Chaya > Recent Status Updates

(Footnote):"... Several state of the art telescopes were ordered for the roof on behalf of scholars who thought they could derive useful match-pairs from the names of star signs. These efforts never yielded anything interesting, as astrology is fake, but the stargazing was pleasant."

I love that the footnotes are blunt and somehow both academic in style but also the author's way of directly adding personal opinion.

I have been really enjoying the book so far, but I am annoyed by the author's lack of trust for the reader. A character whom we should all understand is deeply flawed defends slavery, but the author still has to put a footnote: "This character misunderstands xyz." Don't worry, I wasn't going to agree with him. Mistrust of the reader is also shown by the telling and explaining that comes along with the showing.

Loving the linguistic stuff. Can be a bit heavy handed with telling you the thing it's also showing you, like while a boy is translating between two people for the first time, it says "this all hinged on him, Robin realized. The choice was his. Only he could determine the truth, because only he coukd communicate it to all parties." We know! Not a lack of showing, but too much telling.

"There is no dignity in death in battle. Mostly that is a splashing about of human meat and fluid, and the result is filthy, but there is a great and almost sweet dignity in the sorrow, the helpless, the hopeless sorrow, that comes down over a family with the telegram. Nothing to say, nothing to do, and only one last hope—I hope he didn't suffer—and what a forlorn and last-choice hope that is."

Jesus fuck.

Finished part two. How is this simultaneously the funniest book I've ever read and one of the saddest? This is the first book I've ever read that I wanted to write in, highlight, cut pieces out. I'm usually so against that. Reads like an autobiography.

Writing is beautiful, so many amazing quotes and insights thus far.

Very strange pacing. Not much has happened. Pretty writing, not sure I personally resonate with MC.