#kotlc has taken over all parts of my life.

[purplesoup-lad-le]

i just rewatched the first toy story movie and am feeling the after effects. the point of this post was to say Fitz and dex are just like woody and buzz. from the toy story.

[clarityroses]

you want asks? I'll provide asks >:3

Question! What is kotlc? And what's it about?

That is all, thank you :D

THANK YOUUUUUUUU

Im boutta talk a lot :))

So kotlc is short for keeper of the lost cities, a book series by Shannon Messenger.

(This is basically a summary of the first chapter or two, so spoilers obviously if you’d prefer to read them. But like. I needed to write it. If you want a broader explanation, I’ll put it at the end)

It’s about the girl named Sophie who’s been a prodigy her whole life, resulting in her being a 12 year old high school senior. And along with that, she can read minds, but not voluntarily. The sound of minds is constantly hammering in her brain. She wished she couldn’t.

On a school trip, her class leaves a room, but she doesn’t follow for the sake of catching a break from reading all their minds at the same time, even if she can still hear them, though muffled, through the wall a bit.

She spots a dark haired boy looking at her, holding a newspaper article about her. He comes over and asks, “is this you?”

She says it is her.

After a bit of conversation, a class of kindergartners walk by, and the pain of all their voices has Sophie grabbing her head. She realizes the boy is still with her, and when she looks up…

He’s in the same position and same pained expression.

“Did you hear that too?”

Shes taken aback by the question.

“You did! You’re a telepath, aren’t you”

The word freaks her out and she runs outside.

(Broader summary part)

After a close brush with death, Fitz, the dark haired boy, explains that he’s an elf.

And Sophie is too.

And as Sophie comes to terms with this, and goes to live with her kind, leaving everything she has known, she realizes that her abilities are far more than she ever thought.

And some people were willing to do anything to get a hold of her for them.

Yeah so that’s a bit of a ramble

And idk how, like, TOTALLY accurate it is bc I didn’t look at the book for reference. It’s just from my memory. So some stuff might be wrong (like the quotes).

Anyways

More people should read this book series :))

There’s a lot of books, so there’s a lot of content to consume and the story is AMAZING. It’s so well written with layers to everything, and the character development and just how the characters are written in general is just. So good.

I’m rereading it rn, so that’s why the hyperfixation is showing.

[bookwyrminspiration]

What're your thoughts on Shannon's inclusion of Banshees in KotLC as animals with the only example provided being decidedly male? (Because it pretty much conflicts with every story ever told about banshees and it's been bugging me for some time now, being heavily invested in faeries and folklore)

-✨

Hello! Welcome back!

I gotta say it is not my favorite but I can understand why she made that call. The reasoning is likely similar to why mermaids exist in the kotlc universe, only as animals without human intelligence like we've gotten used to in stories. I think Shannon really went all out with the creatures to make this world seem as inhuman as possible, but the worldbuilding in terms of animals isn't the focus of the story so they just kind of...exist. She can say that there are dragons and mermaids and banshees in her story!! But the world we think of when we hear that is very different from what it actually is.

In case the wings au didn't make it obvious, I love inhuman creatures! I love monsters and beings and forklore and anything that is decidedly Not Human, and that extends to things like banshees. There's this element to them that is unsettling and unknowable, and that is comforting to some of us! I love monsters because I see myself like one /pos, so seeing a creature like this turned into an animal so that it will appeal to everyone who didn't see the beauty in its original form...I don't like it. I love banshees and monsters because they're horrifying and dangerous and many people don't take the time to love them! Turning them into an animal--and making it male and therefore inaccurate--takes a way a lot of what I'm drawn to.

It feels like the basic elements have been taken just for convenience to the story. Because Bullhorn does alert to someone dying in a similar to a banshee's cries, but that's...about where the similarities end. Banshees aren't the only creature to experience this kind of alteration, so it's both convenient and on-brand for kotlc. However, despite all that, there will always be a part of me that sees all these creatures and how the meaning they have to me have been watered down.

Having a Banshee to make medical moments and injuries more dramatic (though to my knowledge Sophie, our literal narrator, has never seen Bullhorn scream or curl up next to someone) and grave. But with Elven technology I think there are better ways this could've been accomplished without altering folklore to fit a sparkly world.

I think one of the things that bugs me the most is that everything is turned into a pet, into something controlled or dull (as in not smart). Silveny repeats words and is exuberant without much depth; dragons are timid and small; banshees are casual pets that happen to also serve a purpose; dinosaurs are just uncooperative but otherwise docile; imps are a bit more work but just like an annoying dog. And that controlled nature and idiocy...is the exact opposite of why I'm drawn to monsters. I'm drawn to the wild, intangible ecstasy of being inhuman and larger than life, of being unknowable and confusing and taking up space and loving all the parts no one else wants to.

I don't expect a middle grade series to get into the complicated nature of loving something monstrous, but I don't like that they're no more complex than pets and cute little animals. I guess in a way it feels disrespectful to the monsters and the folklore behind them, or at the very least like "hey man...why'd you do that." Like it was a perfectly good monster and now it's...a dog. I think all kotlc animals have become dogs behavior wise. And that's personally something I don't enjoy, though it does make them more fun for the younger audience this series is targeted towards.

Over my thoughts are: don't like it, but I'm not gonna bash Shannon for how she incorporated them. I can write my own stories with as many awful, horrible, lovable monsters as I want, and putting energy into being dissatisfied with a world that wasn't made for me doesn't seem worth it.

[foster-fan-club]

So I have been talking with @sophies-earbuds for awhile about sokeefe vs sophitz and I’ve wrote a little about it before, but now I really want to analyze each character in this love triangle madness->starting with Fitz:

[before I take off into the madness I would like to add a disclaimer: this is not meant to prove one ship “superior”, but at some points it will lean in favor of one or the other or both->it’s just meant to add some character analysis to the whole thing (message me if you ever want to talk more about these ships)]

Fitzroy Avery Vacker:

Fitz starts off as being an easily lovable and very cute character. Sophie falls for him, we all fall for him, and soon enough we are on the edge of our seat to see if Sophitz will happen. But just as we start saying he is our favorite, Shannon gives us a look into a trait that will soon define his character in a whole other way.

Alden’s mind breaks.

Shortly afterwards Fitz is left angry, broken, and feeling enormous loads of guilt-wishing that he could’ve been there for his father. Fitz starts to unload his frustrations onto Sophie and that is the first time Sophitz is truly questioned (besides the moment we learn how handsome Keefe is).

His anger issues are not resolved and he never truly finds closure or comes to terms with it. Instead this anger boils over into Alvar’s betrayal, Keefe’s betrayal, almost killing Alvar *twice*, the whole unmatchable drama, and more.

People argue that Shannon ruined Fitz to make Sokeefe happen. But in my opinion, she didn’t ruin him, instead she has now set him up for self growth and redemption.

By the end of Legacy, Fitz is finally adjusting to the changes in his life, he’s slowly realizing that Alvar is beyond his control, and he is working towards finding closure for his friends.

I feel like Sokeefe will eventually happen and that will present another obstacle for Fitz to endure. But Fitz has already hit his lowest point in Legacy, in my opinion. So now he is going to endure the greatest change. I feel like Fitz and Sophie both have a lot of personal growth they still need to go through apart, before they can even try to start dating again. Part of Sophie’s growth will most likely fall along the lines with Keefe’s recovery/new ability and their newish relationship. Fitz needs to refind himself and spend some more time with his family to help him heal. He will obviously depend on Sophie throughout this time and vice versa, but I don’t expect it to be in a relationship way.

Fitz Vacker is not a villain, even though some people paint him out to be. He is just as confused and as hurt and as betrayed as Keefe. He just deals with it in a not so great way. But Keefe also dealt with his guilt in a not so great way in the beginning too (I mean trying to play double agent against the Neverseen is not the smartest). Fitz and Keefe share many characteristics in common and they both have the potential to essentially make each other’s mistakes. But they don’t, instead they learn from them. They learn together, as best friends (wow I’m tearing up bc of Feefe/Kitz [idk their ship name]).

My prediction for Fitz is that he will start to branch off from the group and find his own way. Only once he has grown as a person, will he have a chance at winning back Sophie’s heart. If he does succeed with it all, Sophitz will end with a lot more value than it had in Flashback and Legacy.

So that was my overall *breif* analysis, but if you want more, just keep reading!

The change in Fitz was explained indirectly and perhaps some people missed it. Guilt is a major theme in the kotlc series and plays a big role in each character’s life. It is said multiple times after Alvar’s betrayal how getting angry is a way Fitz’s guilt is expressed. Just like how Alden’s guilt caused him to lean a little harder on his classic “no need to worry” standby. Brant’s guilt caused him to slowly go insane. The guilt Sophie felt for her human parents, eventually led her to a state of numbness. Keefe’s guilt causes him to be reckless. Grady and Edaline’s guilt caused them to shut out the world after Jolie’s death. Eventually each character finds a way to deal with their guilt. Alden eventually admitted that he was wrong to perform the memory break and was provided closure when Della and him helped Wylie and Prentice recover. Grady and Edaline adopted Sophie as a way to fill the emptiness in their home. Even Brant found closure by facing Grady and Sophie (although by then he was already too lost). Keefe is slowly finding closure by coming to terms with his dad, accepting that he isn’t responsible for his mom, and no longer trying to be the hero. He isn’t fully there yet, but Sophie is helping him get there. (This is very important for why sokeefe is such a strong ship but I already said a lot on that earlier) Fitz has never truly found closure and I think that is why he was so upset that Sophie and Keefe let Alvar go. Fitz feels responsible for being played by the Neverseen under his own roof (similar to Keefe). Fitz feels responsible for the shame he brought on his family’s *now questionable* reputation. [That is probably another reason why he wasn’t too happy about the whole unmatchable thing- not because he didn’t love Sophie but because he couldn’t bear hurting his family any more]

His direct family doesn’t blame him, but other members of the Vackers still look down on him. But most importantly, Fitz blames himself. He really wanted to be able to just finish Alvar, not because he is some dark, killing machine- but because he sees it as the only way to ensure Alvar doesn’t hurt the people he loves anymore. To me this is actually a sweeter side of Fitz that is often overlooked as just a creepy trait. Fitz would risk his own well being, he would risk breaking his mind, he would risk living with the burden of killing his brother- just because he believes he can protect his family, his friends, and Sophie. Now as creepy and weird of a justification that is- it is still a valid reason why Fitz would turn into who he is now so quickly. To me Fitz still has the same intentions in mind, but he is so guilt ridden and traumatized that he has gone to extremes.

When you hear him blaming Sophie for bad things that happen to him, it ends up actually being Fitz blaming himself. But Fitz doesn’t have the humility to admit that yet. I used to watch this tv series as a kid that I still love now that had a character who was very guilt ridden. The character was told that to become who he really is he must let go of his feelings of guilt and shame. The character responds *very hotheadedly similar to Fitz* “I’m not guilty or shameful- I am as proud as ever!” He is then told that pride is not the opposite of shame but it’s source. That has stuck with me through reading kotlc because it pretty much describes Fitz.

Fitz is PROUD to be a Vacker, he is PROUD to be a telepath, even in the beginning of the first book he gets defensive when Sophie makes fun of Foxfire because he is PROUD to be a Foxfire prodigy. All this pride can also result in tons of shame and guilt. He feels that he can not make others proud, he can not truly earn his titles, without leaving around loose ends that could tarnish his reputation. When you think about it, Fitz is as proud as ever. He just took elite level tests and will find out soon if he will get in. He figured out how to transmit long distances to Silveny. Sophie and him have strengthened their cognate connection after getting past their feelings. He found the moonlark. He is able to get past Sophie’s blocking. He has accomplished so much, but still feels guilt. His pride causes him guilt and shame, because when something that is out of his control happens- he does not have the humility to admit it. Instead he wants to hunt down Alvar, he wants to be angry for not being there when Alden’s mind breaks, he gets mad at Biana when she gets her scars from Vespera because he wishes he could’ve taken the hits for her. He really does try to be Wonderboy and sometimes he even shocks me with how skilled and smart he really is. But he is still learning how to admit mistakes and move on. This has been his characters biggest guilt related flaw throughout the entire series, it is nothing new. Each character has their own flaws that develop throughout the series.

When Fitz apologizes to Sophie at the end of Legacy, that is when I see his first true act of humility. He apologizes to her before, but this time it just felt so much more genuine because he finally is starting to realize what his actions are doing to those who love him. This is new self growth is where I see Fitz’s character heading. The end of Legacy has given him a chance for a sort of redemption arc. He was never a bad character or evil, he just needs to grow to be his true self. Fitz needs to let go of his past grudges to be able to move forward. He needs to admit that Alvar is out of his control and that he might not be able to be the hero (similar to Keefe again). I feel like when he says he is no longer looking to kill Alvar and hunt him down, but instead is looking for information about his best friend- that really made a difference to me. He is starting to move past it and work towards the greater good. Maybe post-redemption Fitz will have another chance with Sophie. But for now we are all rooting for sokeefe to have a standing chance.

I am so sorry that this is so much to read, but I was going to post all of this eventually so I decided, why not just spam everyone at once??

Soon I will be posting analysis for both Keefe an Sophie, but it will probably *hopefully* be a lot shorter because there is already a ton of great posts about their characters and I don’t want to be too redundant. My asks are always open if you ever want to send in your own opinions/feedback and/or other characters and plots you want to see more of on here!

[a-lonely-tatertot]

Linhella drabble

This is my first writing piece on here so here ya go! This is my first contrabution to Pride Month and will probably have more before the month’s out!

Shit, shit, shit, I thought. I could feel my insides burning, I could barely concentrate on what I was doing. Running, that was it, feet pounding, heart trying to break out of my chest, everything on fire. Nonononono, I couldn’t lose control, I couldn’t hurt anyone. Weaving in between trees, one thought, keep running. I could feel it pouring out of me, the fire getting brighter- hotter. If it wasn’t scorching hot, I would be crying. Sobbing probably, because I couldn’t stop it. I didn’t want to hurt anyone, I really didn’t, but I couldn’t protect them either. Barely registering it, I collapsed, hoping I was far enough away.

“Linh! Over here!” I heard a distant voice yell. Linh. No, not her, please no, I begged. I forced my eyes to open, my voice was too dry to speak. If I couldn’t stop her with words, hopefully, she would see that I couldn’t stop it. God if I hurt her- I stopped myself, squeezing my eyes shut. Don’t think. Don’t don’t don’t don’t- SPLASH! Szzzz. The sound of a dying fire. A flash of silver and black and blue. No! I wanted to scream, tell her to run. I didn’t want her to get hurt! But then her face came into my view and she looked so determined. My heart stopped for a second. Fucking emotions, I thought. Her eyebrows were furrowed, her hair was flying around her like a halo (I really didn’t need any more confirmation that she was a literal angel), she was fighting the fire with water. I knew at that point I wasn’t going to get her to go, the sheer look of determination in her face could’ve told me that, but the way she fought the fire around her, daring it to come near only to snuff it out showed it. 

“Marella!” she yelled, weaving water through the flames drowning the fire. “Marella!” 

“Linh!” the voice- Maruca called from behind me, “She’s over here!” 

Great, more people to watch me have an epic mental breakdown and burn an entire fucking forest, exactly what I need, I thought bitterly. That was all I could do, sit there helplessly while my friends put out my fire because I couldn’t stop it. Fucking wonderful. Oh, and my crush looks hot as hell, just add it to the three-page long list of problems in my life. Linh’s eyes scanned what was remaining of the fires and finally landed on me. Her eyes widened and she started running towards me. Oh hey, my heart skipped like three beats this time. A wave of weariness washed over me. My eyelids started to get heavier. The edges of my vision blurred and the last thing I saw before the world went dark was Linh’s smile and teary eyes.

I woke up in the Healing Center at Foxfire. I sat up so fast my vision blurred for a moment but it didn’t matter. “Where’s Linh?” I half-shouted glancing around the room.

“Good morning to you too,” Elwin said from the door to his office. I raised my eyebrow and gave him my best I’m-tired-and-done look. He sighed. “She left for the bathroom a minute ago after I finally convinced her to go. She’s been here the entire time you were out,” he explained. My heart did this weird summersault-backflip-handstand routine at the thought of her staying. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed I went to get up- and crumbled to the ground as soon as I put my weight on my legs. 

“What the-” I muttered sitting on the floor.

“Standing might not be the best-” Elwin started when the door burst open and Linh ran to my side immediately fussing over me.

“You idiot,” she said hugging me, “I thought you were gonna get hurt or worse and you looked so tired when I brought you back here and why did you try to stand-”

“Linh,” I whispered wrapping my arms around her. “I’m okay. I can’t be hurt by fire.” She always seemed to forget that, quite honestly it was adorable. Finally, she pulled away and helped me up. I glanced over her shoulder to see Elwin give me a small smile before disappearing back into his office. Wow, thanks for leaving me alone with the extremely cute girl that won’t stop fussing over me very helpful, I mentally cursed him.

After a lot of “I’m okay”s and fighting to not blush I got Linh to calm down and sit next to me. She was silent for a while, staring at a tile on the floor studying every part of it. At first, it was nice, the silence, but then it felt heavy, daunting like it was a void of all the things we didn’t want to talk about. Trust me, that would be a big void. I found myself staring at her, not for the first time, definitely not for the last. I was trying to decide if I liked the silver tips of her hair or the sheer beauty of her eyes more when I realized she was looking back at me. For the ten hundredth time, I fought down the heat that desperately wanted to rise to my cheeks and glanced away fixing my eyes on the tile like it held the secrets of the universe. “Marella,” Linh said softly, god why did my name have to sound so good on her lips? I thought desperately, before trying to stop myself from thinking about her lips. “Marella,” she said again, she was grabbing my face gently making me look at her. If she was anyone else I would’ve told her not to touch my hair. And yet I was sitting there, at a loss for words, staring at her bright imploring eyes. 

“Yes?” I said weakly. I noticed how close we were. Her knee was brushing mine, our faces only a few inches apart, her hands in my hair. I was a bisexual mess.

“Can-” she paused, looking suddenly nervous. She took her hands off my face and hair and I was sad at the loss of warmth. Linh quickly glanced away from my face and back before talking again. “Can I tell you something?”

I was suddenly nervous too, well more nervous. I didn’t let myself think about what she could be worried about, that was a hope that I couldn’t bear to have. Her hands were moving in her lap and I reached out to hold them still. “You can tell me anything,” I said quietly, hoping that there was some shred of confidence in my voice. Linh smiled briefly, it was small but dazzling.

“I-” she closed her eyes for a beat, “I like you.” And suddenly everything was loud, very loud. I didn’t register that I stopped breathing, I didn’t notice that Linh had taken her hands out of my grasp. I just sat there, frozen. A million different apologize tumbled out of her mouth, she was shaking her head. Why was she shaking her head? Why was she apologizing? Without thinking (my brain had short-circuited as soon as she said those words), without hesitating, I grabbed her face, it was wet, I think she was crying and kissed her. Linh gasped as my lips crashed on to hers, but she kissed me back and the world seemed to be so bright. Her lips was soft and I tried not to think about how chapped mine were. Linh’s hands found their way into my hair again and I really really didn’t want to stop. But yet human necessities, like air and the need to breathe, sometimes get in the way of what you want. I slowly broke the kiss and not opening my eyes, I leaned my forehead against hers. We sat there, trying to slow our breaths for a minute. 

“So…” Linh whispered breaking the silence. She was looking at me with this look in her eyes. I couldn’t tell what it was, fondness? Surprise? Happiness? Maybe a mix. At once everything that had happened came crashing down on me. I kissed her, and I didn’t ask. 

“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to- I didn’t even ask- I couldn’t think so I just-” I was cut off my Linh’s soft lips on mine. I melted into it. She pulled back after a second with a huge grin.

“Marella will you be my girlfriend?” she asked.

“I’m sorry was the kissing not enough for a yes?” I said laughing. 

After a few last-minute checkups, I was clear to go. Linh grabbed my hand (she really liked holding my hand) and practically dragged me out the door. I took one last glance at Elwin who gave me a small thumbs-up before letting my girlfriend drag me off to where ever she wanted. 

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1473 words, like I said I’m going to be posting more stuff like this and if you want to you can send me a kotlc ship and a prompt! Also I have this hc that Elwin has started shipping the kids that end up in his office. (I’m only doing kotlc stuff right now to make it easier!)

[angeldreifics]

I posted 866 times in 2021

165 posts created (19%)

701 posts reblogged (81%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 4.2 posts.

I added 420 tags in 2021

#kotlc - 103 posts

#keeper of the lost cities - 94 posts

#kotlc headcanon - 51 posts

#kotlc imagines - 46 posts

#kotlc fanfiction - 28 posts

#shannon messenger - 27 posts

#angel drei writes - 21 posts

#angeldreiwrites - 20 posts

#sophie foster - 16 posts

#sophie foster x biana vacker - 14 posts

Longest Tag: 60 characters

#honestly it’s part of the reason i can’t get close to people

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

Reading self insert fanfiction is hard for me cause I cannot imagine myself in those scenarios, so I don’t insert my own name, I just refer to the protagonist as Wyen (y/n)

Wyen has done a lot over the years

84 notes • Posted 2021-01-28 23:23:36 GMT

#4

The fandom really just gave Sophie a personality, huh.

Book Sophie is boring. But fandom Sophie? Fandom Sophie is fun. And a bit chaotic. And a much more unique character.

89 notes • Posted 2021-01-18 00:17:40 GMT

#3

Ten bucks says Affleck casts himself as Alden

98 notes • Posted 2021-01-11 21:08:35 GMT

#2

If KOTLC weren’t middle grade, “dark Sophie” would be a real possibility.

Unlocked spoilers ahead.

Think about her arc. She goes from a confused twelve year old, just trying to figure out how to fit in, to someone who is supposed to stop a terrorist group. And let’s be real, the adults in her life aren’t helpful.

Sophie is a child, and I think we forget that sometimes. She was created to be this chosen one, a savior almost. She was raised by humans to give her a unique perspective, and more than ever I think that would’ve radicalized her.

She was taken from the human world, where she was miserable and alone, to the elven world, where she’s expected to be so much more than what she is: a kid. Imagine the anger you would feel. Imagine how it would feel to discover a world that seems so perfect, only for it to let you down time and time again.

And then at the end of unlocked. She sets fire to the warehouse. It’s her first true act of rebellion. And immediately she’s blamed by her closest parental figures for starting a war. As if the Neverseen hadn’t started one years ago.

She’s getting angrier and angrier. Her arc would make the most sense as a corruption arc.

But this is middle grade and that sends a bad message. So instead we’re going to get her working through it most likely.

Though hopefully shannon has her branch away from the black swan. Maybe they could join Keefe or something.

98 notes • Posted 2021-05-05 18:27:28 GMT

#1

I could be wrong about this cause of my bad memory

But does anyone else remember how in KOTLC Sophie says she always looked different from her family because they were chubby and she was thin? And then it alluded to the fact that it was because of her being an elf?

And then in the elven cities there are no chubby or fat characters? They’re all beautiful and thin?

Am I the only one that has an issue with that?

107 notes • Posted 2021-02-23 21:16:51 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[bookwyrminspiration]

Half of the things that regarding Tam in Kotlc frustrate me honestly. It feels like he’s pushed aside in the series so frequently, and I feel like this really peaked when he was in the Neverseen in Legacy. First off, it kinda rubbed me the wrong way the way that half of the characters were acting like Tam betrayed them? And maybe I just horribly misread the scene in which he was taken to the Neverseen, but I would not say that was a consensual decision, like at all. Gisela basically just said “Hey come with me or I’m making an entire species extinct and killing your sister.” like that’s manipulation that’s not what an honest decision looks like. I just felt so bad for him because he was borderline kidnapped by this awful group and it felt like no one was taking it seriously. Sophie reached out to him once on her own, and then once again when Linh pushes her to. That’s about all she did to try to help Tam for pretty much the entire book, unless I’m forgetting something. It just frustrates me, especially considering how much she did to try to figure out who her parents were during that book. This isn’t a thing against Sophie, it’s just that the things she did during that book kinda make it seem like Sophie being able to get a matchmakers list is more important than Tam being kidnapped. I don’t know, I just feel bad for Tam it always feels like he’s getting the short end of the stick when he seems like he’s one of the characters who would need support the most? I mean, he’s got so much to deal with and half of his scenes just feel like “here’s a scarring situation for you Tam! Now go back home to Linh or something.” Also, the way they described Tam being chained and mind-controlled actually made me sick that’s really horrific. (Also I don’t know where to put this, but characters keep acting like Tam’s super-ultra edgy and I don’t really see it? This is probably just me, but he’s always seemed more like a really stressed out person to me, not necessarily edgy. This might just be because he’s in a stressful situation in like 80% of the scenes he’s in.) I’ll be honest, Tam just kind of feels like a punching-bag character half the time.

tam is one of my favorite characters so i'm looking forward to this one, nonsie

I do feel that Tam's situation was treated very similarly to Keefe's, though there was actually a lot differentiating the two, which makes it feel weird. To summarize, Keefe ran away to the Neverseen, actively making that choice, and Sophie decided to trust him with that decision. She thought it was dumb and that they'd have to rescue him, but it had been his choice. And she coordinated with him, reaching out nightly to see what was going on and to get a sense of how he was doing. She was actively doing what she could to monitor him and balance her other responsibilities

some of this mindset carried over into Tam, while I think he should've been approached differently. because this wasn't his choice. it wasn't coordinated, and he didn't want to be there. he wanted out, and he wanted to be out safely. My mind is linking it to that one conversation with Sophie you mentioned, the one with Linh. Specifically because he told Sophie not to reach out to him, and said "I. LIKE. IT. HERE[...]I'M EVEN MAKING FRIENDS," (Legacy 407). I think this kinda led us to the "Tam wants to be there the way Keefe did" connection that really isn't accurate. he was threatened into joining, and nothing he says after the fact will erase that.

additionally, while Tam was with the Neverseen, Gethen was back and could search his mind, which was why Sophie didn't reach out to him more than twice. it was a risk that could put Tam in direct danger, and he wouldn't know when it was coming and couldn't agree to that risk. so if the two paths of action we're applying to Keefe and tam are to try and physically remove them from the situation or keep tabs on them, since contacting him is off the table, you'd think they'd focus more heavily on trying to get him back. but they...didn't.

I agree with your assessment of her priorities as well. i don't fault her for trying to figure out who her bio parents are or for wanting to explore matchmaking, i'm judging her for her timing. because she's consistently been very motivated by her friends and keeping them safe, it feels a little off that she prioritized matchmaking over Tam's physical safety. i know the love triangle and romantic drama has a lot of draw for some of the younger fandom base, but I feel as though it was prioritized too much and actually betrayed some of Sophie's key values for publicity.

and going back to the "he always draws the short end of the stick," thing, I think you're exactly right. i honestly can't think of any scenes off the top of my head with Tam where he's allowed to just be a teenager and take a break. There's always drama with him, which I think in part comes from the "sarcastic dark aesthetic friend" he's kinda gotten boxed into. he's there to be dry and pessimistic and further the conversation. note: he doesn't actually seem like a dry/dark outlook person as much as a lot of us (myself included sometimes) make him out to be. yes, he uses a lot of sarcasm, but that's not synonymous with dark and edgy.

to me he sounds like..,bitter? and resigned? and just generally annoyed to be there but doesn't want to show it. i don't think that makes sense so let me expand on it. he feels like when one friend of yours has invited you into a group of theirs friends (none of whom you know) and you're just kinda existing in the same space but are slightly uncomfortable and don't know what to do with yourself, but you don't want to let it show and risk offending anyone. you talk and fake your way through it but it feels off and you just don't like it and don't want to be uncomfortable anymore. I wouldn't be surprised if he actually has a lot of anxiety that everyone around him just doesn't pick up on

his life changed drastically very quickly and he doesn't have a lot of friends. sure, there's the group, but they're not friends in that way. tell me, can you think of one person Tam would tell his worries or fears to? I can't. the most obvious might be linh, but I don't believe he'd tell her, because he'd want to protect her instead of burdening her with his worries. I think he's tied to her a lot and seen as a package deal in a lot of canon--and frequently in fanon--so it can be hard to separate them at times,

I might be jumping around a little, but back to the chains. those are incredibly fucked up, and I don't think they're given the appropriate emotional response they deserved. this is a teenager who has been physically chained for all hours of the day, for weeks. and he's just living with it, knowing he can't take them off. and when Sophie learns and tells Mr. Forkle, his response is that he's never heard of something like that before and would need to research it. Like?? excuse me?? one of the minors you let swear fealty to your organization is literally chained and you're 1. not trying to get him back 2. just saying you need to research it.

that's another thing! everything I remember (and I might be forgetting something) is the teenagers talking about Tam being missing and how they need a plan and want him back. But there are several adults in his life now who could step forward to take that responsibility. Tiergan. Mr. Forkle, Squall, the bodyguards, any dwarves working with the Black Swan, etc. You know, these adults with loads more resources and people at their disposal. they could do something, organize something, make an effort. A child was kidnapped and it feels like they went "wow that sucks. hope we get him back. anyways--" idk. that's just something that's bothered me.

he just keeps getting hurt again and again. it's like that's all we focus on with his character, him being sarcastic and dark in stressful situations and not him just existing. we see him fighting with his parents, fighting with the neverseen, being teased and singled out when he's around Keefe, like can he catch a break? can we just let him smile for once?

I, for one, think he deserves to be more than just a punching bag, nonsie

[bookwyrminspiration]

WOAHH has it really been a year? i remember reading the first part when it came out and going crazy over it. i'm not caught up on it at all right now :/ and i'm not really into kotlc anymore but it's awesome that youve been at it for so long anyways. congrats! :-)

-april

april!! I was thinking about you recently and wondering what you were up to because I hadn't heard from you in a while!

also yes it has somehow been an entire year. at least since it was first published. the au has been being written an contemplated for far longer than that and the idea was conceived before the pandemic even started. so it has truly taken over my life and I know no escape from it /lh

also don't worry about not being caught up!! honestly I don't even know if there's anyone who is. if there are, I haven't heard from them at all. I can see the number of hits go up whenever I post a new chapter, but aside from that I've got no clue if anyone reads the updates. it's mainly just me vibing in my head with the story and posting it in case anyone wants to see it

I hope whatever you're into right now is satisfying and enjoyable to you!!

and thank you for the congratulations <33 I did not think it would ever be this long of a story or a process, but I am having a marvelous time and love the chance to talk about it with others whenever I can !!