Reading roundup: WicDiv, Fangirl, more Whyborne and Griffin/SPECTR

[hamsterwoman]

19. Kieron Gillen, Jamie McKelvie, Matthew Wilson, The Wicked + The Divine, volume 1 -- this was a book L borrowed from Awesome Friend Allie (or, more likely to say, that Awesome Friend Allie pressed on her in an effort to get L into comics), and L read it and confessed to me she enjoyed it (with a great dose of chagrin, 'cos she knew there would

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[hamsterwoman]

And her original story - did she steal Nick’s second person thing? XD

LOL But, yeah, I really didn't get any sense of what was so great about it... Like, at all.

And her original story - did she steal Nick’s second person thing? XD

Heh. That is a fair point.

I thought at first that Cather was an homage to Willa Cather -- and maybe it is, either/both in-novel and from the author, 'cos apparently Cather lived in Nebraska and went to the university at Lincoln (I didn't know that until I just looked it up). But as far as author-homage names go, I don't think it's a great one for a girl...

HARRY POTTER MENTION YES. Literally why?? It was so confusing and unnecessary. Was it done to say that lol Simon’s books are not REALLY harry potter? this is such a questionable move..

I would like someone to explain this to me, yes, please! On my own, all I'm left with is a pile of WHYYYY.

I am about 15% into Watchmaker, and it's lovely and melancholy (and, predictably, I like Grace -- who actually reminds me a bit of the cool archeologist lady from the gay Victorians books that we were talking about the other day). Thaniel just met Mori, and I'm still entirely unclear on what is happening, but it's a gentle sort of read.

[ikel89]

I have heard your Drarry skepticism loud and clear, and while I understand, I am secretly hoping Carry On can charm you out of this suspiciousness anyway :') (but you don't need to walk on eggshells if you don't actually like it, as always <3)

questionable Cath/Levi shmoop
*snickering at your description* *like actually snickering* thanks for the non-shmoopy angle link! i will come back to you once i've read it :)

"What kind of crazy is your mom" conversation, is that what you are referring to? It was well done, too, as was everything with Reagan tbh.

I tried to recall any mother moments like you described in my head, but I'm coming up short.. ._. Something to appreciate in other people's retelling, then.

I think Wren was relegated to being absent and/or bland because otherwise she would've stolen the show, but it's still a pity.
Especially in the interpretation you suggested, definitely :D

could see it as a very one-way relationship when not mandated by Piper to be a collaboration, I do wish that had gotten a better arc...
*nods* I don't want to make Nick sound non-problematic in his attitude as we've seen it, but he also didn't seem to be incorrigible, you know? So what I wanted was mostly to have Cath learn to voice her opinions and to say no and explain why - on the example of why submitting their co-authored story would have been an obvious choice - and not just shut him out forever while being flunked by her friends. This way, they lose the bookclub, and Cath doesn't learn to talk. (Two-way process, folks, two-way process. Communication and relationships, I mean.)

Lovely and melancholy describes Watchmaker well and consistently so! Grace is a very interesting character, but tbh who isn't, in that book. Things become clearer as you read along, but you understand now why I tried so hard not to explain anything about the plot of the book? It's fun to discover mysteries as they unfold, and not just give them away as a premise. I hope you're still enjoying the book? How far along are you?:)

(sorry for the delay in answering, social weekend hosting, and my batteries are flickering)

[hamsterwoman]

I am secretly hoping Carry On can charm you out of this suspiciousness anyway :') (but you don't need to walk on eggshells if you don't actually like it, as always <3)

I will be happy to be charmed if it so falls out!

"What kind of crazy is your mom" conversation, is that what you are referring to? It was well done, too, as was everything with Reagan tbh.

Yes, and there's also an earlier scene, or an earlier bit in the same scene (on the phone) where Reagan is complaining that her mother is 'pathological' about wanting to saddle her with furniture, while Cath is standing next to her dad, who was just released from St Richards.

I tried to recall any mother moments like you described in my head, but I'm coming up short.. ._.

Awww, K :( <3333

So what I wanted was mostly to have Cath learn to voice her opinions and to say no and explain why - on the example of why submitting their co-authored story would have been an obvious choice - and not just shut him out forever while being flunked by her friends.

This is also a really good point, and part of why Nick resolution feels so unsatisfying. I do really like Cyan's suggestion (which I think I've already said somewhere, probably even to you, in this now triangular discussion XD)

I'm about 30% along now in Watchmaker and still fairly confused by what is going on with Mori, but not unpleasantly so (and the sock-stealing octopus is darling :P). I'm also really liking Thaniel's synesthaesia, and I understand why it's being used sparingly, but would actually welcome more of that.

I hope the visit is going well!

[ikel89]

Thanks! The visit, multiplied by the never-ending subzero temperatures and prospect of tooth removal and continued CRICKETS noises from HR, is kinda taxing out my batteries like whoa -_- But I'm trying to be a big girl about all of it :)

Awww, K :(
Hugs? ♥ At least I have all the friends nostalgia :3

Synaesthesia gets a lovely Mori-instigated reappearance later on, hope you enjoy it, too :) and glad that the reading is going smoothly so far. Keep me posted!:) I've been casually flipping between CP1 and Dasha's recent gift - a Westerner handbook on making business in Russia and CIS, lol - these days but today I had a mighty urge to read something solidly good, so I returned to Minority Council that has been waiting its turn on my desk for months.

[hamsterwoman]

definitely *hugs*

And also hugs for the continued ineptness/wishy-washiness of Pharma HR.

I'm now at the halfway point with Watchmaker, and it's still lovely and melancholic. Just got to Mori's explanation of his 'condition'. Kind of want to give everyone a hug, even the ones who want incompatible things.

[ikel89]

<33

Wanting incompatible things is actually a very appropriate thing to say about Watchmaker! Please keep me posted on how you feel about further developments, too: there is definitely room for discussion there.

[hamsterwoman]

At the 75% mark with Watchmaker (just after Grace had the pear trees cut down), and now really eager to see how the whole thing turns out and no longer feel like I can say what I feel about the characters until I get to the end. But still enjoying the book, of course!

[hamsterwoman]

Reporting that I am done with Watchmaker! Still digesting what I think about Grace and how the last 25% of the book is put together (it didn't *quite* flow for me, but I also understand why it probably wouldn't have worked to develop it differently, or, at least, can't think of a way that wouldn't have had its own problems). Mostly, though: Katsu :((( (yeah, yeah, I know, you're critter-impaired, but Katsu :((((((

(I hope you've managed to catch up on rest a bit, and are having a good week! <3)

[ikel89]

Greetings from Kazan!:)

Re: watchmaker, I understand your conflicted Grace feelings! I had to have a lot of thinking done on her account before I could pass an opinion, but there is some итог раздумий in my and A's posts on the book, if you look them up. But I'm also lookinf forward to your full write up!

[hamsterwoman]

my thoughts on watchmaker now up (and I will probably be going back and replying to your post and Alenka's and Alina's as well. I have a lot of thoughts!)