#things i've read

[jojotier]

the one thing that pisses me off about House of Leaves is that that play where the Minotaur is actually a disabled and disfigured son locked up in the labyrinth, as sweet and intelligent as he is despairing, focusing on King Minos slowly realizing his son has never been the problem and that this child he scorned as a beast is the most human a being can be, and just as he was on the verge of figuring out how to undo his own lies and bring his son into the sunlight, he doomed his son to death at the hands of a drunken thug proclaiming to look for glory, isn't real. it's not a real play! wha tthe fuck!!!!

[fgcz]

I finally got my volume 4 of the manhua so I'm leafing through it before putting it away with the others.

I don't know how I never noticed before, but this

this face.

I've always known Wei Wuxian is attractive but that right there is just a little extra on top for some reason.

[fauna-a]

Things I've read in 2022: Dracula by Bram Stoker

“Take care," he said, "take care how you cut yourself. It is more dangerous that you think in this country." Then seizing the shaving glass, he went on, "And this is the wretched thing that has done the mischief. It is a foul bauble of man's vanity. Away with it!" And opening the window with one wrench of his terrible hand, he flung out the glass, which was shattered into a thousand pieces on the stones of the courtyard far below. Then he withdrew without a word.

It is very annoying, for I do not see how I am to shave, unless in my watch-case or the bottom of the shaving pot, which is fortunately of metal.

[brawlingdiscontent]

My Favourite Books I’ve Read This Year

It's been a devastating year (even though I landed a dream job in the first half). Even though it's belated, I wanted to return to the list/tradition I did last year. I am listing my top 5 books of the year (in no particular order). I recommend all of them!

The Love Songs of W.E.B. Dubois by Honore Fanonne Jeffers - Stunning generational historical fiction with some echoes of Yaa Gyassi's Homegoing but even grander in scale and ambition. The Black feminist historical fiction I've been waiting for - and despite the different context (US vs Caribbean) it had a deeply nuanced exploration of colourism that really resonated with my family history

The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo - historical fiction (1930s Malaysia) with fantasy elements. Fun, moving, efficient, twisty, delicious mystery - Choo's sense of mystery and ambiguity is terrific. (After reading this, I jumped straight to the author's The Ghost Bride, which I also really enjoyed (worldbuilding!!!))

The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters - Historical fiction (UK, 1920s) some might argue it's a bit plodding, but I think it earns its lengthy and slow, sustained exploration. I loved that I didn't know anything about what I was getting going in (beyond general ideas about the author from experience), and so I'm not offering too many details, here. Exquisite emotional portrait/sense of place. Part of my rapturous response is also due to the audiobook narration by Juliet Stevenson.

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine - Worldbuilding champion. I'm picky about my sci-fi but the inventiveness and nuance and logic in the sprawling cultural creation really won me over (Mayan space empire??). it's both grounded and sophisticated, and the seeds of the plot emerge so smoothly and organically from the world building

Tied: The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, In the Upper Country by Kai Thomas. Historical fiction relating to transatlantic slavery in the Americas. The latter is much less well known (more recent, but mainly, I think that it's Canadian). Both (especially Whited) have disturbing content, so be warned. Thomas brings nuance to historic considerations and the complexity of intercultural and Canada-US relations. Whitehead makes bold conceptual choices that still feel emotionally grounded and pay off.

[jeffreygeoffrey]

I was obsessed with it. It was everything. It was an enormous part of my day growing up, every day. What are the odds of being successful? Very, very slim. I stood on the stage of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame one night, and I had Mick Jagger to my right and George Harrison on my left. I go, ‘Okay. Millions of kids in 1964 picked up a guitar. Millions. A few of them learned to play a little bit. A few of those got in a little local band. A few of those might have gotten into a recording studio and made a demo and maybe they even had one record released. A few of those, maybe, made an album. A few of those had an album that was successful. A few of those had a career that lasted more than four or five years. You start whittling it down, and you realize, well, for better or for worse, I was the one that ended up on the stage that night. It’s as shocking to me as it is to anybody else. I put all the time and work in, but there’s still a lot of natural ability and luck that goes into it. And I never take it for granted.

Bruce Springsteen

[lazylittledragon]

made a sticker for anyone to slap onto their work if they need to

[clarisse-doodles]

inspired by this post, in which Damian does not know what Vine is

[geezmarty]

you put up with what you think you deserve, and the things you want you resent

[gremnda]

Hello Ethubs nation :]

no text version

[redraccoondog]

Yes THIS but since Rauru has the exact same energy as my literal dad he would consistently replace Link’s name with another random four-letter word that starts with L and be completely serious about it every time, LIKE SO:

AND

[original post x] @somehowmags​

[jojotier]

man there need to be more horror novels like mexican gothic. the gothic horror was imported by your colonizers and now it's poisoning them alive while they believe they aren't being poisoned because everything from their country is ""superior"", obviously, so why would their own soil hate them?

[fgcz]

I finished Thousand Autumns and I'm definitely in love with it, but I'm not obsessed with it. (Thank fuck. I'm still haven't escaped from mdzs.)

I do have that hollow feeling from finishing it though.

Now I'm fighting with wanting to read Peerless. Not for the plot of it, but because someone said there are background hints of what happened to the people in Thousand Autumns and I want to know!

[fauna-a]

Things I've (actually re-)read between 2022 and 2023: A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin

“Oh, my sweet summer child," Old Nan said quietly, "what do you know of fear?"

[brawlingdiscontent]

My Favourite Books I’ve Read This Year

I’ve been doing some year-end reflection. This year I finally got back to reading for pleasure, after many soulless grad school years with little time for non-academic reading! In the spirit of my goal to do even more reading for pleasure this year, I am listing my top 5 books of the year (in no particular order). I recommend all of them!

1. The Moor’s Account by Laila Lalami - historical fiction, fictionalized account of a (real) early Black explorer of the Americas, it explores in a really interesting way how colonialism operates as a mode of thinking and being.

2. The Emperor’s Babe by Bernadine Evaristo - historical fiction meets poetry that is startlingly crisp and fresh (and a bit brutal), set in 2nd-3rd century Roman Britain

3. Empress Dowager Cixi by Jung Chang - the only non-fiction book on the list, a fantastic biography not just of Cixi but of this period of Chinese history in general (though somewhat partisan - the writer has clear opinions and makes judgments that she doesn’t necessarily foreground as such)

4. She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan - historical fiction (have you noticed a theme?) meets fantasy - gripping, fun, and queer-feminist imagining of early Chinese history

5. Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones - despite having seen the movie, I’d never actually read the book! I found it surprising and very instructive, looking at how the author constructs the narrative.

(Also just noticed that there are no cis male authors on this list, just women and non-binary folks - which is perhaps not that surprising given what I tend to go for, but still lovely - not that there’s anything wrong with cis male authors, but nice to be reading a lot of work by underrepresented writers).

[devilart2199-aibi]

Starscream wants to give you a little squeeze ❤️

[siren-of-agony]

Answers to "it hurts"

I know (apologetically)

I know (condescendingly)

It's supposed to

Good

I'm sorry

It'll be over soon

Stop whining

And it'll get worse if you don't *insert threat*

Well it wouldn't have to if you didn't *insert mistake*

You're supposed to say 'thank you'

I love hearing you say that

This is nothing, I'll show you actual pain

Get used to it

You'll get used to it

Stop lying

At least you still feel it

Shut up

Why don't you beg me to stop, then?

Can't be that bad if you're still talking

I don't care

Did I ask?

It's the only way you'll learn

You can take it

Answers to "please stop"