Status Updates From Weaveworld

The Fugue is a wonderful, prismatic fantasy land, as Cal intuits a Wonderland but delving further into the implications of what that means for a world with “adult” problems and desires. I know that things are about to get super messy as the trifecta of Immacolata, Hobart, and the as of yet unseen Scourge close in on the story, and now we have Shadwell becoming his own operative. That’s a lot of villains!!

It’s a heck of a moment for a segment to end on, the unleashing of the Fugue. But we have two very important threads now: the Scourge, whatever its purpose is, probably awakened with the rupture of the weave, and the very important book left with Hobart, the totalitarian policeman who is having to deal with the collateral damage of having the Seerkind in his fascist fiefdom.

I appreciate how this book rolls on from thwarting our heroes finding the Fugue to introducing five of the seers. There is a very distinct vibe when the five exiles are revealed, and Lilia’s description of the troubles with living among humans as well as the Scourge, that feels like Ransom Riggs had this all in mind in creating his Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children.

on the one hand it feels a little weird to gloss over Susanna and Cal getting together on the same page as they tell each other about what the other has endured (maybe Cal leaving out the bit about Immacolata’s birthing sister); this initial dialogue would be part of the foundation of their relationship. but, they are both unwittingly in service to the Fugue, and in this way their souls are in alignment.

idk if I’ll always feel this way but Barker’s darkly sentimental poeticism in portraying his fantasy is such an absolute treat. I am loving this book so far. Barker’s deeply Catholic-informed queer background leaves me, as with Beloved, wishing that I had already read the entirety of the Bible so that the allusions that are made carry that much more weight.

when I was imagining Harry Potter fanfics years ago I had an idea for a muggle geek wizard dad who projected photos from music concerts on to a white magic tapestry. for some reason this would let him visit concerts he could never have possibly attended. At some point I knew the kids would have to go inside one to get a macguffin. and it was not good to be in the tapestry if the projector stopped.