#to determine just how realistic and authentic they really are

[merakiui]

currently thinking about a really silly azul x reader dynamic where the both of you are merfolk but have no idea. you’ve always admired octo-mers and in contrast azul has always admired your mer species. thankfully the surface has plenty of toys to fulfill both of your needs, with you relying on tentacle dildos/octopus onaholes (however unrealistic to the real thing they may be) and azul relies on his hand (mostly) and (more recently) the mer onahole he bought with you in mind because lately he’s been thinking you would look so pretty with a tail and fins. also,,, mer pussy. there’s that, too.

imagine the both of you order a toy online, but you get each other’s packages by some strange mix-up. you have to make the long trek to octavinelle to retrieve your tentacle sex toy (which azul has most definitely opened on account of peer pressure and curiosity from the twins) so that you can return the mer onahole that was meant to go to him.

the exchange is very quiet. not many words are spoken because what else can be said when the both of you have already taken peeks into the other’s sexual preferences (which neither of you are judging; you’re just both awkward hehe)? but now this experience has left azul wondering if you’re both into merfolk or (and this is azul’s favorite theory) if the both of you are merfolk and just never known. also a small, hopeful part of him wonders if you like octo-mers. :)

[iamnmbr3]

Canon wise and as far as we know from ginny in 7th book, how does she react to breaking up with harry or even drarry?

Oooh! This is an interesting question. Because here's the thing. There's the way she reacts in front of Harry...and then the way she apparently reacts when he's not around.

So in book 6 he breaks up with her and she's basically just like '...k' and doesn't bother Harry with inconvenient things like feelings or having a different opinion from him.

Listen. It's good to have loved ones who support you. But the way in book 6 and 7 Ginny just never disagrees with Harry or argues with him or even makes him feel awkward or bad or inconvenienced and is just utterly compliant feels off. Here the thing he likes is that she just accepts his decision. Because it's easy and simple. But that feels like her putting on a front. A healthy and good relationship is more than one person just accepting what the other does. Sometimes if you love someone that means having hard conversations with them or telling them something they don't like.

Look at how often Hermione disagrees with Harry or calls him out when she thinks he's making a bad choice. Because she cares about him. And sure sometimes Harry disagrees with her or even gets annoyed with her. But he also respects her. And they work it out because they have a very deep and authentic and loving friendship where they can disagree and show their feelings to each other and argue etc. Same with Hermione and Ron or Harry and Ron.

In fact, same with Harry and Ginny in book 5 where Ginny DOES express opinions and stand up to Harry. But not in book 6 or 7. Suddenly she has a total personality change and is creepily determined to become whoever she has to in order to win Harry's affections even though it's all a lie and she has to repress everything about herself.

It's also notable in this scene that she doesn't cry. This makes things easy on Harry and lets him avoid an uncomfortable situation. But as we'll see momentarily it's not actually reflective of her emotional state. You should feel comfortable enough around someone to show them your feelings, even if it's awkward or inconvenient. And she doesn't. We get this in book 6:

And then in book 7 we get this:

So based on all these quotes we might imagine that Ginny's fine with the breakup or perhaps even unaffected. But no. Apparently away from Harry it's a whole different story. Apparently she is devastated and really struggling to cope with the whole thing.

After that book 7 scene we learn this from Ron:

We NEVER see Ginny being "really cut up" at all. But apparently Ron did. Because Ginny felt comfortable enough around her brother to express her actual feelings. But she never felt comfortable doing this with Harry. That's not a good sign for their relationship.

Hermione cries around Harry. And in book 7 Harry actually feels comfortable comforting her even though it's something that doesn't come naturally. She also feels comfortable sharing her emotions with Ron - whether bickering or here, in book 6 when she and Ron comfort each other in stark contrast to Ginny apparently holding in tears around Harry to avoid doing anything he doesn't like:

So yeah. Imho hinny is doomed. I think it's realistic that it happened but I think it was more lust than love on Harry's part and also wanting to have some normalcy during a very stressful time. And for Ginny I think it was more fangirl awe than real love.

I think after the war it's plausible that they keep meaning to get together again but somehow never do. After the battle Harry thinks he'll talk to Ginny about everything later but somehow later never comes. Meanwhile Ginny finds that when she wants to talk about what happened at Hogwarts during 7th year she's gravitating more to Neville who was beside her all along (yeah there's my ginny/neville shipper brain coming out). And I think kind of like Harry and Cho they just sort of fall apart. If they DO get back together then of course I think the breakup is worse.

Either way Harry's really worried that he'll lose the Weasleys over it. He doesn't of course, but things between him and Ginny are awkward for a while. Eventually they both end up with other people and once Ginny is in a happy relationship of her own - and realizes how much better things are than when she was with Harry - things get easier.

[lolaandthens0me]

How do you recommend dealing with being the kinky partner in a vanilla relationship? Are there realistic options other than divorce?

Hi Anon! Here’s a BIG HUG.

It sounds like you are experiencing a difficult time right now. I know how heartbreaking it can be to wake up and wish for a different sex life/intimacy level/amount of closeness within your relationship. I can’t speak to being the kinky partner in a vanilla relationship as that was not the case in my marriage, but I can speak to the struggle of feeling unseen and unmet in my kinky desires. And ultimately for me, that was just not enough. I deeply need partners that can understand, participate in, and uplift my sexuality as that is one of the most important layers to my authentic, well self.

This is a really nuanced, difficult question to ask yourself…can my partner and I live happily and meaningfully within our relationship without introducing kink into it? There is a vast expanse of experiences out there and each person has a different level of kink importance to them. My marriage ended for a few reasons. My being polyamorous and bisexual were a couple of them, but not the only reasons. For me, I determined through months and months of therapy, couple’s counseling, deep self-study and growth that I need kink dynamics and the openness to act upon all of my sexual interests, as well as the ability to love as many people as my heart feels called to. That may not be a need for you. There may be a way to fulfillment, peace, and joy within your relationship through open and honest communication, work, exploration, and compromise together. I am highly driven by my sexuality; it allows me to fully see color in all other areas of my life. Others are beautifully content in occasional or more of a lifestyle-type wearing of diapers. Only your soul knows what level it needs to thrive.

I will always, always be an advocate of talking openly and honestly to find a path together within relationships. It can be a really hard process, but one that is necessary for any relationship to be imbued with love, support, respect, and fulfillment. So my advice is to sit down, come with respect and empathy for your partner, speak your truth and needs with kindness, and open your ears and heart to what your partner needs too. Only together can you find what is best for each of you.

The podcast Love in Brief is a great resource for advice on telling your vanilla partner about abdl and how to incorporate kink within your relationship. The guests on Episodes 67 and 68 are a kink/vanilla couple offering advice. And Episode 87 speaks to sustaining the relationship after bringing kink into it.

My heart goes with you in this difficult quest, Anon. May you both find the happiness, understanding, compassion, and love you deserve. 💕

[thebroccolination]

Im the anon from yesterday who asked about your favourite win x team scene :)

Your favourite kiss scene?

Your favourite cuddly scene?

Your favourite romantic scene?

Your favourite “tease” scene?

I like to know peoples opinions so i hope this isn’t too hard for you to answer :)

Hello, Anon! Sorry for the delay! I wanted time to collect screencaps and the energy to write a lot of feelings. <3

This is a beautiful ask. A phenomenal ask. I applaud this ask.

LET'S BEGIN.

• FAVORITE KISS SCENE

I genuinely can't choose between two of them. From the same episode.

FIRST UP:

Team's heel is the star of this shot. Prem is a genius. Even if he didn't do it on purpose, his subconscious is a genius. I know some people didn't like this wide shot and wanted to stay rammed up on their faces, which I totally understand, but I love the wide shot because it introduced me to my good friend Team's Popped Heel.

ALSO.

FUCK?

The panting as they change angles? GEE. ZUSS.

Okay, fine, this one is my favorite. Like, holy shit, to bring this out in episode two was brilliant. There's no, like, "Team was so shaken by his first time, he doesn't know what he really wants." Nope. This is clear attraction.

(The BU specials honestly worried me when I first saw them in 2021 because of how hard they leaned into the weird heteronormative Nooooo I Don't Want to Have Sex with You for I Am and Have a Pure and Chaste Bottom angle, so watching this kiss at, like, 2am while I was in Japan for work reassured me that they weren't going to show Win as, like, some predatory bisexual and Team as stereotypically reluctant. Team's just as into Win.)

That kiss is legendary. They just look like they'll die if they don't make out next to the pool on camera. (Moment of silence for Dean.)

BUT I ALSO WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS KISS:

Not just "the locker room scene kiss" because 1) they kiss a lot while they're back there, and 2) this one specifically. Look at Team! You can't see his lips (because Win is on them) but you can tell that he's smiling.

And whyyy?

'Cos Win's a menace. <3

I love this whole scene because it doesn't exist in the novel! After their one-night stand in the novel, WinTeam don't kiss again until much, much later. Including this scene really establishes the nature of their physical relationship that, for me, made the upcoming struggle between True Intimacy and Casual Sex all the more turbulent and realistic.

I mean, you've got Team biting his lip, the wrist-pinning, the panting. They're viscerally attracted to each other. This isn't just Win pursuing Team like he does in the last scene of episode one; this establishes interest from both of them. Team followed him in episode one, but he didn't give it much thought there. And he looks kind of like, "……Well, fuck it, I guess."

In episode two, he thinks about it much longer, and his expression is

much more determined. He wasn't caught off-guard this time. Win asked for consent, he got it, they kissed, and then Win gave him space to decide if he wanted more. Team could have easily left! He already had his backpack, and he had his own car to get home.

Win, my Green Flag Son. <3

I think this was one of the more challenging scenes for Prem based on comments he made early in filming, and I can honestly see why. Kisses are difficult to film. You have to think about technical aspects like what the camera can see while balancing the authenticity of what you're doing, and you're working with another person, so even if you're doing fine, your partner might not be. Like, I'm obviously biased toward WinTeam and BounPrem, but I genuinely think this episode has the most realistic kissing I've seen in any series. Because they both look starving for it. They don't just mash their mouths together and wait for the scene to cut. The heavy breathing, where they're looking, all the little details create a really nuanced atmosphere to the scene.

I don't know that I'd call New a great director from an audience's perspective (especially if he was the one in the editing room for this series), but he's undeniably fantastic with actors. Filming a scene with this much raw honesty and physical passion could have been wildly awkward, but Boun and Prem are both visibly comfortable and that allows them to show the best of their abilities. Award-winning kiss, mwah.

• FAVORITE CUDDLY SCENE

OKAY SO. There are so many? SO MANY OF THEM in Between Us. And I'm very grateful for that because cuddling is my favorite. So it might be surprising that in the vast array of options I picked something so quick, but it's this:

It's only seconds long, but there's something especially soft about WinTeam asleep together on Valentine's Day. Win's arm around Team all bundled up because Team runs cold, Team tucked into Win's side, the two of them all peaceful before Tul ruins their night. :'(

Also, like, poor View. Win probably called him like, "Go next door, our brother is unconscious," and View just like, "How…did you know? HIA, ARE YOU PSYCHIC."

Like, it's the implication that this is their new normal. They know what they are to each other now, and they're happy and safe with each other. I'm going to cry I love them so much.

• FAVORITE ROMANTIC SCENE

Maybe it's an odd choice for this category but honestly, this scene:

For multiple reasons!

Because I think it's the first time Win actually decides to rely on Team, which is something Team's made clear that he wants.

Because I think it's the first time they're acting as true equals on an emotional level. Team wants to know Win better than anyone, and this is Win letting him see what he hides from literally everyone else in his life.

And I think my definition of romantic has changed as I've gotten older, but to me there's nothing more romantic than trusting your moments of fragility and vulnerability to someone.

• FAVORITE "TEASE" SCENE

Hands down this one:

Because as much as I love cuddly, sweet WinTeam, at their core they're a feral pair of loud dumbasses. <3

[soul-controller]

Saw your were doing Halloween costume asks. I’ve always loved Star Lord and Chris Pratt’s portrayal has only heightened that love. So I wanted to turn Chris Pratt into a bodysuit and dress up for a Halloween party as Star Lord. Maybe even hooking up with another hot guy at the party.

When you first saw an advertisement for realistic bodysuits online late one night, you were immediately taken by the idea of getting one. While you didn’t really have any idea just how realistic the suit would look, you were willing to take the risk and thus decided to fill out the order request sheet detailing exactly what you wanted. While it was true that you wanted to have a bodysuit that looked like Chris Pratt, you made sure to specify that you wanted the suit to have a replica Star-Lord costume that matched his portrayal in the most recent Guardians of the Galaxy film.

Upon waking up the next morning, you were shocked to see that your request had been immediately approved and they had sent you an invoice for a realistic Chris Pratt bodysuit that totaled to only $50. Although the cheap price originally caused you to pause momentarily, you ultimately decided to take the risk and pay the price. If the suit is a total scam, I’ll just return it or report the transaction to my bank, you thought to yourself as you entered in your credit card details and hit submit on the order. 

While you awaited for the delivery of your bodysuit, which was stated to arrive the very next day, you had no idea that the team at celebsuits.com, which was actually an off-shoot of Rent-A-Stripper, was hard at work making sure you got the most realistic bodysuit possible. In fact, they were so determined to be authentic that the company decided to just turn the real actor into your bodysuit for the night. So upon secretly sneaking their way onto the set of Chris’ latest project, the celebsuits employee quickly injected the suit formula into the hunky actor’s neck and watched in awe as he slowly collapsed into himself until a lifeless shell remained. Once the process was complete, the worker moved at breakneck speed packaging the suit up and express shipping it to you for your party.

Once you finally got the notification that it arrived, you moved with excitement towards your front door to grab the box and try on the suit. Tossing aside the instructions after figuring that wearing a bodysuit was a fairly straightforward concept, you headed into your bathroom where you quickly undressed and began to slowly slip your legs into the man’s beefy limbs. It was bizarre wiggling your toes and seeing Chris’ feet following suit, but it only encouraged you to grip onto the top of the suit and to slowly pull it up until you were Chris Pratt from the neck down. Upon taking a moment to admire the man’s physique and his rather impressive manhood, you finally completed the suit by slipping the rubber-like head over your own and allowing the changes to settle. 

Once they did, you couldn’t help but poke and prod at your face due to the shock of seeing Chris’ manly and rugged face staring back at your reflection. Talking aloud and hearing the man’s deep voice was a dream come true to you, as evident by the rock hard boner that was firmly pressed up against your bathroom sink. Despite your desire to spend more time getting acquainted with your new body, you had a party to get to and thus quickly pulled on your underwear and shorts before heading back out to the box to grab the movie-accurate Star-Lord suit that the company had provided.

Waking up the next morning, the intense migraine that rattled across your skull was enough to prove to you that the party was quite successful. Although the details were quite hazy, you knew for a fact that you had hooked up with several people and been on both the receiving and giving end throughout these encounters. Unfortunately for you, your wild night of debauchery led to a secret clause laid out in the instructions of the bodysuit purchase. Due to the fear of having the secret of the bodysuits getting out, intercourse beyond simple masturbation was not allowed and thus initiated a fail-safe that would alter reality around you.

So when you finally peeled open your eyes and got up, you were absolutely shocked to see that there was a gorgeous woman lying next to you in a grand and rather lavish bedroom that was a far cry from the room you had originally fallen asleep in. Before you could truly comprehend the fact that you now found yourself in Chris Pratt’s house and clearly attracted to the man’s wife, a knock on the bedroom door interrupted your thoughts. Upon opening up, you caught sight of a meek and mild assistant who referred to you as Chris and reminded you that you were needed on set soon. Unable to truly reveal that you weren’t really Chris Pratt (yet another failsafe installed within the suit), you were left with no other choice than to get dressed and follow the assistant out to a car that ushered you towards the set.

Once you arrived on set though, it seemed as though you were unable to really focus on delivering lines as you found yourself immediately getting distracted by just how buff you were and how well you filled out any piece of clothing you wore. While it was a dream come true to get the body of your celebrity crush, it seemed as though it was going to be quite an uphill battle to actually do his job…

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[heart-seoul-soshi]

Everything You Need to Know About the Capricorn Personality Traits and Love Compatibility

Capricorn is quite possibly the best sign, and individuals with this zodiac sign will generally be exceptionally interesting. Capricorn is symbolized by the goat and is the tenth sign of the zodiac. Capricorn traits are special, and individuals brought into the world under this sign are ambitious, focused, sensitive, and profound.

Capricorn's symbolic goat was historically a half-goat and a half-fish. The Capricorn native personality reflects this confounded double nature. They have two distinct personalities. Ambitious, diligent, and enterprising is one side of the sign. Capricorn natives are very determined, enthusiastic about existence, and fit for setting grandiose, yet feasible, objectives. The Capricorn natives, then again, are lost in a universe of real or imagined barriers to accomplishment. Capricorn natives every so often miss the mark on their drive to act and face their challenges. Indeed, even the most prosperous Capricorn natives have a propensity for crying and griping about fictitious difficulties.

Capricorns tend to keep small circles, but they are loyal and supportive of their friends and family. They love making secure, luxurious nests and living an agreeable, fortunate lifestyle. Living well means a lot to them. Capricorns are conceived as shrewd; they get what really matters to others, and they are self-mindful of their own needs and traits as well.

Personality Traits of Capricorn Zodiac

Hardworking

Individuals brought into the world under this sign are considered ambitious, determined, serious about their work, and dedicated. They strive hard to accomplish their goals and work persistently to finish tasks such as taking care of assignments, work projects, etc. Perhaps one of the best things about Capricorns is that they investigate every possibility of accomplishing a task.

Not entirely settled to show others what's really under the surface. Furthermore, can we just be real, somewhat obsessed with status and the trappings of success?

Loyal

In the event that there is one uprightness that can make a person alluring, that is loyalty, and Capricorns are perfect with that. Their tendencies are authentic and unadulterated. One can always depend on a Capricorn when out of luck, and they will always give their best to help somebody out. They are loyal individuals who cherish their friends and friends and family a great deal.

Realistic

There are clear-eyed, discerning, practical, and experienced characters. Their feet are so established on the ground that sometimes their look tips downwards, and they'll focus on the negatives instead of the possibilities.

Capricorns aren't interested in fantasies or making up new worlds, but rather in making things better in the real world. They're always smart and natural about how things work, and they'll jump at the chance to reach out and just do it.

Less Sentimental

Capricorns, for the most part, love individuals, and they profoundly esteem their loved ones. In any case, they are also known for their exceptionally useful nature, which makes them wear a mask, never allowing their emotions to oversee their decisions. Sometimes, they need to enjoy some time off from everybody and everything in their life. This is the reason you could feel some Capricorns are sincerely cold and distant.

Sense of Humor

Who really prefers not to spend time with individuals who are clever and have an extraordinary sense of humor, isn't it? Capricorns are known for their sharp minds and sharp sense of humor. But be careful! Try not to hurt them, or maybe their high intelligence level can make jokes loaded with sarcasm.

Materialistic

One of the most well-known Capricorn traits is that they are known to be somewhat materialistic and boast about themselves when they make progress. In any case, they also assume complete ownership of some unacceptable decisions they make, never accusing others.

Stubborn

Have you at any point succeeded in changing the brain of a Capricorn? It is an impossible task since the Saturn-fueled Capricorns are by and large stubborn. They could do without to change their beliefs for anybody and do things the manner in which they need, regardless.

Capricorn’s Most and Least Compatible Signs

Best Matches for Capricorn

Cancer With respect to similarity, Pisces and Capricorn are more viable than Cancer. Capricorn and Cancer are ideal partners since they are opposite signs.

Day to-day life is shaped by the archetypes that these opposite pairs represent. Also, some opposite-pair combinations work better compared to others.

Scorpio There are numerous similarities between Scorpio and Capricorn. They will quite often focus on business over pleasure and dislike small talk. Scorpio and Capricorn are definitely carbon copies from the outside.

They are really on top of each other at this level. These two are also very viable in a heartfelt or personal relationship. Scorpio is an intensely passionate sign but can be overwhelmed by emotions. Capricorn is fit for softening Scorpio, and Scorpio is fit for stabilizing Scorpio.

Taurus Taurus and Capricorn complete one another well overall. They are both pragmatic and practical. Their material prosperity is a main concern for both Earth Signs. There is also little clash between them since they understand each other instinctively.

Their similarities are offset by a couple of key differences. This allows them to supplement and adjust each other.

Worst Matches for Capricorn

Aries Fights for control are common among Capricorns and Aries, as well as Leos and Capricorns. Nonetheless, not at all like Leo, Capricorn finds Aries appealing.

The aspect between Capricorn and Aries is known as a square. There is a great deal of erosion here, which creates sexual tension as well. Neither one of the signs is shy about assuming responsibility and finishing things. Be that as it may, these signs approach their goals in their own ways.

Leo Capricorn has the most trouble joining with Leo. Nonetheless, different signs are altogether different, despite their opposition to leadership and status.

Leo is above all else, regardless of social status or foundation. Leo wishes to be seen and appreciated. Capricorns, nonetheless, need to finish things. Capricorn is aggravated by Leo's style. Capricorn finds Leo dull.

Libra Libra shares an honest relationship with Capricorn, similar to Aries. This match, nonetheless, is less unpredictable. For Libra, struggle is something terrible.

Although this is valid, Capricorns are by and large drawn to one another and can be irritating to one another. Notwithstanding, Libra really prefers not to relinquish control, despite appearances. Libras seldom assert themselves, obviously, but they can get what they need and need.

Ending note

Capricorn is an amazing and extremely energetic zodiac sign, as well as one of the most amazing people to be around. Be it a companion, partner, or family member, they will give their all for their job in your life. Known for their perfect personality traits, they are objective situated folks however never neglect to think often about their friends and family.

Despite the fact that they are wonderful in and out, if they push some unacceptable button, they will rapidly unwind their rage because of their zero resilience. In any case, thanks to their optimistic outlook and natural nature, the unique Capricorns flourish consistently to make the world a better spot, getting a charge out of engaging in testing things and doing them without anyone's help.

[urdreamgirls-dreamgirl]

i'm back to be more effusive! i had to drive to my chappell/olivia concert almost immediately after reading, and then drive back today. chappell was great! i lightly tapped someone dancing to hot to go though bc they came to their seat in the middle of the song and i was waving my arms about thinking they weren't there and then suddenly they were.

i really really liked how eddie came by to say his piece, chickened out, and then came by again determined to actually say it. that felt so authentic and realistic, just like the whole piece did, which is what made it so heartwrenching and engrossing in the first place

omg i just saw thisssssssssssss

i hope you had an amazing time seeing olivia and chappell, i've seen the tiktok's and the shows look amazing, i'm so jealous (but too triggered from the eras tour queue to even attempt getting any concert tickets any time soon--i tried to get hozier tickets last spring and they were sold out immediately)

thanks for ur kind words, i thought it would be funny for eddie to have to come back to fuck up and have to come back. he's so dumb and scared and i love that for him.

<3 <3 <3

[qu-film-history-to-1968]

Italian Neorealism and Post-War Hollywood Realism

By: Alex Grinacoff

      After watching both Bicycle Thieves (De Sica, 1948) and Call Northside 777 (Hathaway 1948), I was interested to see how Italian Neorealism and Post-War Hollywood Realism both have similar aspects in the sense that they both had a greater aim at portraying what life was actually like rather than making up some sort of fabrication to tell a particular story.

      I would first like to talk about Bicycle Thieves, which I personally thought was a great film. Prior to viewing this film, I really did not have much experience with Italian Neorealism, more so just a general understanding. Although, now I can see why this film was so important as well as groundbreaking. This film portrayed the true difficulties faced by those in post-war Rome. Most of the actors were non-professional, which definitely lended its hand to making the film much more realistic as well as authentic. 

      I think this movie helped to portray an extremely prominent issue, that being the struggle to find work as well as finding the means to complete that work once acquired. The main character, Antonio Ricci, finally finds a job but needs a bicycle to complete that work. Upon having the bicycle stolen, the film follows Ricci and his son on their quest to find the stolen bicycle. The point of this film was to highlight the struggles of working-class life in a torn post-war Italy, and I think it did just that. I feel that the premise of this film can be related to by many of those who were a part of the working world at that time and who faced struggles due to the major war that had just taken place.

                                          Upon reading “Three Neorealist Classics by Vittorio De Sica” by Bondanella, I found one quote that I think both relates and doesn’t relate to this film. The quote reads “De Sica’s brand of neorealism, markedly different from the more obviously experimental film style typical of Roberto Rossellini, represents a fascinating blend of some characteristics film historians traditionally associate with neorealism (nonprofessional actors on occasion, real locations, social themes) with the most highly developed techniques of international cinema–deep focus photography, highly literate scripts (there was no improvisation in anything De Sica or Zavattini ever did together), and professional performances from nonprofessional actors.”

      I think this quote relates to this film in several different ways. For one, it talks about the use of nonprofessional actors, real locations, and social themes which all thoroughly come into play with Bicycle Thieves. The film was actually filmed on site in Rome, and as I mentioned previously, the actors were mostly nonprofessional. In terms of social themes, this film depicts an issue that many who were impoverished after the war were sadly faced with and had to figure out ways to overcome.

      Although, one way in which I don’t think this quote relates to the film is the fact that it talks about no improvisation, which is actually on the contrary from this film. The actors did in fact improvise their performances which in turn helped to add even more to the overall realistic aspects of the film.

      I would now like to talk about Call Northside 777. It was interesting to me to see how this film depicted the idea of realism compared to De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves. Rather than following an impoverished working-class man, this film follows a reporter in Chicago who successfully proved that a man who was jailed for murder was actually wrongfully convicted 11 years prior. This idea of realism showcases a different issue other than poverty. Instead, it portrays an instance of social injustice. Despite being two different real-world problems, both of these films provide a true backstory to the hardships of actual life whether it be amongst the war-stricken and impoverished Italy or the unjust determination of fate in America. In my opinion, this film’s realism can be characterized by the notions of truthfulness and actuality that are apparent throughout it.

      Upon reading “The New Hollywood: Myth and Anti-Myth” by Brustein, I found one quote that I think serves as an excellent explanatory example of how these Post-War Hollywood Realism films portrayed a new world, unfamiliar to the pre-existing Hollywood audience. The quote reads “The dirt and the cobwebs, and the sex and the violence, of the realistic film serve a partial debunking function. They expose the glittering and hyperbolic lies of Hollywood glamor…In contrast to the technical virtuosity of the CinemaScope epic, the realistic film is singular for the modesty of its presentational devices. It is frequently shot in black and white and designed for projection on the smaller, conventional screen. The director, furthermore, prefers to work in actual locales rather than on the more artificial studio lots–”

                                                 I think this quote definitely can be related to Call Northside 777. For instance, the movie was actually filmed in Chicago, which only adds to the realistic feel of the story considering it follows a reporter based out of Chicago. I would also like to touch upon the black and white cinematography used as that also adds to the realistic aspect of the film while at the same time accentuating the hardship of the characters on screen. This idea of realism can also strongly be tied to the part of the quote in which they mention the exposing of Hollywood glamor. This is because this film shows more of what life actually is rather than falsifying a fantasy-filled world.

      Although, one way in which I don’t think this quote can be related to the film is when it references dirt and cobwebs. This film doesn't portray an impoverished man, rather a man in a pretty well-off position who is dealing with a different difficult situation other than financial struggles.

      Overall, I think that these two films are the same type of realism. Despite taking place in two different countries, they both portray real world issues that many people were facing at the time whether it be unemployment struggles or social injustice. These films acted as a portrayal of life in the world as it was rather than a glorified way of life that was far from the truth of what real people were actually experiencing. 

[circinuus]

i think we (i) devalue living people too much.

have you ever felt insecure of yourself? have you ever felt the lyric, "i wonder what kind if thing only i can do?" from yoasobi's gunjou hit too close to home? i have. a lot of people are just very capable, and i won't say "talented," i'll just say they are well-equipped with all the relevant "skills". the world can feel like a jungle sometimes. those who are not "valuable" will be cast away. although, of course, this is just one of the gloomy way to perceive the world. it's okay. people can say that's called being realistic and i won't argue with that. and this is exactly why i said we (i) have been devaluing living people too much.

what makes you "valuable" really? getting high scores on exams? being a good and contributing member of the society? all these answers are subjective, just like the nature of the question. and while philosophers, realist, and whatnot mull over this, i'll just get my point across. sure, some people can't do this, and can't do that. sure, you might be making some mistakes here and there, not performing well on some test or performance, being less 'valuable' in skill and/or talent-wise if you compare yourself to some super productive and smart oxford graduate hit hollywood star. but does that mean you have no value at all? does this mean you are the embodiment of dazai osamu's "no longer human" (人間 失格, literal translation: failed as a human)?

of course not.

sure, you might make a mistake that make yourself feel selfish or stoopid. sure, you might have said something wrong out of impulse and spiraled into an argument with your bestfriend. but does that completely wipe out your value as a human being? of course not. key: you apologize and move on. mistakes make human human. you might not be the best person in social interaction, nor in cooking, nor in comforting person. but everyone has something only they can do. look at the writings, look at the art, look at the essays you wrote, look at the things you create. no matter how short, trivial, or small it is. it's authentically yours. can someone not you write this exact passage, with this exact sentence syntax and so forth? of course not. "but circi," you might ask, "how about AI?" F AI. they don't 'create,' they 'construct.' technically the same thing we are doing. we still take inspirations then mesh them with our own ideas to create something new. and that's the difference. i'm a firm believer that AI can't exactly copy the inexplicable way of humans taking inspirations and stir them in a pot of creativity to create something authentic. they're machine. they don't have means or emotion. but yeah. in the end, reminder to self: no one in this world can determine your worth. not your lecturers and teachers, not the amount of notes you get on your posts, not the HRD staff, not anyone.

[hallowxiu]

Beelzebub’s Valentine

pairing: beel x gn!mc

word count: 2k

summary: With the help of Luke, you whip up a special Valentine's treat for Beelzebub.

a/n: I don’t think angel cloud cake is real but i’m also stupid and unoriginal so who knows. And if it is real, i bet my stupid ass even had it before

part 3 of the valentine’s series

part one | part two

“I have a plan.” And you did, for once. The two of you were hanging out at his dorm, Luke in the kitchen as he whips up a snack for the two of you. You were hovering over his shoulder, watching as he added ingredients into his mixing bowl. “I’ve been thinking about this long and hard, and I’ve concluded that I can only do this if you help me, Luke.” Barbatos would also be ideal, but realistically Luke had more experience in this matter. Luke’s staring at you with a suspicious look as if he suspects you’re up to no good, but ultimately, decides not to voice his concerns. “Valentine’s Day is coming up; have you heard of that holiday before, Luke?” 

He hesitates before he answers. “Simeon’s told me a little bit about it before.” 

“Great! I wanted to celebrate the upcoming holiday by giving everyone gifts.” You explain to the blond angel. “And so that brings me to my current dilemma. I need your help with Beel’s gift.” You knew Luke wasn’t big on demons in general (let alone the brothers), but you knew he had a soft spot for the red-headed demon. 

With a look of disbelief, Luke turns away from the counter and looks at you. “You need my help? Making a gift? For a demon?” There’s a tone of annoyance to his voice. “Why would I want to make a gift for a demon?” 

“It’s not just any demon, Luke! It’s Beelzebub! He’s the nicest demon here, don’t you think? He’s always treated you better than Lucifer or Mammon. And he always eats your samples and gives excellent feedback.” Luke ponders at this, tilting his head to the side as he thinks it over. “And, if I’m being honest,” you lower your voice and lean in closer toward the angel, “I think you’re the only one in the entire Devildom who could help me with this.” That got him. “I mean, I don’t think even Barbatos could help me out with this.” The angel stares at you with a sparkle in his eyes. 

“What do you need me to do that Barbatos can’t?” 

“I want to bake Beel food from the Celestial Realm, and the last time I checked, I know an angel who happens to be an excellent baker.” Luke flushes at this, the tips of his ears turning red as he quickly looks away from you. There’s a shy smile on his face as he plays with his fingers. “You’re from the Celestial Realm, and you have more experience with the food there. I’m sure Barbatos could mimic the recipes well enough, but I want to give Beel the authentic thing.” 

“Beel has been going on and on about how he wants to have food from the Celestial Realm again,” Luke adds. With a small huff, the angel turns to face you completely. “Fine, I’ll help you bake food for Beel! But only for you!” His hands are on his hips as his face reddens. “I don’t want them thinking I’ve gone soft for demons because I most certainly haven’t!” 

“Of course not. I’d never expected you to.” 

“Good! And this will show Barbatos just how good of a cook I am.” So much for not growing soft for demons, you think to yourself. “Um, just one problem though.” You look down at Luke with a raised eyebrow. “I can only get the ingredients from the Celestial Realm, and Simeon went out for the day. I can’t ask him.” 

“Oh, is that your only concern?” You grab your bag from the counter, Luke watching you with a confused expression. 

“What do you mean? That’s a big concern and I can’t just leave the Devildom without Simeon’s permission. And if you expect me to just for a demon, then you’re wrong! I could never disappoint Simeon like that. Have you been letting those demons influence you? I knew they weren’t to be trusted. Those--” 

“Luke, calm down.” A laugh leaves you as you unzip your bag. “I told Simeon about my plan earlier. He already brought me the ingredients.” With a look of surprise, Luke watches as you place small containers on the counter. 

“You had Simeon get you the ingredients even though you weren’t sure that I’d help you?” 

“Yup! I figured if you said no, I’d just try it myself, although I’m really glad you said yes because I think that could have been a disaster.” Luke smiles at your honesty. 

“Did you have anything in mind that you wanted to bake?” Luke walks over to where you're standing, going through the different containers. “We could make a few things for him with everything Simeon brought.” 

“I was thinking about Angel Cloud Cake, and maybe some type of Celestial chocolate.” Luke nods approvingly at your ideas. “If chocolate is too hard to make, maybe we could make a type of cupcake or candy.” 

“Chocolate is doable.” Luke nods with a determined look on his face. “And we can add something into the chocolate, too. Maybe we can add bits of candy to it.” 

“Has anyone ever told you that they like the way you think?” 

“Finally!” With your hands on your hips, you take a long look at the desserts you and Luke whipped up. The two of you managed to make a large Angel Cloud Cake as well as rolled-up balls of chocolate with a candy center. It was unique, and something you haven’t tried before, so hopefully that meant Beelzebub also hasn’t tried it. 

“That didn’t take as long as I thought it would.” You looked at Luke in disbelief. Your back was sore, and there was a light sheen of sweat on your skin. You didn’t realize that baking could be so intense, but then again you were baking with an angel who had a habit to make sure that everything he made was absolutely perfect. 

“I suppose.” You breathed out. It took half the day, and while it was still a lot to you, you were surprised it didn’t take up the entire day. “Thank you, Luke.” You look over at the angel who looks a little worn out but overall holding up much better than you. You weren’t sure you’d be up to baking something from the Celestial Realm for a while after this. 

“You’re welcome!” There’s a pink tint to his cheeks as he addresses you. “I had fun! Any time I get a chance to spend time with you, I’ll take it.” A frown forms on his lips when looking over at the time. “I have to go. I promised Simeon that I’d study with Solomon for an upcoming quiz. I’ll see you later!” 

With that, you carefully place the chocolate sweets into your bag, making sure not to squish the container. Lastly, you grab the cake from the counter and begin your walk back to the House of Lamentation. 

“Beel?” You poke your head through the front door of the house, a small frown appearing on your lips when you don’t get a response back. Maybe he’s at the gym, you think to yourself. You walk to the kitchen and place the cake on the counter. You pull the container of chocolate candy from your bag, setting it next to the cake. You doubt Beelzebub would even give you a chance to explain before devouring it whole. All he’d need you to tell him was that it was for him. 

As your luck would have it, the front door opens and closes only a few minutes after you set up your desserts in the kitchen. “Something smells good,” Beelzebub comments as he walks into the room. “I could smell it during the walk home. It was distracting.” He could smell it from the walk home? It was impressive the way Beelzebub’s body responded when it came to food. “You brought food?” He takes a step forward but hesitates before ultimately moving back. You raise an eyebrow at him. 

“What’s wrong?” There’s a small frown that’s tugging his lips downward. 

“I don’t like eating your food.” It was an innocent statement laced with honesty. “I feel bad. I know that you know I can’t help it, but I don’t like taking your food. I don’t want to take all your food.” He’s pulling at his fingers, the demon suddenly finding himself restless. “But it smells so good…” A laugh leaves you as you push the container of chocolates forward. 

“Beel, Luke helped me make this for you.” 

“For me?” His eyes are wide and he looks at you in shock. “You made this for me?” 

“Of course! Valentine’s Day is coming up, and I wanted to make you something special for the holiday. I asked Luke if he could help me bake you some treats from the Celestial Realm. Simeon even got the ingredients we’d need beforehand.” As you explain, you reveal the cake that was carefully placed into a larger container. “Angel Cloud Cake and chocolates with a candy center.” He’s practically drooling on the spot. No, he is drooling. 

“It’s authentic food from the Celestial Realm?” 

“Yup! Luke did most of the baking himself, so it’s authentic food made by an angel.” You glanced over at the cake, a small fear within you that Beelzebub might eat the container with the cake. He’d done that once before, and you knew Luke would be wanting the container back. You weren’t sure if you could save the container holding the chocolates, either. “So have as much as you want--” You couldn’t finish the sentence. Beelzebub was on the chocolates within seconds, and, just as you feared, he ate the container with it. “Was-- was it good?” You clear your throat and look at him with wide eyes. Did he even taste it? 

“It was delicious. You and Luke did a great job.” There’s a bright smile on his face after swallowing the chocolates. “It was really good. I liked it a lot.” You’d make sure to pass that feedback to Luke (and to buy him a new container). “I want to share the cake with you, though.” 

“The Angel Cloud Cake?” He nods his head at your question. You feel your cheeks heat up and you grab two forks from one of the kitchen cabinets. “If you want to share, we can share. It does look good.” 

“Angel Cloud Cake is one of my favorite desserts from the Celestial Realm. I’ll try to share as much as I can.” You find yourself laughing at Beelzebub’s words. You’d be impressed if you got one bite out of it. 

“Would you like to watch a movie while we eat it? Maybe we can even invite over Belphie.” Beelzebub beams at the suggestion of his twin, and he finds himself nodding his head quickly. 

“There might not be any cake left by the time he gets there though…” 

“Yes, well, something tells me he won’t be too disappointed at the lack of cake.” You look over to give him a reassuring smile, though you end up doing a double-take when noticing the cake is no longer on the counter. “Did you..?” You look back at Beelzebub to see that he’s holding the cake, although half of it is already missing. 

“Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.” There’s a sheepish smile on his lips, and his cheeks are flushed with embarrassment. 

“Let’s go to your room before you finish the cake.” You hold out your hand, and Beelzebub adjusts the container with cake in his arms so that he can hold it with one hand, his free one gripping your hand in return. With a soft and gentle squeeze, he smiles down at you.

“Okay.”

[davidmann95]

I think you’ll enjoy the Snyder Cut as funny as that outcome will be, but honestly the only analysis of the DCEU from you I’m interested in is comparing Cavill and Hoechlin. S&L shows that it’s not necessarily a darker tone or “realism” that caused the problems with Cavill.

You guessed true! I was indeed made a fool of for maximum comedic value. And now that we’re through Superman & Lois’s first ‘act’ for its inaugural season I’d say there’s a decent amount of material to work with for comparison. It’s actually a fair one to make: along with the series drawing a lot on Man of Steel aesthetically both takes on Superman are rooted in the notion of realistic consequence, albeit one focusing on the personal and the other on the global. But curiously if not surprisingly, the shorthand impressions of the two have pretty grievously screwed up the general interpretations on the two not only in terms of relative depth, but what sources they’re drawing on.

It’s funny; when Hoechlin debuted on Supergirl it was just about the most positive press Superman had gotten in over a decade, but by the time he showed up again the narrative had fully set in that he was a shameless, inauthentic carbon-copy of Christopher Reeve designed in contrast to Cavill, and it held until the debut of his solo show made people reckon with the quality of his performance on a weekly basis. And even that opened with a lovely bit of nostalgia bait that reinforced the idea that Hoechlin is a neo-classical ‘iconic’ take on the character shaped by his mass-media, while Cavill is the modernized serious update rooted in Deep Comic Book Lore. The truth is that between the two it’s the big screen take who hews a lot closer to the Christopher Reeve model, stoic in the face of danger, sweet when given the opportunity, somewhat distant most of the time but unquestionable in his good intent. Hoechlin meanwhile while paying his dues to almost every mass-media Superman interpretation to date one way or another is as a personality rooted in the comics in a way no prior adaptation approaches. Especially the work of Busiek and Morrison as a modernization of ideas originally stemming from the 60s and 70s of Superman as an emotionally vulnerable figure, unshakable in his heroism but driven by unique personal experience and a mindset bordering on neurosis almost as much as decency.

Perhaps the core of the divide that the differences in their performances stem from - beyond that from day one back in the Supergirl days, for me at least, Hoechlin simply felt a lot more authentic and charismatic - is specificity of motivation. Henry Cavill’s Clark Kent is a burdened figure, with no shortage of factors in his life acting against his journey to becoming Superman so as to make that transformation all the more remarkable: a lack of built-in inclinations in the same way as the rest of his species, his powers tormenting him throughout his childhood, social isolation, his family discouraging his heroics out of concern for his safety, the looming threat of the global sociopolitical impact should his existence be revealed. But for all that buildup, there’s little effort given to why in spite of all of that he would become Superman anyway, other than - for all the effort to make this a grounded, ‘real’ take on the character - that he is Superman, and when offered a chance at greatness as either one who does good or evil, he will naturally choose good. He’s a largely passive everyman figure, adrift for years until a place is given to him, and then in the tradition established by Byrne and company in the 1980s (reversing Siegel and Shuster’s original concept) only able to fully unclench when wearing the glasses rather than when enacting the mission and role he finds thrust upon him. He’s just a perfectly okay joe doing the best he can under increasingly impossible circumstances because he has no real choice but to go with the flow lest he let everyone down. Weird dickishness when Batman’s around aside, he’s broadly who ‘you’ would hope you could be if you were handed a cape and told to save the world.

With Hoechlin it’s incredibly clear where most of his driving traits come from even by the end of the pilot: his community-minded sense of ethics from his parents, his sense of larger duty and destiny from the literal voice of his heritage, his alienation from his unique responsibilities and powers and the secrets that come with them, his protectiveness from just about all of the above with the death of his father probably playing no small part. They’re traits that make him a natural as a big savior hero - he doesn’t need to put on an act or force himself into it, he’s really like that, especially with his natural goofy earnestness - but massively complicate his life as Clark Kent dealing with interpersonal relationships, tripping him up and complicating his priorities. He powers through on determination and the fact that under his issues he’s fundamentally a good person, but not all that deep down he’s someone with a lot of powerful and frequently conflicting drives that don’t always manifest in the healthiest ways even as he tries to improve.

Neither’s my ‘ideal’ version of Superman - there’s stuff I’d change or refocus with the both of them, even if Hoechlin’s a lot closer to what I’m looking for. But their outward presentations are misleading as to which of the two takes the character more seriously: the array of weights on Cavill’s shoulders are such that he as a person is largely squeezed out. The version Hoechlin plays however, in taking Superman at face value, ends up asking harder questions of what would shape that sort of person and how those personality traits would play out, and the results capture nuances that across 80 years no other major adaptation has managed.

[life-rewritten]

Start Up: Dalmi's Fantasy Dosan vs New Dosan

The title of episode 8:  Back up, A copy created for when an original version gets lost.

The Husband hunting game is still on. And episode 7 and 8 of start-up continues to make the race equal between both guys, but again I still feel pulled to the side of Dosan more than Jipyeong. Here are more clues, symbols and analysis on these two episodes that explain more why Dosan is still in the lead but why he could make a mistake and lose it all. Dosan is still 80% endgame to me and here's why: warning long essay ahead.  Check out my previous post on why Dosan has been ahead of the race and why the show hints he's the 'one' fated to be with Dalmi here. Let's begin with episode 7/8:

BACK UP

The title is obvious, right?  We have two different people in Dalmi's heart, despite her not knowing it. One we have her fantasy Nam Do San: her first love, her helper and her ideal guy. Two we have her real/'new' Nam Do San: her helping hand, her partner, and the actual real version of her ideal guy. The original version in this definition points to Jipyeong. He's the guy who she unknowingly fell in love with as Dosan. But the copy is Nam Do San. Because in episode 7 she admits she likes them both, but she'll still choose Jipyeong's Do San; he's her first love, she finds her self caring and being grateful and indebted to him. The reason why Dalmi is so open and nosy with Jipyeong is because she felt indebted to him and grateful he was always helping her, and he didn't need to. She automatically started to care for him and show up around him. But instead of seeing this as proof that Jipyeong is her endgame, remember her last words; She's getting used to the new Nam Do San. Her feelings were being backed up/copied in two for two very different versions of Do San. She was being a bit hesitant in furthering their relationship because she noticed he was different; she didn't know how to feel about it, but she still liked him (his hands). However, by the end of episode 7, the girl was hooked and in love again. That's why she kissed him. She kissed him because of his actions that day; 

First, his idea which was actually heartwarming and brilliant. An app for the visually impaired. Notice she almost gave up on his idea for something flashy/money, but she returned when she realised what she actually liked/or what was fun to her. This is foreshadowing, that she will end up not choosing him at first and will get distracted by the fantasy of her first love, but at the end of the day if Dosan stays true to himself she'll return when that fantasy is lost (Back up: the title) 

Second, his hands were once again helpful: He used his hands to smash the plaque of the man who was insulting her in other to protect her from being hurt and she knew what it meant for him to lose his cool like that. Since they'd discuss that he never does that. Dalmi realised how important she was to him both in episode 7 and even episode 8 when he finally tells her about her grandmother and she recognises the reasons for the app. Dosan's hands are always doing something to help Dalmi reach her goal, they're there to pull her up when she's down, there to hold her when she cries and they're there to shield her when she's being attacked. She realised again how grateful she was for him and she fell for him again because of his actions in that episode. 

Third: Because she realised how much she wanted this version of Dosan too, this new, different version that excites her at times but also confuses her. Remember because of her first love Dalmi is very hesitant towards new people, she has a lot of expectations and qualities she wants in a new guy if he is to beat Fantasy Do San. Her grandmother calls her out on this, and for Dalmi,  the reason why she was still getting used to the real Dosan was that she was noticing that he wasn't always hitting those qualities she expected of him like for example, he made mistakes, he was ditzy and more reserved, awkward and wasn't as successful as she expected him to be. But she said to her grandmother none of that mattered when it came to him. Because even though Dosan is different from Fantasy Dosan, his actions have shown her that he's pretty much still the guy she wants: he's modest, smart and selfless and he helps her, inspires and distracts her just the way she mentioned he would be in episode 3 when she found excuses why she dumps guys previously. Dosan ended up being like the guy in the letter despite being different. 

Her kissing Dosan signifies that she's put away her doubtful thoughts about getting used to him because she now was falling for him all over again. Her feelings were being backed up: They were being copied without her realising it, she liked two Dosan's in the same way. What this tells us is that she likes them both. Jipyeong and Dosan are still head to head because she refuses to give up on her fantasy and memories of her first love. But Back up also foreshadows that her original feelings are going to be lost,  this is because she'll find out the truth and be separated. I think from both guys. But because her feelings for original Dosan is actually copied and improved on, Nam Do San still has a chance to get her back. Basically, once she discovers her feelings, she'll be confused because she likes them both. But her original feelings will be replaced by the copy. 

Another proof of how she's backed up her feelings on New Dosan is when he asks her again in episode 8 why she likes him. This time she answers his hands first. Bare with me, let me explain. She grabbed his hands automatically as her answer, and she kissed it, instead of immediately mentioning that his old qualities were what she liked. The first time she answered this question, her heart was still on her fantasy Dosan, but now she's realised that what she wants most of all about him are the current person he is and his hands. All he does for her as the current Dosan. She's starting to care more about this version of him than the first version of him in her mind. It's no longer just because she feels grateful and she cares about his past self, it's because she's attracted and falling for who he is naturally the more she spends time with his real Dosan self. Not the Dosan that is trying to please her or is trying to be perfect, she's falling for him as awkward, dorky and nerdy Dosan. And I think it's so sweet to see it. 

THE TRUTH

But she thanked him for the truth. Dosan in episode 8 tells her and comforts her about her grandmother. She tells him (and we know this is ominous foreshadowing) that she is happy he told her the truth. This shows how important the truth is to her, so next week they're goanna separate and break up because of the lie. However like I said her original feelings may be lost, but she had backed it up on New Dosan. So it depends on what happens when they see each other again (I'm guessing they'll be separated for a while) if Dosan is still Dosan (kind, selfless, living buddha Dosan) then she'll choose him over Jipyeong. Before I continue with this theory, let's focus on some symbolic symbols mentioned in this episode: 

SYMBOLS/FORESHADOWING

DAU OF THE APP/MONEY:

The title of episode 7 is called Burn-Rate; the rate at which a start up spends money. Money  is what was important as well in episode 8 for Dalmi. This was what really frustrated me this episode, Dal mi was hoping for the app to not be successful with people because she didn't get investors, she was worried about the cost of it rather than what it meant when people started to download it. She got distracted twice in both episodes by the money (Jipyeong is the person who caused and led to these distractions each time, In Jae also was part of this) The thing is this is how we're seeing how greed and the ambitious environment of wanting to be a CEO are starting to affect Dalmi and Dosan. Especially Dalmi as she has to think logically as a businesswoman, but she's forgetting that she used to believe in 'miracles' and 'luck' happening for her. Fate as I mentioned before, is making Dosan and Dalmi work together to each achieve their dreams, but they're both slowly getting taken down by reality. Faith is not enough anymore when it comes to logistics. This is why I think Jipyeong is still not the one for Dalmi. He breaks and finds every stopping point to her dreams rather than catalyse or inspire her to go for them. 

Don't get me wrong he helped this episode because of her, he likes her. Still, when it comes to the company apart from helping with logistics (like the stepfather issue and recording) he doesn't push for the company's success, he puts them down every single time. He refuses to invest in them because they are not successful or logically right (his lack of faith is why Fate doesn't want him with Dalmi because he'd make her give up if Dosan isn't by her side; this is not me being biased). 

He only focuses on the surface (like Dalmi mentioned to Injae things on the surface may seem right, but it isn't on the inside like the spoiled fruits she used to give Dalmi) Jipyeong fails to look deeper and notice the authenticity of someone at first because he's not that open-minded and he doesn't trust easily. This is a good thing in reality as a businessman, but when someone is trying to reach out and make their dreams a reality, he is like the opposite of what is needed to do that, because of his pessimism. Don't know if this is making sense but anyway Dosan may not be as realistic but like I said he's someone who is determined and diligent to make his dreams a reality. He may not know-how, or why, but that's where Fate comes in. And that what keeps on pushing Dalmi to do things against Jipyeong's wishes or she uses what Jipyeong tells her (like the recording), but she comes up with how to use it on her own (like she used it to get the investors for the app). 

It's excellent that Jipyeong is logical and smart but with a show that is basically always repeating to not go for what looks only good/idealistic on the surface but to search for authenticity and that has a heart (sail without a direction) it's not working in his favour. That's why despite Dalmi getting distracted by money/logistics or following Jipyeong's advice, she ends up doing the opposite or finding a way for it to work for her and this is due to again Dosan's presence in her life. Dosan's idea for the app was more heartwarming and more genuine (connected to her grandmother), so she chose it over the other choices after realising it mattered more to people than something that makes money, she also discovered how to help them get investors (something that she was trying to do all episode) because of seeing Dosan kneel and look defeated. 

THE INCOMBUSTIBLE BAG OF JIPYEONG:

First we all know the plant signifies Dalmi, yes Jipyeong has decided to nurture and take care of her more instead of running away from her. Cute right? We also saw Dalmi give him the incombustible bag a bag that cannot be destroyed. Obviously, on the surface, this points to his feelings and their bond (from when they were kids) This clue points to Jipyeong being endgame, not going to lie. But then if you look closely in episode 8 the bag is returned back to Dalmi and is used to hold her shoes she stepped in shit in. So now its a bag full of shit that is going to get thrown away. It served no purpose, and it didn't matter. Its good to see that these two can't escape what they have because of the letters, I won't deny it, they both cared and had a bond that is great and important, and the letters signify that, but as I keep on saying the letters are in the past, they serve no purpose anymore to Dalmi right now. Jipyeong's purpose that he's good at so far with Dalmi is being a mentor, he's good at offering advice, good at logistics, good at ensuring she's okay, but when he tries to cross that line, he's not good at it, he's not as sufficient as a companion as Dosan is to her, he's not as genuine/authentic to her (this will get a lot of different opinions), he's not as inspirational or helpful to her dreams right now. He may change and become more useful and essential as a lover/companion later on. But right now those letters don't appear to serve a purpose, just like the incombustible bag in this episode. 

THE SCRUNCHIE:

 I have nothing to say about this as a symbolic item, but it is foreshadowing again if you look closer and notice the details. Jipyeong was the person who originally had Dalmi's scrunchie, he could have returned it back to her and not try and be petty, but in being petty, he returned the scrunchie to Dosan. Yes on the surface this has shaken and scared Dosan. But in foreshadowing terms, the scrunchie represents Dalmi. Jipyeong gave back Dalmi to Dosan get it? It's the same as the sweets where Dosan took it and called it his. Because of Jipyeongs childishness and not going to her straight away to return it (just like he never goes to her straight away, or he's always hidden or one step behind), he ends up giving her to Dosan. 

DALMI’S TALE TO INSPIRE JIPYEONG:

The tale of the dead dog. The first letter Jipyeong sent to Dalmi is the story she tells Jipyeong to get him to invest more in Dosan's app. It's nice to see how that letter affected her (since I just said it didn't serve a purpose) but again in a show that praises authenticity that story was a lie. It was fabricated to help Dalmi deal with her own losses, Jipyeong came up with the idea of the dead dog to help Dalmi relate to him about stuff, yes he told her about the idea of taking things not for granted, but it's still a lie that inspired her. This show keeps drawing lines between Dosan's authenticity of his feelings and actions towards Dalmi being what inspires her, vs Fantasy and Idealisms of Jipyeong's Dosans actions.  See what I mean? Do san may be lying to her about being the guy who wrote the letter. Still, it's not the letter that made Dalmi choose to give up on her job (it was Dosan's start-up company), inspire her choices and make Samsan Tech overcome difficulties (It's always Dosan by her side and his actions that lead her to doing so), not to mention Dosan fell for Dalmi because of who she was in the letters; he loved her real voice/self before Jipyeong even noticed all that. 

So after all this, I still think it's not easy to know who is the endgame. Like I said Dalmi likes both equally now, she's made a back up of her feelings for new Dosan. What we need to see and know now is how change, time and separation affects our characters. This will cause a chance for Jipyeong to step up. Like I said before Jipyeong may learn from his heartbreak and be different and mature, he may become selfless for her and be more exposed to her (this what he needs to do more), or Dosan, my poor Dosan, may end up being regressed. When looking at character arcs, Jipyeong can have character development (start trusting more, being open more, showing up more) and Dalmi also can have growth (stop mixing fantasy with reality, stop being petty with her sister, grow up more for her company). Still, Dosan is pretty much 'perfect' as a character now. The way he needs to grow or develop is opposite instead of humbling himself (like Jipyeong) he needs to be more bold and selfish, that's worrying. I can only see his character arc becoming more and more affected by the ambitious environment and becoming more selfish or ambitious to stay successful if Dalmi leaves him. Ego, Spite, Heartbreak and Ambitiousness changes a person. It's not just this though, but there is a foreshadowing quote in episode 8 about a best friend betraying his team. It's either one of the Sans who does that to him, like  Yulsan might betray him (since the camera was on him for longer) or Dosan gets poached by someone (Alex) and betrays his team for what seems more successful for him.  But hopefully, he doesn't lose himself in the process. I still think Dalmi and Dosan are fated, and they positively influence each other, so I'm guessing even after becoming different people they'll match that way, or they'll fall apart. Let's wait to see what it brings. 

PREVIOUS ANALYSIS  OF THE LOVE TRIANGLE

[muffinlance]

Hi Muffin! I rlly want to write, & love writing character interactions, but whenever I go "ok brain, it's time to come up with a Plot" my brain is like "I can offer u a vibe, mayhaps a character arc you'd like to see, but No Specifics! Only vibe" :// I rlly admire your Powers of Plot; do you have any advice or tips on How To Make The Plot Exist? If you've already answered something like this/don't want to, I'm so sorry, just take my well-wishes & dw abt it 😅 Sending good vibes your way!!

Okay, so! A good character arc can be a plot. I'll focus on that type of story, since it seems like your style already leans that way.

I'll be using Salvage as an example, 'cause that's my most character-arc-focused story. The plot is unashamedly "Hakoda adopts one (1) prickly Fire Prince". People know exactly what's gonna happen going in, but I'm still getting compliments on the "complex plot". No. No, the plot is not complex, the plot is dead simple. Let us examine how I window dressed it so it feels complex.

Multiple Simultaneous (But Out of Sync) Character Arcs: Everyone on that crew is going to adopt Zuko, and Zuko is going to kick and scream and be adopted. These are givens, no particular tension there. Generally when you're running a character arc focused story, the reader already knows the outcome; the trick to keeping them engaged is the timing. By having the crew accept Zuko at different times and after different triggers (Kustaa is pretty much on board as soon as this half-dead teen starts grumping at his "Uncle", Toklo falls in love at first warm bath, Bato through burn bonding, etc), it feels like I'm doing a plot. Hakoda and Zuko themselves are saved for last, because that's what people most want to see.

Have you ever read a fic where the writer gets to the "good part" too early? AKA, the thing you really wanted to happen finishes in like, chapter two, and you're sitting there with a vaguely unfulfilled feeling because it was too easy? That's what you want to avoid.

On the other extreme, there's the "we're 40 chapters in and it doesn't make sense that they still hate each other" fics.

Whatever your key character arc is, make sure you're only drawing it out as long as it makes sense. And don't be afraid to sprinkle sweet sweet breadcrumbs of progress. In my story, that would be Hakoda realizing more and more that he is dealing with an Actual Child and adjusting accordingly.

EX: At the start of the story he almost guts Zuko for accidentally bending; by the time Bato comes aboard, he's ready to talk the kid down from a just-burned-someone panic attack. I maintain tension not with Hakoda unrealistically clinging to his assumptions about this kid, but by having him and Zuko out of sync--Hakoda trusts Zuko not to intentionally hurt his crew. Zuko does not trust Hakoda not to hurt him. Note that Zuko himself is also progressing, though--his actions show he's much more relaxed around the crew, and is starting to trust that when Hakoda says things he won't just change them.

Which is exactly the problem in the Bato chapter: Zuko trusts Hakoda to follow through on his word. Meanwhile, Hakoda made that "firebend and I kill you" rule back before he knew Zuko. Natural tension! Natural tension based in character growth!

External Driving Events (positive AND negative): Character arcs are internal affairs; external events help prod them along. Think to yourself what events--positive and negative--will help push things in the right direction. You want to roughly alternate these, as a general rule, though they can be weighted differently in the narrative.

EX: in the early chapters, Zuko aggravated the crew A Lot over multiple consecutive instances. Then I did the laundry scene where there was relatively pleasant bonding and This Explains So Much. Narratively, there was about equal word count given to all the small aggravations as the laundry scene, so even though it was one positive event v many negative, it felt "in balance" to reader!brains.

Mind you that events don't need to be action-packed: "doing laundry" is not exactly a chase scene. But it was emotionally satisfying, which is what a character arc story needs.

Background Noise: The size of your story (short, novella, novel, series) will determine how much you want to play with this, but background noise is key for making a world and character interactions feel real/lived in. These are the little things like having a ship dog--Scuttles/Sokka/Seal Jerky is not plot necessary. But having him there fleshes out the personality of scenes in small but "this feels authentic" ways--like the crew teasing Hakoda by calling him "Sokka", and later the crew siding with Zuko on calling him "Seal Jerky" to tease Bato, the OG Dog Namer. Background noise, as a general rule, should not revolve around your main characters--its a natural consequence of the background characters also being people who are living their lives with their own realistic character dynamics.

TL;DR: have multiple character arcs that progress naturally. Keep them out of sync to maintain tension. Use external events to prod development forward; make sure to alternate positive and negative events. Show that the minor characters are also Real People by incorporating background noise.

Now go write something, 'cause that's the only way you'll ever actually figure this out.

[dehydratedpool]

hello again!! it’s the beginning of a new month, meaning a new fic rec post!! here are some fics that i read this month that are just... exquisite and deserve all the love and attention <3 

there aren’t as many as last time unfortunately, since i was quite busy this past month, but i promise next month won’t fall short! ((fics that i’ve reread this month are indicated with a **))

Foolishly Laying Our Hearts On The Table [11k] by runaway_train @runaway-train-works 

“You think Harry wants that?”

“Dunno. Maybe. Wanna make him happy.” Harry takes advantage of the red light he’s pulled up to turn and look properly at Louis’ face. He’s not even looking in Harry’s direction though, focused instead on something out of his side window, head drooped, mindlessly playing with the string of his hoodie between his fingers, lost in his own world somewhere. For some reason, it makes Harry’s spine straighten.

“Because he’s your best mate?” Harry questions carefully.

“He’s my boyfriend.”

He couldn’t have heard him right. “What?”

Louis releases a deep breath, still not turning around. Harry wonders who he thinks he’s talking to right now. “He’s so pretty. Want to kiss him all day long. And buy him a big house and give him presents and marry him.”

Or; The one where Harry is in love with his best friend Louis but doesn't think he stands a chance until some wisdom teeth and a rather unusual confession might just change his mind.

--> this is a new comfort fic for me tbh. i got rec’d this after louis tweeted about getting his wisdom teeth removed, and i’m so SO glad i decided to give it a read. it’s so precious and lovely and personally, i found it to be a quick read. it’s the kind of fic that makes me both warm and fuzzy inside but also highly upset that i’m single and will surely be alone forever

Just Let Me [14k] by HelloAmHere 

The party was going well. So well, Niall had already sworn undying love to one multi-tiered chocolate cake, two friendly corgi-poodle mixes, Zayn’s hair, and the entire population of Los Angeles. So well, Zayn had only laughed and ruffled Niall’s hair and not even twitched towards a cigarette. So well, nearly everyone had spilled far past the boundaries of the night’s original plans, extracting bottles of vodka from the cabinets and losing a lot of clothes. Harry had proclaimed that he was finally going to throw a small and very grownup dinner party and of course here they were three hours later, fifty people half-naked in the pool. Soon to be full-naked, if Louis had to guess. Everybody in LA loved a heated pool. Everybody loved Harry.

--> ok LISTEN. as some of you know, i just recently got into reading a/b/o fics and this one is definitely at the top of my fave a/b/o fics out there. it’s an interesting take on the trope, almost a bit more realistic in my opinion, and to quote the author’s note, “’what if a/b/o but less biological determinism?’”. i believe i found this one through a masterpost of “touch-deprivation fics”, so if that’s your thing, give this one a chance!

my ugly mouth kept running [4k] by theankletattoo @hadestyles

Another seed, another try except they know what caused the first wilt. They will be careful, they will be kind and together they will nurture it to life.

sometimes second chances are more important than the first.

--> rori, the author, never fails to disappoint when it comes to all of her works. i’ve said it once and i’ll say it again, she’s so incredibly fucking talented it’s unreal. her imagery is so vivid and real it leaves simultaneously everything and nothing to the imagination. as usual, h and l’s dynamic in this is an addicting portion to this fic that has you anticipating how their dynamic will shift and grow up until the end. if you’ve yet to read any of rori’s work, i suggest you add that to your to-do list for the month, and get a head start to her collection with this one!

**As Wicked As Anything Could Be [21k] by whoknows @crazyupsetter

It starts when Louis decides that he wants to lose his cherry and announces that he thinks the best way to do that is by going to a gay club. Naturally, Harry can’t let him go alone, so he tags along and spends the night rating guys with Louis until someone finally catches Louis’s eye.

Harry shoves him out to dance with the guy, and he can already tell that it’s going to be a quick and dirty hook up, so he’s not surprised that Louis and the guy disappear into the bathroom ten minutes later.

It is a surprise when Louis comes out not even two minutes later, pale and clammy, grabs Harry by the hand and drags him right out the door.

Somehow Harry comes to the decision that it would be a good idea for him to be in the room with Louis while Louis gets laid.

It’s a stupid fucking decision.

--> i discovered this fic a while ago on a whim and i have zero regrets. this is absolutely on my top ten fave fics list (that has yet to exist but perhaps i’ll post it one day). whoknows is a well known author within the fandom, so i’m sure i don’t have to say much about their immense talent, but SERIOUSLY, their plot progression, even their use of dialogue is wonderful in every way. as a writer, i envy them lmao. this fic takes me on a rollercoaster every time i read it, it’s yet another comfort fic of mine and never fails to disappoint every time i pick it up again. please, do yourselves a favor this april and read this.

Keeping The Flame Alive [19k] by whoknows @crazyupsetter 

Recording with One Direction never felt like this. There’s a couple reasons for that, Harry thinks. One is that they did most of their recording on the road, rushed and in busses and hotel rooms, never in one place long enough to really get an argument going. The other, larger and more important one, is that back then he had the sweetest, meanest little omega around to distract him from all of that frustration.

The first time around, when he’d been recording his debut solo album, it hit him pretty hard. He likes to think he’s better adjusted to it now, but frustration is warring under his skin nonetheless. He doesn’t want to be told what to do most of the time, and he especially doesn’t want to be told what to do when it comes to his music.

What he does want right now is that sweet, mean little omega right in front of him with his mouth on Harry’s cock. Unfortunately, the best he’s got is his own hand and a shared toilet. So. That’s really not going to work.

--> yes, for the first time in dehydratedpoolfics history of fic recs even tho i’ve only been doing this for a month i am rec’ing the same author twice, but seriously, how could i not??? this fic took me on a literal journey like... wtf. i have no words. seriously, i have none, i’m just that blown away, go read it for yourself .

**a trail of honey through it all [27k] by bruisedhoney @yvesaintlourent 

The boy in front of him, well really, the man in front of him, was like something out of a confusing wet dream. Built, tall, tan and muscular, his skin glistened with sweat after a long day of working outdoors with his hands. He was wearing a cut up old American football shirt, the bottom hem was torn and the sleeves were cut off to the point where the t-shirt was really just a loose tank top. The shorts he had on had clearly been full length jeans at one point, and were now just crudely cut off above the knee. His white socks were pulled up too high on his calves, and the brown work boots he had on were old as fuck, the leather peeling along the edges of the soles. Curly brown hair stuck out from the edges of his backwards snapback, and there was a smudge of grease wiped along his brow bone. The smattering of hair along his jaw proved that he hadn’t shaved in a week or two, the hair growing in thicker across his upper lip and around his chin. His sinfully bowed mouth was pink and plump, and Louis was suddenly hyper-focused on the way that he chewed at the toothpick stuck between his lips. He looked like he needed a shower. Louis wanted to lick him.

Or, the TPH fic we’ve all been waiting for.

--> okay look. i may or may not have a slight obsession with this fic. i reread it constantly, mostly for the iconic line, “are we fuckin’ or fightin’?”, because how can i not scream over that?? ((also patiently waiting for the sequel)) this is a literary masterpiece, one that defines an entire generation of this fandom i stg. but in all seriousness, hayley, the author, does such a wonderful job of giving the reader a vivid look into “nowhere, georgia”, and as a southern gal myself, i absolutely adore the itty bitty pieces of southern culture embedded into this, the tiny quirks that make this fic authentic. i could probably go on forever on why this fic is so iconic, but perhaps you should read it for yourself instead *wink* *wink*

SO. that’s all for this month!! if you read any of these, first of all, be sure to read the tags and author’s note (if any) before starting, AND please don’t forget to leave a quick kudos or comment, it means more than you may ever know <3

[night-unfurls-its-splendour]

Bridgerton & Selective Justification: A Rant

With a Particular Aside in Which This Author Questions if There Isn't a Double Standard at Play in Televised Historical Fiction.

Ok so the other day i posted complaining about how ludicrous the "Will Daphne marry Prince Friedrich?!" Plotline is to me and i referred to Daphne as a "commoner". I got two comments on that post of people saying Daphne *isn't* a commoner because she's a Viscount's daughter. I did respond but I'd like to go a little more in depth into it my thoughts on why this plotline verges on abject silliness to me, based on my (i will freely admit) *limited* knowledge of British aristocracy and the source material itself.

So if anyone reading this has a more detailed knowledge of the Peerage and how it relates to Bridgerton please correct me I'm eager to know more.

So to start out my understanding of the pecking order goes like this:

DUKE/DUCHESS = Highest ranking title in the peerage. Often bestowed on important members of the Royal family not in direct line for the throne. Worth noting is the fact that a Duke in British peerage is different than a Continental Duke. On the European Continent title Duke/Grand Duke can be associated with sovereign rule of an independent state, which has never been the case in England. Dukes and Duchesses are addressed as "Your Grace"

MARQUESS/MARCHIONESS = English equivalent of Marquis/Marquise. Very high ranking in the peerage, closely related to Earldom, but more important  since it has it's roots as the title of border (marcher) lords instrumental in a country's defense.  

EARL/COUNTESS = Referred to as a "count" everywhere else. The difference is the heavy germano-scandinavian influence on early medieval England. "Earl" is derived from the Nordic term for what could be considered a chieftan. Earls being only slightly lower in rank than a Marquess could be very rich and very important. The Earldom of Northumberland was one of the richest in 16th century England.

Now at this point we start to get into the lower peerage.

VISCOUNT/VISCOUNTESS = Addressed as "The Right Honourable". Viscountsies in England tend to almost exclusively be secondary titles held by Marequesses and Earls and passed down to their sons. Any son of a Marquess or Earl is a Viscount. The oldest son inherits the title of Earl plus all subsequent lands estates and incomes. The younger sons could also be viscounts wherever there are titles enough.

BARON/BARONESS = lowest rank of the peerage.

BARONET/BARONETESS = The only British title that doesn't land you in the peerage, the rank of baronet is (as I have heard it described) the barnacle on the bottom of the British aristocracy. It's basically a weird limbo between a Lord and a Knight that was invented by King James I in 1611 primarily as a way to jack up taxes so tbh its kind of a joke.

So Daphne's brother Anthony is a Viscount. He inherited this title from his father which likely means that their father was a second son. As you can see from this ranking list I just did, in marrying Simon, Daph married up. Way up. Not unsusual, given that her family has money and is well regarded.

Now clearly Bridgerton works differently than ACTUAL Regency England. Here, APPARENTLY if you just make a good impression on the Queen she takes a VERY PERSONAL interest in your life and she will marry you off to whatever Foreign prince she's related to who happens to be visiting. But here's where it's a bit wooly for me because there are two different contexts for the term "commoner" in England.  I think we all pretty well know how the European Royal marriage market  worked up through the 19th century, since we all like to make fun of them being inbred. Because there's a bit of a hang up not just about "Royal blood" but also Diplomatic marriage.

In the context of people with titles or peerages being nobles/aristocrats and any one without being a commoner then of course, Daphne is a noble. HOWEVER the context in which I used it in my previous post was ROYALS vs NOT ROYALS. It's perfectly acceptable to refer to someone not of Royal Blood as a commoner. In my replies I used Elizabeth Woodville as an example of a commoner. Now she DID marry a royal (Edward IV) and of course this was a few hundred years before Bridgerton would be BUT EVERYONE thought Edward was crazy for marrying her and she was not well liked because she was seen as at worst a gold-digger and at best an upstart. It was not only an uneven match but a purely domestic one which cut of England from potentially politically critical strategic foreign marriages. This is how royalty worked.

Naturally the strategic aspect of marriages was *slightly* diminished in the nineteenth century, but not really and it was still considered extremely important. Usually a young royal looking to get married was doing so at their family's behest and had a pre-determined pool they more or less HAD to choose from. Marriage to commoners of course  DID happen. It was called "Morganatic Marriage". Prince Augustus of Prussia had a morganatic marriage to a Polish aristocrat. One of Charlotte's own sons, Augustus Fredrick, had TWO morganatic marriages which kept him away from court because his wife could not be recognised due to their having married in defiance of the Royal Marriages Act of 1772, which requires all members of the  British Royal family to obtain the monarch's consent before marrying.

So I posed the very realistic question of "how would this choice to marry Daphne affect the Prince?" I don't know how morganatic marriages were looked on based on Prussian law but it seems likely, especially since Prince Friedrich is the direct heir that this marriage would have caused problems and i find it doubtful that Daphne would ever find herself addressed as "Princess".

I know that Bridgerton is fiction and that in being fiction it is pardoned  for not following courses that would be realistic in actual history. But at what point does "it's fiction" become an excuse for sloppy execution of world building?

The show takes the time to explain to the viewer (in one of the precious few moments of actual exposition) why there are black aristocrats [because the king married a black woman and things changed - which JUST IN CASE anyone is wondering, no Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz was not in any meaningful way "bi-racial" irl, based on the research I've done.] With this kind of deviation from history in a Drama that does, without any official caveats in the marketing, claim to be set in England in 1813, the writers recognised that this needed to be qualified. And in qualifying it, they justify it. They take it beyond fiction into fantasy, but it is justified.

The reason they recognised it had to be justified is because they know that most of the viewers know this is not how it went in history and would hold them to account. So why isn't more care taken to qualify the Liberties taken with the REST of Recency Society?

They talk repeatedly about "Coming Out" into society, particularly regarding Eloise. And Eloise wears her hair down and wears shorter skirts because she's still considered a child because she isn't out. But the IMPORTANT, PRACTICAL parts of not being "Out" are COMPLETELY IGNORED. She and her younger siblings are OUT at SOCIETY EVENTS. CONSTANTLY. Eloise speaks when not spoken to. She speaks DIRECTLY TO THE FOPPING QUEEN (TO WHOM SHE'S NEVER BEEN PRESENTED, BUT I GUESS IF YOU'RE DaPhNe BRiDgErToN's sister you can do whatever you want). There are BABIES at BALLS in this show. For a story that's trying to sell you on the Strrrrrrictures of RRRegency Societeh they're TOTALLY NOT INCLUDING MOST OF THOSE STRICTURES except when the plot demands it.

Why, I ask, is this? Perhaps it is pure ignorance on the writers part. They don't qualify it because they don't know rules like this existed. In which case its just bad, sloppy writing.

OR

They do know about it and ignore it and don't bother to qualify it with a "Oh Daphne a match with Prince Friedrich is so advantageous how marvellous Prussia has recently accepted Morganatic Marriage ahahaha" because they think we a) don't know or b) don't care and ITS STILL SLOPPY WRITING. Which hey, most Bridgerton fans who swallow any swill where hot people catch feelings probably don't care, but that doesn't mean its not careless writing and it doesn't make it NOT condescending. Never write DOWN to your audience.

This show approaches (but by a hair's breadth doesn't reach) REIGN levels of bad in terms of historicity. And the writers of Reign, like the writers of Bridgerton never claimed to be making an authentic representation of history. But perhaps it's because BTon only has 2 actual historical figures (one of whom is SO UNRECOGNIZABLE from her historical counterpart in countenance and personality that they might as well have just made a composite character - "How much can you change a thing before it isn't that thing anymore?") Or perhaps it's the inclusivity shield  but it seems like Bridgerton is getting a lot more leniency than Reign did.

The pass I see given to Bridgerton is "its frothy fun" (and yeah okay these costumes are worlds more realistic to the claimed period than Reign was even with the jacked up, flat bustlines) BUT. SO. WAS. REIGN.

I don't even like Reign but I do think there's a double standard here and I would like to know why.

[dachi-chan25]

Haven't done this in a while but I had the time so why not?

1.- Pizza Girl by Kyoung Jean Frazier

🌟🌟🌟🌟

I really did like it, reminded me a lot of "Convinience store woman". Like clearly our protagonist needed thrapy ASAP to help her deal with her dad's death, her pregnancy, her attraction to women and hell just for existing as an Asian woman in the USA, but I liked how messy and obsesive she was and how the author allowed her to be fucked up and take bad decisions, I love to see female characters simply exist, it's also a pretty short read so I definitely recommend it.

2.-The Authentics by Abdi Nazemian

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Daría is a persian teen who is really involved in her cultural background and feels that the most important thing one can be is authentic, so that's the name she and her friends take for their clique. But everything comes crashing down on her when she discovers she is adopted, and soon follows an identity crisis. I loved it so much, it felt pretty realistic, like Daría could be self absorbed and unlikeable at times, but who wasn't as a teen? And we get such beautiful heartwarming moments between Daría and her family and friends. Totally recommend it.

3.- The Mall by Megan McCafferty

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Cassie has her life completely mapped out but nothing goes quite as planned, first she gets mononucleosis and after she gets better gets dumped and fired almost simultaneously. Determined not to let it get the best of her, Cassie gets a brand new job, reconnects with an old friend and even finds a hidden treasure. This one is so much fun, all the 90s references and the growth Cassie goes through is amazing, honeslty i would love to see this as a Netflix movie.

4.- Luster by Raven Leilani

🌟🌟🌟🌟

This book was hard, Edie is a very raw character, at first she seems flippant even when describing disturbing facts about her past or details about her relationship with a much older man she seems to be talking about something that happened to someone else all this to cope dealing with her solitude, her trauma, her self hate. And gosh it was so intresting to see her interact with Rebecca and Akila, especially Akila as Edie finds kinship in this young girl not only cuz they are both black but because they are both lost and afraid.

5.- Lakewood by Megan Giddings

🌟🌟🌟

Lena decides to participate on a financially compensated medical experiment so her mom can get proper medical care and to lessen their debts after her Grandmother's death.

So I had many mixed feelings about this, on one hand I liked that we are adressing how sistematical racism has permited experiments on black people with no consequences at all and how it has been happening for decades, but there were certain parts of the book that I couldn't enjoy as much because they were very trippy like I get we are on Lena's mind as things are becoming muddled up because of the medications and all those mind games and the words they have her memorize and repeat but all of it took me a bit away from the story. Still I do recommend it just be aware there is quite a bit of body horror in this so if you are sqeamish better skip it.

6.-The Voting Booth - Brandy Colbert

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Marva and Duke meet on election day as she helps him find the precint he is registered on.

This is very enjoyable, the story is very straightforward, and it insists on our right and responsability to vote even if we feel our vote alone can't possibly change all the injustice we see in the world. And also the romance was cute and developed slowly as Marva and Duke are just knowing each other. Really cute and quick read.

7.- Such a fun age - Kiley Reid

🌟🌟🌟🌟

Emira works as a babysitter for the Chamberleins' . She loves her little charge Briar, although she feels preassured to seek a 'real job' by her friends and by her own economic troubles. Emira soon finds herself in the middle of a tug of war between her boss Alix who tries to befriend her, and Kelley the guy she is dating.

So much drama. This is a great example of what performative activism looks like, first Alix is completely nuts, from her obsession to be seen as this wonderful understanding girl boss activist and the down right creepy sense of entitlement to Emira's friendship and intimacy. Like it doesn't surprise me she chose to victimize herself instead of recognizing it had all been a misunderstanding. And even then she still wants to seem atractive to the man she feels victimized by. Girl no.

Kelley is the ultimate fake woke ally. Dude Robbie was wrong period, he had no business inviting people over to someone else's house no matter the color of his skin. You don't get to talk over Emira on matters of what a person of color should do or feel on certain situations. That said it was so funny when he and Alix called each other out for their fetishization of people of color and yet none of them actually gave a damn about what Emira thought/felt/percieved. They just wanted her stamp of approval so they could pat themselves in the back for being such good allies.

8.- The Life and (Medieval) times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton

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Kit is working as a serving wench at the Castle, medieval themed restaurant run by her uncle, though she really wants to be a Knight, not only cuz the better pay would help around the house but because she really admires Joan of Arc, problem is the Castle management doesn't allow for anyone who is not a cis male to be a knight. Kit is set on changing that.

Ok so I feel a bit lukewarm toward this. Kit in my opinion doesn't get much growth, it seems she just can do whatever and her friends have to be ok w it, her romance w her friend feels pulled out of nowhere like Jett at one point tells her he is not intrested in dating her and then he is ???, those GoT references killed me, I get it I watched the show and sometimes even enjoyed it but it's not representative of anything medieval and Kit was always talking about how much she liked the actual history of the medieval times so...

Also as much as this book was about feminism and how we should fight for equal job oportunities, it feels as though Kit only cared about medieval woman who fought physically and not on the badass medieval woman, like idk it feels as a rejection of tradicional feminity like even the girl playing the Princess is a jerk. But I did like some parts, like her decision to confront her asshole dad to help her mom and the girls training together.

9.-Cien años de soledad de Gabriel Garcia Marquez

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En Macondo, una población Colombiana a un lado del río, vemos como una de sus familias fundadoras crece, se expande y cambia a través de cien años.

Me encanto, hace mucho tiempo que no leía una novela de realismo mágico que me provocará tantos sentimientos. Creo que todos los personajes reflejan aspectos de la humanidad tan diversos y complejos que sería inútil tratar de enlistarlos todos.

Ultimadamente siento que lo que condenó a la familia Buendia a cumplir las profecías de Melquiades fue sus propia naturaleza que ellos nunca tuvieron intención de pelear, siempre sucumbian a las locuras o pasiones que los inundarán sin mesura alguna o consideración por las consecuencias. Y creo que aún así lo prefiero pues es lo que hace a cada personaje por confuso que a veces llegue a ser la repetición de nombres (que para mi es el simbolismo de una naturaleza y destino continuos) único e intrigante. En verdad espero que se den la oportunidad de leer este libro por lo menos una vez en sus vidas.

10.-The Monsters of music by Rebecca F. Kenney

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This is a gender-swaped modern retelling of the Phantom of the Opera.

It was creative to make Mel, our Phantom, a true magical creature, and the singing contest was also cool. Like don't get me wrong I did have fun reading this but it also felt pretty unpolished like most characters were teens on the contest and that kinda made me roll my eyes a bit, like unless it's the Voice Kids age ranges are quite ample on this kind of shows, also kinda clumsy the addition of the magical elements with the modern setting, Kiyo didn't make much of an impression with me even when Christine is my fave on the original book. Still if you are a Phan like me you might wanna check this one out.

11.- Anna K by Jenny Lee

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This is a modern americanized ya retelling of Anna Karenina.

Not gonna lie this made me cry so much at the end. I really liked Anna and Vronski together so much, and I don't like the love at first sight trope, but here it felt so inevitable. Anna was so self contained until she met him and could truly explore being herself and they really loved each other so much. Also I liked the treatment of the side characters Kimmie and Dustin were well developed and I really enjoyed this one can't wait to get to the second book.

12.- Wonderland by Zoje Stage

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It was ok, but I was actually a bit disappointed cuz I had such high expectations for it. Like for about half the book I was really into the atmospheric vibe the book pulls you into, but as we get the reveal it started to go down hill for me, and the ending left me feeling meh. But maybe it was just not my cup of tea.

13.-Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

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This book is so well crafted!!! I love how it goes back and forth between past and present , first it feels as if history is repeating itself, then as both narratives unfold we start to question and discovering things and the twist at the end was chillin and masterful, I truly and wholeheartedly recommend it.

14.- The Girl with the louding voice by Abi Daré

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Adunni, a teenage girl, flees from her husband to work as a maid in Lagos, though everything she has ever wanted is to study.

This broke my heart, as it reflects how people coming from rural backgrounds get taken advantage of in the City, like similar things happen here in Mexico, but also it made me glad to see Adunni fight and keep her spirit so no one could ever silence her.

15.- The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

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Immanuel does her very best to fit in Bethel, follow the scriptures and the Prophets words, but nothing seems to be enough to erase her mother's sin especially when the Darkwood seems to pull her in. As a plague starts to ravage Bethel, Immanuel has to face her past to save her people.

So frickin' good !!!! This story is great, mainly about the explotation of woman and young girls by people in power (in this case a church), the atmosphere is always tense, Ezra and Immanuel 's relationship is very well developed and one can really see how loyal they are to each other. A great option for horror fans.