Media Round Up: Fluff and Murder

[forestofglory]

Here's what I've been reading and watching lately:

The Lord of Stariel by A.J. Lancaster— I picked this up because calissa recommended it. It’s a 1920’s inspired fantasy about a young woman who left home and became an illusionist working at a theater. Her estranged father dies so she returns home to his funeral and the ceremony deciding who will be his successor as Lord of Stariel. I really enjoyed the big messy family but got a bit impatient with the mystery. Overall a fun read.
(content note: referenced societal homophobia)

Empire of Style: Silk and Fashion in Tang China by Buyun Chen— This very thorough look into the “fashion system” of Tang China, looking at the aesthetics, social systems and economics. There’s a lot here about seeing fashion as part of the larger picture. I also found that the basic historical outline of Tang China made way more sense to me as presented here in economic terms than any of the names and dates focus overviews I’ve encountered. I did find the language in this book a bit dense, and had to work to understand the argument in places. Overall I really enjoyed the way the book made connections between things.

Black Water Sister by Zen Cho— I saved this book to read on our trip to Santa Cruz and this was a good choice! It was lovely to sit around reading a highly anticipated book with the longer chunks of time I had there. (I managed to read it before the heat exhaustion too) It’s contemporary fantasy set in Malaysia, featuring a queer main character, ghosts, and complicated family secreates. As alway I love how Cho writes older female characters. The book lived up to my high expectations!
(Content note: sexual assault, off screen domestic abuse)

Word of Honor episodes 16-36 —
My progression with this show was: A lot of people I know are into but it really doesn’t sound like my thing -> Well the group watch is watching it I guess I’ll check it out -> oh, actually this grumpy reluctant mentor stuff is good -> Oh dear, I’m having a lot feelings, I’m not sure I wanted to have this many feelings. So this show really got to me, I got sucked into the story and I had a lot of intense feelings about it! I’m happy that my group watch got me to watch it.

Slowly teaching myself honorifics commonly used in wuxia really paid off here! There were several moments where the subs let me down but I was able to hear the forms of address. Which was key to some moments that had a big emotional impact!

I didn’t like the ending. (Yes, I did watch the extra scene) I know a lot of people love it, but for me it really undermined a lot of the things that I enjoyed most from the show.

(Content ableism, wuxia typical racism, suicide, even more mass murder)

Comments

[rekishi]

I actually think I prefer the ending of the novel WoH is based on.

Glad you enjoyed it though!

[forestofglory]

Oh, what's the novel ending like?

[rekishi]

You asked for spoilers so I'll give you spoilers.


In the novel, WKX is gravely injured during the battle at Fengya (Qingya, I think in the drama) Mountain, but ZZS takes him away. They go to Changming Mountain where the Great Shaman (Da Wu, Wu Xi) removes the Nails while WKX frets and Jing Beiyuan is relatively relaxed about the whole thing. ZZS is in a coma for three months and then wakes to WKX holding his hand. There are 4 extras, one of which tells the story partially from WKX perspective.

You should also know that in the novel they're not martial siblings, there they are truly strangers (and Prince Jin doesn't exist, his role is actually a decent ruler named Helian Yi and he's also not ZZS' cousin) and there's a bit less self-sacrifice going on and they're better at communicating (not at talking, but at communicating).

So all in all, I like the drama but I like the ZZS and WKX characters better in the novel. The side characters are so much better in the drama though.

I'm looking forward to getting further in the reread with the comm, I'm sure I missed a bunch of stuff my first go around.

[forestofglory]

Thank you for the spoilers!

That does seem like a nicer ending. Being stuck on a mountain not being able to eat seems like it would suck.

I actually really like that they are martial siblings. Maybe that's strange, but it plays into my love of found family. (Some of those forms of address I mentions having feelings about are Shidi and Shixiong, so)

[rekishi]

And abandoning Chengling again, which was what I was most annoyed about.

There's found family in the novel as well, it's just not that....whole fated aspect I'm not super keen on, it rubbed me the wrong way tbh. I like that they're strangers who found each other by chance and re-discover their humanity together.

But yeah, Chinese honorifics/suffixes are incredibly useful!

[forestofglory]

Yeah, the fact that they abandon Chengling is what I really don't like about the ending. I wanted them to all be together rebuilding the manor! (I'm far too into fictional characters being teachers and/or mentors)

I see why the fated aspect would rub you the wrong way. I what I liked about it is that they where both invested in rebuilding the sect -- but that could happen without the childhood meeting.