Tag: literature

Heyy do you know some books with teratophilia themes? Or if not, some good monster books?

fuck-yeah-monsters-and-villains:

Thank you for
asking! Really, your ask was exactly what I needed. You see, I was thinking
of writing this list for some time now but I was too lazy.

I have stuff to
recommend because I‘ve been actively looking for books that
feature inter-species/monster romances for a long time. Fun fact: Up
until recently I didn‘t know that this kink was called
teratophilia. 🙂 Thanks, tumblr for educating me. Also, since I found
out how to navigate the relevant tags my life has improved
immeasurably.

Books with monsters as love interests:

  • Radiance (Wraith
    Kings, #1) – Grace Draven

The
male protagonist is terrifying by human standards. He finds the human
heroine appalling and he’s just as ugly to her. The like each other
from the start.

Alien-lizard-man,
monk and fighter… Need I say more? Ok: The heroine is fat. She does
lose weight while trying to survive on a hostile alien planet though.
The lizard man protagonist is interested in her either way. All kinds
of trigger warnings for this book: violence, rape, gore, death. It’s
also over 900 pages long. Crazy.

Alien-Insect
man, single dad and adorable. The human social worker really tries to
help him and she does… Reads like District 9 fan fiction which is a
good thing! This book is a bit tamer than The Last Hour of Gann but
the sex is still graphic. 🙂

Check
out this author’s other books as she seems to specialize in
monsters of all kinds.

Girl
is abducted by the King of the Goblins. This is not a David Bowie
Goblin King, this one looks really monstrous. It’s a YA book but
the good kind. The heroine is not an insufferable brat and there is
no love triangle (note: love triangles are only acceptable for me if
they end in a three-way).

Really
beautiful and magical book, sex happens but off-screen.

Another
one where the Goblin King really looks like a goblin. Set in
Jane-Austen-Land.

The
heroine is almost a cyborg. Her extremities were replaced by
completely overpowered prosthetics after a horrific assault while
working as a government agent. She’s traumatized, in pain, doesn’t
have full control of her new body and hasn’t come to terms with her
new menacing look. The rock star demon elf protagonist is very much
into her. Yes, really.

Add
a really inhuman demon to the mix with whom the heroine also has an
intense relationship. Don’t worry it’s not a fucking love
triangle (the bane of my existence). You’ll see… Actually the
description of the whole demon society is very cool and unique and
probably my favorite part of the book.

The
male love interest is a genetically manipulated cat-like human. Plot
driven science fiction book.

Trigger
warning: atrocious cover art

Still,
give this book a chance! Fluffy and sweet romance between a human
woman and an alien-lizard man. Enough plot to be still considered a
science fiction romance rather than just erotica in space.

  • Earthrise
    (Her Instruments, #1) – M.C.A Hogarth

This
is an actual furry novel. I did not know such a thing existed.
Thankfully the main couple is a WOC and a space elf but there are so
many furries in this book. For example there is a furry (tiger-like ?) couple. They are siblings (twins actually)… But don’t
worry that’s perfectly normal on their planet.

Now
one might think by this description that this book is completely
depraved erotica. Unfortunately it’s not. The tone of this book is
so sweet and cute it could be directed at children. Spoilers: It’s
not because, you know, incest…

So
yeah, strange experience but if your are into this stuff this might
be the book for you.

This
one is really erotica. Mainly sex, a little plot.

Human
heroine meets impossibly tall gender-fluid space-elf prince who grows
an interesting cock over the course of this novella. Yeah.


Books
I haven’t read yet :


(I
don’t know if they are good.)

  • Books
    with dragons:     They are really easy to find. Just type ‘dragon’
    in the search bars of Goodreads or Amazon. From children’s books to
    erotica – there are many titles to choose from. I can’t really
    recommend a specific book because they are not my preferred kind of
    monster. I have read a few books with dragons but nothing that was
    memorable enough to recommend it. I’ve yet to find an interesting
    dragon. 😉

Do you know a book with a monstrous love interest? Please, contact me or reblog with your recommendation! Thanks 🙂

Reblogging
to add some books I forgot in my initial post:

It’s
the end of the world but in a remote valley a small group of people
survived. A woman strikes a deal with a magical creature, the Hob to
keep them safe.The
Hob is monstrous, magical and mischievous and also the last of his
kind. The poor monster boy just wants a girlfriend. 😉

Human
blogger tries to raise awareness for the amphibious hero’s people
who suffer on their occupied home world. The first book seems to set
up a polyamorous relationship.  

Books
I haven’t read yet:

Seems
to have a lot in common with The Shape of Water. It’s also the only
book on this list that falls into the category of literary fiction.

For
Orc lovers. I don’t know if there is romance. 

Thanks
to @roguesareth who suggested

  • Valiant
    (Modern Faerie Tales
    #2)
    – Holly Black

The
love interest is a bridge troll.

Literary References in Reylo: Jane Eyre

starwarsconnection:

Today’s discussion is about classic British literature references found in the Rey and Kylo Ren dynamic in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. 

This episode centers on analysis of Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell.

In our Jane Eyre and Reylo analysis we discuss:

  • Similarities between Jane Eyre and Rey, including their lonely, deprived upbringing and first friendships that become as family.

  • Jane and Rey’s longing for a profoundly spiritual and passionate connection. 
  • The remarkable bond that allowed Jane to hear Rochester’s voice from miles away after they had separated, and that connects Rey and Kylo Ren across the stars. 😉
  • Jane’s kinship and superficial contentment among the Rivers, which she eventually understands will never fulfill her on the level of her passionate bond with Rochester. We argue that in the same way, Rey will never find true fulfillment among The Resistance and her connections there, and will eventually seek out Ben as Jane sought Rochester – and it will be romantic AF.
  • We look at Kylo Ren as a Byronic hero, and discuss character similarities between him and Edward Rochester. 
  • We find parallels in the Jane/Rochester romance and the story of Rey and Kylo so far.
  • Lastly, a quick pit-stop by the horrendous possibilities offered by Ben Solo’s potential “atonement”. Some haters who be hatin’ would like to see him bald and disfigured, whereas others make a case for his eventual death or loss of Force abilities as penance for his sins. We conclude that maiming, Force castration and death are not necessary for Ben Solo to have a meaningful and complete redemption arc. 

In our discussion of Reylo and North and South we overview the fiery Margaret Hale/John Thornton romance, including their enemies-to-lovers dynamic

  • His failed first proposal and their painful separation
  • Their journey towards each other and eventual reconciliation  – and how it all relates to the story of Rey and Kylo Ren.

Stay tuned for part 2 of our discussion, which centers on Pride and Prejudice and other literary works.

Today’s episode features awesome analysis by new Star Wars Connection member Chandra. 

We apologize for some trouble with parts of our audio – we are improving our sound for the next part of our discussion, which is coming soon to a galaxy near you. ^^

Literary References in Reylo: Jane Eyre

Ugly Badass Girls Getting the Hot Guy in Fantasy and Science Fiction

fuck-yeah-monsters-and-villains:

A very specific list of books and movies with unconventional looking/conventionally unattractive heroines

Some good examples for ugly heroines are featured in this article (x)

“Ever notice how most heroines in novels just happen to also be devastatingly gorgeous? As if their long, flowing hair or sparkling eyes somehow make them more worthy of the title of heroine? Of course, given that so many classic popular novels about women were written about [sic] men, it kind of makes sense that literature would be so full of idealized versions of women that dude authors kind of wish they could hook up with.

It’d be nice if the occasional lady in literature was just, you know, a person, rather than some silk-skinned goddess or one of the other many adjectives that plague the women of literature who are just trying to go about their business of surviving whatever cruel plots the author has devised for them. I mean, there are plenty of male heroes in literature who get by with the looks of Cyrano de Bergerac, or Quasimodo, or Oscar Wao, or, more often than not, with no idea at all as to their general attractiveness. So, where are all the “ugly” ladies in literature?”

This article also makes some good points about the importance of ugly heroines. (x)

And here is my personal list (in no particular order):

Books 

The mother of all ugly heroines.

The heroine perceives herself as unattractive. After being cursed
she spends the majority of the book as an old woman.

The heroine is certainly not as attractive as her beautiful best
friend who gets her own interesting plot line. 

  • The
    Darkangel     (the Darkangel Trilogy, #1) – Meredith Ann Pierce

The protagonist starts out as unattractive, later she undergoes a transformation of
her appearance which represents a turning point in her character development.

This book has lots of female characters of all shapes and sizes.
The main heroine is plain and a bit overweight. Another important
famale character is dead and looks the part. Both have very
attractive love interests.

Very masculine looking heroine (hairy).

She’s plain.

Other characters in this book are baffled by the interest of
the very attractive male protagonist in the heroine. 

  • Radiance (Wraith
    Kings, #1) – Grace Draven

This heroine is actually very attractive by human standards.
Unfortunately the male protagonist isn’t human and he finds her
appalling and he’s just as ugly to her. The like each other from the
start.

The heroine spends her time around
(mostly) human looking and extremely attractive trolls. She’s not
quite up to their standards.

The heroine is almost a cyborg. Her extremities were replaced by
completely overpowered prosthetics after a horrific assault while
working as a government agent. She’s traumatized, in pain, doesn’t
have full control of her new body and hasn’t come to terms with her
new menacing look. The rock star demon elf protagonist is very much
into her. Yes, really. This book uses and often subverts every trope
known to fantasy and science fiction.

  • Herb-Witch (Lord
    Alchemist Duology, #1) – Elizabeth McCoy

Within the world described in this book the heroine’s look is not only considered
ugly but also shameful as it reveals her barbarian heritage.

The protagonist starts out as rather plain, later she undergoes a transformation of
her appearance which represents a turning point in her character development. 

The heroine is fat. She does lose weight while trying to survive
on a hostile alien planet though. The lizard man protagonist is
interested in her either way. All kinds of trigger warnings for this
book: violence, rape, gore, death. It’s also over 900 pages long.
Crazy.

This one stands out as it’s the only book written by a man. It’s
also one of my earliest conscious encounters with an unattractive
female protagonist. For me that was a formative experience. Rather on
the hard side of science fiction the narrative follows the good
looking male protagonist who is a kind of emissary from a culture that values
aesthetics to the extreme coming to a planet where people live by a
more practical approach to life. The female protagonist assigned to him as his assistant is so ugly to him that he can’t
stop staring. After some culture clashing they get married. 

Books I haven’t read yet:


Movies / TV series

I’m always looking for more of my beloved ugly heroines. They are quite difficult to find. So if you know of a book or a movie, please let me know! Reblog this with your suggestions, chat me up, ask or submit. All suggestions are welcome.

TAG: On my blog I use the “unconventional looking / conventionally unattractive heroine” tag.

Weiterlesen

Update:

@dasfeministmermaid suggested:

suggested for Brienne and Jaime (I haven’t read ASOIAF, so I don’t know how they are described in the book but Brienne and Aria from the TV series are certainly great unconventional looking female characters.)

Written by the wonderful @liberlibelulaart. I think everbody in the Reylo fandom knows her beautiful and often hilarious art.

Booktrailer:

Very cool to also have a manga on the list of unattrative heroines!

@amamymayer suggested:

Features a heavily scarred heroine.

Thank you for your suggestions. I hope there are still more books, movies and comics out there with conventionally unattractive heroines. 

wreckitmaedhroslovesreylo:

I sensed a pattern..

Rey and Kylo (Star Wars)

image

Han and Leia (Star Wars)

image

Anakin and Padme (Star Wars)

image

Rhaegar and Lyanna (Game of Thrones)

image

Bai Qian (Si Yin, Su Su) and Ye Hua (Zhao Ge) (Ten Miles of Peach Blossom)

image

Hae Soo and Wang So ( Scarlet Heart Ryeo)

image

Darcy and Elizabeth (Pride and Prejudice)

image

Jane and Mr. Rochester (Jane Eyre)

image

John Thornton and Margaret Hale (North and South)

image

Heathcliff and Catherine (Wuthering Heights)

image

Nice outfits…( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Ugly Badass Girls Getting the Hot Guy in Fantasy and Science Fiction

A very specific list of books and movies with unconventional looking/conventionally unattractive heroines

Some good examples for ugly heroines are featured in this article (x)

“Ever notice how most heroines in novels just happen to also be devastatingly gorgeous? As if their long, flowing hair or sparkling eyes somehow make them more worthy of the title of heroine? Of course, given that so many classic popular novels about women were written about [sic] men, it kind of makes sense that literature would be so full of idealized versions of women that dude authors kind of wish they could hook up with.

It’d be nice if the occasional lady in literature was just, you know, a person, rather than some silk-skinned goddess or one of the other many adjectives that plague the women of literature who are just trying to go about their business of surviving whatever cruel plots the author has devised for them. I mean, there are plenty of male heroes in literature who get by with the looks of Cyrano de Bergerac, or Quasimodo, or Oscar Wao, or, more often than not, with no idea at all as to their general attractiveness. So, where are all the “ugly” ladies in literature?”

This article also makes some good points about the importance of ugly heroines. (x)

And here is my personal list (in no particular order):

Books 

The mother of all ugly heroines.

The heroine perceives herself as unattractive. After being cursed
she spends the majority of the book as an old woman.

The heroine is certainly not as attractive as her beautiful best
friend who gets her own interesting plot line. 

  • The
    Darkangel     (the Darkangel Trilogy, #1) – Meredith Ann Pierce

The protagonist starts out as unattractive, later she undergoes a transformation of
her appearance which represents a turning point in her character development.

This book has lots of female characters of all shapes and sizes.
The main heroine is plain and a bit overweight. Another important
famale character is dead and looks the part. Both have very
attractive love interests.

Very masculine looking heroine (hairy).

She’s plain.

Other characters in this book are baffled by the interest of
the very attractive male protagonist in the heroine. 

  • Radiance (Wraith
    Kings, #1) – Grace Draven

This heroine is actually very attractive by human standards.
Unfortunately the male protagonist isn’t human and he finds her
appalling and he’s just as ugly to her. The like each other from the
start.

The heroine spends her time around
(mostly) human looking and extremely attractive trolls. She’s not
quite up to their standards.

The heroine is almost a cyborg. Her extremities were replaced by
completely overpowered prosthetics after a horrific assault while
working as a government agent. She’s traumatized, in pain, doesn’t
have full control of her new body and hasn’t come to terms with her
new menacing look. The rock star demon elf protagonist is very much
into her. Yes, really. This book uses and often subverts every trope
known to fantasy and science fiction.

  • Herb-Witch (Lord
    Alchemist Duology, #1) – Elizabeth McCoy

Within the world described in this book the heroine’s look is not only considered
ugly but also shameful as it reveals her barbarian heritage.

The protagonist starts out as rather plain, later she undergoes a transformation of
her appearance which represents a turning point in her character development. 

The heroine is fat. She does lose weight while trying to survive
on a hostile alien planet though. The lizard man protagonist is
interested in her either way. All kinds of trigger warnings for this
book: violence, rape, gore, death. It’s also over 900 pages long.
Crazy.

This one stands out as it’s the only book written by a man. It’s
also one of my earliest conscious encounters with an unattractive
female protagonist. For me that was a formative experience. Rather on
the hard side of science fiction the narrative follows the good
looking male protagonist who is a kind of emissary from a culture that values
aesthetics to the extreme coming to a planet where people live by a
more practical approach to life. The female protagonist assigned to him as his assistant is so ugly to him that he can’t
stop staring. After some culture clashing they get married. 

Books I haven’t read yet:


Movies / TV series

I’m always looking for more of my beloved ugly heroines. They are quite difficult to find. So if you know of a book or a movie, please let me know! Reblog this with your suggestions, chat me up, ask or submit. All suggestions are welcome.

TAG: On my blog I use the “unconventional looking / conventionally unattractive heroine” tag.

What? It’s not realistic to have an attractive male protagonist fall in love with an unattractive/flawed heroine???? No way!!!???!

Ok, first of all you can fuck off with your realism in my escapism. And secondly what about all the boring, average and often even annoying male self insert characters? Nobody bats an eye at some Gary Stu getting the gorgeous girl in the end. That was actually pretty much the standard plot line for a long time in mainstream media. And I’m sick and tired of it.

I’m also sick and tired of over-abundance of stunningly beautiful girls and women in genre fiction. As if being unattractive or even only average looking makes you undeserving of being the heroine and falling in love. Oh wait, I’m being unfair. The romance genre actually offers a wealth of books with flawed heroines. Just google it! There are book lists on amazon and goodreads for every bodily imperfection (including disabilities) imaginable.

The romance genre in general is great in catering to the female
gaze. There is just one problem. I’m not into it. This is my
personal preference. In no way do I think that one genre is superior
to another. I love romance in my fantasy and science fiction but I
don’t want it to be the main focus of the story. I’m picky like
that.

On a personal level the reason for the wish to read about
unattractive, flawed or just average looking heroines is certainly
the identification factor. Do I think I’m ugly? No, but I’m also
not devastatingly beautiful and I’m totally ok with that. But there
was a time in my life when I wasn’t so confident, when I felt
unattractive. Some part of me will always feel like an awkward,
insecure teenager. That part of me needs to be stroked from time to
time. But I guess I’ve always been this way even before the crippling
effects of puberty. Even when I was I little girl I imagined stories
with normal (=like me) looking girls who were smart and capable and
often had to help some beautiful but useless princess. Guess who the
prince fell in love with at the end.

Apart from using an unattractive heroine as my self insert I just
think a hot guy falling in love with a girl or woman for her
character rather than her physical appearance is THE MOST ROMANTIC
THING EVER!!! It’s not that deep. Or is it? Beauty is worshipped in
our society. The pressure to be beautiful and therefore lovable is
much higher for girls and women than for men. As if a woman is only worthwhile if she is also considered physically attractive. The fact that there are
so few conventionally unattractive heroines in fiction actually
proves the point.

I’m talking strictly as a reader here but I guess having someone
fall for an unconventional looking woman is certainly more difficult
to write convincingly. Explaining and describing why someone would
fall for an average looking or conventionally unattractive woman
demands that the focus is on love rather than lust (I don’t mean
that it can’t or shouldn’t be sexy). The pay-off is also so much
sweeter. A declaration of love where the male protagonist says
something original instead of just stammering about the heroine’s
beauty is also much more satisfying.  Making the woman beautiful
often feels like a shortcut to me. Actually I’m now at point where I
need exceptional characterization to make me still care about a
beautiful heroine. That sounds petty and maybe it is but look at the
above list. It’s quite short compared to the tons of media
featuring physically flawless girls and women.

Oh, and as I’m already bitter let me talk about two tropes that I
hate with a passion: “The Makeover”. It’s most often found in movies
and goes as following. Unattractive coded (think glasses and
comfortable clothes) girl or woman played by a beautiful actress
learns how to use make-up and dons a skimpy dress and suddenly the
male love interest deems her worthy of his affection. Boom, true
love. NO, THANKS.

Yes, I’m aware that sometimes heroines undergo a physical
transformation that mark a turning point in their spiritual journey.
If that’s the case I’m usually okay with the beautifying effects of
character development.

The other trope is having a heroine that is described as unattractive within her world but is actually conforming to beauty standards of our world. For example the poor girl is ostracized because she’s a little bit too tall and rather thin. Tragic. She’d be a supermodel in our world. Or the heroine’s breasts are too round and her hips are too pronounced. So ugly. What a terrible fate to look like Nicky Minaj.

I want my heroines to be real woman. I love it when they are fat, extremely short/tall, have plain faces, have saggy breasts and huge thighs, when they are truly imperfect, when they are like me. Those fictional girls and women helped me learn to love myself.  

Kill the King and take the Crown: Kylo Ren, Rey, and the Usurper/Holy Mother

ohtze:

image

“We’re going to win this war not by fighting what we hate, but by saving what we love.”

So I’ve been an emotional, Star Wars-driven wreck for the past two years—ever since Kylo Ren and Rey first appeared on screen. Even still The Last Jedi was like a bucket of cold water on my system. When I realized just how sexual the film was—that I was basically getting everything I’d wanted and more—I couldn’t breathe. Because holy s**t. Salt gods preserve us, they’re really going there. Give me some time to prepare myself *fumbling with pill bottle,* give me some time, I’m not ready *downing pills,* I’m not ready at all—

image

(Trust me, I love the film. I’m just in a state of shock at how ballsy it is.)

The Last Jedi is the most intelligent, multi-layered Star Wars movie to-date. It’s also my favorite out of the franchise, and with its creation Lucasfilm has finally won me over. After being gifted not once but twice with amazing stories and complex characters, I owe it to the filmmakers to say “you know what. You’re on top of this. I’ll wait to see how the story shapes up.” So this essay will be a little less critical than normal. But I’m still going to talk about what I saw.

For those of you who have followed this blog since the beginning, you’ll know it’s been awhile since I’ve written any “meta.” I’m an illustrator by trade, a fiction writer by night. Academic essays are not my natural element, which is why I tend to shitpost ad nauseum whenever someone leaves me too close to a keyboard. That said, in the days right after The Force Awakens I meta’d a lot. My most widely circulated essays were:

This work has aged in its technical execution over the past couple years, but I still feel pretty good about it. The writing was genuine and from the heart. Like many who saw the same things as I did on screen, I find it extremely validating to have our shared predictions proven correct. It’s such a weight off my shoulders to see that no, we weren’t imagining stuff, and yes, we can enjoy the dynamic between Kylo Ren and Rey in this way, in canon. After two years of constant harassment over a fictional “ship,” it’s a victory. I’ll never forget how we were treated. But I digress.

After writing the bulk of my meta post-Force Awakens, I didn’t feel like pumping out any more essays until I saw The Last Jedi. Then the bug bit and the urge came upon me again. The Force Awakens showed us what kind of dynamic would arise—namely “Reylo,” or a romantic relationship between Kylo Ren and Rey. The Last Jedi showed us where this dynamic will head. We’ve evolved from a Death and the Maiden motif to one that clearly depicts an Usurper and Holy Mother, which… wow. That dynamic has a lot of connotations associated with it, and it was not the film I was expecting to get. I’m still happy because it’s being depicted well, but Jesus its bold as f**k.

Additionally, to those of you who have been predicting since The Force Awakens that we’re going to get Anakin and Padme’s romance in reverse (“Show me, grandfather, and I will finish what you started,” Kylo repeats to the ghosts of his past, desperately wishing to do better):

image
image
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^The other proposal for galactic domination. (external source)

Congrats. I’m pretty sure you’ll get your wish.

Of course this story is not “the same as […] Han and Leia,” as Rian Johnson assured the skeptics. The Sequel Trilogy is not inspired by them. The Last Jedi is deeper, mythic, and based around healing psychic wounds in the Force, caused by everyone’s favorite sand-hating hot mess.

A few housekeeping things that I want to get out of the way before I begin: this essay will be image heavy, and it currently clocks in at over 15,000 words. Yes, 15,000. Please for the love of Crait do not open it on tumblr’s mobile app, you will break it. A giant thank you to @ashesforfoxes for beta’ing, and a special shout out to @pixelrey for the images/gifs. I also want to say thank you to @ugnaught77. Your help in tracking down and compiling the visual references/videos was invaluable. Congrats on your Anidala predictions.

Alright, here we go: an essay even longer than Death and the Maiden. I hope you’re all ready for a Force-bonded Oedipus complex, because… welp…

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^ The other hot mess.

See the rest of the meta below the jump.

Weiterlesen

Star Wars explained. Thank you, Ohtze!

Brilliant meta that makes me appreciate the writers of the Sequel Trilogy so so much. If everything Ohtze pointed out in this meta was intentional and planned ahead than my respect for the creators is now limitless.

THE ROSE AND THE RING by William Makepeace Thackeray

Between the kingdoms of Paflagonia and Crim Tartary, there lived a mysterious personage, who was known in those countries as the Fairy Blackstick, from the ebony wand or crutch which she carried; on which she rode to the moon sometimes, or upon other excursions of business or pleasure, and with which she performed her wonders. When she was young, and had been first taught the art of conjuring by the necromancer, her father, she was always practicing her skill, whizzing about from one kingdom to another upon her black stick, and conferring her fairy favors upon this Prince or that.

Check out this book on Goodreads: The Rose and the Ring https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/654972.The_Rose_and_the_Ring

Reylo vibe recommendation by @ewa-jednak-chce-spac who says: “This book gives me Reylo vibes due to the fact that the main romantic couple is a prince and a servant girl. He’s the rightful heir to the throne (stolen by his uncle) and a servant girl (later she turns out to be a lost princess from another kingdom). He’s the rightful heir to the throne (stolen by his uncle). The servant girl later turns out to be a lost princess from another kingdom. So it gives me Reylo vibes mostly because of the forbidden love between a guy from royality and a poor girl. 😉

There are some adaptations of this book, including a Polish TV series from 1980s. A piece of trivia: In the Anglo-Saxon world this book is treated (as it was intended) as a satirical book, while in Poland it’s treated as a fairytale story for children. ;)”

Do you have a REYLO VIBE recommendation? Submit or contact me!💙💙💙

Bride of the Monstrous: Meeting the Other in The Force Awakens

ashesforfoxes:

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This is (my apologies in advance) an extremely long continuation of the analysis I presented in the Descent, in which I explain the next step of the archetypal Heroine’s Journey as presented in The Force Awakens.

Consider yourself warned: this presupposes a relationship between Rey and Kylo Ren which transcends the familial. Hic sunt leones. 

Weiterlesen

Classic reylo meta from the early days of the fandom.

Incredibly deep and thought-provoking meta shining a light on the parallels between reylo, ancient myths, folktales and works of literature such as Eros and Psyche, Beauty and the Beast, Prince Lindworm, East of the Sun, West of the Moon, Bluebeard, Dracula, Phantom of the Opera, Crimson Peak… By explaining the psychology behind these kinds of stories it is made clear how the dynamic of uniting with the monstrous or “other” man is really a story of female self actualization.

Also the prediction list towards the end holds up VERY well.

This is probably my favourite reylo meta.

THE DELUGE by Henryk Sienkiewicz

Following on the success of With Fire and Sword, this second book of the classic Sienkiewicz Trilogy thunders across the vast historical canvas of Eastern Europe in the 17th Century, and its great human message of war, struggle, love, betrayal and redemption rings just as powerfully today as it did when it was first published in Polish in 1886.

The Deluge is a literary masterpiece, almost unknown today outside its native country, that sweeps across the plains and forests of Poland, Lithuania and Prussia in an epic tale of treasons, faith, selfishness, sacrifice and heroic valor, set against the bloody background of the Swedish invasion of 1655-1657, in an uncanny parallel to the events of our own decade, when an exploited and exhausted Poland threw off the yoke of foreign domination, reacquired its freedom, and opened the doors to liberty in East and Central Europe. Told by a master storyteller who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1905, this scorching tale of battles, passions, and intrigues is the structural and thematic heart of the Trilogy, Poland’s most enduring and popular prose epic. Like the other two books of the Sienkiewicz Trilogy, The Deluge not only depicts vital historical events but mirrors a people’s soul. It is a masterful blend of history and imagination that shows whole nations as well as individuals caught up in earthshaking events and fighting for their lives, and rediscovering themselves through their own commitments.

A new cast of fictional and historical heroines and heroes joins the unforgettable characters of With Fire and Sword, brought to life with a depth seldom found in historical fiction. There is the turbulent and self-willed Andrei Kmita, misled into treason, who triumphs over his enemies as well as himself; the beautiful and thoughtful Olenka whose decency and goodness confound a treacherous villain and inspire the hero; the valiant Father Kordetzki who defends Poland’s holiest shrine and wakens the conscience of a nation; the tragically ambitious Prince Yanush Radzivill and his ruthless cousin, Prince Boguslav, who betray their country; and dozens of others. As in all three novels of the Trilogy, The Deluge dazzles with a gallery of Kings, chancellors, generals, magnates, mercenaries, brave soldiers, heroic spiritual leaders and other historical figures who created the era in which this book is set. Rich in action, drama, humor, faith and simple wisdom, they are part of one human experience, not confined to any single nation; as thrilling, true and challenging today as in their own time, and vital to our understanding of the new Europeans.

First put into 19th Century English more than 100 years ago, and now largely forgotten in the western world, The Deluge comes brilliantly back to life in this rich new adaptation directly from Polish, made by a Polish-born American novelist for the modern reader, and it illuminates the national character of the extraordinary people who are now taking center stage in a free and democratic Europe.

Check out this book on Goodreads: The Deluge https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25239218-the-deluge

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