#but the Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home novel is a whole other level

[transgenderboobs]

Ah I’ve been loving the southern reach trilogy too!!! Im almost done with acceptance now but it makes me wonder what other books you’ve read and loved!!!

YESSSS i love those books so much, genuinely love the way jeff vandermeer writes his characters they are all so deeply compelling to me. i hope you have fun reading the rest of acceptance :^)

hmm if i'm honest i haven't read a lot of books lately? i hit a massive Depression Slump when the pandemic started and i've only recently Remembered How To Read enough to finish a whole book again. like i've probably read. 10 total books since the start of 2020 and they've been all over the place genre wise

but ok lets see. some books i've read that i enjoyed recently. "several people are typing" by calvin kasulke. "the city beautiful" by aden polydoros if u can forgive the sin of it technically being ya. "howl's moving castle" by diana wynne jones which has genuinely become one of my all time faves.

i also reread watership down which was a childhood favorite, and i'm currently reading the faceless old woman who secretly lives in your home (which is a wtnv novel), which has been fun so far but im not even half way through with it FGJHFLKD

[semper-legens]

110. The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home, by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor

Owned?: No, library Page count: 365 My summary: The Faceless Old Woman secretly lives in your home. And your home. And your home. But there’s a home she particularly lives in, and a reason why. To learn that truth, however, one must look back through years of treachery, betrayal, and revenge to find a girl. Not faceless. Living in her own home. At least for now... My rating: 4/5 My commentary:

This...isn’t a Night Vale novel.

I mean, it is. Literally. But in tone and style, the majority of this book is far more of a historical drama than the slightly-surreal horror-comedy stylings of Welcome to Night Vale as a podcast. The majority is taken over with the backstory of (who else!) the Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home, with little asides from her in the future relating what she’s up to right now, specifically as she secretly lives in her home. While I enjoyed this book (please, it’s a story about 18th/19th century pirates, how could I not) I’m not sure how necessary I thought it was, or how much I think it enriched the story of the Faceless Old Woman as-is.

The Faceless Old Woman herself (hereafter referred to as the Woman, because her title is long) is an enigmatic character in Night Vale proper, and I have to say that explaining why she is the way she is feels like a misstep. The Woman’s character works because we don’t know what she’s up to, there’s just this ominous feeling that there’s someone living in our homes, messing with our lives, for reasons unknown to pretty much everyone. That’s spooky, that’s creepy. Explaining her feels almost like explaining a joke - it cheapens the whole thing, in the end.

That said, the historical drama here is excellent. It’s a tale of revenge and anger, of one woman’s quest to right a great wrong done to her, and all the wrongs she does in the service of that motive. The Woman herself is compelling as a younger character, and the writing still had the poetic Night Vale flair I love so much. Like how the earlier chapters detailing the Woman’s earlier life focused on how certain things smell as a lead-in to relating the next part of the story. It’s cool stuff! And the side characters are a delight, in particular the band of rogues the Woman attracts when going about her nefarious deeds. Of course, my favourite was André, a charmer and conman who appears to be aro/ace. Hell, and indeed, yes.

One thing I have to say about the framing is that making this story less Night Vale makes the parts when Night Vale creeps back in - the Woman messing with Craig in the present tense, the Order of the Labyrinth in her backstory - all the more effective for the contrast. The creeping menace of the Order exists as a subtle threat in the background, as well as the mysterious dead man that the Woman keeps seeing through her life. And the payoff for both of those elements was exquisite. I just...I don’t know. Something felt off about the book as relates to Night Vale, but on its own, I really enjoyed it. And I guess that’s enough.

Next up, a triple murder, and a woman on the brink of desperation.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

reading update

haha time is a void and the passage of days is meaningless! and I’ve been wanting to make a new reading updates post literally every day since the last one, just to have something to do. 

I still haven’t managed to wait quite a whole month, but now that I’ve ripped through a 400ish page epic fantasy in a little under a week I feel justified in posting updates!

I also need to thank my dear friends who have been very generously keeping me supplied in books, and almost all of these were borrowed. 

so - what have I been reading?

The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home (Joseph Fink, Jeffrey Cranor) - some really delightful weird fiction with plenty of swashbuckle, revenge, and mystery that spans generations. as I said in my last reading update, I think it’s my favorite of the Welcome to Night Vale novels specifically because of how well it stands on its own, independent of the podcast, and for taking the reader on such a satisfying adventure. 

Wow, No Thank You (Samantha Irby) - maybe there will be a day when I DON’T come running for a new Sam Irby book, but that day certainly hasn’t come yet. she’s always funny but this collection is extra cathartic, since it provided such a nice reminder of how irritating a lot hallmarks of the Pre-Quarantine Times actually were. you’re right, Sam Irby; going out actually DID suck and staying at home is rad. there’s no way she could have predicted how hard everything would fall to shit at the exact time Wow, No Thank You was released, but it worked out well.

Rat Queens vol. 1-4 (Kurtis J. Wiebe) - I borrowed these on loan from a friend, even though I know I’m bad at committing to new comics, because they looked like fun. and holy shit, are they ever fun. Rat Queens is far from perfect, and the story often feels a little slapdash or rushed, but it’s a brash joyride that feels a lot like what would happen if Birds of Prey (2020) crashed into D&D.  great, great popcorn reading. 

The Bone Witch (Rin Chupeco) - this book was... fine? it was fine. I like sinking into an invented fantasy world as much as the next gay, and I was intrigued by the framing device, which makes clear from the first page that our protagonist, Tea, is going to fall from grace and embrace all the trappings of an evil necromancer. but the story never completely sank it’s fangs into me, and I don’t think I’ll be seeking out the rest of the trilogy any time soon.

Upright Women Wanted (Sarah Gailey) - this is the third of Sarah Gailey’s books that I’ve read in the last six months, and my conclusion is that they unfailingly write books that I can comfortably describe as romps. do I get a little lost in some of the action? yes. do I have some serious questions about how the world works? yes. but are there also queer people having a wildly entertaining, action movie-ish time? god yeah. and isn’t that really all that matters?

The Killing Moon (N.K. Jemisin) - okay, I don’t want to overstate this or anything, but: I’ve been a fan of N.J. Jemisin for several years now, and this is definitely my absolute favorite of all her books. it’s also my favorite fantasy novel that I’ve read in a long-ass time. I could hardly put it down and I’m very, very lucky that the copy I’m reading is actually a (very thicc!) omnibus with both books in the Dreamblood Duology, meaning I don’t have to wait at all to start the sequel.

having said that, just because I don’t have to wait doesn’t mean I shouldn’t, as I really don’t want to get burned out on the characters or the setting. so I’ll be taking a quick break between Dreamblood books!

so - what am I reading now?

Dr. Tatiana’s Sex Advice to All Creation (Olivia Judson) - I started this quite literally five minutes ago and I don’t really know what to make of it yet! I know nothing about it and it was one of about half a dozen books I borrowed from my friend Paige, who has good taste - I also borrowed Rat Queens and the Dreamblood books from her - and she specifically recommended it, so I’m optimistic. if now it’s the time to try some new stuff you wouldn’t usually read, I don’t know when is.

[entwinedmoon]

I was tagged by @clove-pinks to list ten books I’m planning to read in 2020. Sounds fun! So in no particular order, here we go!

1. Check, Please! Book 2: Sticks & Scones by Ngozi Ukazu – This comes out on Tuesday and I am super excited! I’ve been following the web comic for years, and this is the final part of the story. I’ve never been into hockey, but throw in a scrappy pie-baking ice-skater-turned-hockey-player and the Canadian Hockey Robot who loves him and I’m hooked!

2. The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor – This is the most recent novel that takes place in the world of Welcome to Night Vale. I’ve been following the podcast since the end of season one, I’ve gone to the last four live shows (and will go to the next one once this quarantine is over), and I have way too many Night Vale t-shirts. Like twelve. I guess I’m a fan or something. Also, I love the Faceless Old Woman character, so I’m definitely interested in learning more about her.

3. Fence (Volume 4): Rivals by C. S. Pacat – I loved Pacat’s Captive Prince trilogy, so when I found out she was writing a series of comics about a prep school fencing team—filled with rivalries and underdogs and LGBTQ romance and more—I figured I should check it out. I loved the first three volumes, and I am looking forward to seeing people makeout the characters grow. And stuff.

4. The Nobleman's Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks by Mackenzi Lee –This is the third (and supposedly final) book in Lee’s Montague Siblings series. This series has it all: HISTORY! DANGER! FANTASY ELEMENTS! A BYRONIC BISEXUAL DISASTER! A REALISTIC ASEXUAL! PIRATES! What’s not to love?

5. Manchester: Mapping the City – Okay, this book is part of my Torrington research. It uses historic maps and plans to show the growth of Manchester through the Victorian Era and into the 20th century. I’m hoping it will give me at least a little bit of insight into what Manchester would have looked like during Torrington’s lifetime. I know his stepmother lived off Oxford Street, so maybe I’ll get to learn more about that area, even if I can’t narrow down exactly where he and his family may have lived when he was alive.

6. Sir John Franklin's Last Arctic Expedition by Richard J. Cyriax – While this is an older book on the Franklin Expedition, it’s such an iconic one that pretty much every Franklin researcher has heard of it. It’s one of those foundational books that, while it may no longer be the most accurate, it still has a wealth of information and is still referenced by researchers today.

7. Lieut. John Irving, R.N., of H.M.S. Terror, in Sir John Franklin's Last Expedition to the Arctic Region: A Memorial Sketch With Letters by Benjamin Bell – This is the closest thing to a biography on John Irving that exists (for now), and as the name says it’s mostly just a sketch of his life based on his letters. If there’s a biography of anyone who was on the Franklin Expedition, I will read it at this point, no matter how big or small. Speaking of which…

8. Franklin by Andrew Lambert – How exactly I have gone this long without reading a biography about Sir John Franklin himself—the man, the myth, the boot-eater—I don’t know. A lot of books on the expedition give brief bios on him for background, but I’d like to know more, and I’m hoping this book will shed some light on the man who led 129 men to their frozen doom.

9. You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington by Alexis Coe – I am not much of a presidential history buff. I live in Virginia, which has produced eight whole presidents from what I’ve heard, and I even live near Ferry Farm, the place where George Washington grew up (and everything in Fredericksburg is named after his mother Mary, who lived in town), but I’ve never cared that much about it. However, I cataloged this book at the library a few weeks back and couldn’t help flipping through it. And laughing, Like, a lot. Any history book that starts off by quoting Brad Neely’s George Washington YouTube video is something I have to read.

10. Encounters on the Passage: Inuit Meet the Explorers by Dorothy Harley Eber – More Franklin Expedition reading! This book is filled with stories passed down by the Inuit about the various explorers—including Franklin—who attempted to find the Northwest Passage, going back as far as Frobisher in the 1500s. While I’m mostly in it for the Franklin stuff, I’m also fascinated by the Inuit oral tradition, and I think it’s important to preserve their stories, whether it’s about Franklin or not.

And that’s all folks! I’ve got plenty more books waiting for me on my shelves—and I’m in the middle of reading Barrow’s Boys right now—but these are my top ten I’m looking forward to. If anyone else wants to join in and list their top ten, consider yourself tagged!

[beck-a-leck]

Hello! I'm doing the cafe asks thing. I won't ask personal questions but you can pass on them if you want. Jasmine tea, iced cafe mocha, and iced coffee. I already know the answer to hot chocolate (definitely)

These are great questions, Nonny, thank you!

Send me Cafe Asks ☕

Jasmine Tea: If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?

Is the easy cop-out answer everywhere? Because I genuinely would like to go see the entire world, or at the very least set foot on every continent. Even Antarctica.

For a more specific answer, I'd really like to do a tour of the Mediterranean.

Iced Cafe Mocha: Favorite thing to do on rainy days?

I love using rainy days as an excuse to procrastinate on chores and things. I'll put on my coziest clothes, get a nice beverage, and settle into the couch. Maybe I'll do a movie marathon or binge a tv show and do some yarn bending, maybe I'll sink into a video game for a day.

Iced Coffee: Do you like reading? If so what's your favorite book?

I love reading! unfortunately I don't do nearly as much of it as I want. (And recently I've spent more time reading fic than published books. it's just so much more convenient) And I'm the kind of person who can't really pick a single favorite. But here's some that I've read semi-recently and enjoyed and/or my favorites I keep going back to.

The HP series. Look, the author's an evil bitch who never read her own books, but the stories and characters are just too good, and because my formative years were basically defined by the whole series, I cannot let it go. I will forever and always return to those books, they're my home. The His Dark Materials trilogy, by Phillip Pullman. The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer, The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor (and really all the Nightvale novels, but Faceless Old Woman has been my favorite thus far), American Gods by Neil Gaiman.

Please don't ask me about my to-read list. It's 5000 miles long and has a thousand authors on it.

and bonus Hot Chocolate: Are you an affectionate person?

(Definitely) Aww thank you Nonny 💜💜

I'm pretty affectionate with words and actions, but not physically affectionate. (If that makes any sense) Like hugs are great and all, and I love giving and receiving them, but my first instinct to show affection to someone isn't usually with a hug or a kiss. I'll feed you, I'll make you a hat or scarf to stay warm, I'll say all of the loving affirmations, and send a thousand and one heart emojis to make you feel better.

[nightvaleintros]

176 - The Autumn Specter

[intro]

Jeffrey Cranor: Hi, Jeffrey Cranor here. Happy spooky month! And if you’re listening before October 29, let me say: happy Ghost Stories live stream month! That’s right, heck yeah, we’re doing a live stream of our Welcome to Night Vale live show of Ghost Stories on October 29 at 8 PM Eastern. Tickets are pay what you want starting at 5 bucks. You’ll get to see Cecil and Disparition, as always, with special guest appearances by Meg Bashwiner, Symphony Sanders, Hal Lublin, Dylan Marron and Molly Quinn. More information and tickets can be had at welcometonightvale.com, click on “live shows”. [direct link: https://noonchorus.com/welcome-to-night-vale/]

And if you’re in a spooky book reading mood, I strongly recommend the novel “The Faceless Old Woman who Secretly Lives in Your Home”. It is about, well, a faceless old woman who secretly lives in your home. It’s about her birth, her family, her tragedies, her travails, her high seas adventures and her plot for revenge. It is an epic horror/adventure novel that winds across the world over two and a half centuries, ultimately arriving in your home. What does the faceless old woman want from you? Do you know Craig? Will you ever learn? You will, I promise. “The Faceless Old Woman who Secretly Lives in Your Home” is written by me and Joseph Fink, and it is our favorite work to date. It is available wherever there are usually books, or at welcometonightvale.com, click on “books”. I know that you’ll love it. 

[direct link:] http://www.welcometonightvale.com/books 

And hey,

Happy Halloween.

[ad] Don’t you hate it when you fall into a mystical portal behind your local Burger King and find yourself stranded in a magical world? That’s what happened to Arnie Kneecap, so he made a podcast about it. “Hello from the Magic Tavern” is a weekly comedy-fantasy podcast where Arnie interviews the different magical creatures he meets with the help of his friends: a talking badger and a bloviating wizard. Past guests/magical creatures include Paul F. Tompkins, Felicia Day, Travis McElroy, Thomas Middleditch and Rachel Bloom. OK, I’m breaking a little bit from the copy all of a second, hi it’s Jeffrey Cranor I’m co-writer of Night Vale. “Hello from the Magic Tavern” is really funny and really wonderful, and this whole team is full of very good people. This isn’t just me throwing a podcast at you like a dodgeball, no no no. I’m gently tossing a handful of rose petals into the air, so that they may shower down upon us like angelic love. “Hello from the Magic Tavern” is a really good pocast I’ve been listening since, I think 2015 when I started listening, it’s really great y’all. And new epis- OK, I’m gonna go back into my announcer voice. New episodes of “Hello from the Magic Tavern” are out every Monday wherever you get your podcasts. Go listen, I promise it’s awesome, you’ll totally love it.

[outro]

Meg Bashwiner: Welcome to Night Vale is a production of Night Vale Presents. It is written by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor and produced by Disparition.

The voice of Night Vale is Cecil Baldwin.

Original music by Disparition. All of it can be found at disparition.bandcamp.com.

This episode’s weather was “Welterweight” by Nels Andrews. Find out more at https://nelsandrews.bandcamp.com/.

Comments? Questions? Email us at info@welcometonightvale.com, or follow us on Twitter @NightValeRadio. Or tell all of the little animals to please stay out of the road. It is not safe for you there.

Check out welcometonightvale.com for info about our upcoming live stream of “Ghost Stories” for this Halloween month. Get spooky with us.

Today’s proverb: The road to hell is paved with cobblestone. It’s super bumpy, not at all comfortable, and really bad for your car’s suspension.

[siobhanromee]

The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home Book Review

The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home is a genre-less book. Well I guess you could classify it as fantasy, but that category is so broad it doesn't really tell you anything about the book. I would describe it as a mix of period, mystery, thriller, swashbuckling, and heist genre. (I don't know if heist is considered a genre, but I think it should be).

If you didn't already know from the title of the book, this is a Welcome to Night Vale novel. I was originally skeptical about a novel based on a podcast, but I really enjoyed it. You get to learn more about the backstory of the Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives in Your Home, although she didn't start out that way.

The book jumps from modern day Night Vale to Europe in ages past (starting in 1792), really well and it isn't flashback-y. I also like that the authors created some fun fake middle European countries. Luftnarp, Svitz and Franchia all feature parts of the historical part of the story, as does Paris and an unnamed country bordering the Mediterranean. It is a good balance of period fiction and characters that appeal to a modern audience.

I don't want to spoil the book, but I Iove the cast of characters. I'm just gonna list their names, Lora, Edmund, André, Rebekah, Albert, and Vlad. I also like that I was able to read through the whole book without questioning why the Faceless Old Woman is never referred to by first name. I also liked that André was ace and/or aro (this was historical-ish, so he never used the terms asexual or aromantic). They easily could have written him as a seductive D&D bard type character (Idk what else to call that type of character), but they didn't and I respect that. My personal favourite was Rebekah, but you will just have to read the book to find out why ;).

You don't have to know anything about Welcome to Night Vale to enjoy this book, but there are things Night Vale fans will enjoy. It gives a lot of backstory information about The Faceless Old Woman and it helps explain her motives to some extent. It also gives a little history (but only a little) for the man who is not short and the man who is not tall. There are lots of Easter Eggs for the podcast too, my favourite one is when the Faceless Old Woman sees tapestry with a dragon and thinks "Everyone knows a dragon would make a terrible leader. Their five heads can never agree on anything." It also doesn't spoil anything for the podcast which is nice (I'm on episode 54 btw).

I would definitely recommend this book to you, but I will warn you, there isn't a happy ending. (But you should still read it anyway)

(Cover Image found on a Google Search)