#when movies scenes in movies the get hyped up aren't even worth the hype and are a let down

[wntryoongs]

My thoughts while watching Deadpool & Wolverine

I made this review just for my entertainment and cuz I really couldn't control my excitement lol. Just a quick warning to please not take anything I say seriously :') (also i already wrote this review on letterboxd 3 days ago)

The intro alone deserves an Oscar.

THEY COVERED PETER PARKER'S FACE I AM SOBBING. DOES WADE KNOW WHO HE IS? With the 4th wall breaking power and whatnot.

The costume fitting scene with the butt slaps, slaps. Call me immature idc.

"Get your special socks on, nerds." Deadpool was adressing me on this one guys 🤣🙏🏻🙏🏻 my little geek brain was exploding with every little reference.

Cassandra Nova, JUST ONE CHANCE PLEASE I AM ON MY KNEES 🧎🏻

Casual by Chappell Roan was playing in my head when DP & W were fighting in that Honda. That was a tad bit too romantic bye.

Nicepool, I am mourning for you 24/7. You deserved so much better. Thank you for that wonderful The Proposal line. You have made my life complete.

Interesting cameos: it took me a minute to identify the Henry Cavill one. Chris Evans, what a treat! JENNIFER GARNER, MY WIFE!

A traumatized Wolverine and Deadpool vs. a hundred other Deadpools fight sequence lifted my soul. I legitimately thought I was floating away. I didn't blink. Not once.

Hugh Jackman: shirtless. My jaw=dropped (no cuz seriously). I understand the hype now. And don't ask me if I was salivating, anybody who claims to have seen me do such a horrendous act is a lying liar who lies 😐

I smelled a Deadpool hyperfixation incoming the moment i said "he's literally me". Wade Wilson is pookie.

Bad ass holy shit. Other than those Cherik edits I keep on seeing, Deadpool & Wolverine is the only reason I am finally convinced to watch x-men. Also I now wholeheartedly support the Xmen>Avengers agenda. In terms of power, at least.

Unrelated but why was Bucky not here? I miss him. And furthermore, WHERE was my beloved God of Mischief/Time/Stories!?? TVA plot kinda confused me, because isn't Loki the one whos supposed to hold all the timeline branches?

Compared to DP1&2, this was definitely toned down.

"We'll use the power of (homoerotic) friendship!" Ahh ending 😭. I can't even be mad though cuz they played it out so well. My only complaint for this movie is this: why didn't they kiss? Not even just a small smooch? But it's alright; God gave us ao3 for a reason.

I am very glad to have watched with people who aren't passive. Everyone in the audience were laughing. The whole experience was a great vibe.

The post-credit montage with Good Riddance playing in the background had me tearing up (i was biting my hand trying to stop myself from sobbing).

All in all, yes.

Ps: I've been awaiting this movie the second it was announced to be produced. Also I've never avoided show spoilers before since I suffer from chronic FOMO and anxiety when it comes to media that I like. Even though I only had to avoid spoilers for a few days here and on letterboxd, I was already experiencing withdrawal because I felt like clawing my eyes out whenever I try to stop myself from opening reviews. EITHERWAY, it was worth it 😊

PPS: Much like Ryan Reynolds was born to play Deadpool, Hugh Jackman was born to play Wolverine.

[the-things-ive-seen]

Batman: Ninja

Disappointment in America, famous in Japan

As someone who started reading the Batman series a few years ago, with detective comics added to that reading schedule, it probably comes as no surprise that I entered the film with big expectations. Even if the movie turned out kind of mid, it would be a slam-dunk animated action film that would make me love Batman anywhere, at any time. I was certain that it couldn't disappoint.

I was disappointed.

For context, fanservice, according to Wikipedia, is material in a work of fiction or in a fictional series that is intentionally added to please the audience, often sexual in nature, such as nudity. I suppose that might explain why my screen was coated in DC vomit with Feudal Japanese aesthetic paper stickers blocking my view of any logic or reason. Like most fanservice, I'm not supposed to actually understand it, I'm supposed to laugh and masturbate with my friends as they point at Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, saying they recognize them from a doushinji. I'm not saying I didn't do that, I'm saying that if I had known the movie would be all over the place, I would've just watched Gotham by Gaslight to save time and hand cramps.

Batman Ninja is about Batman fighting a Gorilla, then the Joker. That's the TL;DR version since most Batman movies end up that way. It's actually about Batman being sent back in time so he can be told over and over again that he's completely useless without money and fancy machines, but he can change that by being a magical ninja. That's the second TL;DR, in case you think Batman sucks and isn't as cool as Superman. It's also about every character from the Batman universe showing and wearing time-appropriate clothes and using feudal Japan weapons, but only before the giant robots show up. That's the last TL;DR, because you either get the gist or you think the movie sounds much cooler than it is, in which case I welcome to watch it before coming back. You'll have two scenes worth talking about with your friends and nothing else good to say about it.

I wish I could say it was one of those movies that's taking a tour of Batman's cast and rogues gallery, but that describes Batman vs TMNT. This is more like one of those movies where a random guy with no familiarity with the series is put in charge, assigns characters in simple roles based on quick summary readings, and then yells at the 3d animation department that they aren't getting paid overtime. A 12-year-old could make this movie, but I'm pretty sure most twelve-year-olds know Batman was already a ninja, if a guy dressed in black sneaking up on people didn't make that incredibly obvious.

Since the story is already a wash, and the Joker is only added in to give both the movie and marketing some teeth, maybe the action is worth the watch? And it is. The choreography, the music, the animation; it feels like watching a masterpiece in kickass drama. I was so hyped when during the beginning watching Batman fight the Joker with the tricked-out Batmobile... and then losing somehow. And then being told over and over again that technology is bad, and that tradition is good, and that technology is bad, and that tradition is-

Later, the Joker, the gorilla, and the other DC villains ride in on giant mecha robots to fight each other over feudal Japan territory. Don't ask how they made those robots, or how the language barrier is gone, or worse, how they built giant robots while dealing with a language barrier. Just know that everyone of the villain characters not only did it, but all the machines actually fit together and can controlled with a wooden chessboard.

Yes. Seriously.

How does Batman fight them? Without any tech, it'll be a huge, perhaps cinematic, challenge to even- oh right! The monkeys can just work together to make a huge monkey man. Then the bats will help for some reason and make a gigantic Batman that is immune to fire. And that will be how they beat the Chessboard Mecha.

YES. SERIOUSLY.

here's a picture.

Now, there are two things I should go over before I put a lid on this ridiculous sham of a film.

One, Batman: Ninja was made for Japan with the specific purpose of introducing Eastern media to the sheer awesomeness of DC comics and the illustrious Batman who is notably tied to it. A lot of the scenes are meant to represent certain historical points in Fedual Japan, like the DC villains fighting for territory, or Joker taking over the Mecha (and the plot), not to mention the Monkeys and bats being summoned by nature gods. It was all meant to serve as subtext for Japan's history. Even the Mecha's are meant to represent Japan's weirdly advanced mechanical puppets from the 1600s. Was it worth it? Hell no. I'm not going to explain how 'story integration' works because I shouldn't have to. If there is literally no connection between every historical nudge in the film and the plot of the movie, then you didn't write a Batman movie, you made an incomprehensible documentary and layered comic book shenanigans over it.

Which leads to my next point, my second thing. Why should I care? A man in a bat suit fighting a mind-control expert genius Gorilla, without guns for personal reasons, is insanely stupid in itself. Why can't I just enjoy the film as it is? My response to that is... I tried. The reason I'm even mad is that I tried. Even with the crap plot, it's hard not to see something like this as... enjoyable fluff, but in reality, is indigestible slop. There are too many what-if moments that go unanswered and far too many WTF moments that go unanswered. It just goes beyond being tolerable or acceptable; it can't be fixed with one moment of Batman turning into a semi-literal Batman. I'm still pissed off by that, by the way. All that build up and we don't see how they changed, what their time did to them, what the point of all the modern world bashing was supposed to be. All it says is that ninjas are cool... if you don't know what a ninja is.

Batman: Ninja is a disappointment. Not too much of a disappointment to stop them from making a sequel, but a disappointment all the same. Seeing it makes me cringe and reminds me why I began to lose interest in Batman movies. People see themselves in the Batman characters too much, characters who are supposed to define instability and impatience with the current world. So instead of stories about how their inherent character fails them and others, we get stories about how some characters weren't that bad, or how they have something in common with historical figures, or how they weren't that great in the first place but if they'll get better if they become a magical ninja. It's bullcrap that a film with this good animation and budget is somehow still a trashy, surface-level toy sales pitch.

I hear the Batman Ninja Manga is good though.

[greywindys]

Hi, another KnY fan here and I feel your pain🥲. I think one of infinity castle's biggest strengths is the "oh shit" moments, which would be accentuated so well in a weekly format where there can be multiple cliffhangers. In a movie, all those scenes that would otherwise be massively impactful are just squished together and probably lose impact.

Then there’s pacing. There was so much mixing and real time learning of information during the fights, like characters learning when other characters die, that I don’t know how they’ll split it up. I have faith in the studio if they’re choosing to do it this way, but with a regular season they could have switched between the battles like in the manga and not had it be an issue.

I meant to answer this yesterday, but yes, anon! Your worries are my worries. There are the three big fights before the Final Battle, plus two smaller fights. While I'm not as invested in the smaller fights, I feel bad for the fans of those characters because I don't see how those moments aren't overshadowed in a movie format. With episodes, they'd at least sort of get their "moment" before moving on, but without breaks, they likely aren't going to get the same attention/discussion from viewers. And yeah, the overlapping timeline will be tricky, because idt you can change the order of anything without changing the story. I also want to take this moment to grieve the loss of a unique OP and ED. I was really looking forward to the Infinity Castle OP, but that's now a dream that cannot be 😭

All that being said, I'm more at peace with it. The movies have historically made them a lot of money, and they'll be able to use that money for the animation budget. I have no doubts that all three films will look exquisite. The finale of this season helped me realize that. Like, I was watching it and thinking, yeah, this would awesome to see on big screen. The voice acting, the direction, the art - it was all there. And even though I was grieving it earlier, waiting for each movie is ultimately a good thing, IMO. I hate the Netflix model of dropping all the content at once and pressuring viewers to binge seasons as fast a possible. Media need to be fully experienced - discussed, debated, examined! (And so on) We shouldn't be rushing through series that have so much take in. House of the Dragon takes two years to film a season, and it's doing fine. People can and do wait for things that are worth waiting for. Considering the quality of the content left in the series + a committed and capable studio behind it, I think this only works well for Demon Slayer because the hype will build.

[prakharstuff]

Watched 2 Ghibli studio movies this past week and this is why I adore them.

First being an animation film I have to appreciate the phenomenal animation which kept me unblinking and mesmerized the whole of the movie.

Second was the themes and symbolism which I will discuss for both films.

Spirited away:

What I observed is that this and other movies from this studio don't have a definite beginning and end but between them, a beautiful story is woven.

In Miyazaki's films often concepts interpenetrate each other; it is not necessarily good or bad and the main hero seeks harmony, not triumph.

It's also just an incredible film in general. Its superiority is beyond anime, you don't need to watch more anime to enjoy it, it goes beyond animation in general. It has an original plot with an intriguing story and characters, it's stunning to look at and Joe Hisaishi's scores are one of the best in cinema history. Animation is so incredibly detailed and fluid, you completely forget that this is something drawn frame by frame by hand.

When No Face is running amok every single member of the crowd is a unique hand-drawn character. They aren't duplicating with computers like most comics will do. Also, the background characters are getting the same number of keyframes as the foreground characters, even when they aren't the focus of the shot.

None of those softballs is copied and pasted, they are all uniquely drawn. This probably gets completely missed by most people but animators geek out over how often Miyazaki chooses NOT to skip corners, even when there is no way the audience would notice.

The thing which I love the most about Spirited Away is that it is loaded with symbolism and cultural commentary on modern Japan and the rest of the world.

The most prominent one of course: Capitalism and Western influence on Japanese culture.

The laborers are all indentured servants to Yubaba, who takes their real name from them (which in turn suggests that capitalism is distorting and erasing Japanese identity). This is similar to the norm of lifetime employment, where a worker's individuality is replaced by the will of the firm. Characterized by lifetime employment and unending devotion to the company he's employed by. This is the figure you see in movies who leaves to work before his family wakes up and comes home to a sleeping family and a wrapped plate of food on an empty dinner table. This work ethic and attitude was the cultural norm for working Japanese men from the 1950s when salarymen were considered the engine of Japan's economic recovery. It later became a topic of critique in the 1990s and 2000s after the Japanese economy collapsed.

Although the bathhouse is physically a symbol of traditional Japan, with its architecture and spirit clientele, at its heart are capitalism and salarymen. The bathhouse proprietress and witch Yubaba is a symbol of cold, indifferent capitalism. All her actions are motivated by money and gain. There is a scene when her baby is transformed into a hamster. When Haku tells her something precious of hers is missing, Yubaba first looks at her gold and treasures before looking for her child. Even the workers are all also motivated by money.

All in all, with serene animation and music with essential symbolism this may not be my favorite film but it was one of the greatest and worth the hype.

(The next film in next post)

⊙‿⊙

[coolest-of-the-beans]

I remember when the first live action (that doesn't exist) was being made and the ads had everyone hyped. I was so excited! The whole fandom was. All the previews were encouraging, all the movie promotions looked good, I genuinely couldn't wait. By the time it came out I was ecstatic to see it. I'm not even sure I actually watched it the first time I sat down to. I was just so pumped, admiring every piece of the show that I could find in it, that by the end it took me another rewatch to realize how disappointed I was.

Beyond getting the names mispronounced or the terrible bending, the whole story just fell flat. I wouldn't even know where to begin with how, except that I think where it started to mess up was when it tried to make the movie plot heavy rather than character driven, and then fumbled the whole plot too. The plot for season one, which the movie was based on, was meant to be get to the North tribe. The rest is world and character exploration, but the movie just seemed like a fanfic trying to be a bit hand wavy with the finer details so it can get to the interesting stuff, only it never got there.

One of my least favorite scenes (aside from the ten earthbenders moving a single rock after doing a whole dance routine) is when the kids start planning how to defeat the fire nation and the plan is basically "tell everyone to fight". Like, even my first, most generous watch it gave me pause a second, because the show literally explains, multiple times, that actually yes people are fighting even still, but if they aren't they have good reason to keep their heads down, and no, neither option, fighting or not, can work forever and the only way this ends is by stopping the war directly. The war isn't about to be solved by three kids on a bison dropping by and being like, "hey, you ever think about not letting the fire nation attack? Just sayin'." And then flying off.

Anyway. I hope the new live action will be better. Idk why people feel the need to make a live action of a cartoon so badly, but here we are. So far Aang has been a little too serious from what I've seen and honestly that was one of the most off-putting things in the other live action. Also Sokka's sarcasm hits different in live action so I wonder how that'll go. I probably won't watch at first. It takes me years to get around to things, but here's hoping on behalf of those who will, that any part of this live action will be worth it.

[andiwantneedlusthenrycavill41482]

Part Two For September 28, 2016 Facebook Post. Kind Of Sounds Like Something Ashton Would Have Said.

I felt like I needed to added a Part Two so that I could explain how come I came up with that thought and what was going on around me:

This was around a time 4 years ago, when I was again unemployed for the second that year. My temp job and training for July-August had finished and I was waiting to start my next new temp job. Often I would be up half of the night, go to bed kind of late. I usually spent those nights when I was wide awake like that online or was working on drawing designs. I frequently was at AC Moore either buying tracing paper tablets or thin fine point pen writing permanent markers. Most of the designs I have first done were drawn and done by hand. This was maybe a year before I got and learned how to do Photoshop.

What was going on that particular night though:

Around our house depending on the time of the year, we often have a lot of Deer or Foxes always hanging out in our yard. This particular night, there was a Mother Fox and her Baby outside around the side of our front porch and she was howling. If you never have heard a Red Fox howl before, some people would say that it sounds like someone is screaming as if they were being murdered. I describe it sounding like a Demon that had just been Exorcised from a person fleeing in anger.

Before I had flipped on Dracula, I was watching something on True Crime Identity network on TV that was about some homicide case. That didn't help considering the fact, the Fox's howls just made me jumpy and a little paranoid that someone was outside (Another thing that I should not mix with after 12 AM). I'm a Criminal Justice, Behavior Science major, I've probably have had read one to many books on homicide cases and serial killers. I'm Autistic as well, so I have a Really Vivid Graphic Detail Visual Picture Like, Overactive imagination and I sometimes can scare and freak myself out. Unfortunately, that has been proven true back when I started to really study Psychology and serial killers. Let's just say when I had been getting into studying Ted Bundy and was learning some of the most disturbing aspects about him, I dug myself deep enough where I was able to hit a nerve with a Vivid Image that involved him and one of his victims who was the same height as me.

I had a common experience during the Summer of 2000, when I was 18. Before I had ever seen The Exorcist for the first time, I wanted to read the movie script so I would have some idea what to expect and prepare myself for. The Exorcist had a Theater rerelease during September 2000 for the film's 27th anniversary. Did it help, yes in a way it did. Big Mistake was deciding I wanted to read it so late at night that I ended up freaking myself out. As a result I was so jumpy that night and so loud when my bed had banged against my bedroom wall it woke my mom up to ask me what in the hell was going on. Before I ever saw the movie, I was freaking scared of this movie for over 4 years. At first I mostly was scared and freaked out because of the "Supposed scary" headspin and Regan's face when she's demonically possessed. Also to be safe, I went to see it during the Matinee when it was the day. It took a lot of guts for me to even go see it for the first time like this. I thankfully didn't have a anxiety attack or panic attack. I also didn't go see it alone.

I wanted to kick myself when I was watching the movie since that was the least of the scariest, freakiest scenes from the movie. If you had no idea behind how they did the close up shot of the demon's face, I didn't at the time, that was what had been the scariest,freakiest scenes in the movie. By than I felt like this freaking moron when I had realised that for over the last 4 years, I had been scared of a "Stupid, freaking life size head dummy". Also the "hype" people made about that scene was like when I saw the "shower scene" in the 1962 Original Psycho kind of a let down and not really scary. I didn't get what the hype had been about. Since it was 2000 then, when you watch that scene, compared to someone back in 1973 you could see how laughable it was and tell that this a lifesize dummy that was used. It sat up you than hear a Reck sound as the head did a quick full 360 spin followed by a rattle.

[greatghuleh]

My friend barely saw the movie and asked me what I thought about it and my response it's fine...and that that's kind of the problem. It's just a fine movie. And that No Way Home dealt better with the multiverse and with cameos that were worth it.

My friend is also from Europe so they didn't grow up with the Sam Reime movies, and in general aren't that big of a horror movie fan. I'm not either. So that was also another setback for the movie. It was banking on nostalgia, which some of the other movies have done too but this one on a even MORE specific niche. Like, to genuinely LOVE the movie I think you had to have skipped Wanda vision, but a HUGE horror movie buff and enough of a fan of Sam R to really appreciate a lot of what I keep seeing videos point out. Personally, I only know Bruce Campbell from his role in Burn Notice so like...I knew who he was but a lot of people didn't, and so the end credit felt as even more of an FU rather than a funny Deadpool like quib.

It was an okay movie but you're right, that's all it was.

"my response "it's fine"". honestly. Agree. That's basically what I'm telling people. Which bums me out... being such a huge Dr. Strange fan. Bummed that we don't yet have a really balls to the wall amazing Dr. Strange story yet. Both his movies are middle of the road, especially if you're not already a big fan of the character.

That's kind of just like where I am coming out on it. I was hype when I walked out of the theater because it was fun to watch and of course the Clea tease. But the movie is just... okay. It's there. It has some really cool moments and some really amazing set pieces. Does it like... really accomplish anything??? not really. Does it explore any truly new interesting aspects of the characters??? not really.

I did know we were going a more horror-esque route even from the first movie. When they hired Scott Derrickson, a horror director, and he was all pumped to be doing multiple Doctor Strange movies.... and early on constantly teasing Nightmare on his twitter. I KNEW that Feige or MCU higher ups wanted to push a horror element into Doctor Strange at some point. So, getting Raimi in to replace Derrickson made complete sense to me.

A bit too bad all the horror elements were Wanda Maximoff and not a truly scary Doctor Strange villain. With Wanda, I felt she was obviously powerful enough and apparently unhinged enough, but the horror story coming from her and around her felt a bit forced, if i'm honest. It was cool and entertaining to watch but like... why are here in this semi-horror movie with WANDA?

(Side note: I feel like this movie was supposed to be Nightmare or some other Dr. Strange big bad that dabbles in horror before Feige shifted gears and wanted it to be a larger Multiverse story featuring villain!Wanda. and I truly believe that's a big part of why Derrickson took off.)

I'll also be honest, going into this I expected WAY more cool Multiverses and variants. Wow, was I hugely disappointed in that respect.

Also, I didn't stay for the second credits scene because I needed to get the fuck out of there with Clea and Stephen walking into that portal being the last thing I saw. I DID NOT care what else it had to show me. Even Raimi and Bruce Campbell fans left feeling a bit insulted by that second credits scene. I feel like they meant a joke but it left people frustrated, being used to getting teasing content in the credits scenes.

[notbecauseofvictories]

Hi Sarah! My friend and I are starting a bookclub (as much as you can with two people who aren't pressed for deadlines) and I was wondering if you have any recommendations? (That is if you have time to rec anything!) We're starting off with Deathless and have Fitzgerald next in line somewhere but I def want to try to expand the genres we read and tbh from years of following you, I trust your judgement

I don’t...like giving recommendations? At least not directly, it seems like too much opportunity for getting it wrong. Everybody has their own tastes, after all, and even the best of friends don’t necessarily vibe with what you vibe with. (I’ve experienced this with multiple friends, so I know what I’m talking about.) Truly, one of the reasons that my whole “I’m going to get back into reading for pleasure!” push has been so successful is that I only bother with books that interest me, and stop reading when they fail to catch my attention.

But I’ve now read at least 60 books in 2020, which is approximately 60 more than I’ve read in the years prior, so I’m happy to share that. Below is my list of recent reads, beginning to end, along with a very short review---I keep this list in the notes app on my phone, so they have to be. Where I’ve talked about a book in a post, I’ve tried to link to it. 

Peruse, and if something catches your interest I hope you enjoy!

2020 Reading List

Crazy Rich Asians series, Kevin Kwan (here)

Blackwater, Michael McDowell (here; pulpy horror and southern gothic in one novel; come for the monster but stay for the family drama.)

Fire and Hemlock, Diane Wynne Jones (here; weird and thoughtful, in ways I’m still thinking about)

The Secret History, Donna Tartt

Gone Girl, Gillian Flynn (here; loved it! I can see why people glommed onto it)

Swamplandia!, Karen Russell (unfinished, I could not get past the first paragraph; just....no.)

Rules of Scoundrels series, Sarah MacLean (an enjoyable romp through classic romancelandia, though if you read through 4 back to back you realize that MacLean really only writes 1 type of relationship and 1 type of sexual encounter, though I do appreciate insisting that the hero go down first.)

The Bear and the Nightingale, Katherine Arden (here)

Dread Nation, Justine Ireland (great, put it with Stealing Thunder in terms of fun YA fantasy that makes everything less white and Eurocentric)

The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson (VERY good. haunting good.)

Tell My Horse, Zora Neale Hurston (I read an interesting critique of Hurston that said she stripped a lot of the radicalism out of black stories - these might be an example, or counterexample. I haven't decided yet.)

The Rose MacGregor Drinking and Admiration Society, T. Kingfisher (fun!)

St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves, Karen Russell (some of these short stories are wonderful; however, Swamplandia's inspiration is still unreadable, which is wild.)

17776, Jon Bois (made me cry. deeply human. A triumph of internet storytelling)

The Girl with All the Gifts, M. R. Carey (deeply enjoyable. the ending is a bittersweet kick in the teeth, and I really enjoyed the adults' relationships)

The Door in the Hedge and Other Stories, Robin McKinley (enjoyable, but never really resolved into anything.)

The Hero and the Crown, Robin McKinley (fun, but feels very early fantasy - or maybe I've just read too many of the subsequent knock-offs.)

Mrs. Caliban, Rachel Ingalls (weird little pulp novel.)

All Systems Red, Martha Wells (enjoyable, but I don't get the hype. won't be looking into the series unless opportunity arises.)

A People's History of Chicago, Kevin Coval (made me cry. bought a copy. am still thinking about it.)

The Sol Majestic, Ferrett Steinmetz (charming, a sf novel mostly about fine dining)

House in the Cerulean Sea, TJ Klune (immensely enjoyable read, for all it feels like fic with the serial numbers filed off)

The Au Pair, Emma Rous (not bad, but felt like it wanted to be more than it is)

The Night Tiger, Yangsze Choo (preferred this to Ghost Bride; I enjoy a well-crafted mystery novel and this delivered)

The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula Le Guin (unfinished, I cannot fucking get into Le Guin and should really stop trying)

The Ghost Bride, Yangsze Choo (enjoyable, but not nearly as fun as Ghost Bride - the romance felt very disjointed, and could have used another round of editing)

Temptation's Darling, Johanna Lindsey (pure, unadulterated id in a romance novel, complete with a girl dressing as a boy to avoid detection)

Social Creature, Tara Isabella Burton (a strange, dark psychological portrait; really made a mark even though I can't quite put my finger on why)

The Girl on the Train, Paula Hawkins (slow at first, but picks up halfway through and builds nicely; a whiff of Gone Girl with the staggered perspectives building together)

Stealing Thunder, Alina Boyden (fun Tortall vibes, but set in Mughal India)

The Traitor Baru Cormorant; The Monster Baru Commorant, The Tyrant Baru Cormorant, Seth Dickinson (LOVE this, so much misery, terrible, ecstatic; more here)

This Is How You Lose the Time War, Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone (epistolary love poetry, vicious and lovely; more here)

The Elementals, Michael McDowell

Gideon the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir (didn't like this one as much as I thought I would; narrator's contemporary voice was so jarring against the stylized world and action sequences read like the novelization for a video game; more here)

Finna, Nino Cipri (a fun little romp through interdimensional Ikea, if on the lighter side)

Magic for Liars, Sarah Gailey (engrossing, even if I could see every plot twist coming from a mile away)

Desdemona and the Deep, C. S. E. Cooney (enjoyed the weirdness & the fae bits, but very light fare)

A Blink of the Screen, Terry Pratchett (admittedly just read this for the Discworld bits)

A Memory Called Empire, Arkady Martine (not as good about politics and colonialism as Baru, but still a powerful book about The Empire, and EXTREMELY cool worldbuilding that manages to be wholly alien and yet never heavily expositional)

Blackfish City, Sam J. Miller (see my post)

Last Werewolf, Glen Duncan (didn't finish, got to to first explicit sex scene and couldn't get any further)

Prosper's Demon, KJ Parker (didn't work for me...felt like a short story that wanted to be fleshed out into a novel)

The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett

His Majesty's Dragon, Naomi Novik (extremely fun, even for a reader who doesn't much like Napoleonic stories)

Three Parts Dead, Max Gladstone (fun romp - hard to believe that this is the same author as Time War though you can see glimmers of it in the imagery here)

A Scot in the Dark, Sarah MacLean (palette cleanser, she does write a good romance novel even it's basically the same romance novel over and over)

The Resurrectionist, E. B. Hudspeth (borrowed it on a whim one night, kept feeling like there was something I was supposed to /get/ about it, but never did - though I liked the Mutter Museum parallels)

Stories of Your Life and Others, Ted Chiang (he's a better ideas guy than a writer, though Hell Is The Absence of God made my skin prickle all over)

Gods of Jade and Shadow, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (fun, very much a throwback to my YA days of fairytale retellings, though obviously less European)

Four Roads Cross, Max Gladstone (it turns out I was a LOT more fond of Tara than I initially realized - plus this book had a good Pratchett-esque pacing and reliance on characterization)

Get in Trouble, Kelly Link (reading this after the Chiang was instructive - Link is such a better storyteller, better at prioritizing the human over the concept)

Gods Behaving Badly, Marie Phillips

Soulless; Changeless; Blameless, all by Gail Carriger (this series is basically a romance novel with some fantasy plot thrown in for fun; extremely charming and funny)

Black Leopard, Red Wolf, Marlon James (got about 1/3 of the way through and had to wave the white flag; will try again because I like the plot and the worldbuilding; the tone is just so hard to get through)

Pew, Catherine Lacey (a strange book, I'm still thinking about it; a good Southern book, though)

Nuremberg Diary, GM Gilbert (it took me two months to finish, and was worth it)

River of Teeth, Sarah Gailey (I wanted to like this one a lot more than I actually did; would have made a terrific movie but ultimately was not a great novel. Preferred Magic for Liars.)

Mexican Gothic, Silvia Moreno-Garcia (extremely fun, though more trippy than Gods and the plot didn't work as well for me - though it was very original)

The New Voices of Fantasy, Peter S. Beagle (collected anthology, with some favorites I've read before Ursula Vernon's "Jackalope Wives", "Hungry Daughters of Starving Mothers" "The Husband Stitch"; others that were great new finds "Selkie Stories are for Losers" from Sofia Satamar and "A Kiss With Teeth" from Max Gladstone and "The Philosophers" from Adam Ehrlich Sachs)