katthedoodlecatcher

[katthedoodlecatcher]

Books on Libby have started disappearing.

My friend pointed it out first, and then I started noticing too. Why would books that multiple libraries definitely, 100% had digital access to a couple of months/weeks/days ago disappear?

Amazon is getting exclusive rights to them.

Ebooks that the public library once had digital copies of are now only available through Amazon. Audible boasts on their covers about Audible-exclusive audiobooks that did not used to be Audible-exclusive. Entire series and collections are disappearing overnight.

Keep your eyes on the privatization of media and your libraries.

[katthedoodlecatcher]

The Raven Boys: mid-twenties reads

I wanted to write down my feelings about my reread of the first book in one of my favourite series' The Raven Cycle. I first read this series at 23, soon to be 24, and it has stuck with me ever since. At the tender age of literally just turned 25, I'm rereading these books because they reignite my belief in the whimsy of life, and that's important in these often chaotic and dark times. Seeing as tumblr is a safe space for me and has a bunch of fellow book nerds on board, here is the first in a series of posts I want to make reviewing some of my mid-twenties reads (and rereads). This is self-indulgent. No I am not sorry.

The Raven Boys - why it still works

One of the reasons I personally love this book, and this series, is because it doesn't over explain its plot. There is no sense that you are being taught something important. Maggie Stiefvater is not constantly letting you know how clever the book is and how impressed you should be with it. The main plot deals with intriguing forays into the world of psychic power, energy and magic, yet the book doesn't hold judgement on whether these are particularly extraordinary things or not. The existence of these elements in the plot are there for you to interpret however you like: magical realism, fact, complete fantasy. It is not telling you how to understand these themes, it's just telling you to listen to a story being told about them. This invites unqiue scope for fantasy and non-fantasy readers alike to enjoy the book for the whimiscial and slightly non-sensical adventure it is.

Maggie Stiefvater has a knack for creating an atmosphere, and the foundations of Henrietta, our story's core setting, are built in this first book beautifully. Lyrical descriptions of Virginian blue ridge mountains, vivid depictions of pathetic fallacy and a finely tuned talent of using little details to paint loud pictures of a place that doesn't actually exist are done incredibly well. Right down to the description of Aglionby Academy (the rich boy private school we have all either heard of or seen in other media), Stiefvater does so much with so little to convey perfect understanding of what the book is talking about and what that setting looks, smells, tastes, sounds and feels like. After reading this book you'll want to visit Henrietta, sneer with Blue at the rich boys at Aglionby Academy and avoid Nino's at all costs (unless attending the joint with the Gangsey). Unfortunately it is a fictional setting only.

In amongst the atmospheric background of Henrietta are its effortlessly intriguing characters. We have the women of 300 Fox Way, all psychics (bar Blue) and all with their own distinct personalities. Persephone's hand slips when she makes cocktails (they are always too strong), Maura does not know how to react to being disobeyed and Calla likes to poke snakes (Ronan) with sticks. We have the four Raven Boys (Gansey, Adam, Ronan and Noah) who all have complex relationships with themselves and each other. We have Blue who is destined to kill her true love by kissing him (not a good thing to put on your dating profile perhaps). How the characters handle complex issues is a huge part of why the book feels especially interesting: social dynamics including class (particularly money) are discussed frequently, and feelings of loss and confusion over individual purpose in life is also touched upon a lot. These characters, their ideas and opinions and relationships with each other, feel complicated in the way real people's ideas and opinions and relationships are complicated. The best part is that, again, not everything is over-explained. We are made to feel as though we are looking in, but we are not given every detail of this group's friendships. It makes everything feel that much more story-like and magical.

Finally, we have the main shtick, the plot itself: the gang are on a quest to find a dead Welsh king. Gansey's brush with death, a whisper in his ear and a lot of helicopter rides have led him to believe it's his destiny to find Gllyndwr. Adam would like a wish granted, Ronan would do anything for Gansey, Noah has a past to uncover and Blue wants to see something otherworldly for herself. Using magical realism, the power of historical intrigue and undeniable whimsy, The Raven Boys makes you feel like you're being taken along on an adventure where at least one of the individual quests will be completed. It makes you want to stick around and find out which it will be.

I'm glad I read this for the first time in my 20's. It makes me feel nostalgic for the reckless and breathless hope you feel when first stepping into your own skin as a young adult. It's such a comfort to read about a world just real enough that you recognise it, and yet magical enough that you leave life behind when you visit it and become braver still.

(If you haven't read The Raven Boys, what are you waiting for?)

[katthedoodlecatcher]

You’re always?? The car crash?? RONAN??!!

[katthedoodlecatcher]

I will be your hands,

*I will be your eyes*.

[katthedoodlecatcher]

Breaking: Fictional Repressed Teen Doesn’t Call His Bisexual Friend “Tiger” in Book Series Adaptation. Hundreds of Online Queers Reeling.

[katthedoodlecatcher]

[katthedoodlecatcher]

the moment of all time.

[katthedoodlecatcher]

Rereading the secret history years after the first time reading it is sending me right through the loop.

What do you mean Richard was asleep the whole time and barely asked any questions?! What do you mean this man thought getting hypothermia was a better option than asking literally anyone for help? What do you MEAN he didn’t pick up on the fact that his whole friend group was sleeping with each other???!?

[katthedoodlecatcher]

Never miss the chance to draw something small and silly on a cardboard scrap 💅

[katthedoodlecatcher]

こにちわ、月本語が好ですよ！兀気ですか？🤠

REBLOG IN ANY NON ENGLISH LANGUAGE YOURE LEARNING OR KNOW ‼️‼️‼️‼️

I’ll go first

我在学中文：）

[katthedoodlecatcher]

you're always the car crash, Ronan?? you're???? ALWAYS???? the????? car C R A S H??????? Ronan????????????

[katthedoodlecatcher]

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The fact that this is 80 fucking years ago but still just as relevant is terrifying.

[katthedoodlecatcher]

the thing about disability is it really does sometimes boil down to "wow i wish i could do that" and then you can't. and it sucks.

[katthedoodlecatcher]

having trc mutuals is like, cool! happy "wake up fucking witchy manwhore wednesday" to you too, whatever that means

[katthedoodlecatcher]

ATTENTION

If you see this you are OBLIGATED to reblog w/ the song currently stuck in your head :)

[katthedoodlecatcher]

Gansey is someone passionate about something, one thing, and is scared that this passion is all there is to him snd everything else.

Blue is scared of loving something knowing she is going to lose it, but unable to stop herself from loving it anyway.

Adam is determined to be his own person, but at the same time loves having his worth proved by what he can do for those around him.

Ronan.