Media Round Up: Books!

[forestofglory]

I'm in one of those fleeting phases where my brain is letting me read novels! (I used to read all the time but since 2020 its been very sporadic) I'm enjoying this while it lasts but not expecting it to last very long. On the other hand I've bounced off the last couple of dramas I tried to watch.

Anyways have some thoughts on media I've read and watched recently

The Scandalous Letters of V and J by Felicia Davin—I put this on my TBR last year because my friend Jenny wrote a lovely review of it. It's a fun epistolary nb/nb romance with magic. I liked that even before they met each other V and J have people they care about. And both of them are such fun characters. I confess that I skimmed over some of the sex scenes because there are a lot of them – but I think that will be a feature for many readers. Also V’s aunt Sophie is the best!

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy— this book doesn’t feel inspired by The Untamed exactly but it sure feels inspired by Untamed fic. Not that it’s a fic with the serial numbers filed off, but that it has vibes and situations that feel very wangxian fic like to me. And there are a few xianxia touches to the magic system, like sword forms and someone's hair turning white from using too much magic, though overall the vibe is more regency-ish fantasy romance than cdrama. I enjoyed this although I find myself getting distracted by thinking about how it was and wasn't like fic. It was fun and charming, and I enjoyed the characters and the worldbuilding.

Rise of the Phoenixes— I watched the first four eps of this cdrama, and it's not grabbing me -- not enough women, not enough textiles, and no one seems to actually like anyone else

Egg and Stoneep 1-3 — This is very close to something I would really like but ultimately rather frustrating and I'm not planning to watch more

Spoilers.

It's almost badass warrior woman x disabled schemer, except the FL actually only thinks she's good at martial arts, and it's unclear how disabled the ML actually is. (Somewhat I think? He's shown not using his wheelchair because the chair is too conspicuous -- but it's unclear how much of real issue it is. But the thing that really bugs me is that everyone is lying to the FL and going to elaborate lengths to convince her that she's really good at martial arts, and it just seems very cruel. And it seems from the set up that it's going to take a long time before she finds out and I can't deal with it.

Junior Taskmaster— I haven’t seen a lot of Taskmaster but my kid likes it, so we’ve been watching this together. It’s a lot of fun! The kids are very charming and funny. I sometime find British humor a little too mean, but here the kids are pretty mean to the adults and it works.

DNA Says Love You—A short and cute Taiwanese BL. There’s a little bit that made me go “science doesn't work like that?” but mostly it's very earnest and I was charmed.

Comments

[asakiyume]

Here from Mastodon again! I was laughing when you said you were distracted by thinking about how Sorcery and Small Magics was like and not like fanfic for he Untamed (a C-drama I've actually seen! I know, I know, there are tons of good ones! But that one sure had its moment, and I joined in in the wake of its popularity). *I'm* distracted by how Maiga Doocy's first name is an anagram of "magia"--chance???

Your reasons for not wanting to keep on watching Rise of the Phoenixes resonates! Five stars, would abandon a series for the same reasons.

... I haven't read or watched any of the things you mentioned, but I enjoyed your remarks :-)

[forestofglory]

The problem with cdramas is there are so many of them! But yes The Untamed sure had a moment and its interesting to see the ripples in anglophone SFF

I'm glad you enjoyed my remarks :)

[lokifan]

. I sometime find British humor a little too mean, but here the kids are pretty mean to the adults and it works.

Haha that makes sense :D Glad you're enjoying it. I had fun with the first episode, and I'll probably watch more. I love the kid who just drew on Mike's face at the end and the kid who likes pigeons, okay?

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy— this book doesn’t feel inspired by The Untamed exactly but it sure feels inspired by Untamed fic. Not that it’s a fic with the serial numbers filed off, but that it has vibes and situations that feel very wangxian fic like to me. And there are a few xianxia touches to the magic system, like sword forms and someone's hair turning white from using too much magic, though overall the vibe is more regency-ish fantasy romance than cdrama

Oh, interesting. I love when you can kinda trace the cross-pollination like that.

[forestofglory]

They are such fun kids!

[profiterole_reads]

I'm loving Felicia Davin's French Letters. <3

[katzenfabrik]

From what you say about it, I definitely couldn't watch Egg and Stone either—that kind of deception is my least favourite thing in a plot. D:

I'm glad you've found some good books to read, though! I've heard of The Scandalous Letters of V and J but wasn't really grabbed by the premise, but given your review, I might try it.

[forestofglory]

The Scandalous Letters of V and J is very charming if you do end up picking it up I'd love to hear what you think-- even if you end up not liking it