#this is many les mis i am sorry

[lesmissocials-fuckedup]

Babe wake up they are at it again

[lotrmusical]

the thing is. i am actually, relatively, normal about les mis

[charlesslut16]

-only him-

summary : charles ignored you, so you went to your ex´s party.

PAIRING : charles leclerc x fem!reader

WARNINGS : bad translated french, a bit toxish behavior from charles, a bit of spice in th end.

note : i'm so sorry that it took me so long to write this imagine. If you want a second part just ask me :)

masterlist 

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Your boyfriend, charles leclerc, was so obsessive over you. He was the sweetest with you, but with other men, that were looking at you, he was the meanest. He was possessive over you. 

That he was protective over you wasn't a problem. You found it rather cute. He was looking out for you and protected you from all the danger in the paddock and the world.

You knew that he loved you deeply and that he would do everything for you. He was the best boyfriend you could have ever asked for, but the possessive behavior was just too much.

It was like he had a switch. A switch you would never see coming. Just like tonight.

"Charles, stop being an asshole and talk to me." You groaned out from behind him, as he was ignoring you while he typed on his laptop, before he pushed his glasses up.

He was ignoring you because of an argument you had last night. You told him that he was too possessive and protective of you, and he exploded, and since then he has been ignoring you. 

"C’est tellement enfantin, charles. Tellement putain, puéril. Vous n’êtes plus un enfant. Charles, tu es un homme adulte." This is so childish, charles. So fucking childish. You are not a kid anymore. Charles, you are a grown man. 

You stared down at him before you snatched his car keys to his Ferrari. Furthermore, you glanced back to see his reaction to still see his eyes parked on his computer screen.

You huffed out and closed the door behind you. You knew what could break him... 

Attending your ex-boyfriends birthday party, that attended many men. Some of them you knew from the past relationship with your ex, but the others were total strangers to you.

He would not like that, would he?

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As you swayed your hips to the music, large veiny hands tightly wrapped around your waist, slightly startling you just by feeling the tight grip on your waist. You knew exactly who it was...

Charles.

"Qu’est-ce que tu fais ici à sa fête, mi amore?" He gritted in your ear possessively, as the grip on your waist tightened. What are you doing here at his party, my love?

You smirked at him and spun around as you showed him your dress. It was black with a slit and spaghetti straps. Fitted tightly so that it showed of your curves. 

"Love my dress, baby?" You changed the subject as he slowly scanned your body up and down. 

Just as you wanted to spin again, charles grabbed your hips tightly and pulled you into him, so you couldn't escape his grip and show off your dress to anyone else than him.

Your beauty was only for him. Only Him.  Your body, face, and everything else about you only belonged to him. Only to him. You were his. His Girlfriend. His woman. And his Everything.

This was the party of your ex-boyfriend. Ex. You were no longer his girlfriend, you were charles girl now. So why would you go to his party instead of staying at home with him, your boyfriend.

"Ne me rendez pas jaloux parce qu’à la fin de cette fête... Qui peut l’arracher à votre jolie silhouette? Moi. Seulement moi." He spat possessively as his eyes turned dark. Don't make me jealous because at the end of this party... who gets to rip it off your pretty figure? Me. Only me.

"Ce corps a été fait pour moi. Seulement moi. Alors pourquoi le montrez-vous à des hommes stupides qui ne peuvent pas vous donner ce dont vous avez besoin. Je suis le seul à pouvoir vous donner ce dont vous avez besoin. Moi." This body was made for me. Only me. So why do you show it to stupid men who can't give you what you need. I am the only one who can give you what you need. Me.

You gulped, knowing that your plan wasn't working... It just gave you a punishment when you got home.

"Vous avez 5 secondes pour sortir par la porte d’entrée et asseoir votre cul sur le siège passager de notre Ferrari ou il y aura-" you have 5 seconds to get out the front door and sit your ass in the passenger seat to our Ferrari or there will be-

He didn't even have to finish his sentence for you to get moving, making him chuckle deeply at how obedient you were.

[secretmellowblog]

i just dont really understand why theyd target les mis? and like. its interrupting the work of actors and crew and house staff who dont have anything to do with fossil fuel corps. people who just paid to see the show who dont have anything to do with it.

i understand les mis is a show about rebellion and humanity but to me it doesnt make any sense.

( i say this as someone whos probably very unaware and very slow to realize the deeper meaning of things so i apologize if it comes off snobby i am just confused !! /genuine )

I'm very sorry if this comes off as rude but like.... "I don't understand why people would use Les Mis as the symbolic centerpiece of an act of protest/rebellion against the government" is just a very strange thing to say, and I'm genuinely not quite sure how to begin to respond XD. Like....it's literally Les Mis. It is Do You Hear the People Sing. The original novel was written to be a political rallying cry, it was written to bind together activists, and it has been used that way thousands of times since its publication in 1862. It's Les Mis, I don't know what else to tell you XD. Also I know this next comparison isn't perfect, but:

“I don’t understand why Les Amis interrupted Lamarque’s funeral.  Obviously I agree with Les Amis’s goals, but was this really the right way to protest? Obviously the government is doing something bad— but was this symbolic event really the right place to talk about it? Why even choose to interrupt this event, and the lives of the workers leading it and everyday people attending it? It wasn’t responsible for what was happening! 

Okay, yeah, I get the funeral is ‘symbolically significant.’  I get that Lamarque has become, in popular culture, a symbol of rebellion and resistance against a government’s unfair policies.  I get Lamarque’s funeral is a pretty big public event that has a lot of symbolic significance ties to ideas of rebellion against the state.

I get that Lamarque’s words are often seen as a rebellious call to action, so illegally interrupting his funeral could be a statement about resisting tyranny. It could be a call to action playing off the popularity and symbolic role that Lamarque has in the public consciousness.

 But at the same time— shouldn’t Les Amis have just gone to the palace and attacked the king directly? Why disrupt this symbolic event instead? They’re not really going after the people responsible! 

After all, there were so many people there who just wanted a normal day. They weren’t responsible for what the government was doing and had nothing to do with it.  They wanted to see the procession, to hear Lafayette’s speech and grieve a political figure they cared for. They wanted to hear people praise ‘resistance’ in the abstract, without actually doing it.

 Weren’t Les Amis disrupting that?  

Aren’t Les Amis bad activists? Isn’t disrupting people’s everyday lives for the sake of 'activism' always inherently a bad thing? I’m not against activism, but isn’t doing that kind of disruptive activism rude? Isn’t disrupting the lives of ordinary people just doing their jobs or going out for a special event evil— no matter why you’re doing it, or what your goals are, or whether the government actually is doing something vile that we should start to stage great events rallying against?

Even if this Lamarque's funeral has special significance because of its symbolic pop cultural ties to rebellion against tyranny—shouldn’t they have just avoided rudely interrupting some regular people’s everyday lives? 

Protests shouldn’t disrupt things. they should be big parades that don’t make anyone uncomfortable, don’t interrupt anything, and don’t disrupt any aspects of ‘normal people’s daily life.’ No one should ever target symbolic events— like a funeral for a political figure or a musical about revolution—  to make a political statement. Protests should be little quiet festivals that cause absolutely no interruption in everyday life so that we can all just safely ignore them, until the climate catastrophe they’re warning us about arrives.”  

[winterwhisperz-blog]

Hey i just read your touchstarved headcanons and I LOVE IT!!!

And Here’s my request is that can you do a scenario of TS boys with MC who can speak different languages??? (like Italian or French)

Don’t worry i am a patient person and I won’t rush you. And i hope you’ll make more scenarios of the TS boys in be future.

YES HI HELLO !! I am, SO SO SORRY for taking two thousand centuries to respond to this—I’ve been pretty stressed over work so I haven’t been able to write headcanons as much— BUT TYSM FOR THE ASK !! IM SO HAPPY YOUVE ENJOYED MY HEADCANONS !

I do want to apologize in advance that these are going to be shorter and less one-shot like, than my others. These will be more like my Kuras Headcanons I made awhile ago—(Life has been kicking my butt lately so my motivation has been LOW)

But I hope you still enjoy them !!

Also huuuuge thanks to @danyvhell-writes

For helping me with these ideas !! You’re a saint 🙏

ALR LES GO

Note: gn reader! Fluff

Warnings: PROBABLY OOC PLS DONT HATE ME

Ais

ALR ALR AHAHAHAHA

So, one of my besties would do this A LOT where she would just switch into Spanish and I’d just be there like ???

So I thought it would be funny if you did that with Ais here

Imagine you’re in some kind of argument, a stupid, light one you know— and to annoy him

YOU JUST SWITCH INTO A WHOLE DIFFERENT LANGUAGE

He’s completely stunned, red eyes wide as you just start rambling, (very passionately) in a language he doesn’t understand

As you go on though, he just becomes utterly impressed, watching your mouth as he studies the words coming out of it (and just because he’s flirty LMAOOOO)

After you’ve had your fun, he comments something like “Impressive, Sparrow.” And then asks you, ofc, if you can teach him what you said

To tease him a bit more, you don’t tell him for a bit until he BRINGS OUT THESE GIANT PUPPY EYES

So you do start teaching him, just long evenings hunched over books or a paper as you teach him different phrases and words, the candle light dancing on his focused gaze.

And one day, out of the blue, he starts calling you Sparrow in the language you were speaking(and you also hear him practice words while talking with Princess—AND ITS SO ADORABLE)

After he’s becoming pretty good at it, you then proceed to tease other people(Leander) by randomly switching mid-conversation into a different language <33

Leander

NOW WITH THIS ONE, it reminded me of this really cool video of a guy switching between loads of languages in one song

IMAGINE showing this off to Leander one rowdy night at the Wet Wick

Maybe it’s even one of his favorite songs ??? And hearing you sing it in so many languages would absolutely knock him off his feet.

Another thing I think he’d go CRAZY FOR

Pet names, in whatever language.

Like ?? You call him something like “Mi amor…” for Spanish, or “Tesoruccio.” For Italian ??

He’s done for. Doomed. Dead. Will beg you to repeat it over and over while he showers your hands or arms with kisses.

He’s also one that would definitely be okay with you calling these pet names in public—he wants to be all smug that HES the one called yours.

He probably also learns whatever language you speak as well, might already know it because bro probably had tutors that taught him so many languages man.

In return for the pet names, he probably calls you something like “λατρεία μου” or “latria mu” (My adored !!! 🥹 in greek)

Kuras

NOW, THIS IS INTERESTING

I’m guessing since Kuras is an Angel, he knows like ??? Every language?

So when he finds out you speak others, he’s instantly curious, impressed, and now it’s quiz time.

You pass by a certain object, plant, anything, and he asks you how to say it in your language(s). Even if he may already know, he likes to hear it coming from you, enjoying the glint in your eyes as you explain things.

Another thing he’ll do, is when you’re having a library date, he’ll hand you a book and request you translate it. Either from your language to—whatever language people speak in Eridia ?? Or from that language to yours.

These will turn into nightly strolls with you translating a poem or book as he strides beside you, golden eyes locked on every word.

In return, he’ll translate whatever text into a language you don’t know. (I wonder if angels have a specific language??)

A name for him, I think it’d be cute if you called him 아름다운 천사 (Beautiful Angel in Korean !!)

Whether this is after or before you know he’s an Angel, he finds it both amusing and endearing. (Or painfully ironic if his life as an Angel is a tough subject)

Mhin

OKAY SOSOSOSOSO !! Mhin evidently thirsts for knowledge, they’re a lil nerd and they’re rlly bad at hiding it (A mood really. one of the reasons I love them <3) and my friend mentioned they’re more of a listener? So like I can see them just—paying very close attention to every word you say

At times they may not seem to be listening to you as you ramble, or catch a few words of slang from your language(s). But they’re actually secretly a sponge and soak up every little detail.

And now this may be just me but Mhin gives off such I must impress you with all my random facts vibes.

They ask questions about the languages you speak, the slang, the meanings, how to pronounce things correctly, everything

And then they do their own research, soaking up all they can before appearing to you one day and just starting the conversation in your language(s)

When you show any sign of being impressed, they will look away blushing and try to act cool but nahhh buddy you aren’t fooling anyone we know you spent forever working on that

Similar to Ais, lots of late night lessons where you get to teach Mhin about your language(s)! Just you two looming over an open book, Mhin scribbling down notes, looking so concentrated and you even spot a smile starting to form as they start getting better and better. (I love themmmmm 😭)

Mhin asks you to quiz them a lot, and looks so !! !! Just proud of themself when they pass. (Before realizing it and their self loathing kicks in and they revert back to >:( ) You want to tell them that they don’t need to be quizzed but look at their face !! Let them impress you okay !! They’re top 1 student !!

If you want you can joke about them having to call you Professor(Mc) or something but ur just gonna get a deep frown and glare like 😒 nuh uh AHAHSHS

Vere

Ohhh vere my nemesis. (He’s the toughest for me to write i have to like mentally and physically ambush him in a fast food parking lot before I can get anything outta him)

(I love him so much though so here we go !! Thanks to my friend for giving me a lot of help in this one because otherwise I’d be a doomed woman)

My friend brought up since he’s a fox, he’s very sensitive to sound !! So when you’re speaking in your mother language, he notices how your tone might change, watches as your tongue moves against your teeth or the top of your mouth, idk but he makes it a sensual thing somehow 😭

Definitely flirts with you in your language(s), says the most outrageous thing and watches as you get stunned or flustered by it, absolutely delighted that no one but you (or anyone who’s unfortunately being nosy and can understand) knows what he’s saying.

Okay this may be dumb but it’s so funny to me imagine Vere like putting on his most smooth, seductive tone, convincing the people around that he’s gonna say like the most erotic thing but he ends up just saying something like 💀 “Avocados” in your language(s) or like “Leander looks like a chicken breast” he does it to see you laugh but also because Leander overhears and could tell his name was said and thinks Vere is like— finally coming around but only you two rlly know Vere is just sexily roasting him.

Due to recent lore being dropped, and in his lil character sheet, it says Vere has a huge love for the arts. I think it’d be really neat if you introduced him to things specifically written in your language(s) !! Like books that originated from your country, plays that are only acted in that language(s), just a tour of the language! And if he doesn’t know your languages(s) then teaching him is gonna be like 💀 somehow so flirty

Will definitely call you Professor(Mc) but he makes it sound absolutely horrendous and cringey and you will regret it you probably should turn back

Jokingly will ask if you’ll give him a golden sticker if he behaves—do it, just to humble him.

OKAY WE’VE REACHED THE END WOOOT WOOT !!!! I DIDNT THINK I’D MAKE IT !!! Been stuck in this endless void for ages !!

Hem hem, thanks so much for the ask !!! I’m so so sorry it took forever 😭 writer’s block nearly had my head this time uh oh

Thank you again to my bestie for helping me out !!

Now I hope you see the most beautiful sunset, eat your favorite dessert, learn something new, and have a happy spring !! 🫶🩷✨

[bueckerrss]

dangerous women

matt x fem! latina! reader

warnings: drug deals, guns, car races

the reader will speak a lot of spanish in this series because my inspiration for this series is griselda a colombian drug lord.

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New york

“MARCOS!” she yelled for her assistant to go to her office.

“yes, ms. blanco?” the timid man said afraid to look her in the eyes “i need you to make a flyer for a new transporter, i recently got rid of the other one. he asked too many questions and we simply can’t have that here.”

“got rid of him in what way?” he mumbled making her look at him with a straight face “do you want me to get rid of you too?” she said not breaking eye contact with him.

“no maam” he mumbled walking away “oh and get the jet ready we’re going back to LA tonight.” she said before he left the room.

-

back in LA

matt was looking at his monitors frantically switching between computers and other devices in front of him.

“matt, you need to catch a break you’ve been staring at those screens for hours nothing is going to change!” chris said as he saw his brother look from one screen to the next.

“that’s the thing chris something will eventually change or she’ll be seen somewhere!” he exclaimed turning his chair to face his brother.

beep.

both of the brothers turned around to noise to see a picture of y/n getting into her jet in brown dress pants with a black shirt, black stilettos and a brown coat over her shoulders.

“told you something would change!” matt exclaimed frantically typing out some information on another screen.

“so? she’s getting on a jet big deal! come downstairs and eat lunch” chris exclaimed as he was walking out of the room.

shaking his head and turning around to face the computer screen in front of him, matt let out a sigh.

-

sitting in her office dim lights as men came in and out for interviews none of them satisfied her for this special job, until a man 5’8 with brown hair blue eyes in all black walked in.

scanning the man in front of her y/n sat up straight in her chair and looked at him.

“hello.” she said monotoned “this is for the transporter job right?” said the man in a confident voice which the women admired.

“it certainly is. now what’s your name pretty boy?” she asked eyeing him.

“Matthew Sturniolo”

“well take a seat mr.sturniolo” she said pointing to a chair in front of her, the man took a seat making eye contact with the woman in front of him.

“first question, do you have any idea who i am?” she said firmly. “you’re y/n blanco one of the most wanted and powerful women cartel in both new york and los angeles.” he replied with confidence.

“you’ve done your research?” she said raising her eyebrows surprised that he knew her but then again she was the most wanted drug lord almost her whole life was on display.

“maybe” he responded “next question, how old are you?” she questioned “why youre trying to ask me out on a date?” he cocked his eyebrow suppressing a smile, she just glared at him. “sorry, i’m 25 years old” he responded “do you have a driver’s license?” she asked “yes” he affirmed.

before she could get more of her questions out the phone on her desk began to ring making both of them look at it. “bueno?” she spoke into the phone “como que juan no hizo la entrega? manda luis a mi oficina ahora mismo!” she hung up the phone, before matt could ask any question there was a knock at the door making him turn around.

“adelante” a 6’4 tattooed muscular man walked in looking at y/n “me hablo señora?” he asked his eyes moving to matt who sat on the chair “si, necesito que le hagas una visita a juan, ya sabes que hacer y hazlo rápido, asegúrate que nadie te mire entrar o salir de ahí!” he nodded taking in his orders leaving the room closing the door behind him.

“sorry about that, where were we?” she cleared her throat looking at the blue eyed man in front of her “you were asking me questions” he smiled at her “right the interview!” she mumbled looking down at the questions in front of her.

————————————————————————

“chapter” 1 of dangerous women complete! i hope you guys enjoyed this as much as i enjoyed making it i have a lot of ideas for this series so im super excited! sorry if my spanish is wrong or bad im used to just speaking it and not writing it 😭 (pls don’t tell my mom she’ll be mad if she knew i was forgetting how to write in spanish 😕) but thank you so much for reading this!

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[freckliedan]

i got tagged in a poll game by @notsosaucystuff—ty em!! i'm doing this as a new post to keep from clogging people's dashes.

phannies, what are your favorite non dan and phil pieces of media? shows, movies, musicians, books, youtubers, etc.

choose any reasonable number of things and poll it for funsies and whatever. i am not doing this i'm maxxing our poll options <3

sorry it's so many options but that IS an accurate representation of my likes. also dungeon meshi but i figure it'd have recency bias. dan and phil are really an interest outlier for me usually i like my blorbos bloodied and heartbroken ^_^ if these fandoms float your boat. find me @unloneliest the rest of the time when i'm not here

tagging @gamora-borealis @jonsaremembers @danielbear @dnphobe @deathclassic

@milfygerard @lizardsmp3 @manchesterau @flamingheretic @phoutube

@tjlauren @lesdienne @yonpote @birthdaywolf @wdapteo

OH and @bitchslapblastoids

[thelawsofdaylight]

I'm sorry if this isn't approriate, but I don't really understand why you find Les Mis a good target for a climate protest? I get that the musical has themes that align with the protesters but like... what was the good outcome? Are there really People in that audience that don't know climate change is happening? How Will this change their mind? What action is meant to be brought on by trowing soup at paintings or disrupting a performance? Does that actually help the cause of combatting climate change at all? Does it help make people more aware, does it have an effect on the mechanisms of polluters? Isn't there anything more focused that these resources (both money and the incredible bravery and drive of the People themselves) could be better focused on. These protest feels so different from like, people chaining themselves to a private jet or the schoolchildren going up to parliaments by the thousand to demand policy chances to better their future. All of the JSO actions feels so performative, I just don't see how they are actually doing anything of even the mechanism by which they are meant to accomplish anything? Which doesn't mean that the people involved aren't great people or that the reaction of the Les Mis crowd wasn't fucked up. Just... what was even the goal?

Hey! I know it's been a while since I made that post supporting the JSO protestors but I've gotten a few asks like this in the time since (and am still getting them) so I'm responding to this as the most good-faith one in my inbox and hopefully it answers others that have been asked to me in the past couple weeks as well. Disclaimer: If I'm responding to things outside the remit of this ask, it's likely that it's because someone else sent an ask about it and I've been juggling them all in my head as I've been thinking on a response.

I think in order to answer the first part of the ask we have to tackle the second. 'What has this action achieved' only works as a comprehensive criticism if we look at it in isolation to all of JSO's other actions. What I mean by this is: JSO launched by blocking oil refineries for days on end. In the two years they've been active they've done similar actions, including but not limited to disrupting fuel distribution centres, petrol stations, interrupting fossil fuel conferences, and, most recently, trying to stop the relocation of asylum seekers to prison barges. Their actions go far beyond blocking roads and disruption of public events. I think this is important to establish as I don't know how much of a working knowledge anyone not in the UK Climate movement actually has about JSO and I think it's good we're all on the same page.

But if they do all that (effective, important) direct action, then why target Les Mis? What does a West End show have to do with fossil fuel companies and climate change? And in response to these questions I'll ask one of my own: were you aware of the fact that JSO tried to stop migrants from being deported until I mentioned it just now? A lot of these actions, the ones that actually target infrastructure and confront those directly responsible, get little to no media coverage. When news of the Les Mis action first broke out, I saw so many people on Twitter with the same reactionary takes: why target Les Mis when the Conservative Party Conference literally happened the same weekend? And that's a fair and valid point- if it wasn't for the fact that JSO were at the conference. I know this because I was there too. They had a huge bloc in the march and went on to do other actions in the city after the march had ended. The whole thing, the entire 10,000+ strong protest, got maybe 30 seconds coverage on the local news and not even a mention of JSO's presence (or of climate change in general for that matter.) JSO's previous actions directed at fossil fuel companied themselves get very little, if any, coverage compared to their big flashy sports/awards show/performance interruptions.

So yeah, some of JSOs actions are 'performative'. But I don't think it's unreasonable to suggest that even performative actions have their place within the wider struggle. I understand not liking public disruption as a tactic and I understand the issues with it, but I also think it's worth reflecting on why groups like JSO use it.

Editing my draft here to report that earlier today they smashed the frame of a painting that was previously vandalised by the Suffragette movement in 1914. That's a performative action, sure, but you have to admit it makes a point. Just like the tageting of Les Mis, a play about an unjust society and the people striving to change it, makes a point about hypocrisy. It gets the media coverage. We can debate all day about the usefulness of that coverage and if chasing media headlines should be our goal in the first place... but at the end of the day, it's been proven that JSOs membership grows every time they do something like this. It gets more people to join, which means next time it comes round to blocking key infrastructure, they'll be in a stronger position to succeed.

This isn't to say don't criticise them at all! I actually think criticisms like this one are a key part of organising and, done with care, can only make our movements stronger. I have my own issues with JSO- namely, the carelessness with which arrest is actively encouraged/promoted as the only valid form of resistance- but that's a whole other conversation and one that doesn't undermine my support and solidarity for the activists who are doing those actions (and sacrificing a whole lot in the process.) I think mass direct action movements are rarely ever perfect but I also think we need to show solidarity first and foremost when people are trying to do the right thing, especially if how they're doing it is in conjunction with or as a response to other tactics.

[sgiandubh]

Credo che in questo fandom ci siano persone che seguono le vicende di S e C dall’inizio. Potrebbero collaborare a fare un album fotografico di tutte le ragazze che sono state affibbiate a Sam e vedere come il metodo si ripeta continuamente. La linea che chiamerei “ direttiva “ è ogni volta corredata da vari avvenimenti collaterali. Siamo partiti con una attrice passando per intrattenitrici , figlie di personaggi importanti modelle e ora sportive . Mi convinco sempre più che l’ideatore o gli ideatori di questi amori massmediali siano gli stessi del 2016.Nessuno degli Antis si preoccupa della vita di Caitriona: lei ha diritto alla sua privacy mentre Sam decisamente no.Sam cosa faresti per amore? gli è stato chiesto, tutto farei tutto., ha risposto E sta facendo proprio di tutto per proteggere chi ama.D’altronde se così non fosse queste donne sarebbero apparse al suo fianco in molte occasioni pubbliche essendo lui single alla ricerca del vero amore . Questa noiosa ripetitività come non può colpire anche quelli del lato opposto? E se posso fare un’osservazione S in questi ruoli non recita affatto bene .Una cotta, una passione o anche solamente un’attrazione fisica ti rende felice. Qui non vedo niente di scoppiettante , solo una coppia che sembra clandestina quando l’obiettivo è quello di essere pubblica. Se sei felice non lo puoi nascondere! Scusa la lunghezza di questo intervento ma sono cose talmente assurde e così poco interessanti!!!

Dear @findanserwers,

Sempre un piacere leggerti. Sai, a volte tutta questa farsa mi fa pensare a uno dei nostri programmi di giochi preferiti, su Rai Uno - Affari Tuoi (lo so, lo so, eh? 🤣). Non si sa mai cosa porterà con sé il prossimo pacco - forse un blu, un rosso, forse il Dottore chiamerà 👽... Ma puoi sempre scommettere che l'avidità di denaro e d'attenzione dei 'pacchisti' li terranno lì finché non avranno esaurito tutte le loro possibilità. Boh, anche se sappiamo che gli schemi continuano ad andare avanti, c'è sempre questo strano, quasi perverso senso di anticipazione.

Scrivi:

'I think we have, in this fandom, people who follow S&C's adventures since the very beginning. They could all collaborate and make photo album with all the girls who have been associated with Sam and see the pattern repeating itself over and over again. The line I would call 'directive' is every single time accompanied by all sorts of side events. We started with an actress, passing through entertainers, daughters of important people, models and now athletes. I am increasingly convinced that the creator or creators of these media love stories are the same as in 2016. None of the Antis care about Caitriona's life: she has the right to her privacy, while Sam definitely doesn't. Sam, what would you do for love? he was asked. I would do everything, he answered. And he is doing everything to protect the people he loves. On the other hand, if this were not the case, these women would have appeared at his side on many public occasions as he is officially single and in search of true love. How can this boring repetitiveness not also affect those on the opposite side? And, if I may make an observation, S doesn't act well at all, in these 'roles'. A crush, a passion or even just physical attraction makes you happy. I don't see anything flashy here, just a couple that looks clandestine, when the obvious goal would be to show off freely in public. If you are happy you can't hide it! Sorry for the length of this post but these things are so absurd and so uninteresting!!!'

Isn't it strange that, even if we know it so well, by now, we keep on following all this #shitshow every single time, as if somehow, something might turn out different?

Except it doesn't really, does it? TMcG will always look like he is about to have dental surgery (plus now wearing more make up than Berlusconi or Tutankhamun ever did) and S will always look nervous (who, in their right mind, would think biting his finger was sexy?!), out of place and even sometimes borderline rude. Organic, my foot: I am ready to accept one of their stories might look bizarre and manufactured as fuck, but BOTH? At the SAME TIME?

Yeah. And pigs fly.

[thegirlwholied]

fellow period-piece swooners, I have a movie rec for you and I am downright flexing my hand about it. and I am sorry, so sorry, that you cannot watch it right now- because I attended the world premiere at TIFF last night and apparently it's still seeking distribution which means unfortunately there are no gifs yet for me to reblog - but this is your notice to keep a weather eye:

the movie is the Widow Clicquot. the plot is champagne!

...not the celebratory spritz and spray of it all, but the dedication and innovation and passion and knowing-your-taste-and-insisting-on-it of getting bubbles to be just the right size and fuck Napoleon's embargos actually...

also, the people expressing opinions about Napoleon are a British cast pretending to be French - which I guess appeals to the piece of my soul that is Les Mis.

it's beautifully filmed in a way I specifically associate with Pride & Prejudice 2005... which makes sense given the director, Thomas Napper, directed the second camera unit on P&P 2005 & Atonement & Anna Karenina & etc. Joe Wright, who directed those, is a producer here (and was on stage last night & I had no idea who he was whoops).

there's a scene of exploding champagne bottles that may haunt me forever the way the floating cotton in North & South 2004 does. that & the vines.

to quote Taylor Swift, "it's giving cinematography."

the Widow Clicquot herself is played by Haley Bennett (who has been in many things I haven't seen...yes I had to imdb Haley while sitting in the row right behind her but) who I have seen before in Music & Lyrics! As Cora Corman! "Way Back Into Love"! & "Buddha's Delight"- I believe in karma (la, la, la)

anyway she's great in this - the Q&A host after called her performance "transcendant", not wrong - she had a SAG-AFTRA waiver to be there, and thankfully because this was very apparently a passion project throw-everything-you-are-into-it role for her. And her post-movie quotes speaking both about the character's passion and her own- "do something that makes you feel like a goddess!"; "do what you love and let it kill you"- made me a fan.

the Widow Clicquot's dead husband? Tom Sturridge, The Sandman himself and playing just as much a dream as Dream (note: I do not promise "dreamy" I promise "dream" which can also have adjectives like "wild" and "fever" applied). You need a good voice when leaning on some voiceover from letters/memory for a character; he sure has it.

but. Sam Riley. aka Mr Darcy from Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, and Maleficent's hot raven (and looks even better in this imho)- his character is Louis Bohne, Veuve Clicquot's wine merchant, and as much as the Widow herself, his character made me go, "I need to read the book" to learn how much was history v fiction there.

the character dynamic was: damn, of course you're cool with your husband's libertine BFF/possibly-lover, you're secure and he's such fun company.... your husband's tragically gone but his friend helps you out & appreciates your true love of the vineyard without overstepping... well. get yourself a friend you can both giggle with over how hot the new foreman is (Leo Suter filling a historical-eye-candy role) ... AND hook up with yourself. you go girl, & bless your hot bisexual heart fictionalized Louis Bohne.

(hottest kiss in cinema off the top of my head is always the Timothy Olyphant & Jennifer Garner first kiss in Catch & Release. But some scenes here flirt with that level, & it was the Widow/Louis scenes for me).

the sound alone made this one worth seeing in theaters; sounds were so well used (maybe when a movie is so much about taste, & you can't convey taste through a screen, you double down on the senses you can) and it was scored by Bryce Dessner from The National (whose brother has been collaborating on Taylor Swift's recent best tunes)-

the Widow's name is Barbe-Nicole and not to make a Champagne Barbie reference but this hit in the spot Barbie also reached for, in a subtle way, with the effortlessly close relationship she has with her maid (Lizzie from Peaky Blinders! thanks imdb, knew I knew that face) and the woman in a man's world of it all - obviously one who created a successful dynasty of champagne and how did I never know how instrumental women have been in creating champagne as we know it, about to jump down a historical rabbit hole here-

+ also. grief. "you don't understand. he wasn't just someone's first love". an early line + the one that stuck with me.

anyway. not to say I think it's a perfect movie (there were a few "wait I need more information" beats that left me feeling like I *need* and not just want to read the book)... and it didn't make me think "this better be up for an Oscar" (One Life, with Johnny Flynn & Anthony Hopkins which I saw Saturday: made me cry & should be)- though I think it could be for sound!... and I don't know if I'd say it's the movie I enjoyed the most (Flora & Son, out Sept 29) or learned the most from (Paul Simon documentary, all 209 minutes of it, probably takes that of the 4 films I saw)-

But it's the one I'm writing this post about. & I'm going to get the book. It made me want a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne. & to go to the champagne region. & to see gifs of it on my dash, immediately. & I would read fan fic if there was some- it built the characters and its own movie world enough for that, with enough space left to wonder- and when a movie can do that, it thrills me.

anyway Tumblr, or at least the side I always land on. I think you'd like it. I think it's your kind of movie too. and it's filled with a lot of love from people who clearly loved making it. here's to independent productions and the unions fighting for fair deals to make a living doing what they love, here's to feeling like a goddess, here's to gorgeous period pieces and gif makers of scenes to come, here's to the author in the audience who got to see her book on screen- and the movie star who got it made and all of us still working on making our own art into something that can be seen someday. Here's to the passion of creativity in whatever shape it takes, pour the champagne 🍾🥂

[thecanvasofmadness]

Jamás a aceptaré someterme ni cuadrarme para lograr los objetivos ajenos, ya sea laborales o académicos. Antes de matarme así, mejor me doy un tiro. Preferible morir de tajo a estar muerto en vida. Mi rebeldía es parte de mi esencia. Si la mayor parte de la humanidad se deja someterse y cuadrarse no es mi problema. Cada quien decide cómo morir y eso se les respeta. Ojalá también se le respetara al rebelde ser libre, en vez de juzgarle por buscar serlo. Para el sometido, que el rebelde señale lo que está mal, es parte de una mala gestión emocional. ¡Vaya que estamos fritos! Por tanto psicópata suelto en el mundo se tiene por concepto que la sensibilidad es un error. Perdón, señoras y señores, ¡tener sensibilidad es humano! Me preocupa más la insensibilidad que se defiende a costa del dolor del que se está convulsionando porque lo que ve raya en lo inhumano. Cómo se confunde la inteligencia emocional con soportar malos tratos. Hay conceptos que se usan a conveniencia, porque usarlos de manera correcta llevaría a la humanidad a ser buena. ¡Y cómo les asusta a la mayoría que esto suceda! Prefieren la maldad disfrazada de inteligencia, en lugar darle una justa solución a dicho problema.

I will never accept to submit myself or to be squared in order to achieve other people's objectives, be it work or academic. Before killing myself like that, I'd rather shoot myself. I would rather die than be dead in life. My rebelliousness is part of my essence. If the majority of humanity allows itself to be subdued and squared away, it is not my problem. Everyone decides how to die and that is respected. If only the rebel would also be respected for being free, instead of being judged for seeking to be free. For the subjugated, the rebel to point out what is wrong is part of a bad emotional management. We are toast! Because of so many psychopaths loose in the world, it is taken for granted that sensitivity is a mistake. Sorry, ladies and gentlemen, to have sensitivity is human! I am more concerned about the insensitivity that is defended at the expense of the pain of those who are convulsing because what they see borders on the inhuman. How emotional intelligence is confused with enduring mistreatment. There are concepts that are used for convenience, because using them in the right way would lead humanity to be good. And how scared most of them are that this will happen! They prefer evil disguised as intelligence, instead of giving a fair solution to the problem.

[fateandloveentwined]

Characterising Valjean: masks and struggles

Okay, so jvj's sudden intense self-deprecation towards the end of part five has always eluded me. Like, where did that come from? Hadn’t he already turned over a new leaf with the bishop and with Cosette?

Les mis has many themes, but if we cast aside all the themes focusing on french insurgencies and her people, abstract grace and love and Progress, at the heart of the brick we find her characters, and to look at Valjean, perhaps there are two things that explain his abject self-deprecation and wretchedness/misery which were so pivotal to his last chapters in the book and central to his overarching character.

below has absolutely no regard for spoilers proceed with caution lol thanks

I. Masks and veneers.

It is my sorry fate that, only ever able to command respect that is fraudulently obtained, that respect humiliates me and inwardly oppresses me, and if I’m to have any self-respect others must despise me.

cough erik poto

As stated patently in his final ruminations, JVJ never considered himself successful. Everything he did which he was respected and lauded for, it was attributed to disguised versions of himself, Monsieur Madeleine and Fauchelevent. As valjean he never achieved anything of worth, he was terrified in his first days in paris hiding from javert's pursuit and finding the convent, he never felt anything of worth as valjean but a criminal and convict pursued for the entirety of his life.

Throughout the book, he lived a struggle between accepting valjean and donning another disguise that would be some other benevolent man: the extensive deliberations on his way to Arras (who am I?), his timidity after Cosette's marriage in which he deemed his work done — either he is to don a new identity or resume the one he hid away for the many past years; towards the end, as Cosette and Marius were increasingly besotted with each other, he withdrew, letting Javert arrest him again under conditions — he resigned to the resumption of his fugitive identity.

In all these years, his convicted past self loomed over him unfailingly, especially considering his canonical rearrest after Fantine’s death — in spite of all the good he did in the world he was never, in essence, a free man of his mind.

Which brings us to our second point.

II. Jacob's wrestle

The terrible struggle of old, of which we have already seen several phases, began once more. Jacob wrestled with the angel for only one night. Alas! how many times have we seen Jean Valjean forced to grapple with his conscience in the dark, and struggling frantically against it!

The bring him home reprise in the finale is SO poignant, even more so than the original number because of what it truly meant to Valjean in the book. The musical "redeemed" many characters by painting them in a better light: Javert, with his misguided understanding of religion vs. reading the law as bible; Eponine, with her scream saving jvj's household at Rue Plumet. As for jvj, his many wrestles with faith were downplayed for the sake of simplification, going as far as to him praying earnestly for Marius’ life at the barricades in the musical when in the book, let’s face it, he was physically saving Marius but in his mind he probably didn't understand why he was doing something so foolish.

Predestined fates do not all follow a direct route. They do not run straight before the one who is predestined. They have dead ends, blind alleys, obscure turnings, daunting crossroads offering several alternative routes.

And so with the musical where all these mental struggles were downplayed, in the book he wrestled with the faith he has chosen, first during his torturously slow tread to Arras (who am I?), his ruminations on Marius (akin to heart full of love reprise), and his final confession to Marius — so many times had he struggled; there's the idea that God redeemed him through the bishop, and he did good as a man — yet still why had his life been so tortured and full of agony? At first I questioned the use of the title “the miserables/the wretched” — for les amis de l’ABC, the destitute people of the republic, I could see their wretchedness, but for Valjean — as the main character, why was the title so unfitting of the main character? But no. Internally he was wretched, he was pitiable and miserable, and in the aura of his bring him home we forget about his moments of wrath flung out about his faith and life philosophy, blunt anger at the injustice not of the world but of how his life had been — unredeemed, in spite of; the arrant, incomprehensible fear of being pursued and hunted, the resignation to his fate at the very end: moments at the sewers, before javert and before the loving newlyweds.

As such so profound it is, towards his final moments in the musical he reprises “God on high” and prays to bring himself home, he yields to the things in life he doesn’t like and defers to God’s judgement, the faith he has followed on and the bargain he has made so many long years ago — it was not at Arras that his soul truly belonged to God, it was at these final moments where he prays that he has lived his faith through — and that was when I felt jvj’s character fully unravelled.

It was a starless night and extremely dark. No doubt, in the shadows, some immense angel stood with wings outspread, awaiting his soul.

---

oops this has gone on for way too long but i was itching to dissect jvj and have put it off for so long since reading the book i just had to do it for myself anyway.

Also living for all the nonexistent COMC Edmond Dantes and JVJ crossovers because discounting the timeline they share too many similarities in knowledge acquisition imprisonment and faith and pretences to not have met and had many an interesting tete-a-tete.

*quotes taken from christine donougher's translation. explains my tendency to use wretched over miserable lol.

[wanderinghedgehog]

Another high school Les Mis. Live reaction:

Oooo they got actors in the aisles. I like that.

Good singing so far.

This Javert seems oddly timid. Like even as a prison guard, he’s not especially scary. He does seems to be rather tall though.

Valjean seems good. I wish they let him sing that one verse from his soliloquy but, alas, it’s cut from the school versions.

This ensemble seems more coordinated than others I’ve seen. That might be because there’s not quite so many of them. This doesn’t seem like a very large cast for a Les Mis production.

Fantine is very sweet and her voice is lovely.

I like that her dress is decently period accurate. They gave her a modesty cloth and everything.

She also doesn’t seem to have a jarringly awful wig like usual.

I think they brought Javert in a little early during Fantine’s arrest. It was a little odd.

There’s some guy in the ensemble with a lovely red waistcoat.

Amazing runaway cart scene. Javert was so embarrassed on “forgive me sir I would dare” that he tried to just leave. He did skip a line though. But I’ll forgive :)

Valjean putting his heart and soul into Who Am I.

Awwwww they gave Champmathieu a friend or something who gave him a hug when he was let go. I like that they didn’t just leave him to stand there.

FANTIIIIIIINE 😭😭😭😭😭😭

HOLY SHIT THE CONFRONTATION WAS AMAZING!!!!! Okay the last fight section was a bit disappointing, but the rest of it was fucking phenomenal. I’m screaming! Javert was such a fucking drama queen too. Fantastic.

Lil’ Cosette :)

I think this Madame T could do to spice up her vocals a little. She sounds a little too pretty maybe. Go nuts, babe!

Red waistcoat guy is back!!!!

This Thenardier couple is kinda all over each other. It’s goofy

Don’t throw the child!!!!!

I love this stage setup. Very versatile.

Living for these background actors.

Eponine should keep Marius’s hat. It’s a good look.

They need to stop making Javert show up from one of the side entrances. It’s awkward staging.

Thernardier gets all obnoxious during “in the absence of a victim…” and Javert just lightly shoved him. I’m dead. You really just have to see it.

This Javert is kinda… doing to much I guess. He just doesn’t show quite enough restraint in my opinion.

Stars was cute. He could’ve done more on the line “and so it must be.” But it was good otherwise.

This Grantaire has stolen my heart. Adorable guy.

I can’t see very clearly, but there’s a pattern on the front of Enjolras’s waistcoat and I thought it was leopard print for a second.

IS THAT FANTINE’S ACTOR AGAIN??????? Or does Cosette just look something like her?

Marius should’ve hopped over the gate. It’s really low anyway.

This Marius is so damn pale. Ghost fella

Eponine pushed three people consecutively. Go girl!

THENARDIERS IN THE FLOOR

This Gavroche is absolutely adorable. I just know I’m gonna go catatonic when he’s killed.

Still no “shoot me now or shoot me later.” I like that line :(

EPONINE NOOO

Bestie Valjean has returned to the plot :)

Damn look at all that smoke.

Javert is back to being oddly timid. I feel kinda bad for him this time. He has such a sad look.

Nice little Drink With Me moment :)

Bring him hooooooooooooooome

AAAAAAAAAA GAVROCHE NOOOOOO

Seriously that kid was fantastic

That’s a nice tablueo

Go in the floor

Really dragging Marius around. Ouch.

two four six oh ooooooooone

Little line fuck up BUT WE FORGIVE AND MOVE ON

That jump was pretty smooth. I approve.

That was a damn good rendition.

Good harmonies in Turning.

Damn. They really put people in those empty chairs at the empty tables and then took them away again.

Cane time for Valjean.

Bishop actor spotted at the wedding.

Saddest onstage punch ever. Sorry Marius.

Is Madame T holding a real little dog? I can’t see very well.

Old man Valjean.

I think that wicker wheelchair he’s in is being loud.

Oh my god they are different actresses. Do they just have the same hairstyle? I might be a little face blind.

Yes! Actors in the aisles!

I think that’s a Javert in the finale!

Final thoughts:

Standout performance was a Gavroche. That child was brilliant so very cute. I hope he keeps doing theater.

All the singing was wonderful.

Things ran very smoothly which is impressive for any high school production.

As always, the show suffers from the amount of lines that are cut. But that’s definitely not the fault of this production.

In some ways, it was too good. Maybe it was just too traditional. I often watch school productions for the weirdness and interesting choices, but they just didn’t really take anything all that far in this production.

I loved that they had an extra bit of stage in front of the orchestra pit. That really gave a set some extra pizzazz.

I called this Javert “cute” too many times. Not sure why. I just thought this actor looked oddly sweet. Not especially intimidating I guess.

Valjean really put his all into this and he gave a fantastic performance. I just need him to get weirder with it.

I’m so sorry to Fantine and Cosette’s actors for thinking they were the same person.

[secretmellowblog]

What are your favourite pathetic Javert moments? I read your post, and now I'm curious

(CONTEXT: a while back I made a post where I jokingly promised to list my top ten pathetic Javert moments. It is finally that time. Thank you anon and @revolutionaeternam.)

I had trouble writing this post because there are way too many moments in the Brick where Javert is a horribly pathetic creature.  So here are the Top Eleven Pathetic Javert Moments I Am Currently Thinking About:  #11:

“This man was at the barricade,” said he in a low voice and as though speaking to himself. “He is the one they called Marius.” A spy of the first quality, who had observed everything, listened to everything, and taken in everything, even when he thought that he was to die; who had played the spy even in his agony, and who, with his elbows leaning on the first step of the sepulchre, had taken notes.

This line really encapsulates the tragic pathetic side of Javert for me. His entire existence is built on mindless groveling and performing useless tasks in the service of an authority that does not respect him and never will. He is the kind of person who will waste his last hours alive pointlessly ‘taking notes’ no one will read simply because it is what he has been ordered to do, and he cannot disobey orders.

#10. The entire “Punish me, Monsieur Le Maire” scene. No explanation needed. 

#9. Every moment when Javert expresses vehement hatred for some random inoffensive thing that no reasonable person would ever hate. (Ex. Thinking, kindness, facts, books, stoves, etc.) 

#8: Javert recognizing Eponine's body right before his execution,  and saying “It strikes me that I know that girl.” The Javert/Eponine parallels, and that way Javert-Eponine are the failed  “shadows” of Valjean-Cosette....

#7. Every time Javert is compared to a dog. It’s always easier to feel sorry for a furry. 

#6. The moment when the National Guard has an opportunity to trade Jehan’s life for Javert’s --and doesn't. (And Enjolras telling Javert that "your friends have just shot you.") Like?  The way Javert is serving a society that does not value his life; the way the National Guard could have easily rescued him, but didn’t know or care that he had been captured! And the fact that "your friends have just shot you" is immediately followed by Eponine, Javert’s narrative foil, dying of a bullet wound as she begs for attention from a man who doesn't even recognize her...the way both Javert and Eponine made themselves the “guard dogs” of someone/something that barely remembers they exist...  

#5. All of Javert’s behavior at the barricade in general, and the way it parallels Jean Valjean's behavior. It’s fascinating how Javert acts so similar to the way Jean Valjean acted while captured by Thenardier — they both ‘do not utter a single cry,’ and remain utterly calm even when tied to a post awaiting death. They are superficially polite, save for a few passive-aggressive insults. It’s one of the few moments where you see “oh yeah, Javert was born in a prison, and like Jean Valjean he’s learned how to 'properly' behave in situations where he's trapped and has no autonomy, to the point where it’s second nature for him.” Fanfic writers often portray the barricade as uniquely traumatizing for Javert, but the sad thing is that Javert is pretty “eh this is just Tuesday for me” about it until Jean Valjean saves his life.

#4. Javert’s inability to lie at the barricades. He cannot lie to save his life. At the barricade they ask him who he is and he responds “my name’s Javert and I’m a cop.” Who made this man a spy???? Why did they did they send HIM on the spying mission???

#3. Javert IS SO BAD at lying I'm putting it on this list twice. 2012 Les Mis Fandom often liked to make Javert a ~closed book who secretly has a soft heart and hidden depths~ but to me…, one of the most pathetic things about Javert is that what you see is what you get. He is physically incapable of pretending to believe things he does not believe or feel things he does not feel. He’s described as someone whose eyes are so clear you can see the very depths of his conscience in them. Javert can be stoic and level-headed while dealing with severe emotions, but he cannot lie, and the one time he attempts to lie (“I will wait for you here”) he’s so bad at it that even a very distracted Jean Valjean notices something is off. And idk, to me it seems like there can be a really painful vulnerability to that.

#2. “You annoy me. Kill me rather.” ICONIC. And the tu/vous switch that happens here, where Javert is trying to act harsh toward Valjean but is incapable of concealing the fact that he’s developed a new terrifying respect for him!! Because he is a terrible liar! Something is wrong with him. <3 The entire 'execution' scene is a beautiful farce.

#1. This is cheating but: everything involving Javert's final confrontation with Jean Valjean after the barricades, including all of Derailed. These brief chapters are the only time when we see how a doubt-ridden post-barricades Javert interacts with other people, especially Jean Valjean, and it’s all deeply pitiable. His characterization in these chapters is fascinating, and is almost never captured in any adaptations. He isn’t shouting at Valjean or violently threatening him with death; for the first time he’s lost, wandering, and uncertain, speaking "as if in a dream" and passively allowing Jean Valjean to decide where they go and what they do. It's Javert at his most wet and pathetic. Javert sees Jean Valjean and is torn between feeling like quote "the wolf which regains its grip on its prey and the dog that finds its master again...." and he deals with that by Bluescreening. I have this theory that Javert is at his most 'likable' when he has the least power. When Javert has power, he is terrifying. But when he's powerless, when he’s been “declawed," when he's incapable of doing harm, he's just this strange pitiable Creature.  And these last chapters are peak Declawed Javert.

[psalm22-6]

"John the Jack" is a children's adaptation of Les Mis by Australian clergyman and schoolmaster Stacy Waddy, published in 1915, soon after the outbreak of WWI and the book's proceeds benefited the Red Cross. The book is 104 pages and was printed as Macquarie Streets, Parramatta, New South Wales. It begins by introducing the cast of characters:

People who come into this story: John: A man just out from gaol, after nineteen tears. He is hunted by the police all his life. Javert: The police-inspector who took the lead in hunting John The Good Bishop: Who was so kind to John that he changed John's heart Father Madeleine: This was what John called himself at one time in his life. Petit Gervais: A little Italian organ-grinder. Cosette (or "The Lark"): The little girl whom John saved and made happy. Marius: The man Cosette married in the end. Thenardier and His Wife: The only really bad people in this story. Gavroche: A plucky, witty little gutter-boy Fauchelevent: An enemy of Father Madeleine; but Father Madeleine saved his life.

Here is the book's intro to give you a feeling for the book's tone and messaging:

WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT I am going to tell you the story of a man who found life very hard. His name was John. Everything seemed to be against him, from the time he was born till the time he died; life pressed very hard upon him, and he nearly became a very, very bad man. Only you will hear how, just at the right time, he met a very, very good man; and that changed John; and always afterwards John tried to be very good himself. And he had some wonderful adventures, but he always behaved like a hero; and he was tremendously strong, and could lift great weights, and could climb any wall, and hit the mark with a bullet every time. And while we are telling his story we will hear about other people too who found life press very hard upon them. There is little Cosette, who had no father or mother, and was very cruelly treated by the savage Thenardier and Thenardiess (they are the only really bad people in these stories). And there is Javert, who hunted Old John for years and years—but John saved Javert’s life. And there's sharp, plucky little Gavroche, and Fauchelevent, and the two little stray children, and Marius, and the dear good old Bishop who changed John’s heart. And we shall see what happened at the Bishop's house, and at the Convent of the Petit Piepus, and inside Gavroche’s elephant, and when Marius watched through the peephole into Thenardier’s room. And these things happened—not long, long ago, but only about a hundred years back from to-day. The great Napoleon was Emperor during part of the time; the dear old Bishop knew him; then Louis was king; then Charles the Tenth. And we will hear about the terrible battle of Waterloo, and about the people fighting against the soldiers behind a barricade in the streets of Paris; and about the cruel way the French people treated men in gaol (but our English people were nearly as bad). I cannot say that the things in this story really and actually happened. But at any rate they are just like things that really happened to real people. The man who wrote this story was a great Frenchman named Victor Hugo; and his heart was sorry for the hard life that men like Old John had and Gavroche, and poor helpless little Cosette (but Old John saved her, and at last she married and lived happily with Marius). And Victor Hugo wished to make us sorry for such things too. It is true that things are much better now. But there is much still for us to grieve over; and when we grieve over a thing, then we should try to make it better.

Up through the part with Petit-Gervais, it is a fine adaptation for something aimed at children and includes many details. There is even one whole chapter on Myriel, how he went to Italy because of the "terrible French Revolution," how Napoleon made him a bishop, and the episode with the stolen goods from the Cathedral, which probably would be interesting to children? But no Conventionnel of course haha. Myriel is described like this:

He loved all men; and especially he loved to help people who were in misfortue, even if it was their own fault and they had been wicked.

The book is about as Christian as you would expect. Then we get introduced to Javert and are told:

We must not blame Javert too much [for being suspicious of Mayor Madeleine; he was just what the laws made him. They wanted policemen to be like hounds, who only care to follow a scent and hunt down the man they are chasing like a wild beast. This man had to catch men and put them to prison. 0, Father Madeleine, it will be terrible for you if Javert gets an idea you have been in gaol! You must be very, very careful not to give him any sign that you are John. [. . .] We will see that, in the rest of [John's] life, he could have lived happy and rich if only he would have stopped helping people sometimes, when it showed who he was. For Javert was watching and watching. And Javert was like a tiger to people who had been in gaol. He would have hunted his own father or mother if they had escaped from gaol. He said, ‘If a man has been in gaol, he is absolutely bad. No mercy to such men.’’

There is very little Fantine, predictably. (She is never even named.) This is what we get:

There was a poor woman who had become bad just because she could not get any work. [. . .] One night Javert caught this poor woman; he said she had been making a noise on the street. It was not really her, but a cruel man; but Javert said she must go to gaol for six months. [. . .] Javert said, "Policemen, take her away to gaol." Just then Father Madeleine came in, and he made Javert let her go. Javert was terribly angry and that very night he wrote to the head policeman at Paris and said, "Madeleine is really John, and must go back to gaol."

Then we get the trial at Arras which also has some good book details and also "John's" rescue of the sailor and subsequent escape. Surprisingly there is no Sister Simplice though. I guess they didn't want to teach kids that lying is permissible. Now we get to Cosette:

Cosette was terribly afraid of the dark. No one had ever taught her about the good God and the holy Angels who watch.

John takes Cosette to Paris:

I must say that when John saw that he was sent to gaol again, even though he had been so honest and kind while he was called Good Father Madeleine, he had begun to forget about the Bishop a little, and to have bitter thoughts about men like Javert [. . .] but then God sent him Cosette. And that made him loving again [. . .] So we see that the strong man saved the little child, and also the little child saved the strong man.

John and Cosette escape from Javert into the convent and we even get the coffin escape. Now it is time for Marius's backstory.

Later on we will see that John and Cosette went out of the Convent, and met other people. So now I must tell you about those other people, who were going to become part of John’s life and Cosette’s. If you had looked into that old house where Cosette had left Catherine, you would have found that in one room lived a young man called Marius, who wore very shabby clothes, but seemed to be a gentleman; [. . .] His father had been an officer in the army of the Emperor Napoleon, who was always having wars. After each battle, Napoleon would write down the names of those who fought bravely, and often he wrote, “George Pontmercy has been very brave.” That was Marius’s father.

We do get Mabeuf telling Marius about his father although he is not named. We also get Theodule (unnamed) spying on Marius.

The old man [Gillenormand] screamed out bad words about Napoleon and Marius's father. Marius felt as if he had a whirlwind in his head. Then he shouted bad words about the King. [Marius leaves, refusing to accept his grandfather's money] He thought of his heroic father; and he thought about the King, who did not govern well, and he felt, "If ever I get the chance, I will fight for the people, and drive this King away." This is why Marius was poor.

The book briefly mentions that Marius was in love with Cosette and that the Thenardiers were his neighbors (Eponine is not named). The attempted robbery at the Gorbeau house is recounted, complete with John burning his own arm and Javert offering his hat. Next, we meet the momes.

"Haven't you a father of mother?" [Gavroche] said. "Yes, but we don't know who or where they are." (Now I know who they were. And who do you think were the father and mother of those two little boys? Why, those brutes of Thenardiers! [. . .] But God sent Gavroche to them! And, wasn't it wonderful?

No sir it is not wonderful. Also that wasn't God. That was Victor Hugo. Next. This is a children's book of course so there's lots of repetition and not so subtle foreshadowing, like this comment about Gavroche when he gives the momes bread:

"Surely, if he had grown up, Gavroche would have been a loving many like old John!"

Montparnasse isn't named but of course, we do get the story of his attempt to rob John and the subsequent sermon (since this is quite a Jesus-y adaptation that should come as no surprise. Actually the sermon is surprisingly abridged) and he asks Gavroche to help break his father out of prison. Then it takes a quick turn.

[Gavroche] never saw the little ones after that morning, though he told them to come back to the elephant and he would look after them. And now I must tell you the last adventure of little Gavroche. There was fighting in the streets of Paris. The people hated their King, and got guns, and built up barricades with stones and carts, and fought the soldiers. And Gavroche thought, ‘I must have a share in this. How grand!" [. . .] The fighting was terrible. There was a cannon firing at the barricade; the men inside would not surrender, but determined to die. That poor old man to whom Gavroche had flung the purse, was there, and a bullet went through his head and killed him. He would never want food any more.

Then Gavroche gets killed too. Then it flashes back to John and Cosette. It even mentions the scene with the chain gang. It is very out of order at this point and tells us that John wanted to leave France because he saw Marius and Thenardier and Javert all sneaking around his house. Marius finds out Cosette is leaving.

He thought, "I have lost her; I do not care if I die." At that very moment he got a message from some of his friends, saying, "We have built a barricade; we are going to fight against this King and his soldiers; come and join us." Marius rushed off. It would be a relief to him to fight savagely and die, he felt. It was that very barricade to which Gavroche went. The Captain and the other men there welcomed him gladly.

For some reason this is quite out of order and we are back in time to Gavroche being alive so that he can deliver Marius's letter and identify Javert. We keep getting told that Javert is very brave, such as for facing down Thenardier's gun or not crying when captured. Also Marius kills a soldier and saves Gavroche. Things happen as you would expect, John arrives with the fifth uniform, he secretly frees Javert, now it is time for the end of the battle:

All the men were killed at last but the Captain. He threw away his weapon and said, ‘‘Fire—shoot me!” He folded his arms. He was grand; any man is grand who dies for what he believes to be right. The soldiers made a line opposite him. The sergeant said, “Would you like to have your eyes bandaged?’ “No,” said the Captain. “Take aim,” said the Sergeant. Suddenly a man rose up; it was a friend of the Captain’s; he had actually been asleep in spite of all the noise and danger. He said, “Stop.” The soldiers lowered their guns. He said to the Captain, ‘May I die with you?”’ He stood up by his side. The soldiers aimed and fired. They both fell dead.

Then comes the escape through the sewers, about which the narrator/abridger says "of all the things that Old John did, I think the bravest and most wonderful was the way he carried Marius miles and miles through those drains and got him out safe." Thenardier lets John and Marius out of course.

Suddenly, right in front of him [John] saw—Javert! John did not know it, but this was really a trick of that brute Thenardier. For Javert had been chasing Thenardier, and had seen him go into the grating: and he sat and waited. Thenardier thought, “If I let this fellow go out, Javert did not see it was me who came in, and will not, look for me any more.��’ So he let John out.

Javert and John take Marius home. The narrator continues to encourage John, saying "Oh well done John, well done indeed!" Next is the chapter called "How John Conquered Javert At Last," which is this book's version of Javert Derailed. We are told:

"[Javert] walked on and on, thinking more deeply than he had ever thought in his life. At last he came to the river; and he leant on the railing, thinking. His thoughts were tossing in his mind like waves of the sea, just as John's had been when he had met the old Bishop. And it was the same kind of reason."

Javert is torn between the voices of two people in his head, the head of police and a mysterious person: God.

Javert seemed to see John wearing the ugly dress they wore in gaol, but with a halo round his dead. Javert hated to think it. He wished that John has killed him in the barricade, after all.

Throw in some antisemitism for good measure:

[Javert] could not help feeling that [to turn in John] would be like Pontius Pilate handing over Jesus to the Jews, and washing his hands and saying, "I have nothing to do with his fate."

Javert writes his letter containing "some things that he wanted to tell the head of the police" and goes back to the river.

"Well then, I must not live; I must die" [thought Javert.] And next minute, if you had been there, you would have seen Javert fall into the water. Old John had beaten him at last, not by being clever, but by being good.

That's not good! So Marius and Cosette get married but John leaves the party.

His brave heart seemed to break. He hid his face in Cosette's old clothes. If you had been there, you would have heard terrible sobs. John had defeated Javert, and harder still-- he had defeated every thought of self in his own heart.

Then Thenardier shows up with "one of his daughters." ("The other daughter was dead; poor girl, she was not so bad as the rest.") He tells Marius he wants to go to America to find a gold mine. He tells Marius about John's supposed crime ("Truly the ways of God are wonderful," comments the narrator) and Marius says he already knew about it (even though he never saw John tell Marius about his past.) Marius gives Thenardier the money to go to America "but [Thenardier] did not become a better man. He became one of those cruel men who buy and sell slaves. He is the only really wicked man in all these stories." Then the narrator says hey remember that daughter that I said was not as bad as all the rest? What happened to her? Then he jumps back in time and tells us how Eponine stopped the robbery at the Rue Plumet and died to save Marius. Then the narrator says btw let me tell you what happened to the momes :

I don't know what happened to the little fellows after [the episode with the bread in the garden.] They had to look after themselves, just like Gavroche. Perhaps they grew like him-- knowing a lot of bad things and bad people, but brave and willing and kind. Perhaps they got into prison like Old John; and if they did, perhaps like him they did not become bad, but met kind friends and turned out good true men. Poor little fellows!

Now time skips back and John decides to tell Marius about his past.

I am afraid that Marius was so horrified to know that John was from gaol that he wished him never to come near Cosette again.

Without Cosette, John becomes very sick. The doctor gives him a crucifix which keeps him alive for a while but he is about to die when Cosette and Marius come to ask his forgiveness.

John was gazing at Cosette. He was quite calm. Suddenly he arose, and seemed to be strong. He walked firmly to the wall, took down the little figure of the Saviour on the Cross, laid it on the table and said, "Behold the great Master." Then he sank back in the chair.

To the book's credit I guess they do include that John declined to see a priest.

With his last words he told them where he would like to be buried, and talked about Cosette when she was little, and told them to give money to help poor people. [. . .] He said that from the Invisible World he would watch them. Then as they knelt by him, each holding one of his hands, and choking with tears, he fell back dead, with the light from the old Bishop's candlesticks on the white old face turned up to heaven.

The End.

[bluedalahorse]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

I was tagged by @silvagrey! Thank you for bringing me into the game.

How many works do you have on Ao3?

Four so far! Heart and Homeland is massive and multichapter, though. Hoping to post two other fics this week—one old one for the Les Mis fandom, one new one for Young Royals fandom.

What's your total Ao3 word count?

254,916

What fandoms do you write for?

Primarily Young Royals. I do have one sort of experimental piece for a show called Merli Sapere Aude and am going to be posting an old Les Mis fic (that I’ve never put on AO3 before) for Barricade Day this Thursday.

Top five fics by kudos:

Heart and Homeland comes first, followed by Terrain Boundaries Territory. Peripeteia and Pieces That Make Up A Set are tied for six kudos.

Do you respond to comments?

Yes, absolutely! I came of age in the livejournal era when comments sections were buzzing with conversation. Please just come and chat with me on my fics, it’s so much fun.

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Chapter 32 of Heart and Homeland is the angstiest/most tragic ending of anything I’ve ever written and I am still proud of it. I made @heliza24 cry! But Heart and Homeland overall is going to have a happy ending, I promise.

Calculated Dust, the Les Mis fic I’m going to post, also has an anngsty ending.

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I initially read this question and went ??? because I wasn’t sure how to answer it. I think this question might be better answered by my readers and what they might find happy.

Do you get hate on fics?

No. I suppose I get more indifference because I tend to write less popular characters and pairings.

Do you write smut?

Yes! I’m one of those aces who enjoys writing smut. My smut is not very explicit, admittedly. But I enjoy it as a form of character study (and also it is fun and hot.)

Craziest crossover?

I’m not going to tell you because I want it to be a surprise, but there is a blink-and-you-miss-it reference to a favorite childhood book series in my current WIP. I wonder who will spot it?

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge. I do not recommend stealing my fics, though.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I haven’t yet. I suppose if I wanted to be a masochist I could translate some of my fanfiction into Latin.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes! @heliza24 and I are the dream team! The great thing about writing with a co-writer is that we try to one up one another and it means our stories are full of all kinds of twists and turns. We also sometimes record ourselves reading new chapters and send them to one another in little “audiobooks.”

All time favourite ship?

Sargust aka MY SHIP OF ALL TIME. I will write them tragically, I will write them hopefully, I will write them in the 19th century, I will write them in an AU where August is also a girl and they are sapphic. Sorry not sorry but they are… so hot together actually. (Obligatory disclaimer applies.)

What's a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I have this unfinished series of Heartstopper vignettes where they all have to take care of “egg children” at school as a project about responsible parenting. With one exception (eggception?) people are not paired with their romantic partner as coparent. 

The most important part of the fic is Darcy and Isaac deciding to protest the coparenting assignment by arguing for a better, more inclusive sex ed curriculum. They pass out a bunch of pamphlets written by one Dr. Jean Milburn. Darcy and Isaac’s chapter is told entirely as a school email chain, including some very beleaguered emails sent by Mr. Farouk.

It would be fun to finish that but I don’t know if I will because I sort of forget about Heartstopper when it’s not airing.

What are your writing strengths?

I think I have a good grasp of how to select telling details that show what’s going on in a scene. I also am very good at getting into a character’s brain/mindset and bringing the reader close to them. 

What are your writing weaknesses?

Writing quickly. Knowing how to end scenes. Being concise. (I’m hoping to get into a workshop this summer that will help me with the “being concise” thing.)

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

It’s cool? I like it? I read a lot of YA books that do that, so I’m used to reading it.

First fandom you wrote in?

If being a little kid and writing stories based on stories I like counts, probably Disney’s Robin Hood or The Wizard of Oz.

Here’s some Wizard of Oz “fanfiction” from when I was about four or five years old:

Favourite fic you've written?

Definitely Heart and Homeland, but the current one I’m working on (tentatively titled Swell the Numbers) is fixing itself in my heart too.

No pressure tags: to my roommate and bestie @coruscantrhapsody!