#vinculus

[miserablejester]

Childermass' adventures on grindr

Original post: X

Bonus Uskglass:

[thinkanamelater]

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (well, Childermass & co.) + text messages

Original posts here and here

[uskglass-mirror-house]

Thoughts about chapter 21: the cards of Marseilles

I have been reading bits and pieces from the book as part of the 20th anniversary read-along. I wanted to join in once it reached chapter 29 (where I left the book on my third re-read), but then I remembered how cool chapter 21 was and went through it and ho boiiii I have so many thoughts. I am definitely going to make a massive breakdown of the fortune-telling and why it is so genius, but now I'm just sharing random thoughts I had while reading. Enjoy (and mind the spoilers)!

The start of the chapter reminded me of my old theory about the author of the book. The first time I read jsamn I had this theory that the author of the book was either a magician or a fairy and when Jonathan Strange met that one fairy in the brugh I became convinced that it was her. I had this impression because of the footnotes and some descriptions, including the one of the ale-house at the start of this chapter. Why? Well, the footnotes can be divided into two categories: the academic ones, which cite specific in-universe texts (or real ones from our world); and the folklore ones, which usually inform us of some magical event, fairy culture, stories from in-universe folklore, and so on. Now, I always assumed that while many scholars would know the former, the latter was mostly the domain of fairy/ magicians that had first knowledge coming from the Otherlands. But the curious thing is that some descriptions within the story are narrated in the same way as the folklore notes, giving me the impression that these places exist at a junction between reality and the Otherlands and also that the knowledge about some specific events was obtained through magical means. Page 197 is a perfect example of this kind of narration.

I love how this is basically a date between Childermass and Vinculus. This is the first convo between the Book and its reader and it went exactly as well as you could imagine.

THE ACTUAL FORTUNE READING IS SO GOOD AND MULTILAYERED AND AAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Childermass copied the card for a sailor and then told him his fortune: "that he would be drowned dead before the year was out." And now I am here wondering... was that a sailor on the Penlaw, the ship that transported Stephen Black and his mother??? That ship also ended up in a shipwreck according to the Gentleman...

I like thinking that the Raven King was watching this whole thing go down in some magical manner. Looking over Childermass' shoulder and being like "bro, you're cooking right now, not gonna lie". Or going "How dramatic." in the most deadpan voice ever when Vinculus changes the cards to look like him.... aaaaa I love Uskglass so much.

It would also be cool if Uskglass followed the events through Childermass' card (since we know that L'Empereur did not go back to look like a regular card but stayed that way). I like to think that this is how Childermass was enchanted when he saved Norrell's life later on. The card acted as a path for Uskglass' magic.

In a similar way, I like thinking that Uskglass was watching over in other scenes like the Genlteman was doing while pestering Strange. It would make it so funny if he were present while Lascelles berates him, or whenever Norrell does. Like imagine:

Norrell: "He abandoned us! He was evil!!"

Uskglass (invisible): "u sure 'bout that? lol"

Norrell: "I foolishly tried to summon him when I was younger..."

Uskglass: "You surely did buddy. Can't say I was impressed, though."

Norrell: "...but it never worked and I think that was fortunate!"

Uskglass: "This is why nobody likes you, Gilbert."

ok, these are all the things that came to mind. For the breakdown of the tarot reading, I'm going to make a separate post one of these days. Definitely going to re-read the whole novel now, my fixation has returned!!!!

[slow-burn-sally]

English Magic is finished!

Rating: E

Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell/BBC Sherlock crossover fic

Alternate Universe - Magical Setting

Thank you to the small crowd of dedicated readers who have been leaving the best comments! Especially thank you @keirgreeneyes for your support and amazing comments! I want to cross stitch them on pillows!

[recurringtransgender]

Bro ate a book

[algumaideia]

Vinculus is back!!!!!!!!!!

[uskglass-mirror-house]

Hell yeah!

The fact that the agenda happens to be tattooed on the body of a dead (but soon-to-be-revived) street magician is irrelevant.

[kazz-brekker]

my favorite magic detail in jonathan strange and mr norrell that i had completely forgotten until my reread is that childermass's tarot set is half written on the back of letters, receipts, playbills, etc because he didn't have enough money to buy paper when making it. very interesting contrast to mr norrell and his gigantic library of books that he can afford to gatekeep from other people because he's a gentleman and has loads of money.

[miserablejester]

Vinculus stared at the man suspiciously. "You are no more a milliner than I am a... a..." "A magician?" suggested the unlikely milliner. "You must certainly admit that is not your only profession. After all you just picked my pockets."

Incredibly fascinated by the fact that the yellow tents are spoken of as something of the past, especially considering the fact that the church which Vinculus' tent is placed in front of (St Christopher's le stocks) was demolished in 1781, almost thirty years before the book takes place.

I had to make use of sketches and copper engravings as well as someone's minecraft model to draw it!

[fluentisonus]

still so crazy to me there's only 7 childermass/vinculus fics on ao3. did no one else read their ending. am i crazy

[lacnunga]

*me gripping my pen so so tight and blood is streaming Out of my nose & eyes & ears* im writing this for me :)

[algumaideia]

Vinculus, you are such an icon.

[recurringtransgender]

Vinculus: There will be two magicians. Both of their futures are going to suck

Jonathan Strange: Well, then I won't be one of them

Jonathan Strange, later the same day, trying to impress his girlfriend: I'm going to become a magician

[grntre23]

modern day things jsmn characters would love:

segundus: excruciatingly detailed tea ceremonies, wearing his pjs till they have holes in the sleeve hems, afternoon baking television specials, subscribing to science magazine periodicals, indoor plant gardening, trader joe’s, (being a teacher) and decorating his classroom, weekly (gossipy) neighborhood book clubs, keeping a physical journal on him at all times, independent booksellers

childermass: not being on social media, niche tarot draw youtube videos, the concept of irish goodbyes, using the oldest working phone model possible, bed on the floor no frame, wearing sunglasses indoors, depressing british rock, guessing jeopardy/who’s going to be a millionaire answers before anyone else can, never picking up phone calls, being a horse girl, having a masochistically loud alarm, being a political centrist, being a coffee purist

vinculus: drink vouchers marketing people hand out on the street, public transport, tinder, watching a game at the pub, rentable public scooters, selling fake fortunes/conducting seances online for believing middle-aged clientele, mobile gambling apps, action movies, spending inordinate amounts of money on his tattoos

norrell: instacart grocery delivery, obsessively stalking subreddits, ebay, sending whatsapp threads of fake infographics, eating a whole foods diet with no seasoning, directing people to his PA (lascelles), obscure netflix documentaries he quotes for two weeks after watching, keeping up with the british royal family, vitamins, remote work policies, twitter conspiracy theorists

strange: starting a podcast, apple pay, getting really into running, getting really into bitcoin, being a ‘wife guy’, using his veteran’s discount for overconsumption, truth or dare and he only ever picks dare, backpacking in xyz european country, picking up his work phone during date night, making ‘am i the asshole’ reddit posts which norrell secretly and unknowingly follows, eating ‘superfoods’, ensemble cast movies

gentleman: tiktok trends, shitty reality television, amazon prime next day delivery, owning a motorcycle, going on resort vacations 6x/year, brand name clothing with ostentatious logos, biweekly hair appointments, sliding into DMs, caffeinated energy drinks you can overdose on, orange theory classes, having a miniature designer dog, acting ‘woke’, getting scammed by phishing, dentist appointments

stephen: interior design, considering veganism, high thread count bedsheets, having a cat, going to therapy and actually improving, high quality european butter, 10 step self-care routine, homemade laminated pastries, sustainability, notion

emma pole: advanced embroidery kits, spiked morning drinks, doc martens, girls’ night, having a private instagram, clubbing, cat instagram reels, 9-5 work hours, racket sports, going with bell to expensive dessert cafes, classical music

arabella: pinterest boarding, girls’ night, knowing wine pairings, being really into running (influenced by strange, she keeps going after he quits), jellycats, diverse milk options at coffee shops, watching ootds, bon appetite recipes, meal prepping, having a well-loved dog whose lifestyle needs she researches with academic detail, expensive dessert cafes, radio pop playlist

drawlight: excessive instagram posting, watching tiktok fashion critiques, weekend brunch, ‘i know a guy’, bespoke clothing, 34 hour screentime, influencer events, house parties, half off convenience store wine, being employee of the month, forgetting his wallet at group dinners/not paying back venmo requests, keeping up with celebrity drama

lascelles: group projects he can monopolize, stock market trading, expensive branded clothes without logos, being a coffee purist, driving a ridiculously loud sports car, not caring about politics, getting valet service, searching his own name up on google, winning employee of the month over drawlight, scrolling his linkedin feed

[tench]

You know, as a huge fan of the adaptation, I must say that though polite boy book!Segundus is very nice and I'm loving him so far, my heart still belongs to the quiet chaos of tv!Segundus, him jumping over the counter to Investigate was the peak magician moment.

I also love the little detail of Vinculus not being able to tell how Segundus is tied to the prophesy though sensing his plot relevance (well it's how I understood it anyway)

[sleepy-delusional-dreamer]

One question: would Vinculus be considered an adult book because he needs to take off all his clothes to be read or because the content of the book is not too violent or sexual, he is for general readers?

I'd put Vinculus on Goodreads. Hell, I'd even put him on booktok just for the pure chaos of it.