Ｂｏｏｋｓ！ (and more thoughts on GoT)
Not only have I been watching a lot of TV, I have actually been reading a bit too over the past several weeks. Wondering how I have time for anything else? I don't have much LOL wanderipity introduced some books she was reading and I am always looking for new books so I decided to check them out. Two of these that I finished are Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury and Normal People by Sally Rooney. I also found some books in lists on Pinterest. These were of the romantic variety - one I particularly enjoyed was Loving You Easy by Roni Loren (Kindle book) which was in a list of books for people who had enjoyed 50 Shades of Grey.
First off, Fahrenheit 451 was pretty intense. An AU or futuristic America where people have been taught to burn books as an evil that can cause disagreement and unrest, and make people unhappy. The job of firemen was to find people that had hidden books, and burn them. One such fireman meets a girl who helps him realize how meaningless and empty his life is and a friend that helps him escape. The society itself reminds me of a communist or faciest society where truth is hidden, people are dumbed down by simplified information and so fearful that they are ready to sell out their own family to the "firemen." In the scenario, this has only happened in the States but the people there are completely cut off from the rest of the world and only know that they are at war and "winning." I found the writing style fit the whole feel of the story and was also quite driven.
I didn't know that Normal People was also a TV series. My first reaction after reading to the end of the book was, I wouldn't want to watch it because OMG the ending was so frustrating. I think it has strong similarities to Japanese novels in how dark it is. It was also strange that I had to constantly remind myself that it was a very modern novel even with constant references to Facebook. The feel was somewhere around the 60s or 70s, like an old movie with Dustin Hofman. Maybe because it set in Ireland and there are class issues in the background as well. It is rather hard to explain the story but it is about a girl and boy who seem to be soulmates but can never seem to last for long. They have a relationship, then break off, then are drawn to each other again, then break up again... and throughout it all is the girl feeling the need to be used because of her fucked up family, and the guy seemingly taking advantage and never actually committing. There is that frustration of lack of communication and misunderstanding that is so totally British and also Japanese. I wasn't even looking for S&M but there is a bit of that too - I can't seem to escape it. Actually, that little (major) element might make it a pretty erotic/hot drama series. It wasn't that way at all as a book, maybe because it was mainly from the boy's perspective, but written or seen differently, it could be.
Loving You Easy was a nice porny tidbit for me. I will be going back to it once in a while for a bit of fun. A girl who is interested in BDSM joins a virtual game to explore in the safety of her home but finds that someone has hacked her account and suddenly she is vulnerable. She goes to the makers of the game and ends up helping them solve the problem (because she is a hacker herself, working with the police), but meanwhile finds the two guys that can not only fulfill her desires but fill her heart as well. M/M/F I could totally see this as a fanfic with AU Jensen and Jared and some lucky girl :D There is a mystery plot, and damaged/hurt people finding happiness and acceptance to be who they are.
OK, so I have also been dying to put some more stuff down about GoT. As with other shows I have enjoyed to the end, I have been watching a lot of Youtube videos on my favorite scenes and about some theories tying the book series and the TV series together. It has been a long time since I actually read the books but I know that they are not finished. I also found out that the last season of the TV show was not based on the books because they hadn't gone that far, and that Mr. Martin, the author, had suggested it would take over ten seasons... I think it was around 16 .... to tell the story properly. HBO wanted to finish at 6 seasons or something, and they somehow came to an agreement at 8. Looking back, it is true that the ending felt hurried, as is often the case. It left many prophesies unanswered, and those designs made by the Ice King in the snow were never explained. I'm not going to dwell on those. If I want it all, I just have to read the rest of the book series when they come out.
What was more interesting to me was the true identity of John Snow and how that played a part in the decisions of the characters in the show - and possibly in the books as well. I would have to read them again to make sure. Knowing what we know at the end of the series, that Jon was actually the true heir, Aegon Targaryen, nephew to Daenerys (and great great great nephew? to the Maester (Aemon)at Castle Black, right? No one mentioned they were actually related too.) The only person that knew this to our knowledge is Ned Stark, who was charged with the task of protecting Jon. If it had been known that he was the true heir, the Baratheons (first, Robert) would have killed him to protect their right to the throne. And Ned was Robert's friend as well as the uncle of the child. He kept the child alive for the sake of his sister, but he kept the secret as much for his friend as anyone. The reason why I think this is the fact that he did not stop Jon from becoming a Man of the Nights Watch. He told Jon he would tell him about his mother "when we meet again," which would have been after he had taken his vows, when he could have no choice of taking the throne. Seems deliberate to me.
Let's jump to the end, when he is sent back to the Watch. As I mentioned previously, I think Jon is most happy in the North, he had no wish to be king, and having killed his love and his queen, I think he must feel that he needs to pay for what he did. But, did he really deserve to be "shelved" ? He was the promised Prince that saved them all. He has the heart and the ability to lead. But all that seems to mean nothing in the end. And, the fact that it was Bran's decision to send him back to the Night's Watch again seems deliberate - a real political move,to make it impossible for anyone to rally for Jon as King. It looks like a kindness, and yet I can't shake this thought because it is how a King who doesn't want to lose his throne would do it. And was Bran, an "inhuman" without feeling, really the best choice for king? Bran came to Kings Landing because he knew he would be named and he wanted to say yes, which worries me.
The whole thing does leave a sour taste in my mouth. And honestly, I feel there is much more to the story after this - another adventure that finds Jon (or his bastard son?) saving the people yet again, from the rule of a controlling all powerful Raven. This, what we have as the finale, is not the end of the story in my mind.
Yeah... I really need to read the rest of the books.
By the way, this series is nice if you just want to watch Jon Snow scenes. It goes all the way up to the end of Season 7. I love all of Jon's scenes - the way he develops as a character, from a boy to a man, to commander, to king... what he learns along the way, how the people around him help and love him. Sam, Commander Mormont, the Wildings, ... it is all so fun to see<3<3
First off, Fahrenheit 451 was pretty intense. An AU or futuristic America where people have been taught to burn books as an evil that can cause disagreement and unrest, and make people unhappy. The job of firemen was to find people that had hidden books, and burn them. One such fireman meets a girl who helps him realize how meaningless and empty his life is and a friend that helps him escape. The society itself reminds me of a communist or faciest society where truth is hidden, people are dumbed down by simplified information and so fearful that they are ready to sell out their own family to the "firemen." In the scenario, this has only happened in the States but the people there are completely cut off from the rest of the world and only know that they are at war and "winning." I found the writing style fit the whole feel of the story and was also quite driven.
I didn't know that Normal People was also a TV series. My first reaction after reading to the end of the book was, I wouldn't want to watch it because OMG the ending was so frustrating. I think it has strong similarities to Japanese novels in how dark it is. It was also strange that I had to constantly remind myself that it was a very modern novel even with constant references to Facebook. The feel was somewhere around the 60s or 70s, like an old movie with Dustin Hofman. Maybe because it set in Ireland and there are class issues in the background as well. It is rather hard to explain the story but it is about a girl and boy who seem to be soulmates but can never seem to last for long. They have a relationship, then break off, then are drawn to each other again, then break up again... and throughout it all is the girl feeling the need to be used because of her fucked up family, and the guy seemingly taking advantage and never actually committing. There is that frustration of lack of communication and misunderstanding that is so totally British and also Japanese. I wasn't even looking for S&M but there is a bit of that too - I can't seem to escape it. Actually, that little (major) element might make it a pretty erotic/hot drama series. It wasn't that way at all as a book, maybe because it was mainly from the boy's perspective, but written or seen differently, it could be.
Loving You Easy was a nice porny tidbit for me. I will be going back to it once in a while for a bit of fun. A girl who is interested in BDSM joins a virtual game to explore in the safety of her home but finds that someone has hacked her account and suddenly she is vulnerable. She goes to the makers of the game and ends up helping them solve the problem (because she is a hacker herself, working with the police), but meanwhile finds the two guys that can not only fulfill her desires but fill her heart as well. M/M/F I could totally see this as a fanfic with AU Jensen and Jared and some lucky girl :D There is a mystery plot, and damaged/hurt people finding happiness and acceptance to be who they are.
OK, so I have also been dying to put some more stuff down about GoT. As with other shows I have enjoyed to the end, I have been watching a lot of Youtube videos on my favorite scenes and about some theories tying the book series and the TV series together. It has been a long time since I actually read the books but I know that they are not finished. I also found out that the last season of the TV show was not based on the books because they hadn't gone that far, and that Mr. Martin, the author, had suggested it would take over ten seasons... I think it was around 16 .... to tell the story properly. HBO wanted to finish at 6 seasons or something, and they somehow came to an agreement at 8. Looking back, it is true that the ending felt hurried, as is often the case. It left many prophesies unanswered, and those designs made by the Ice King in the snow were never explained. I'm not going to dwell on those. If I want it all, I just have to read the rest of the book series when they come out.
What was more interesting to me was the true identity of John Snow and how that played a part in the decisions of the characters in the show - and possibly in the books as well. I would have to read them again to make sure. Knowing what we know at the end of the series, that Jon was actually the true heir, Aegon Targaryen, nephew to Daenerys (and great great great nephew? to the Maester (Aemon)at Castle Black, right? No one mentioned they were actually related too.) The only person that knew this to our knowledge is Ned Stark, who was charged with the task of protecting Jon. If it had been known that he was the true heir, the Baratheons (first, Robert) would have killed him to protect their right to the throne. And Ned was Robert's friend as well as the uncle of the child. He kept the child alive for the sake of his sister, but he kept the secret as much for his friend as anyone. The reason why I think this is the fact that he did not stop Jon from becoming a Man of the Nights Watch. He told Jon he would tell him about his mother "when we meet again," which would have been after he had taken his vows, when he could have no choice of taking the throne. Seems deliberate to me.
Let's jump to the end, when he is sent back to the Watch. As I mentioned previously, I think Jon is most happy in the North, he had no wish to be king, and having killed his love and his queen, I think he must feel that he needs to pay for what he did. But, did he really deserve to be "shelved" ? He was the promised Prince that saved them all. He has the heart and the ability to lead. But all that seems to mean nothing in the end. And, the fact that it was Bran's decision to send him back to the Night's Watch again seems deliberate - a real political move,to make it impossible for anyone to rally for Jon as King. It looks like a kindness, and yet I can't shake this thought because it is how a King who doesn't want to lose his throne would do it. And was Bran, an "inhuman" without feeling, really the best choice for king? Bran came to Kings Landing because he knew he would be named and he wanted to say yes, which worries me.
The whole thing does leave a sour taste in my mouth. And honestly, I feel there is much more to the story after this - another adventure that finds Jon (or his bastard son?) saving the people yet again, from the rule of a controlling all powerful Raven. This, what we have as the finale, is not the end of the story in my mind.
Yeah... I really need to read the rest of the books.
By the way, this series is nice if you just want to watch Jon Snow scenes. It goes all the way up to the end of Season 7. I love all of Jon's scenes - the way he develops as a character, from a boy to a man, to commander, to king... what he learns along the way, how the people around him help and love him. Sam, Commander Mormont, the Wildings, ... it is all so fun to see<3<3
Click to view