, to the point where i couldn’t stop writing down sentences as inspiration. the second half kicks you into an apocalyptic adventure, filled with byler banter, miscommunication, wound tending, a Painting Debacle™️, and literally everything you could want out of byler in the upside down. thea’s byler is SO much fun to read—they absolutely are best friends, and they don’t let you forget it! the banter is so realistic and snarky and fun, and i’ve read this a million times over at this point. infinite kudos always💗💗 (categories: byler in the upside down, miscommunication, angst & fluff, tension, wound tending, will has a gun)

- i hate accidents (except when we went from friends to this) by blackdeathmamba. a classic, and for a good reason. great tension & pining, super butterfly-inducing, with a twist at the end that simultaneously had me yelling and giggling into my pillow. ADORABLE. so, so wonderful. (categories: pining, miscommunication, college byler, roommates, fluff)

- running up that road by @smoosnoom. i had a really hard time trying to figure out which of moon’s fics to rec bc i feel like all of them, in general, defined my 2022. and of course, everyone and their mother has recced tearing you asunder! but going back over the fics, i think this one truly had the biggest impact on me. first of all, it was the first fic i ever read while listening to the accompanying playlist, and that experience literally changed my life. it is so hard for me to read without listening to music now😭 but seriously reading this w/ moon’s song choices felt like watching a movie. second of all, i really got inside mike’s head here. his character was great, and the fic displayed some of his more unpleasant qualities that some people might shy away from, like anger or resentment. this was just a very real portrayal of byler, and of mike in general. and a lot of the scenes in here—specifically the beginning and end—have stuck with me since i read them. overall, incredible experience, and i’d read it again in a heartbeat. (categories: post s4, character study, mike centric)

20 - 30k

- the gaps and the silence by delusionaltogether (whyyyyy) aka @parkitaco. i read this last night and cried my heart out—not big dramatic sobs, but more of a silent & continuous cry that would pop back up without warning. this was just so exquisitely written—the best of parker’s work that i’ve seen, which is such an impressive feat because i love absolutely everything they publish. the resolving of miscommunication, the healing of byler’s fractured relationship, the responsibility taken on both sides, and the love that still persists through all of it—this is a masterpiece. it is a triumph of human emotion, and a truly excellent mark of good writing. cannot recommend enough—along with absolutely all of parker’s other works. (categories: angst, miscommunication, reunion, college byler, first dates, mutual pining)

- mike wheeler’s guide to falling in love with a superhero by @smoosnoom. this was my first introduction to spiderwill, and i loved every minute of it. this is fun, fast-paced, a little crazy, and just SUCH an enjoyable read. plus, i get a cameo as bagel girl, which in my opinion, is the best part!! but fr this was honestly so well done and even as i’m writing this, i’m getting the urge to read it again. loved, loved, LOVED. (categories: spiderwill, fluff, light-hearted, energetic)

30 - 40k

- you can hear it in the silence by @astrobei. there is truly not enough praise in the world for suni’s fics, or her writing in general, but this one was really something special. mike in this fic is one of my favorite mikes ever, and i think about his big conversation with robin at least once a day. this is truly just a magical coming of age romance. it is so soft & tender & real, and i genuinely could read it every single day and never get bored. also, as someone who worked in food service, i appreciated the accurate portrayal🫡 but also. never again. customers can suck my dick. getting off track here :) (categories: coming of age, friends to lovers, mutual pining, soft)

- i know, i know, i know by aude_sapere. season 4 rewrite!! the writing of this is incredible, the plot is fantastic, and it was one of my first really notable reads in this fandom. really gives will his main character moment, as he deserves!! (categories, s4 rewrite, main character will, pining, action)

40 - 50k

- i’ve come home, i’m so cold by @astrobei. this one is just. ohhhhh my god where do i even start?? this is my ideal college byler fic. it’s literally so perfect, start to finish. will’s narration is incredible, and additionally the plot is just so, SO interesting?! there’s something about suni’s writing that i just can’t get enough of. she writes exactly the way i think and it results in prose that flows effortlessly and is so much fun to read!! i am just chomping all of her fics up one by one and i am still hungry☹️ i think suni needs to write just for me forever & always actually. (categories: college byler, mystery, pining, best friends to lovers, roommates)

- boys don’t cry series by @padmedala. this series is so special to me, specifically the first installment. it was one of the first works i really read that focused on will’s queerness in other terms than his relationship with mike! there was so much queer joy & healing & growing up in this series, and it was really beautifully explored in a way that left me crying, but still unable to put my phone down. really, really wonderful, and criminally underrated. (categories: coming of age, season 4-5, queer joy, healing, romance, pining)

50 - 100k

- chiron in gemini by babydraygen. this was one of the first season 5 fics that i read, and i still think this is a REALLY interesting take on it. eddie’s alive, mike is kind of a dick, and the apocalypse is in hawkins, but everyone’s pretty chill about it. i think the characters here were so complex and interesting, and i was honestly hooked the whole time. (categories: season 5, coming of age, angst, getting together)

- there is a season by ghostlin. yet another s5 fix-it, mike-centric this time. really well written, great character development, and truly so much fun to read. to quote my original bookmark: this is, without a doubt, one of the best fics i’ve ever read. writing is impeccable, everything (EVERYTHING) is perfect, and i cherished every single word. this is my season 5. if you are reading this right now, stop and read this fic. yes, me too. read it again. (categories: s5, character development, slow burn, apocalypse, drama)

- i’ll find a new place to be from by @andiwriteordie . clearly i have a thing for s5 fics, but this was honestly so amazing!! i think about it a lot, and am definitely pulling inspo for my own eventual s5 fic (hopefully coming next year!) andi has written so many (and i mean SO. MANY) wonderful fics for this fandom, which is a gift in itself. but there’s nothing that i think about more than this one. (categories: s5, drama, will byers has powers, getting together)

100k +

- you are the heart by touchthesky. i spent months reading this one, chapter by chapter, as it uploaded, and i don’t regret it one bit. this was such an interesting, complex, and well-done take on season 5. there were some really shocking plot twists, gripping moments of turmoil, and satisfyingly resolved arcs for every single character. the action sequences are god-tier, the internal dialogue is fascinating, the worldbuilding is INCREDIBLE, and i honestly just cannot say enough good things about this fic. will probably be giving it another read soon! (categories: s5, angst, the full package, slow burn, will pov, intense worldbuilding, main character death)

again, there are SO many more—and yall are always welcome to search my bookmarks on ao3—but those are the ones i was thinking about today. here’s to more great fics in 2023!!🥳🥳

[knickknacksandallthat]

if you don't mind me asking, what got you into kevin's character?

for me it was actually your fic, but since its so normalized in the fandom to dismiss his trauma and call him a coward and annoying for doing things that other characters are loved for, i didn't really care about him when i first read the books

now hes my favorite

Oh, anon, I love this!! What an honor, I’m so glad to have helped you join the Kev lovefest 😊 (Welcome to the dark side lol!) It makes me so happy that the A Fallen Star series has awakened this in you! 💖

And wow, what a good question. I don't mind at all! I actually had to think about this for a while to try and remember…how the heck did I get here???

So here is my ridiculously uncalled-for POV on Kevin’s character and slow descent into madness below:

(Disclaimer that these are just my thoughts and anyone in the aftg fandom can hc or think whatever they like about Mr. Day 😊)

Like you, anon, I was easily swayed by Neil’s perspective of Kev on first read. It makes sense and is a credit to Nora how we so fully buy into Neil’s opinion of Kevin that many of us just run with it. And to be fair to the fandom, it’s canon – Andrew, Neil, and all the Foxes tell us he’s a coward and annoying and so we assume it must be true.

So, I created many fics that played into this image and focused on andreil. (Because who isn’t enamored with andreil??? Legit, deranged obsession and couple goals lmao). Using that lens, it was easy to make Kevin the punching bag because he is the quintessential “straight man” in comedy (and yes, I do hear the irony in that) – the foil to other characters to make them seem better, braver, funnier, smarter, etc. It’s an age-old trick/trope in fiction that works very well. And it was an easier transition for Nora to make, I think, once she made the decision to remove Kevin from the main narrative of her story.

This character setup works well enough when you’re doing a fic from Neil or Andrew’s POV, providing an easy source of humor to fall back on. So, for me, I think my thinking shifted once I started working on Flavors of Fall and delved into Andrew and Kevin’s storyline there. That fic forced me to think from Kevin’s perspective, and I found at the time I had a shallow understanding of what made Kevin tick. It totally threw me once I really started considering sequels for that fic and the 12 Day Program for Courtship, both of which have Kevin cast as a main character. I had to dive deep into his makeup, seriously considering his motivations, his likes/dislikes, his personality traits, his relationships, and how he would react in any given situation.

Because I was interested in his character development, I started delving into fics like orionauriga’s just pretend , @likearecordbb's Long Walk in the Woods, @thetrojeans daylights, sunsets, and @dayurno's the age of no regret series. They are all brilliant, fascinating character studies of Kevin Day and his relationships that are extremely well done. There’s many more, of course, but I was searching for fics that specifically delved into Kevin’s thought process and choices and stayed there a while.

That’s what led me to feeling like I needed to tell his story with Dead of Night. Of course, it turned into a larger series with my flavoring of Kerejean added because I’ve never been a huge Kevin/Thea relationship fan. (But that's a discussion for another day which you can start here and here for that adventure.)

Now all that I’ve described above gives you the mechanics of the descent – the when, the where, the how. But it crucially misses the why. What is it about Kevin that got me in the end?

Ironically enough, it was his potential.

I think when Nora stripped away any kind of romantic narrative (RIP Kandreil OR Riko/Kevin/Jean) or a chance for a tragic storyline (Kevin dying in the end) it resulted in removing a lot of Kevin’s emotional vulnerability. We don’t get to hear what he’s feeling or thinking unless it’s related to Riko, the Moriyamas, or Exy. This means his storyline is consumed by the stereotypical sports underdog story, with us following his rise to champion (which is still a powerful enough narrative on its own that shines even in the midst of Neil’s crazy plotline. Switching that racquet to his left hand in the championship game? Iconic.) 

However, it leaves us very much with a shell of a person. Kevin’s character outside of Exy is reduced to a handful of facts – there’s a passing comment on his like of history, and the stark evidence of an alcohol addiction as a coping mechanism. We’re told he used to dance. That he learned French because Jean Moreau taught him. That he has no qualms about taking (mild?) drugs (cracker dust). Despite how much we’ve run with it as a fandom, the only allusion I’ve found in the books to him being strict with diet is this section from The King’s Men:

“No one needs to eat this before a game,” Kevin said. “Eat some granola or protein if you’re that hungry.” “Hello, there’s protein in the peanut butter,” Nicky said. “Let go of me before I tell Andrew you’re outlawing chocolate. I said let go. You’re not the boss of me. Ouch! Did you seriously just hit me?” … “Kevin, just let him go,” Neil said. “It’s not worth fighting over.” “When our defense is sluggish, we all suffer,” Kevin said.

From what I can find in the books, Kevin never once denies Andrew eating ice cream. (Which I’m 100% able to admit I might have missed something so feel free to quote me where that scene is because I was totally searching for it). In fact, every time they go to Sweetie’s, it’s implied Kevin orders ice cream with them. In the infamous kissing scene in The King’s Men, we actually have proof that Kevin got ice cream:

Kevin still hadn’t messaged Nicky by the time they reached the ice cream aisle, so Nicky gave in and called him. Neil half-expected Kevin to ignore Nicky’s call, but Kevin wasn’t so sour with them that he’d turn down a free snack…Nicky grabbed spoons from the kitchen and distributed pints to their hungry owners. Neil checked his expression when Nicky came back from dropping Kevin’s off….

Now I do think it’s in line with his character and his upbringing to have issues with food, so I’m all for buying into that specific hc. But we have very little evidence of it in the text.

His personality is reduced mainly to anger, arrogance, or cowardice (all traits that don’t make us sympathize with him). The only facts we have about his Tragic Past™️ are two things: his mother’s death, and his hand injury. Everything else we assume is based on Neil’s knowledge of the mafia, Wymack’s hearsay, Andrew’s deductions, and Kevin’s reactions to Riko and Tetsuji. We have literally no idea what happened to Kevin in the Nest. His trauma and his time spent there is a complete mystery. The closest we get is Riko’s comment to Neil in The Raven King:

“I am going to love hurting you,” Riko said, “like I loved hurting Kevin.”

This, I think, is one of the main reasons many of the fandom “dismisses” Kevin’s trauma in comparison to Neil’s because we can’t see it. We don’t know what happened and we don’t get to experience it, so this lack of explanation or motivation leaves us only with very cold personality traits. We’re unable to root for him as a character because we can’t sympathize. We can empathize because we know Very Bad Things™️ must have happened in the Nest, but we don’t see them happen the same way we do Neil or Andrew. Even Kevin’s hand injury is old and “healed” when we’re first introduced to the character.

The only true canon moment where Kevin appears “human” is in The Raven King with Kevin’s “then run” and “you should be court” conversation with Neil. His admittance that Neil’s life is more important than Exy is instantaneous – he doesn’t even pause to throw his Exy dreams down the drain if it means Neil can survive.  In a weirdly parallel way, we see Kevin’s thought process implicit in his conversation: “at least you’d have a chance.” It is strikingly similar to Neil’s internal conversation of: one of us should make it. (And there’s another whole separate discourse I could get into on how Kevin and Neil are two halves of the same coin, but we’ll save that for another day.) But even the revelation of Wymack as his father has more shock value than true emotional weight – we never see what that conversation looked like or how either party actually reacted. (In some ways, I feel like Dan being pissed at Kevin is given more “screentime” than Kevin’s response to telling his father and how Wymack reacted.)

So with Kevin’s emotions and past firmly locked down, we’re left to brush off Kevin’s reactions (or lack thereof) as part of his indifferent personality. It is what it says on the tin. (And that’s not to say Kevin is a perfect character by any means. He has flaws just like every other character.)

Now some people very accurately depict and buy into those limitations as simply being Kevin’s character/personality – I’ve read some awesome fics where Kevin is Ace/Aro and/or on the spectrum. These are completely valid, extremely well done, and I could totally see why others see and write him this way. Canon practically sets them up for it.

For me, though, it circles back to our skewed view of Kevin given to us by some deeply loved but also deeply flawed characters (cough, Andreil). Those same characters that we’re told time and again not to judge them by their cover but to try and understand how they’re affected by (and make choices because of) their trauma.

While Andrew and Neil end up giving each other this grace through a hard-fought battle of truths and exchanges, they do not extend this same courtesy to Kevin, and neither are we given the chance to do so. We literally can’t because, again, we don’t know what the full extent of Kevin’s trauma is.

Kevin doesn’t talk about his time in the Nest to any character, meaning we know nothing about it. Ergo we don’t know what choices Kevin makes because of it. In The Foxhole Court, Wymack specifically tells us Kevin was Riko’s pet. In fact, there is so much specific language that Kevin himself uses around the concept of ownership, and that Nora uses when referring to him that it jarringly sticks out in the text.  He has no sense of personal space or proper boundaries, viewing people only as assets to be used for the good of the team, which at the very least is a sign of mental abuse. But the fact remains that we just don’t know. We don’t know how far this mental abuse was taken, how often or severely he was injured, if he injured or was forced to injure others – we don’t know.

But it’s obvious whatever happened to him started as a child and built from there. Which means he has years of abuse and power dynamics embedded into him. He has every right to be afraid. In fact, we are demonstrably told and shown often in canon that Kevin is afraid…but fear does not equate to cowardice. In fact, we know that bravery often means being scared and doing something anyway. And in many cases, that’s just what Kevin did (with a crutch named Andrew). But even before he entered his deal with Andrew, it's important to remember that even though he was brainwashed and beaten from a young age to understand that he would die if he betrayed the Moriyama family in some way, he left them.

This is always so significant to me because so many abuse victims stay in their situation thinking/hoping/praying it will get better – either because of an idea that their abuser will change (“they’re just having a hard time at work rn”) or that the victim will fix whatever flaw the abuser finds lacking. Or alternatively, they recognize the situation is bad, but they can’t leave because they feel like they have nowhere to go, no one who will help them, trapped by their lack of skills/contacts/money. In Kevin’s case, both situations rang true. And yet he left. He left, and in only a year and a half’s time he recovered from his injury and led his team to the championship.

But he is only at the start of his recovery. I think he’ll need years of therapy to recover from all that happened in the Nest. I think many of his emotional and social shortcomings are a direct consequence of that timeframe and he did not have the freedom to address them until the threat of the Moriyamas was removed. I do not think they are permanent parts of his personality – I think in time, he will be allowed to grow and recover and contribute much more to his relationships than he’s capable of doing at the end of The King’s Men.

Though the series finished, I think Kevin’s story is just beginning.

That’s why I think he’s fascinating to explore as a character. That’s why I love writing him right now because in many ways, his possibilities are endless. There’s so many opportunities to explore different facets of his story that we never get a chance to in canon. Kevin’s character and narrative is a tantalizing tease which many of us have fell hook, line, and sinker for. (Including yours truly.) We want to rabidly sink our teeth into it and shake it, like a dog with a bone.

So we do. 😉

Phew. Okay, that’s enough. None of what I’ve written above is new I’m sure to those of the fandom who have been here since the beginning or have become diehard Kevin fans. But thank you for letting me ramble in this ask, anon. Writing about Kevin has been a very fun and therapeutic adventure for me. So I’m so glad that there are others out there who are enjoying it too 😊

[soda-gremlin]

The Newer Thea Sisters Books Aren’t as Good as the Older Ones, and Here’s Why

Yes yes, I know I am beating a dead horse here, but I have noticed quite a few patterns when it comes to the newer books, specifically why I don’t like them. So here is my comprehensive list of traits that make the newer books so lackluster.

1. No Continuity

And no, I am not simply referring to small details, like the name of a celebrity that has already been established. What I am referring to, is both the lack of reference to previous books even when relevant, and the complete absence of background knowledge. Let me explain.

So, y’all have read Mystery on the Orient Express, right? If you haven’t, major spoilers ahead. The villains turn out to be a set of identical twins, Dimitri and Leon. But first, before discovering that fact, the Thea Sisters had to tangle with the conundrum of Dimitri’s hand, and why the burn kept disappearing and reappearing. It took them quite a bit of time to work that out because, well, they’d never seen that before. And they’re still new to mystery-solving.

However, in a later book, (spoilers for Phantom of the Orchestra) they are confused by a character named John’s seemingly contradictory behavior, like greeting them like old friends one minute, and acting like they never met the next minute. But here’s the thing. They’ve seen this before, in Mystery of the Orient Express. That shouldn’t have been a huge twist. They shouldn’t have taken that long to figure that out, because they’ve seen it before.

Need another example? So, a common trope in the newer books is that one of the side characters aiding them mysteriously goes missing. Then it turns out, they were kidnapped/led away. It happens almost every single time. Riddle of the Ruins, Niagara Splash, you get the idea. But every single time, the girls dick around like, “Oh no, I wonder where John Doe could have POSSIBLY went” GIRLIEPOPS. THIS AINT YOUR FIRST RODEO. YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS.

I get it, they want the series to be episodic and all that, but when it’s actively hurting the story’s writing, and when quite a few readers have read previous books, it ends up detrimental instead of convenient.

2. The Forgettable Side Characters

Have any of you read the Mouseford series, or the graphic novels? If you have, you’re probably familiar with Vanilla (Ruby), Vic (Ryder), Shen, Craig, Tanya (Tanja), and Dina (Elly). All pretty well-established side characters, some even making an appearance in the beginning of the original series’ books.

Clearly, they have a very diverse cast of side characters in their roster. Shen being a sweet, bookish nerd, Craig being a himbo jock, Vic being a chaotic neutral rich boy, Vanilla being your average spoiled rich girl, you get the idea.

So I bet they bring one along on the girls’ adventures to spice up the story, right? Bringing in a fresh new perspective on the story’s events and a refreshing deviation in recurring character dynamics, while also expanding on the side characters themselves. Right?

WRONG

Instead, they make up a character to use as a plot device. I hesitate to even call them characters, because they have no personality. They’re all the same cookie cutter cardboard cutouts again and again. Especially the new male characters.

Can you tell me a SINGLE unique trait about Didier, Ioannis, Mateo, or Akhun?

Can you even tell me which books they’re from?

Of course you can’t! You probably don’t even remember they existed! (Unless they’re your blorbo, in that case, you have my sympathies…)

So instead of using the more interesting and established side characters from Mouseford, they just stick in a plot device of a character and call it a day.

In the older books, the new characters were memorable. Take Ashvin for example, aka, the only character’s name in this category I didn’t have to look up. He had an actual character. He was impulsive, reckless, but had a strong moral code. Contrast that to the new books’ Forgettable Twink #12.

3. Less Emphasis on Culture

This section will be shorter, due to me not really being any of these cultures, and being American, but I still think it’s worth covering.

The idea of the Thea Sisters exploring new countries and cultures is not new. I’d wager that’s the very purpose of the books, to expand the worldviews of impressionable children.

However, in the newer books, it feels a lot more shallow. As in, “a leaflet you got at an airport” shallow. They just barely scrape the surface, and call it a day. Only covering well known foods and internationally known traditions/practices. It’s like if Cherry Blossom Adventure only had the Thea Sisters eating sushi and learning about ninjas or origami. It does that country a massive disservice, especially if you’re native, or even if you’ve just lived there.

This is due to the newer books having the girls see the country through the eyes of a tourist rather than getting immersed in the life of a local.

Take Mountain of Fire for example, they are thrust headfirst into Nicky’s home country. They’re not put up in a hotel in the touristy part of the country, they’re in Nicky’s ranch, experiencing the wildlife, as well as what it’s like to live so far from the city. They see the natural wonders of Australia, as well as learning from the Aboriginal peoples living around the area, including Nicky’s family.

4. Boring Conflict

This one is pretty straightforward. The conflicts in the newer books feel so boring, almost sanitized in a way. There are no real stakes. In the older books, there were many consequences laid out if the villain succeeded. An important link to a dying art would have been lost, the livelihood of Pam’s family business would have been compromised, and not to mention, PEOPLE COULD HAVE DIED.

But now it’s like, “Oh nooo, a single piece from a model is missing, and it’s gonna lose the contest, whatever shall we do 🥺🥺 It’s not like we can recreate it or anything”

There is nothing compelling about the conflicts or its villains. We have no reason to be at the edge of our seats like with Mystery of the Orient Express, where Pam and Nicky LITERALLY CLIMB ON TOP OF A TRAIN TO CATCH THE THIEF BEFORE HE CAN GET AWAY

But now it just feels like a fetch quest of clues, and a wild goose chase for good measure. And just lot of fapping about in general.

I also have to bring up villains. They’re having the same issue as the side characters. They’re all the same greedy, shifty characters that are so obviously up to something.

Final Thoughts

I think all of these flaws can basically boil down to the fact that every book feels like the same story, over and over again, just with different names. (There are some exceptions, but my point still stands)

And just one more note I have is that, I wish the Thea Sisters got more personality to them. Like, I wish they acted like an actual friend group, not like how kids shows love portraying friend groups. Which is a group of girls all nice to each other all the damn time. There’s no depth, there’s no added dynamics that make the friend group feel real. The dialogue is all so flat. I need banter, I need inside jokes, I need playful jabs at one another, I need each sister having a different relationship with one another. We don’t want perfect, we want interesting. (But this isn’t exclusively a newer book issue, so I didn’t put it in the main list)

Aaaannndddd that’s about all I’ve got for you today! Hope you enjoyed this little rant/analysis!!

[classicassiopeia]

Hi! It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything, but here’s a sketch of my pop oc Thea (formerly Eris) and a reformed(?) Mordred in a modern outfit. Life’s kept me busy, but I’m currently working on a series of fanfics with these two that follows Thea’s adventures in Poptropica as she grapples with a destiny she never wanted with Mordred eventually becoming a secondary protagonist after she takes them home after the events of Astroknights (because I love the silly jester guy).

I love rambling about these two so I’ll probably end up doing it in a different post, but if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask! (I just opened my ask box for the first time yippee!!)

Closeups of each sketch can be found under the read more:

[rekikiri]

books I read in jan, 2024

if you have read any of these and wish to talk about them, my DMs are always open <3

***

none shall sleep - ellie marney

some shall break - ellie marney

check & mate - ali hazelwood

the ballad of songbirds and snakes - suzanne collins

icebreaker (reread!) - a.l. graziadei

the foxhole court (reread!) - nora sakavic

the raven king (reread!) - nora sakavic

the king’s men (reread!) - nora sakavic

the raven boys - maggie stiefvater

the dream thieves - maggie stiefvater

blue lily, lily blue - maggie stiefvater

the raven king - maggie stiefvater

call down the hawk - maggie stiefvater

feb, 24

[bigdreamsandwildthings]

Review: Mind Games by Nora Roberts

Rating: ★★★★/5

“But they held on to each other for another moment in that gold-tinged sunlight. And holding him, she didn’t need to look to know she hadn’t just unlocked her future. They’d unlocked theirs. It waited for them in the hills and forests of home.”

This is my first Nora Roberts experience, and I really enjoyed it! The simple writing combined with the atmosphere really drew me in.

Thea has a gift, passed down from her grandmother before her: she is psychic. The gift has not always served her, though, as it allowed her to see her mother and father murdered before her very eyes. The man who committed that atrocity rots in prison now, but he is equally gifted, and he won't leave Thea alone. She has to fortify her mind at every turn in order to keep him out. But when a stranger comes to town, a stranger who turns out to be not so strange after all, Thea knows it's time to get Riggs out of her head, once and for all.

What I enjoyed so much about this one is the atmosphere. I found it so cozy, imagining first Grammie's wonderful house and then Thea's sanctuary that she creates for herself. The Appalachian mountains, and the way its residents support and love each other, all really shine throughout the entirety of this saga, and give Thea's story a *feeling* to it unlike any other books I've read before.

And this is a saga. We get the entirety of Thea's life in these pages, and boy, that made it feel long at times. I found Thea's childhood to be longer than it should've been; I wish we got more time in her teenage years, maybe, or just some excess shaved off in general. There is a lot of time where not much happens, and really, even when Thea and Riggs are battling it out, nothing is "happening". Thea is still at home, as always. This isn't an action-packed adventure, not that it was meant to be, but it did sometimes feel stagnant to me because of that.

However, I really enjoyed Thea. She's sunshine in human form, and remarkably well-adjusted considering her past. The romance here doesn't start for a LONGGGG time, but when it did, I was here for it. I love me some wish fulfilment, and having her childhood rockstar crush just happen to move in next door, with an adorable son to boot, is the very definition of that. I enjoyed their developing relationship, and little Bray was a lovely addition to the story as a whole.

I would read another Nora book in the future after this one. Like I said, I found the writing simple, and sometimes the dialogue felt over-long (we didn't need to read Thea's explanation of her abilities to Ty, for instance; why wasn't that just summed up? We read it while it happened, we don't need the reminder) and just...like nothing an actual human would say? But at the same time, that made it all feel more cinematic than it would have otherwise. I felt like I was watching a movie in my mind, and it was fun.

[thesongweave]

Fights

They all suffered injuries in their adventures across the wilds, sure. Before Halsin and Jaheria joins the company, the healing and treatment of wounds tends to fall between Alathea and Shadowheart. What they can't fix with their spells has to be dealt with through potions, poultices, and good old fashioned bandages.

So the first time (after admissions of feelings...) Thea takes a serious injury in combat while Gale was back at camp...

TW: injury

EDIT: updated with some spellcheck, lol.

They'd had an argument that morning - gods know Gale had been thinking about it almost non-stop since, especially since he had decided to stay in camp to get some space and cool off.

For the life of him though, he couldn't quite recall what had STARTED the argument in the first place ..

Maybe it was the shadows, the looming threat of Moonrise ahead...

They had already been there once, freed the surviving tiefling refugees &and some gnomes - slipped back out with none the wiser.

Then came a brief stop at Last Light before heading off after Balthazar.

It was that night he'd stolen away, turned the shadowy sky to stars and confessed to Thea how he had been feeling, and found she felt much the same.

They had been dancing around each other for some time now, really, but if he wasn't worrying about the orb, then Mystras command....

Gale had not wanted to burden Thea with his feelings just for him to turn around and die. But, he felt it not right to leave things unsaid, either.

The next morning, they'd run into Raphael, the damned devil. He wanted Thea and company to take care of a...well, Raphael was rather vague on what they'd find, but he wanted a thing taken care of. In exchange for information for Astarion.

Then there was the gauntlet of Shar, hidden under the Thorm mausoleum...

And now they were camped there, amongst the ghosts and the crumbling walls.

At any rate, Thea and Gale, who usually saw eye to eye on most things, did not see so this morning. So the bard, stewing from the... disagreement, had struck on out to finish the trials with Shadowheart, Karlach, and Astarion in tow.

Gale had been attempting to read, unsuccessfully, when a sudden commotion broke the silence that had been the camp. He heard Wyll shout out for him, which drew Gales attention to the returning adventuring team.

What he saw made his blood run cold and the blood drain from his face. Shadowheart, magic glowing around her hands, and Astarion flanked Karlach. All three were bloodied and battered, but it was, of course, the smaller figure that Karlach carried in her arms that drew the wizards gaze.

"Thea, oh gods no," he thought, book discarded quickly to the side as he grabbed his staff and ran up, "please, no..."

Karlach was laying the elf out in a hastily laid out bedroll by the fire pit, Shadowheart never ceasing in her healing magic - for all the good it seemed to be doing. Why wasn't it working?

"What happened!?" Gale felt a disconnect. He heard himself talking, but it sounded miles away as his eyes took in Theas unconscious form.

Like the others, she was covered head to toe in blood. She was unnaturally pale, paler than Gale had ever seen her.

Halsin had swooped in next to Shadowheart, partially blocking Gale from Thea. The former first druid set straight to work.

Everyone was talking, fast and frantic, but Gale wasn't listening, their voices all blending together to make an almost overwhelming buzz in his ears.

Trying not to panic, the wizard stepped around Halsin and Shadowheart, finally finding a spot to kneel next to his lover, praying frantically that it looked worse than it was.

"Fuckin - fuck me, but we didn't hear them coming. More of those undead justiciars, they portaled in behind us--" Gale picked out a bit of the story.

"They were in us before we knew it." Karlach was on the edge of being frantic, herself. Thea was her best friend, after all, and the tiefling made it a point to keep an eye out on the elven bard.

Gale gulped, seeing the broken haft of an arrow protruding from Alathea's midsection. It wasn't the only wound, of course, just the thing that drew his attention first.

"Healing not working--"

"Might be cursed--"

Shadowheart's and Halsins voices blurred together. Gale tried to listen, but his mind just kept playing back the angry words from that morning.

Why had they even argued in the first place? Why did he let her go angry? He should have been there...

Was she even breathing? Gales's mouth was dryer than paper.

She had to live. Gods, please, she had to. It couldn't end now, not like this.

He reached a shaking hand out to Thea's face, fingers just barely brushing her skin.

She was so cold.

"-- Gale!!"

Shadowheart's sharp voice snapped the wizard back, out of his own mind.

"Bloody hells. I think it might be a bone-chill curse. I cannot remove it - can you?" The cleric's tongue was sharp, a hint of exasperation edging into the panic that was in all of them.

Gale swallowed, trying to focus. Nodding, he faced Alathea's much to still body, just managing to focus enough to recall the incantation for removing curses.

Magic flowed from his fingers into the elf, the magic floating like must through the air as it settled over Thea.

There was a quiet over those gathered now, waiting...

"There!" Halsin exclaimed, soft streams of healing magic finally taking hold. "Come, Shadowheart. We may yet save her."

There was a flurry of activity as the two worked, quick as they could. Karlach and Astarion tried, maybe only half-heartedly, to get Gale to move to give some room, but let it go when he refused to move.

The few minutes it took for the druid and cleric to work their healing spells dragged on for what felt like an eternity to Gale.

Both healers sat back once they were done, sweat-soaked and exhausted.

Halsin was the one to turn to Gale, concern and worry clear in his features. "It is up to her, now. We have done all we are able to. Shall we move her elsewhere to rest...?"

Gale blinked, tearing his gaze from Thea. He had been so focused on watching her breathing...

"Ah, yes. My tent. I will watch her, of course." Gale felt lumps growing in his throat and stomach.

He'd never argue with her again if he had any say in the matter. Whatever it took to have Thea open her eyes once more.

Halsin nodded, standing and moving to pick the much smaller elf up. Gale stopped him, standing and gently gathering his lady love up in his arms. The druid nodded in silent understanding, simply resting a hand on Gales shoulder a moment before turning away.

"You will get me if anything changes, hm?" Shadowheart asks as Gale turns towards his tent.

He just nods.

Thea is so very light, he realizes. He noted it before, but now...well, he holds her just a bit closer, just a bit tighter.

She's so very still.

~to be continued~

[hathorneheiress]

Episodes of surprise

Avery's POV

Sometimes they come fast. Bringing me to my knees. Other times it took a little while. Torturously taking it's sweet time to get to me. Today was the time it came fast.

I was in my room getting ready for the day when my breathing became labored and I began shaking like a leaf. I had never had to deal with panic attacks but now I did. I noticed it not to long after losing my mom but it got worse when I became the richest teenager in the world over a year ago. In that short time I had been shot at, threatened, bombed, in a coma. Chloroformed and kidnapped. Almost lost people I hold dear and so much more. Definitely something to spike my panic attacks.

I was on the floor in an instant. Cupping my hands over my ears I rocked back and forth. Trying to focus on my breathing it did nothing to calm my nerves. Oddly, it only made it worse.

"Heiress, just breath." the voice sounded so far away yet so close at the same time. Then I saw my boyfriend's face right next to mine.

Jameson Winchester Hawthorne was everything and nothing I had thought I would have for a boyfriend. Emarald green eyes that usually sparkled in mischief was filled with concern. The constant smirk was replaced with a frown. The one thing that was the same was the unruly dark brown hair. So artfully mused. 

Most people saw Jameson as a spoiled billionaire grandson with an adrenaline rush and a need for riddles and adventures.   And he was, but only me and his brothers knew there was more then the outside people got to see. He was also kind, caring, funny. Gave me distractions when I needed them the most. (And sometimes not) Gave me the best back rubs and hugs. Was a perfect kisser. Did I say that?

I felt his warm hands cup my face. "It's ok Heiress. Focus on me."

A peaceful sense came over me and was able to concentrate on his words. "J-Jameson." I murmured shakily. "What are you doing here?"

"I got home early. And I'm glad I did. How long has it been going for?"

"Not long." I confessed burying myself in his chest. He smelled of expensive cologne, whisky, bad morning breath, and cake batter? 

I sat up. "Where have you been?" I asked suspiciously.

He gave me his most charming smile. Proof he was doing something he was not supposed to be doing. "A surprise."

I gave him a look. He laughed. "Alright Heiress, you win. I'll show you what it is. But you have to promise me you are up for it. Especially after your episode. (Jameson always called it that. Trying to be discreet which I appreciate.)

Honestly, I had forgotten about it. But that's what usually happened. I'd be having a panic attack and Jameson would miraculously appear. He'd get me talking about other things and then everything negative I felt went away.  "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you."

"Anything for you Heiress." We both rose from the floor.

Taking my hand he led me through the house till we got toward the kitchen. Why were we going there?

He seemed to read my mind. "You'll see."

"Surprise!!!!!!!!" People shouted as soon as we walked through the doors. I jumped in shock. Everyone I loved and cared for was there.  Xander and Max stood in a corner holding large amounts of punch. Libby, with Nash at her side, stood next to a gigantic pile of cupcakes. There was a least 200 if not more. Frosted with every color under the sun. I noticed Grayson in another corner holding a very wiggling Tiramisu. I couldn't help but giggle.

Thea, Rebecca, the Laughlin's. Alisa Oren, and Zara too. 

Why was everyone here? It wasn't my birthday or the anniversary of when I came. "What's the occasion?" I had to ask. "Why is everyone here?"

"It's officially Avery Grambs appreciation day!" Xander shouted out.

"What?"

Jameson explained. "We have been noticing how stressed out you have been getting. And we decided that you need to take a break. Also we wanted to show you how much you mean to each and everyone of us." He smirked. "Including Thea."

"Ha ha Jameson Hawthorne." She gave a smile that only Thea herself could give.

"So all this is just for me?" I couldn't get over it.

"Just for you. Including the cupcakes. You have to eat all 300 by yourself."

I playfully gutted him in the stomach. 

"Oh thank you!" I went around and hugged everyone there. And got dog kisses from Tiramisu as well.

What started out as a horrible day turned into one of joy and fun. We consumed more cupcakes than I will admit and talked for hours about random, stupid things that only the Hawthornes and us would talk about.

It was good to be loved and appreciated. 

[chasingshadowsblog]

"That Which Binds Us Through Time: The Chemical, Physical and Biological Nature of Love; an Exploration of the Meaning of Meaning, Part One" - Love in the 'Bill and Ted' Franchise

I love the Bill and Ted movies and while I know they aren't world-changing, they carry an unwavering warm-heartedness, optimism, positivity and charm that is so important to me in the movies I like most. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure and its sequel Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey were both wacky and utterly sweet while also managing to do completely different things; the first is a fun time-travel flick, the second a bizarre sci-fi, Seventh Seal parody. Released in late 2020, Bill and Ted Face the Music was a breath of fresh air in a world riddled by both a global virus and two decades of progressively darker, grittier, bigger, blockbustier movie-making, and I loved it. I loved seeing Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter back at it again, I loved seeing something more of Liz and Jo as people, I loved the predictable twist at the end and the song that united the world, and I especially loved the introduction of Billie and Thea. The movie put a smile on my face for an hour and a half and made me feel good for a long time afterwards. Alex Winter has said of the movies: "…the notion of the sincere idea of representing close friendship against the craziness of the world is a large part of what's carried them. The films are written by two very close friends, are performed by two very close friends, and there's sincerity to this that people enjoy." Personally, fun and enjoyable movies that are nothing more than what they are are my favourite kinds of movies, which is why I have so much love for the Bill and Ted franchise and so much time for trying to argue in their favour. I don't believe we have to scratch too deeply beyond the surface to find out what's underneath, what drives these movies is not their zany plots or charming humour but the unabashed love that Bill and Ted have for each other and the people around them that was so prevalent during the first two movies and carried on almost thirty years later in Face the Music.

The Bill and Ted movies are predominately optimistic and while the conflict in each movie ranges from failing a class to the protagonists' deaths to the end of reality and the universe as we know it, it is never in doubt that the external conflict is only secondary compared to the internal conflict of the boys' lives; the idea that they might be split up, losing their girlfriends, and losing their families. The internal conflict is never based on their own personal struggles, but rather obstacles in the way of relationships with other people - those who are most important to them at the time. Following this, each movie in the franchise represents a different kind of love and relationship, relevant to the particular stage they are at in their lives and the struggles that come in the face of those connections. In Excellent Adventure it's platonic love/the boys' love for each other; in Bogus Journey it's romantic love, and finally, Face the Music represents their adult familial love, collectively portraying the characters' growth from teenagers to young-adulthood to adulthood, the seminal times in their lives and what's most important to them during those times - the chemical, physical, and biological nature of love.

The Chemical: "If you guys had been separated, it would have been disastrous for life as we know it". I think of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure representing platonic love only because the entire plot is based on their friendship and how much they mean to each other. While there is a romantic reading of their relationship, at this point in their lives I believe they are still at the platonic love stage; their friendship in this movie trumps any insinuated romantic or sexual feelings. The danger (the external conflict) established early in the movie is that Bill and Ted are failing their history class and if they don't come up with a good final project they'll fail the year. On top of that, Ted's father, Captain Logan, threatens to send Ted to a military school in Alaska if they do. The real conflict (the internal conflict) is not that they will fail history if they can't produce a great final project, it's that if they fail, they'll be separated. So, when Ted gets distracted while they're studying it is Bill who keeps them focused, not because Bill is more responsible, but because Ted moving to Alaska affects him too. If this wasn't the issue, if failing their history class meant simply failing their history class and repeating, I don't believe they would feel such a frantic need to pass. Rufus even tells us that the harmonic, peaceful utopia he has come from will be lost to the world if Bill and Ted are split up, meaning their friendship is imperative to the fate of the world.

Later on, while trying to rescue princesses in Medieval England, the boys don armour and search the castle, getting into a mock duel with each other which results in Ted falling down a staircase. Bill races after him only to witness Ted's motionless body being stabbed by a guard. Bill hides from the guards then yells at the staff to leave Ted's body alone. As he grieves over his friend's body the guard returns and Bill attacks him in anger, "You murdered Ted, you dickweed!". When Bill is knocked to the ground and appears to be in trouble Ted reappears, no longer in his armour, and hits the guard over the head from behind. Ted's perceived death is the most tragically structured scene throughout the three movies - even their actual deaths in Bogus Journey are only viewed as another obstacle they have to overcome. In Face the Music when they think their marriages are over they are terrified, yes, but their immediate response is to do something about it. The message being that in such dire situations things will work out as long as they're still together. Together, they can get through whatever difficulty is presented to them, even death. In Excellent Adventure, when Bill thinks that Ted has been killed, all he can do is slump down by his side and grieve. It's only because the guard appears that he moves to action, and that action is one performed in anger and to avenge his friend's death. If Ted had actually died Bill wouldn't have continued on his mission. He would have returned Billy and So-crates to their natural timelines, gone home and failed history all by himself. "It's a history report, not a babe report." In the same castle, Bill and Ted meet two princesses, Elizabeth and Joanna, and after finding out about their arranged marriages to "royal ugly dudes" the boys vow to rescue the girls. They fail in the process and are run out of the century; Liz and Jo are then forgotten until Rufus brings them back to present day San Dimas to be a part of the boys' band at the very end of the movie. And here's the thing, Liz and Jo are most-assuredly shoe-horned into the story because in movies heroes get girlfriends (and to avert the gay panic). On the other hand, I believe that their forgetting Liz and Jo ties in with the film's portrayal of platonic love: while they are attracted to the princesses, at this point in their lives getting girlfriends is not a part of their main objective. The movie doesn't begin with either of them saying, "Dude, we've got to pass our history class and get girlfriends before school ends". They have only to pass their history test so that they can stay together and start their band - the band that will unite the world and create a blissful, peaceful future for humankind. That's a fairly important friendship.

The Physical: In Excellent Adventure Rufus brings Liz and Jo back almost as an afterthought on the grounds that they are imperative to the success of Wyld Stallyns. Early on in Bogus Journey the organiser for the Battle of the Bands even states that the girls "can play" but Bill and Ted still have a lot to learn. While they are still secondary characters throughout Bogus Journey the princesses play a bigger role in the movie and in Bill and Ted's lives, representing the next step in their lives - romance. While Bill and Ted are still stuck like glue to each other the girls are present in the movie from the very beginning and remain a focus point for the boys throughout the story. As already noted, Liz and Jo are talented musicians compared to the more fly by the seat of their pants method used by Bill and Ted. After the audition, the boys show concern that the princesses might not be happy to have left their lives in Medieval England to be with two guys who work in Pretzel n' Cheese; they want to improve their situation so the princesses will be happy. All of this concern showing as they know that later that night, after the girls' 521st birthday party, they are going to propose. During the party the boys stay close to the princesses' sides and, because they are a symbiotic foursome, ("A couple of couples" as Bill will say in the future) they carry out their proposals at the same time and place with almost exactly the same speech. Not long after this, the Evil Robot Uses appear, kidnap the boys and kill them. Bill and Ted take a journey through hell, beat Death in a variety of board games and get their lives back, all the while focusing on finding Liz and Jo and stopping the Evil Robot Uses, who were sent to San Dimas by Chuck De Nomolos to destroy Bill and Ted's lives and the peaceful future their music will create (I love this movie). After killing Bill and Ted, the next step in ruining their lives involves ruining their relationships; the Evil Robot Uses molest the princesses (a thing that is clearly out of character for the real Bill and Ted and very upsetting to the girls) resulting in Liz and Jo breaking off their engagements. This more than being dead and more than having two evil robot versions of themselves ruining their future, devastates Bill and Ted. You can read Bill and Ted's relationships with each other and with the princesses in any way you like, but it seems undeniable to me that Liz and Jo are incredibly important to Bill and Ted, that the boys care about them deeply, and that, by the end of the Bogus Journey, all four are ready to start the next stage of their lives together.

The Biological: Early on in Bogus Journey Bill observes that "there's no way we can raise a family on the money we make at Pretzels n' Cheese, dude." This is before their dual proposal to Liz and Jo and shows that already they are thinking of expanding their circle of loved ones; a wish fulfilled at the end of the movie with the introduction of "Little Bill" and "Little Ted". Almost thirty years later we meet these miniature versions in Face the Music as Billie and Thea, who appear to be copies of their fathers in both their love of music and the lengths they will go to to help their loved ones. That theme of facing down seemingly insurmountable obstacles to save the people you love is continued in this third installment when Bill and Ted must once again come up with a song that will unite the world and save reality as we know it. As time and space start acting up in the background, there are three storylines happening around the Preston-Logan families in Face the Music; Bill and Ted's main incentive is to find the song and save their relationships with their families; Billie and Thea gather a band to play for their fathers; Liz and Jo follow older versions of themselves into futures to try and find one where they would be happy with their husbands (a driving concern for current Bill and Ted). All of the major internal conflicts revolve around the well-being of the family and, while Billie and Thea are focused on the importance of the song, both parent groups are more concerned with avoiding the potential break-up of their families, rounding off the final stage in the two men's love lives - family. "Not only was it wearing on them and on the family, but the universe they were told they were going to bring together was actually starting to unravel". Bill and Ted Face the Music is an interesting intallment in the franchise, because, in a lot of ways, neither of them have changed very much; they are still their bumbling, warm-hearted selves, but burdened in a way they haven't been before and have been for a long time by the sound of it: "I'm tired, dude". Before the Bill and Ted-like antics even begin they are faced with very real career and relationship problems: "Wait you're time-traveling again?" "Only to save reality as we know it-" "-but we just found out something way worse-" "- you're leaving us." After 30 years of trying to come up with this song Liz and Jo are frustrated for their husbands, by the impossible task that they've been given, and ask them to attend couples therapy (the men, not understanding, arrange a session for the four of them together). As they progress through the session Bill and Ted are presented with a very real and daunting prospect: their marriages may be ending, yet, as always, their reaction is to take action; they will do whatever they can to make things better. A visit from Rufus' daughter, Kelly, (another example of the love between parent and child in this movie is Kelly's admiration for her father and the work that he did) brings them back to the future, where they are informed that their already difficult task now has a very short time limit. Bill and Ted, using perfect Bill and Ted logic, decide to use Rufus' old phone booth to travel to different futures and find the versions of themselves that have already written the song, "How is that stealing if we're stealing it from ourselves, dude?" In the first future they visit they learn that they have not only failed to write the song but that Liz and Jo have left them and their daughters won't speak to them. Bill and Ted race back to their wives and promise the very confused Liz and Jo that they are going to fix everything. All of a sudden saving the universe comes second behind saving their marriages.

After desperately jumping from future to future to find the song that will fix everything Bill and Ted learn from Denis the robot that Bille and Thea have been (accidentally) killed and sent to hell. Without hesitation, Bill and Ted destroy the copy of the song that they've only just gotten their hands on so the robot will kill them too. Denis refuses but then (accidentally) kills them anyway, and this is the second time in the movie where they have prioritised their families over the fate of the universe. This is a very sweet scene; after working so hard to find the song only to hear that their daughters are in hell their immediate response is to get themselves sent to hell, too. And when Denis refuses to because they now have the song, they don't even speak before they destroy it. They are so close to fixing everything at this point but when their daughters need help, Bill and Ted sacrifice their lives (and their marriages and the universe and reality) to go save them.

All of this is textbook Bill and Ted and a joy to watch unravel, but the real treat of Face the Music, to me, is the introduction of Billie and Thea. Billie and Thea initially appear to be copies of their dads, with the same easy-going optimistic attitudes and intense love of music. Unlike their fathers, however, the girls don't play music and are only interested in listening to it, "That is our primary activity, definitely." Also unlike their fathers, Billie and Thea are geniuses, "Your musical acumen is most impressive girls". By the end of Bogus Journey, Bill and Ted have become actual talented musicians and during the wedding scene in Face the Music we see that even though they haven't been successful, they haven't spent the last 30 years idle; the song they play (the title of this essay, and a veritable weapon in its own right) features a range of instruments from bagpipes to theremin, all played on the spot by Bill and Ted themselves. But Billie and Thea's genius extends beyond their musical acumen; their plan to put together the ultimate back-up band is ultimately what saves the day. As well as that, the way they convince Louis Armstrong and Jimi Hendrix to join the band, then persuade Death to forgive their parents, shows a level of awareness, sound thinking and problem-solving that does not occupy space in Bill and Ted's brains (see: putting buckets over their heads to escape from their future selves in Dave Grohl's house). On top of all this, Billie and Thea admire and love their fathers very much. While everyone else in the movie is either giving Bill and Ted a hard time or losing faith in their music, Billie and Thea fully support them and fully believe they can do it, "Hey, dad, good luck on the song." "You got this." Billie and Thea first decide to help their fathers because they know how much pressure they're under and they want to help out in the only way they think they can, in their heads, there's no possibility of Bill and Ted not being able to accomplish their task, and when their fathers are ready, they'll be ready too.

One thing for sure that hasn't changed about Bill and Ted in 30-plus years is their great capacity for love and how much they care about the people around them. It struck me watching Face the Music that neither Bill or Ted had very good role models for families as young men. While Missy was always nice to them and wanted them to think of her as their "mom" (defending Missy is the hill I will die on), we only ever see Captain Logan either admonishing Ted or disappointed in him; Bill's father married a woman only a few years older than his son, then at one point made Bill leave his own bedroom so that he could sleep with Missy on Bill's bed. Despite these less than desirable examples Bill and Ted have always been loving and warm-hearted; they grow from friends who can't stand to be without each other, to boyfriends who would defy death itself to save their partners, then equally devoted husbands and fathers. They are two boys so open-minded and kind-hearted their success in life determines the fate of the world and creates a utopia based on their simple ideals - "be excellent to each other" and "party on, dudes". And, as the final movie shows, their legacy will live on in their daughters and all of the people they have interacted with and united through their love and music.