#the kite

[booksandwords]

The Kite by N.R. Walker

Read time: 1 Day Rating: 5/5 Stars

The Quote: “You and me; double hit. They want us dead. You’re a kite, and your government just cut you loose.” — Asher Garin

Warnings: N.R. provides two in The Kite. “on-page physical and gun violence. Reader discretion advised." and "This book is intended for an adult audience. It contains graphic language, explicit content, and adult situations.”

Let me say the story of Asher Garin and Tim “Harry” Harrigan is not cute and fluffy despite the grump/sunshine trope, okay it is cute. N.R. Walker provides readers of The Kte with two different warnings. "Caution: on-page physical and gun violence. Reader discretion advised." and "This book is intended for an adult audience. It contains graphic language, explicit content, and adult situations." Note the character's jobs before reading, an Australian government mercenary and a nomadic assassin. These are strong, hard, ruthless men, who have absolutely few qualms with taking lives for money and certainly none for self-preservation. Asher isn't entirely hard, Harry kinda is. They are great characters. Suiting their tropes, societal positions and feel like Walker's writing as I have come to know it. That said even if you like N.R Walker's writing this may not be for you. I do recommend this if you want your grump/sunshine dynamic with a little more bite. It's a pleasing take on assassins in love.

Asher Garin is an enigma. The more information he reveals about himself the less it feels like you know. His lack of history and his statelessness are both intriguing. Four is devoted to him, loyal to a fault. He almost feels like a prism, he shows you only what he or maybe you want to see. His natural charm and charisma are offputting, they prevent both characters and readers from thinking too much. I do have two favourite elements of him he was a language prodigy (be still my heart) and his guns are his family. There are two great moments of Asher with guns. “Hello, pretty baby,” he said. “Christ,” Harry mumbled. “You always talk to your guns like that?” (Asher and Harry). This is Asher talking to his MP7, which is a whole other thing, that is not a small gun. "He handled those weapons like a well-versed lover. It was hot." (Harry) I may not like guns, but I do love competency. I usually have a preferred hero in novels, in this one it was Asher, he made me think as such I can write much more on him than Harry. sorry not sorry

Tim “Harry” Harrigan (referred to nearly exclusively as Harry) is an Australian mercenary. He is angry, and hurting and just wants revenge. He wouldn't mind some answers as to why he's been doing the kills he's been doing for the last handful of years but he can take or leave them but he wants revenge on whomever he can get his hands on for making him work for the bad guys. He grew up in a decent family until the inevitable happened... homophobic parents + gay son = disowned and beaten son. The funniest moment to me as an Australian was the moment with Harry, Asher and the tattoo. “Is that some kind of kite tattoo?” Asher asked. Harry, with his permanent scowl, looked down at his chest. “It’s not a kite. It’s the Southern Cross, the stars on the Australian flag. And I’m not a kite. For fuck’s sake.” The Southern Cross made sense. “You are a kite,” Asher said. “Whether you like it or not.” Only an Australian author would write this. Southern Crosses are a big thing in Australia a sign of pride or rebellion (or both). Honestly, he kinda feels like everything an angry Australian fighter should, just with some brains and an eye for short-term strategy. told you this would be so much shorter than Ashers

Their grump/sunshine dynamic is fun and goes to places I didn't expect. Asher knows how to push buttons and likes to do it just to provoke a response. Honestly, there is something seriously fitting though perhaps bizarre in his lovemap. Arguments and violence as foreplay and almost brutally violent sex, at least the first time he's with Harry. This is so confronting for Harry especially when he caves and just gives Asher what he wants, the guilt is immense. I appreciate the contrasts in support bases, family lives and backgrounds. With Asher, I'm not sure I've ever read a true nomad or stateless character, what we do see of his background is heartbreaking. Those who are close to him he trusts with his life. Harry similarly has few people in his life but trusts no one, his family are awful. I find the choice to make Asher the more measured one, the cold one, the distance shooter is right. Harry has the emotion to burn, is that an Australian thing? That passion we picked up over the years. He is suited to closer combat, not a brawler per se which implies a loss of control, but just a more personal style. Even their take on the endgame reflects their personalities.

Some quotes and comments and there are a lot of them.

It had been so long since he’d set foot on Australian soil, he’d almost forgotten what home felt like. He longed for a life that wasn’t his. Wasn’t this. At first the longing was fleeting, no more than a whisper, but it sang a little louder now. In the quiet darkness of night or the patient wait for a kill. — This is such pretty phrasing. Harry and his slight homesickness is one side of their home coin. But this is also quite an Australian vibe to me. (Harry)

Seeing his eyes flash with recognition, with steel, had been unexpected. Pressing him against the wall in the dark was another bonus. Dangerous, exciting. Hot. — This is Asher's response to Harry's reaction to being saved. He does admit he's always found Harry attractive (feeling mutual). Asher has a slightly seemed up lovemap. But to be honest Harry's was "The fact he was pointing a gun at Harry’s head didn’t help. Harry shouldn’t have found that so hot . . .". These are men who live around guns, who are comfortable with them. Honestly again on the whole competency thing that is what I find attractive.

“When we got old.” Harry’s gaze cut to Asher’s. “Old? I’m thirty-six. How old are you?” Asher shrugged. “Thirty-three.” More or less. “We’re not old.” “That’s retirement age in our industry.” “Is that why they’re retiring us?” “Probably.” Asher sighed. “Been in the game too long. Know too much, seen too much. We don’t move like we used to. We become a liability.” — I don't know why I like this line so much but I do. It just feels like a brutal truth that is hitting them. Though Asher feels older than he is, he doesn't even know how old he is. (Asher and Harry)

“Are you done checking me out?” Asher looked him over once more. “No. Damn.” Harry cocked his head. “You like what you see?” “The fuck is not to like?” — Asher is shameless and I love him. But seriously down boy. Inappropriate timing. (Harry and Asher)

And yet, there was Asher sampling every country’s culture that he visited. In between sniping people, that was. Harry was having a little trouble reconciling the two personas: touristy Asher, the guy who loved the food and the people, and the Asher who could pop a target from a mile away with a twenty-knot side wind. — The dichotomy of Asher. The gorgeous tourist and the seriously competent killer. Not to mention he can switch languages like most people change shoes. Honestly, it's all kinds of appealing to me as a reader. (Harry)

Harry was every bit his type. And he didn’t mind playing flirty games with Harry. He was easy to rankle, and it excited Asher to have Harry glare at him the way he did. He could just imagine Harry stalking toward him, furious and demanding . . . Asher had to wonder just how far he had to push Harry to make that happen. He was thinking it wasn’t far at all. — Asher's mind. I like the way in which Walker has chosen to write him. Light playful and loving life. Teasing. (Asher)

“To, čo by som ti dovolila, aby si mi urobil.” Harry fumed. “I don’t even know what fucking language that was, let alone what you said.” Asher grinned. “Want me to translate?” “No.” “I can.” “I want you to shut the fuck up.” — This is made so fun by the Slovak phrase Asher actually says. It translates as "What I would let you do to me". This after Asher has riled Harry up...again. Asher loves to say things like this in languages he knows Harry won't understand. (Asher and Harry)

He risked a look at Asher, his face pressed against Harry’s shoulder. His olive skin, his dark lashes, his pink lips . . . God, Asher’s mouth was nothing but trouble. Beautiful, talented trouble. — I'm a woman of simple pleasures... this visual is one of them. *sigh of appreciation* (Harry)

As he watched Asher sleep, Harry could feel something under his ribs, something he’d never felt before. A need, an ember to begin with but beginning to burn a little warmer. The need to protect him. — This and the previous quote are actually one after the other. This protective side of Harry is something I didn't expect, they are solo workers. And given how we meet Harry? This was unexpected. (Harry)

Harry wasn’t sure if this was fun or insane. Maybe a little of both. It was also turning him on. The push and pull, the challenge. The physicality. The way Asher smirked, the way he seethed. The way fighting turned Asher on. It was all hot. So yeah, it was definitely both. Fun and insane. — I keep saying Asher's lovemap is a little warped, I think Harry's is too. But unlike Asher, I can't figure out the potential source for it. (Harry)

“Vigilantism, extortion, blackmail. Pretty sure that makes you the bad guys.” Asher laughed. “We’re all bad guys, Harry. You and me, we are the bad guys.” He shook his head, amused. “You kill for your government. I kill for anyone’s government. They might call it service or honourable duty, but it’s all murder.” — One of the two ethical quotes I've included. Both of them are kinda dark but still, the ethical questioning and the idea that they are human is a welcome near necessary inclusion. (Harry and Asher)

“You would let me go in by myself?” Asher almost sounded offended. “Solo. You’d be more solo than Han and the lemon drink combined.” — This is their couple humour, jokes and references and teasing. By this point, Harry is not letting Asher go. No matter what he says. (Asher and Harry)

“Do you think guys like us will ever be allowed to live a normal life? Do we even deserve it?” “What we deserve is up to our makers. It’s not for us to decide. Anyway, who is responsible for the puppet’s behaviour? The puppet or those who work the strings?” “We’re the ones who pull the trigger.” “If we didn’t, someone else would. Always. This game we play has been played for thousands of years. Only the field changes, that’s all. It’s political and dirty.” Asher sighed. “And there are rarely any winners.” — I like the voice Asher has been given. The mind he's been given it iare so appealing to me. These are the two sides of the coin in a way. That we all know this really happens makes me kinda depressed. (Harry and Asher)

🤦🏼‍♀️This review is a hot mess. Thank you to anyone who reads it. But suffice to say I adore this book and I think it may be my fave N.R. to date. 😘

[oldfilmsflicker]

new-to-me #545 - Le cerf-volant (The Kite)

[iron-sides]

OKAY BUT THE KITE BEING SIR FUCKING GALLAHAD IS SO FUNNY TO ME WRUIHDNJIKFWDJAKN

[anamelessfacelessnerd]

If Olala dies Sophie and Kevin are gonna catch hands

[iknikblackstonevarrick]

The Kite is Sir Galahad and I would bet money on that

[annadalee]

Second Citadel Theory

So I have a guess on who the Kite is.

In the Strong Arm of Justice opening, Queen Mira goes over the tale of the First Citadel. Specifically, how there was a human monster child that was murdered in the Garden of Graves, which immediately led to the fall of the First Citadel.

In the second part of the episode, the Kite shows incredible disdain to Sir Angelo, Queen Mir and the knights, mocking them for believing in fairy tales.

I am thinking the Kite is a knight from the First Citadel and the knight that killed the human monster child which led to its downfall. The Kite dies when the monsters attack (or whatever happened that ended the First Cidadel). When Olala came to life in the Garden of Graves, so did the Kite, and he is determined to end her life, perhaps for the second time.

Thoughts?

[pao-prazz]

The Kite (2003) by Randa Chahal Sabbaq.

[thepaperbackexpress]

Through the window chink As you look up at the sky, Constellations melt, one into another, Dancing figures and forms,

Your eyes join the dotted stars, The Little Dipper looks to you, A lot like a ladle. You think you spotted the Polaris, And feel content.

“This is no Little Dipper, you think, It should be named: "The Great Kite", Sailing across the sky. You remember flying kites With your brother.

You lookout for the Orion But cannot spot it.

The night sky turns into your canvas, With scattered specks of glitter Against a noir backdrop. You work your way through, Renaming, and rearranging.

The Milky Way, Aware of your recklessness, Laughs and conspires  Against your act.

It sends you a message In a shooting star, That reads as follows: "Go to sleep, my child, Close your pretty eyes, Angels above, Are looking down, Scattered across, Like diamonds in the sky. Tomorrow, you can Play with us again. So sleep in The Cradle, A constellation that reminds you Of your mother's ladle. Dream of flying The Great Kite, Across a sky, that waits for you, Every night."

[good-music-only]

The Kite (Outro) Blonde Maze

[mistah-aluminum]

When I’m killed, I want it narrated by Simon Moody

[thisbutmoomins]

[rageagainstthemarine]

Do you have any Ace characters?

Yes! Leverette is a homoromantic sex repulsed ace and Fahleon is a panromantic grey ace!

[folditdouble]

Women in Film Challenge 2019: [9/52] The Kite, dir. Randa Chahal Sabag (Lebanon, 2003)

Do you think I’m a toy? To do with me what you like? “Come here, go away, come here.” I’m no toy!

[cube-ta-jp-blog]