#(i think a lot about that person who said anne was the most significant queen in english history)

[navree]

there has GOT to be a way to explain anne boleyn's proto-feminism and importance to history without absolutely shitting on katherine of aragon and acting as if she was basically set dressing for her entire marriage rather than a person in her own right and an important one at that, but i think a lot of stanne's are just virulently misogynistic so they're physically incapable of doing so

[richmond-rex]

this sounds a little petty 😂 - or maybe it's a genuinely valid piece of frustration, idk - but whenever I see a list of Tudor queens or Tudor queen consorts and Elizabeth of York is either 1) not on the list or 2) regarded as one of the less "important" (what does that even mean? idk but people keep saying it) queens, it irritates me so much. You'd think people who care about the Tudors as a historical dynasty would give the first Tudor queen her due, but apparently the most she's good for is vague and rather inaccurate comparisons with Henry VIII's queens. Particularly Jane Seymour, even though I really don't think there's much of a "parallel" between the two women's personalities, queenship, marriages or even appearance at all.

Elizabeth was SO IMPORTANT for the inception of the dynasty. So damn important. Henry VII's route to kingship from 1483 did not begin with him. It didn't begin with him angling for the throne or people angling for his right to the throne. It began with Yorkist supporters trying to put the Princes on the throne and then beginning to consider their sister Elizabeth of York as the Yorkist heiress. Their loyalty to Henry VII was primarily as the future husband of Elizabeth of York, that's where he gained the majority of his new supporters, including William Stanley who was of immense, history-altering help in Bosworth, came from. (I thiiiink you had reblogged a post of yours with someone's additional added tags about this that framed it a lot better, recently but I can't find it rip). That is obviously not discounting Henry's competence or his capabilities or his victory, or Margaret Beaufort's admirable actions, but I just feel like Elizabeth of York's importance to the Tudor dynasty can never be overstated. Her position as his queen and wife were so important for his road to kingship AND the way he secured his reign and dynasty afterwards. Without Elizabeth of York, it's highly doubtful that Henry would have been able to gain the throne the way he did (at least, not without a significant more time, effort and a MUCH higher chance of failure) and it's also doubtful that he'd be able to secure it the way he did, because their unification from two opposing sides was a major factor in his propaganda and collective perception of their marriage, and the comfort, strength and support it evoked.

Obviously, this is within the bracket of the Tudor queens (because they're a very famous dynasty and all their queens are significantly better known than a lot of former or latter ones), but it's just frustrating??

again - I hope this doesn't sound very petty 😂

Hi! Sorry for taking so long to reply, but don't worry I get your frustration completely (and I share it too). I remember once seeing an incredibly pretty illustration for the Tudor consorts depicting all of Henry VIII's queens AND Philip of Spain..... and it didn't include Elizabeth of York. After Catherine of Aragon, Elizabeth was the longest reigning Tudor consort, being queen for no less than seventeen (17) years! She was immensely popular at her time which can be attested not only by the several presents she received from noble and common folk alike but also by the fact that she was the subject of a popular ballad that reimagined her as a romantic heroine (The Most Pleasant Song of the Lady Bessy), and the subject of songs during her lifetime. Her death was lamented by commentators from Ireland to Rome, and her reputation for charity was well-known. She was so popular in her time, it's a bit ironic that she has become, as Amy Licence puts it, 'the forgotten Tudor queen'.

(Of course, it's all relative as you said: we're talking about the Tudor perspective. Elizabeth is still more well-known than Philippa of Hainault or Anne of Bohemia, for example, if only because she's known in relation to the drama of her brothers and uncle, or because she's known as Henry VIII's mother).

In terms of importance, it's staggering how much her role has been downplayed. And I'm not only talking about the establishment of the Tudor dynasty, which is usually cited if only in brief terms. Her legacy lived on. As pointed out by Michelle Beer, for both Catherine of Aragon and Margaret Tudor, Elizabeth was the only queen consort whom they had experience observing, and her queenship style would have impacted their own. But going back to the establishment of her husband's reign, her importance was so much more than simply providing him with the supporters he needed (which is so often reduced to merely 'lifting a finger for a wedding ring'). I will never tire of pointing out Elizabeth's active participation in diplomacy, communicating with European princes in order to protect her husband's interests. If on one hand, Margaret of York was writing to the Pope asking him to lift his sanction of Henry VII, Elizabeth of York was writing to him to do exactly the contrary and reinforce his sanction.

She was an integral element of her husband's reign that went beyond her dynastic blood. Elizabeth provided a more human/accessible image at court celebrations and feasts, formal occasions and receptions of foreign delegations. Not for nothing, she was so frequently found at Henry VII's side on those occasions. Symbolically, she seems to have been greatly valued by Henry too, and I don't mean it simply by how her family symbol, the white rose, was integrated into official Tudor imagery. I'm also talking about how much weight he seems to have given to their union. In terms of art commissions done by Henry, their marriage was constantly alluded to in a way that referenced prophetic discourse: we have their marriage bed where Henry and Elizabeth are portrayed as the new Adam and Eve (Christ and the Virgin), the royal chapel at Greenwich where they were depicted holding hands (I will talk about it in the future), the family portrait where Henry and Elizabeth are depicted as if re-enacting their wedding vows, and even the shared tomb he commissioned.

Elizabeth of York was important and was valued on so many fronts, I daresay she was one of the most efficient queens in terms of successfully upholding her husband's reign. When it comes to Henry's ascension, I think Elizabeth and Margaret Beaufort might have been equally important (considering Margaret's articulation/funding and her claim from which Henry derived his own). But after Henry's ascension, my opinion is that Elizabeth was even more important for all the political, symbolic and of course, emotional support she provided her husband. They seem to have been a very effective partnership, and I doubt his reign would have been as successful as it was if it wasn't for Elizabeth.

So yeah, it is frustrating that she's not given the real importance that she's due when it comes to discussing Tudor history. Whenever she is talked about, she's so commonly relegated to a passive dynastic and decorative role, a trophy wife, it's insane.

[a-froger-epic]

Hi! I was browsing through some comments on one of Freddie's videos and randomly came across a guy who was very adamant that Freddie once hired like 20 or 30 male prostitutes while in Brazil and engaged in all sorts of crazy sexual stuff with them, orgies and all. I can't be sure but I think I might have come across a similar bit of information before, from one of his biographies. What do you think about it? Do you have any other information about it? And if we were to assume that such a thing really did take place, then what's your take on it? Thanks!

Hi there!

So, first off, let's not sit and discuss how truthful someone's YouTube comments might be. There are enough printed sources about Freddie and Queen, where the truthfulness is also up for debate, without QueenRulez74 on YouTube or whatever being added into the mix.

Having said that, the only source where such a claim apoears that I know of (thank you for sourcing it, @quirkysubject) is from a Leslie-Ann Jones book. Now, in case you are unfamiliar with this author, she is notorious for having written some very, very questionable takes on Freddie. Even Brian has told people not to buy her most recent book, as far as I remember. Personally, I find the tone of her writing unpleasantly sensationalist and, simply put, don't really trust her. There's a lot of reasons for that which I won't go into now to stay on point.

The quote is under the cut, followed by my opinion on it. There is no mention of the number of men. So I don't know where your YouTube commenter got the number 20 to 30 from.

"To Paul Prenter fell the dubious task of picking out men that Freddie might fancy. Few resisted the invitation ‘to join Freddie Mercury at his personal private party in his hotel suite’. Most onlookers agreed that Prenter’s duties had taken on a sordid dimension. Not only was he responsible for rounding up talent – usually young male prostitutes known as ‘taxi boys’ – but for procuring copious quantities of alcohol and cocaine.

One former taxi boy, a blond, blue-eyed Jew named Patricio, joined Freddie at his private parties on several occasions. Having travelled from Buenos Aires to Rio to try his hand at acting, Patricio had fallen into prostitution through destitution and despair. He would make one more significant journey in his lifetime: to Israel, to die of AIDS. Patricio, by his own admission, had a number of sexual encounters with Freddie.

‘The boys who were chosen joined Freddie back in the privacy of his hotel suite, which was very luxurious and overlooked the hotel pool,’ he remembered.

'First we drank, and then snorted some cocaine – there was a little low, wooden table with the lines of cocaine already chopped out, all prepared. Next, we’d shed our clothes and enter Freddie’s room, where he would greet us, wearing just his dressing gown. Throughout proceedings, Paul (Prenter) remained fully clothed. Freddie engaged in sexual activity with each in turn, in front of the others. When he was tired, Prenter paid the boys and asked us to leave. Freddie was always passive. When you start being gay, you tend to be active. But if you are popular, and everyone wants to go with you, you turn passive, as it’s the easiest way to have fun. To act like “the man” is very tiring. Most gay men come to prefer the “female” role.’

Freddie had grown addicted to casual sex. According to Patricio, the star was not even turned on by it most of the time. The wilder the evening got, he said, the more impassive Freddie appeared.

‘He did not even seem to be enjoying himself. Just going through the motions.’"

- - -

That's, allegedly, Rio '85.

She's basically quoting an anonymous source here, named by first name only and deceased. She doesn't even claim to have spoken with this man personally. For all we know, she spoke to a guy who knew a guy who said that his mate Patricio said... etc. Like any anonymous source, I'm not going to go ahead and give this more than a: Yeah, it's possible.

I also find it possible and not unlikely that this is a story which was embellished with rumour and made up details. A lot of sources do confirm that Paul's job was procuring drugs and sometimes men for Freddie. I don't think that's any different than many other rock stars asking for groupies backstage, for example. It's sometimes suggested that Paul drugged Freddie up and organised orgies like these for his own enjoyment. That's also possible. How much agency did Freddie have here? Who knows. A lot of things are possible, and we know very little with 100% certainty.

Do I think Freddie sometimes had drug-fuelled orgies? Yeah. Most rock stars did and do. I mean, regular people end up having the odd drug-fuelled orgy. *shifty eyes* It happens around people in the entertainment business pretty easily sometimes. 👀 I am also reminded of Freddie's bodyguard's book and his story about the night Roger, Brian and John took a limousine full of strippers back to their hotel in the early 80s.

I doubt they played scrabble.

[rhosyn-du]

Never make a mess when a total catastrophe will do - Chapter Two

Pairings: Jimon, past Clace, background Clizzy, a bunch of other minor background pairings Rating: Explicit Art: @cor321​ Beta: @all-thestories-aretrue​ Tags:  Alternate Universe - College/University, fake dating, oh my god they were roommates, friends with benefits, idiots to lovers, pining, miscommunication, holidays, drinking games, mistletoe, symbolically significant Oreos, domestic fluff, brief mention of past character death, Jace’s self-worth issues deserve their own tag Summary: What do you do when you find out your sister is not only dating your ex and love-of-your-high-school-life but is also bringing her home for Christmas? Bring your annoying, hot, annoyingly-hot roommate as your fake boyfriend to show them you're totally fine with it, obviously! There's no possible way this could backfire. Link: AO3 , Tumblr Master Post

Chapter Two

They didn’t talk more about it later. Jace barely saw Simon at all over the following couple weeks, in fact. It’s not that he was intentionally avoiding Simon, but they both had final exams to study for, and Simon was wrapped up in guitar ensemble rehearsals for the winter concert on top of that. If Jace had spent a little more of his study time in the library than was strictly necessary and that just happened to prevent any further discussions of dispays of physical affection and practice dates, that was entirely beside the point.

What Jace hadn’t counted on was how unprepared he’d feel pulling up outside the Queen Anne style townhouse he’d called home for most of his childhood. He suddenly wished he’d let Simon talk him into driving together and using the drive as a last minute planning session, even if it meant they’d need to coordinate their trip back to Boston. As much as he’d been avoiding talking about their plan, it really only occurred to Jace on the drive how much he wished they actually had, you know, a plan.

“Wow,” Simon said, hopping out of the hand-painted van he’d parked right behind Jace’s car. “Is that an actual turret?”

“Yup, gotta love those late 19th century architectural fads,” Jace answered as he pulled his suitcase out of the trunk. “The house belonged to Maryse’s grandparents, and I’ve never been able to tell how much she actually likes the style and how much is just childhood nostalgia, but she hasn’t even changed much of the interior except for renovations and repairs.”

“I have a hard time imagining growing up in a place like this,” Simon said as he joined Jace with his own suitcase in hand. “And it’s not like my mom’s house is tiny or anything, but this is just...” He waved a hand vaguely at the house. “A lot.”

He didn’t ask why Jace was sharing a tiny apartment furnished entirely secondhand if his family lived in a house like this, and Jace didn’t offer an explanation.

“You don’t need to be nervous,” Jace said, even though there was plenty to be nervous about. “I promise the house doesn’t bite.”

“Yeah, less worried about the house than the people in it,” Simon told him.

“I thought you were, like, the parent whisperer,” Jace teased. “Isn’t that why you offered to come with me? Because you make a great boyfriend? Trust me, as long as Alec and Izzy think you make me happy, they’ll love you, and you know more about comics than anyone I’ve ever met, so Max will love you regardless.”

“Okay,” Simon said, releasing a heavy breath. “Okay, thanks. You’re right, I just got a little intimidated by the house, but this is all going to be fine.”

“Maryse is probably going to hate you, though,” Jace continued, keeping his face carefully deadpan. “She hates everyone we bring home. It’s like a rite of passage. But you’re great with parents, so I’m sure you’ll at least avoid intentional food poisoning.”

Simon stared at him in horror, and Jace couldn’t keep a hit of a smile from breaking through.

“I hate you,” Simon told him.

“If it makes you feel any better,” Jace said, “I’m pretty sure the food poisoning wasn’t actually intentional.”

“Wait, there was actual food poisoning?”

“Come on,” Jace said, heading toward the door. “I want to get inside before we freeze to death.”

“You are such a dick sometimes,” Simon muttered, catching up to him.

Then, he slipped his free hand into Jace’s like it was a totally normal thing to do, and Jace had to catch himself from tripping over the steps.

“Careful,” Simon said, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. “I’m not going to make a very good impression on your family if you fall and break your neck before we even get inside.”

And there was just nothing to say to that, to how uncomfortable it wasn’t to have Simon’s hand in his like this, to the way it made him want. So Jace simply rolled his eyes and pushed open the front door, letting the scent of home wrap around him like a warm blanket.

“Okay,” Simon said quietly as he surveyed the entryway, complete with antique chandelier. “Feeling a little intimidated again.” And it was so easy for Jace to just give his hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Hey, you made it,” a warm voice greeted them. “With as bad as traffic has been, we thought you’d be another hour at least.”

“Hey, man,” Jace said, dropping Simon’s hand so he could pull his brother into a hug. “People must be staying home for the holidays this year, because we barely hit any traffic at all.” He glanced around. “Where is everyone?”

“Iz should be here any minute, Max is holed up in his room playing video games with his friends, and Magnus is helping Mom with some last-minute grocery shopping for dinner tomorrow.” Alec held out a hand to Simon. “I’m Alec, since Jace apparently can’t be bothered to make introductions like a civilized person.”

“It’s okay,” Simon said, giving his hand a quick shake, “I gave up on the idea of Jace being civilized the first time I saw him eat pizza that had been sitting out on the counter for three days.”

“That was your pizza,” Jace pointed out.

“Yeah,” Simon said, “which I was going to throw away because I forgot about it for three days.”

“On the subject of uncivilized,” Jace said, turning back to Alec, who was looking just a little too pleased, “you really sent Magnus shopping with Maryse? Buddy, if you decided you don’t want to marry the guy, just break it off with him. You don’t have to throw him to the wolves like that.”

Alec’s tiny smile became a little less tiny and a whole lot softer. “Magnus and Mom have actually been getting along lately. She wanted his opinion on wine pairings, so they went to the store and left me here so I can pull the bread out of the oven when it’s done. It’s very weird, but also nice.”

“That does sound very weird,” Jace told him, “but I’m glad things are working out and Maryse has found some level of chill somewhere.”

“Hopefully that means I won’t get poisoned,” Simon said.

Alec snorted. “If you want to avoid it, you should probably avoid mentioning you know about that. Or any other embarrassing family stories Jace might have shared with you.”

“And don’t eat anything Izzy hands you,” Jace added. “Anything she cooks probably won’t kill you, but the taste will make you wish you were dead.”

“So, I should just fast while I’m here,” Simon said. “Good to know.”

Jace led Simon upstairs to drop off their bags while Alec checked on the bread.

“Just toss your bag anywhere,” Jace said, opening the door to his old room. “We can argue over who gets which side of the dresser later.”

“Sure,” Simon said cheerfully, “as long as we can be civil deciding who gets which side of the bed.” He stopped just inside the doorway. “Wow, okay. The apparently very small bed.”

And this really was something that should have occurred to him, Jace realized. It wasn’t that he hadn’t considered that he’d be sharing a bed with Simon. They’d even talked about it, briefly, and agreed it was no big deal. But Jace hadn’t considered exactly how much smaller his childhood bed was than the generous queen he slept in back home. It was technically large enough to fit two grown men, but only technically.

“Don’t worry,” Jace said, falling back on his trademark bravado, “I won’t get mad if you cuddle me in your sleep. I know you can’t help it if your subconscious recognizes that I’m irresistible.”

“I’m more worried about your freakishly sharp elbows,” Simon muttered.

“As long as you don’t snore or steal the covers, you won’t have to worry about my elbows,” Jace told him. He was planning to keep his elbows, and the rest of him, as far away from Simon as possible. Which, given the size of the bed, was maybe three inches.

“Dude, I do not snore,” Simon protested. “You know that; we live together.”

“You absolutely snore after your fourth drink.”

“I wasn’t planning to get drunk with your family,” Simon said, tossing his bag onto the bed.

“You say that now,” Jace said, leaving his own bag next to the door. “But wait until you get the full Lightwood Christmas experience before deciding you want to spend the whole thing sober.”

“If your family drives me to drink, you don’t get to blame me for snoring,” Simon countered. Which was probably fair, but Jace was saved from having to admit that by the sound of voices coming from downstairs.

“That’d be Izzy,” Jace said, “and we’d better get down there before she accuses me of trying to hide you from her.”

“Jace,” called a singsong voice, right on cue, “quit making out with your mystery hottie and get down here so we can actually meet him.”

“You should be careful making demands like that,” Jace called back. “What if I’m not wearing any pants?”

“We’ve all seen it. Get your ass down here “

“I like your sister already,” Simon told him.

“You say that now, but wait until she decides you count as family. She won’t be any better with you.” He took Simon’s hand. Because it helped sell their relationship. Because he could. Simon laced their fingers together, and Jace tried not to feel any way about that at all as he led Simon back down the stairs.

They only made it a couple steps before Simon came to a complete stop, almost causing Jace to trip the rest of the way down the staircase. He heard Simon mutter a soft ‘oh crap’ at the same time a bright, redheaded whirlwind came rushing up the stairs at them.

“Oh my god, Simon?” Clary grabbed Simon into a giant bearhug, effectively tearing his hand out of Jace’s. “You’re Jace’s mystery boyfriend? How did I not know about this? You didn’t even tell me you were dating anyone, you jerk! What happened to best friend gossip privileges?”

Clary pulled back from the hug, and now that Jace could actually see her face, he could see the hint of concern she was trying to hide under her wide smile.

“Clary. Hi,” Simon said, eyes wide. “I was going to tell you, I swear. It’s just, this is kind of new and so...” He trailed off, looking panicked. His eyes caught Jace’s. “But, uh, yeah. This is Jace. My boyfriend. Jace, this is my best friend, Clary Fray.”

“Yeah,” Jace said, looking between the two of them and feeling more than a little out of his depth. He’d planned for things to be weird, but not this weird. “We’ve met.” He flashed Clary a smile. “Fray, huh?”

She nodded. “I couldn’t keep his name. Not after...after everything. Fray is the name Mom used before she married Luke. It’s the name I remember her having when I was little, so.” She shrugged. “I filed the paperwork to have it legally changed the day I turned eighteen.”

“It suits you,” Jace told her, and let himself be pulled into a tight hug that he suspected was as much because she needed one as that she was glad to see him. Clary had never told him much about the biological father she barely knew, but she’d told him enough to know that Clary held him responsible for her mother’s death, even if the courts had cleared him of any wrongdoing.

“Thanks,” Clary whispered, before surreptitiously drying her eyes on his shoulder and pulling back to flash a smile that was less forced than Jace expected. “So, tell me how this happened without me hearing about it.” She bumped Jace with her shoulder. “And if it’s so new, what possessed you to subject Simon to your family holidays?”

“Hey,” Izzy said, walking up behind Clary and wrapping her arms around her girlfriend’s waist. Jace had to admit, they looked...well, right together. “That’s my family, too, you know.”

“Oh, I know,” Clary said, offering a soft grin over her shoulder. “And the fact that I’m here should tell you exactly how much I love you.”

“Fair,” Izzy said, then looked at Simon. “So, how’d my brother convince you to join this circus?”

“We made a trade,” Simon said, straight-faced. “I put up with his family for Christmas and he puts up with mine for my cousin Rachel’s wedding.” He leaned in and told Izzy in a stage whisper, “Also, I’m weak for his smile, but don’t tell him I said that, because he will abuse it.”

“You say that like I don’t already abuse it,” Jace said, sliding his arm around Simon’s waist in a mirror of Izzy and Clary’s pose. “And to answer your earlier question, us being officially together is new, but we’ve been sort of on the verge of dating for ages. Practically since we started sharing an apartment last year.”

Clary let out a peal of delighted laughter. “Oh, you’re the roommate. It makes sense now.” Before Jace could ask what made sense, she was pulling the both of them into a tight hug. “I’m really happy for both of you.”

“If I’d known you were going to be this excited, I definitely would have mentioned it sooner,” Simon said, pulling back from the hug.

Jace tried to catch his eye, wondering what on earth was going on. He knew both Clary and Simon well enough to know he was missing something, but he had no idea what it was. Simon ignored him, and that just made Jace more suspicious.

“Come on,” Izzy said. “You can have your hug fest later. Right now, I want to help Alec get things set up in the kitchen and maybe surprise Mom by getting dinner started before she gets back.”

Jace and Clary exchanged a panicked look, and Jace frantically searched his mind for excuses to keep Izzy busy. He didn’t actually want a repeat of the food poisoning episode, after all.

“Actually,” Simon said, turning a bright smile on Izzy. “I was kind of hoping you’d be willing to show me your Lego Star Wars collection before we get too wrapped up in family stuff. Jace mentioned you have the deluxe Imperial Star Destroyer set from the early 2000’s, and I’ve never actually seen one in person.”

“Oh,” Izzy said, looking torn. “I’m not sure—”

“We can help Alec in the kitchen,” Clary said quickly. “You two go do your nerd thing. I knew this was inevitable when I finally introduced you two anyway. And this way I get the chance to harass my bestie’s new boyfriend without him in the way trying to keep me from learning the embarrassing details.”

“You know, on second thought—” Simon began, looking slightly panicked.

“Come on,” Izzy interrupted, smiling brightly and grabbing his hand.

Simon flashed Clary a betrayed look, then looked to Jace for support. Jace simply smiled at him.

“Don’t worry, love muffin,” he said mildly. “I’d never intentionally embarrass you.”

“I want you to know that I hate both of you,” Simon said before allowing Izzy to drag him back up the stairs.

“My collection is all still in my old room,” Izzy said. “Clary and I have been looking for an apartment big enough I can actually move the rest of my stuff out of here, but so far we haven’t found anything in our price range.”

Jace turned back to Clary. “Exactly what kind of embarrassing stories were you hoping for? Because I have many.”

Clary shook her head. “I’m pretty sure I’ve got more embarrassing Simon stories than you do. I’ve got almost two decades worth. But I was actually hoping to talk to you alone anyway, and this seems like the best chance we’re going to get.”

Jace followed her down the stairs and into the study. “Sounds serious. You planning to give me a shovel talk?”

Clary laughed, shaking her head. “No, I know you, remember? I’m not worried about you hurting Simon. Well,” she amended, “not any more than I am about him hurting you.” She met his eyes with a soft smile. “You might be the only person I know with a heart as big as Simon’s, as much as you try to hide it.”

Jace looked away. It had been two years since the last time he’d seen her, and she could still see right to the heart of him. He didn’t want to know what she’d see if she kept looking. “Clary—”

“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,” she teased. “But I didn’t actually bring you out here to talk about Simon. I wanted to apologize.”

Jace frowned, looking back at her. “You’ve got nothing to apologize for.” He was more than a little grateful not to have Clary grilling him about his entirely fabricated relationship, but he wasn’t sure where this conversation was going.

“No, I do,” she insisted. “I promised to keep in touch when you moved away, and I didn’t.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Jace said, even if maybe it had been at first. Those first few months at school had been hard. Jace always thought he was used to being alone, especially after his mother’s suicide, but he found out just how much he’d come to rely on his new family when he didn’t see them every day. They’d kept in touch, of course, but with Izzy immersed in her studies and Alec all wrapped up in his new relationship with Magnus, it wasn’t anything like what it had been when they were all under one roof.

For a while, he and Clary had been in touch nearly every day, sometimes texting multiple times a day. Jace told her about his classes and how much he liked Boston, and Clary told him all about trying to narrow down which art schools she wanted to apply to. It was almost the same sort of easy friendship they’d had before he left, after they agreed they were better off as friends.

But after a couple months, Clary’s messages came less and less often, and eventually stopped altogether. Jace tried not to let it bother him, but he started drinking a bit too much and going to a few too many parties. Which was how he’d met Maia, his attempts at flirting somehow leading to him getting his ass handed to him at beer pong, and soon he found himself with an entire group of new friends. Although Maia insisted for almost a year that she and Jace were merely antagonistic acquaintances.

Clary gave him a look that told him she knew exactly how full of it he was. “It was a shitty thing to do, and I was a shitty friend,” she told him. “Especially because I did it on purpose. Izzy and I started getting close and I started to have feelings for her, and I didn’t know what to say to you about it. I didn’t know how to even talk to you about what was going on in my life without mentioning that she was becoming such a big part of it.”

“You didn’t actually have to hide it from me, you know,” Jace said. “I was surprised when Izzy first told me, but I’m mostly just glad you’re both happy. And seeing you together, I know you both are.”

“Thanks,” Clary said. “I didn’t want to hurt you or make things weird. For a while, I thought I could just ignore what I was feeling, but Iz is just... She’s not someone you can ignore, you know?”

“Oh, I know exactly how hard my sister is to ignore, believe me.” Jace stopped, considered, then admitted something he had never said—would never say—to another person. But this was Clary, and he knew she would never repeat it. And even if she did, he could always play it off as part of the act. “She and Simon have that in common. You know, I actually thought I hated him at first? He’s so enthusiastic about everything, and so sincere, and just.” He shrugged. “Not the kind of person I thought would ever do it for me.”

“But he won you over with his boyish charm?” Clary guessed.

“Mm,” Jace agreed. And the way he loved without reserve. Not just his family and friends, but his music, his favorite films, even the crappy nachos from the 7-11 down the block from their apartment. Simon loved every part of life, and being around him, Jace could almost imagine what that felt like. “Well, that and his abs.”

“Can’t forget those,” Clary laughed.

“Not with how often he eats breakfast shirtless,” Jace agreed. “Come on. If we aren’t in the kitchen by the time Izzy gets back downstairs, you know she’ll try to help Alec herself, and I was kind of hoping for dinner to be edible.”

~~~

Dinner was surprisingly painless. Maryse was more relaxed and happy than Jace had ever seen her, and he couldn’t help wondering how much of that was related to the very unsubtle smiles she kept exchanging with Clary’s stepfather. Even Max, who was deep in throes of preteen scorn, grudgingly admitted that Simon being in a band was “pretty cool” and joined in on some of Simon, Clary, and Izzy’s excited nerd talk that went entirely over Jace’s head.

After dinner, they retired to the living room for eggnog and carols. Jace limited himself to a single cup of Magnus’s infamous eggnog, knowing better than to let himself get drunk when he was putting on a show for his family. Or sharing his tiny bed with Simon.

As usual, Jace let himself get pushed over the piano to play. He felt something in him settle as soon as he rested his fingers on the keys of Maryse’s baby grand, the feel different and so much more familiar than the ancient keyboard he had back in Boston or the well-used uprights in the practice rooms at school.

When Jace had first come to live with the Lightwoods, he’d been afraid to touch the piano. His mother had put him in lessons as soon as he was old enough, but she hated to listen to him play and often chastised him for not being a better player, saying he should be better at it with how talented his father was. Now, he understood that it was just another manifestation of the combined grief and mental illness that led to Celine’s death, but at the time he’d hated how awful he was at playing, no matter how much he enjoyed doing it.

But Maryse knew he played and encouraged him to use her piano. She told him that it had been her father’s, and though she’d taken lessons herself as a child, she’d never really loved it the way he had. She said that the instrument deserved to be loved, and as long as Jace loved playing it, she didn’t care how good he was or wasn’t.

It was the first time he’d really felt like this could be his home.

“Okay,” Jace said after the third version of O Tannenbaum with ridiculous altered lyrics—this one courtesy of Simon rather than Max or Clary, about an ill-fated toad who chose the wrong moment to cross the street, “I think my fingers are done for the night.”

“Oh, come on,” Clary said. “Simon and I have at least a dozen more of these we came up with when we were kids.”

“When we were little, I only knew the lyrics to the Christmas songs they played on the radio, so Fray made up silly lyrics to the other ones and told me they were real,” Simon explained. “And it made her so happy that I went along with it even for the couple I did know.”

“There will be plenty of time for more singing tomorrow,” Maryse said. “But if I know this one,” she continued, smiling at Max, “we’re all going to be dragged out of bed at the crack of dawn for presents.”

“Mom,” Max whined, “I’m not a kid anymore. I know the presents will still be there whenever I get up.”

“I seem to remember someone who looked an awful lot like you waking us up before sunrise last year,” Magnus said with exaggerated confusion. “Perhaps you have a twin I haven’t met?”

Max fixed him with a withering look. “Last year, I was eleven. This year I’m twelve,” he said, as though that explained it.

“Well, I’m glad to hear you’ve grown out of it,” Alec told him. “Because I intend to sleep in. And if you try to get me out of bed early, I’ll remind you of this conversation.”

“Oh, no need for that, darling,” Magnus said cheerfully. “I’ll just barricade the door before we go to sleep so he can’t get to us.”

“Brilliant,” Alec said, giving Magnus a frankly sappy smile. “I knew there was a reason I loved you.”

“And on that note,” Jace said, “I think I’m going to head to bed before I die of sweetness overdose.”

“Oh, please,” Magnus said, giving him an unimpressed look. “We all saw you and Simon making eyes at each other over those cookies you were frosting earlier.”

“It’s true,” Izzy said before Jace could protest. “You don’t get to tease Alec about being a sap anymore, not now that we’ve all actually seen you with someone you love.”

Jace froze, his mouth half open, then quickly snapped it shut. It made sense that Izzy would assume. He’d brought Simon home for Christmas, after all. That was the story they were selling even if they hadn’t actually discussed it, even if it wasn’t something Jace had said or even implied. And whatever he did feel for Simon, it certainly wasn’t love. It was, at best, a friendly crush. A very intense friendly crush.

Izzy seemed to realize her mistake, glancing between him and Simon with a look of dawning panic.

“No, you’re misunderstanding how this works,” Simon said easily, because of course Izzy’s words hadn’t sent him into a panic the way they had Jace. “Jace gets to tease Alec, and you, and you both get to tease him back.”

“Yep,” Clary agreed. “Those are the rules, because that means I still get to tease Simon.”

“Please,” Izzy said. “Clary and I are too sophisticated to be sappy.”

“I’m pretty sure I heard you call Clary ‘cuddle bug’ earlier,” Alec said.

“And I definitely saw you laugh at that terrible joke she told at dinner,” Jace added.

“She ate one of the cookies you made,” Max accused.

“Yeah, sorry, cutie,” Clary said. “We’re really pretty sappy.”

“Fine,” Izzy huffed. “But I just think you’re all jealous because I’ve got the cutest girlfriend.”

“Yes, Izzy,” Alec said drily. “You’ve uncovered my secret. I’m extremely jealous of your girlfriend.”

“I knew it,” Izzy said smugly, as though Alec had been perfectly sincere.

“Definitely in danger of dying of sweetness overdose,” Jace said.

That set off another round of teasing, this time with Izzy throwing in not so subtle attempts to drag Maryse and Luke into it. Jace wasn’t sure why Izzy was so determined to make the two admit there was something between them. It was obvious there was just from the way they acted around each other. Maryse would tell them when she was ready, just like she had when she and Robert filed for divorce.

It was almost another hour before Jace finally made his way up the stairs toward his room. He was surprised when Simon rose to follow him, but didn’t say anything until they were back in his room.

“I’m surprised you didn’t stay to nerd out with Clary and Iz some more.”

“I get to talk to Clary all the time,” he said with a shrug. “Besides, it’ll be easier to keep up the whole fake boyfriend thing if I don’t let her get me alone. She’d definitely figure out something’s up if I let her start grilling me about our relationship. Also, you don’t get to call me a nerd when you know just as much about Star Wars as I do.”

“It’s impossible to grow up with Izzy and not know way too much about Star Wars,” Jace said, pulling off his shirt and tossing it over a chair. “Are you still sure about doing this? Neither of us counted on Clary, and I’ll understand if you want to back out.”

“Huh?” Simon said, sounding distracted. Jace turned to look at him and thought he detected the faintest flush on Simon’s cheeks when he met his eyes. “I mean, yeah, no, I’m not backing out.” He gave an uncomfortable shrug as he pulled a set of pajamas out of his suitcase. “The last thing I want is to have to explain this whole thing to Clary.”

“Good point,” Jace agreed, turning around to put on his own pajama bottoms. It was tempting to watch Simon change, but it was also a very bad idea. “I don’t want to think about what she’d have to say to both of us if she knew.”

There was a beat of silence before Simon asked, “So, do you, um, have a preferred side of the bed?”

Jace turned to look at him, only a little disappointed to find Simon fully dressed in his pajamas. As usual when someone asked a question he didn’t want to think about, Jace flashed a smirk. “In a bed this small, I usually just take up the whole thing.”

“Well, unless you want me on top of you, you should pick a side,” Simon said, unimpressed. “Because I’m not sleeping on the floor.”

“I’ll take the left,” Jace said quickly, trying and mostly failing to avoid thinking about exactly how much he did want Simon on top of him. “I’m just gonna hit the bathroom real quick.”

Which was how Jace found himself locked in the tiny guest bathroom, lip caught between his teeth as he frantically tugged at his cock. He hadn’t planned on jerking off, but he couldn’t get Simon’s words out of his head, and he sure as hell wasn’t getting into bed with Simon half-hard, which was really the only other option.

He could picture it far too easily. Simon pressing him into that ridiculously tiny bed, hands gentle but firm, mouth just a little bit desperate.

He came to the thought of rutting up against those ridiculous abs.

By the time Jace cleaned himself up and returned to his room, Simon was nestled under the covers on the right side of the bed. Seeing him like that made something in Jace’s chest clench, and he flipped the light off just so he wouldn’t have to look anymore.

“‘Night,” Simon said as Jace slid into bed, taking care to stay entirely on his side.

“Don’t even think about snoring,” Jace answered.

He lay in the dark for a long time, staring into the darkness, listening to the sounds of the city that didn’t quite drown out the soft breathing of the man beside him. He tried not to think about how easy and relaxed the night had been, how perfect it would have been if only half of it weren’t a lie.

[arrtemisia]

Hey so... If you could redo cannon Makoto what would you do? How would she change? I'm curious cause out of the main cast she was the only one that I just couldn't get a solid interest in (aside from Ann but that's just cause the idea of her being a fashion model confuses me more than anything I think)

God. So much stuff.

There's a couple big things about her that bug me, and none of them really change at all in her canon vs fanon portrayal, which means it's hard for me to enjoy her even in fanworks. In my opinion, I think her biggest flaw is that she's simply miscast, and her character would have worked much better as a confidant instead of a thief, which would've given her a place of her own to shine and avoid the weird dissonance between different aspects of her character (and this was actually their original plan, so Hifumi would have taken her place which. She would've fit in much better imo bc she's actually suffered under another's will like every single one of the others and she's an actual strategist instead of just """smart,""' but that's a topic for another post), but since we're talking about how I'd personally fix Makoto in the role she currently fills, I'm going to list some of the issues I take with her and potential solutions.

First of all, just to get it out of the way, she needs an actual reason to be here. She doesn't have one, full stop.

The big thing tying the thieves together is that they're all victims of abuse and oppression who rebel against their tormentors and want to prevent anyone else from suffering like they did. I'm not saying Makoto has never struggled, because she has, but it's really, really not the same type of struggle.

This leads to weird moments where everything about Makoto's personality and characterization, such as being a stickler for the rules, idolizing the police, etc mean that she has no in-character reason to stick with the thieves after kaneshiro is dealt with and should maybe even be opposing the thieves' way of doing things, but the plot drags her along anyway because the game really wants her to be a party member. And really, what's up with her awakening? She gets threatened once and then bang-boom-kapow she has a persona? It's weak.

Also before anyone says "well all those things about her personality change when she awakens and she sheds her good girl personality and yada yada," no she doesn't, actually, and I'm getting there I promise

The easiest solution here is also the most drastic. Swap when Makoto and Akechi join. This kills two birds with one stone; Makoto gets an actual reason to awaken through Sae, and Akechi's betrayal hits harder because he's pretending to be with you for longer (although admittedly this is much less needed on Akechi's part ever since royal).

Not only does this give Makoto a much stronger reason to awaken and join in the first place (Sae starts twisting into something horrible and Makoto wants to help both stop and save her), but it also gives her an internally consistent reason to stick around. Before, unlike the others (who all at least have "I want to stop others from feeling like I did," or in Futaba's case, "I wanna find the ppl who killed my mom."), once Kaneshiro is done with, Makoto has no real big personal reason to stick around other than "I'm a thief now and the plot says so ig." Now, of COURSE she'd want to go after Shido because he's the one that was manipulating her sister, and after that of COURSE she'd want to help take down mr divine sippy cup in order to get Shido tried and jailed.

However, if we're not going to shuffle around the order of party members bc that'd nuke the canon plot a little, then we need to rework the entire Kaneshiro arc and/or Makoto's backstory and values as a whole. Yeah this is why the first solution was the easy one.

I'm going to go in-depth about how I feel Makoto's personality and values should be reworked later I'M GETTING THERE, so I'll talk about that then. As for reworking Kaneshiro, I... don't have a whole lot of ideas. The palace itself is fine, it has one of the coolest atmospheres in the game (c'mon, there's got to be a fun bank heist in a game like this), but Makoto's connection with him is very weak. Maybe have it be that he was extorting her for years in secret and she never said anything? Maybe have him be the one that ordered the hit on her father? I'm not sure what would be strong enough to match to the other palace leaders, without feeling forced. I'll have to come up with more ideas for this one.

The second big issue I have with her is less of one specific thing and more of a collection of smaller problems that all come from the same source. She waltzes in, takes over, and starts acting like she's the boss of things. She then names herself the "strategist" and yet only ever states the obvious and, to use a word I hate, mansplains things to you that you already learned two palaces ago. She's constantly condescending and passive agressive to the other team members, especially Ann and Ryuji, berates everyone for not being as naturally book smart as her when all the other characters are smart in their own ways and just not good at academia, all the while everyone around her, even characters that normally wouldn't take that (ryuji, ann) or are too prideful to admit to anyone bring better (mona), are constantly like "You're so cool, Makoto!"

It's a classic case of show don't tell, and rhe game is obsessed with telling you that Makoto is "smart" and "cool." Once she joins the team, all the characters that were originally shown to be smart in their own ways are never allowed to say anything meaningful ever again bc Makoto is the "smart" one. She never does anything particularly different compared to the other party members, but the game is constantly insisting she's special.

I'm very hesitant to call her a mary sue, because I don't think she is one, and also I disagree with the use of that term at all as these days it's just meant to devalue powerful characters that happen to be girls, but I definitely think she's emblematic of a common writing flaw that can lead to mary sues. The problem with making a character the "smart" one as a personality trait instead of something that just comes naturally is that you have to dumb down everyone else's characterization to make them look smarter or cooler by comparison. It means that the character you're trying to prop up bends everyone else around them, making them act in ways they normally wouldn't in order to make the one character you're trying to look cool seem better by comparison.

This has an easy solution: cut that shit out. Have her slowly find her place on the team naturally instead of forcing her way in as a pseudo-leader. Don't give every single "well, duh" line to her, and cut the scenes where she stands around explaining obvious things you already know in a condescending manner so she looks smarter. Let the other characters actually act like themselves when they're in the same room as her instead of bending around her to prop her up. Have her treat those characters with respect in turn, bc for all intents and purposes when it comes to thief stuff they are her senpai, instead of just having her act like she's better than them, or boss them around, or be passive agressive about the fact that their grades are bad. Show that other characters are smart in other ways instead of acting like Makoto's book smarts are the end-all be-all. And for fuck's sake, stop acting like "smart" and "punches stuff real good" are personality traits, which leads me into my last big point.

Makoto and Queen don't really feel like the same character. Okay, so to explain this, let's walk through her awakening again.

Makoto is a good girl who's a stickler for the rules, sucks up to authority, idolizes the police, is obsessed with her grades and academic performance, and looks down on others who don't do the same. A couple people call her useless and then she gets threatened by a mob boss, after which she decides to live her life for herself and completely shed her good girl lifestyle and rebel against everyone pressuring her.

That is, except for the teensy tiny detail where she doesn't.

Nothing significant about her personality changes all post her awakening and joining the thieves, aside from the part where she sucks up to authority maybe a little less. She's still uptight, her grades (and the grades of those on her team) are still her top priority, she still idolizes the law and those enforcing it.

Y'see, persona has a bit of a common problem with saying one thing about a character, be it making a reveal or saying they're gonna change in some big way, but not fully committing to it. You can see it most in p4 (party members saying they're gonna quit/stop/do whatever and then backtracking in the last two ranks of their social link), but it's rarely so severe that it completely ruins their personality and character arc as a whole. Makoto, I feel, is the main exception.

The writers want Makoto to become this tough, rebellious biker queen who oozes badassery in every move and will never follow anyone's wishes for her ever again, but they also want to keep her old personality of the uptight naive rule-following law-abiding academic. So, instead of altering one to better fit the other, they try to do both... badly.

Instead of integrating the two parts of her personality, it just feels like she swaps between them whenever the plot calls for it which is really, really jarring. She'll be stuttering about following the rules and getting to know her generation one second, and then the next she'll be yelling about mowing down shadows with her motorcyle the next. It feels like Queen and Makoto are two separate uninteresting half-characters, with only a couple personality traits each, instead of one whole well-rounded character.

Either rework Makoto's thief aesthetic to better suit her personality as a whole and give her something other than "I'm totally not a good girl anymore" to make her compelling, or actually commit to Makoto shedding her past life everyone around her had forced on her and change her personality. Have her grades start to slip, have her talk back to Sae, change the way she dresses so it's rougher and less perfect, hell, maybe even have her quit student council. Just, anything to make her more well-rounded as a character.

I have some other nitpicks with her here and there, like the fact that her confidant is actually just Eiko's confidant and doesn't give Makoto herself any development, or the way the game keeps trying to set her up as Joker's waifu or whatever, but those are just that; nitpicks. The three big things I mentioned earlier - her not having a compelling personal reason to be a part of the thieves, the way the writers shove her into the spotlight by putting down everyone around her, and the fact that her characterization is just one badass half and one smart half that don't mesh and have little else in between - are the problems I feel are what's actually holding her character back.

Again, I do think that all of this stems from the fact that she's miscast, but it's too late to fix that now. While I personally really dislike Makoto, I do kind of understand her appeal for others when she's written well, and she's a totally valid character to like. I just wish she was portrayed better.

(Also, if anyone wants to reblog this, feel free I ask that you please don't put this in Makoto's main character tag. I know how much it sucks to get a bunch of negativity in a character's main tags as I am an Edelgard fe3h fan)

[gstqaobc]

THE ROYAL FASCINATOR

Friday, May 21, 2021

Hello, royal watchers and all those intrigued by what’s going on inside the House of Windsor. This is your biweekly dose of royal news and analysis. Reading this online? Sign up here to get this delivered to your inbox.

Janet DavisonRoyal Expert

Meeting the Queen online

For Dr. Steve Beerman, it was in many ways like having a pleasant conversation with his 92-year-old mother. Except it wasn’t his mother. It was the Queen. Beerman, a retired family physician in Nanaimo, B.C., spoke with Queen Elizabeth online the other day as she gave him — virtually — an award recognizing his longstanding work in drowning prevention. “I’m very delighted to be able to present you with this cup, a very large cup, which one day you might see if you come to London,” Elizabeth told Beerman as she honoured him with the King Edward VII Cup during the virtual session with the Royal Life Saving Society. Beerman, co-chair of the Canadian Drowning Prevention Coalition, was quick to reply that it was “a pleasure and a humbling honour to be with you.” Being with the Queen in this way has become the way of the royal world during the pandemic. Many observers have said that virtual sessions involving the Queen have offered new insight into the 95-year-old monarch, who has more often been seen from afar, giving formal speeches or doing a walkabout. “Many people who commented to me about the interview [said] that they had never seen her have what they would describe as a nearly normal conversation with some people,” Beerman said. “My own mother is 92. This was not a whole lot different than talking to my own mother.” Beerman, a trustee with the Royal Life Saving Society, had met the Queen at Buckingham Palace a handful of times in connection with that Commonwealth organization. But his most recent session with her was memorable in a new way. “It was more chatty,” he said. “It was more communicative than when I’ve experienced these encounters in real life, face to face. So I thought this was actually a better way to do this.” A seven-minute video of the session involving Beerman and others honoured for their drowning prevention efforts was posted online, but the overall virtual encounter lasted about 20 minutes, and came after participants had two practice sessions. “In the second one, we actually rehearsed what we were going to say and we were coached in a very nice way by the people from the royal household about pausing and being slow enough to allow her to interject with comments or questions,” Beerman said. “We were very much encouraged to participate in a conversation as opposed to doing an acceptance speech.” Still, there was a bit of nervousness for Beerman as the call began. “There’s always some nerves about are you going to misstep or say something in a way you might regret or that might be perceived to be awkward by others,” he said. As the conversation progressed, Elizabeth shared her own memories of receiving a life-saving award as a teenager. In 1941, she became the first person in the Commonwealth to receive the Royal Life Saving Society’s junior respiration award. “I didn’t realize I was the first one — I just did it, and had to work very hard for it,” Elizabeth said. “It was a great achievement and I was very proud to wear the badge on the front of my swimming suit. It was very grand, I thought.” Beerman sees the shift to the virtual world for the Royal Family as a signal the House of Windsor can change with the times. “I think it’s a strong statement of ... we can pivot when we need to, we are flexible, adjustable and, like the rest of the world, we have to respond to the reality that we live within.”

The deceit behind the Diana interview

The interview was as devastating as it was haunting. And now, 26 years after Diana, Princess of Wales, sat down with a BBC journalist and told the world “there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded,” an inquiry has found that Martin Bashir acted deceitfully to gain the interview. It’s a finding that will echo through both the royal and journalistic worlds.   In response, Princes William and Harry made statements that lay bare the deep pain the interview with their mother has left with them. “It is my view that the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said. The interview was a major contribution to making my parents’ relationship worse and has since hurt countless others," William said in his statement. "It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC’s failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her." But what saddens William the most, he said, “is that if the BBC had properly investigated the complaints and concerns first raised in 1995, my mother would have known that she had been deceived.” Diana was failed, he said, “not just by a rogue reporter, but by leaders at the BBC who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions.” Prince Harry said their mother “was an incredible woman who dedicated her life to service. She was resilient, brave and unquestionably honest.” He said what “deeply concerns” him is that similar journalistic practices are still widespread. “Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed. By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone, and uphold the dignity with which she lived her life. Let’s remember who she was and what she stood for.” Observers suggest it will all have a significant impact on how the BBC is viewed. “It shakes the real core of journalism because people will no longer look to that broadcaster and trust them wholly because we now know that they're prepared to lie to coerce people into taking part in interviews,” marketing consultant Diana Young told the CBC’s Tesa Arcilla. Diana and Prince Charles were divorced in 1996. She died after a car crash in Paris in 1997.

Babies and the line of succession

(Peter Byrne/Press Association via The Associated Press Word this week that Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, are expecting their first child will add yet another shuffle in short order to the line of succession. The child, due sometime this fall, will be the 12th great-grandchild for the Queen, and the fourth baby to arrive in a matter of months. Beatrice’s younger sister, Princess Eugenie, and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, welcomed their son, August, in February. The following month, Princess Anne’s daughter Zara, and her husband, Mike Tindall, welcomed their son Lucas. Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are expecting a daughter, with a due date thought to be in early summer. That baby will take the highest spot in the succession among the new arrivals, landing at No. 8, following her father, Harry, who is sixth in line to the throne and Harry and Meghan’s first child, Archie, now sitting at No. 7. The passage of time can mean marked shifts in the line of succession for those who enter it somewhat lower in the roster. Take, for example, Sarah Chatto, daughter of Princess Margaret. When she was born in 1964, she was No. 7. Now, she is 26th.

Royally quotable

"Planting a tree is a statement of hope and faith in the future."

— Prince Charles, in a video posted online to mark the launch of the Queen’s Green Canopy,

a tree-planting initiative to mark Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee

next year that aims to enhance the environment now and for future generations.

Royal reads

1. Prince Harry says the pain of Diana’s death

pushed him to drinking and drugs

. The Duke of Sussex’s latest comments, along with further criticism of how he said the Royal Family neglected both him and his wife, Meghan, came in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in The Me You Can’t See, a new Apple TV series about mental health debuting Friday. [CBC]

2. Queen Elizabeth’s

first major ceremonial duty since the death of her husband

, Prince Philip, came during a scaled-down state opening of Parliament. [The Independent]

3. Prince Michael of Kent, a cousin of Queen Elizabeth, has

denied reports

he was willing to use his royal status for personal profit and provide access to the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin. [BBC]

4. There was

lots of taffeta and no tantrums

during the creation of Diana's wedding dress, recalls one of its designers. [The Guardian]

5. One of the Queen’s two new puppies, which she reportedly received a few months ago from Prince Andrew for companionship,

has died

. [The Daily Mail]

6. The succession for the British throne is clearly laid out, but succession can in some other countries be

considerably more complicated

. [The Guardian]

Cheers!

I’m always happy to hear from you. Send your ideas, comments, feedback and notes to

royalfascinator@cbc.ca

. Problems with the newsletter? Please let me know about any typos, errors or glitches.

New newsletter alert! Our CBC colleague Peter Armstrong has a newsletter called Mind Your Business, a weekly guide to understanding what’s happening in the worlds of economics, business and finance. Subscribe to it

here

💜🙏🏻🙂✝️💟PG💟✝️🙂🙏🏻💜

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿.

[amwritesitall]

Sarah’s AHS Characters (+Alice and a Ship) as Songs I’m Vibing With

Masterlist

Instead of a collection of songs from one artist these are songs I’m currently vibing with? Here’s the playlist if you wanna listen (warning it fluctuates a lot because it’s just songs a vibe with at the moment). I skipped the songs I used in artist posts.

Billie Dean Howard

“24 / 7/ 365″ by Surfaces

Met, this girl down by the vine Had long tan legs and big brown eyes Seemed the type I would wanna make mine

She said nine to five, I'm killing time But twenty-four-seven, three-six-five I have to be where I feel your sunshine

One to two-step, three-step, four She's everywhere out on the dance floor She's everything you could ever want and more

Picture it. Billie Dean is at some event. She spies a girl who’s mesmerizing, killing it on the dance floor. Realizing this girl is absolutely the person she wants to be with. The line “I have to be where I feel your sunshine”!! Big Billie Dean vibes right there. In the darkness that her job sometimes entails, she’s drawn to the light of her lover. A ray of sunshine if you will.

“Heaven Falls / Fall on Me” by Surfaces

Woke up early in the mornin' Just to feel the light of day Had to open up my window Get the shadows out my way Banana pancakes for my problems Find me jamming old Jack Johnson Swear I heard them angel calls Lay outside

As Heaven falls Heaven falls

If you can’t tell, Surfaces really makes me think of Billie Dean. This goes with my explanation for the other song. Billie’s job gets pretty dark and intense. Although she never completely gets a break from her job (because she can’t just turn off being a medium) she tries to use her time away from filming and darker locations to focus on the lighter aspects of life, savoring all around her and her lover. I have no idea if what I said makes sense though.

Lana Winters

“Let’s Fall in Love for the Night” by FINNEAS

Let's fall in love for the night And forget in the mornin' Play me a song that you like You can bet I'll know every line I'm the boy that your boy hoped that you would avoid Don't waste your eyes on jealous guys, fuck that noise I know better than to call you mine

This song gives me Lana vibes in the sense that she doesn’t really want to get too attached to people. This also makes me think of how Lana is the type of lover that someone’s conservative/strict family wouldn’t want them with (because of the gay). When you go this route, it’s hard for me not to picture teenage Lana when listening to this.

Fun fact: I have a vague idea for writing a Billie Dean Howard x Reader imagine over this song.

“me & ur ghost” by blackbear

I'm not alone It's just me and your ghost And this cripplin' depression I thought I learned my lesson But, I threw out my phone And I burned all your clothes And now I'm not alone It's just me and your ghost

Now hear me out. Post break up Lana dealing with all of her memories of her ex and then burning all of their shit because Lana is lowkey that bitch. It’s a bit of a stretch, but that’s just my humble opinion on the matter.

Cordelia Goode

“If We Were Vampires” by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit

It's not the long, flowing dress that you're in Or the light coming off of your skin The fragile heart you protected for so long Or the mercy in your sense of right and wrong It's not your hands searching slow in the dark Or your nails leaving love's watermark It's not the way you talk me off the roof Your questions like directions to the truth

It's knowing that this can't go on forever Likely one of us will have to spend some days alone Maybe we'll get forty years together But one day I'll be gone Or one day you'll be gone

Cordelia knows that one day she will die. There will be another Supreme after her and she can’t live forever. This is her coming to terms with the fact that maybe it’s for the best that she won’t stay around forever. Not being immortal allows her to live in the moment and savor all the time she has.

“PlantedInMyMind.Memo” by Charlie Burg

Saying things I don't believe And your love casts it's shadow on the things I do And I can hear so clearly all the words I'd wish I'd said You're stuck in my head But I only think of you Will we be together soon? I'm thrown on the wayside You're planted in my mind But I don't wanna be ok without you

This makes me think of an angsty Cordelia relationship like post “In Another Lifetime”?!?! Cordelia being stuck on her lover from the past 

Also makes me think of Cordelia x Misty after the events of season 3

Bette and Dot Tattler

“prom dress” by mxmtoon

I can't help the fact I like to be alone It might sound kinda sad, but that's just what I seem to know I tend to handle things usually by myself And I can't ever seem to try and ask for help

I'm sitting here, crying in my prom dress I'd be the prom queen if crying was a contest Makeup is running down, feelings are all around How did I get here? I need to know

I guess I maybe had a couple expectations Thought I'd get to them, but no I didn't

I’m not going to lie, this is a bit of a stretch.

I’m kind of getting Bette and Dot wishing they could be like everyone else. They just want that normal teen experience?

Sally McKenna

“Teeth” by 5 Seconds of Summer

Call me in the morning to apologize Every little lie gives me butterflies Something in the way you're looking through my eyes Don't know if I'm gonna make it out alive

Fight so dirty, but your love's so sweet Talk so pretty, but your heart got teeth Late night devil, put your hands on me And never, never, never ever let go

The angst! The tension! The passion! SPICY TIMES WITH SALLY

“fuck, i’m lonely” by Lauv, Anne-Marie

I call you one time, two time, three time I can't wait no more Your fingers through my hair, that's on my mind I know it's been a minute since you walked right through that door But I still think about you all the time

Sally just wants love. She’s sick of being lonely and wants to be with the person she loves. Being a ghost sucks and she wants out of that damn hotel.

Dealing with her ex that is still alive while she’s not.

Audrey Tindall

“Prom Queen” by Beach Bunny

Shut up, count your calories I never looked good in mom jeans Wish I, was like you, blue-eyed blondie, perfect body Maybe I should try harder You should lower your expectations I'm no quick-curl barbie I was never cut out for Prom Queen If I get more pretty, do you think he will like me?

Teen Audrey. I will stand by this.

Now I’m thinking about teen Audrey and my heart :(

Ally Mayfair Richards

“I Needed You” by blackbear

When I needed you the most, I needed you I fucking needed you the most, I needed you, the most Now I won't be there to give you what you need Now I won't be there, no

You know this was never really about us And everything was always 'bout you You never knew a thing about trust And I knew everything about you, what's happening Three whole years, they can go by In a blink of an eye, and you won't know it, but What a damn waste of time

You can’t sit there and tell me this doesn’t sound like Ally dealing with Ivy’s betrayal. No. There is no way this song doesn’t give off those vibes. Like sis was dealing with a ton of shit and where was her wife??? Off gallivanting and murdering with a cult because she voted for Jill Stein. 

Wilhemina Venable

“Lovesong (The Way) [feat. Bluets]” by Charlie Burg 

Now you're away with nothing to say My heart aches like never before Filled with desire, you've inspired me to write another verse

I think we're alone now You can tell me it was all just a game Yes, we're alone now But the feeling's slightly changed

But you take your time, my love Don't ever tell me that it just takes time to love As long as I'm writing this song about my love for you Is it too much to ask For a reply? Or a text? Or a way to tell you love me like before

I don’t knooowww. This just makes me think of Mina trying to deal with her feelings and possibly her significant other kind of giving up because they feel like Mina will never reciprocate their feelings. Mina does love them but it’s hard for her to express it.

“Someday” by Peach Tree Rascals

I hate the fact that you Run on mind, all damn day There she goes

Girl won't you wait for me

I settled down, I'm better now I never knew what this life was about Days got too plain, colors got dull All of the roses fell on to the floor I'll pick them up, wipe the dust Need a chance for your love For your love, for your love, ooooh I've been floating between oceans And the darkness in the sky I've been lonesome in this old shed And it's burnin through my mind

Similar to the song above, Mina hates the fact that she’s stuck on this person, but she eventually realizes that she needs this person in her life. This love really out here making her appreciate life and all the good things in it.

Basically Mina is turning into a softie.

Alice Macray

“Mariposa” by Peach Tree Rascals

I can't wait for you To come my way I've been far away But I'll keep runnin' Just to find a way to you til' then

I been running from it Tired of running from it Scared of feeling something now I'm stuck and tryna get up out of this hole

Surface level this song has some good vibes like our baby Alice. Over analyzing level is not as good vibes. This song is kind of like our baby Alice running from her feelings for someone because the thought of such strong feelings is scary for her.

Billie Dean Howard x Audrey Tindall

“Channel Orange in Your Living Room” by Charlie Burg

We met when I was drunk That party didn't actually suck You made fun of how slow I drank

But now I can't stop thinking about you Each moment passes and my thoughts return to you And the memory of us too As we listen to Channel Orange in your living room

Even when you're away That album makes me feel like you stayed To listen now would make me a fool again for you

Without a doubt, I always think of these two when I listen to the song and that’s one of the reasons why I love it so much. I’m just picturing the two of them meeting a party together and Billie taking Audrey back to her place. Then they end up thinking of each other long after the night is over.

-

You might like:  Sarah Paulson AHS Characters as Hozier Songs or  Sarah Paulson AHS Characters as Rex Orange County Songs

[lailaliquorice]

a universe made of tiny stories

Something very soft to end a week off because moving house is hard y’all.

It was about time I wrote some parrlyn again, and I had an anon request for some soft parrlyn that when the idea came to me I couldn’t help but shift this one to the top of the to do list. I love it when anne gets to look after cathy because I feel it’s often written as the other way round, and the family scene at the end made me very happy <3

There was one obvious way in which publishing her first book in modern times was different to publishing her first book in Tudor times. That was the fact that Cathy didn’t have to fear that negative reviews would possibly lead to herself getting killed again, and even the worst modern-day repercussions were preferable to a trip to the gallows. That was a significant weight off her mind.

But there were other little ways in which the entire process had been so different this time around. Nowadays she had to get an editor, make the book actually look nice, put thought into when it was going to be released, organise signings, and generally get a lot of other people’s approval for something she’d mostly done by herself beforehand. It was certainly an interesting process and for the most part she didn’t mind it at all. Though she’d have been lying if she said it wasn’t absolutely exhausting.

And, as she waved off the final person at the London signing event and rested her head on her arms, that had never been more true.

“Hey,” said the soft voice that had been in the background all day, and Cathy looked up as Anne placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “The organiser said we’re good to leave as soon as you’re done. How are you doing?”

Cathy nodded, leaning her head to rest her cheek on the back of Anne’s hand. “Tired but happy. I think that went really well,” she said, the weary smile on her face emphasising how much she meant it.

“Oh it definitely did, no need to worry about that. Everyone was grinning on their way out, the organiser is thrilled, you’ve done amazing babe.”

Somehow, the conformation from the person who’s opinion she cared the most about allowed Cathy to lose the tension that she’d been holding all day. “Thanks love,” she said, giving her girlfriend a grateful smile before standing up and collecting her pens off the table. She’d brought a handful of marker pens from the stationary shop that morning before the signing and Anne had teased her for how many she’d brought, but now she waved the only two remaining pens at Anne with a pointed grin on her face.

Anne gave an exaggerated grin, swiping the pens from Cathy’s hand and tucking them into her bag for her. “Alright, alright, I’ll trust the author on stationary matters next time,” she laughed.

Author, Cathy thought, her smiling fading as her focus drifted at the sound of that word. She was an author again, and she could call herself that without having to fear. She was still lost in that thought as she picked up her bag and walked around the back of her chair, only vaguely registering in the back of her mind that she’d tripped on the chair leg and was falling forwards until-

“Woah!” Anne said as she surged forwards to catch her, wrapping her arms tight around Cathy’s waist as she sagged into her arms. “I’ve got you hun, you’re alright.”

Cathy hummed a tired ‘thank you’ into Anne’s collar as she let herself relax in her tight embrace. “I’m alright,” she echoed drowsily, “just tired, that’s all.” It wasn’t unusual for her to be knocked out at the end of a long day, but now she was getting to the point of exhaustion where her grip on consciousness was wavering and she just felt too groggy to keep going.

“I’m not surprised,” Anne murmured quietly, rocking Cathy in her arms for a moment before setting her back on her feet. “Come on, let’s get you home,” she said, offering Cathy a smile and waiting for her to return it albeit sleepily before she was leading her towards the door.

After exchanging a few quick words with the organiser before they left the bookstore, they walked hand in hand towards the nearest Underground station as the start of their thankfully short journey home. Cathy didn’t say a lot while on the train, too tired and overstimulated by making smalltalk with so many people, but Anne seemed to understand that she didn’t have the energy for conversation. They just sat side by side, Cathy watching the stations whizz by in an exhausted daze while Anne gently stroked her thumb over her knuckles in silence.

The house was quiet when they got home even though there were no shows that day, so Cathy presumed that the rest of the queens had gone out for something. That was confirmed when she saw a note on the fridge in Jane’s clumsy handwriting that said they were going out to get dinner, meaning they would have a little while before the house was full again. Knowing that Cathy would need every minute of that time to rest before she could talk to people again, Anne steered her straight into the living room once she had her coffee and sat her down on the sofa.

Cathy sighed with relief as she sunk into the sofa cushions, taking a moment to close her eyes before taking a long sip from her mug. “That’s better,” she murmured, toeing off her shoes and stretching her tired feet.

She got a second’s warning to lift up her mug before Anne practically threw herself onto the sofa beside Cathy; her habit of doing exactly that when they were either sat in bed or on the sofa meant that Cathy was accustomed to needing to protect her coffee from getting spilled. “Good to be home?” Anne asked, holding out her arm for Cathy to lean into her side.

“Yes,” Cathy said as she curled up in the crook of Anne’s arm. “I’m very happy, I didn’t expect there to be so many people.”

Anne’s laughter jostled her head from where Cathy had been resting it on her chest, and she glanced into her girlfriend’s eyes with a confused look. “Of course there were so many people. They love your work. And they love you too, though obvs not as much as I do.”

Cathy smirked a little at that, leaning up to kiss her briefly before getting comfy again. “Did many people talk to you?” she asked. It was a curious question she’d been meaning to ask, since Anne hadn’t kept her presence at the event quiet and Cathy knew that she’d be easily recognisable by the people who were coming to see her.

“A few. Not many though, lots of people waved but I think most of them knew they were here to see you. I kept getting the organiser to give me jobs so I wouldn’t be standing around,” Anne explained.

“That’s good,” Cathy nodded drearily, pausing as a yawn interrupted her before she could add “I don’t know why I’m so tired though.”

Anne tutted in a manner so similar to Jane’s mother hen-ing that Cathy couldn’t help but chuckle quietly. “You’ve had a crazy long day and I know you haven’t been sleeping well,” she pointed out gently, and Cathy’s expression dropped at the reminder. It was true that the last few nights before her book’s release had been difficult, since she’d either been too anxious or excited to drift off or when she had managed to sleep her dreams had been filled with disapproving faces which had her waking up in a panic.

But Anne had always been there. And for all Cathy’s words, she could never quite express to her how much that meant.

“I’ll be ok now,” Cathy said, putting her mug down on the coffee table before fully nestling into Anne’s side with one hand resting on her stomach. She didn’t stop her heavy eyelids from drooping closed as Anne pulled the pins from her hairstyle and unravelled her curls with gentle fingers. Too many restless nights and one exciting day meant that Anne’s arms around her were all she needed to lull her towards sleep.

She only had her eyes shut for a few minutes though before the sound of the door opening roused her back into semi-wakefulness, smiling as the joyful sounds of the other queens and the smell of Chinese takeaway drifted into the living room. “Come on then you, dinner then bed,” Anne said, giving Cathy’s cheek a gentle poke which only made her smile wider.

“But I’m comfy,” Cathy whined childishly, enjoying a selfish moment while it was still just the two of them.

Anne didn’t reply, but just adjusted her grip to hold Cathy bridal style in her arms before carefully getting to her feet. Cathy only tightened her arms around Anne as she was carried into the kitchen, trusting her completely to carry her safely.

“Is Cathy ok?” sounded Kat’s voice when they approached the table, where Jane and Aragon were setting places while she and Anna laid out the food.

Cathy nodded as she was carefully deposited in her chair, giving Anne a brief kiss on the cheek before she could stand back up properly. “I’m fine, I was just tired and didn’t want to get up. This is a lovely surprise though, thank you.”

Jane and Aragon exchanged a knowing smile. “We wanted you to have something nice to come home to, so Anne texted us when you were done so we’d time it about right,” Aragon said.

“You’ve done so well love, you deserve a treat and some rest,” added Jane, reaching over to give Cathy’s arm a brief squeeze as she smiled proudly.

A cough from Anna made them all glance over to where she was sat with chopsticks in hand. “Yes yes much love to you Cathy we’re all very proud, but if we’re done with the speeches can we tuck in please? Dunno about you lot but I’m starving!” she retorted teasingly, though the fond smile on her face was no lesser than anyone else’s.

They all laughed as they started to eat, Cathy keeping her knees rested against Anne’s as she gave the others a run-down of how her day had gone. It had been a daunting prospect, a hopeful attempt to live up to the name she’d created for herself way back when and sung about during their show every night. But, unlike that first time, now she knew that she’d never have to face it alone.

[solacefruit]

Hi Grey, I struggle a lot with world building and I think it's easiest for me to learn by example. I was wondering if you had any books or series you'd recommend that you thought did particularly well in the world building department or that you found inspiring. I'm trying to start building a list of things to read, could be any genre

Hello there and thank you for your patience! I’ll be honest, this one’s a challenge to answer, but I’ll do my best. I’ll put it all under a read-more, because I’m going to talk a lot about why I feel these books are good places for thinking about world-building. 

Northern Lights, by Philip Pullman. (fantasy)

This one comes up a lot when I’m making recommendations and that’s because I love it. For me, it was deeply formative in many ways, and especially when it came to world-building, because Pullman uses a style of world-building which really clicks for me--which is basically throwing your reader into a world and not explaining much at all, leaving many things gestured at but never explicitly said. Things just happen, things just are, and the reader has to keep up. There’s a lot that goes unsaid in this book, and it means you as a reader have to start thinking and “solving” the gaps in the world yourself. There’s room for speculation and I thrive in that environment, and lean on it heavily in my own work. 

A great example of that comes in the first chapter of the novel, on the fifth page and then again on the seventh: 

“As Lyra held her breath she saw the servant’s daemon (a dog, like almost all servants’ daemons) trot in and sit quietly at his feet...” - page five. “... and said something to his daemon. He was a servant, so she was a dog; but a superior servant, so a superior dog. In fact, she had the form of a red setter.” - page seven.

That’s good oblique storytelling, because you are told so much and simultaneously so little. From these two tiny pieces, you now know that:

servants usually have dog-shaped daemons

some daemons, even within a family, are “better” than others

daemons mean something about their person

But these pieces tell you enough that you can now speculate and question the world as you read on. Things like:

why do servants have dog daemons?

what makes a red setter daemon better than another dog daemon?

what does a dog daemon mean?

what is the hierarchical system of daemons, who is better than whom?

are people sorted because of their daemons, or do the daemons reflect where the person is sorted to after the fact? 

what do other daemons mean?

are these meanings innate or cultural? 

The book itself will directly answer maybe one or two questions, hint at a few others, and leave many completely unresolved. But that’s not bad world-building. For me, that’s the kind of world-building I love best. The book can now say, “this person’s daemon is a butterfly,” and you will be primed to read symbolism and significance into that, even in moments where the book itself doesn’t give you any. You’re a participant in creating the world as you read. A little goes a long way. 

The Discworld novels, by Terry Pratchett. (fantasy, comedy) If you’re trying to pick a first book, start here. 

And now for something completely different. Pratchett’s Discworld is an absurdist world, created to satirise fantasy tropes and play as the stage for social and political commentary. What makes Discworld so interesting as a place to learn about world-building is that it is a world that doesn’t take chronology or “consistency”  or “authenticity” seriously. Where a lot of fantasy writers will stress over making sure every detail lines up, and their fans will often get very upset if they find anything “inconsistent” or “incorrect”, Pratchett’s world entirely rejects that way of doing things. Pratchett commented: 

 “[S]ometimes I even forget [...] where things are ... I don’t think [...] even the most rabid fan expects complete consistency within Discworld, because in Ankh-Morpork you have what is apparently a Renaissance city, but with elements of early Victorian England, and the medieval world is still hanging on. It’s in a permanent state of turmoil, which is very interesting for the author.” (quoted in Hills, Guilty of Literature).

There’s something very liberated and fluid in how Discworld forms, because it’s such a committed pastiche, but it doesn’t at all (at least, for me) undercut believing in the characters or story. I adore Discworld and its characters. I think it’s very valuable to read if you’re in fantasy writing (or speculative fiction in general), because it’s easy to fall into thinking that unless you make everything Perfect and Realistic and Consistent, your world-building isn’t good. 

Something else about Discworld worth noting is that, despite being absurd and fluid, it is also grounded in the real. Pratchett’s world is in turmoil, but it includes sewer systems, passages of trade and commerce, and a pervasive sense of the civic life happening and living outside of the plot-line: it’s not just a diorama to be walked through, but a place where people exist and do mundane things and have everyday needs. I personally find it fascinating that the story manages to exist sort of balancing at oppositional ends of the “realism” spectrum at all times, but I think that’s also the key to why it is so successful at what it does. 

(Side note: Matt Hills’ chapter in Guilty of Literature is a great read if you want to know more!) 

Ancillary Justice, by Ann Leckie (science fiction)

I’m not a big reader of science fiction, because my heart is with fantasy, always. But this series was super interesting and I can recommend it, especially if science fiction is more your flavour! It’s been a while since I’ve read it, so I can’t give the same amount of detail as I’ve done above, but it was thoughtful and intriguing and I loved the ways this trilogy defamiliarised and refamiliarised ideas through the world and characters. 

“The Ones who Walk Away from Omelas,” by Ursula K. Le Guin. (short story)

It’s only four pages long, but it’s haunting. I’ve put this story on the list because I feel like Ursula K. Le Guin belongs in many conversations about world-building; her work, in her time, was often radical--and remains so, in many cases. She didn’t flinch away from making her worlds alien, not in the sense of writing about space and people out among the stars (which admittedly she did also do!), but truly questioning and challenging cultural and societal norms and creating new ones, even (and especially) when they were uncomfortable to the status quo. 

To me, that’s a core part of good world-building. You can just recreate the world we live in, with all the biases we’re raised to have, with the beliefs and expectations of conduct we have, with all the same bigotry--or you can push yourself to pull it all apart and pick from it the pieces you want to play with. You can push things to their extreme limits, or erase them entirely, or just... slide things a little to the left and make the whole world slightly off. Being able to be flexible in your thinking is vital for making vivid, interesting worlds, and Ursula K. Le Guin's work is a place you can start exploring that kind of thing if you’re unfamiliar with it. 

For instance, in her novel Left Hand of Darkness, there is only one pronoun (a theme you’ll notice in Ancillary Justice) and the people of the planet Gethin change sex regularly. In her collection of short stories, “The Birthday of the World and Other Stories,” she writes about sedoretu, a four-way marriage she invents, as well as exploring gender, religion, culture, and society. Any of these are worth taking a look at, if you’re feeling a little boxed in. 

However, despite saying all this: I don’t really enjoy her writing! I don’t have fun reading Le Guin’s work in practice; it doesn’t mesh with me beyond my delight at the conceptual elements she discusses. I often feel about reading her work like how kids think about medicine: tastes kind of awful, but it’s good for you. I’m grateful to her for paving the way, but I don’t read her work for fun. 

The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of her Own Making, by Catherynne M. Valente. 

I’m throwing this one in the ring for a few reasons. One is that I am heavily indebted to nonsense; I grew up on Dr Seuss, Roald Dahl, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland + Alice Through the Looking-glass, Edward Gorey, A. A. Milne, H. R. Pufnstuf, and a little later, A Series of Unfortunate Events and Discworld. This book feels representative of that big love, and taps into what I love about nonsense. 

Another reason is that it’s a good example of what I think of as delightful lawlessness in storytelling. It feels--as respectfully and lovingly as I can say this--like a game of mad libs turned into a book, because of how free and wild it is with what is allowed to happen. I think it’s very difficult to do something like this well, but I also think it’s a great place to play around when you’re first beginning to get to grips on world-building. Spin a wheel of options and go, “okay, so there’s a manticore in the basement, what now?” Make up reasons for things on the spot as a game for yourself. Ask and answer questions, just for fun! “Why is there a manticore there?”  “It got in through the magic portal.”  “Where’s the magic portal?”  “It’s an old picture of the protagonist’s grandmother.”  “Why is it a portal?” “The grandmother is secretly a witch and the ex-queen of a fantasy land.” “Why is the manticore here?” “Come to retrieve the queen, but accidentally takes the protagonist by mistake.” “Why does the manticore want the queen?” “Extreme Trivia Night at the Castle has really sucked lately. Also she misses her.” And just like that, you’ve got the start of a wacky but not impossible-to-tell story.  

My final suggestion isn’t a book, but a podcast!

Be The Serpent (a podcast of extremely deep literary merit). 

A fortnightly podcast by three charming writers who discuss a different theme or topic each episode (using a couple of texts as reference material), and will also make media recommendations. I love listening to it and it’s a great place to think about writing, both as a reader and as a writer. I don’t have a lot of writing friends myself, unfortunately, so it’s honestly so valuable to me to be able to hear them discuss their process and ideas on topics I care about. 

I hope this helps! Best of luck to you, and please feel free to write in if you have any other questions. 

[oxsix]

How a home is made

Kitty builds a family; step by step. In which bonds are forged over cups of tea. 

AO3 link

Just a fluffy drabble about KHoward being loved, because she deserves it

Kitty is timid at first. They all are, in a way, when they first move in together. After all, they've only really known each other for a few weeks, and some of them aren't on the best of terms.

It was an awful idea, really, for them to all live together. But the money is running out, and the people who'd brought them back can't afford to keep renting them all separate places. And so, here they are, in a relatively small, six bedroom house outside of London.

And Kitty isn't really sure where she stands. She hadn't known most of them the first time, not even her own cousin, and she doesn't want to get herself caught up in the middle of the other women's disagreements.

- - - 

Anna, surprisingly, is exactly the same as she has always been. She's a bright spot in Kitty's darker days, and she always seems to know when she's at her lowest. She's there for Kitty in those times, with kind words, whispered affirmations and jokes that always seem to catch Kitty off-guard, no matter how prepared she thinks she is.

And it's perfect, in it's way; it's hard to keep crying when Anna is around. Kitty is grateful, beyond what words could express, for her old friend. She worries, though, that she relies too much on Anna's support; that she might be a drain on her friends happiness. But every time, Anna reassures her that it's okay, that this is what friends are for.

Still, it's this that drives Kitty to interact with the others. At the very least, she doesn't want to be attached to Anna at all times.

- - -

While Anna and Cathy had had a little tension between them when they'd first come back, they'd quickly settled and forgotten their differences. Both were fairly civil with each other, anyhow, and they were the first of then to really form a friendship, outside of Kitty and Anna.

They spend a lot of quieter moments together—reading peacefully, or avidly discussing the intricacies of the modern world and their new findings.

The two of them are also the ones Kitty feels most comfortable around, in the beginning. Anna is an old friend, of course. But Parr is surprisingly easy for her to be around, too.

She has quite a gentle presence, and always greets Kitty pleasantly, talking idly about her latest areas of interest. She's kind, and open, and always makes conversation with Kitty, but Kitty doesn't feel any pressure to keep them going. The ebb and flow of their discussions feels comfortable. Parr was the sort of person who was happy to spend time with her, without expecting anything from her.

On warmer mornings, the two of them sit outside with their cups of tea, and watch the birds. They're generally up last, Kitty thanks to her nightmares, and Cathy because of her tendency to become entirely absorbed in her work.

Kitty likes this new friendship. She likes their quiet, laid-back familiarity. She likes being able to spend time with someone who isn't asking for anything in return. She'd had enough of that the first time.

- - - 

It takes a lot longer for Kitty to get closer to the others  though. Unsurprisingly, her cousin is the first of the three to let Kitty in.

It happens when Kitty hears quiet, muffled sobs from Anne's room late at night. She's panicking, Kitty can tell—tell she's been there plenty times before. She stands on the other side of the door, wondering if it would be an invasion of Anne's privacy to enter.

When she hears Anne let out a particularly heart-wrenching whimper in her sleep, she makes up her mind. She slowly opens the door, and moves to the side of the bed. Gently, she shakes her estranged cousin awake.

Her eyes are wide: confused and frightened. She looks disorientated and startled by Kitty's presence. Once she gets her bearings, she looks upset.

"What are you doing here?" She asks, uncomfortable at being seen in such a vulnerable moment.

"Sorry, I just.. well, I heard you and thought you must be having a nightmare, and–it's just," she doesn't know what to say; she only wanted to help, but she hardly knows Anne. "I get them, too. I know what it's like, so I thought... you might like some company?"

Anne looks at her then, softly. She doesn't say anything.

She moves over, and gestures for Kitty to lie with her. She does, and Anne rests her head on her younger cousins shoulder. She sniffles quietly, and Kitty absent-mindedly runs her hands through the other girl's hair, as Anna often does when she needs comforting.

They stay like that, until they both fall asleep. Neither of them says anything—they don't need to. The quiet speaks for them.

They fall into a routine after this. When one of them had a nightmare, or can't sleep for memories of apathetic crowds and sharp blades–they go to the other's room, and they spend the night together, soothed by the knowledge that their pain is shared, and understood.

- - -

Jane is next, and it's surprising how close the two of them become. She's cold at first, distant from everyone.

Kitty doesn't see her much at all, only hears her during her heated arguments with Anna. They aren't as common as Anne's arguments with Catalina; the two of them lean more towards cold, barbed words and avoidance than fiery debate. But, when they do erupt, well—it's a lot.

The rest of the house tends to stay out of their way on these bad days—both women are full of hell after their conflicts.

It's on one of these days that Kitty first understands who Jane really is. The argument that morning—prompted by a disagreement about the usage of milk—had been particularly vitriolic, and both women had said things that they would one day regret. Things that hit a little too close to home.

A few minutes after the yelling stops, Kitty goes to the kitchen to make herself some breakfast, only to find Jane still there, standing stock-still, a mug held firmly in her grip. Her breathing is heavy and she is staring fixedly out of the window, at nothing in particular. Kitty moves closer, and coughs gently to make her presence known.

Jane startles at this, jolting suddenly. The mug falls from her hand and clatters into the sink, shattering. Jane only panics more. Her eyes are wild with fear. She looks like she's afraid for her life, and Kitty doesn't thinks she's quite here with her.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry," the older woman repeats, over and over until her voice devolves into sobs. Kitty gently puts a hand on her back. She asks what's wrong.

Jane doesn't answer, and she doesn't need to. Kitty understands. Jane's relationship with Henry hadn't been perfect, either. Even the one he'd supposedly loved had suffered because of him. And that fear had followed Jane into this life, just like it had Kitty.

So Kitty sits with her, until the tears subside.

The next night, as usual, Kitty is woken by a nightmare. But this time, when she wakes, clutching at her throat, she feels a weight settle gently at the end of her bed. She expects it to be Anne.

It isn't. Jane takes Kitty into her arms and lies with her. She hums softly, as Kitty's panic dissipates.

And in her arms, Kitty feels safer than she has felt for a long time. Nobody has held her like this since her mother died. It's something Kitty hadn't realised she was missing.

She feels protected, and valued. She feels like a kid again. And it's a relief. She never really had the chance, last time.

Kitty falls asleep there, and she and Jane quickly become like a real mother and daughter.

And it works. After all, Jane had missed out on her chance to be a mother last time, and Kitty had missed out on the chance to have one. This time, neither of them were going to miss their chance.

Kitty is grateful for Jane, even if Anne resents their bond at first.

- - -

The final piece of the puzzle takes even longer to fall into place.

Catalina scares Kitty, at first. She's aloof, dignified—every bit a Queen. And she's real royalty, not like Katherine.

As much as the first queen makes her feelings about Anne widely known, she keeps most things to herself. She's extremely distant with Kitty, and she isn't sure how she should interact with her.

They've barely said two words to each other, outside of "hello" and "good morning." Kitty has seen her have short, pleasant conversations with Jane, but even they are fairly formal.

The only person she's seen Catalina be genuinely open with is Cathy. She tries to keep this hidden too, but Kitty has seen the soft smile she deserves for her God daughter, as well as the way she always seems to have a coffee made for the younger woman when she finally resurfaces from her bedroom at midday.

It's wordless, and subtle. But Kitty sees it.

The date Kitty comes to understand Aragon is the 18th of February, and Kitty doesn't know, at the time, why this is significant. But, that morning, Catalina is even more withdrawn than usual. She doesn't say good morning, doesn't speak to Jane, and when Cathy comes down, there's no coffee waiting for her. She gives Kitty an enquiring look as she makes a mug for herself. Kitty shrugs, and leave the room with the two mugs of tea she has made.

She finds Aragon outside. Definitely not dressed appropriately for the cold weather, and clutching a mug of coffee—which must have gone cold by now—so tightly that her knuckles are white.

As Kitty approaches, Catalina doesn't look at her. That's when Kitty notices the tear tracks down her face. She says nothing, only hands the other woman a hot cup of tea, and a throw she'd taken from the living room.

Silently, Aragon accepts them. She looks like she wants to say something, but she doesn't.

A few days later, Kitty is up uncharacteristically early in the morning. She'd woken from a nightmare and hadn't managed to get back to sleep.

It's about 5am, and when she gets downstairs, she finds Catalina alone in the kitchen, in her dressing gown.

"You're up early." She remarks.

"Bad dream" Kitty replies. It's the most they've ever spoken at once.

Aragon places a mug of tea in front of her, then sits across the table.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

The question takes Kitty by surprise, and it's all she needs to say. Words spill from Kitty's mouth, and she isn't sure at which point she starts crying.

She bares her soul, and Catalina sits quietly, listening. Eventually, she moves around the table, and Kitty's head is on her shoulder as she cries.

Her hand moves softly through Kitty's hair, gently working it's way through every tangle in her bed-head.

It's comforting, and Kitty remembers that Catalina has done this before. Her own daughter had been around Kitty's age when they'd last seen each other.

Again, Kitty sees silent tears well in the other woman's eyes, and she realises that Aragon needs this just as much as she does. She understands why she has been so gentle with Parr, and so eager to speak with Jane.

She's clutching to anything that might remind her of Mary. Yesterday was her birthday. Aragon missed her daughter, but she couldn't say it.

And Kitty understood, now, why it had taken her song to open up.

She smiles softly at Catalina, who sniffles and wipes her eyes.

"Never speak of this again," she says, with what Kitty thinks is supposed to be a wink.

"I won't," she giggles, and winks back. "Promise."

And, while she's not good at saying it, Kitty knows that she cares for her.

- - -

And this is how Kitty's family begins.

Over time, the shouting matches cease. Arguments die, old enemies reconcile. It takes time, and no small amount of effort on Kitty’s part, but her family becomes a unit.

Tearful confessions and overdue apologies lead to deeper understanding between them all, and little by little, they grow closer.

Finally, Kitty has the family she never had back then, and she loves them more than anything.

[preserving-ferretbrain]

When Harry Met Enid

by Dan H

Wednesday, 20 December 2006

In which Dan dismisses Harry Potter as a jolly hockey-sticks boarding school romp.~

My childhood was almost embarrassingly suburban. We lived in a semi-detached house with privet hedges. I spent my evenings doing my homework, watching Children's BBC or reading. To fully round out the picture of cosy BBC normalcy, I should add that my preferred reading material, as a child, was a mixture of Roald Dahl and Enid Blyton.

I always preferred Dahl. His stories were strange, macabre, often surreal. His worlds were familiar yet peculiar, whimsical and disturbing. They were nice places to visit, but you most certainly wouldn't want to live there. It is perhaps interesting to note that, Great Glass Elevator aside, Dahl never went back to his worlds once the book had finished. His stories were self contained, they began at the beginning, and stopped at the end.

Blyton, of course, created a very different world. Teams of children with solid dependable names like Dick and Anne had very proper adventures while drinking lashings and lashings of ginger beer. Unlike Dahl, Blyton did write long-running series, the St Clare's and Malory Towers books followed the same cast of characters through their stint at boarding school, and of course the Famous Five and Secret Seven had endless adventures. Unlike Dahl, Blyton's world was ultimately a safe place, and gender aside I would have been quite happy to spend a summer term at St Clare's. I was and still am guiltily fond of Enid Blyton's 1950s utopia: it's nice sometimes to forget about the troubles of the real world, and escape to one where hardened criminals get their comeuppance at the hands of a gang of plucky twelve year olds.

A lot of people (JK Rowling first amongst them) like to talk about how much more there is to Harry Potter than to other children's books. They talk about the real danger that Harry faces, about how terribly, terribly dark Rowling's world is, and about how it's all very serious and mature. One Times reviewer, comparing Potter to the Worst Witch series writes:

But though Mildred, the Worst Witch, like Harry Potter, gets into scrapes with bullies and teachers, there is never a twinge of real terror in Murphy's imaginary world. Harry Potter experiences not only the ordinary trials and triumphs of the boarding-school genre, but repeated attempts to murder him.

This critic, I think, misses two important points. Firstly, while I admit that my memory of The Worst Witch is a little hazy, I am fairly certain that there actually is a villain in TWW who actually does have a plan to kill everybody in the school. Secondly, the repeated attempts to "murder" Harry are carried out by the most ineffectual, bungling, non-threatening group of incompetents ever to grace the pages of a children's book. Harry Potter's encounters with the Death Eaters are no more frightening than the Secret Seven's frequent run-ins with thieves and smugglers, and they represent no greater physical danger.

Now, I don't think this is a weakness in itself. When Harry and Ron confront the troll in Philosopher's Stone it's a genuinely exciting scene. We understand that Harry and Ron are willing to risk their lives for their friend thereby displaying the cardinal virtues of Courage and Friendship and Pluckyness. This scene is in no way marred by the fact that I do not on a rational level actually expect Harry, Ron, or Hermione to be killed. However, I do not think that the troll-fighting scene involves any more danger or sacrifice, or has any greater merit than (for example) the bit in The Naughtiest Girl in the School where Elizabeth risks detention in order to buy a birthday present for her less wealthy best friend. Both sequences involve the protagonist choosing to place themselves in danger (either physical danger in the case of Harry, or social danger in the case of the Naughtiest Girl) in order to help a friend. It doesn't matter whether the risk is of death or of detention, the point is the decision that the character makes, and the consequences that follow from it.

Thinking about it, it's this fixation on the physical events of the series (Harry Gets Attacked, Harry Goes Into The Dark Forest, Harry Fights Death Eaters), rather than the narrative points behind those events, which is responsible for most of the utter tosh that gets written about Harry Potter. The fans say "Harry Potter is placed in real, physical danger, this means that the Harry Potter series is Dark and therefore Good" the detractors say "Harry Potter is not placed in real, physical danger, this means that the Harry Potter series is Not Really Dark and therefore Not Really Good." Both of these groups of people completely miss the point. Harry Potter is a children's series about the importance of friendship and courage. Whether it chooses to illustrate those points with midnight feasts and ginger beer or with trolls and dragons and the occasional deaths of significant characters is completely beside the point. It is what it is, a children's adventure story set in a boarding school, with some wizards in it.

And that should be the end of it, and it would have been had something peculiar not happened to the series around about book four.

Harry Potter books 1-3 are excellent children's books. They combine exciting adventure with boarding school cosiness to produce thoroughly engaging stories about wizards and magic and the importance of friendship and courage. Books four to six (and I strongly suspect book seven will follow suit) are sub-par fantasy about Wizards and Magic.

Normally, this wouldn't annoy me as much as it does. It'd be a shame, but I'd cope. However I actually think that the course taken by the Potter books has actually had a detrimental effect on Children's Fiction as a whole.

It is absolutely right and correct to say that books for children are in no way inferior to books for adults. It is absolutely true that children are capable of dealing with issues far more complicated than adults give them credit for. Unfortunately this leads some people to the conclusion that there should be literally no difference between children's books and books for adults or, worse, that the merits of a children's book should be weighed according to how similar it is to a book for adults.

So many of the things which the later Harry Potter books are praised for the richness of the world, the complexity of the overarching plot are attributes which belong to adult, not children's fiction. That is not to say that children's fiction cannot be complex, but that its complexities should lie in areas other than the intricacies of the backplot and the precise functioning of Horcruxes.

To put it another way: Snape in the first book is complex in precisely the right way for a children's book. We start out thinking that he is Bad, but it turns out that he is Good. This is a nice twist, and children are smart enough to appreciate the moral complexity of it. Snape is horrible, but he is a good person. Snape in the later books is "complex" in precisely the wrong way for a children's book. He is a tangle of conflicting motivations, which may or may not actually make very much sense. He's probably going to wind up having been in love with Lily Potter, and blame himself for her death and blah blah blah.

Now I'm not saying that children are incapable of understanding characters with complex motivations. I'm saying that children won't gain anything by being asked to understand characters with complex motivations (particularly when said motivations are spurious and rather cliched). When you hear children talk about the Potter books, they always talk about how much they love the wizards and the broomsticks, you hear remarkably few people saying "well I'm really interested in the formative childhood experiences of Severus Snape."

Just look at the great classics of children's literature (particularly fantastic children's literature). We aren't asked to analyse the motivations of the Mock Turtle, or wonder whether the Queen of Hearts is really as bad as she seems. Nobody expects us to be interested in the political climate of Oz (well ... Gregory Maguire does). Children's books shouldn't be preoccupied with the same petty minutiae which fill up so much adult literature (particularly fantasy literature). In pandering to the fans' desire to speculate about the inner workings of her magical world (guess what folks, it doesn't have any, it's completely nonsensical) Rowling is breeding a generation of "book lovers" accustomed to the worst excesses of the fantasy genre.

Dahl, Carroll, Baum and the others may not have had the "moral" heart of the Harry Potter books (at least, that's Miss Rowling's analysis), but they had an imagination which far exceeds the few simple ideas which JK spins out over the Potter series. They may not have had long running plots, or complex character arcs (like the "Lupin shacks up with Tonks" arc or the "Harry goes out with Ginny for all of five minutes" arc), but for pity's sake children get enough of that sort of thing watching Eastenders.

JK Rowling is raising a generation of children to value world above plot, plot above meaning, and volume of written material above everything.Themes:

J.K. Rowling

,

Books

,

Young Adult / Children

~

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Rami

at 14:07 on 2006-12-20I don't read Harry Potter, but I agree with your points about Children's Fiction As A Whole - it *shouldn't* just be adult fiction with shorter words and more colorful packaging!

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Wardog

at 13:04 on 2007-01-01And Harry Potter, of course, has its range of "adult" covers, as if to further distance itself from the rest of children's fiction. As I shall surely write in an article of my very own, JK seems to be no longer writing books for children, she's writing books for Harry Potter fans which is actually a completely different thing.

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TheMerryMustelid

at 17:59 on 2012-04-21"Snape He's probably going to wind up having been in love with Lily Potter, and blame himself for her death and blah blah blah..."

Wow! You're a prophetic genius! How _do_ you do that? ;)

You hate JK Rowling as much as I hate Dan Brown. Let's get together and do coffee! :) Though I actually enjoyed the Potter series *ducks* I recognize it for the big magic soap opera it is. I have no illusions that it's great literature, but I think fellow fantasy writers like Terry Pratchett are just a _mite_ jealous that she captured the youth market before they did.

Whatever you may think of Rowling, you gotta give her credit for getting young kids around the world excited about

reading

. That's no small feat. Sorry if the visual image of a 5 year old hugging the latest Harry Potter tome to their elated breast gives you the vapors, but I find it inspiring. :P

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Dan H

at 22:32 on 2012-04-21

Whatever you may think of Rowling, you gotta give her credit for getting young kids around the world excited about reading.

Obviously getting kids to read is good, but I'm genuinely not convinced JKR actually increased the amount of books read by children - I strongly suspect that the sorts of kids who read Harry Potter are the sorts of kids who would have been reading anyway. I think the anecdotal evidence gets skewed here in the sense that for kids-who-read, there is likely to be a particular author who you remember as being the author who got you into reading (for me it was Dahl with a side order of Pratchett) and while I think there's a generation of kids for whom that author was Rowling, I don't think that's quite the same as Rowling getting kids to read. It's like the Yoko Factor in reverse, the kids got themselves to read, Rowling was just there at the time.

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Arthur B

at 00:31 on 2012-04-22Plus: getting lots of kids to read is benign enough. Getting lots of kids to

all read the same stuff

brings me out in chills.

As a young person the most valuable books I read were the ones which were strictly speaking not actually intended for people my age.

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Sister Magpie

at 06:03 on 2012-04-22I could swear I remember reading some actual research about this idea with HP. The basic result was, unsurprisingly, that while HP did certainly get kids interested in reading those books (just as Star Wars got kids interested in seeing Star Wars), the number of readers (meaning kids who read for pleasure) was basically the same.

So essentially the same idea--there are now a lot of adult readers whose first amazing books were HP, but the generation that were kids when HP came out don't have a higher percentage of readers as a result.

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James D

at 06:56 on 2012-04-22Man, that's kind of depressing. There must also be kids out there whose 'first amazing books' were the Twilight series.

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http://fishinginthemud.livejournal.com/

at 15:17 on 2012-04-22Yeah, some kids are just readers. They'll read whatever's in front of them, whether it's Harry Potter or the cereal box. Kids who don't like to read because reading is hard or boring will just wait to see the movies, as always.

I'm honestly impressed with Rowling for tapping exactly the right cultural vein at the right time. I mean, the woman literally wrote books that managed to appeal to *every kind of person everywhere*. Even people who hated the books enjoyed hating them, and often for very different reasons. She tried to give everyone everything and failed spectacularly, but she did manage to give everyone something. And she did it just by being herself and writing the kind of books she would want to read.

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TheMerryMustelid

at 16:22 on 2012-04-22I'd like to see those statistics about how the number of kids reading Potter were "reading kids" anyway. I'm writing from the states and let me tell you, seeing American kids

under

7 years old _pack_ bookstores (and I'm talking the

big

chains here) just to read a story was a new phenomena to me. Kids that young usually are not into reading as a rule.

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Arthur B

at 16:25 on 2012-04-22

I'd like to see those statistics about how the number of kids reading Potter were "reading kids" anyway. I'm writing from the states and let me tell you, seeing American kids under 7 years old _pack_ bookstores (and I'm talking the bigchains here) just to read a story was a new phenomena to me. Kids that young usually are not into reading as a rule.

Were they packing the bookstores year-round or just around the Potter release dates? Because if it's the latter, that might just be a side effect of them all being keen to read the same books by the same author rather than being particularly more keen to read than their forebears.

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TheMerryMustelid

at 16:28 on 2012-04-22

James D: Man, that's kind of depressing. There must also be kids out there whose 'first amazing books' were the Twilight series.

I see what you did there. :P

God, that would be even

more

depressing, wouldn't it?

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Sister Magpie

at 17:17 on 2012-04-22

Were they packing the bookstores year-round or just around the Potter release dates? Because if it's the latter, that might just be a side effect of them all being keen to read the same books by the same author rather than being particularly more keen to read than their forebears.

I don't have the actual statistics, but the upshot of what I read was the opposite. It wasn't that the books were read by kids who were readers anyway. They were also read by non-readers because they were a huge thing everyone wanted to read. But they didn't get kids interested in reading so much as interested in Harry Potter. So it didn't create readers, it created HP fans who read that.

Though in my experience having worked at a kids' bookstore there are plenty of kids who would pack a bookstore to hear a story. There just aren't huge events where a specific book coming out brings in the crowd all at once--which of course was true for adult readers with HP too.

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http://fishinginthemud.livejournal.com/

at 17:21 on 2012-04-22I think if the goal was to get kids to start reading Harry Potter and then graduate them to actual good books, it didn't work. There are kids who read Harry Potter and nothing else, which doesn't quite make them "readers."

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http://roisindubh211.livejournal.com/

at 20:09 on 2012-04-22

I have no illusions that it's great literature, but I think fellow fantasy writers like Terry Pratchett are just a _mite_ jealous that she captured the youth market before they did.

That was never the problem- Pratchett, at least, was annoyed at the way she was presented in the news as if she was the first person ever to put MAGIC in books for CHILDREN, etc, in pieces obviously written by people who do not read fantasy (and yet think they know what's what in the genre).

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http://lonewolf-eburg.livejournal.com/

at 21:07 on 2012-04-22The main problem with Harry Potter isn't that the books stop being "children's books" halfway though. "These books are no longer for children" is a statement that implies something that is nor positive, nor negative.

The problem is that in the later books, "childlike" elements inherited from earlier ones uncomfortably mesh with the new "adult stuff". I'd argue that in HBP and DH this is particularly noticeable, though two previous books suffer from that as well. As a result, both the series and every particular post-PoA book taken in itself have a hard time realizing who the hell is their primary audience. That results in a lot of dissonant Mood Whiplashes, aborted storylines and themes as the narrative merrily goes from "childlike" to "adult" and back again, and inconsistent characterization.

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TheMerryMustelid

at 21:19 on 2012-04-22TheMerryMustelid:

I have no illusions that it's great literature, but I think fellow fantasy writers like Terry Pratchett are just a _mite_ jealous that she captured the youth market before they did.

http://roisindubh211.livejournal.com/

That was never the problem- Pratchett, at least, was annoyed at the way she was presented in the news as if she was the first person ever to put MAGIC in books for CHILDREN, etc, in pieces obviously written by people who do not read fantasy (and yet think they know what's what in the genre).

Didn't Pratchett also take Rowling to task for effectively saying her books

weren't

fantasy? Like she was trying to distance her series from the "taint" of the genre or something. If she did say something as bone-headed as that, I don't blame him for jumping down her throat.

I love Pratchett and am happy to see him finally getting a wider audience in the States. For many years it seemed he was almost the American fantasy geek's best kept secret. I used to sneer at Terry Brooks readers while I clutched the latest then-hard-to-find Pratchett tome. But that was way back and Pratchett has had good american distribution for at least a decade now.

Ogg is my Co-pilot. :D

To get back on topic, if it's statistically true that Rowling didn't inspire more kids to read beyond her series, that is too bad, but is it necessarily her fault? One of my little pet theories is that fantasy in general has benefitted from the Harry Potter frenzy, because during the waits between Potter books & after the series ended, readers needed something to fill the void. So in effect, Rowling did help other fantasy writers by making fantasy more popular than ever before, even mainstream.

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Sister Magpie

at 00:04 on 2012-04-23I don't think anybody would say it was her fault. It came up, I think, because there were a lot of people crediting her with single-handedly boosting literacy rates etc. That idea has gotten repeated a lot, so it just gets corrected. Blaming her for not performing that feat is like blaming her for not actually being able to fly a broomstick--I don't think anybody could do it!

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Dan H

at 09:37 on 2012-04-23

The main problem with Harry Potter isn't that the books stop being "children's books" halfway though. "These books are no longer for children" is a statement that implies something that is nor positive, nor negative.

I think I disagree, but only margainally. I think "these books are no longer for children" does in fact imply something negative, simply because it implies - well - all of the stuff you mention later.

The reason I would suggest that it was bad for a series of children's books to become a series of books for adults is simply that it is inevitable that the "for kids" stuff doesn't fit with the "for adults" stuff. Part of the problem here is that people seem to forget that you can have a dark, serious story in which bad things happen to people which is still fundamentally a children's story, or a lighthearted wacky romp which is still for grownups.

Rowling's error - essentially - was that she mistakenly believed that the only way to engage with the "serious" themes she wanted to engage with in her children's stories was for her to stop writing children's books.

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http://lonewolf-eburg.livejournal.com/

at 15:16 on 2012-04-23I agree that JKR's OMGADULT!change was always going to have some problems, but I also think that she could've done more to alleviate the problem of thematic discordance. She didn't seem to be aware that she has a problem that needs fixing at all.

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Frank

at 17:04 on 2012-04-23I, too, recall reading that HP did not increase readers. My understanding is that the series may have increased literacy within age groups. Increasing one's ability to read books does not necessarily make one a reader of books.

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http://fishinginthemud.livejournal.com/

at 17:24 on 2012-04-23I agree that after about book three Rowling was no longer clear which market she was targeting, and it didn't matter because she was solidly hitting all of them. I can imagine her and her publishers having their minds blown by their success and wanting more of it, without really being sure what was working and shouldn't be changed and where they had room to let her go crazy and do what she liked. There may not have been a conscious choice to turn the books "adult," but an organic growth in that direction, which no editor ever bothered to sit down and take a good look at and realize just how fucked up it was.

Basically, I think Rowling was a decently talented newbie who was deeply injured by her early success, and it'll be interesting to see whether she ever recovers from it as a writer.

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http://fishinginthemud.livejournal.com/

at 17:34 on 2012-04-23

She didn't seem to be aware that she has a problem that needs fixing at all.

I think closer to the end, her only thought was "finish these fucking books so I can get the fuck on with my life." It's probably more that she simply didn't care what she wrote anymore as long as she got words on paper, and her editors cared even less.

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http://scipiosmith.livejournal.com/

at 20:06 on 2012-04-23

She didn't seem to be aware that she has a problem that needs fixing at all.

Given that her next book seems to be a satire on the State of the Nation, I'd say she does at least realise that a work primarily for adults will allow her more room to engage with the ideas she wants to in the manner which she would like. As Dan and others have noted, the social commentary in HP was hampered by the fact that it was ultimately a story about the Chosen One defeating the Dark Lord.

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http://lonewolf-eburg.livejournal.com/

at 20:29 on 2012-04-23I think that Scipio is correct here. To make her later books truly "grow" and be consistent at least in themselves (even if we disregard the earlier ones), JKR needed her books to change from "ultimately a story about the Chosen One defeating the Dark Lord". But while some fanfiction writers could do that (with varying degrees of success), Rowling, understandably, couldn't afford it.

That's why GoF and OotP weren't as bad as DH. In then, JKR could allow herself to deviate a little. HBP, IMO, is just plain badly written.

"I'd say she does at least realise that a work primarily for adults will allow her more room to engage with the ideas she wants to in the manner which she would like"

To be fair, sometimes fantasy can be a good vessel for real-world commentary. But then, see the previous points made on the thread.

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http://scipiosmith.livejournal.com/

at 19:05 on 2012-04-24

To be fair, sometimes fantasy can be a good vessel for real-world commentary. But then, see the previous points made on the thread.

Oh, definitely. One of my favourite fantasies of the moment is Shadows of the Apt, which tries very hard to engage with race, privilege and the nature of prejudice and discrimination in general. I just think that a series for children is perhaps not the best medium for that sort of thing.

[the-fashiongeek-blog1]

Top 20 Collections of FW18

    It’s officially t-minus one week until NYFW! With next season fast approaching, I thought I would take a look back at some of my favorite shows from the last go around. (a.k.a. a very long post under the cut)

20. BURBERRY     These days, trying to keep up with the turnover of designers at major fashion houses can make you feel like you’re watching a game of musical chairs. Christopher Bailey’s position at Burberry was one of the few constants. However, this season marked the end of his seventeen-year tenure at the British heritage brand. His final collection was an ode to the brand, the country, Bailey’s youth, and the LGBTQ+ community. Not only did he create limited editions Burberry’s iconic logo and check patterns with rainbows, he made significant contributions to charities and organizations like The Trevor Project that are focused on LGBTQ+ youth.     While it isn’t my favorite collection Bailey’s designed for the brand (hello, FW16), there were many pieces I liked. Some of the looks seemed a little busy, and would perhaps benefit from simpler styling. Look 68, for example, works better for me than look 64. Nevertheless, the clothes are fun and have an undeniable sense of joy about them. It made for the perfect sendoff for Bailey’s time with the brand.

19. CHRISTIAN SIRIANO     From one celebration of a designer’s career to another. This season marked ten years since Christian Siriano began his namesake line. I’ve been a fan of Siriano’s since his time on Project Runway, and his win at the end of the season came as no surprise. However, I haven’t followed his collections too closely since. It might just be a matter of personal preference - he plays a lot with ruffles and 80s-style proportions, which I’m not really a big fan of. But Siriano is clearly talented and his continued red carpet success is proof of that.     This collection was one of his first in years that really stayed with me. Some of the simplest looks were the ones that stood out the most, particularly the ones in glittering black velvet. Many of the evening wear looks were elegant and seem like they were made for each specific model. Siriano has been committed to working with diverse talents and promoting a wider range of beauty standards for a while now. His shows often have some of the most exciting casts on the entire fashion calendar and this year was no exception; the addition of Danielle Brooks and Selma Blair didn’t feel like a gimmick. They looked radiant in their Siriano creations. Every model did.

18. BALMAIN     Last go around, Balmain was probably the biggest disappointment of the season for me. I’ve consistently loved Olivier Rousteing’s designs for the brand, which was why I felt so heartbroken when I didn’t. This season had me falling for the brand all over again. The premise? Balmain, but in the future. The distant future. In a time when the world feels like a hot freaking mess, many look to the past, where nostalgia goggles have turned everything a nice rosy hue. Looking instead to the future is a nice change of pace, with a sorely needed dash of optimism. There was lots neon and PVC, as well iridescent and holographic materials. My favorite textile might’ve been the plastic that had an oil-slick-like sheen. Despite it being an unfamiliar fabric for the brand, the pieces still looked very Balmain.     So what is classic Balmain? During Rousteing’s tenure, it’s a mix of 80s glam rock, military influences, and current party girl looks. We saw all of those in this collection. There were plenty of intricate, embroidered mini-dresses, as well as some very 80s jumpsuits (thankfully sans shoulder pads). There were, however, a few pieces that were over-embellished, and those dreaded shoulder ruffles made an appearance. Still, the majority of the collection was strong and filled with pieces I would wear in a heartbeat.

17. SELF-PORTRAIT     I’ll admit I’m a sucker for collections with a strong central inspiration. (See above.) Han Chong’s most recent Self-Portrait collection was more subtle. The collection featured all kinds of garments, fabrics, and silhouettes. Rather than looks with variations on the same theme, he used many different techniques and details, blending them into a thirty-five beautiful looks. Each look was unique, but they could all conceivably be found in the closet of the same person. Of the different details, the use of large grommets in everything from skirt hems to dress sleeves was probably my favorite.     One of Chong’s more well-known design techniques are his off-kilter ruffles. I know what I said about ruffles earlier, but his are brilliant. They never seem to add bulk to the figure or the garment. Those ruffles were on full display in this collection. Particularly impressive were the pieces that featured this technique in plaid. Matching up prints, or arraigning them in a visually appealing way, is particularly difficult. The way Chong has pulled it off here shows both amazing design skill and craftsmanship. Also, those leather hip bags - all of which were worn under belts, conforming perfectly to the body - were the most stylish answer to the fanny pack trend I’ve seen yet.

16. CHRISTOPHER KANE     After one of my favorite Pre-Fall collections, I was eagerly anticipating Christopher Kane’s next runway show. Not only was the campaign/lookbook aesthetically pleasing, but I loved the use of crystalline fringe. So I was of course delighted when his most recent collection brought it back. Unfortunately, it wasn’t featured that heavily. Similarly disappointing was the fact that he used a particularly beautiful lasercut pleather-and-lace textile only once. His clever use of zippers on sweaters, skirts, and dresses was delightful and I would wear those rhinestone-covered shoes in a heartbeat.     However, not every look was a homerun. The looks that featured marabou at the hems were mostly lost on me. Bulky hems, particularly on lightweight fabrics, can cause a garment to hang weirdly. Maybe it was just my dislike of marabou in general - I wasn’t a fan of those feathered shoes either. The finale looks featuring images from The Joy of Sex seemed a little too on the nose. Kane is no stranger to explicit garments (FKA Twigs’ Met Gala look, anyone?), but this seems a little too on the nose. It lacks the cheeky fun of his other collections. Some of the lace pieces, like Looks 9 and 12, were complex without feeling over-designed. On the other hand were simpler dresses, like Look 13, which called to mind the early aughts…and not in a fun way. As a child of the 90s and early 00s myself, I want to be excited about this revival - I’m just not there. Maybe it hasn’t been long enough yet. Twenty-year cycle of nostalgia and all that.

15. ANN DEMUELEMEESTER     When the inevitable cyberpunk apocalypse occurs, I know which designer I’ll be wearing. Okay, I’ll gladly wear Ann Demuelemeester before then too. From reading the designer, Sébastien Meunier’s, inspiration alone, I knew I would love it. I mean, he name-dropped Mary Shelly. The clothes themselves lived up to my hype. My weakness for corsets, harnesses, and bondage elements knows no bounds. Actually, this was a pretty bondage-light collection from the brand, leaning more towards tough, almost survivalist pieces.     Of the looks, my favorites were towards the beginning and end of the collection. While other tunic tops and miniskirts seemed to shorten the waist and add bulk to the hips, the ones made of leather were particularly flattering. And those sheer tops had me reconsidering my negative stance on shoulder pads. Hooded dresses are another great love of mine, and I’m sad there was only one in the collection. That being said, Look 6 is right up there as one of my favorites. I only have one final question about the collection; those hip capes…how do they work? I’m just as baffled as I am delighted by them. I’m being serious here. What were they attached to?

14. SIMONE ROCHA     Given my general tastes, it would probably surprise most people how much I love Simone Rocha’s designs. Cute, flowery, and girly are three things I generally am not. That does not mean, however, that I can’t enjoy them. Season after season, Rocha’s flouncy, feminine designs continue to delight. Fresh off a Moncler Genius collaboration (the best of the bunch, in my opinion), Rocha’s collection was one of exuberant excess. Her usual fare of lacy frocks included beaded chains, chandelier earrings, and more bows than you could shake a stick at. There were many patterned pieces as well, and even a dress or two that featured a large amount of embroidery.     Perhaps it was the season, or that Moncler collab, but many of the looks in the collection featured coats and outerwear. The sheer dresses layered over blazers were particularly fun. One of my favorites was an off-the-shoulder red pleather trench coat. Impractical for actual low temperatures? Probably, think of how cute you’d look! A couple looks did veer worryingly into cutesy territory, or featured enough fabric to drown the wearer, but there was only one thing that really bothered me. Even in the midst of the ugly shoe trend, I must ask if there’s really interested in wearing flats that make you look like a were-clydesdale. Unless you’re trying to sweep your floors and getting in all your steps at the same time, I just don’t see the appeal. Those beaded, lace-up numbers, however? I’ll take fifty, thanks.

13. SONIA RYKIEL     In 1968, Sonia Rykiel opened her first boutique and kept designing for her brand until 2011. She unfortunately passed away in 2016, but her legacy as the “Queen of Knits” lives on. Rykiel is also credited as inventing many techniques and pioneering braless fashion. This collection marked the 50th anniversary of her brand and was a celebration of everything she accomplished. There were sweaters galore and models sporting Rykiel’s signature curls smiled as they made their way down the runway. The five women who closed the show even had glitter sprinkled in their hair.     While the show was very Rykiel, I was surprised by the lack of details Rykiel was known for. It may just be my computer’s resolution, but I barely saw any unfinished hems and not a single inside-out seam. Nevertheless, Rykiel’s “gamine Rive Gauche” style was on full display. I particularly loved the lace dresses in Looks 35 and 36. The show was a touching tribute to a well-loved and talented. designer. Bananarama even performed! Now, that haute couture show, however…

12. SAINT LAURENT     What can I say other than I’m predictable? Dark colors, leather, and rock & roll are a pretty much unbeatable combination in my book. This may be fashion blogger heresy, but I actually enjoyed Hedi Slimane’s take on the brand. His first outing at the house was definitely my favorite, but I did like a lot of his other collections. Still, when I found out Anthony Vaccarello was taking over, I was hype. He was a favorite of mine and his designs seemed to fit the “skinny rocker” aesthetic Slimane championed for the brand. So far, he hasn’t let me down. Well, aside from jettisoning his main line to focus on Saint Laurent. But, hey, it’s a big job.     That being said, this might be my least favorite of Vaccarello’s collections for Saint Laurent. The majority of the looks didn’t offer up anything particularly new or exciting the way his previous collections have. And those twenty-nine samey mini-dresses that closed out the show? The ones with the floral embroidery that looked like 80s wallpaper? Not the biggest fan. With that being said, I still liked the collection a great deal. The majority clothes were still nice as well as wearable. I really liked the set of three black, floor-length gowns near the middle of the show - particularly when paired with those wide-brimmed hats. Special mention also goes to the earrings in Look 52. Who doesn’t want a pair of crystalline fish skeletons dangling from their ears?

11. OFF-WHITE     Virgil Abloh is having a hell of a year. First, there was the mob scene created when gatecrashers and those with invitations alike attempted to enter the show space all at the same time. Then, shortly afterwards, he was appointed to succeed Kim Jones as artistic director at Louis Vuitton menswear. His first collection for the brand was met with critical acclaim, and not without reason, but his FW18 collection for his own line deserves just as much praise. Maybe it was just me being a biased Manhattanite, but I always seem to love collections inspired by the city. (Even if this collection was titled “West Village” and I grew up on practically the other end of the island.)     Typically, when I say a piece looks like it was made from a tapestry, it’s not a good thing. Abloh literally used a “tapestry” fabric for several of the looks in the collection, but they only scream “high fashion”. A couple pieces appeared to have fit issues, but I really enjoyed the collection and liked so many of the pieces. The corsets and blazer-romper combos were particularly nice. I also liked the athleisure-style turtleneck, flowy silk dresses, lace-up boots, corsets, sequined pieces…

10. OLIVIER THEYSKENS     Until recently, Olivier Theyskens was a name I associated with Theory. I liked his work for the brand (there’s a well-loved leather jacket in my closet as proof), but I love his work for his own line. His detailing is subtle, never calling attention to itself, but enhancing the garment. The seams on the leather trench in Look 2 is the perfect example of that. I also love a good leather pant and some distressed denim, both of which were on display in this collection. The only pieces I wasn’t particularly into were the Bermuda shorts, but that length is usually a no from me anyway.     One surefire way to my heart is by combining soft and hard feminine - a major theme of the collection. Slinky slip dresses were paired with platform combat boots that made my inner emo kid sing with joy. Several looks combining chunkier dresses with long coats called to mind 90s media like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Craft (two perennial favorites of mine.) There’s been something of a grunge/90s revival happening on the runways recently - the twenty-year nostalgia cycle, I’m telling you - which this collection could definitely be considered a part of. And I for one could not be happier.

9. COACH 1941     Discovering I liked Coach’s clothing line was the biggest plot twist for me of 2014 - and that was the same year Captain America: Winter Soldier came out. Before then, I only ever associated Coach with pocketbooks that screamed their brand name back at you. (No, I’m not a fan of the logomania trend, why do you ask?) Stuart Ververs’ clothing, however, is all kinds of 70s rock & roll, which I am very much into. That vibe was present here as well, particularly when paired with the muted and neutral fall color pallet of this collection.     There were both slip dresses and more flowy pieces in a variety of colors and prints. The latter were more modest and called to mind prairie dresses, all without feeling dowdy. Some of my favorites were the ones that had a harder edge, with things like leather details. What can I say other than I’m consistent? Some pieces in the collection seemed laden with one too many details, or had an off-putting color pallet - like a metallic gunmetal and orange pleated skirt with a single, bright blue stripe near the hem. On others, however, the details absolutely made the piece. Some leather jackets, for example, had embossed inserts in a different color that really elevated them. And while I may loathe their C-print bags, there’s no denying Coach makes quality leather goods.

8. DION LEE     Variations on a central theme? Check. Clever suit tailoring? Check. Lingerie details? Check. This most recent Dion Lee offering combined three of my favorite elements into one very strong collection. While pairing blazers with lingerie has been a trend in street style for some time now, Lee may be the first person I’ve seen to combine them into a single garment. With the smallest of cutouts just above the bust, many of these suits managed to be sexy without being obvious. Well, except for the opening looks which used contrasting fabrics for the bra insert and the rest of the blazer to draw the eye. That’s not a disparaging remark either - I quite liked those two looks, and I don’t fall for grey/warm color combinations easily.     Another recurring element in the collection was the use of a fabric slashed in such a way that it becomes almost a fishnet. It’s a technique Lee’s spent years perfecting. On some pieces, the fabric was slashed more and pulled apart in certain areas to create varying levels of opacity. One element I didn’t particularly enjoy were the almost handkerchief-like hems on several of the dresses and skirts. Heavy hems are a hard sell for me and, while I adore cephalopods, I don’t think I want to go around looking like one any time soon. They worked a little better on the garments where they were pinned up, but that’s still going to be a no from me. Every single shoe in the collection, however, was right up my alley.

7. ROBERTO CAVALLI     Glamour, opulence, and excess are three words that come to mind at the mention of Roberto Cavalli. However, that was the house under Cavalli himself. Paul Surridge’s vision of glamour is a little more subtle. Outside of a few evening wear looks - arguably some of the strongest in the collection - there was nary a sparkle in sight. Instead, the focus was on business dressing that featured subtle hints of sexuality. Several drop-waisted gowns used a combination of creative cutouts and thigh-high slits that oozed Cavalli. Handkerchief hems featured on everything from blazers to multi-tiered dresses….The effect was better on some pieces than others.     Still, Cavalli’s influence on the brand was there. Many looks featured the kind of ombre prints Cavalli loved. (They were particularly reminiscent of the finale looks of his FW15 collection.) There were also the animal prints and straight-legged pants that were common staples on his previous runways. The blazers, however, were definitely Surridge; he is a former menswear designer after all. Interestingly, some of the looks could’ve benefitted from sharper tailoring. A few jackets and blazers had slits up the sides that were interesting in concept, but not so great in execution. Sensual business wear and understated elegance…Could this be what we can come to expect from Roberto Cavalli under Surridge? Of course, if you prefer the OTT glamour of Cavalli’s era, there were a nice pair of $91K crocodile leather pants that might be right up your alley.

6. TOMMY HILFIGER     Okay, okay, Tommy Hilfiger uses the see-now-buy-now business model, so the most recent runway show was actually for SS18. However, it happened during the most recent fashion week. Also, I really liked the collection, so it’s going on the list. What can I say other than I love a good moto detail? It’s the first thing listed in my “about” page. And this was a whole collection based around moto looks. It also happened to be the final Tommy X Gigi collection. I can’t speak to how much creative input Gigi Hadid actually had in the the collection itself, but the outcome was wonderful. If her streetwear is anything to go by, she certainly likes moto too - along with the athleisure vibes that Hilfiger’s brand is built upon.     In fact, this collection looks exactly like what current influencers, such as Gigi and co., already wear on the daily. It becomes a classic chicken-and-egg question. Which came first; a trend influencers picked up on, or designers picking up on influencer trends? Regardless, the clothes were still cute and wearable - if only for a specific demographic. Hilfiger is definitely marketing this collection towards a younger generation of social media stars and those that want to emulate them. There were crop tops galore and, of course, a pair of bike shorts or two. The only real problems I had with the collection were in fit and styling. Does anyone want a top that’s fitted under the arms, only to flare out at the waist? And then there were the shorts layered over, again, bike shorts. Other than that, I would happily wear almost any piece in the collection. Oh, crap, have I bought into the influencer hype? And if I have, can you blame me when it comes to collections like this?

5. JACQUEMUS     And now we move from Instagram to Tumblr. No, Simon Porte Jacquemus was not inspired by this very website. The source of his inspiration, however, is one that is quite popular here. I must admit, I never really understood the wistful posts about reading classic lit on the Mediterranean - that is, until now. After spending some time in Morocco, Jacquemus created a collection inspired by the year-round mild climate there. The collection was filled with kaftans, loose shirt dresses, and clingy but light knits. Even the most substantial sweaters and coats felt breezy compared to most of the other outerwear shown this season.     The collection was, of course, very French as well. The looks, nearly all of which had some slinky, body-conscious elements, oozed confident sensuality - the kind that’s endeared Brigitte Bardot to generation after generation. Small details were key here. Several looks included a tiny white tee that could easily be an updated version of the baby-tee that’s been gaining traction lately. Some also included a delicate gold body chain - which I need immediately. A sweater dress or two had a ribbed detail around the hip that flattered the body wonderfully. Clever draping on the jackets made you sit back and wonder just how the garment’s pattern had been drafted. Of course, Jacquemus also loves wild proportions. There were touches of that in this collection, but none more obvious than the bigger-than-big, wide-brimmed sun hats, which have been worn by Bella Hadid, EmRata, and more. With cold weather on the horizon, I’m already anticipating the moments I have every winter, where I’ll wish I was somewhere warm. This year, I’ll be fantasizing about reading Lovecraft on the Mediterranean - while dressed in Jacquemus, of course.

4. PACO RABANNE    I’ll admit, I was slow to come around to Julien Dossena’s take on Paco Rabanne. Part of it might’ve been because I was bitter about the brand dropping Manish Arora so quickly. (And I still am.) But another part was the lack of the brand’s signatures within his collections. Sure, there were nods to the materials Rabanne first made fashionable, but they were never at the core of the collection. A metallic-sequined skirt here and a plastic dress there and that was it. That is, not until his chainmail-heavy FW17 collection. His following runway collection was one of my favorites of the season. This time around, Dossena finally took on the hardest challenge in Rabanne’s legacy; plastic and metal as textiles.     To say that he succeeded is an understatement. The collection not only read “Paco Rabanne”, but Dossena as well. Each new piece felt fresh and exciting. Who knew there were so many different ways to shape metal and plastic together? There were hints of 60s mod influence, like a black and white striped t-shirt dress, but it was given a much more current silhouette. That particular dress was layered under a mesh made up of metal beads and rings. What’s more, all the pieces showed great movement. Just because they were made of stiff materials did not mean they had to be rigid or hard. A skirt composed of metal pieces shaped into flowers was even delicate and whimsical. This was classic Rabanne for the modern age. (Let’s just…not talk about those shoes, okay?)

3. CHLOÉ     You hear a lot about sophomore slumps. Difficult second albums…difficult second runway collections? Not for Natacha Ramsay-Levi. In fact, this collection might even be better than her first. Chloé is a brand rooted in the 70s, and Ramsay-Levi’s clothes, while clearly inspired by the decade, didn’t feel dated. Garments were loose, but tailored in such a way that they still showed the figure underneath. Flattered, even. (A Surridge subtweet? Never.) Cutouts are still going strong, at least over at Chloé, and there were several variations I’d yet seen. Hip cutouts with a belt over top and even side-torso cutouts if you’re feeling a little more daring. The looks that created the illusion of a cutout by layering a plunging v-neck over a cropped turtleneck were also standouts.     There were a couple pieces that did feel a little off, however. Namely the pieces that had a row of fur on them like some kind of edging or fringe. Those pants with the line of fur down the sides were particularly silly, sorry not sorry. On the other hand, the collection included a look or two with that shoulder frill so many designers have tried recently, which my mother and I joke makes you look like a nudibranch. But here it didn’t. Perhaps it was the bracelets over the sleeves that saved it. (A fashion risk, but one that definitely paid off.) There were so many other pieces I wanted to comment on - the flared pants, the jumpsuits, the updated Chloé boots, the jewelry, the aviator jacket…But what else is there to say some times other than I liked the collection?

2. ALEXANDER MCQUEEN     In recent seasons, Sarah Burton has (imho) really hit her stride at Alexander McQueen. This collection in particular had an inspiration that was close to my heart. One of my mother’s best friends collects insect displays. Creepy and weird, sure, but also beautiful. Very much the McQueen M.O. This collection featured both beetle and butterfly motifs - some more literal than others. The “articulated corsets” could either be insect exoskeletons or butterfly wings. There were also a variety of garments in butterfly and beetle wing prints that were wonderfully geometric, if a bit busy at times. The most effective was probably a trench coat with an orange and red version of the butterfly print from the lapels down. (Though not quite as impressive as the coats with lace inserts, which were simply stunning.)     The biggest surprise of the collection were the fringe dresses. Not so much the fact that there was fringe - it was ubiquitous this season, and Burton has used it before - but the fact that I liked her use of it. Her manipulation of the material was brilliant in the way it mimicked and integrated those earlier prints. The finale dresses that did not include fringe, however, I liked decidedly less. Decidedly. It’s a testament to how much I liked the rest of the looks that this collection was still my second-favorite overall. My favorite looks actually came earlier in the collection, both of which featured tulle embroidered with some very 3D beetles. Heavy? Probably. Uncomfortable to sit down in? Also likely. But stunning? Just like the rest of the collection, without a doubt.

    Alright, I’m sure you can already guess my favorite SS18 collection (because I am tremendously predictable), but I wanted to give shoutouts to some honorable mentions first. The moto-reimaginings of Jackie Kennedy’s most iconic outfits at Moschino were some of my favorite individual pieces of the season. However, the unfortunate phrasing in the campaign has left a bad taste in my mouth since. Oscar de la Renta was gorgeous (that layered tulle coat Nicki Minaj wore to the Met Gala, wow), just not as exciting as the previous season. Likewise, Area had some great looks, and I loved the dark lip on some of the models, but it was about 50/50 for me. David Koma had amazing leather craftsmanship, as always, but the looks with embroidered feathers felt like something you could find at a department store. In another season, Elie Saab might’ve made it onto the list, I just happened to like other collections more. (Look 56, though. Wow.)     And, with that all off my chest, my favorite collection of the season!

1. ALEXANDER WANG     Do all of the earlier references to designs I like count as foreshadowing? This collection literally had it all; clear inspiration, variations on a theme, moto details…Well, and Alexander Wang is my favorite designer. From the first look, I was in love. There was something distinctly Matrix-ian about the collection - and it wasn’t just the tiny shades. Perhaps it was the trench coats and the prevalence of leather, or having the models stomp through a set that was, at one point in time, an office building - the former Condé Nast HQ, in fact. Wang’s use of zippers in this collection was phenomenal. The ones that hugged the hip were particularly beautiful, as were the ones that mimicked seams around the waist and bust. Perhaps the only looks I wasn’t feeling were some of the sweatpants. As much as I liked the rest of the seams, ones near the hips always feel a little unfortunate to me.     But the rest? I was blown away. The ways Wang reinterpreted blazers in this collection; from the not-quite business wear at the beginning, to the mini-dresses at the end. Brilliant, all of them. Just the mini-dresses in general - an Alexander Wang girl is always ready to attend the hottest party in town. Those chiffon numbers towards the middle and the metallic looks near the end also deserve a mention. Honestly, even the things I don’t typically like, I was into in this collection. Pink is usually a hard color to convince me of, but I would absolutely wear the hot pink pieces here. Could I pull them off? Probably not, but I also wouldn’t care. I’m also not a huge bag person, but the Swarovski-encrusted Ziplock was pure genius.     Unfortunately, this is the last collection Alexander Wang plans to show during the conventional NYFW schedule. In fact, he already showed his SS19 collection back in June. (And I loved it, of course.) My thoughts on that collection will have to wait for a little while longer. For most designers, SS19 will begin tomorrow. However, I already know Wang’s collection will make the list.

    Alright, I think that’s enough rambling for one post. Those were my opinions on last season, but I would love to hear yours. What were your favorite collections of FW18?

[hazlouquitefinished]

JLY Analysis: The In-Depth Post

Hello and welcome to what may very well be the world’s longest post about Louis Tomlinson’s recent lyric video for his song “Just Like You”! You may have seen my prior posts about the video - here’s the link for my JLY tag if you want to catch up on my prior analysis! 

To preface, this post is the result of an actual frame-by-frame analysis of the entire video (all 6,155 frames), and it’s everything that I haven’t seen other bloggers mention.

I’m here to present the content of the video so that everyone has access to it! If I’m missing something, chances are I’ve already posted about it or saw someone else post about it, but feel free to send me a message if you spot something I didn’t catch!

 Anyway, let’s get on with it! Hopefully somebody reads through all of it, but it’s a lot, lmao. All 65 pages of my screenshot document are analyzed and laid out below the cut. 😎

First up is the headline under “whole world in my right hand”: All of the headlines that have visible words around/beneath them have obviously had the actual title replaced with the lyrics, but you can still source the original article if you have enough words. 

This is actually from the original wanted poster from the infamous Elizabeth Short case, often called the Black Dahlia case. The case has been unsolved since it occurred in 1947. 

Next is this travel deal, from a trip to Norway advertised in The Times. 

The crossed-out headline also in that frame says “really not a petrolhead”, which is from this article.

Next is this headline:

It comes from this article:

Near the Thomas Paine article is a review of this book:

Moving on to a series of cars:

“23″ written on the seat.

The above picture is actually this one of Lindsay Lohan with her black Porsche, from June 2013 as far as I can tell:

I didn’t try to find the other cars, but I believe they’re other celebrity car pics. Here’s one last one:

Next is another trip advertisement, which I believe is from a China Yangtze cruise.

The upper left text is from this football article:

This “party” headline is next:

It’s from this article, a review of a comedy that - according to the link - was first published all the way back in February, then recently update online. 

Funnily enough, one of the stars is a familiar name :-)

This next frame has quite a few articles:

The main two are these:

Here’s the frame with the relevant parts underlined:

I don’t know what the “global” logo is. On the right hand part of the frame is the obituary of Pat Sephton.

Pat, as the obituary title states, was the woman who founded the Bottoms Up strip club.

I don’t know where this next part appears in the video itself, because my document got mixed up in some places, but an anon pointed out to me that the megaphone featured is the same one in the History music video.

Some blue n green in this frame:

And this one:

The upper corner of this frame has a tiny clipping of an article:

These next two frames feature text from these two articles:

These two frames contain whited-out dialogue from a Dear Deidre column:

“I’ve, erm, I’ve been … Erm .. Well, now that you ask...”

“They said you weren’t working tonight, so where have you been?”

The green silhouettes are consistent with the couple in the article:

The article is about “Cathy” who’s cheating on her boyfriend, “Max”, with “Darren”. Darren is cheating on his girlfriend “Jill” with Cathy. 

Max and Jill actually end up together, both the victims of their boyfriend’s/girlfriend’s infidelity. Jill gets cold feet with her relationship with Max, and Darren feels the same about Cathy, so Jill and Darren try to work things out. In the end, Cathy gets left out in the cold - the cheater who started the whole mess.

Next up is the frame that the “happy eggs” article is on. It features a headline from Volume V, Issue VI of something, but who knows what. 

“Alex” hides onscreen for a few frames :-)

The full article is this one:

It discusses Manchester United at length. Interesting, given the fact that we know someone who is an avid fan of that particular team. :-)

If I remember right, he talked about Manchester United at his show this year, didn’t he? I digress - there are several more small mentions of the team, though looking through my document, I don’t think I screenshotted all of them. Interesting nonetheless. :-) Moving on!

An article about China’s Communist Party Congress.

I know we already found it, but here’s the pic and website of the Queens Arms, located in the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham:

There are two articles in this frame:

This one about Andrea Pirlo, a footballer whose career ended this year: 

And this one about mental illness:

The quote that’s featured in the video is:

“'One in four of us will have some form of mental health episode at some stage in our life. If we're moving 400,000 passengers on the DLR each weekday, a significant number of our customers will be going through something, without necessarily showing the symptoms.”

This headline is from the following article about the National Trust:

The National Trust is the governing body of protected sites of natural beauty or historic significance. 

In the above frame is this article:

The text in this frame is from this article:

The National Trust comes back in this frame:

This is the article:

This next frame is rather content-heavy:

In the bottom-left corner is a photo of St. Vincent, from a review of her new album Masseducation. Kudos to Louis for adding another LGBTQ+ artist to the video - St. Vincent dated Cara Delevingne for 1.5 years :-) 

The same-sex marriage quote is from this article about Tim Minchin, a composer. 

The right-hand picture is from this article about Dizzee Rascal:

Finally, the upper-middle person is actually a sideboard called “Ziggy” from a bespoke handmade furniture site.

This was interesting to me because there’s obviously no person in the photo that was used - the animator just cut one out. I have no idea who it is, and I’m interested as to why the sideboard was advertised in a newspaper in the first place, considering it’s very limited edition. [shrugs]

This is from another horse-racing article:

It discusses a particularly feisty filly; fans of the horse are fighting for her to continue racing, but her manager is thinking about taking her off the track.

Carla Bruni, a musician, is featured here:

as I noted - the words featured are “world war”, “manipulating”, “exhausted”, and “tensest sense”. It’s a review of the World War II film “Land of Mine”, from this article:

This is from this article, a book review:

Beetle Bailey flashbacks! hahah

More Cillian Murphy mentions! I hope he’s hinting at an upcoming guest appearance on Peaky Blinders, lmao

This frame is from this article:

This headline is from this article, all the way back in 2014:

Anyone else getting flashbacks to.....

:-)

This frame is from a review of a Van Gogh movie called “Loving Vincent”

Not to be dramatic, but “revolutionary artist” is exactly how I would describe Louis :’)

I just thought it was funny that the dead-center word in this word search is....

OTP :-)

And yet another shout-out to Cillian! Me, too, Louis. Me, too. 

You may have seen in my prior analysis that “Ruby In The Dust” appeared, and I wasn’t sure what it referenced. This is actually the article it’s from:

This is the first line of that article:

:-)

The text on the right half of this frame is from this article: 

Hi, Manchester United :-)

This is an advertisement for McCarthy & Stone retirement homes. They have locations all over the UK, but the ads are location-specific - I thought this one was from Cheshire, but the phone number didn’t match up. It’s 0800-201-4215, but I can’t call it because I live in the US, so who knows where it’s from! [shrugs]

OTP shows up again!

We’ve already pointed out the nautical star, but I have to include it again because, as a lesbian, it makes me so happy :-)

my heart is warm :’)

I’m including this frame because I’m interested to hear other opinions - “Loui” was spelled and left up for a few seconds, then this end letter was added. It looks far too flat to be an “s”, IMO, so does anyone think it could be an “e” to spell “Louie”?

Finally, the last few frames are various articles with white paint obscuring most of the text. The “LGBT” article from earlier appears once at the beginning of the end segment, then it comes back at the very end. It’s the very last thing you see before the video ends :-)

And that’s the end! I’d like to thank @parodiesofuktabloids for helping me find the love rectangle Dear Deidre comic, and @ann-fortunately for her help with the mirror article! I’d also like to extend a major congratulations to Louis for creating a video that’s absolutely packed full of content - I really enjoyed researching everything featured. 

I couldn’t be prouder to be a fan of someone that so clearly has made a point to use his platform to represent marginalized voices through this video. As a lesbian, Louis’ representation of LGBTQ+ news and culture was particularly meaningful to me. I can’t thank him enough for putting this video together - it absolutely took an incredible amount of skill and intelligence to film and create, and I feel honored to have been the one to reverse-engineer it these past few weeks. 

Onto the next video, Louis? 😎

[alexeiadrae]

Strange Things About the Monarchy in the Slayersverse

I think the big thing that jumps out at me is how unconcerned the monarchs in the Slayersverse are to producing more children, when producing as many children as possible has traditionally been one of the big goals for most monarchs. Especially in an age where infant and child mortality was high even for the wealthy (Queen Anne of England had 17 pregnancies, 12 of them stillbirths, and of the ones that survived, only one lived to be older than 2, and he died in childhood, so she had 17 pregnancies and no heirs that were biological children).

Royal women tended to marry in their teens and were expected to start producing children. If a spouse died, it was expected that the surviving spouse would remarry to further diplomacy and produce more heirs. Yet in the Slayersverse, this does not seem to be as much of a preoccupation. A. Naga is in her 20s, unmarried, and if she is betrothed, it is never mentioned (keep in mind, it was not uncommon to arrange engagements between monarchs in infancy, though often those deals fell apart during the passage of time. Mary Queen of Scots was engaged when she was 6 months old to Edward VI of England, but when that fell through, she was sent to France at the age of 5 to live with her new fiance's family and get used to the ways of the French court. Naturally, she did not marry him at the age of 5, she was 16 when that happened). B. Similarly, Amelia is not married and there is no mention on an engagement, even though she is at least 17 by Revo/Evo. C. The number of children among the royals is small. Naga and Amelia's age gap is rather large, especially considering a royal woman would not nurse her children (Anne Boleyn tried. Henry VIII said no. She didn't press the issue, thus ensuring her head remained attached to her neck for a few more years). Alfred appears to be the only child of Christopher. If Randy has children they are never mentioned. Likely the reason is because HK didn't want to bog the story down with too many characters. Still, looking at other royal families, Martina appears to be an only child, and I can't think of any royal family depicted in the series where there are numerous children. They could be there, but they are absent. D. That Prince Phil never remarried is strange. Given he is set to inherit the throne and given that HK has said that women can't inherit the throne in Saillune (though there appears to be some debate on this), he would be under a lot of pressure to re-marry and father more kids. Though hopefully he wouldn't go all Henry VIII about it. Christopher, also, for all intents and purposes appears to be a widower (either that or women in Saillune really stay out of official business, though Amelia would seem to contradict this). And Martina's father has also never appeared with a queen. Once again, the more likely reason is not to muddy the story with too many characters. Potential Fanon Explanation (not sure how much weight I give any of these): -Perhaps, because of religious or cultural taboos, remarriage after the death of a spouse is forbidden in the Slayersverse, and that extends to the monarchy. -Prince Phil's renowned ugliness means that it is very difficult to find someone who would marry him. OK, seriously, after working for several years with meth addicts who smelled like rotten shrimp and whose teeth were rotting out of their gums and it was physically painful for me to look at them because my teeth would start to ache in response (damn empathy), whose skin was grey, scabbed, and who knows what else, yet they still were pregnant/recently fathered children/sexually active, I've come to believe that there is no level of ugly that someone won't fuck. So the good news for Phil is that if he wants to embark on marriage again, someone somewhere would have him. -Infant and child mortality could be low because of sorcery and may be comparable to what we see in our modern times, especially in a place like Saillune. This would be why there isn't a lot of focus on breeding like rabbits. As Louis VII of France discovered, having a plethora of male heirs reach adulthood becomes a curse as they start to bicker over who gets what and start wars with each other, so they may deliberately limit family size. -At the same time, a high infant/child mortality could also explain why there aren't a lot of royal children. Many don't survive. The problem with this one, though, is that it would make no sense to let the surviving royal children gallivant across the continent without bodyguards and the like. On this note we go into... Privacy! Privacy was damn hard to come upon for royals! In England, they even had an official Groom of the Stool, no, not the type of stool you step on to reach the china you put out of the kids reach, I'm talking excrement stool, basically, this person's job was to assist the king as he took a shit and examine the contents to make sure the king was healthy. And you thought your job sucked! But it was actually a coveted post because you had the kings confidence and trust. For the king of England, though, not even bowel movements were private. Many royals never even slept alone, and this isn't even in the sexual sense. Royal women shared their beds with other noble women, and it was a great honor for a woman to be asked to sleep with the queen. This did happen with the men, though not to the extent it did with the women, but people would not have concluded that a prince who shared a bed with another man was engaging in anything sexual. Sleeping alone is a rather modern invention. Royals were surrounded by people morning, noon and night. Royal women had a group of ladies in waiting to attend them. Men similarly were surrounded by people. So the lack of other nobles surrounding Amelia, Phil, Naga, etc, is strange. That Naga in particular would travel without a companion is strange (you could argue that as Amelia always traveled with other members the Slayers group, with the exception of the one time she went to find Phil, that she had people with her even if they weren't nobles). Possible Fanon Explanations: -It's hard to say, but it's possible that the royal courts in the Slayersverse are at an early stage of evolution, before the varied and strange jobs involving stool collection could be invented. So perhaps they did have privacy in the bathroom at least, and perhaps the role of the ladies in waiting to constantly attend to a royal woman, had not been firmly established yet. I'd briefly created a lady in waiting for Naga but ended up writing her out. Amelia never mentions one, is never seen with one, and given that in the novels we meet her at the Saillune court, if it was expected for the princesses to be attended by one then we should have seen her then. -This one is rather cynical, but a kingdom that grants its royal daughters so much freedom is also at odds with one that would not let them inherit power, though perhaps there is a sinister purpose...them dying in a heroic adventure on the road and paving the way for the next male heir. In the novels, though, Phil does take an active role in trying to keep Amelia out of the action (at one point picking her up and telling her that the battle scene is no place for a little girl), YET he lets her travel with Lina and Gourry under dangerous circumstances. Perhaps the tradition of women traveling on their own for a bit was created for that purpose (though the reasons why were lost to history), and since it's a tradition Phil feels he has to honor it even if he doesn't like it, and the royal daughters, heady with teenage rebellion and itching to get away from court and stretch their wings and, being teenagers, convinced of their invincibility would riot if it was done away with. On a related note, one question I've seen different people take different approaches to is the question of whether or not marriages are arranged. Given that Naga and Amelia do have so much freedom to travel without being under the watchful eye of the court, that tends to confer a degree of sexual freedom to meet potential partners, fall in love, etc, that would wreck problems with the whole arranged marriage thing. At the same time, social pressure can be enough, given as I went to high school with a significant percentage of people who had immigrated from India, and a few (though not the majority) of them had been betrothed in high school and were still expected to travel to go to college and stuff, but they also accepted the arranged marriage because of family pressure. That said, I like the idea of princesses who get to go out and have fun rather than live their lives in a gilded cage at the mercy of their sovereign (and Catherine of Aragon's story drastically shows how those fortunes can rise and fall precipitously, particularly if you had the bad luck to be married to a sociopath). I like that Amelia addressed Phil as "daddy" rather than "My Supreme and Illustrious and Royal Father and King" or whatever (not that royal fathers didn't love their children and their children didn't love them). It may not make much logical sense, but it makes for a good story.

[confrontingbabble-on]

“Religious ideas are common to all cultures: like language and music, they seem to be part of what it is to be human. Until recently, science has largely shied away from asking why. "It's not that religion is not important," says Paul Bloom, a psychologist at Yale University, "it's that the taboo nature of the topic has meant there has been little progress." The origin of religious belief is something of a mystery, but in recent years scientists have started to make suggestions. One leading idea is that religion is an evolutionary adaptation that makes people more likely to survive and pass their genes onto the next generation. In this view, shared religious belief helped our ancestors form tightly knit groups that cooperated in hunting, foraging and childcare, enabling these groups to outcompete others. In this way, the theory goes, religion was selected for by evolution, and eventually permeated every human society

The religion-as-an-adaptation theory doesn't wash with everybody, however. As anthropologist Scott Atran of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor points out, the benefits of holding such unfounded beliefs are questionable, in terms of evolutionary fitness. "I don't think the idea makes much sense, given the kinds of things you find in religion," he says. A belief in life after death, for example, is hardly compatible with surviving in the here-and-now and propagating your genes. Moreover, if there are adaptive advantages of religion, they do not explain its origin, but simply how it spread.

An alternative being put forward by Atran and others is that religion emerges as a natural by-product of the way the human mind works. That's not to say that the human brain has a "god module" in the same way that it has a language module that evolved specifically for acquiring language. Rather, some of the unique cognitive capacities that have made us so successful as a species also work together to create a tendency for supernatural thinking. "There's now a lot of evidence that some of the foundations for our religious beliefs are hard-wired," says Bloom.

Much of that evidence comes from experiments carried out on children, who are seen as revealing a "default state" of the mind that persists, albeit in modified form, into adulthood. "Children the world over have a strong natural receptivity to believing in gods because of the way their minds work, and this early developing receptivity continues to anchor our intuitive thinking throughout life," says anthropologist Justin Barrett of the University of Oxford.

So how does the brain conjure up gods?

One of the key factors, says Bloom, is the fact that our brains have separate cognitive systems for dealing with living things - things with minds, or at least volition - and inanimate objects. This separation happens very early in life. Bloom and colleagues have shown that babies as young as five months make a distinction between inanimate objects and people. Shown a box moving in a stop-start way, babies show surprise. But a person moving in the same way elicits no surprise. To babies, objects ought to obey the laws of physics and move in a predictable way. People, on the other hand, have their own intentions and goals, and move however they choose.

Bloom says the two systems are autonomous, leaving us with two viewpoints on the world: one that deals with minds, and one that handles physical aspects of the world. He calls this innate assumption that mind and matter are distinct "common-sense dualism". The body is for physical processes, like eating and moving, while the mind carries our consciousness in a separate - and separable - package. "We very naturally accept you can leave your body in a dream, or in astral projection or some sort of magic," Bloom says. "These are universal views."

There is plenty of evidence that thinking about disembodied minds comes naturally. People readily form relationships with non-existent others: roughly half of all 4-year-olds have had an imaginary friend, and adults often form and maintain relationships with dead relatives, fictional characters and fantasy partners. As Barrett points out, this is an evolutionarily useful skill. Without it we would be unable to maintain large social hierarchies and alliances or anticipate what an unseen enemy might be planning. "Requiring a body around to think about its mind would be a great liability," he says.

Useful as it is, common-sense dualism also appears to prime the brain for supernatural concepts such as life after death. In 2004, Jesse Bering of Queen's University Belfast, UK, put on a puppet show for a group of pre-school children. During the show, an alligator ate a mouse. The researchers then asked the children questions about the physical existence of the mouse, such as: "Can the mouse still be sick? Does it need to eat or drink?" The children said no. But when asked more "spiritual" questions, such as "does the mouse think and know things?", the children answered yes.

Based on these and other experiments, Bering considers a belief in some form of life apart from that experienced in the body to be the default setting of the human brain. Education and experience teach us to override it, but it never truly leaves us, he says. From there it is only a short step to conceptualising spirits, dead ancestors and, of course, gods, says Pascal Boyer, a psychologist at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri.

Boyer points out that people expect their gods' minds to work very much like human minds, suggesting they spring from the same brain system that enables us to think about absent or non-existent people.

The ability to conceive of gods, however, is not sufficient to give rise to religion. The mind has another essential attribute: an overdeveloped sense of cause and effect which primes us to see purpose and design everywhere, even where there is none. "You see bushes rustle, you assume there's somebody or something there," Bloom says. This over-attribution of cause and effect probably evolved for survival. If there are predators around, it is no good spotting them 9 times out of 10. Running away when you don't have to is a small price to pay for avoiding danger when the threat is real.

Again, experiments on young children reveal this default state of the mind. Children as young as three readily attribute design and purpose to inanimate objects. When Deborah Kelemen of the University of Arizona in Tucson asked 7 and 8-year-old children questions about inanimate objects and animals, she found that most believed they were created for a specific purpose. Pointy rocks are there for animals to scratch themselves on. Birds exist "to make nice music", while rivers exist so boats have something to float on. "It was extraordinary to hear children saying that things like mountains and clouds were 'for' a purpose and appearing highly resistant to any counter-suggestion," says Kelemen. In similar experiments, Olivera Petrovich of the University of Oxford asked pre-school children about the origins of natural things such as plants and animals. She found they were seven times as likely to answer that they were made by god than made by people. These cognitive biases are so strong, says Petrovich, that children tend to spontaneously invent the concept of god without adult intervention: "They rely on their everyday experience of the physical world and construct the concept of god on the basis of this experience."

Because of this, when children hear the claims of religion they seem to make perfect sense. Our predisposition to believe in a supernatural world stays with us as we get older. Kelemen has found that adults are just as inclined to see design and intention where there is none. Put under pressure to explain natural phenomena, adults often fall back on teleological arguments, such as "trees produce oxygen so that animals can breathe" or "the sun is hot because warmth nurtures life". Though she doesn't yet have evidence that this tendency is linked to belief in god, Kelemen does have results showing that most adults tacitly believe they have souls. Boyer is keen to point out that religious adults are not childish or weak-minded. Studies reveal that religious adults have very different mindsets from children, concentrating more on the moral dimensions of their faith and less on its supernatural attributes.

Even so, religion is an inescapable artefact of the wiring in our brain, says Bloom. "All humans possess the brain circuitry and that never goes away."

Petrovich adds that even adults who describe themselves as atheists and agnostics are prone to supernatural thinking. Bering has seen this too. When one of his students carried out interviews with atheists, it became clear that they often tacitly attribute purpose to significant or traumatic moments in their lives, as if some agency were intervening to make it happen. "They don't completely exorcise the ghost of god - they just muzzle it," Bering says.

The fact that trauma is so often responsible for these slips gives a clue as to why adults find it so difficult to jettison their innate belief in gods, Atran says. The problem is something he calls "the tragedy of cognition". Humans can anticipate future events, remember the past and conceive of how things could go wrong - including their own death, which is hard to deal with. "You've got to figure out a solution, otherwise you're overwhelmed," Atran says. When natural brain processes give us a get-out-of-jail card, we take it. That view is backed up by an experiment published late last year (Science, vol 322, p 115). Jennifer Whitson of the University of Texas in Austin and Adam Galinsky of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, asked people what patterns they could see in arrangements of dots or stock market information. Before asking, Whitson and Galinsky made half their participants feel a lack of control, either by giving them feedback unrelated to their performance or by having them recall experiences where they had lost control of a situation. The results were striking.

The subjects who sensed a loss of control were much more likely to see patterns where there were none. "We were surprised that the phenomenon is as widespread as it is," Whitson says. What's going on, she suggests, is that when we feel a lack of control we fall back on superstitious ways of thinking. That would explain why religions enjoy a revival during hard times.

So if religion is a natural consequence of how our brains work, where does that leave god? All the researchers involved stress that none of this says anything about the existence or otherwise of gods: as Barratt points out, whether or not a belief is true is independent of why people believe it. It does, however, suggests that god isn't going away, and that atheism will always be a hard sell.

Religious belief is the "path of least resistance", says Boyer, while disbelief requires effort. These findings also challenge the idea that religion is an adaptation. "Yes, religion helps create large societies - and once you have large societies you can outcompete groups that don't," Atran says. "But it arises as an artefact of the ability to build fictive worlds. I don't think there's an adaptation for religion any more than there's an adaptation to make airplanes." I don't think there's an adaptation for religion any more than there's an adaptation to make airplanes

Supporters of the adaptation hypothesis, however, say that the two ideas are not mutually exclusive. As David Sloan Wilson of Binghamton University in New York state points out, elements of religious belief could have arisen as a by-product of brain evolution, but religion per se was selected for because it promotes group survival. "Most adaptations are built from previous structures," he says. "Boyer's basic thesis and my basic thesis could both be correct." Robin Dunbar of the University of Oxford - the researcher most strongly identified with the religion-as-adaptation argument - also has no problem with the idea that religion co-opts brain circuits that evolved for something else. Richard Dawkins, too, sees the two camps as compatible. "Why shouldn't both be correct?" he says. "I actually think they are." Ultimately, discovering the true origins of something as complex as religion will be difficult.

There is one experiment, however, that could go a long way to proving whether Boyer, Bloom and the rest are onto something profound. Ethical issues mean it won't be done any time soon, but that hasn't stopped people speculating about the outcome. It goes something like this. Left to their own devices, children create their own "creole" languages using hard-wired linguistic brain circuits. A similar experiment would provide our best test of the innate religious inclinations of humans. Would a group of children raised in isolation spontaneously create their own religious beliefs? "I think the answer is yes," says Bloom.

God of the gullible... In The God Delusion, Richard Dawkins argues that religion is propagated through indoctrination, especially of children. Evolution predisposes children to swallow whatever their parents and tribal elders tell them, he argues, as trusting obedience is valuable for survival. This also leads to what Dawkins calls "slavish gullibility" in the face of religious claims. If children have an innate belief in god, however, where does that leave the indoctrination hypothesis? "I am thoroughly happy with believing that children are predisposed to believe in invisible gods - I always was," says Dawkins. "But I also find the indoctrination hypothesis plausible. The two influences could, and I suspect do, reinforce one another." He suggests that evolved gullibility converts a child's general predisposition to believe in god into a specific belief in the god (or gods) their parents worship. “

http://www.godlessgeeks.com/BornBelievers.htm

[bookspoils]

This month I went back to rediscover some more favorites in the nonfiction genre. From feminist collections to essays and short stories, I tried my hand at a handful of them. In total I read 19 books in April:

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/10/review-bad-girls-throughout-history-by-ann-shen/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/18/review-note-to-self-by-connor-franta/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/07/review-the-best-we-could-do-by-thi-bui/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/17/review-ivy-and-the-lonely-raincloud-by-katie-harnett/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/03/review-the-beauty-queen-of-jerusalem-by-sarit-yishai-levi/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/05/review-the-sound-of-the-world-by-heart-by-giacomo-bevilacqua/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/14/review-the-good-immigrant-by-nikesh-shukla/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/26/review-this-is-really-happening-by-erin-chack/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/25/review-giant-days-vol-5-by-john-allison/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/09/review-does-my-head-look-big-in-thisby-randa-abdel-fattah/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/06/review-america-2-by-gabby-rivera/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/22/review-good-night-stories-for-rebel-girls-by-elena-favilli-francesca-cavallo/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/16/review-the-moth-presents-all-these-wonders-by-catherine-burns/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/28/review-leaf-by-sandra-dieckmann/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/21/review-the-refugees-by-viet-thanh-nguyen/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/11/review-stolen-words-by-melanie-florence/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/review-what-it-means-when-a-man-falls-from-the-sky-by-lesley-nneka-arimah/

https://bookspoils.wordpress.com/2017/04/29/review-dancers-among-us-by-jordan-matter/

Favorite current listen:I’d been looking for the perfect podcast for awhile now when I gratefully stumbled upon Rookie’s announcement of launching their first ever podcast at the start of this month. It premiered on April 4th, and I’ve been hooked and tuning in every week since.

Description: On the Rookie Podcast, hosted by Tavi Gevinson, we’ll interview people we admire: artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, activists. We’ll also have teenagers ask semi-qualified grownups for advice, feature work by our readers and listeners, share some life skills and pop culture recommendations, and discuss the human experience through the teenage lens. Then, we’ll all know how to be people! Or at least not know, together.

Not only is Gevinson’s voice eerily soothing and relaxing, the wide range of evergreen issues and topics discussed ring true than ever for me. I also cherished the addition of the interviews in here. We get to hear people from all walks of life talk about those aforementioned subjects and add in their own point of views. From Lorde and Hilton Als to Heben Nigatu and Tracy Clayton of Another Round, Rowan Blanchard, Winona Ryder, Olympic medalist Ibtihaj Muhammad, and so many more influential individuals that graciously imparted their wisdom.

New episodes release on Tuesdays via iTunes and the Panoply platform. You can subscribe to the podcast and listen to it here!

Honorable Mention: The one thing I’ve been anticipating for months and months has come back into my life: Skam with its brand new season.

http://bookspoils.tumblr.com/post/159520073773/skamdaily-401-squads

This newly released (and sadly last) season revolves around one of my all-time favorites: Sana Bakkoush. And I truly couldn’t have been more grateful and joyful. I hold a special place in my heart just for her, because she was the one that made me initially interested in watching this phenomenal series, as I mentioned in my December Wrap Up.

To give you some context on the atmosphere and themes being explored in this new season I’d like to voice this on-point post: up until now, sana has been painted as this incredibly fierce, strong, unapologetic girl who doesn’t tolerate any kind of ignorance. she’s consistently portrayed as confident and outspoken throughout the past three seasons. then BAM. s4 airs, we’re seeing things from her perspective, and there’s this dramatic shift, almost instantly. 

she’s still the same sana. she stares down the woman on the bus. she snaps at vilde when vilde won’t shut up about how much sex she’s having and corrects her when vilde says “you can’t have sex”. she tells the girls that she thinks it’s their responsibility to tell noora about william’s new girlfriend considering william won’t tell her himself. these are all very sana-like traits. 

but now, we see just how much she has to put up with, too. it’s the more subtle things. the rushing to silence her phone when she was on the bus because shit shit shit, it’ll freak some people out. the fact that yes, her friends ordered another pizza without any pork on it, but the meat was still haram. but it was a kind gesture of them to think of it in the first place, right? so she doesn’t complain, she just silently picks the meat off, not wanting to seem ungrateful despite the fact that really, don’t they know by now?

…

and it’s so subtle. things that we would only get from seeing life through her eyes. but it’s chipping away at her, bit by bit, these little instances of being excluded, of her friends not quite getting it. and it’s so heartbreaking to see, but so, so clever, too. because suddenly i just feel like we – like the characters on the show – have misjudged sana completely. she’s still strong, she’s still fierce. but she swallows a lot down, too. she’s hurting more than we originally thought. she feels more misunderstood than we originally thought. and i am so impressed that in a clip that was less than 8 minutes long, we have already seen a completely different side to sana than we got throughout the last 3 seasons.

http://bookspoils.tumblr.com/post/159637343273/aminyard-insp-x

Getting to see things from Sana’s perspective profoundly changed my outlook on so many things. I started to become aware of all the cracks and the constant little hurts that she has to put up with almost daily, especially those from the girl squad. Also, now that I got to see it all play out from Sana’s pov, I quickly started picking up on how inconsiderate and at times even ignorant people – strangers, classmates, etc.- came to be around her. Sana Bakkoush deserves the whole wide world, so it continually crushed my heart to see her being under appreciated.

But I was interested to see how the show – a known barrier breaker – would handle said situation with the utmost care and expertise, as it has done with significant topics in the past three seasons.

Which leads me to the next point that I want to talk about: Skam portraying their Muslim main lead. Religion is such a crucial part of my everyday life as a practicing Jew, so I was beyond ecstatic to have a young Muslim woman of colour represented in this season. And it defied my exceptions in all aspects, to say the least. The utter respect and admiration I have for Sana Bakkoush – played by the effervescent Iman Meskini – is difficult to articulate, so I think it’s best if I let this next post sum it up:

http://bookspoils.tumblr.com/post/159590440178/imansmeskinis-because-this-right-here-needs

It made my heart soar to see this on television.

And just a few more things I’d like to vent about:

I adore the fact that I became smitten with Sana and Yousef before they’d even spoken more than one sentence to each other. Their eye contact alone was reason enough to give me butterflies.

http://bookspoils.tumblr.com/post/159883830118/aleolightwood-i-dont-want-to-be-rude-now-but

So you can only imagine how utterly alive I felt when those two finally had some dialogue. I was living vicariously through them, to be quite frank.

I also feel compelled to share this next gifset because there’s no going back with my love for Sana and Yousef:

http://bookspoils.tumblr.com/post/159966591298/yousanas-sanas-crush-on-yousef-is

thumbs up while choking back tears This is how I like my flirting.

Also, Sana’s season had barely even started and it was already the most iconic Skam season for me. That first episode alone covered so many vitally important topics, which consequently reminded me exactly why this remains to be my favorite tv series. Nothing quite compares to it.

The soundtrack is as always eerily on point with the characters.

An uplifting and healthy mother-daughter relationship represented between Sana and her mom had me all that more enraptured.

Sana Bakkoush is an incredible positive influence in my life. Just seeing her be herself genuinely inspires me. And if I am half the person she is, I’ll consider myself to be fortunate.

The balloon squad (called by that name because the first time we saw them was in a behind the scenes photo and they were holding a bundle of balloons) are the ultimate #squadgoals.

http://bookspoils.tumblr.com/post/159590843938/skamedits-fy-faen-fy-fy-faen

They come off like a bunch of funny, loving, handsome, wholesome, complex characters. And I was won over one line at a time. Also, I high-key cherish the fact that they have a Youtube channel where they post videos throughout the week.

I love the intricate attention paid to details in Skam. Absolutely everything is there for a reason; things are never as simple as they first seem. But then this also leads to me overanalyzing each episode. Oh, and the fact that this was the first season where I kept up with the release of each clip and episode only added to the immense thrill and excitement.

Honestly, I could go on and on about how season four has quite quickly become my favorite Skam season, but I think you get my point. Plus, I’m still in denial that it’s the last one… I can’t quite wrap my mind around the fact that they’re ending it on such a good season.

http://bookspoils.tumblr.com/post/160053775603/nalle-cishet-drama-bonus

P.S. since we’re less than a handful episodes into season four, I wasn’t anticipating to write so much but hey, what can I say? I love this show with all my heart. And I imagine I’ll have a lot more to say about the remaining episodes left, so if you’re interested in keeping up with my fangirling you’re more than welcome to follow my Tumblr here or my Twitter here.

That was my April wrap-up, thank you for reading!

April 2017 Reading Wrap Up