Gabriel's Inferno makes me hedgehog hiss.
Dec. 30th, 2014 10:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shamanicshayminI'm reading Gabriel's Inferno for a sporking project with Zelda Queen, and AUUUUUUUUGH it's the worst fucking book I've read since Fifty Shades. Though I think they piss me off equally so far. But god, Julia is an idiot and the writing is Tell-Don't-Show and there's slut-shaming and it loves to tease you with things that are Actually Interesting before immediately diving back into wangsty abusive bullshit. I FUCKING HATE EMERSON HE'S CHRISTIAN GREY 2.0 GOD WHAT A TEMPERAMENTAL SCUMBAG DICK HOW THE FUCK DOES HE STILL HAVE A JOB
That’s when he saw her. He stopped, staring across the street at the attractive brunette.
'Calamity Julianne.'
Except she was not alone. Paul was holding her abomination of a book bag and walking with her. They were chatting easily and laughing and strolling dangerously close to one another.
'Carrying her books now, are we? How very adolescent of you, Paul.'
Hear that? Everyday politeness = adolescence.
FUCK YOU EMERSON. FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU. *deep breaths* At least I only need to spork Chapter 16...
That’s when he saw her. He stopped, staring across the street at the attractive brunette.
'Calamity Julianne.'
Except she was not alone. Paul was holding her abomination of a book bag and walking with her. They were chatting easily and laughing and strolling dangerously close to one another.
'Carrying her books now, are we? How very adolescent of you, Paul.'
Hear that? Everyday politeness = adolescence.
FUCK YOU EMERSON. FUCK YOU FUCK YOU FUCK YOU. *deep breaths* At least I only need to spork Chapter 16...
no subject
Date: 2014-12-30 06:20 pm (UTC)And what the hell, The Velveteen Rabbit had nothing to DO with makeovers and shy bookworms. It'd be like comparing Charlotte's Web to the "popular kids learn to accept nerdy outcast" trope.
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Date: 2014-12-30 06:36 pm (UTC)I've contemplated returning to War Comms with reboots of a few of my socks, plus a new one or two. With Madoka and Utena and Pokemon XY + ORAS under my belt, my socks could fabricate some major wank and badfic!The blonde bashing is insane, and I speak as the pale bookish brunette Twilight and their knockoffs are supposed to be catering to! Dude, what about badass blondes like Mami and Ana and Paula? D: The main heroine for one of my future novels is blonde, mainly because I like having variety in hair colors. Like a main in one book is a redhead, brunette in another, etc.
YOU MUST SHARE MY PAIN:
As he watched her opening and closing the dusty volumes, her eyes widening and a smile playing across her lovely lips, he realized that the nickname Rabbit was an even better fit than he’d initially thought. For yes, she was very much like a rabbit one might find in a meadow or some such place. But she was also very much like The Velveteen Rabbit.
...
In looking at Rabbit, he had the feeling that she was waiting desperately to become Real. Waiting to be loved, even. And the waiting had taken its toll on her. Not on her outward appearance, which was very attractive (although Paul would have said she was clearly too thin and too pale, something a good deal of Vermont milk and dairy products could have improved). Not that, but on her soul, which he thought was beautiful but sad.
Paul wasn’t even sure he believed in souls until he met Rabbit. And now that he knew her, he had to believe. He hoped privately that some day she would become what she wanted to be, that someone would love her and she would transform from a frightened rabbit into something else. Something bolder. Something happy.
And later, he tells her: "Real isn’t what you are; it’s something that happens. And right now, you need something good to happen to you." And his scene finishes up with:
As they continued their tour, Paul resolved in his heart to be patient. Very, very patient. And cautious, whenever he reached out a tentative hand to offer her a carrot or to gently stroke her soft fur with his fingers. Or else he knew he would frighten Rabbit away, and he wouldn’t have the opportunity to help her become Real.
THE VELVETEEN RABBIT WAS NEVER ABOUT "FIXING" SOMEONE WAY TO MISS THE ENTIRE FUCKING POINT ADHJKSFHSJKFSF
no subject
Date: 2014-12-30 06:46 pm (UTC)YES I MISS STEPHANIE AND MICHELLE AND PERCYYeah, really! The heroine of my crack!novel is a blonde, another novel has a brunette heroine with a blonde sister who's a great person despite being 11 and immature, and then we have Lissa from FE Awakening. And Usagi and Minako, Nanami...
...what the HELL. God, the story of the Velveteen Rabbit was that love is a fucking powerhouse for toys. The rabbit became real because the boy loved it so dearly, it wasn't a matter of "fixing" the rabbit.
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Date: 2014-12-30 07:15 pm (UTC)OMG I WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU BACK OVER AT THE WAR COMMS.no subject
Date: 2014-12-31 08:13 pm (UTC)The comparison could have worked, I guess, if it were limited to his thinking she needs to be loved to become real, or whatever, but then he proceeds to ruin it by overdoing it so much.