Status Updates From Il cancello del crepuscolo

Afterthoughts pt.13:

Aaaaand, yeah. That’s about all I can think to yap about for now.
Imma go take a nap and let allat sink in a little.
I’ll give the book a 4.5/5 for the ragebait and other things — overall highly enjoyed The Daylight Gate by Jeanette Winterson :)

Afterthoughts pt.12:

Those of the few highlight I can think of off the top of my head but, seriously, there are some really beautiful, haunting, and occasionally horrible moments in this book I’d like to return back to at some point. But I’ve marked them all out both here and in the physical book so feel free to go look whenever you fancy it.

Afterthoughts pt.11:

Fav parts pt.3:

Also, “He would love her if she were a wolf that tore out his heart.” ~ page 190. Beautiful line.

Afterthoughts pt.10:

Fav parts pt.2:

And the part where Kit visits the brothel where Alice used to stay with Elizabeth. I liked his response of, “I am in love with someone.” ~ page 189. Just found that really sweet, and I particularly liked how Alice and Elizabeth’s happiest memories haunted the place, however that works. Really really loved that. ~ page 197

Afterthoughts pt.9:

Also, also — some of my favourite parts:
“I think we are worlds compressed into human form.” ~ page 72. That’s gonna stick with me for a while.

Continue in next part ~

Afterthoughts pt.8:

Also a special shoutout to Jennet — I feel so sorry for that poor little girl bro, but thank god she managed to get rid of all her abusers in the end — ESPECIALLY that fucking cancerous ingrown nail of a man Tom Peeper. Hate his guts.

Jane Southworth’s story was sad, but I’m glad she managed to find freedom in the end — on her own terms, the “right” way.

Afterthoughts pt.7:

Also, Shakespeare. Need I say more?
I loved the idea that he may have been involved, the references to his plays and writing, and the part where he embarrassed the fuck out of that sentient potato Potts — fuck that walking tonsil stone bro.

Afterthoughts pt.6:

Also really enjoyed that the character who most believes witchery is a delusion is also the character who experienced the most otherworldly phenomena of everyone combined. Makes you wonder who’s really the delusional one here…

Afterthoughts pt.5:

I love how she got to choose her death, and that Kit was there, even though I really wanted him to get away. I like that in the end they got to be together, somewhere past the Daylight Gate — or at least I like to think so.

I also like to think Alice’s falcon is able to follow them there, as a Familiar of sorts, though she’s not reallyyyyyy a witch (she lowkey a witch bro idk)

Afterthoughts pt.4:

Did piss me off though when John Dee literally gave Alice an out that would have both her and Kit safe and she was like “nah — imma go sacrifice my life to say goodbye to some crazy bitch I used to love who’s guaranteed to die anyway.” 10/10 ragebait there.

Afterthoughts pt.3:

The eeriness of the Daylight Gate itself was really fascinating to me, I wish we got to explore that more, but I also appreciate the unknown of it all, and the fact that it’s supposed to be an unknown.

Afterthoughts pt.2:

Loved Alice’s backstories (gottaaaaa get at least a LITTLE gay in there — loved that) and the magic and mystery of it all — even the more gory and uncomfortable parts were enjoyable in their own macabre sort of way.

Afterthoughts pt.1:

Overall really enjoyed this book! The exposition in the beginning was a lot to take in but once I’d gotten accustomed to all the places and characters and whatnot I was enthralled the rest of the way through — seriously struggled to put it down at times!

He squats and takes out his knife, folding back his cuffs from his wrists. Red against the white. If there is another life he will find her there.

Beautiful ending, love the Shakespeare of it all — very Romeo and Juliette. Also love how she chose how her life ended — on her own terms (to some extent), and how their love continued on through the Daylight Gate into the next world, whatever that should be.

She wanted to remember the stretch of her body. The feeling of hunger. How it felt to breathe. She was leaving home. Her body was home. She wanted to say goodbye before they evicted her.

Damn that’s sad. I love how her body is described as her home, and how her execution is described as an eviction — she’s not wilfully leaving home, she’s being forced to. Really moving passage.

He shields what is left of her mind against what is left of his body.

Incest aside, that’s really sweet.
If I think of them just as some old couple and not some old couple who are also siblings, I find that scene quite wholesome in a sad, sort of twisted way.

His eyes shine like fireflies in the waste ground of his body.

That’s as eerie as it is hauntingly beautiful. Love the imagery there.

“She was still beautiful, as if there was something transparent about her, as if her skin were made of leaves that had lain in the sun.”

When I die, baby, lay me in the sun ~
Beautiful passage.

“She was an old woman.”

Tough to connect that image to the image of Alice that’s been badassing her way through my head this whole book. Damn.

“And then he didn’t shout any more.”

YESSSS!!! DIE YOU FILTHY FUCKING PEDO RAPIST SON OF A BITCH!!!

Fuckkkk I’ve been wanting that fucker to die for sooo longgg nowwwww goddamnnnnnn

That felt good.
Rest in hell bitch. Good fucking riddance 👏

There was no Elizabeth Southern. Old Demdike was dead.

Legitimately cannot tell what is a hallucination and what’s real anymore. Perhaps that’s the point.
I mean, that wasn’t *real*, but was it caused externally or purely formed in Alice’s mind? That’s what I’m struggling with.

… Names that meant nothing. The occupants of those names had vacated them.

Grim scene. Shits gonna go down soon tho.

The moment he was out of the room again, he heard music. He looked back; Alice and Elizabeth were dancing together…

I just really like this whole scene, please refer back to it.

If Alice is a witch, how can I love her? He would love her if she were a wolf that tore out his heart. And he wondered what that said about love.

…

“You want sex or anything? No charge. As you are a special guest.”
He shook his head. “I am in love with someone.”
“That’s a pretty reply. I hope someone says that of myself some day.”

Me too girl. Me too.

Love is as strong as death.

Okay yeah I get it that’s beautiful and all but THIS DUMB BITCH BRO WTF YOU WERE SO CLOSE FUCKKKKKK

She heard wings. She held out her arm. It was her bird. He scarred her arm where she had no glove but she did not care because she loved him and she knew that love leaves a wound that leaves a scar.

Beautiful.

Contd from previous entry:

He could not change the fact of his birth or, by very much, the fact of his death. This was his time.

Thought provoking stuff there.

*read entire passage asb. This is from page 168, where it begins.*

Life was an intervention. At every moment the chances change.

Contd in next entry.

And if thou callest him, like unto an angel of the north wearing a dark costume, he will hear thee and come to thee. Yet meet him where he may meet — at the Daylight Gate.

Just a reminder of the letter from Edward Kelley, who we’ve had VERY little backstory of btw for someone who was apparently Alice’s lover at a point.

Girl’s been around iwl lol. Though after being young that long, is it so surprising?