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pinkthick · 2 years

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Not really a monster

Pairing: Doctor Strange Supreme & America Chavez

Doctor Strange Supreme x Fem!Reader

Summary: When Stephen loses control of his human form, he wakes up America by knocking a bookshelf down. When she enters the room, she is surprised by his appearance.

Will America be afraid of him or will she help him regain control?

Notes: So this is an AU, where America Chavez is helped by Doctor Strange Supreme, not 616 Stephen when Wanda sent creatures after her etc.

Also, the reader suffered the same fate as Christine in episode 4 from “What if?”, but Stephen succeeded to save her, without destroying the universe.

Y/N is just mentioned.🥹

In the Sanctum's library, Stephen was seated at his desk. Y/N and Wong were both engaged in God knows what at Kamar-Taj, most likely just some paperwork. The only other person in the Sanctum besides him was America who was probably still asleep.

He makes an effort to clear his thoughts by reading. Although he has a photographic memory, the book doesn't really help much because he keeps reading the same paragraph without truly understanding what is being said.

He had better days..even weeks. The same cannot be said for this one. Even though he is no longer totally human, he slept less than what would be considered normal even for him and had hardly been able to consume a single meal. Stephen just wishes he wasn’t like this.

He’s disgusting.

The sorcerer doesn’t feel well..he hears those voices again and Stephen can’t ignore them. He stands up abruptly and tries to regain his balance by holding onto the desk in front of him, without much success. He just managed to make the stack of books fall to the ground.

He feels it.

The doctor cried out as his human body started to fall apart. His fingers on his left hand began to tremble and morph into tentacles. His wings sprouted from his shoulders and slammed into a bookshelf. Then he experienced his vertebrae horrifyingly fracturing into something before developing into a tail. He wanted to puke, even he was repulsed by himself.

He turned away as soon as he noticed his reflection in the library window. His body changed into something unidentifiable as his bones continued to crackle. It didn’t always hurt when he shifted because sometimes he let it come naturally. But not this time. Not with America in the Sanctum.

He wasn’t himself anymore. Stephen Strange, a well-known neurosurgeon, was no longer him, nor was the mysterious Doctor Strange. He had turned into something horrible. One's worst nightmare as a kid. Or maybe it was his own?

He wailed once more as the voices screamed at him. Stephen was unable to maintain his balance & the side of his face hit the ground below him. His body had stopped responding to him, and his brain was throbbing. The shouts carried on unabated. They referred to him as a monster and a freak, but he had no idea who or what he was anymore.

He was something, something new and it terrified him to no end.

He thought about Y/N. Stephen is well aware that you’re scared of him and yet you chose to stay with him. That needs to mean something, right? After almost two years, he still vividly recalls the terror that appeared on your face when you first saw him in this form. He simply wishes there was another way he could have saved you.

Does he regret he became whatever this thing is? Yes. Would he do it again just to save you? Also yes.

One of the voices then addresses him. ‘Nobody has yet figured out a way how to kill you, although everyone would prefer you dead.’

“No.. no, no, shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!” he cried, clutching his head with claws and tentacles. He slammed his head into the ground, desperately trying to shut them up, but they were persistent.

‘You don’t deserve any pity. You’ve done this to yourself.’

“Please, please, shut up.” Stephen whispered “p—please.”

“Stephen?” America asked and all the voices from his head went silent.

That’s when he started to panic. She had tears in her eyes when he turned to look at her. She was still in her pijamas with ruffled hair indicating that she just woke up and the cloak of levitation was on her shoulders.

He didn’t hear when she entered the room and all rational thoughts left him. He just melts into the shadows in the room. He doesn’t want America to see him like this, not again.

“Steph..?” she looks around the room and can’t make out where he’s hiding so she tries again.

“Dad?” her voice broke and she finally catches a glimpse of the sorcerer throught the dust in the air. He’s looking at her, she can tell that much.

She’s not scared of him, she’s scared for him. “Can..can you come out please?”

She can see the shadows in the room moving towards her. After giving it some thought, Stephen would rather have her leave the room so he can attempt to transform back into his human form without her having to see him in this state. However, against his better judgment, he comes out slowly.

His face had so many eyes, but the ones she focused on were the ones that were looking at her with infinite sadness. He sinks to his knees, leaving enough distance between them. Even sitting he towered over her. America came closer to him and smiled awkardly to him “Hi.” Then Stephen tucked his wings closer to hide is face.

He smiled a little “Hi.” She could see how scared the all powerful sorcerer was. “You know, other people would flee out the room because of how I look.”

She smiles and leaps towards him without any reservations. “Good thing I’m not like other people then.” she could see some wet streaks down his cheeks.

Even though he hardly feels America's full-force hug hit him, he still lets out a small remark "Take it easy, star." Stephen chuckles slightly.

After staring at her for a moment, he pulls her closer with a gentleness that was almost heartbreaking before he wraps his own arms and wings around her careful to not her hurt and returns the hug.

"Are you alright?" America softly asks

After pausing for a bit, Stephen responds, "Could be better."

“Do you want to talk about it?” She turns to face him.

He responds, "No, not really," feeling himself gradually regaining control.

She still has the cloak of levitation on her shoulders, and she can feel it reaching out to embrace Stephen as well.

After some minutes he returns to his human form, but America never left his side. Her face is buried against his shoulder as he slowly rocks them in place.

They stay like that for a little while until Stephen breaks the silence with a quiet “Thank you”.

#stephen strange x reader #stephen strange #doctor stephen strange #doctor strange supreme #reader mentioned #wong marvel #america chavez #stephen strange x you #doctor strange x you #doctor strange in the multiverse of madness #doctor strange fanfiction

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lincolnlogger · 2 years

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Lincoln Logger's MazM Phantom Review

(Because apparently this game makes everyone who plays it want to say something...)

I finished this game at 3AM this morning after several weeks of free-play and grinding through with ad-watching. This will be short because I don't write reviews, and most of what I feel about the game has probably already been said by someone else. That being said, I want to address some popular points of contention.

Spoilers beyond this point! And trigger warning in advance for talks of character suicide, as there were a couple instances in this game.

1. Melek

Oh, Melek. For those who don't know or who have forgotten, Melek is Erik's blind servant from Turkey and also his first (failed) attempt at a wife. She serves basically zero plot function... except that she does. I noticed very early on that her character seemed to only exist to give Christine a reason to return to Erik over and over, since the story had changed to make Christine far less... enchanted, shall we say, by Erik. This is explicitly not a Christine/Erik story, unlike Leroux's book, and so this Christine does not feel the same complex emotions towards Erik that Leroux Christine felt towards Lerik. This Christine will never love Erik.... whereas Leroux Christine spells it out pretty unambiguously to Raoul that she's kind of got the hots for her music teacher even though she knows she shouldn't (because he's a murderer who repeatedly kidnaps her, etc, etc, etc).

In this way, Melek was a character contrived to smooth over that issue. Now we have Christine returning to Erik not out of obligation and pity for him, but out of obligation and pity for Melek. It became pretty distracting, especially in the final lair sequence, where Erik and Christine are having these intense intimate conversations and Melek's just kind of.... right there. This isn't the first time I've seen something like this before, though. I've read a fair amount of Sherlock Holmes crossovers with Phantom, and almost all of them place Sherlock in the final lair with everyone else. Suddenly Erik's house seems really crowded, especially because the new character keeps trying to butt into the conversation to make themself seem relevant. It's just a natural consequence, I think, of an adaptation trying to insert a new character into a story that's pretty complete on its own.

Melek serves a second purpose beyond being just a person for Christine to save from Erik. Melek acts as a person for Christine to visually interact with in Erik's house. This is a visual/interactive novel, and so probably the game developers decided they needed to make Christine's time in Erik's house a little more engaging. Without Melek, it'd probably be pretty boring, seeing as the only thing for Christine to do would have been walk around looking at portraits on the walls. An internal dialogue would have been boring to read for twenty minutes; with Melek, Christine's ideas were challenged and the player got a sense of her internal struggle. I read a lot of their conversations in this way, with Melek acting as an extension of Christine's own mind for the purpose of showing her internal conflict. But all in all, there were better ways to show this.

Why is it so terrible that Melek exists? Everyone who's played the game already knows this, but the problem is that it makes Erik just that much less pitiable. He's kept a woman in his house for ten years... I don't even want to know the logistics of that. And so when he kidnaps Christine, it doesn't read as "he's just that desperate for love, this is his last-ditch effort for happiness" it reads as "oh he's back on his kidnapping bullshit again." There is no pretense here; if Erik has his way, Christine will eventually hurt him enough that she will be discarded just as Melek was, and the cycle will start again with perhaps another woman. MazM Erik doesn't seem to want to be happy; in fact, he says repeatedly that he would actually rather have Christine be unhappy instead of him being happy. Leroux Erik on the other hand just wanted some shred of happiness, irregardless of Christine's state of being; his love for Christine was not some twisted form of revenge on humanity and so he didn't desire her to be miserable in the way MazM Erik did. Lerik just wanted to be loved for himself, which is exactly what made so many readers love him in the end.

2. Hatim

This is the other character a lot of people had issues with. Hatim is debatably a bad person. I personally don't see him that way. I think he did a fair amount to hurt Erik, but ultimately he thought he was helping him. I do think this game reads mainly as Pharoga more than any other pairing, just in a really, really unhealthy way - on the part of Hatim.

Hatim does a lot of questionable things to Erik. He literally purchases Erik from the traveling fair, and brings him to Persia where he gets him situated as a weapons manufacturer. Then he saves Erik's life by securing him a position as court jester/assassin, and basically isolates Erik so he only experiences humanity when he is around Hatim. Then Hatim frames Erik for treason and is ordered to execute him, but Hatim is just such a good guy that he decides to just send Erik off into the wild by himself (after which he wanders to Turkey and is accused of treason once again because Hatim's lie followed him to Turkey as well). Then, once Hatim reunites with Erik in Paris, Hatim repeatedly uses Erik's PTSD against him to trigger panic attacks "for his own good". He attempts to stop Erik from hurting Christine and Raoul, but he also doesn't do much to help them against Erik, either.

I usually get upset when adaptations villainize the Persian, because they don't do it well. Here I think it was sort of executed in an okay way. We all love Nadir Khan of Kay fame, but the problem with him in a Leroux-style book is that he's too nice to Kerik. The Persian needs to be a friendlier type of acquaintance with Erik, but cannot be counted as an individual who loved Erik or otherwise was a good influence on him, since Erik's entire point is that he had nothing of that sort for his whole life. Many adaptations/fics go the route of making the Persian an old begrudging coworker of Erik's that doesn't particularly hate or like him, but just knows enough about him to know he's not a true monster. That's a far cry from the old pals that Nadir and Kerik were to each other. This adaptation went more the route of Kay's novel, I guess, but spun the situation around so Hatim's pal relationship with Erik was ultimately harmful and negative when looked at in retrospect.

Raoul calls Hatim out on all of his shitty behavior when they're in the torture chamber together. And like, yes, it's a wonderful moment where it seems like Raoul's IQ has increased tenfold, but we need to stop and think about it a bit. Raoul has not been a logical dude for the entirety of this story. Now, in the midst of being tortured, he is irate and cantankerous. He accuses Hatim as being the reason why Erik is the way he is, but how much weight does that accusation hold? Erik is his own person and was pretty old by the time Hatim came into his life (not a full adult, but certainly old enough to learn the concept of right and wrong). Hatim led him down a bad path, but I think it's supremely unfair for Raoul to say that everything is Hatim's fault and for the reader to just blindly agree with Raoul on this.

Hatim worked for the Shah. The Shah ordered Hatim to purchase Erik, so he did, and once Erik arrived in Persia, he was put to work doing horrible things. Hatim, though, saw Erik as the human he was, and attempted to breathe some humanity into him. But there was only so much he could do - if he rebelled against the Shah, they would both be killed. Hatim's plan, therefore, was to try to protect Erik from himself, by keeping him safely in denial from the horrors he was engaging in. Erik, we later find, did not agree with Hatim's decision to do this, as it hurt him terribly when the guilt and weight of his actions finally caught up to him when he realized what exactly he was doing. Thus, we can see Hatim did some pretty terrible things, but it was mostly with good intentions... and that is probably the saddest part of their relationship.

Hatim and Erik have a very complex relationship. Hatim is only about six years older than Erik, but seems to see himself as a sort of father to Erik (there is also the interpretation that they had a more romantic relationship, and so I forget who but someone has already made the joke about how Erik must have called Hatim 'Daddy' at some point). Hatim cares about Erik, to the point of still wanting to protect him from the people of the Opera house even when everything starts going to shit - but his idea of protection is honestly abuse (re: triggering panic attacks for Erik's 'own good'). It is Hatim who ultimately hurts Erik irreparably, not Christine, and so it is Hatim who Erik pens his suicide note to.

(The next two paragraphs describe Erik's suicide, so trigger warning for that...)

Erik's suicide was very hard for me to play through. It was an ending I foresaw very early on, when I realized how self destructive this version of Erik was, but there was a shred of hope in me that was hoping somehow he wouldn't go through with it. I thought perhaps he would still be alive at the end, and they wouldn't find the body, and the game would end with Erik's sinister laughter or something... but no. They went there. It was sad. I didn't enjoy it. I'm just glad they didn't say it outright, and I could pretend that the Punjab lasso just happened to be next to his body when he collapsed or something.

But anyway. In his suicide note, Erik requests Hatim to 'please come,' and then kills himself by the time Christine and Raoul arrive. I didn't quite catch the exact amount of time that elapsed between all these events, but there is a very tragic implication in this sequence. Christine has to wait until Raoul arrives from Perros-Guirec in order to venture down; this takes at least a couple days. A body begins to decompose very soon after death. They made no comment about Erik's corpse being decayed much, just that he was cold and dead. Well... Erik's body was naturally cold. And we know he asked Hatim to please come. Personally I read this as Erik having waited for Hatim to just come and talk him out of suicide, but upon Christine and Raoul's arrival he realized Hatim really wouldn't be coming at all. So Hatim let him down that one last time, and Erik just couldn't take it anymore. He hid himself away as Christine and Raoul searched for his body, and killed himself before they could find him.

(That is all just an interpretation of how it went down, I guess, but I don't think anything else really makes sense.)

Anyway. As for just general comments about the game? It was fine. I thought it was engaging. I wasn't expecting a direct copy of the book, though it would've been nice if it was. I appreciated the attempt to expand some of the characters' personalities, but some of them fell flat with me (Sorelli being one of them... the only thing she did was slash her dagger around and pine after Philippe). I thought the workers' strike sequence was boring but I know other people liked it; I guess I just don't like history and so I thought it was an unnecessary addition.

There were some minor grammatical/spelling/etc typos, probably from translation and localization. They didn't make the game unplayable, but I will be that asshole and say I noticed each and every one of them. There also seemed to be some lazy coding, where certain elements would be revealed before a certain point of the game was reached. This happened most frequently with random people I talked to saying things that would only be relevant after I completed whatever task I was supposed to be doing, but the most annoying example was that Erik's face was revealed in the popup character bio screen before Christine took his mask off, which absolutely ruined the reveal. As someone who dropped out of the computer programming track in college - I completely understand how difficult it is to make a game and how hard it is to playtest for every little thing, and kudos to anyone whoever does game development because the amount of patience that takes is mind-numbing. I'm just stating these things because I noticed them, and I think an update could probably fix them... and ultimately, they didn't make the game unplayable. Although it was a real bummer to have Erik's face revealed like that :(

The music, I will say, was phenomenal. I've never played an interactive novel like this, and was tempted to play with the sound off because I don't like sound in my games... but oh boy. The music was amazing! Every track gave just the right atmosphere for the situation at hand. The "Lonesome Road" track was my favorite, especially when it played in the torture chamber during Nadir's account of his history with Erik. It gave the same dismal feeling that hearing the "Jailor's Elegy" track in Ace Attorney's Turnabout Goodbyes gave. On second thought... perhaps it might have been "Way Back" that played then, but both tracks are very nice regardless! "Clear Day" was also a nice track, since it was so light and cute that it perfectly distracted me from the horrors of the game when it played... just in the same way that in the ALW musical, All I Ask Of You serves to distract Christine from the sinister presence of the Phantom who we all know is lurking right around the corner. "Somewhere in Dream" did the same, though it was tinged with the sadness of needing to leave something behind, or perhaps the fear of not being able to leave something behind. "Worktime" I appreciated for its unabashed silliness.

I'm sure I'll have other thoughts later but I'll just leave this here. Feel free to tell me your thoughts on it and if you agree/disagree with any of the things I've said!

(And now, a picture of Erik and Hatim, because for all the horrible things Erik did in this game... this was the picture that broke my heart and made me see that even this Erik was not fully wicked. Yes, this Erik was a lot harder to feel bad for, but my heart did go out to him...)

#phantom of the opera #poto #mazm erik #mazm the phantom of the opera #review

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ancientphantom · 1 year

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I'm a regular reader of historical romance and I was reading your review of Anne Stuart's take on POTO (and giggling along, bc it's bad even by my standards even if I indulge in trash from time to time). That did make me curious though, are there any other fiction books with Meg (or a Meg/Christine combo) be the Phantom's love interest? I remember hearing about Sadie Montgomery's books a few years back but I was wondering if it was an outlier and that everything else had Christine or an OC.

I'm glad you enjoyed the review!

While the majority of Phantom lit is E/C, with R/C in second place, there is more than a little E/M kicking around out there! Here are a few off the top of my head:

The Phoenix of the Opera Series by Sadie Montgomery - you mentioned this, but it's a big one! There are seven books in this series - The Phoenix of the Opera, Out of the Darkness, The Phantom's Opera, Phantom Death, Phantom Madness, and Phantom Nightmare, all of which cover Erik's and Meg's burgeoning romantic relationship and ensuing adventures. I've only got a review of the first one (I didn't love it, but you might!), but the whole series is pretty much the top-tier E/M option out there.

The Guardian of the Opera series by Cheryl Mahoney - this is another purely E/M series, and much newer than the Montgomery ones, which came out about 20 years prior. While the first book follows the events of Leroux's novel fairly closely, just from Meg's point of view, the following two develop a romance between the Phantom and the ballet dancer.

The Angels of Music series by Louise Ann Bateman - another much newer option that starts with Leroux's story but then moves on to developing an E/M plot afterward. There are only two books in this series so far, but there may be more in the future!

Night's Melody by Drake LaMarque is an erotica that features a gender-flipped Meg named Mathieu as its main character, who is very into Christine/Christophe even before the mysterious masked man gets sexily involved (amusingly, you'd think that the infamous Unmasqued by Colette Gale would have something with all the orgies and BDSM, but while the older Giry is definitely up to sexy shenanigans, her daughter doesn't feature as prominently).

Honorable mentions:

Love Never Dies - Yes, they don't get together, but this is an example of Meg being heavily in love with the Phantom and that having a sharp effect on the plot.

The Phantom of the Opera (1990 David Staller musical) - While not in most of the plot, this musical ends with the Phantom giving up on the rescued Christine and deciding to start mentoring a young ballet dancer instead, which a lot of E/M shippers see as a call out to Meg.

In addition, there are also a LOT of books that use the Phantom story but have him target a ballerina instead of a singer; usually, the ballerina is just Christine (probably because Sarah Brightman is a ballet dancer, so the Lloyd Webber musical made Christine one, too), but some of them are ambiguous and might scratch that itch! Off the top of my head:

The Ballet of Dr. Caligari and Madder Mysteries by Reggie Oliver - this is a short story collection, but the title story is about a man who, when his ballet dancer obsession can no longer perform, becomes more and more dangerously obsessed with getting her back onstage no matter what the cost.

The Cursed Ballet by Megan Atwood - a dancer at a ballet academy is deetermined to excel in the so-called "cursed show", but the mysterious dancer boy who she meets at night seems to have something to do with it.

A Dance with Danger by Marisa Wright - a mainstream romance novel featuring a ballet dancer who loses his legs but falls in love with another ballet dancer and decides to help her.

Night Child by Ann Majors - another mainstream romance novel featuring a ballerina who was kidnapped as a child and the man who has been protecting her for her entire life.

There are definitely more, so folks who have read them, feel free to chime in down in the replies and tags!

#phantom of the opera #the phantom library #our little meg the ballet rat is all grown up

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redgoldsparks · 1 year

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December reading and reviews by Maia Kobabe

I post my reviews throughout the month on Storygraph and Goodreads, and do roundups here and on patreon.

The Savage Beard of She Dwarf by Kyle Latino

She Dwarf might be the last of her kind, but this only fuels her desire for adventure, danger, and travel. Her famous warrior mother died before she could lead She Dwarf though the final coming of age trials, so our hero is on a quest to find the lost kingdom of Dwarves to see what knowledge she can gain from the ruins. A long the way she battles and befriends a whimsical cast of misfits who end up tagging along for the journey for reasons of their own. This story is action packed, fun, beautifully drawn and extremely aesthetically queer though there are no outright discussions of anyone's gender or sexuality. I highly recommend this comic for fantasy comic fans of all ages, it was released during covid and never got the promotion or attention it deserved. Buy this book for someone for the holidays!

Under a Sugar Sky by Seanan McGuire, read by Michelle Dockrey

This third book is the series is more whimsical and light than the first two, which I suppose makes sense as it takes place primarily in a nonsense world. It introduces a few new characters, as well as bringing back Christopher and Kane from book 1. A group of these teens sets out together on a quest, but not all of them return to Earth at the end of it. I'm definitely planning to continue with the audio books of this series.

Batcat by Meggie Ramm

This magical, brightly-colored tale follows Batcat, a creature of comfort, who is driven out of their cozy home by an annoyingly friendly ghost. On their quest, Batcat is forced to face some of their deepest fears (the dark, being eaten) and some of their biggest questions: are they more a bat, or more a cat? Readers of all ages who have wondered about their own place in a world keen on dividing things into categories will relate to this quandary, and delight in the playful ways that Batcat defines themself outside of the binary. I got to read an advanced copy of this adorable book because it was written by a dear friend. Yes, I am biased, but I loved this story and highly recommend people check it out when it is released in March of 2023, or preorder it now!

Funny Planet: How Comedy Ruined Everything by Ken Jennings

This is a conversational, light, easy to read nonfiction that traces the way comedy and humor have spread their roots into almost every aspect of American life. Advertisements are now expected to be funny, as are politicians, the news, the modern art world and some types of avant-garde fashion and food. Also, social media, particularly twitter, which (even in its crumbling perhaps final days) is a near constant stream of jokes and jibes at every current happening, large or small, including very horrific tragedies that probably shouldn't be made light of. And things that were already funny, like sitcoms, have nearly doubled their joke density in the past 50 years. The author explores the historical development of comedy in these different fields, and also wonders what it is doing to our brains to be fed such a constant stream of jokes. I missed a lot of the references by virtue of having seen almost none of the TV shows or comedy specials the author was referring to, yet still found this a quick and lively read.

¡Ay, Mija!: My Bilingual Summer in Mexico by Christine Suggs

Suggs' debut memoir is a complete delight. The themes of language, translation, family, queerness, fatness, and being biracial are beautifully woven together into a rich and authentic whole. Nothing is overstated, simply presented as it was lived, and illustrated in a lovely palette of warm browns, bright golds, and smoothing blues. I loved the tiny avatar of the author's internal thoughts and how it interacted with the text and images on the page. This book uses all of the visual tools of comics to tell a wonderful coming of age story and the result is as sweet as pan dulce. I had the chance to read this book ahead of it's review and I can't recommend it more! Pre-order it now or look for it on shelves in April 2023.

The Box In The Woods by Maureen Johnson read by Kate Rudd

This fourth book in the Truly Devious YA murder mystery series introduces a new cold case for anxious teen detective Stevie Bell to bang her head against. This one, a quadruple murder from 1978 which took place in the woods outside a summer camp, was mishandled from the beginning. Dubbed 'The Box in the Woods' murders, the police at the time initially thought it was a drug deal gone wrong, then thought it might be the work of a contemporary serial killer. Stevie is hired by the new owner of the summer camp, who wants to make a podcast about the crime. Stevie doesn't care about the podcast, but she does love getting to bring her friends with her to a camp and getting her hands on a difficult case. This book continues to develop Stevie's friendships and romantic relationship in satisfying ways. I remain very delighted by and impressed with this series, and I'm excited there's a fifth book coming out before the end of the year!

Buzzing by Samuel Sattin and Rye Hickman

]The power of a supportive role playing group can't fix everything, but it goes a long way. Isaac is a teen with OCD, who suffers from near constant intrusive thoughts, cleverly visualized here as bees with mean voices. Over the story he builds confidence and community by leaning into his love of fantasy and drawing; as a former fellow misfit teen artist, it was wonderful to watch him grow. This is a nuanced and diverse coming of age story, I'm so excited for all of the readers who will discover it and see themselves in it. The art is excellent, both in the real world day to day parts of the story and the D&D fantasy parts of the story. I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of this book because I am friends with both of the authors- pre order it now, or look for it on shelves in July 2023!

Falcon written and read by Helen Macdonald

This was my second book this year by Helen MacDonald. Shorter and more traditionally nonfiction that H is for Hawk, this book is a collection of facts and anecdotes about the relationship of falcons and humans across many centuries and cultures. Human have long anthropomorphized falcons, attributing to them traits such as nobility, cunning, and martial prowess. Humans have been training and hunting with falcons for at least 3,000 years; lately, we have driven many species to near extinction, and created involved and wide ranging programs to try and rehabilitate the dwindling populations. I listened to this entire four hour audiobook during one long car ride and was well entertained the whole time.

Mimosa by Archie Bongiovanni

Chris, Jo, Elise, and Alex bonded over being the only queer waiters at a restaurant, but their friendship long outlasted their stint at the job. Ten years on, the crew, now in their mid and late thirties, face a whole slew of new challenges: parenting, vying for promotions, balancing partying and work, being judged by baby gays at the club, and scariest of all, drifting apart. Fans of Bongiovanni's Grease Bats will enjoy the familiar flavors of a messy, horny, queer and trans friend squad but paired with a more nuanced slice-of-life narrative. These characters are trying to stay true to themselves, invest in their communities, get laid, and support each other. But it's not so easy to balance all of those conflicting needs, and they frequently fall short. I was left hoping that the characters could forgive each other's deeply human failings. I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of the book- it's available for pre-order now, or check it out when it's released in March 2023!

She Who Became The Sun by Shelley Parker Chan

What a wonderful book to end the year with! This one came highly recommended by many friends and did not disappoint. Epic in scale, with fantasy rooted in Chinese history, this story is set in an alternate mid-1300s with Mongols attempting to control all of mainland China, but resisted by a rebel force. The book opens with Zhu, the only daughter of a peasant family struggling to survive during a famine. A fortune teller predicted a great destiny for Zhu's one brother, and nothing for her. But when her brother dies, Zhu decides she will inhabit his destiny instead. She disguises herself as a boy to seek shelter and education in a monastery, a story trope I have always enjoyed, but especially here because this book takes the narrative in a explicitly trans/genderqueer direction by the end. Elsewhere in the story, a eunuch general in the Mongol army hides a bitter desire for revenge from his dearest friend; the rebel leaders battle each other for power, doing nearly as much damage to their cause as they do to their enemies; and a daughter of a rebel commander despairs over the constant bloodshed and death of the seemingly endless war. This is a complicated conflict, in which neither side is morally superior to the other; I was equally compelled by the personalities on each side and also certain that all of them were on a path towards destruction that they could not escape.

#reading #book reviews #comic book reviews #books #audiobooks

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angel-with-paper-wings · 1 year

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Phantom of the Opera Hogwarts/Wizarding World!AU Headcanons

Okay I know the story originally takes place in France, and as such it would probably be more realistic to have Christine, Erik, and Raoul go to Beauxbatons (and Daroga go to some wizarding school in Persia), but these are just headcanons that I made for fun because I couldn’t stop thinking about what houses these guys would be in. (Also FYI, this blog does not in any way agree with or support the views of the author of Harry Potter.)

Christine:

House: Hufflepuff (Sorting Hat deliberated for almost four minutes; she shows traits of Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, and Hufflepuff but is a Hufflepuff at her core)

Blood status: Half-blood (mother was magical and father was not. After her mother died, her father raised her in the Muggle world; he encouraged her magic but also taught her to hide it from other Muggles, and some of their traveling around when she was young was to keep her magic hidden to protect her. When he passed away, she was taken in by her magical aunt Madame Valerius who reintroduced her to the Wizarding World.)

Experiencing the loss of her father also allowed her to see Thestrals (she LOVES them).

Favorite classes: Care of Magical Creatures, Herbology (she grew up on stories of magical animals/plants so when she gets to school she is already an expert at these)

Patronus is a nightingale

After her father’s death her magic is very weak (like how her voice is weak in the book). Once she attends Hogwarts it gets stronger, but it isn’t until she meets Erik and studies with him does she truly master it.

Makes friends with all of the ghosts in the castle (she is the first person in a long time that earns the trust of the Grey Lady; they have many long talks together in the castle late at night)

It is during one of these talks that she first meets Erik; she catches him late one night sneaking back into his dorm in Ravenclaw Tower. She thinks he is another ghost at first, but the Grey Lady tells her this is not the case. He avoids her the first night before she can talk to him, but the next few nights she camps outside Ravenclaw Tower until she catches him again, and they introduce themselves. Over time, they become good friends and study buddies, with Erik helping her practice spells and Christine helping him recover from his failed experiments with magic.

Erik:

House: Ravenclaw (immediate decision by Sorting Hat)

Blood status: Muggle-born (showed signs of magic very early on which freaked out his mom and made her even more afraid of him than she already was. He almost developed an Obscurus over it and planned on running away from home, until a professor came knocking on their door on his eleventh birthday to explain everything and deliver his Hogwarts letter. That professor just so happened to be Nadir Khan/Daroga).

Favorite classes: Charms, Transfiguration, History of Magic, Alchemy

Became an unregistered Animagus in his third year; his animal form is an all-black cat

Patronus was also a black cat until he met Christine; eventually, it changed to resemble hers

Likes to roam around the castle at night; has never been caught by a professor (hides from them; if they suspect anything he convinces them he is one of the ghosts and they leave him alone)

Knows all of the secret passages, may even make some of his own that only he knows about

Him and Peeves are a vibe, constantly making wisecracks and playing pranks on younger students or teachers that Erik dislikes

Discovered the Room of Requirement in his second year, uses it as his “lair” when he wants to be away from everyone

Likes to experiment with magic and invent his own spells (ex: charming Muggle objects to do magical things, healing spells and countercurses to try and hide/”fix” his deformity)

Often gets injured or ill from these attempts and Christine helps care for him

Raoul:

House: Gryffindor (another immediate decision by Sorting Hat)

Blood status: Pure blood (his whole family is magical, not very familiar with Muggle stuff)

Favorite classes: Defense Against the Dark Arts

Patronus is a Labrador retriever

Keeper of his house’s Quidditch team since his fourth year, Christine goes to all of his games to cheer him on (except for the ones against Hufflepuff— those she spends on her own team’s side decked out in black and yellow)

Joins the dueling club to strengthen his (admittedly weak) combat skills

Invites Christine to spend Christmas/summer breaks at his home; his pure-blood family is hesitant at first when they learn she is half-blood and from a poor family, but once they meet her they love her and invite her back every break.

Asks Christine all kinds of questions about Muggles since he has little to no experience with them (she shows him one of her books from home, and he is APPALLED when the pictures/illustrations don’t move)

Follows in his older brother’s footsteps and becomes Prefect and eventually Head Boy

The rivalry between him and Erik is STRONG (obviously). Erik tries to debilitate Raoul with charms and curses to stop him from spending time with Christine; as Prefect, Raoul takes away points from Ravenclaw pretty much every time he sees Erik; Christine has had to break up many potential duels between these two and scolds them into being more tolerant of each other.

Daroga:

House: Gryffindor (Sorting Hat considered Ravenclaw for a short while, but finally landed on Gryffindor)

Blood status: Half-blood

Teaches Defense Against the Dark Arts (think Professor Lupin, that’s his vibe)

Patronus is a barn owl

Has his office hours outside during nice weather; he likes to walk around the grounds in his spare time

Worked as an Auror in Persia for a while before being offered a teaching position at Hogwarts

He is the only one who knows Erik uses the Room of Requirement, often visits him there to see how he is doing and stops him from doing anything dangerous

As previously mentioned, Daroga was the professor who introduced Erik to the magical world and taught him that all the strange things he could do were part of his natural magical abilities. As such, he was the first to understand and pity Erik’s situation at home, and wanted to make him feel safer at Hogwarts

When it was time for summer break after Erik’s first year, Erik hid in his dormitory while the train took everyone back; Daroga eventually found him still at Hogwarts a week later. He understood why Erik didn’t want to go home, and after speaking with the headmaster they agreed to let Erik stay at Hogwarts over his summer and winter breaks, with Daroga keeping a close eye on him the entire time.

#poto #phantom of the opera #hogwarts!au #wizarding world!au #headcanons #christine #erik #raoul de chagny #daroga #nadir khan/daroga #I think I need to write a fic now #these were so fun to make

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bookshelf-in-progress · 8 months

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Trick-or-Treat 🎃

I'll treat you (and myself) to the behind-the-scenes info about the writing of "The True Story". (There will be spoilers).

The idea for 84, Charing Cross Road + Imaginary Book Recs in an epistolary fantasy story came to me in one of the last days of September as a Team Chesterton possibility. I was very excited by the wish-fulfillment of writing characters to get to read these books I wish existed.

(For those who might not know, Imaginary Book Recs is a game I've been playing on my main blog for the past two years. In the first round, people sent me the titles of books they loved, and I "recommended" a similar book that didn't exist. In the second round, people sent me titles and genres, and I came up with plot summaries for these nonexistent books.)

Initially, the first letter was going to be from a woman whose family had history of buying books from a shop that carried books that came from alternate universes. She totally knew the history of the shop and where these books came from. And maybe I could fit in the theme by having the bookshop owner get arrested for selling an alternate-universe banned book or something.

That version fizzled out because figuring out the logistics of this alternate universe set-up was too complicated. And having the only fantasy element be "these people can read books that don't exist" didn't feel very fantastical (I can throw imaginary books into mundane contemporary fiction in exactly the same way). Plus, I knew from experience that trying to write an epistolary fantasy for Inklings never works.

In the last week of the Challenge, after my simpler ideas just weren't coming together, I suddenly got the idea to go for a more magical-realism take on this story's shop. Even the bookshop owners don't know where the books come from. That instantly gave it a more whimsical fairy tale feel. The conflict could involve the girl learning about the strange nature of these books. I fit in the "work of mercy" theme by having the FMC take care of a sick grandmother, and we were off to the races.

This is the first original story I've let myself discovery-write in a long time. I knew the story would involve the FMC coming to believe in the supernatural origins of the books. I had a handful of imaginary books I wanted to highlight. I knew the characters would meet in person by the end. Beyond that, I just let the characters talk, and let their conversations shape the story.

I tried really hard to highlight books in a way that fit the story. So I kicked off a story with a children's fantasy that would be a nostalgic tie between Christine and her grandmother. (Song of the Seafolk was invented in response to a prompt from @magpie-trove). Mysteries are a vast genre beloved by grandmothers, so The Wings of Hermes (from a title by @siena-sevenwits) came next. Mercator Must Walk the Plank was another beloved @siena-sevenwits title I had to feature, and comedy was a reasonable request from someone stressed out by dealing with illness. I felt odd featuring Alfred Quicke (with its ties to @isfjmel-phleg's fictional universe), but the comedy and mystery blend were the perfect mix after the previous two books, and I needed a long-running series to justify frequent use of the shop. The Autumn Queen's Promise (from a suggestion by @into-means) and The Queens of Wintermoon (inspired by @lover-of-the-starkindler) were both seasonally-focused fantasies I could reasonably fit in.

Originally the story was just going to consist of letters between Christine and Ben. When I introduced Mercator Must Walk the Plank, Ben mentioned "we read it aloud at the Christmas party" as part of his pitch. I realized that if they were donating a book with such personal significance, the other shop employees would probably want to chime in, and since I'd been vaguely hoping to include other employee voices, I threw in the notes from Penny and Heinrich.

This let me develop the secondary thread of Penny's letters. Penny provided the fun "let's fangirl over imaginary books" side of the story, while Ben's could stay more serious and plot-focused.

Penny's the main reason this story got finished. I woke up on the last day thinking that this was a terrible story. My mains had no personality beyond what I stole from 84, Charing Cross Road. I had no plot except "people talking about books no one had ever read". But Penny's letter was fun and voice-y, and made me think maybe there was a spark of something worthwhile here.

Looking back, I'm shocked at how little was planned. The Mercator fan club, and the subplot surrounding that book, was totally unplanned. Even the main themes were unplanned!

Seriously, Christine's initial response to Ben's "I hate agreeing to disagree" letter was "Thanks for agreeing to drop the subject. Now let's get back to talking about Imaginary Books." Then I came to my senses, realized I was bypassing a major source of story conflict, and started the subplot of Christine and Ben arguing about the existence of the supernatural.

Cardinal's Map was always going to be an important part of this story (from a suggestion by @siena-sevenwits, it's my favorite of the Imaginary Book Recs), but Christine and Ben's conversation gave me the chance to make this story match the themes of that imaginary book (which is probably the closest I'll ever get to writing that book). Instead of just being one book among a list, Cardinal's Map could now bring about the climax of the story.

I had an idea to have a fourth employee at Wright's and Co. who provided a third set of letters. Christine could fangirl with Penny, fight with Ben, and this third woman could offer more personal insight and advice--and she'd be the one to recommend Cardinal's Map. But as I wrote, there wasn't much space for her, and it worked much better to split her role between Ben and Penny.

I considered having Ben recommend the book, but that came across as very patronizing--"Here, read this book that proves I'm right." Having it come from Penny (who isn't involved in this argument) felt more natural (and made the miracle of the book feel more miraculous).

Until very late in the story, there was a 50-50 chance that Christine's grandmother would die, and the characters would meet at her funeral. But that offered too many emotional and logistical complications for me to resolve before the deadline, and I figured it was better to keep the story centered around Christine's internal journey with the books.

I don't know if this counts as a treat, because it went on so long, but here's hoping it's not totally disappointing.

#answered asks #trick or treat #the true story #inklings challenge

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melissak2802 · 5 months

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Miraculous Agatha AU masterpost

Here I'll try to keep together the main stuff regarding my AU.

It will be organised by books involved.

⏰The Seven Dials Mystery🧾

OLD CONCEPT

Miraculous wielders:

Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent with the Mouse Miraculous - Musophobia

Jimmy Thesiger with the Rooster Miraculous - Cock-a-doodle

Loraine Wade with the Dog Miraculous - Puppy Eyes

Bill Eversleigh with the Turtle Miraculous - Safety Measures

Gerry Wade with the Pig Miraculous - Piglet

Ronny Devereux with the Tiger Miraculous - Tigger

Designs:

Plot points:

https://www.tumblr.com/melissak2802/731985293780074496/one-of-the-first-ideas-i-had-for-miraculous-agatha?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/melissak2802/731986223713894400/some-details-for-the-miraculous-agatha-au-version?source=share

NEW CONCEPT

Miraculous wielders:

Lady Eileen "Bundle" Brent with the Bee Miraculous

Jimmy Thesiger with the Fox Miraculous

Lorraine Wade with the Ladybug Miraculous

Bill Eversleigh with the Turtle Miraculous

Gerry Wade with the Butterfly Miraculous

Ronny Devereux with the Cat Miraculous

Babe St-Maur with the Butterfly Miraculous

Plot points and general ideas:

https://www.tumblr.com/melissak2802/743322760310341632/miraculous-agatha-au-news-the-more-i-think-about?source=share

Designs:

Synopsis of the original novel for those interested:

https://www.tumblr.com/melissak2802/732051047297826816/to-people-who-read-about-my-au-while-knowing?source=share

🌅Evil Under the Sun🏖

Miraculous wielders:

Christine Redfern with the Ladybug Miraculous - Lady Fortune

Patrick Redfern with the Black Cat Miraculous - Catractive

Arlena Marshall with the Peacock Miraculous - Pavilena

Kenneth Marshall with the Bee Miraculous - Captain Sting

Linda Marshall with the Peacock Miraculous (eventually) - Little Bird Blue

Designs:

(first link has an outdated design of Lady Fortune, am including it because of Pavilena, whom unlike the couple I didn't redraw)

Plot points (+summary of the original novel):

https://www.tumblr.com/melissak2802/732174681186107392/another-miraculous-agatha-au-idea-i-am-developing?source=share

🎀Hercule Poirot's Christmas🏰

Miraculous wielders:

Young Simeon Lee in the past with multiple Miraculous - King Beast

Alfred Lee with the Dog Miraculous - High Regard

Lydia Lee with the Horse Miraculous - Appaloosa

David Lee with the Goat Miraculous - Fleece

Harry Lee with the Monkey Miraculous - Macaque

Stephen Grant (aka Stephen Farr) with the Ox Miraculous - Plower

Conchita Lopez (aka Pilar Estravados) with the Fox Miraculous - Astucia

Designs:

(this picture includes an outdated concept of Dragon-wielding David and probably outdated concept of Tiger-wielding Sugden, but I still like their designs too)

Plot points (plus summary of the original novel) :

https://www.tumblr.com/melissak2802/732361727573934080/another-of-the-novels-i-have-the-most?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/melissak2802/732441836717785089/on-how-character-dynamics-in-hercule-poirots?source=share

🌨The Mousetrap🎹

(to be more precise, its post-canon)

THIS ONE IS NOT CANON TO THE AU ANYMORE!

Miraculous wielders:

Christopher Wren with the Ladybug Miraculous - Painted Bug

Georgie Corrigan with the Black Cat Miraculous - Scratch

Mollie Ralston with the Turtle Miraculous - Sanctuary

Leslie Casewell with the Bee Miraculous - Hornet

Designs:

Plot points:

https://www.tumblr.com/melissak2802/738526158327627776/unlike-the-other-stories-i-included-in-the?source=share

Other stuff

Jane Marple with the Butterfly Miraculous - Argynnis

Design:

Plot points:

https://www.tumblr.com/melissak2802/733222410441064448/i-like-to-imagine-miss-marple-as-a-butterfly-hero?source=share

Appointment With Death ideas slowly forming:

Sarah King with the Dragon Miraculous - Dragon Knight

Ginevra Boynton with the Pig Miraculous - Pigherdess

Raymond and Carol Boynton with the Tiger Miraculous

(no design or details yet)

Adjustments made to the Miraculous problematic in ML canon: the Peacock - sentimonsters are here explicitly not alive; the Goat - concept reworded as Imagination, the nuances of the power functioning are being worked on but it has different mechanics from Ladybug's Lucky Charm; the Rooster - can grant you only mundane special skills, not any superpower.

Attempt at a inter-story chronology (SDM Miraculous plans taken in the new version):

https://www.tumblr.com/melissak2802/743592672376291328/miraculous-agatha-au-news-since-i-revised-my?source=share

(This chronology is outdated, needs reworking)

#Miraculous Agatha AU #the seven dials mystery #evil under the sun #hercule poirot's christmas #the mousetrap #superpowers au #Miraculous Agatha AU masterpost

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lonesomedreamer · 10 months

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SNW Liveblog: “Children of the Comet”

First, to recap my all-over-the-place liveblog of the pilot...

Things I liked about the pilot:

“First contact is just a dream…until one day, it isn’t.”

Some stunning visuals, especially in the opening credits

Spock and Christine had instant chemistry!

Uhura being a total sweetheart.

Ethan Peck looks good without a shirt. I’m weak, okay?

Things I disliked about the pilot:

So. Much. Cringey. Dialogue!

A lot of elements seemed more like fantasy than they did scifi—even stuff like altering the landing party’s appearance via “gene therapy”.

Breaking established Trek rules (i.e., using the transporter for intraship travel, using warp within the solar system, etc.)

The way the stars are animated while the ship’s in warp makes me feel nauseous.

The complete lack of TOS’s retrofuturistic aesthetic + the whole ship being lit like a dance club

Making Christine Quirky and Clumsy in an effort (I guess) to modernize her character?

Pike. I’m sorry. This episode didn’t sell me on the dude.

Things I hated about the pilot:

T’Pring proposing to Spock. T’Pring and Spock almost having sex. What???

The embarrassing, flagrant disregard for the Prime Directive by both the writers and, as a result, by Pike.

“Take me to your leader.” Miss me with that shit!

I also meant to mention during my liveblog that Uhura being a cadet (not even an ensign!) on Pike’s Enterprise and a Lieutenant and the Communications Officer on Kirk’s makes little to no sense. But neither does T’Pring proposing to Spock, so…there you go.

Why does Uhura wear a dress as her ordinary uniform and this uninspired jumpsuit as her “dress” uniform?

I do like the idea of officers being invited to eat dinner with the captain, something that real Naval captains did (and maybe continue to do?) That said… “You do NOT want to be late to the captain’s table.” Why? Will he be Disappointed in You? Pike does have some real Dad energy (which is not necessarily a compliment).

We swapped groovy mod-inspired 60s looks for THIS?

I know they bought a lot of the “civilian” costumes off the rack, especially in TSFS, but at least they tried. Does Pike shop for his weekend wear at the 23rd century equivalent of Kohl’s?!?

Also, Pike has a collection of model ships, nautical artifacts, and antique books…? Jim Kirk called: he wants his personality back. (I know Pike technically came first, but he only existed for a single episode before Kirk replaced him!)

Pike’s quarters are stupidly big. I mean, this is ridiculous. Kirk occupied a single room with a desk separated from a bed and chest-of-drawers by a wall screen!*

I love Uhura. She’s amazing and iconic and was NEVER just a “glorified switchboard operator”. If nothing else about this show, I appreciate that they’re trying to better-develop her character. But they really expect me to believe that she speaks 37 fucking languages? As much as I also like the message of “it’s best to communicate with someone in their own tongue,” this is the same universe that has the universal translator?!?? Uhura’s remarkable abilities don’t need to be unbelievable just to emphasize that she has always been special!

And of course they gave her a Tragic Backstory. Everyone on the Enterprise must either be an orphan or estranged from their parents, apparently.

The cringe factor of this is physically painful to me.

Sam Kirk of xenoanthropology? Funny, because once upon a time Jim Kirk (of Starfleet Command) said “he’s a research biologist.”

On that note, no one but Jim called him Sam! His given name was George. That isn’t unrealistic or, as I saw one person claim, a case of “unreliable” narrator (i.e., Kirk); this is just lazy writing.

These suits looks like something out of a parody. Galaxy Quest, an actual parody, looked better 25 years ago.

Since Sam Kirk is Doomed by the Narrative anyway, it’s hard to be upset by the way things have turned out here so far. He probably won’t die in this episode (otherwise why would they have done the bait-and-switch in the pilot/cast an actor?) but if he does, well…it probably sucks less for him than his canon death.

This shouldn’t need to be said, but “don’t take your foot off the gas” is not a colloquialism they’ll probably be using 250 years in the future. The whole pep talk thing between Uhura and Spock was amusing, though.

I appreciate that music is the basis of the alien language, because both Spock and Uhura are canonically musical. That was a good idea! But I don’t like any of the stuff happening on the Enterprise. Pike comes across as tongue-tied and almost incompetent when dealing with these aliens, though he’s marginally more capable while giving orders from the captain’s chair.

It is cool to see this Enterprise maneuvering in ways that earlier renditions of her couldn’t… but on the other hand, the whole “evasive maneuver” sequence looks very uncanny valley/video game-esque. (Also, why is no one falling out of their chairs?)

Now this—the no-win scenario Pike gives the Shepherds to force them to offer help—feels like some classic Trek. Of course it’s coming right at the end of the episode, but better late than never.

JJ Abrams and his lens flares continue to haunt this franchise.

Again, whatever Spock is up to in the shuttlecraft just seems like a video game to me.

A good use of “Fascinating”! <3

When you inadvertently break the Prime Directive (instead of purposefully).

Oh boy. I don’t like all this predicting the future/plot-point-X-was-predestined nonsense going on so far. I don’t like it at all. Though Pike struggling with and finding ways to accept his fate might be integral to the plot of the show, does every weekly plot and moral have to align with that larger theme? I’m not a fan.

*I saw someone speculating that this is a space called the “captain’s mess” separate from the captain’s actual quarters. It would explain why it’s so gargantuan and has a whole-ass kitchen…but NOT why it exists at all. Kirk didn’t have one—on the SAME ship. Picard, on his substantially bigger ship, didn’t either. So why does Pike?

The Good: Some cute moments between Spock and Uhura; the life-form on the comet communicating through music; a tiny nugget of Spockstine at dinner

The Bad: Lame, lazy, totally twenty-first-century costumes; giving Uhura an unnecessarily tragic backstory/unrealistic abilities (37 languages!); cringey dialogue continues; unnecessarily introducing Sam Kirk just to use him as a “red shirt”; more talk about fate/destiny and being able to see the future that, again, makes this feel a lot more fantasy than scifi

Still holding out for the S/C bits...on to the next one!

#I promise it's not all negative lol #if anyone is even interested #<3 #luth liveblogs snw

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bitcofun · 2 years

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This is a viewpoint editorial by Federico Rivi, an independent reporter and author of the Bitcoin Train newsletter.We are raising rates of interest "due to the fact that we are battling inflation. Inflation has actually come out of virtually absolutely nothing." Stated European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, on the Irish talk program Late Show on October 28, 2022. Words obviously opposing a declaration that came quickly later on in the very same interview. Inflation, she statedis triggered "by Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine. [...] This energy crisis is triggering huge inflation that we need to beat."The Rate HikeThe day prior to the interview the European Central Bank had raised interest rates by a more 75 basis points, bringing the overall development used in the last 3 conferences to 2%: the greatest level given that 2009. In all probability it will not end there, as the Governing Council strategies to "raise rates even more to guarantee a prompt return of inflation to its medium-term goal of 2 percent."According to the newest informationthe increase in costs in the euro location has really reached levels never ever seen in the last 20 years: +9.9% in September compared to the exact same month in 2015. Nations like Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are seeing cost boosts of 22%, 22.5% and 24.1% respectively.In the extensive agreement on the significance of the term inflationnevertheless, there is a significant disparity. A distortion of the genuine idea that leads leaders, specialists - and as a result the media - to associate various causes to the word, depending upon the benefit of the minute. When the cause, in truth, is constantly and just one.Inflation And Price Increases Are DifferentFor lots of, inflation is now associated with increasing costs. This is not simply an extensive belief however a significance that has actually likewise been embraced by economics books and the main language. According to Cambridge Dictionary inflation is "a basic, constant boost in rates."Is this actually the case? Bitcoin teaches something: Do not trust, confirmAnd by validating, an issue emerges: the turnaround of domino effect.Inflation is dealt with as the result of a specific occasion: an energy crisis, a chip scarcity, a dry spell can all cause greater rates for items and services in specific sectors. In truth inflation, in its initial significance, does not indicate the increase in rates, it suggests its cause.The hint comes straight from etymology: inflation originates from the Latin word inflationitself a derivative of to inflatei.e to pump upConsider pumping up a balloon: the act of to inflate (pumping up) is when air is blown from the mouth into the balloon: the cause. The instant effect is the growth of the volume of the balloon that is taking in air: the impact. Pumping brand-new air into the balloon is the action that results in its growth. The exact same thinking uses to cash: the really act of printing cash is inflation and its effect is a boost in rates. This turnaround of domino effect was currently described in the late 1950s as semantic confusion by among the most popular financial experts of the Austrian school, Louis of Mises:"There is nowadays a really remiss, even hazardous, semantic confusion that makes it incredibly challenging for the non-expert to understand the real state of affairs. Inflation, as this term was constantly utilized all over and specifically in this nation, implies increasing the amount of cash and bank notes in flow and the amount of bank deposits based on examine. Individuals today utilize the term "inflation" to refer to the phenomenon that is an inescapable effect of inflation, that is the propensity of all costs and wage rates to increase. The outcome of this awful confusion is that there is no term delegated symbolize the reason for this increase in rates and earnings."If, for that reason, there can be lots of reasons for rate boosts, there can not be as lots of reasons for inflation due to the fact that it is itself an origin of rate boosts.

It would be a lot more appropriate and intellectually sincere to state that the decline in acquiring power can arise from numerous aspects consisting of inflation, i.e. the printing of cash.Cash FloodingHow has the European Central Bank acted in terms of financial issuance in current years? The most reliable figure to comprehend this is the ECB balance sheet, which reveals the countervalue of properties held: those possessions for which the Eurotower does not pay however obtains by developing brand-new currency. Since October 2022, the ECB held nearly EUR 9 trillion. Prior to the pandemic, at the start of 2019, it had around EUR 4.75 trillion. Frankfurt has nearly doubled its cash supply in 3 and a half years.Euro Area Central Bank Balance Sheet. Source: Trading Economics If we determine the quantity of euros flowing in the type of banknotes and deposits - the figure specified as M1 - the number is a little more comforting, however very little: at the start of 2019 there were nearly EUR 8.5 trillion in flow, today there are 11.7 trillion. A development of 37.6%.Euro Area Money Supply M1. Source: Trading Economics Are we actually sure, then, that this rate development - or as it is mistakenly called by everybody, inflation - originates from no place? Or that it is simply a repercussion of the war in Ukraine? Provided the quantity of cash supply injected into the marketplace in the last 3 years, we must count ourselves fortunate that the typical rate development of products and services is still stuck at 10%, due to the limitations of the pandemic and the subsequent recession we are getting in.What does Bitcoin pertain to all this? Bitcoin has whatever to do with it since it was born as an option to the financial disasters for which reserve banks continue to make themselves accountable. An option to the bubbles of unsustainable development rotating with crippling crises brought on by the marketplace adjustment of the interventionist paradise. Bitcoin can not inform the world that"inflation originated from no place,due to the fact that its code is public and everybody can examine its financial policy. A policy that does not alter and can not be controlled. It is repaired and will stay so. 2.1 quadrillion satoshis. Not one more.This is a visitor post by Federico Rivi. Viewpoints revealed are totally their own and do not always show those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine. Learn more

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books · 3 years

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Writer Spotlight: Amanda Foody & Christine Lynn Herman

Well, well, well. What's this? A treat? For you? In Halloween week, its very self? You betcha. This week, we're exploring the world of new @torteen release ALL OF US VILLAINS by asking its creators, Amanda Foody and Christine Lynn Herman, all about the novel's characters and themes. Click through to the end for writing advice, thoughts on the YA fantasy genre, and a linked sneak peek 👀

First off, can you describe the plot of ALL OF US VILLAINS?

All of Us Villains takes place in Ilvernath, a small, remote city that—up until the publication of a salacious tell-all book one year ago—was quite forgotten and overlooked. But now, its dark secret has been revealed. Every generation, seven of the city's oldest families send a teenage champion to compete in a tournament to the death. The winner's family gets to claim the most powerful type of magic in the world. Our four POV characters, each one of this generation's seven champions, have to grapple with the dangers of the tournament in addition to their newfound but unwanted fame. The book has lots of plot twists, morally gray characters, and—as you'd probably guessed—blood.

Can you talk a bit about your inspiration for exploring themes of inherited family responsibility and community-sanctioned violence?

Both of these themes came about organically as we developed the initial concept of a death tournament novel. By linking the tournament to seven families, each required to put forth a champion, we created an inherited trauma that each of our main characters grapples with differently. It was important to us that we explore the nuances of how they were raised, their coping mechanisms within such an extreme situation, and the tournament's impact on the wider community. Because for all that these teenagers are fighting for power, there is also a question of responsibility. Is the blood they've shed on their own hands, the hands of the people who sent them off to die, or something else entirely? In a world of spells and curses, how do these people allocate blame? All of this is tied up in the stories our characters tell themselves and in those the world tells about them; their roles as heroes or villains develop from that.

What made you want to write a story about the villain instead of the hero? And do you believe in that binary, or is it more complicated than that?

We both firmly believe that all people—and thus all interesting characters—are composed of good and bad traits. We chose to write about characters whose bad traits are especially villainous because it felt appropriate for the story. These are teenagers who have been raised for this death tournament, who have been taught that the reward of power is more important than the lives taken to achieve it. That takes a certain type of person…and not necessarily a straightforwardly good one.

Can you give us any hints as to what to expect from the next book in the series?

You can expect a lot of romance and a lot of betrayal. Perhaps they even go hand in hand?

What made you first want to write stories, and how did you come to tell the stories you tell?

Christine: I've wanted to be an author from the moment I fell in love with books—so, most of my life. Since the books I connected with deeply were always speculative fiction, it was inevitable that I'd want to write books that included magic. And since I loved kidlit so much, even after a lot of my friends "aged out" of reading it, it was inevitable that I'd want to write YA books, too.

Amanda: If I loved something as a child, I had a very "my turn" attitude. I loved drawing, so I drew all the time. I loved crafts, so I knitted and beaded and made pottery all the time. I loved board games, so I designed at least half a dozen. Books were just another thing I loved, and writing was the hobby that endured the most. And because fantasy was always my favorite, it never felt like a question that fantasy would be what I would write.

If you could pick one character from AOUV that you identify most with or root for most, who would it be, and why?

Amanda: I'd choose Isobel. Not only do we often think alike, but Isobel's family looks a little bit like mine since her parents are divorced. I grew up with a lot of divorce within my immediate family but never saw it in fantasy novels, so it has become a running theme in my stories. But I have no one specific character I've rooted for more than the others. They're all our characters, and I love them all equally!

Christine: I identify a great deal with Briony's stubbornness and determination, as well as her struggle to break out of the stories she tells herself vs. reality. Although she definitely takes all these traits to extremes in ways that I personally do not. As far as rooting for any of them...well, as one of their authors, I'm responsible for all of their misfortunes. But I am also rooting for all of them to get the chance to take a relaxing nap one day.

Do you have any hopes and dreams for the future of the YA Fantasy genre? What would you like to see more of?

We are both thrilled with the ways that the YA fantasy genre has become more inclusive to marginalized voices. But we also believe that there is a continued need for authentic and diverse representation. In the future, we hope to see more books by authors of color, fellow members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and other voices that deserve to share their stories and that will bring so much to the genre.

Aside from working on AOUV, are there any other exciting projects you're working on that you can share with us?

Amanda: I'm currently publishing a middle-grade fantasy series, Wilderlore. It's been my lifelong dream to write this kind of story—the kind where the characters age up with each new installment, with a sprawling cast and world and so much adventure. I'm completely smitten. The first book, The Accidental Apprentice, is already out, and Book 2, The Weeping Tide, hits shelves on February 1, 2022.

Christine: I have a solo YA contemporary fantasy novel coming on April 19, 2022, called The Drowning Summer, that's about queer first love, climate change, ghosts, and a very spooky ocean. I'm very proud of it and excited to see what readers think!

Do you have any advice for writers who are just starting out and trying to get a foot in the door?

Christine: It's so easy to get discouraged when tackling a project as long and laborious as a novel, especially if the words aren't coming out the way you envisioned them. For me, writing is mostly re-writing. Learning to embrace that messy first draft as the first step in a long but rewarding process is a great way to be proud of putting words on the page. It also helps you let go of the need for those words to be perfect.

Amanda: I always recommend that aspiring writers read as many books about the craft of writing as they can. Once you understand the nitty-gritty mechanics of storytelling, every new book you read for pleasure will teach you twice as much. Plus, though they might sound textbook-adjacent (and thus rather dull), I've always found them really fun to read!

Thank you to Amanda and Christine for taking the time to answer our questions! If you want more of ALL OF US VILLAINS, click through here for an exclusive reading/audio sample, or pick it up from your local bookshop or library on November 9, and let us know what you think!

This interview has been condensed for clarity.

#writer spotlight #all of us villains #tor teen #amanda foody #christine lynn herman #booklr #pre-release tuesday #tw blood #tw violence

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the1northlanderprincess · 2 years

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I love you in every universe...a Palmerstrange meta/analysis/review thing.

finally saw MoM Thursday night! Yes, I did spoil myself on Palmerstrange stuff, because I’m weak, but I was strong enough to stay away from most general stuff, as I said earlier. I will probably do a post on the movie overall later, but I want to just focus on the good stuff, aka Stephen and Christine. Because, wow, I underestimated just how much everything revolved around his feelings for her. But bear with me as I am having a little trouble remembering the order of details.

THERE BE SPOILERS BELOW (I’m not tagging)

Okay, so the main-universe interaction between them was...odd. First of all, Stephen appeared to be actually kind of spirited as he got ready for the wedding. He probably was excited just to see her. But when he did see her, he just deflated. It brought back feelings to the surface that probably weren't deep to begin with. Christine just felt like she was super dismissive. It seemed implied that she maybe reached out to him offscreensville after the first movie, but he shut her out in order to protect her; probably more so in the events leading up to and after the Infinity saga. That most likely pushed her to the breaking point of defending him or something. She does ask him if he’s happy, and he puts on a fake smile and says he is. She’s glad to hear this and says he deserves it.

Anyway, so, pretty much everyone knows about Stephen's feelings for Christine, even America, who later tells Stephen that Defender Strange and his Christine couldn’t make it work. Wong knew about the wedding. Then there's Wanda, who used his love to try to gain access "reasonably" (my favorite villain trope!). This means a lot of talking offscreen again, which is an issue I have with the MCU and its relationship development. Back to Wanda and Stephen. There is alarm and fear in his eyes. But he doesn't give her the satisfaction of addressing it. Stephen is smart enough to not give in, but a part of him knows the temptation is there. Not only that, Wanda is implicitly threatening Christine. He won't allow for that.

So next we have Stephen accidentally happening upon the memory bank, which affects him greatly; it’s the moment Christine gives him the watch. America sees it, and she knows the depth of his love. Poor Stephen. He loved reliving that moment, but at the same time, he wanted to nope right out of there.

After that, we get America and Stephen in 838 confinement. He begins to badger the lab technicians when one of them turns around, only to see it’s Christine. He’s shocked, and America can tell he’s caught up in her and nothing’s going to get done. Stephen is impressed by this variant, and tries to gain some answers, but Christine isn’t having it. She is very matter-of-fact and firm, almost cold. We’re not completely sure of the level of love 838′s Christine had for her Stephen, but can tell she must have cared for him a lot, but was hurt by him using the Darkhold. So she’s trying to steel herself from this other Stephen. As he is summoned to the Court, he pleads with Christine to protect America.

All heck breaks loose soon after, and Christine helps America get out of the lab. Stephen runs into them. America gives him his cloak, which has been repaired by Christine. He implores Christine to release the cuff. She reluctantly does, not fully trusting him yet, and they escape to the underground tunnels. After holding off Wanda, Stephen attempts to open the door to the realm holding the Book of Vishanti. Christine reveals it’s the watch from her Stephen that opens the vault. If that’s metaphorical, I don’t know what is. Stephen jumps through the door first, followed by America, then Christine, who tumbles and is helped up by Stephen. He makes it to the Book, but before long, Wanda appears, and it’s destroyed. He steps in front of Christine protectively and pushes her aside, which I can only describe as HOT.

A fight ensues yet again, and America falls into the hands of the Scarlet Witch, but not before Stephen and Christine are sent to another universe. They discover an incursion has happened there. They go to find its Stephen Strange. Along the way, Stephen again inquires about his relationship with Christine in 838. She basically says they didn’t know how to make things work, and he’s just amused, knowing that was likely the case.

Once they find the Sanctum, Stephen goes in alone. It’s very dark and unfeeling, and he hears a voice, seeing the other Stephen in the shadows. He is a shell of his former self, ragged and on edge. The two talk. Stephen notices that he has the Darkhold. Sinister Strange tells our Stephen about going to his Christine’s wedding and being asked by her if he was happy. He lied and said he was. As he looks out the window and sees 838 Christine, Strange reveals he searched many a universe where he and Christine are together. Newsflash: they aren’t. If I’m remembering things correctly, Strange suggests he could be with 838 Christine, and Stephen is like, oh, heck no. Eventually they begin an epic rap battle, and Strange is thrown out the window and is impaled.

Stephen grabs the Darkhold and uses it to find America. Christine comes in and they discuss what to do. She is horrified to learn that he’s going to dreamwalk, but realizes that it might be the only way to save America. He asks Christine to protect his body in case he is attacked by wraiths. And this begins where I have really no cohesive memory of the sequence of events, so please forgive me. He begins the ritual to inhabit the body of Defender Strange. Upon opening the portal to the mountains, he is immediately assaulted by said wraiths. This affects Stephen quite seriously in the outside world. Christine rushes to his side and holds his hand, telling him she’s there. His health is failing, and she impassionedly gives him a pep talk, saying he’s the Master of the Mystic Arts. This revitalizes him and he gains control over the souls, which begin to penetrate the outside. Christine is attacked. When she recovers, Christine finds the Brazier, knowing how to use it, and blasts them one by one. She goes back to his side, only to later be knocked across the room again.

Once Stephen awakens, he hastens to Christine’s side and helps her get to her feet. She asks how everything went and he tells her. Then he says that America and Wong are on their way to get them. While they wait in awkward silence, Christine asks what his universe is like. He turns to her and says it’s beautiful. It’s obvious that there’s double meaning to his words. He wishes he could show it her. There’s a hopefulness to his voice. She’d like that, but tells him she has to go. He understands, knowing the repercussions if she came and stayed. But Christine is regretful, thinking it’d be neat to see the chaos that’d ensue. She looks at him, and you kind of see she’s somewhat serious and wants him to ask her again. He straightens up and declares his love for her with a catch in his voice. Christine is taken aback at first, making me think her Stephen never told her. She’s incredibly moved. He reiterates, saying he loves her across ALL space and time, then says it’s not for a lack of want, but fear. She approaches him and places a hand on his face. He closes his eyes, savoring her touch. Christine replies that he should go confront his fears. They stay in close proximity to one another until Wong and America arrive.

Back in New York, we see the watch, which Stephen is replacing the glass of. He is pleased with his work and puts it in a small chest, signifying his moving on from Christine.

Soooo, what does all of this mean? Okay, it’s pretty much a fact that Stephen fears he can’t be with Christine because of his duties, and it might put her in danger; he’s too powerful and important in the scheme of things. My brother actually said this as much. It’s a lot like Peter in Spider-Man 2. And like Mary Jane in that movie, Christine spells out that he isn’t respecting her enough to make such life choices. I think he realizes this as the story moves along.

I do believe he respects her agency to a great degree in not forcing her to come with him after all is said and done. That’s where he differs from Sinister Strange. It’s my opinion that his universe is an alternate/what if reality of 616.

Now as for the big question...who exactly is Stephen confessing to? I’ve seen some say it was a copout that he told 838!Christine that he loved her, and not his. Yes and no. Yes, it was a bit of a bummer that he didn’t tell her. At the same time, though, he was saying it to all Christines. It did allow him to get it off his shoulders at long last. He was free at the end of the movie; it’s why we saw him act a bit brighter. However, I also think he was saying it to her specifically. They went on an adventure, and she did so many things to help him. It may be controversial, but it’s my belief that the 616!Palmerstrange didn’t deserve each other, but 616!Stephen and 838!Christine do. Which leads me to my second point...

Like everyone knows, Stephen fixing and putting the watch away shows us he’s getting over Christine. But, ah! Not so fast! Stephen’s cloak was mended by 838!Christine with a contrasting color from the rest of it. Essentially, he carries that Christine with him now wherever he goes. It’s a beautiful thing.

Finally, with the whole Clea thing, I’ve said what I thought they should have done earlier this week. I admit I’m not a diehard literal-comic-book fan. I watched X-Men and Spider-Man as a kid, and I’ve watched a whole bunch of comic-based movies. I also look up wiki stuff on characters to know the general stuff and originalities, but that’s as far as it goes. I really don’t care about comic book canon. After researching Dr. Strange several years back, I read about Clea, and it was my hope and belief at the time that Christine would be her, only under a different name. Well, clearly that didn’t happen. What I will say is this: if they wanted her to be Stephen’s love interest, they should have introduced her sooner, as @angryantagonist mentioned in a post reply. Why make the time to make a cartoon about their relationship, and have the plot of the second solo movie center around it, with many aspects playing a key role in Stephen’s success? Doesn’t make sense to me.

#palmerstrange #dr. strange #stephen strange #christine palmer

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sokos · 3 years

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Anti-feminists always have bad takes but one of the worst arguments i've been given as a "gotcha" is men who have told me feminism was invented by men so I owe every advance in female's liberation to them.

They say this because Plato was supposedly the first person who "argued for the total political and sexual equality of women, advocating that they be members of his highest class, ... those who rule and fight" But they all forget he also said some incredibly misogynistic things. If anyone is interested here's a pretty good text that explains why Plato didn't invent Feminism and actually held sexist views (what a surprise!) . Let's not forget that there were probably a lot of female philosophers during Plato's time who were silenced because women weren't allowed to think differently. Misogyny has existed since the beginning of time and i'm sure women have always rebelled against that opression in some way and have been silenced by men for not conforming.

I was also told Poulain de la Barre invented feminism because he said "that the traditional domestic education reserved for women served neither sex well. Woman's education kept her in a state of complete dependence on her husband and perpetuated an unjust status quo that allowed half of the population literally to dominate the other. Poulain recognized the profound wrong in continuing the present state of female dependency. He lived in a society that intentionally stifled any desires a woman had to develop her mind within the realm of male scholarship." And although it's great that he spoke up for women's education, I wonder how many women before him fought for this right and weren't listened but he was actually recognized for being a man. It doesn't make sense to say he invented feminism because his work was done through the 17th century in France and Feminist ideas have existed since before this time.

There is no certainty of who truly was the first feminist but it sure as hell wasn't a man. Some people the Sumerian priestess Enheduanna, who lived in around the twenty-third century BC wrote poems that have been interpreted as feminist. / Others say Christine de Pizan was the first woman to write about feminism, surprisingly enough she existed 240 years before Poulain and "Her own writing, in its various forms, discusses many feminist topics, including the source of women’s oppression, the lack of education for women, different societal behaviors, combating a misogynistic society, women’s rights and accomplishments, and visions of a more equal world". In the year 1405 She wrote a book called "The book of the city of Ladies" in which she talks about how the world with be without the chaos and wars that men create and she says the history of women would be different if they weren't educated by men. hah, perhaps she's one of the first women who talked about female separatism? / Another early feminist was Moderata Fonte from the 16th century, who wrote "The Merits of Women" in which she says "Men and women are of the same species, the same flesh and blood, and they were created by God as companions for one another; yet men have so convinced themselves of their superiority to women that they have lost sight of this fundamental truth. Women are “otherized”; considered as lesser beings; deprived of the resources and education that might allow them to maintain themselves; forced into a position of humiliating dependence in which they must accept whatever harsh treatment their husbands or fathers choose to inflict. They are victims of “tyranny,” of illegitimate rule—an accusation of special potency in Venice" / Other early feminist writers were Juana Inés de la Cruz, considered Latin America's first feminist, who started writing around the year 1689 "she devoted much of her life to publishing artistic works that challenged the patriarchal gender role that she, and many other women, were experiencing. By publishing works such as plays, poems, letters, and musical works, she was able to challenge radical feminist views. One of her significant works, The Trials of a Household, is a play in which she voices her views against the injustices that women face." / Marie de Gournay - Anne Bradstreet - and Margaret Cavendish among many women were other pioneers in feminism who prove

that obviously men didn't invent it.

I know men are not capable of critical thinking and getting informed beyond what they're thaught but these accusations surprised me. Women have always been ereased from history but there's nothing worse than thinking women are so uncapable that even the fight for our own rights was invented by a man. Men can't be our opressors and our liberators too.

#posting this to use as a reference for when another men says this #resources #feminism #women's history #feminist history #radical feminism #radfems do touch #radfems do interact #sokos.txt #radfems please interact #radfem safe #terf safe #terfs do interact #terfs do touch #terfs please interact #terfs please touch #radfems please touch

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maleyanderecafe · 3 years

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Hey there was a mobile game I wanted to recommend you check out! It’s called MazM: The Phantom of the Opera. Obviously the phantom himself is a well-known character and prime example of a yandere, and this version’s Raoul also takes on that trait a little (although it’s mostly because Christine is in a life or death situation and this he’s protective over her), he’s very sweet and doesn’t wait a moment to shower her with praise. Anyway it’s a pretty faithful retelling of the original book and was extra fun for me as a yandere-lover as you play as Christine caught in between the yandere and the actual boyfriend. I think it’s coming to the switch soon as well if you want to wait for that.

...Are you sure that Raoul just takes on this trait a bit...?

Joking aside, sorry it took me so long to answer this ask. I was originally going to watch a walkthrough on youtube, but then I realized that you said it would be on switch and since I just got my switch emulator, I ended up playing with a friend. I will say that there is a lot for me to say about this game, so this will be a long read.

First things first, I'll admit that I've never actually read or watched the Phantom of the Opera before, so I genuinely have no idea what happens in the story. This is where my friend who I was streaming for comes in because she has read the story so she helped fill me in on what happens (she's also making a yandere vn in the future which I will be spamming the heck out of because yandere vn). I think from what she told me, most of the story is relatively accurate, though some parts are changed for one reason or another (for instance, The Persian has a name in this game, but in the original, he doesn't), which has some pros and cons for some characters. Overall though, the story was pretty good for a first timer like me since it really let me experience what the Phantom of the Opera is truly about. I think the creator Mazm did a good job for historical detail, which makes sense considering their platform is about creating games that reinterpret famous stories (they've also done one for Wizard of Oz and Jekyll and Hyde which I sort of want to play), and there are a lot of different notes the player can collect in the game that give more historical insight into what is going on.

The story for the most part is pretty linear. There are some choices you can choose, but except for two, they don't really affect the story. For the most part, the game plays as a visual novel, though you do have to walk around to talk or interact with things to proceed the story. There are cats and notes that lie around the game too, with the notes giving more historical insight and the cats being used as hints in case you don't know where to go. The story is about a detective trying to find out the truth of the Phantom of the Opera at a request of a client whos husband was a victim of him, but most of the story is played through a flashback.

There are also small minigames as well that aren't too difficult, though I honestly felt like some of the minigames got to be tedious at times, specifically the one minigame where you have to press the order of the mirror combo which I found really annoying because besides the fact that I'm bad at those games, you had to do it every time you wanted to enter under the Opera house, which was just... ugh. The game itself seems much more optimized for mobile than it was for switch considering how slow the characters move (and its really slow walking to different places sometimes) as well as the fact that it takes forever to load between different scenes and there's no touch screen option for switch (that I know of). Plus the buttons for moving and pressing hints were annoying to deal with (though this could just be because I'm using an emulator). I also kept getting confused when I was playing, since sometimes I would walk around the entire opera house trying to figure out what to do next, only to learn that I was suppose to talk to someone that was literally five steps from where I spawned. The last thing I found annoying was the fact that there's no option to skip dialogue which is really annoying when I wanted to replay a specific part of the story to take some screenshots. If you play this game, it's probably better to play it on mobile than on switch.

In terms of artwork, Mazm's Phantom of the Opera is really gorgeous, from the overworld sprites to the dialogue sprites to the background and CGs. I love how cute the overworld sprites are (I think Jammes and Raoul's are my favorite, they're both so cute) and every background is really nice to walk through and gives a good atmosphere of what it's trying to show. The character sprites for each characters are nice and varied. I can always appreciate characters that have recognizable faces and shapes, since a lot of times I have face blindness when it comes to characters that look way too similar. The CGs of course are super well done and I love all of them. Overall, the artstyle of this game is very solid and I love the way it looks.

The main character of the story was Christine, who looks really good ( I really love her hair), was for the most part alright initially. While I found her to be a bit naive (because she believed that there was an actual Angel of Music when it was just... the Phantom), she was for the most part alright, and even ended up saving another character from the phantom. However, I found her actions annoying after she met the phantom, specifically the part where she agreed to stay underground with the phantom for two days and would be released as long as she didn't touch his mask, and guess what. Right as she was literally about to leave, SHE TAKES OFF HIS MASK, AND FOR WHAT? YOU WERE JUST ABOUT TO LEAVE?? The other thing that bothered me was the after being trapped with the Phantom for about a month, she is given free reign to go back above ground, under the conditions that she only goes to the opera house and at home. During this time, she's expected to break it off with Raoul, so she fakes a honeymoon with him before he leaves for the artic. However, during this time, she doesn't tell anyone, not even Raoul about what the Phantom is up to. She has an entire month, an ENTIRE MONTH to tell someone that the Phantom is likely to hurt people (as previously he had dropped a chandelier on top of the audience) and she just... didn't. Understandably, she might have been afraid that the Phantom might have heard her, but still, what is he going to do to the possible 100 people that Christine could have told about him. She could have saved people from death if something like that were to happen. Near the end, she does get proper character development and learns to choose things for her sake and not others, which was pretty nice and does stand up to the Phantom after all the trauma (and doesn't get stockholm sydrome, thank goodness), but I still think that a lot of her actions could have probably been written better to make her less naive (since apparently in the original she was about 16ish while in this remake she's about 20 so it's less awkward between her and the phantom).

Raoul is the next character I'll be talking about, because even though he is very adorable, he also has one braincell and talks about Christine way too much. My friend and I actually decided to make a counter on how many times Erik and Raoul say "Christine." Erik says Christines name 128 times and Raoul... says it 340 times. This isn't even counting his introduction and only starts up to when Erik is introduced as a formal character and also doesn't count any time he says it in the overworld. 340! My friend kept on joking around that because Raoul says Christine so much, his brother Phillipe became an alcoholic because he's so tired of Raoul talking about Christine. Raoul only really has like three things going for him: the fact that he was in the military, the fact that he's part of the Chagny household and Christine, and that's it. Throughout the story, his goals are pretty much always related to Christine, whether it be to give gifts to Christine, being worried about her or trying to protect Christine from the Phantom. When the chandelier drops on half the crowd during one of the performances, instead of being worried for them or trying to get out of the Opera House, he instead looks for Christine, who is on stage and quite literally in the safest location within the theater. I would consider him a redeemed/protective yandere though, considering his priority is always Christine (he even gives up his own family name to be with her) and he's always trying to protect her. There's a part of the story where Raoul becomes really unhinged when it comes to protecting Christine, lashing out her her friends and other members of the Opera house. He does some really dumb stuff because of the Phantom, specifically throwing away Christine's ring that she got from the Phantom (that she also literally told him before that as long as she's wearing the ring she wouldn't be harmed by the phantom and he just...?? okay??). When he's tortured in the mirror room, he hallucinates Christine blaming him for her capture, and he even cries while hallucinating that Christine friendzones him (which I though was actually really funny, even if it was a tad bit stupid). His redemption comes near the end of the story where he apologizes for being so emotional and realizing that he was a bit of an obsessive beast, and in one ending he lets Christine go to travel the world. To be honest, I don't know if Raoul would continue to be as protective and obsessed with her even after the Phantom's death, but I guess there's not really any way to know.

The Phantom, or Erik (which I know is his cannon name but it makes me laugh because he really doesn't look like an Erik) is the main villain of the story. Unfortunately, in this version, I don't think I can call him a yandere, for one simple character: Melek. Melek, as far as I know isn't in the original story, is a prisoner that Erik has after she refused to marry her. As a character, I do actually like Melek since she's the one of the more sensible characters in the story and she's the more rational one between her and Christine, but her role in the story basically deconfirms Erik as a yandere, at least in this version. For one, Melek is a blind maid of Erik that he did fall in love with and trap, similar to how Christine was, which kind of comes off as Erik being the kind of person who would trap any girl that he likes. Even if this is the case, I don't understand why Erik would keep her alive even after she fell for Christine. Supposedly the reason is that Erik wanted to make Christine feel despair and he did attempt to kill her, but Melek survives and he just... doesn't do anything with her. Honestly, if Melek were straight up not in the story, I would have put him as a yandere because pretty much all of his other actions point to a more possessive/worship type of yandere, but because of Melek it's just not possible in my eyes. Besides that Erik sort of reminds me of a chunni in this version (he's like this absolute darkness is my curse! Like people with 7th grade syndrom seem to have), it was kind of hard for me to take him seriously in certain times. He is very intimidating when he threatens Christine, but his overdramatic nature (which I know is something he's always known for, just this version is uh...) really makes him seem like a child. Erik is for sure suppose to be more antagonistic in this version, considering the addition of Melek and his general actions of possession towards Christine and his disdain for Raoul, but near the end we do see more of his story and we see just how devastating his life is from the moment of birth. I did feel really bad for him when Hatim/The Persian keeps on mentioning the prince he used to work with because its really obvious that he still has trauma from it (and he keeps begging him to not talk about his past and the Persian just... keeps traumatizing him I guess) and the fact that he was treated so badly because of his appearance, but this doesn't excuse his actions in the story. Christine does try to sympathize with him using her own tragic backstory, which Erik kind of pushes away (like bro, we're not trying to see whose parents are worse, she's just trying to sympathize with you, dang) as not being tragic. I think that Mazm did present him pretty well in this story, not showing just his antagonistic side but also his more tragic side. Sadly, like I said, I can't consider him a yandere because of the addition of Melek, at least not in this version.

In terms of other characters, I really like the trio of Meg Giry, Sorelli and Jammes- the friends of Christine. From what I can tell, they're all a bit more aged up in this version, with Sorelli being the oldest and Jammes being the youngest and I feel like they gave more character to them than in the original version. Sorelli is the head of the dancers and the dating partner of Phillip de Chagny, Raoul's older brother and she's the mature and strong willed one of the group, wielding a blade that she uses to protect her friends. I like the fact that they made her a bit more protective and in one of the overworld sprites its mentioned via rumor that Phillip fell in love with her after he saw Sorelli swing her dagger, which I thought was pretty cute. At the end though, after Phillips death, she realizes that she was struggling too hard to climb up the social ladder and decides to forge her own path. In the beginning she attempts to protect her and her friends from the Phantom, declaring that she'll stab him if she sees him. Next is Meg Giry, and from what my friend told me, she was very young in the original books and kind of scardy cat. In this version, she's a bit older but maintains the scardy cat position, and is very terrified of the Phantom. She does gain more character development during the story, standing up to her mother and the managers and overall being a more assertive and confident person, which I thought was a nice touch. Last but certainly not least is my best girl Jammes. In the original story, she barely makes an appearance, but in Mazm they made her quite literally the best character. For one, the canonical reason why there are so many cats hanging out in the opera house is that Jammes keeps on feeding them and letting them in and she has named all of them after the Opera House staff. Jammes loves to spin and has a cute animation and while she can be loud and a bit strange sometimes, she can be smart and assertive when she needs to. Jammes always pushes the other three into being better and protects them when needed (for instance, when Phillip lashes out at Sorelli, she steps in and demands that he apologize for his actions) and can be really smart at times (she's the only character that attempts to at least cover her mouth when the Phantom's fragrance, a hallucinogenic gas, starts to fill up the box seat, despite others who have been in there not even trying) and is the one who stands up for Christine's abuse as well as for the dancers at the opera house being treated unfairly by the manager as she organizes a strike against them. She also becomes part of the women's suffrage after the events of the story. I could go on and on about Jammes, but instead I'll leave a cute picture of her at the end of this entire analysis. Besides those three, I did like Carlotta, the original singing lead of the opera house. Originally, she became an antagonist towards Christine after she became the lead singer, however, she did apologize to her afterwards and befriended her once more before traveling the world. I love her interactions with Raoul because she basically said that Raoul only has Christine and military training and when he gets angry and lashes out, Carlotta glares and him, causing him to cower (this actually does happen multiple times), and I just found that really, really funny. Mifoid, though useless in the story is actually pretty cute as well, I love his bouncing animation. The last character I'll talk about is Phillip because he became meme material for me and my friend considering he probably is so tired of Raoul talking about Christine (we joked that the reason he was sent to military was so that he didn't have to hear her name again) and while he is mostly a decent but strict character in the story, his last appearance really makes him out as a jerk. I did think it was kind of weird that Phillip was so willing to let Raoul go to the Artic mission considering nobody that has gone there has ever returned, and he was rather elitest towards him, not letting him marry Christine because she's of lower

class but during his last chapter before he dies, he goes on a frenzy after he and Raoul have a fight, revealing to Sorelli that he only dated her for fun and not to actually settle down with her, which is just horrible. It's a bit sad though that Raoul only saw him as someone who tried to get rid of him considering that Phillip did raise Raoul and that his last actions were an attempt to save Phillip from the phantom, and yet Raoul barely has a reaction after seeing his body and doesn't even go to his funeral. It's really sad that Raoul didn't even really cry after seeing Phillip's body, considering that he was basically his father figure.

Overall, it's a good game to play and a good retelling of the Phantom of the Opera. I wouldn't consider the Phantom to be a yandere in this game, but I do think that Raoul is one. Thank you for this recommendation!

#asks #male yandere #yandere boy #yandere #recommendation

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thephantomessoftheopera · 3 years

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Notes on Gaston Leroux’s “The Phantom of the Opera” - Chapter 13: “Apollo’s Lyre”

Image of the Apollo statue on the rooftop of the Palais Garnier from Wikimedia Commons

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The chapter “Apollo’s Lyre” constitutes the basis for the “rooftop scene” between Raoul and Christine in the ALW version, but in the book, it is really all about Erik. It’s quite possibly the most important chapter in the novel because we meet our title hero face-to-face for the first time, and because Erik overhearing Christine‘s plan to escape provides a turning-point for the plot.

The symbol of Apollo's Lyre is not only present in the Apollo statue on the highest point of the rooftop (that Erik is supposedly clinging to here), but also adorns the chandelier both in the Palais Garnier and in the original production of the musical.

At the end of the preceding chapter, Raoul had vowed to take Christine away, but she is still at war with herself about the idea. She wants to leave because she is afraid, but at the same time, warns Raoul that he will probably need to force her to leave since she isn’t emotionally ready to let go:

““But if I refuse to go with you when the time comes for you to take me away, you must make me go!” [...] she spoke these words with a forcefulness that seemed to be directed against herself.”

Every time Raoul offers to take her away right then and there, Christine refuses with an excuse of why it’s not possible to leave just now. Yet she is afraid that the next time she goes to Erik, she may never leave again. Erik seems to make her feel very deeply - but too much feeling can be very terrifying, especially if it’s a wild ride on that emotional rollercoaster of ecstasy, horror, pity, despair and passion that he sends her on. It’s no wonder she rationally wants to get out before it consumes her, and yet is afraid of losing it.

While she begins telling Raoul the whole story from her perspective, they repeatedly think they hear sighs, but still remain in the same place. This is a bit odd, considering how they kept running around before, but now, Christine insists that they stay, which is a bit curious. It is possible that she thought they were safe - but considering her general unwillingness to leave, I think it is even possible that she might be subconsciously sabotaging her own escape plan.

When Christine speaks about how she first met Erik, it becomes clear that masquerading as the Angel of Music was not initially Erik‘s idea. When Christine heard Erik in her dressing-room for the first time three months ago, he sang and spoke to her like a real man, except that he had this beautiful angelic voice and was hiding in the passage behind her room, so that he could not be seen. The first person to suggest that he might indeed be the Angel of Music is Mama Valerius, who prompts Christine to ask Erik if he is the Angel her father had sent for her. Erik jumps at the opportunity presented to him and confirms that her assumption is correct, and asks if she will let him teach her. She consents, and together they make amazing progress, developing both Christine’s technique and her inspiration to hitherto unknown heights.

One day, Christine sees Raoul at the Opera, and eagerly tells Erik about it. I bet he bitterly cursed himself then for passing himself off as an Angel, leaving enough space in Christine’s heart for a real man. But his threats to leave cause her to despair and to try to ignore Raoul - also because a marriage to him would be out of her reach anyway. Now it’s Erik’s turn to whine and accuse Christine of being in love with Raoul in the same way we’ve seen Raoul do before. But just like with Raoul, she won’t have that and even challenges Erik that she will ask Raoul to accompany her to Perros. According to her, Erik’s jealous reaction made her realize that she loved Raoul. I wonder if madly jealous Raoul also made her realize that she might possibly be just a little bit in love with two very different men?

Subconsciously, she seems to kind of know already that Erik is not really an angel, because when the chandelier falls, she is half-mad with panic and terribly afraid that it may have killed “the Voice” (and it would be a bit difficult to kill a heavenly being even if you dropped a chandelier on it). She also admits that then, Raoul and Erik were both “the equal halves of her heart” (and I think they still are, beneath all the complications that have arisen in the meantime). She runs to her dressing-room because that is where she is most likely to find “the Voice”, and when she hears the sounds of Erik singing and playing the “Resurrection of Lazarus” on his violin, she follows his voice through the mirror without being able to say how exactly she disappeared through it. She suddenly finds herself being gripped by a man in a black cloak and a full-face mask and tries to fight back, but then faints. When she wakes, she is resting on the ground near a fountain, and Erik is gently tending to her, but doesn’t reply to her questions so as not to give himself away as “the Voice”. Christine recognizes César the horse, and realizes that even though she never believed in the ghost, she had heard the rumours about him stealing the horse.

Erik takes Christine to the house by the lake, first on César’s back (that’s what he needed the horse for, after all) and then in the famous boat (which is rowed in the novel). She is no longer terrified, but feels strangely peaceful - an effect which she attributes to the possibility of having been drugged, even though she admits that at the same time, she was still in full possession of her senses.

“Lake Averne”, the name of the lake under the Opera House, is a play on words as well as meaning. First, “lac averne” is almost the same as “la caverne”, which means “the cavern”. There is also a real lake named “Lago d’Averno” in Italy, and in Roman mythology, that lake is one of the entrances to the Underworld. This fits with the fact that Erik also bears characteristics of Charon, the ferryman to the Underworld, whose name can be literally translated as “with glowing eyes”. The iconic boat ride certainly resembles the passage into the Hades, which is even alluded to in the novel.

The water tank below the Palais Garnier. Image from atlasobscura.com

Let’s stay in the Underworld for a moment. “The Phantom of the Opera” can also be seen as a variation on the story of Hades and Persephone (Christine’s ship in “Love Never Dies” is not called “Persephone” for nothing). Hades, the god of the Underworld, fell in love with the young and beautiful Persephone and wanted to marry her, but as the goddess of spring, she wasn’t willing to abandon the world above and go to live in the Underworld. Therefore Hades abducted her, she finally consented to marry him and became queen of the Underworld. Due to the intervention of her infuriated mother Demeter, it was finally decided that she would divide her time between living on earth for some months every year and living in the Underworld for the rest of the time.

When they arrive, Erik sets a confused Christine down in his brightly lit drawing-room, which has been decorated with an enormous amount of golden baskets full of flowers. It is not quite clear where all the flowers come from, so I guess he bought them all for her. With a salary of 20,000 francs, he could probably afford the luxury of spending so much on flower decorations… He tells her that she is in no danger, as long as she doesn’t touch his mask. When Christine realizes that the Voice is not an angel, she starts crying. Erik then kneels down in front of her and proceeds to tell her without further ado who he is, begs her to forgive him, and lays his heart at her feet. He confesses how much he loves her, and how wrong his actions were, but that he did everything out of love for her. It seems that Erik was rather anxious to reveal the truth that he is not really the Angel of Music and end his deception, but at the same time, was waiting for an opportunity that would allow him to explain everything without the risk of her running away from him forever. Keep in mind that he took on the role of the Angel of Music for just a couple of months, not years as it is commonly assumed.

Christine then stands up to demand her freedom, and is taken aback when he actually concedes it to her, telling her that she is free to leave. But after all, she does not leave because he starts to play the harp and sing for her. The piece he is singing here is the “Canzone del Salice” from Rossini’s “Otello”, in which Desdemona laments the cruelty of love. It is often assumed that the „Otello“ Leroux is referencing here is the more famous “Otello” by Verdi, but that one didn’t premiere until 1887, while the story is definitely set before 1886. Furthermore, Rossini’s version of the “willow song” is the only one that starts with a harp solo. The song is included in the playlist, listen to it here:

https://open.spotify.com/track/25ILZhCIWIRjJVK8SqDWzn?si=U5EPiO_ySBOlIy5XvI1BGw&dl_branch=1

The next morning, Christine awakes on the couch in „her“ bedroom (aka the “Louis-Philippe room”) where Erik must have carried her after she had fallen asleep. When she can‘t get out, she suffers a fit of hysterics, although it seems that she has simply been unable to locate the door set within the wall. Erik has been out shopping for her, which is a rather cute scene when he comes back with all the boxes for her while she yells at him. He calmly tells her to get ready for lunch, and she slams the door in his face so she can take a bath in peace. She places a pair of scissors within reach so that she could kill herself if Erik “stopped behaving like an honourable man”. Her concern is understandable, being alone with the man who is madly in love with her, however it is important to note that Erik never physically forces himself on her throughout the story.

Remarkably, Erik’s house had both hot and cold running water, something that was still very rare then, which suggests that he actually lived in better hygienic conditions than most people at that time, and that he was a skilled engineer.

When she finally joins him, he tells her that she does not need to be afraid, and that all he asks for is that she will spend 5 days with him. After that, he hopes that she will come back to see “poor Erik” from time to time, shedding a few tears beneath his black mask as he speaks. He serves Christine lunch in the drawing-room, consisting of crayfish, chicken wings and Tokay wine, but he himself does again not eat or drink. From their conversation, we learn that Erik has taken on his name “by chance”, whatever that means. The meaning of the name is “sole ruler” which is quite fitting for him.

When Christine has finished eating, Erik invites her to see his room, and she doesn’t hesitate as she instinctively trusts him. Apparently Erik has a very gothic taste as far as room decorating goes, and all this also plays heavily into the death symbolism of his character. Erik sleeping in a coffin is reminiscent of vampire stories, especially because it seems to be a choice and not a necessity. There is also an organ with the score of “Don Juan Triumphant” on it, written in Erik’s customary red ink(?). Erik tells her that he started composing it 20 years ago. Christine asks him to play her something from his “Don Juan”, but Erik refuses because “some music is so formidable that it consumes everyone who approaches it”. It is quite significant that the “sing for me” motif is absent from the novel version, in contrast to the ALW version where it is very strong. Erik, in the novel, has no plans for Christine to sing any of his music. He wants her companionship and her love, and he wants to sing together with her and lose himself in their shared passion for music, but he definitely does not see her as an instrument of sorts. He did help advance her career, but not with the intention of having her perform his work.

Erik makes it clear that his own music is very different from Mozart’s „Don Giovanni“ and from “opera music” in general. “Don Juan Triumphant” can be seen as an allusion to Lord Byron’s epic poem “Don Juan” (in which, incidentally, Don Juan is sold as a slave to the sultana of Constantinople).

He sits down at the piano and starts singing the duet from “Otello” with Christine. There is of course more than one duet in “Otello”, but this one is most likely “Non arrestare il colpo/Notte per me funesta” from Act III (here: https://open.spotify.com/track/151M60b3qxzqKLDFwIVuUB?si=WX4TDWCeQVmIChqd6u7CyQ&dl_branch=1 and here: https://open.spotify.com/track/2Ep1OncGZCNR9yFevG6Pb6?si=QzG2JztuQ42MDoiVrLAaew&dl_branch=1 ) In this scene, Othello accuses Desdemona of betraying him, while she tries to convince him that she is innocent. She realizes that she has fallen victim to Iago’s plot, but Othello does not believe her and stabs her. This opera, for once, is in Italian, while most of the other pieces that appear in the “Phantom” are sung in French.

The unmasking in the novel happens while Christine is swept up in the passion of her duet with Erik. She “stepped closer to him, attracted and fascinated, enticed by the idea of dying at the center of such passion. But before dying [she] wanted to see his face…”

It’s not like she is sneaking up to him out of pure curiosity, but rather reacting to an instinctive wish to pull away the barrier between them. The scene is even more tragic because with a normal face, the passionate mood that Christine was in would have potentially led to her kissing him. But sadly, his face is anything but normal, so Christine recoils in horror instead. Erik’s reaction to the unmasking is violent and horrific as he goes mad with rage at her, even hurting his own face with her fingernails - an expression of his self-loathing. Throughout the scene, Christine seems fixated on the horror of his face more than his behaviour, though. Ashamed of himself, Erik crawls out of the room and shuts himself up in his bedroom.

“Apollo’s Lyre” by Annie Stegg Gerard

Erik’s appearance as described in the novel is indeed bordering the realm of the fantastic and supernatural. He is so stuffed with death symbolism that it is hard to take everything literally. Christine’s description makes it rather hard to see him as “real” because he seems to look like something straight out of a nightmare.

It is important to note that Erik is not just run-of-the-mill ugly, but that he is very clearly associated with death in many ways - from sleeping in a coffin and having funeral-style decor in his room to actually looking like a „living corpse“. Erik and Christine can be seen as a literal expression of the artistic topos „death and the maiden“, which especially towards the end of the 19th century associated death very strongly with the erotic (see https://eclecticlight.co/2020/01/05/paintings-for-our-time-death-and-the-maiden/ for a very good overview of the motif). Death here is usually represented as either a skeleton or corpse, or as an angel - which is very much in line with Leroux’s Erik.

”Girl and Death” by Edvard Munch

Combined with the fact that Erik‘s music creates feelings of passion, rapture and ecstasy in Christine, it is not a big stretch to conclude that Erik is associated not only with death, but also with sexuality. The duality of sex as both a life-creating and life-threatening force was acutely perceived by the people of that period. Love and death are connected, and both are represented in Erik‘s character. ALW‘s musical adaptation recognized this strongly erotic undercurrent in the story and translated it very aptly into songs such as „Music of the night“ or „Point of no return“. The way in which Christine describes her lessons with Erik - that they “awakened an ardent, voracious, and sublime life” in her, and made her live in a “kind of ecstatic dream” can also be interpreted as her romantic awakening, with all the frightening emotional chaos attached to it.

Raoul, on the other hand, is more associated with purity and propriety - which is reflected in how he views Christine, and the standards that she must conform to in his opinion.

Before seeing Erik’s face, Christine admits that she *would* have come back, but that now, she would never return because “you don’t go back into a grave with a corpse that loves you”. Note how she switches from the first person to the impersonal “you” in this sentence - “you” might not do that, but we already know she did in fact go back more than once. And she is still able to see something of the angel in him because he does not take advantage of the situation, but leaves her alone, turning to his music again.

And then, “music has the power to abolish everything in the outside world except its sounds, which go straight to the heart”. Erik starts playing the finale of “Don Juan Triumphant” where “ugliness, lifted on the wings of love, had dared to look beauty in the face”. Through the music, Christine can glimpse into the depths of Erik’s heart and soul, feel his torment and suffering, and is overwhelmed with compassion.

Once again, she is the one to tear down the wall between them. She pushes open the door to Erik’s room and asks him to show his face, sincerely thinking that she can handle it - but it turns out, she really isn’t quite able to when there’s no music between them. But she manages to put on a brave facade and lie to him about being able to look at him without horror. She despises herself for her lies, but then she also does what she must in order to be set free. Erik takes her for walks along the shore of the underground lake, and for carriage rides to the Bois de Boulogne (that’s where they ran into Raoul in Chapter 9). After two weeks, Erik finally trusts her so much that he is willing to set her free (with conditions, of course). It’s really heartbreaking when she mentions how he dared to try to make her look at him even when he wasn’t singing, like a “timid dog”. At this point, he is in her power just as much as she is in his.

When she finally leaves, she is moved more by his tears than by his threats, and his pain is what gets her to come back in the first place: “Those sobs attached me to him more strongly than I thought when I said good-bye to him.” Part of why she is afraid to leave is that she fears it will kill him if she leaves him.

At the end of the chapter, Raoul asks the fateful question that sums up the tragedy of Erik and Christine:

“You’re afraid, but do you love me? If Erik were handsome, would you love me?” “Why tempt fate, Raoul? Why ask about things that I keep hidden at the back of my mind, like sins?”

Christine’s reply along the lines of “Don‘t ask” was cut from the de Mattos translation. It clearly evidences that Christine has conflicted feelings for Erik that go beyond only horror or pity, and that she prefers to suppress them so she doesn't have to deal with them. The statement also shows that if Erik had not been cursed with his face, then things might have looked very different for him and Christine. Attentive readers of de Mattos might nevertheless notice that her next line „If I did not love you, I would not give you my lips“ evades addressing the „what ifs“ Raoul posed, but it still makes her appear less conflicted than she really is. Christine’s heart is a pretty deep ocean of secrets, and at the back of her mind, there seem to be quite a few things that she is unwilling to admit to herself, as Raoul suspected before:

“You obviously love him, and your fear, your terror - all that is still love, of the most exciting kind! The kind you don’t admit to yourself.”

I haven‘t really counted, but this must be like the fifth time that Raoul insists on his suspicion that Christine is in love with Erik, and he just can‘t get a „no“ out of her. That “no” is given very directly though when he asks her if she hates him. She kisses Raoul to prove that she loves him, at the same time telling him that the kiss is just a one-time thing („for the first and last time“). Then “the night is torn apart”, and the last thing they see is a pair of glowing eyes looking down on them from Apollo’s lyre - which are clearly Erik’s, who has overheard the entire conversation…

Image from wikipedia

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#phantom of the opera #leroux phantom #lerouxreadingguide #gaston leroux #erik x christine #erik the phantom #erik in love #christine daae #the phantom of the opera #opera ghost #apollo‘s lyre #leroux #the phantom #raoul de chagny #poto

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