October 25, 2024

What I’m reading:

I mentioned it in last week’s update and in the Dark Academia Roundup— I read Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries, which I (predictably) loved. It’s everything I like about anthropology (which, incidentally, I hold a degree in) and academia and also SCARY FAERIES. Not sparkly little pixies, not yassified elves, but fae that are complicated and varied and nuanced and that have the capacity for absolute horror stories. I had a great time. I will say- this book reminded me of something, and I can’t quite put my finger on what— I felt like I had read these faeries before, somehow. I keep thinking about it, and I know it’s not:

The Fairy Bargains of Prospect Hill by Rowenna Miller

Tithe or The Cruel Prince by Holly Black

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke (though the vibe is in some ways very similar!)

Lords and Ladies by Terry Pratchett, though again, the vibe is similar

But I can’t figure out what it IS and it is bothering me so very much. If you think you know what it might be— the aesthetics, the descriptions of the fae, the negotiations between Emily and the King— PLEASE, let me know in the comments.

In other news, I also read An Academy for Liars, which I quite liked. I will say, it felt a little like the author took a trip to the trope store and bought bits and pieces off the shelves to assemble the book (secret magic school, special dorm of special students within magic school, mind control class, secrets within school) BUT for the most part that didn’t bother me. At its best, it reminded me of the best parts of Ninth House and the Scholomance trilogy (A Deadly Education). At its worst, it reminded me more of Jonathan Stroud’s Bartimeus. It’s probably not going to earn a spot on my “all time favorites” shelf, but I had a good time and the suspense of the last few chapters kept me up past my bedtime to finish it.

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How my writing is going:

I had a shockingly productive day earlier this week, in which I wrote and uploaded not only a new chapter of my current ongoing fanfic (A Gathering Storm) but also a new chapter of The Illyria Project, my serially-updated sapphic slow-burn dark academia Twelfth Night retelling.

I also got to go back and edit the chapter of the Much Ado About Nothing project (yes, I like Shakespeare a lot) in which Beatrice tells Ben to “kill Claudio.” Always a good time!

Something fun:

I swear I do fun things that are not just watching TV— but this week, my fun update is absolutely that I watched the end of Season 3 The Legend of Vox Machina. And y’all, it’s so good. I actually like the vast majority of the changes they made from the original gameplay— the Percy twist, cutting the Bard’s Lament, Ripley existing past the Whitestone arc, Zerxus (with Luis Carazo as the voice!!)— and getting to watch an adaptation of something I watched and know well while being genuinely surprised each episode was such a treat.

And, still in the TV realm of things, my partner has been watching The Good Place for the first time and finally finished it last night. I’ve watched that show all the way through four or five times now, but I always skip the final episode because it makes me feel WAY too many things, and I can’t watch it without crying at least twice. And you know what? Last night was no different. It’s just so, so well done. Jeremy Bearimy, baby.

And that’s it for me— I hope you all have a cozy final week of October, and I hope you’re doing your best to protect your peace in this final week of pre-election insanity.

~Gemma

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