tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90940887350066988782024-03-05T14:23:24.132-08:00Olivia J, The WordShakernew blog post every saturdayAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.comBlogger183125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-59697567245353372382019-01-19T00:00:00.000-08:002019-01-19T09:28:57.833-08:00Book Review: Set Me Free by Kayla N. Jones | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you know, the more places you will go," -Dr. Seuss</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">New Year, same indie book reviews!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thank you, Kayla, for sending me your book in exchange for an honest review! Follow her on Instagram @kaylajones3838</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIielWjF0TjbC5RE2-zERCqIC_YRdOl86AQu2ugv_ve7cXilrIK9zlqpmuc1agxZvssCMzBZ1Kcjm9iD6xvQiIMws8z0nBlg_6FBTFHpPrDTP-A9vv-fXqxPNa1hW9xVRmuNG3sHjzbhA/s1600/IMG_1829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIielWjF0TjbC5RE2-zERCqIC_YRdOl86AQu2ugv_ve7cXilrIK9zlqpmuc1agxZvssCMzBZ1Kcjm9iD6xvQiIMws8z0nBlg_6FBTFHpPrDTP-A9vv-fXqxPNa1hW9xVRmuNG3sHjzbhA/s400/IMG_1829.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">follow me on Instagram @olivia.j.the.wordshaker</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Y'all know how it does. Let's get into it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>The Bad</b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>1. The Dialogue</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While the dialogue itself was witty and insightful, there were often large, uninterrupted sections of dialogue that made up most of the story. When there is too much dialogue and not enough narration, the characters and what they're doing can get lost. The reader can too easily lose their mental picture of where the characters are in space. Good dialogue is not just about what the characters are saying, but it's also about the balance of dialogue and narration, dialogue tags, and description that adds to the meaning of the words the characters are saying. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>2. Nuance</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Disclaimer: As a white person, I have very limited personal experience with this topic. I live in a predominantly white community, and no one I know personally has any influence in the police system. I'm also not here to invalidate anyone else's experiences or thoughts, especially not the black community's thoughts on this issue. I'm just here to talk about literature. This is purely an outsider's perspective.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On page 96, there's a protest and when the protest reaches the line of police, the police immediately pull their guns on the protestors. Now, I'm sure there's some variance, but police just can't ethically pull their guns on peaceful protestors. That's just not protocol or realistic. Police are only around during protests to keep it from becoming a riot or stampede, not to stop the protest. They would have put up those plastic shields, batons, tasers, and put out tear gas in the worst case scenario, not have just started a gun-led massacre. The protest wasn't a violent riot in the first place. Police <i>rarely</i> actually get violent during regular protests unless the protest itself turns violent. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Disclaimer: I haven't read The Hate U Give, only seen the movie, so my comparisons are just going to be between <i>Set Me Free </i>book and <i>The Hate U Give</i> movie. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The Hate U Give movie had <i>beautiful </i>nuance. And what I mean by nuance is that it looked at the issue of police brutality and systematic racism through a realistic and equally balanced lens. It examined the militarization of police and the black community with care. It didn't paint either side in stereotypes and didn't ignore either side's perspective. Nuance is very important when portraying such a pivotal issue in order to reach as many viewers as possible and to not skew the issue incorrectly. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">That being said, I feel like <i>Set Me Free</i> could have used more nuance when tackling the issue of racism and police brutality. Officer 113 was often portrayed as a mustache-twirling villain, and while I <i>do not</i> want to undercut what Officer 113 did, I'd argue that most real people aren't inherently malicious. I'd argue that most police officers don't go out intentionally to terrorize black people. Rather, Officer 113 is most likely a victim of police militarization, fear-mongering, and systematic racism. Which is why the very human reaction of the police officer in <i>THUG</i> was so impactful and important. In that moment, the police officer in <i>THUG</i> realized he had made a grave mistake in the heat of the fear and emotion.While this doesn't excuse his actions, it says something very profound about the police system and humanizes the 'villain' in the situation, which always makes for more interesting fiction and analysis of the issue. However, <i>Set Me Free</i> didn't analyze the issues presented in <i>THUG </i>with the same care and nuance in my rather inexperienced but still valid opinion. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>The Good</b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>1. The Writing</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Jones certainly does have her way with words. When she does describe, it's ethereal, creative, and beautiful. And y'all know how trash I am for purple prose. However, this purple prose set the tone and atmosphere of the "ghost" world perfectly. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>2. Brother-Sister Relationship</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I really enjoyed the strong relationship that Laura had with Chris, it was very visceral and real. I actually enjoyed seeing Chris being the spearhead of the movement and seeing his complex grieving process. I'm a big sucker for a good brother-sister relationship, and this one was done well, with plenty of angst. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>3. Moving</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Overall, this was a very moving book. The emotional moments had weight, the tragedies were crushing, and the writing style added to the lightning pace of the story. The themes were commendable and thought-provoking. I've never read anything quite like it, and I think the story will stick with me for a while. The tagline should be . . . <i>The Hate U Give</i> meets <i>If I Stay</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I rated this book 3.5/5 stars, and rounded it up to 4 stars on Amazon and Goodreads!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-37049511084088490772019-01-12T09:30:00.000-08:002019-01-12T09:30:47.505-08:00So, I survived my first week of SCAD. | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Don't edit your soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions mercilessly," - Franz Kafka</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This blog is dead, but it's fine. This is still my space for whoever wants to join with me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This past Monday, I started school at the Savannah College of Art and Design. Well, eLearning, but it's still a whole new school to get used to. I was - still kind of am - super nervous. I was talking to one of my friends over dinner a few weeks ago about how nervous I was, and he was like "ugh, I know, we have to go to college so we can follow our dreams and stuff." Called out much? But he was right. This is my dream, dammit. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In terms of my Color Theory class, it's like trying to unlearn six years of art classes from high school and instruction from my grandma Jo. It's also a little bit frustrating to not have a teacher there looking over you, because then you're not entirely sure if you're doing it right until you've submitted it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Onto Computer Art Applications . . . this one's kinda like an Intro to Technology class, but for Adobe Creative Cloud. I was <i>really </i>nervous for this one, but it turned out to not be so bad. It's a mostly project-based class, and I'm getting the hand of Adobe Illustrator. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Visual Culture is my last class, but it's just a really weird name for Art History. I took an art history class last semester, so I'm pretty sure this is just the same game - read, take notes, write essays. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Overall, I'm super overwhelmed, and who knows if I'm doing any of this right. I'm also terrified that I just suck at this whole art thing and I'm going to be an art school drop out. So, yeah. I'll update you after March, when the next quarter starts. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-77813123724071387212019-01-03T10:24:00.000-08:002019-01-03T10:24:35.267-08:00BOOK REVIEW: Secret Trust by McCaid Paul | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river," - Lisa See</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">f you all are familiar with my reading history, you'll know that I read McCaid's fir</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">st book, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">The Forgotten Headline</i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> back in October 2018, and wasn't a huge fan. Review </span><a href="http://oliviajthewordshaker.blogspot.com/2018/10/book-review-forgotten-headline-by.html" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">here</a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">. But if you're lazy, here's the gist: while it was an interesting set up for a series, it had some developmental and 'set-up and payoff' issues. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">However, <i>Secret Trust</i> blew me out of the water!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Let's just get right into it, because there's a lot to discuss!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Disclaimer: I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, McCaid!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Spoilers, duh. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>The Bad</b></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>Mustache-Twirling</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This was a problem that carried over from <i>The Forgotten Headline.</i> All of the antagonists in this series are mustache-twirling villains. While it makes for a good plot twist, it doesn't make for a deep and nuanced examination of evil and why it arises. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It's almost humorous at times, how they laugh maniacally, kill without question, and are unflinchingly selfish and cruel. The problem with this is that the villians come off as flat and cartoonish. They can't be truly terrifying because their malice relies on over-exaggerated stereotypes instead of portraying the disjointed nuance and darkness of the human psyche. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Another problem is that there is very little explanation as to why these people are this way, other than greed, which isn't a strong enough motivator. Despite their cartoonishness, what would have saved the antagonists from becoming stereotypically villainous would have been a way to humanize them, instead of reducing them to seething and violent monsters. This is why the Ms. Claudia plot twist <i>almost</i> worked. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>Story Structure</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I'll admit this is a little nitpicky, but I thought there were some story threads that should have been introduced earlier or ones that should have carried through the story arc. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For example, I would have liked to stay with Clara's narration throughout the entire story, especially with what happened to her after she was shot. This would have added tension and more of a driving force since we would have seen how she got from the graveyard to Ms. Claudia's, instead of just forgetting about her for half the story and then suddenly, there she is. How did she get to the librarian's? Why did Ms. Claudia keep her alive for so long?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>The Good</b></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">First off, I want to say that literally everything has improved from the previous installment. The development, the action, the pacing, the writing. I love it. I can't possibly go into everything here, but I'll touch on my favorite elements. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>Pacing</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I absolutely devoured <i>Secret Trust</i>. It was like a roller coaster. With each twist and turn, you learn something new, but that information only brings with it new questions. With blink-and-you'll-miss-it action, Paul has crafted a twisty mystery, with perfectly balanced action and character moments. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>Sequel Development</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In terms of a sequel, this one was a perfect one. It deepened the mystery, deepened the relationships, and deepened the world. A good mystery sequel will also call into question the events of the first book, while also making them make more sense. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I especially loved the character development in this book. Mick and Billie still remain strong friends with some really cute romantic development. Paul wrote the impact of the previous books with ease, and their determination in solving the mystery was admirable. They were also given much more </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Even better was some of the plot development. While not perfect on all levels, there were still some aspects that stood out. The ways that the conspiracy unfolded and deepened was mind-blowing at times, and each element strung the reader along. The key to a good mystery is that each answer gives two more questions, and Paul has truly mastered this technique. As always, everything comes together in a startling conclusion. Mad respect for the ways that Paul improved every element of his writing and storytelling.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Overall, this mystery sucked me in with compelling main characters and stellar plot development!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I rated this book 4/5 stars!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Overall, <i>Secret Trust </i>is a stellar sequel and a solid mystery thriller. The first book is short, so I recommend this series just so you can get to this book. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-45203692749119293242018-12-31T11:14:00.001-08:002018-12-31T11:16:01.157-08:00TOP TEN-ish READS OF 2018 | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture. Just get people to stop reading them," - Ray Bradbury</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Alright. This isn't going to be your average "Top Ten" list. Heck, there are more than ten books on this list anyway.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Upon looking over the books I had read this year, I had a lot of difficulty in finding a set order to my favorite books. I read so many books I loved for varying reasons, and it felt unfair to put numerical quantities on these works of art. Sure, I like some of these books better than others, but my love for them is too complex and nuanced to be limited to a numbered list. It didn't feel fair to pit these books against each other, because I love them all for different reasons.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So, we're going to break them up into thematic categories! These categories are in no particular order, but the books listed in them are. I have also omitted the "Enjoyment Level" and "Objective Rating" section from these reviews since I'm not measuring them against each other anyways.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Casually Homicidal Inspiration</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>2nd Place: <i>Warm Bodies</i> by Isaac Marion</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I saw the movie adaptation of this book with my friend, since I had been wanting to read the book and see the movie since it came out. However, this book erased all critiques I had with the movie. I ADORE the prose and the writing style. It was visceral and beautiful, with a perfect dose of existential angst, just how I like it. An improvement from the movie was that Julie was much more developed, and I connected with her a lot more. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The themes and development were stellar, and I loved R, as always.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> Like any good science fiction, it examines the state of humanity and explores the relevant 'what-ifs'. Strangely enough, I liked the ending of the movie better. While the book ending wasn't bad, I thought the movie ending had more of an emotional impact and made more sense with the arc of the story and characters in some respects. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thankfully, the romance in this book was perfectly balanced. It was one of my favorite romances of the year. And y'all know how much I love stories about character growth. While the movie was funnier, the book had much more heart and depth. Despite a few small nitpicks concerning Perry's role in the story, Warm Bodies had so many things going for it that I am happy to overlook some small critiques. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>1st Place: <i>The Geography of Lost Things</i> by Jessica Brody</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I can't exactly articulate why I love this book so much. I originally picked it up because I wanted to read it for <i>Casually Homicidal </i>research, but I was absolutely blown away by this awesome book. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This was one of those books that hit me at the perfect moment in my life. It's a bit personal as to why, but regardless, the themes, the writing, the <i>pain - </i>it all impacted me on such a deep and intimate level. I cried and laughed and screamed. This book is my hopes and fears wrapped up in paper and cardboard. I devoured this book in less than three days. Equal parts light-hearted and angsty, I loved every second. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I can't say enough good things about this book. Just, go read it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>Science Fiction Faves</b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><b><br /></b></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>2nd Place:<i> Fifty Days</i> by Brittney Kristina</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Even though Brittney Kristina is one of my best internet friends, this review is completely unbiased. To prove so, I gave her debut novel, Forsaken 2.5/5 stars. You can read my strongly-worded review here. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">However, I <i>loved</i> Fifty Days. The description if elegant and atmospheric. The tone is stunning and builds the suspense of the novel. There's a good, old-fashioned trashy romance, but it's not instalove, and it makes sense within the context of the novel. It's such a prose- and character-driven novel, which you guys know I'm all about. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As the story progresses, the details build into a complex and creative mystery filled with subtle but powerful tension. The beauty of it is, when the reveal finally hits you, it made sense all along. My only complaint is that the use of italics for emphasis was overdone at times. However, Fifty Days is incredibly unique, enthralling and mysterious, with a healthy dose of angsty romance. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>1st Place:<i> Fahrenheit 451 </i>by Ray Bradbury</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I'm a massive sucker for modern literary classics, and this was a perfect fit. Not only was it masterfully crafted, the prose hit hard and spoke to me on a spiritual level. Both parts hopefully philosophical and abysmally poignant, <i>Fahrenheit 451</i> had so many levels to it that I was blown away. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Mental Illness Books</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>5th Place: <i>We Are Okay</i> by Nina LaCour</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I had heard nothing but good things about this book, even though I'm a bit late on the hype train. The cover is gorgeous though. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Truthfully, I don't have too much to say about this book. It was great, but not the greatest. I think my only real critique was that it didn't feel long enough. It could have used much more development, and this would have made the book even more impactful if these story elements were more developed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Overall, the atmosphere and writing style was gorgeous. The emotional journey spoke to me, and the slice of life feeling was perfect. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>4th Place: <i>The Chaos of Standing Still</i> by Jessica Brody</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Albeit not as objectively good in terms of technicality compared to the other books on this list, I still just felt a sheer enjoyment for this book. Just, wow, I loved it. The atmosphere, the laugh-out-loud absurdity, the moving character arcs. Classic Jessica Brody, and I am 100% on the hype train for her. I ADORED Xander. I think I might draw some fan art of him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I also related to Ryn's struggle with PTSD/survivor's guilt/anxiety. It hit so close to home honestly, just like with <i>Every Last Word</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">My only critiques were that I thought it was a bit long-winded, with some sections of dialogue and narration that could have been condensed. Also, sometimes Ryn's internal monologue ventured into cringey, but other times, it was spot on. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Overall, I will probably stan everything that Jessica Brody writes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>3rd Place: <i>Every Last Word </i>by Tamara Ireland Stone</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This is a clutch-book-to-chest-and-sigh kind of book. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I loved this book. I almost don't know how to put it into words. The character arc was executed beautifully, and the incorporation of swimming only elevated it to the next level. I related so hard to Sam, her anxiety struggles, and the way swimming and writing were interconnected. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">My only complaint is that I wished there was more time spent with the other members of Poet's Corner. Sam spends to more time spent talking <i>about </i>them and telling the reader about them, instead of showing more of their personalities and their social dynamics and struggles. If this element was fleshed out, then this book would have been perfect. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Every Last Word</i> was a fantastic portrayal of mental illness and the power of words. It resonated with me on a transcendent level, and it may very well find a place on my all-time favorites shelf. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>2nd Place: <i>Wings</i> by Olivia Faye Scott</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Read my full review <a href="http://oliviajthewordshaker.blogspot.com/2018/02/book-review-wings-by-olivia-faye-scott.html">here.</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>1st Place: <i>Turtles All The Way Down </i>by John Green</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Read my <i>Turtles</i> discussion article <a href="http://oliviajthewordshaker.blogspot.com/2018/03/your-book-doesnt-need-plot-study-of.html">here,</a> about plots (or, lack thereof). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I genuinely don't understand how people <i>didn't</i> love <i>Turtles</i>. I loved basically EVERYTHING about this book. The writing was stylistic and fit the narrative perfectly - but it was also poetic and deep, just how I love it. <i>Turtles</i> gave me an existential crisis in the best way. I felt so terribly understood, and that's really all I can ask for from a book. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The whole thing was so startlingly real. It as truly a 'slice-of-life' book, and I'm 100% here for it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">My only real critique was that I wasn't a massive fan of Aza's relationship with Davis. I felt it happened too fast, but by the end, I was down for it, and it didn't distract from anything that was going on. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Overall, I ADORE <i>Turtles</i>, and it has found a home on my favorites shelf. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>Miscellaneous Reads</b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><b><br /></b></u></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>4th Place:<i> The Pigman</i> by Paul Zindel</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I read this book in one mesmerized gulp. No, literally. I finished this book in the span of about four hours. And I loved every second of it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This is one of those books that just fits right in with my genre - slice of life, character driven, etc. I loved the prose style - very 'Catcher In the Rye' if you ask me, and both John and Lorraine felt real, but also startlingly ordinary. This book almost felt like a movie, which I feel is what it should have been, but it really works either way. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">My only critique was that I wanted to know more about Mr. Pignati, but maybe that's the point - both John and Lorraine were so wrapped up in themselves that they missed it, that they missed him. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Overall, the narration sucked me in, the characters and themes were amazing. A solid book really. 10/10 would read this to my kids. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>3rd Place: <i>Franny & Zoey </i>by J. D. Salinger</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I didn't quite like this one as much as I liked <i>The Catcher In the Rye</i> - let's be real, nothing can top that - but, as always, I love J. D. Salinger's voice as an author. He has such a remarkable way of writing human interactions with subtlety and complexity, where the conflict lies just beneath the surface, often how it does in real life. Just, ah, my life goals is to be able to write people the way J. D. Salinger did. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>2nd Place: <i>The Body</i> by Stephen King</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Stand By Me</i> is one of my favorite movies, and so when I heard that it was based on the Stephen King book, I knew I had to read it. And, of course, I was so bloody impressed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Since it was a novella, it was so close to the movie, which I appreciated. Reading the book gave me the same experience that I had while watching the movie, which I guess means it's a damn good adaptation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The dialogue between the boys was hilarious, heartfelt, and unflinchingly accurate. I adored the themes and the characters and the meaning behind the whole piece. Not only was it so well executed, it also resonated with me deeply. I love King's shorter works. He's truly The King. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>1st Place: <i>Beartown </i>by Fredrik Backman</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I LOVE<i> BEARTOWN. </i>You know Olivia really loves a book when she types in all capital letters. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I had always wanted to read some Fredrik Backman, but never got around to it until the lovely@biblio.virgo on Instagram personally recommended <i>Beartown</i> to me. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I fell in love from page 2. This story - and more importantly, it's characters - are so profoundly human. I adored basically every single character. And even the characters I didn't love were still developed and understandable. I could see snippets of my own life and my own experiences in <i>Beartown</i>. The culture of Beartown, the themes, and the story absolutely ripped my heart out from my chest. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Beartown</i> is profoundly emotional, and you all know how much I love emotional reads. But the emotion came from the subtlety and the impact of the ordinary moments, in that the quietest moments and the smallest things had the most power, which is how I feel that it works in real life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Backman is a phenomenal writer. The character development was lightning fast, and the writing was clean, yet creative and profound throughout the book. <i>Beartown </i>is cinematic, thought-provoking, and deeply, profoundly human. The prose just pulls you in, until you're right there with the characters, but also detached. Backman keeps enough distance for the reader to insert their own feelings and interpretations into the text. <i>Beartown</i> is a work of art, and it's so raw. Anyone can find themselves in this book.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now lets get into my critiques, which are few and far between. With a book this amazing, the critiques are just nitpicks. There were points where things delved into telling and not showing, but I think it was appropriate for the scale of the story. I would have liked to know more about Kevin and David - I feel like they got the short end of the stick most of the time. Exploring Kevin's mental state, and how that contrasted with Maya's and the rest of the town could have been very interesting, but it wasn't that much of a glaring problem. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now to my more larger critique. I praise <i>Beartown</i> and Backman for showing all angles of the traumatic situation, and how hard of an issue rape can be on so many levels. However, there was a certain small theme that I wasn't such a fan of: toxic masculinity. Granted, that was appropriate for the story context, and while the phrase 'toxic masculinity' wasn't outright stated, the idea that most of the masculinity in <i>Beartown</i> was toxic. There were a few instances where I just would have liked to see more overt instances of masculinity being portrayed positively - because there were several instances of it (namely: Benji, Bobo and his dad, Peter, Amat). The average reader might not have picked up on that and be left with a message that large amounts of masculinity is toxic and femininity is always good, and that's not true. Someone can be extraordinarily masculine and not be toxic - it depends on whether the intent and whether they're a good person or not. Femininity can be toxic as well, but that's a whole different discussion. I just would have liked there to have been a more clear contrast between toxic masculinity and actual, true masculinity, because that topic is so incredibly relevant, just like the rest of <i>Beartown</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I LOVE <i>BEARTOWN</i>. There were moments of intensity and terror, and moments of tenderness and heart-wrenching blows. It emotionally destroyed me in all of the right ways. I can't speak highly enough of <i>Beartown</i>. It is such an important book, and it resonated with me on so many levels. Stunning. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thank you for sticking with this strangely unique way of structuring a Top Ten list. Here's to another year of awesome reads!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-66292681629902944122018-12-08T07:22:00.001-08:002018-12-08T08:52:44.523-08:00White People Have Culture. We're Just Bad At Embracing It. <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I wish I had more culture. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It's not like I don't have culture. I'm German, Swedish, and Irish (and probably other white things). Both of my grandma's parents were immigrants. My family has a tradition of watching <i>The Quiet Man</i> and eating shepherd's pie and soda bread on St. Patrick's day. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I won't lie, at times I get envious of the community aspect of culture, and the heartwarming traditions that they bring. I feel like I've missed out on that by being a white American. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I could have culture if I wanted to. But I think there are some systematic problems behind as to why most white Americans aren't super cultured. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The first is that - concerning looks - it was a lot easier for European immigrants to assimilate. If they were able to knock their accent, they could 'pass' as a native American for the most part. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Another is that many European Americans were more willing to . . . intermingle with each other. First-gen children often married another first or second-gen immigrant, and the two families cultures had to merge, and it got diluted in the process, until, in many cases, it was lost altogether. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While there are most likely more reasons, but I'm not knowledgeable enough to go into all of them. (I won't even get to touch the topic of quantifying white American culture.) The bottom line is this: white people do have culture. We have just forgotten it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The reason I got to thinking about this is because in art history, we covered the Vikings (Scandinavia) and the Hiberno- and Anglo-Saxons (The British Isles), and I thought to myself, <i>Hey! Those are my people! That's where I'm from! </i>And I was in awe of the art because I felt such an emotional connection to it. Not just because it was beautiful, but because there is a part of that inside me. But I also felt ashamed that I hadn't educated myself on my own heritage. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I wish my German, Irish, and Swedish culture was more a part of my life, and more a part of my family's life. I wish I could go to these countries and meet some of my distant cousins. I wish I had the rich, multicultural experience that so many other Americans - particularly not-white Americans - have. I wish I was more educated about my heritage. I wish I felt more connected to my German, Irish, and Swedish cultural identity just as much as I feel connected to my American cultural identity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Instead of appropriating other's culture, let's start looking back to our own. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The Wordshaker</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-14915195577760129192018-12-01T08:45:00.000-08:002018-12-01T08:45:38.848-08:00I'm going to be featured in a Christmas Anthology! | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Sometimes reality is too complex. Stories give it form,"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> -Jean Luc Godard</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Instagram is by far my favorite platform. I've met some amazing writer friends on there who I can lean on in times of (writerly) trouble. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I have always wanted to write a Christmassy story, so I put something out on my story about it, as well as messaged my wonderful group of writer friends. Miraculously, everyone felt the same! Other people had been toying around with ideas - and so the Young Author Christmas Anthology was born!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, it is still without a title . . .</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrn-yQ63lITY_7JSRvxeWAfLdZjiC_rpgz-Kj9ExfuFJjc5BN570B7YbuxDhdO_pPivKSeoMCA0F71vW0-kn0TdXJrP6PDoWisyUlIxJWWnJPb7jdb4sQwfx18I8KMrqLTRR0-wZXaxfo/s1600/IMG_0155.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" class="" data-original-height="856" data-original-width="750" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrn-yQ63lITY_7JSRvxeWAfLdZjiC_rpgz-Kj9ExfuFJjc5BN570B7YbuxDhdO_pPivKSeoMCA0F71vW0-kn0TdXJrP6PDoWisyUlIxJWWnJPb7jdb4sQwfx18I8KMrqLTRR0-wZXaxfo/s400/IMG_0155.JPG" width="350" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">follow me on Instagram @olivia.j.the.wordshaker</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The anthology will contain everything from poems, to mystery flash fiction, to heartfelt contemporary reads, to fantasy short stories. I made a rule that above all else, this story has to be true to the author and reflect their personal tastes and style. It's a grab bag for everyone! If you find yourself loving a certain story or writing style, the author bios will contain information on how to read more of the writer's work.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While each story is vastly different, there is a thread that connects all of them. Each story has Easter eggs or references that tie the stories together. I'm excited to hear about your fan theories when it comes out!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">All profits will be donated to an Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome charity, since one of our authors, Kalan Olivia, has been diagnosed with this condition. We all wanted to use this as an opportunity to not only spread our writing and creativity, but to also do something good in this season of giving. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Here's a list of all our wonderful authors:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Olivia J. Bennett - me!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mary Conway - @conwaywrites</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">S. M. Creanza - @s.m.creanza.writes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Emma Dennin - @emmadenninwrites</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Kalan Olivia - @kalanoliviaauthor</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">McCaid Paul - @mccaidpaul</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Olivia Faye Scott - @oliviafayebooks</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Alyssa Tyson - @alyssa.tyson</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Maddyson Wilson - @maddywritesbooks</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Our plan is for both the ebook and the print copies to be available by mid-December! Stay posted with updates on my Instagram @olivia.j.the.wordshaker</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-5861818583940976092018-11-17T07:16:00.000-08:002018-11-17T07:22:33.745-08:00What "Casually Homicidal" Means to Me | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Every secret of a writer's soul, every experience of their life, every quality of their mind, is written large in their work," - Virginia Woolf</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Sometimes, my writing is a bit <i>too</i> personal. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Exhibit A: <i>A Cactus In the Valley</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">(Let's be real, no further exhibits needed.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Casually Homicidal</i> is no exception. Even though the pitch is quite outlandish - a road trip with a wannabe serial killer - the themes and the character arcs speak to me. They <i>are</i> me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Just like with <i>A Cactus In the Valley</i>, I seem to have divided myself - more aptly, my inner struggles - and incorporated them into my current writing project. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I've always wanted to write a road trip, but I never really knew why, other than the fact that road trips are fun. However, Arden and Hendrix want and <i>need</i> to get away. They need to break away from their hometown in order to grow. But in doing so, they realize they miss it more than they thought they would. Which, for lack of a more eloquent phrase, is a Big Mood. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">They're both 18 - on the cusp of having to decide what they want to do with their lives. Arden wants to hit pause, and Hendrix is relatively aimless, except for that one thing, of course. Being 18 myself, that whole concept is #relatable. I wish I could stop time like Arden, and, even though I know what I want, I don't know how to get there. Like Hendrix, I have a one-track mind.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As like many young adult novels, it's a lot about finding yourself. Except identities change and grow. Sometimes, we think we know who we are, and then something comes along and that all falls apart. It's about taking control of our identity, and not letting the past define who we are. I've been having this crisis lately, where I think I know who I am, but then something comes along and makes me rethink all of that. That you don't just find who you are and then it's all over, then you've hit your zenith and you can move on. Life is a constant journey of self-discovery. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While I believe that humans often try to do good, we are also extraordinarily selfish. I also believe that we are all capable of doing awful things under the right conditions. Psychology says so. I wanted to explore how mental illness and environmental factors lead to violence. What if Jeffrey Dahmer had dealt with his repressed sexual desires in a healthy way? What if Aileen Wuornos hadn't been abused and neglected? Would they still have done the things they did?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Don't fear - I'm not going to do any of those things, and I'm not really drawing from my own experiences here. But I wanted to explore how we all have that darkness inside of us, and what it would take to draw it out. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But really, Casually Homicidal is my heart and soul. It's a fictionalization of who I am right now, and the struggles that have plagued the past year or so of my life. It is one of a shifting identity, of deciding what kind of person I'm going to be. It is one of nostalgia and childhood. It is one of pain, and how we learn to live after it. It is one of the future, of how bright it is that we almost don't want to look at it, for fear it's not all that it's cracked up to be. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Casually Homicidal is my heart and soul. The inspiration has come from the people in my life, big and small. The inspiration has come from my love of Americana and all things vintage. It has come from me. I'm giving you another piece of my soul, dear readers. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I hope you love it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-70949634153320314362018-11-03T08:45:00.002-07:002018-11-03T08:45:52.021-07:00Abandon Word Counts: Unpopular Opinion about NaNoWriMo<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"There are three rules to writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are," - W. Somerset Maugham</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Happy National Novel Writing Month, fellow writers! We've got a couple of days under our belt, maybe you're doing great, maybe you hate yourself a little bit. Regardless, I'm here to drop some truth on why word counts are toxic for me and why it's worth considering to move away from word counts. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">November 2014 was my first NaNo experience - I was still working on<i> A Cactus In the Valley </i>in my freshman year of high school. I went at it for about a week, and then petered out. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Every day, I felt like a failure for not meeting my word count goal, despite having written <i>some</i> good content during that first week of NaNo. And then my quality started to decline. I thought - why do this if I'm just going to emotionally drain myself and write garbage? Keeping track of my word counts makes me feel like a failure, no matter what the actual quality of what I wrote was. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ever since then, I've been super strict about <i>not</i> keeping abreast to what my word count of a particular project was. For me, it puts a quantifier on something that can't really be quantified. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">NaNoWriMo also judges success on word count, instead of quality. And maybe that's the point for newer writers who need to just let loose. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">However, I judge my writing - and my writing sessions - not on length or word count, but by quality and how far I progressed. Did I finish a chapter? Did I finish a couple of scenes? Then I surely had a successful writing night, no matter how many words I wrote. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">However, sometimes, I'll still feel the nag to constantly check my word count or judge how short something is in comparison to something else. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And honestly, I feel like the writing community is partially to blame for this mentality, and the almost religious adherence to word counts. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But are you ready for this: <b>word count doesn't matter</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">. </i>At least not when it comes to the quality of your story/your writing. Sure, word count matters when you're submitting something or when you're cutting or fleshing out to adhere to genre conventions for novel length. However, when writing - just write. Don't try and slap a number on your success or failure. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now, don't get me wrong and say that I'm trying to convert you who swear by word counts. If you have found success through NaNoWriMo, then more power to you. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">What I am trying to do is help you see it in a new light, from another perspective, from someone who has failed at NaNoWriMo every single year, but still manages to write award-winning stories - both long and short. Find your own creative process that works for you. Don't feel like you have to measure your success on arbitrary word counts.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Success in writing comes not from quantity - not even from quality sometimes - but in a story that is creatively satisfying to you. One that changes <i>you.</i> Don't let believing that you have to write X-amount of words in order to achieve success stop you from actually persevering and writing that story. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So, hence, screw word counts. I don't use them. They stress me out. I only use them when I'm completely done with a story. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-77199453107721017402018-10-27T06:45:00.000-07:002018-10-27T06:45:31.722-07:00Spoiler-Free Book Review: I Know You Like A Murder by Amy L. Sauder <div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"You don't start writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it's good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That's why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence." - Octavia Butler</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">With it being Spooktober and all, I thought this would be an appropriate review. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But, more importantly, this is my friend, Amy L. Sauder's novella! Spoiler, I LOVED beta-reading this novel. And guys, it's only like 60 pages, and they go by in a heartbeat!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Disclaimer: I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Unlike many of my other reviews, this will be SPOILER-FREE. Nobody likes a spoiled mystery, and since this is a new release, I want you to get the chance to read it for yourself first. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>The Bad</b></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>1. Pacing</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While I do think that IKYLAM should be a short novella, the pace isn't conducive to the slow burn murder mystery that it is. It goes both ways: it works short, but I feel like it could be longer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">IKYLAM is one of those books that you should just sit down and read in one sitting. And while this is a plus considering the story, plot, and characters, it does have some downsides for being so short. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The most notable being that it doesn't really get to ruminate and stew around inside you. A good mystery strings you along, giving you just enough to keep you turning that next page but not too much that you start to feel bored. Sauder does this well. However, this could have been even more impactful if the story was a bit longer, so the mystery and suspense really could have simmered and built up, leading to a smashing conclusion. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>The Good</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>1. Tone/Style</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This is really what IKYLAM has going for it. I can't say enough good about the writing style and the tone that it exudes. It's absolutely perfect. It's surreal and suspenseful and pulls you into its tongue-in-cheek atmosphere.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The awesome thing is that it feels coldly detached, yet so laser-focused. The use of language is refined and specific, and it echoes nineteenth-century classic mysteries with modern accessibility. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I can't even accurately describe how awesome the writing style and tone is in IKYLAM. You just have to experience it for yourself. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>2. The Characters</u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While IKYLAM isn't a character study, the characters are at the forefront. Each one of them is complex in their own way, but they feel mundane and accessible. That's the draw of IKYLAM - mysteries can feel daunting and pretentious, but IKYLAM is lightning-fast and down-to-earth. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The narrator is humorous and cunning. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Equal parts insecure and maniacal, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Camille is . . . stunning and so incredibly interesting. Shy Boy is guarded and unstable. Divas and egos run rampant, and you can't help but enjoy every juicy second.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Each character has their masks - pun intended - but we get to see glimpses of their inner layers and their complexity. This style of character development is perfect not only for the tone but also for the length of the novel. I'd love to see more of some of the characters, but I think that's the beauty of it. IKYLAM feels like a flashbulb of an old-timey camera, revealing the true nature and how deep the motives go. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Objective Rating: 9/10</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Enjoyment Level: 10/10</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Overall, I <i>thoroughly </i>enjoyed my time reading this. I was swept up in the style and encapsulated by the foreshadowing and suspense. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So, in the words of my author blurb on the inside cover:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"This is SUCH a quirky meta-mystery and I am 100% on board."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I recommend this for everyone tired of the mystery/crime thriller genre, fans of <i>The Phantom of the Opera</i>, and anyone who loves a good </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I'm so happy for you, Amy! Go buy <i>I Know You Like A Murder</i> on Amazon <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FT53RT9?pf_rd_p=c2463b52-1139-4aba-9ac9-26d103f6c586&pf_rd_r=MHDA9NS5QDJWVTE6TCXF">here</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-4263091962956223942018-10-13T08:55:00.002-07:002018-10-13T09:07:00.360-07:00Why I haven't been blogging as much... (plus a Casually Homicidal snippet) | Olivia J<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Step into a scene and let it drip from your fingers,"</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">-MJ Bush</span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-c4da5a83-7fff-0e17-2483-203fba50a19b" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">I love this blog. Even if very few people read it, I would still probably write for it. I love the content I produce, I love sharing stuff with you, and I love analyzing literature. This blog is a portfolio of me.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">And I hate that I haven’t been able to write on it as consistently as I did during high school. I usually only missed one or two blog posts a year.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">And then college happened.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve resorted to being able to write one blog post every two weeks, and that’s iffy. I just don’t want to put out subpar content when I truly don’t have the time - or mental energy - to produce quality content.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">It sucks, but that's my life right now. And my content on this blog should reflect my life. Don't worry, I'm working on getting blogging back into my weekly schedule. Literary analysis will be few and far between, but then you might be getting more lifestyle posts.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">However, there is another reason why I haven't been blogging as much, and it's a much better excuse than busyness.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Casually Homicidal, the current YA Thriller/Contemporary novel I'm writing, is almost done. Yes, you heard that right. I'm almost done. I've only got five chapters left, and then draft one is done.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">But really, it's beautiful. I have fallen irrevocably in love with this story and these characters. I was afraid it was never going to happen again, but here we are. Casually Homicidal has taken over my life, and I'm 100% here for it.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Now, there hasn't really been an official synopsis for Casually Homicidal since I'm still perfecting it, and the only info you guys have gotten is over on Instagram (@olivia.j.the.wordshaker) in the form of collages and snippets.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">However, there is a little bit more I can share with you, in the form of a short piece about the themes of Casually Homicidal. And some photos of course.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">***</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">So . . . what is Casually Homicidal even about?</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Casually Homicidal is about change, and the insane things we do to stop time.</span></span></div>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s about being so rejected that all you can manage to do is reject other people.</span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="216" data-original-width="343" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_tug2JrqdoRh0ir2VDVB4gCqlhuN1mNoms0vYiqp0tm-xHUX-qNjDphLj-jek40fY0jb0J3aawqmmT576WV499j7TQwE6Cu3NOWeHfrxRcJu8p44FgRZKZ8oXyGmuUIz49p1f_dodso/s320/IMG_1354+%25281%2529.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">pic creds to Pinterest</span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s about the secrets we keep and what they drive us to do.</span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-29e257eb-7fff-0ba3-562f-e1643bcb9d03" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s about being so incredibly empty that we don’t even realize we’re filling a void.</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s about small towns and nostalgia and the wilderness of young adulthood.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span> </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="500" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2zmTPIcO6Lg7S69wWCDbvII7Zt9PWFAMXwTCaYSxCDolmHBDNpAlvxOUiTNEiwr37ZC46Bj3JKkgzG1jct2b2Yzpm8AT3inb1hmbX3VAwgKy5A5FQ6BVWl09PNwvK0ZosZhE6A4y3CJM/s320/IMG_1355.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">pic creds to Pinterest</span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s about pain and the people, memories, and experiences that change us.</span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-04b294e7-7fff-6ea2-f872-26cb4d7a0323" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s about accepting the past and facing the future.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">It’s about deciding who you really want to be.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2Wc5tZVHWFXuEI53awgJQkwpT8h4KaqUCUzgxo5ua_KSoOCbW9ikOUBZM6dvjk4Djioh753kVL2OZdst8BtsiX8bavWtJNiDI7X4X_xq2MhZC0t6vfEN5Xem2N35FgVzPt1eUvQKzFM/s1600/IMG_1271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim2Wc5tZVHWFXuEI53awgJQkwpT8h4KaqUCUzgxo5ua_KSoOCbW9ikOUBZM6dvjk4Djioh753kVL2OZdst8BtsiX8bavWtJNiDI7X4X_xq2MhZC0t6vfEN5Xem2N35FgVzPt1eUvQKzFM/s400/IMG_1271.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: xx-small;">pic creds to Pinterest</span></td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Casually Homicidal is about two eighteen-year-olds trying to find out where they fit in a world that wants nothing to do with either of them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Cue the existential crises, road trips, and bloody murder.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">***</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">And a snippet, just because I'm so generous.</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">***</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Was I right about you, Hendrix?”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;">“What?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“Was I right, that you want to leave too? That you feel this terrible, awful stringing feeling inside, like your stomach is made of a ball of yarn and someone’s just pulling and pulling and pulling at it? Except you’re not sure where they’re pulling it, so the spool just grows smaller and smaller, until one day it’s just going to pop out of you Do you feel that way, too?”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hendrix pauses. His eyes glaze and go far away - he’s thinking. “Yes.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">His voice strikes me, sharp and metallic. He’s lying, I can feel it right in the core of me. People lie to me all the time. I’ve gotten good at discerning it. “You don’t.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hendrix swallows audibly. “Yeah, I do.” It comes out more like a question.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My forehead tenses up. I ought to take him at face value - I really should. I sit up and start to walk over towards him, to see if he’s genuine. If he really</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> means</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> anything he’s saying.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But he turns on his heel and walks away from me, towards his side of the bed.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“We should sleep, Arden. It’s almost 2am.”</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My chest splinters as I wander back into bed, swallowed by the soft darkness. I’m sleeping in the same bed as Hendrix, but he feels so far away. And the divide is lined with sinkholes and jagged rocks and fearsome creatures on both sides.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s not like he felt any closer when we worked together at that Godforsaken frozen yogurt shop. But us being in this together, it feels like we should be.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 5pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Granted, the world </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">should</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> be a lot of things.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-indent: 36pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">But we both know it’s not.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">***</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">Love you all. Thanks for supporting what I love.</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.656; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "georgia"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-73508072440985959232018-10-06T07:42:00.000-07:002018-10-06T07:42:59.085-07:00BOOK REVIEW: 'The Forgotten Headline' by McCaid Paul | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Fiction is the truth inside the lie," - Stephen King</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Olivia, do you ever read anything that's <i>not</i> an indie book anymore?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">No. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdN0dtsDeixcNzYJ-l9g_3sCTSAsOdae-7Hg37iVnLcdWzM2MA5bdoSgluhiWCOoQgV0NWmE5xq9YLRUWuh77if5OnHIDld6UqnBkKZAYX50K3E5krlVHA5taG_qK4goMdh2MyujLmoM/s1600/IMG_1096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1225" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdN0dtsDeixcNzYJ-l9g_3sCTSAsOdae-7Hg37iVnLcdWzM2MA5bdoSgluhiWCOoQgV0NWmE5xq9YLRUWuh77if5OnHIDld6UqnBkKZAYX50K3E5krlVHA5taG_qK4goMdh2MyujLmoM/s320/IMG_1096.JPG" width="244" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Disclaimer: I was sent this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, McCaid!</span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you're reading this, then you probably know how my book reviews go. Let's not waste any time on formalities. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Spoilers, duh.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>The Bad</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>1. Writing Style</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I wasn't a huge fan of the writing style of <i>The Forgotten Headline</i>. Most of it didn't stand out to me, or strike me as particularly creative or inspired. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On a more technical level, linking verbs were used to an excess. Now, it's all fine and good for me to use linking verbs, but that's because of the context of what I'm writing. And linking verbs aren't inherently bad. However, in an action/mystery/thriller, strong verbs and active voice are your best friend. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I'm so picky about prose because it is the vehicle for which your story rides on. How good the story is should partially hinge on the prose - because if the prose isn't the foundation, then why not just write a script or screenplay? Why not just make a movie or a short film? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>2. Chekhov's Gun: Setup & Payoff</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This is a hefty one, because this really gets into the nitty-gritty of storytelling mechanics. However, it's undeniably one of the most important parts in creating a successful story. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This video by Folding Ideas perfectly explains this rhetorical concept - <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cG5zKwmXLgo">Setup and Payoff</a>. In so many words, set up and payoff refers to the way to successfully integrate a theme or an element in a story. The rule of three refers to the Set Up, then the Reminder, and then the Payoff. An example of this would be in my own novel, <i>A Cactus In the Valley.</i> (I'm not enamored of using my own work as an example, but this one just happens to fit.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mild <i>ACITV </i>spoilers ahead. In <i>A Cactus In the Valley, </i>the main female character, Terra Lombardi, is raped as a young girl, and she tells us about it in her first flashback. This is the Setup. The Reminder comes in the form of the second flashback, reminding the reader of the traumatic event, but also deepening our understanding of how this event has shaped Terra's life. A few other offhand instances of it are brought up in the period between the Setup and Payoff and even afterwards, but the primary Reminder is the second flashback. The Payoff comes in Chapter Seven, where Terra is alone and is forced to confront her trauma and how it has stifled her. The Payoff forces her to make a decision and move on, completing the arc. (This is just a general example. If it's a super important aspect, you can have several Reminders, but not too many that it loses subtlety. This principle can apply to anything as simple as an object and as complex as a narrative theme.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Shoutout to <i>Fifty Days</i> by my best friend, Brittney Kristina. That book has some of the best Setup-Reminders-Payoff I've ever had the privilege of reading. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Back to <i>The Forgotten Headline. </i>Unfortunately, this storytelling device is virtually nowhere to be found in <i>TFH</i>. The most significant instance of this is when Mick is reading newspapers in the library with Billie and he sees the name 'Mick Johnson'. This triggers a memory of Mick's father accidentally calling him 'Mick Johnson' a few times. To Mick and Mick alone does this connection make sense. To the audience, it comes out of left field. It feels like a detail just shoved in last minute in order to make things connect. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A way to fix this would have easily been to use the triad of Setup & Payoff I just described. For example, at the beginning of the novel, when Mick and his father are hunting, Mick's father could have accidentally called him 'Johnson' - a.k.a. the Setup. Later, Mick could have mused about how he feels alienated and different, like he doesn't truly belong in his family - a.k.a the Reminder. And then when Mick sees the headline and has the 'aha' moment, the reader would be right on board with Mick and we would be having that 'aha' moment right along with him, instead of it having to be explained and set up after the fact. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This technique ought to have been employed all throughout <i>TFH</i>, and in some instances, it was. I saw the pattern in the Red Mustang and in Billie's subplot. However, I didn't see this element in some of the most important aspects of the novel like I should have. Setup and Payoff is one of the most crucial parts of a story, and it should be everywhere. You can't overuse this trope because it's just so incredibly effective and it cannot be divorced from good storytelling. Mysteries rely on setup and payoff because, throughout the story, the reader is given clues that don't connect, but when there's that one revelation, everything falls together for both the character and the reader. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Because of this, many elements in <i>The Forgotten Headline</i> fall flat because of their lack of set up. Stories rely on setup and payoff because that's how a story progresses logically and how a story makes sense - if it's not important, don't mention it; if it is, give it appropriate emphasis. But more significantly, setup and payoff is how a story feels satisfying to the reader. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>3. Pacing</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This sort of tags on with my last point. The setups and payoffs in <i>TFH</i> either don't work or are nonexistent because everything moves so fast. However, I think the beginning of the story is the strongest because it employs both suspense and interesting setups. Mysteries - and even thrillers - are often slow burns, relying on unknowns and tangled plot threads and an abundance of clues. However, due to <i>TFH's </i>length, this was cut short. The story wasn't allowed to simmer and build to the startling revelations contained within the plot (excluding the cliffhanger). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>4. Backstory</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Evil is not born, it's made," -Regina Mills, <i>Once Upon A Time. </i> Granted, I'm not the best person to consult in writing villains, since most of my stories don't have one single person who is the primary antagonist. However, I still have something to say about it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Truly, the most essential part of a villian is their motivation. Really, that's one of the core parts of any character. The two primary antagonists of <i>TFH</i> are Mr. Welch and Mick's dad, however, neither of them have clear and interesting motives. Robert's - Mick's dad's - motivation is only a reflection of Mr. Welch's motivation. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>The Good</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>1. Mick & Billie</u></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I wasn't planning on loving the relationship between Mick and Billie as much as I did. I was actually surprised to find that Billie was a girl, but I loved it. She and Mick were really interesting foil characters, and I liked their strong friendship and that it didn't explicitly veer into romance. It really felt like the heart of the story, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops in the sequels moving forward.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>2. Setting/Aesthetic</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This one's minor, but it's important in that it adds to the overall effect of the story. <i>TFH</i> reminded me of <i>Hatchet</i> for some reason, and I love <i>Hatchet</i>. Maybe it's the forest/hunting setting, but I got massive <i>Hatchet</i> vibes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>3. Interesting Set-Up for a Series</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This might sound strange, considering my larger issue with Setup and Payoff that I discussed earlier. However, I felt that there still were interesting aspects that I have hope will be developed more in the future. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">First of which being Mick and Billie's relationship. They have the awesome potential to become a sleuthing power couple. Their friendship and their paralleled struggles could lead to some awesome character development. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mick's subtle murderous tendencies I though was an interesting touch. It could develop more later, but I enjoyed the parallel to Mr. Welch, Robert, and Mick in terms of their overwhelming rage and how that can lead to reckless and murderous behavior. If Paul expands upon this concept, he could have a really interesting arc on his hands. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I think it all comes down to that <i>The Forgotten Headline</i> showed it's hand way too early on. The story wasn't nearly long enough for the mystery to fully develop or simmer like all good mystery/thrillers ought to. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Yikes, another long one! I just really love literary analysis, can you tell?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Honestly, the section about Setup and Payoff could have been its own blog post. That's such a heavy topic but it's super important to literally any story. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Also I kinda hate that I've been posting biweekly on this blog, but what can you do? College is a bitch. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-76339893729492757012018-09-22T08:07:00.002-07:002018-09-22T08:08:01.865-07:00Why "The Fire & Ice Book Series" is Middle Grade Fiction | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"The road to hell is paved with adverbs," -Stephen King</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I love indie authors. I love supporting indie authors. It's basically a part of my brand at this point. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I also believe that all feedback is good feedback - save from things that are purely subjective and comments that aren't <i>constructive</i> criticism. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I know that a lot of people love this series. I know that Erin has found a lot of success with this series, and that's great. I'm glad other people have enjoyed it and have been inspired by it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">However, I personally don't get the hype. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAOIm5x-qL15uSjOf6eO7fC6leFmwBha72X-mYhlt-6iQn_v_d24VEwrueJnyJ9mktKBQNtAPlMXjT-g5OAKY-T0Y-IbUP6B929-aLwKfpCpuYji20XJ7L1821B8ToDyMBSFOhqr6I0c/s1600/IMG_0645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1177" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAOIm5x-qL15uSjOf6eO7fC6leFmwBha72X-mYhlt-6iQn_v_d24VEwrueJnyJ9mktKBQNtAPlMXjT-g5OAKY-T0Y-IbUP6B929-aLwKfpCpuYji20XJ7L1821B8ToDyMBSFOhqr6I0c/s400/IMG_0645.jpg" width="293" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Follow me on Instagram @olivia.j.the.wordshaker</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you're interested, my review for The Elementals can be found under <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38495897-fire-ice">the 2 star rating section here</a>, and my review for The Lost Dreamer can be found under <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36543151-fire-ice?ac=1&from_search=true">the 3 star rating section here</a>, but they're not essential to understanding this blog post. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But let's get on with why you actually clicked on this blog post . . . </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>The Fire & Ice Book Series is Middle Grade Fiction</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Forbes herself brands the Fire & Ice Book Series as a YA fantasy series, which is incorrect on several levels. The characters are sixteen, so that must mean it's YA, right? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Wrong. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>This series </i></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>is Middle Grade.</i> It's not Young Adult. It's important that you know this right off the bat, because if you go into this book thinking it's MG fantasy, then you'll probably like it. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, I went into F&I series believing that it was YA, and this greatly impacted my perception of the series.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I found this amazing article on Writer's Digest about <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/online-editor/the-key-differences-between-middle-grade-vs-young-adult">the key differences between MG and YA. </a> It makes compelling points on why F&I is not YA. I will be using this article as evidence to support my points. I highly recommend checking this post out - it's super insightful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The complexity and themes are what differentiates these two genres - not just age ranges. MG usually has to do with friendship, family, and the character's reactions to the immediate world around them. However, YA concerns itself with love, changing relationships, how the character fits into the world on a grander scale, and self-discovery/reflection. YA often tackles heavier and more nuanced content and themes, and MG has more of a focus on adventure and good overcoming evil. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In all these cases, F&I fits the criteria for MG and not YA. I'm not saying that F&I should have been <i>grimdark</i>, but what I am saying is that in order for F&I to truly qualify for a YA title, it must earn it by fulfilling the conventions of the genre. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For example, our main character Alice Hanley - and all of the characters for that matter - are undeniably good. The Elementals are good, and the Creatures of the Night Oak Forest and Cleo Lennox are bad. This kind of simplistic, black and white categorization is usually nowhere to be found in YA books, because teens have the self-awareness that the world and people are much more complex than that. When reading <i>The Lost Dreamer, </i>I felt so much sympathy for Cleo Lennox. She has the potential to be such an interesting and nuanced character in future books, but Erin glossed over all of the interesting things we could have explored with Cleo and wrote her as evil and vindictive. Granted, the end of <i>The Lost Dreamer</i> left this plot open-ended, so I'm hoping for some more interesting development with Cleo. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The problem is that the way F&I goes about tackling its themes is characteristic of MG. Things are allowed to be a bit more cut-and-dry in MG, but not YA. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">F&I does a whole lot of telling in every aspect (characters, world, everything), which, again, you can get away with more in MG than in YA - and this is due to the nature of the audience. Older teenagers are able to think for themselves and deduce information from context clues - aspects of the story and characters can be more subtle, nuanced, and not stated outright. In contrast, middle-grade readers need to be spoon-fed certain aspects. And this isn't bad, it's just a hallmark of the genre. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now I'm not saying that Middle Grade isn't as deep or as complex as Young Adult, because that's simply not true. What I am saying is that the two genres are deep and complex in different ways, and they both have different methods of going about it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">To clarify, the fact that I'm insisting that F&I is not YA and is MG is not necessarily critique of the work itself. It's a critique of the branding and the genre choice that Erin Forbes has made. She would find much more success if she branded F&I as MG instead of YA. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">If you go into reading this with the mindset that The Fire & Ice Book Series is an uplifting and whimsical <i class="">Middle Grade</i> series, then you'll probably enjoy them. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*Phew*. That was a lot. Congrats if you made it to the end. I haven't done one of this literary analysis blog posts in a while, mostly because they take a lot of time and mental energy, and those are two things I'm quite short of these days. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-7906015498137376182018-09-08T08:15:00.000-07:002018-09-08T08:15:06.408-07:00The Vine Across the Wire | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened," - Dr. Seuss </i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On my way to campus, there is a vine that has crawled up a powerline to drapes across the road along a wire. As the month has passed, I have watched the vine grow lush and green, strong and alive against the late summer heat. And I have watched it die in a brilliant display of color, wilting into leaves that rustle in the autumn wind. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">That vine has been a sort of constant in my life. I watch as it changes whenever I drive past. It makes me smile. And it reminds me that what goes up, must come down. That what grows must eventually die. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The impermanence of all natural and human things, I think, is actually quite humbling and beautiful. It reminds us that if we don't give life meaning, then no one will give it to us. We are the ones who give life meaning, and you only have one shot to make the most out of every day, every week, every month. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Everything changes. Welcome to life. If nothing's changing in your life, are you really living it? That vine wasn't destined to stay across that wire forever.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">An abundance of things have been changing in my life. And if you know me, then you know that change and I don't get along. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But with all bad changes, some good ones always open up. With the loss of a friend, I have gained more. Where theater used to fill my hours, I've been working at a job I love. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Things are nostalgic these days.<i> Casually Homicidal</i> - my WIP - is coming along slowly but surely. I'm seeing old friends, finding out who's going to stick around. I'm learning to be independent, to be not just my own whole person but my own whole person who can also do her laundry and grocery shop. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I'm moving forward by looking back. By seeing where I always catch coffee with him. By seeing the glow of Friday night lights on the horizon that will always remind me of the two of you. By laughing at the time my friend and I sought out the stray cats in the back of our local DQ because we're just that passionate about cats. All of the places that remind me of my firsts. All of the cornfields that remind me of my grandfather. All of the trees that remind me of adventure. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So I think I can add the vine across the wire to my list that makes this old soul nostalgic. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But I guess being nostalgic means that I've loved something so much for it to still follow me like a friendly shadow. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-51161851792402934562018-08-25T07:29:00.000-07:002018-08-25T20:40:39.711-07:00Book Review: 'Saving Ivy' by Emily Reilly | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Most writers regard the truth as their most valuable possession, and therefore are most economical in its use,"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">-Mark Twain</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It's strange, but I think I read indie author books faster sometimes. Or maybe it's because this one was a contemporary. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But alas, this is yet another indie book review! I don't think I'll ever get tired of reading work from my peers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Disclaimer: </b>I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much Emily, you should totally follow her on Instagram @emreilly!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Spoilers, duh. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: georgia, times new roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b>TW</b>: <i>Saving Ivy</i> deals with heavy topics, including but not limited to: self-harm, abuse, rape, violence, and suicide. You <i>need</i> to go into this book with the right mindset. If you have suicidal tendencies, DO NOT read this book. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>The Bad</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>1. The Writing</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This has two main points, so I shall break it up for ease. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> a. Thoughts In Italics</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Reilly's writing heavily employs a tactic where the literal thoughts that run through a character's head are included in the prose and then italicized. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">When used sparingly, they can be very effective. However, instead of using word choice, syntax, or dialogue to convey thoughts and emotions, Reilly relies on clipped words or phrases to express what the character is thinking or feeling. The overuse of it quickly begins to feel juvenile, and borders on telling instead of showing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> b. Development of Different POVs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Saving Ivy</i> has at least four different point-of-views, but the story is mostly told through Ivy, Aunt Wiley, and Joseph's point of view.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As someone who mostly writes in first person dual or multiple perspective POVs, I feel that I can come from a place of experience and offer some critique but also advice. I've been writing with multiple perspectives since 2013 - that doesn't make me an expert by any means, but it does mean that I know what I'm talking about to some extent. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The trick with writing multiple perspectives is voice. I mean, you as a writer and also the POV character should have their own distinct voice even if you're writing one POV. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">However, it's even more important that you develop strong character voices in a story with more than one POV characters. It just makes sense from a literal perspective: all humans think differently. We all use different syntax, we have different levels of vocabulary; what we say and how we say it varies greatly from person to person. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In order to develop this, you have to consider so many things about the character: How old are they? What is their education level? What is their sense of humor like? What is their outlook on life? What region or part of the world are they from? All of these things influence a character's voice. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The unfortunate problem is that <i>Saving Ivy</i> doesn't develop its POV character's voices. The writing style is virtually the same across Ivy, Aunt Wiley, and Joseph (although Joseph's voice is the most developed, I will give credit there).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The different POVs aren't confusing because you're not sure who's speaking - because the reader can deduce that from the content - they're confusing because everyone sounds so similar. It makes the writing flat and less engaging, as well as not allowing us to fully get into the POV character's head. Part of immersing the reader in the character is being able to see how that character thinks, perceives, and feels. <i>Saving Ivy</i> severely lacked the proper development of the three POVs in order to make them distinct and engaging. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>2. Lack of Complexity</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Stories - and their levels of complexity - change in order to fit the target audience. Middle-grade books have more character depth, plot development, and tackle deeper issues than simple chapter books. Young Adult books take everything from MG and dig <i>even </i>deeper, and tailor the subject matter to fit the audience. Adult fiction is often the deepest and most complex of all fiction, mostly because adults are fully developed and can comprehend all of the subtlety, nuance, and complexity contained in adult fiction. Sure, there's some overlap, but as a general rule, there are specific ranges and levels for how complex an age-range of stories is. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">However, despite the content, <i>Saving Ivy</i> reads more like a middle-grade novel in terms of development and complexity. What makes YA so subversive is that it has the capability to be as complex as some adult fiction, while still catering to a younger demographic. What I mean by complexity is the ability to portray many different things in the context of one story, and the ability to interweave and connect multiple story threads while furthering the character arcs and plot. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">In <i>Saving Ivy,</i> there's not much going on. There's kind of just this one plotline of the interactions between Joseph, Wiley, and Ivy - and a few other small things thrown in. I feel like this has to do with the length of the book. Everything is kind of right on the surface. There's not much subtext, and the entirety of the plot, themes, and character development is right there in front of you. The story doesn't have many levels - each scene furthers one aspect of the plot. With some more character arcs and subplots thrown in, <i>Saving Ivy</i> would have had much more development and complexity. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>The Good</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>1. The Flashbacks (& some of the writing)</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I'm a sucker for some good flashbacks - *cough* <i>A Cactus In the Valley</i> *cough* <i>Lost. </i>And the flashbacks in <i>Saving Ivy</i> were done so well and added so much to the story and the characters. They were short, but packed such an impactful and significant punch. It was like looking through a keyhole, but still able to see all that you needed without the flashbacks interrupting the story or dragging it down. There was more implied backstory, and I feel that this worked in favor of the narrative to balance out some of the heavier subject matter and depressing tone of the book. Reilly could have easily packed in the long sob-backstories, but she chose to make them short and sweet (in the colloquial sense of the last word). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now, based on the critiques I've made of Reilly's writing, it would be safe to assume that I think that Reilly is not a good writer. However, that couldn't be further from the truth. There were some passages and some lines in <i>Saving Ivy</i> that took my breath away, that forced me to reconsider things, and absolutely pulled me in with the unique descriptions. Reilly's moments of literary brilliance deserve just as much recognition. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>2. Portrayal of Mental Illness</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now, before you all come at me with your pitchforks about <a href="http://oliviajthewordshaker.blogspot.com/2018/08/inaccurate-portrayal-of-mental-illness.html">last week's blog post</a>, hear me out. I came into this book with the right expectations, and that greatly influenced my enjoyment and reception of <i>Saving Ivy</i>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Saving Ivy </i>is not a happy book. It's very depressing, and I think it's important that you go into this book with that mindset. I suppose the title of '<i>Saving</i>' <i>Ivy</i> is misleading, but that's neither here nor there. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">However, what <i>Saving Ivy</i> does right is that it shows how mental illness and strong emotions can warp someone's sense of reality and their ability to think clearly. That's why it's mental illness. So no, I don't berate or criticize Reilly for portraying Ivy's suicide as 'saving' her or as her finally finding peace, because for many people, they are deluded to believe that suicide is their only way out. They truly do believe that suicide will stop their pain. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Reilly successfully portrayed the mind of a suicidal person, and how that kind of thinking can warp one's perception. I think that if you go into this book with the right mindset, and with this in mind, the suicide, as well as all of the other mental health topics discussed in the book, will not seem like a cop-out or as a harmful portrayal. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Saving Ivy</i> can be compared to works like <i>Manchester by the Sea</i> or<i> Les Miserables -</i> although these words are mammoths in comparison to <i>Saving Ivy</i>, they all are super depressing with somewhat hollow endings. And I feel that we need stories like this to balance out the tendency for all stories to end happily, or, rather, for all stories to have their conflicts tied up in a pretty bow. Because life doesn't work like that - sometimes bad things happen over and over and over and sometimes people die and sometimes conflicts never get resolved. I greatly commend Reilly for tackling this concept. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Final Thoughts: </b>While fundamentally flawed at points, <i>Saving Ivy </i>shows Reilly's literary prowess through her use of flashbacks and tackling of deeply emotional and less discussed topics. What holds the novel back are its lack of strong POV voices. Despite this, I enjoy the genre and subject matter of <i>Saving Ivy</i>, so for that I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading Reilly's work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Objective Rating: 6.5/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Enjoyment Level: 7/10</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-55177955572389317922018-08-18T06:21:00.000-07:002018-08-18T06:21:51.403-07:00"Inaccurate Portrayal of Mental Illness" - Debunking the Myth | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"An idea that is not dangerous is unworthy of being called an idea at all," -Oscar Wilde</span></div>
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i> <i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"(in)accurate portrayal of mental illness"</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">That phrase gets thrown around a hell of a lot these days. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And I'm sick of people abusing it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Phrases like this get thrown around concerning shows like <i>13 Reasons Why</i>, and basically any other form of art that involves a story. However, it is grossly and inherently problematic because <b>it assumes something extraordinarily harmful about mental illness itself: that mental illness is homogenous. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I think that most of us can agree that <i>13 Reasons Why</i> is not a good show. The writing is poor, the characters are inconsistent, and the depiction of suicide is harmful. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now before you all light your torches and call me a hypocrite, let me establish: <b>there is a wrong way to portray mental illness, but there is not one single way to portray mental illness. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Let me explain. Portraying mental illness incorrectly involves assigning inaccurate or inconsistent symptoms to a mental illness, perpetuating harmful or incorrect stereotypes and stigma around mental illness, and not portraying mental illness as something that is treatable. Basically, the wrong way of portraying mental illness is <b>spreading inaccurate information. </b>Most other things are up for debate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The tricky part is that many people - including myself - found <i>13 Reasons Why</i> as a very harmful and inaccurate portrayal of mental illness (I'm looking at you, producers-entirely-ignoring-the-advice-from-a-psychiatric-board). It idealizes the fallout from suicide, spinning it out to be revenge instead of untreated mental illness. It blames suicide on everyone else instead of Hannah Baker. It never puts a quantifier on mental illness, and paints an utterly hopeless picture of the topics it explores. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">However, I've spoken with many people who have identified with the bullying and social aspects of <i>13 Reasons Why</i>. And who am I to invalidate their feelings and experiences? Despite that the myrad of reasons why <i>13 Reasons Why</i> falls flat on its face, bullying can contribute to mental illness, and if <i>13 Reasons Why</i> resonated with someone - if someone saw themselves in <i>13 Reasons Why </i>and they felt it was an accurate portrayal of their struggles with bullying and mental illness - then I have no right to tell them any differently. Because guess what?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>There's no one single way to have a mental illness. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">From depression, anxiety, and trauma, to schizophrenia, disassociative identity disorder, and eating/substance abuse disorders, everyone experiences mental illness differently. My PTSD doesn't look like your PTSD. My friend's depression doesn't look like my family member's depression. Portrayals and/or content that one person finds harmful or triggering may not bother or affect another. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">To claim that your experience of mental illness is the correct or only experience and that your experience of mental illness ought to be the only one portrayed in media is unbelievably selfish and insensitive to the millions of other people who experience mental illness differently than you.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Truthfully, this is partially a call-out post to myself, because I've claimed that <i>13 Reasons Why</i> isn't an accurate portrayal of mental illness, because it's not. <i>For me.</i> However, I'm retracting that statement to some degree because I know it resonates with some people, and I don't want to invalidate them.</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"> I'm not perfect, and I continue to evolve and grow as an artist, a consumer, and a critic. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">However, next time you're tempted to call a piece of media an 'inaccurate portrayal of mental illness', consider whether it is <i>literally</i> a factually incorrect and harmful portrayal, or whether it just doesn't align with your experiences and therefore you personally can't relate to it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Because nine times out of ten, there's someone out there who can relate to it, and they shouldn't be robbed of the experience of being profoundly impacted and deeply understood by storytelling. Nobody should. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-16744758349004623032018-08-11T09:00:00.001-07:002018-08-11T09:00:46.141-07:00On College | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Nothing is so healing as the realization that he has come upon the right word," -Catherine Drinker Bowen</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So. My first (full) semester of college starts in a little over a week. I would say that I'm scared, but I'm not. It's just community college.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I'm much more apprehensive about going to SCAD because it's just become so real. And along with that realization, the idea that that 'living in a cramped apartment eating Ramen noodles 24/7' has become even more real. College, am I right? </span><i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">*cries in student debt*</i><br />
<i style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><br /></i> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I really am looking forward to community college. For the first time in six years, I'm going to school again with my best friend. One of my college professors is also a self-published author. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">SCAD is less of a dream, and more of a reality. But the problem is that reality still seems so unattainable. My world is now just a ticking time bomb, both here in my home state and as a student, safely cushioned in the world of classrooms. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For the first time, I'm reconsidering my life. Is this really what I want to do? Is all of this really worth it?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Fortunately, these answers have all been 'yes', but is 'yes' enough? Is drive enough to push me through the intense curriculum? Is passion enough to pay tens of thousands of dollars? Is writing worth this one life I have? Will I regret not getting a more 'sensible' degree?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">To these other questions though, all I have to rely on is faith. The faith that God has taken me this far, and that he'll continue to take me even further. Believing until I see it, and believing even when I don't see it for a long, long time. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I'm not sure this post has a point, other than to update you all on where I am. Also to remind you that faith can carry you through the most insane and unbelievable of circumstances. He is forever faithful. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-88777936952376326552018-08-04T08:44:00.001-07:002018-08-04T08:44:25.366-07:00Book Review: 'Fireflies Glow Only In The Dark' by Ruth Morse | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"A real book is not one that is read, but one that reads us," - W. H. Auden</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I don't think there will be a time where I won't be in love with the cover of <i>Fireflies Glow Only In the Dark. </i>Life goals on the cover, right there. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I discovered Ruth Morse through Instagram, and when I saw that she was publishing a YA contemporary, I had to get my hands on it. I feel like there aren't many self-published authors who are writing contemporary stories, so I had to support a fellow author!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This book seemed like a perfect fit for me - and for the most part, it was. But alas, there is no book without flaw. Without further ado, let us dissect . . . </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>The Bad</b></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>1. Character/Theme Development</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I think this is my biggest flaw with <i>FGOITD</i>. Neither Lana nor Max felt fully fleshed out. Sure, they had personalities and we knew a little bit about their backstories, but not enough for me to get a full picture of who this character was, and why. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">First, Lana. Despite her nightmares, she seems to be relatively unaffected by her dysfunctional family, which is virtually impossible. The problem is that we know very little about Lana or her life. We know a little about her family - about Jax and how her parents fight. We know about her friendship with Mel . . . and that's about it. What else has happened in Lana's life that has impacted who she is now? What was her school experience like? What about her other friends? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This severe lack of knowledge of Lana's past leads to an undefined character, and it all comes down to the question of: <b>"How does Lana's past impact who she is today, and how does that impact her choices?" </b>We don't know nearly enough about who Lana is to answer that question. Sure, one could argue that that's the point: Lana doesn't know who she is. However, the thing about people is that we are just the sum of what has happened to us <i>until</i> we grasp ahold of who we want to be and therefore form our own identity. This concept was not expanded upon in </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>FGOITD</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Max is nearly the same way. All we really know about his past is that his dad is an alcoholic, that he ran away, and a sliver of his interaction with Jack and Lily. How was Max's childhood? What kind of person was he in high school? And because we knew so very little about Max and Lana's pasts, it was hard to connect with their journey and their romance. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This also comes down to the fact that <i>FGOITD</i> doesn't go deep enough into its characters to make the themes and relationships impactful. What makes these coming-of-age contemporary stories so good is that they are often a deep dive into the characters and their backstories, and how they overcome and accept their past in order to face the future. Way too much time is spent on the romance and other regular-life things than on the actual coming-of-age aspects that could have been explored. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Many very interesting themes were touched on, but not fleshed out to their fullest potential. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">How does Lana finally move past her self-hatred and blaming herself for her brother's death? How does her family come back together after Lana's revelations? However, </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>FGOITD</i> seemed more interested in describing the romance and the alt-rock scene of Lana, Max, and Mel. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>2. Personal Nitpicks</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>FGOITD</i> has a lot more romance than I was originally led to believe. Based on the synopsis - which you can read <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40873224-fireflies-glow-only-in-the-dark">here</a> - it sounds like I was promised a journey of self-discovery and catharsis, with probably a romance side plot. However, I got a lot more romance than I signed up for. Now, romance isn't bad, it's just not what I was expecting/looking forward to when reading this book. Maybe that's my fault, or maybe the synopsis was misleading. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But really, I think that it stems from my burning hatred of the trope 'book advertizes growth and change but it's really just a romance where said significant other comes in and changes the main characters life'. Now, don't get me wrong, this isn't all that <i>FGOITD </i>does, but it's a significant part of it. I even thought that the romance was pretty realistic and sweet at times. I think they said 'I love you' too quickly, but bygones....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Don't get me wrong again, because I'm fully aware that people can come into your life and help you, change you, and make you realize things about yourself and about life - because there have been people in my life who have done just that. My problem with this idea arises when this significant other cures all of said character's problems - their crops are flourishing, their grades are higher, the sun shines brighter, and their mental health is cured. That's just so unrealistic - and problematic because it furthers the cultural idea that once you find love, your life will be wonderful and perfect. Now,<i> FGOITD</i> doesn't take it to the extreme, but I saw some of this trope throughout the novel, which I didn't like. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Alas, now that that's out of the way, the rest of this review should be a breeze. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>The Good</b></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>1. The Writing Style</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While not anything groundbreaking, I did enjoy Morse's writing style. At times it was profound and moving, and other times the descriptions pulled me right into the scene while not being too overbearing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Back to the 'profound and moving' bit. I know some people hate this kind of writing, but I love the 'philosophical musings' type of writing, and </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>FGOITD</i> had a significant amount of that in it. I live for prose/dialogue that points out universal truths/reveals something new about the human experience. Cue favorite quotes here:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"People come to the most unbearable places when they can no longer bear themselves," -page 19</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"It sucks loving someone who reminds you of your unfulfilled happiness," -page 27</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Tragedy isn't unique, nor is happiness or any other feeling," -page 28</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"It's funny how nothing prevents me from being anywhere at all. And that's what bothers me," -page 85</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"I wished that at least for a moment, I could see the world through his eyes," -page 110</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>2. The End</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The end of </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>FGOITD</i> really redeemed the novel for me, as many books often do. For the most part, I felt the middle sagged. Plot threads meandered and themes floundered, and other than the relationship progression between Max and Lana, not much else happened. However, the climax, the falling action, and the resolution of </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">FGOITD saved it for me, since it was emotional, there were lots of character breakthroughs that happened, and the purpose of the story became clear. My only nitpick about the end is that certain things seemed to wrap up just a bit <i>too</i> nicely. However, despite that, the end really solidified my positive feelings about </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>FGOITD</i>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>3. Personal Preferences</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I have been - and probably always will be - a massive sucker for contemporary stories about life, finding yourself, mental health, family, and love - and <i>FGOITD</i> was just that. For that alone, I have to say that I enjoyed it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I also liked that while Lana had obvious problems and was definitely depressed, she didn't always <i>act</i> depressed or mopey. I loved that Morse deconstructed this stigma: that people with mental illness/trauma/problems have to act sad or anxious all of the time, because in reality, we hide how we're truly feeling. And just because someone has a mental illness, doesn't mean that they can't be happy sometimes or that they can't have fun. Hats off to accurate portrayals of mental illness and deconstructing the stigma!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This was one of the few times that I liked it when the main character was a writer/reader. Most of the time, I don't really like this trope because it makes the main character feel like a self-insert, but the way that Morse describes Lana writing were some of my favorite passages in the book. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Final Thoughts</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">While <i>Fireflies Glow Only In the Dark </i>is a solid novel in my favorite genre, it suffers from half-formed character development, which therefore makes the themes and plot less impactful. What saves it is the profound writing, the end, and my sheer enjoyment for these kinds of stories. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Objective Rating: 7/10</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Enjoyment Level: 8.5/10</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Thank you all for joining me once again on the 'Olivia goes on a spree of reviewing books and then won't review books for another 3 months' blog. It's one hell of a journey. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-78277533776966229892018-07-28T09:04:00.001-07:002018-07-28T09:20:14.575-07:00Book Review: Bus 59 & A Half by Mel Ingrid | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"Do not worry. You have always written before and you will write now," -Ernest Hemingway</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I feel like my book blogging goes through phases. Just like everything else in my life. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Oh well. Welcome Back to Olivia's Hodgepodge of A Blog, where some weeks we analyze the nuances of literature and film and other times Olivia posts whatever emo or self-serving shit she wants. It's a gamble, really. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But anyways, I'm back to reading and reviewing indie books, which is one of my favorite hobbies. This installment is a review of Mel Ingrid's debut, <i>Bus 59 & A Half</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As per usual, let's get the negatives out of the way. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Spoilers, duh.</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>The Bad</u></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>1. Cluttered Narrative</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>B59AAH</i> follows several different narratives, all in third person. <i>B59AAH</i> also has a large cast of characters, from Alexi and Reid, to Dana and Ace, to Yusuf and Frank . . . the list goes on. While I did enjoy how the characters and their stories were interconnected, most of the time it all felt a bit too much. With so many characters and so many things going on in such a short book, very few characters were able to be developed to the fullest, and it was hard to get invested in all of the storylines. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Another problem was a lack of narrative focus. Who is the main character? The beginning will have you believe it is Alexi, but by the end, it's obvious that Yusuf is the main character. This also relates to there being so many perspectives and storylines. Because there is so much going on, it's unclear who we're supposed to be rooting for and who we're not. At times, Frank seemed like he'd turn out to be "the bad guy", but then he didn't do much for the rest of the book after Alexi, Ace, and Vanessa were captured. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Also, having this many storylines covering so much of the plot and covering so many characters, it undercuts the story being a successful mystery/psychological thriller. If Ingrid wanted the readers to truly be hooked, then she should have left much more to the imagination, and left some larger reveals toward the end. Keeping things a mystery is what makes a mystery a mystery. Ways this could have been fixed were to have cut out several different narratives, and really condense the story into something with razor-sharp focus and proper development that would truly hook and thrill the reader. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">B59AAH has so much potential. There's a really good story here, but it's bogged down with too many perspectives and a lack of focus. Because there are so many characters and story threads, we never get fully invested in any of them. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>2. Pacing</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">B59AAH is a scant 170 pages, and this definitely shows in the development and pacing of the story. Everything in B59AAH happens so fast - and sometimes, that's good. But not at the expense of proper development. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">For example, the conflict that arises between Frank and Yusuf in Chapter Four and Five begins, culminates, and comes to a head very rapidly. The problem is that Ingrid is introducing and developing characters while simultaneously trying to develop and further character arcs. The reader has just been introduced to these characters - there's no way that we can be invested in Frank's character arc and the massive complexities of his character in the first chapter we're introduced to him. By having him go through such drastic emotions and such drastic change in such a short period of time feels rushed and undeserved, especially since Frank has little to nothing to do after Chapters Four and Five. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This theme continues on throughout the book. Not enough time and care is dedicated to characters like Mark, Reid, Frank, etc., who have the potential to further enrich the story and the characters to whom they're related to (Vanessa, Dana, and Yusuf). While many characters were written with finesse, others were just there. If <i>B59AAH</i> was given about a hundred pages more of development, the reader would have been able to be fully immersed in the story and in all of the characters.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The timeline also feels very rushed. Mysteries and thrillers are often slow burns, with just enough information to keep the reader turning one more page, with startling reveals throughout. However, <i>B59AAH</i> moves so fast that there's virtually no room for the reader to breathe, for the weight of a moment to sink in, or for proper and in-depth character, plot, or theme development. Emotional moments breeze by, and even when they're written well, they don't sink in because we've spent so little time with all of these characters. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Bus 59</i> <i>and A Half</i> would be a great story if the narratives and character arcs were drawn out and properly developed. It's not like a story with this many perspectives, this type of story, and these kinds of characters wouldn't ever work - it's just that <i>B59AAH </i>is much too short of a medium to do any of the elements justice. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And now . . . </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><b>The Good</b></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>1. Mature Writing</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ingrid is fourteen currently, and I was immediately impressed with her use of language. While the pacing falls short, her writing rarely fails to evoke a sense of tension. Her writing is quirky and atmospheric and actually fits perfectly with the mystery/thriller genre. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I loved her inclusion of poetry, with the prologues and epilogues. The cryptic writing, albeit curt and clipped in many emotional moments, works to benefit the tone of the novel. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ingrid is also skilled at writing dialogue. The conversations between Alexi and Reid, I felt, were the most profound in terms of character. The beginning of <i>B59AAH</i> is so incredibly strong. We really do get essential snapshots of each character, however, not much else is expanded upon with the fantastic groundwork that Ingrid set up. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But really, despite all that I've said, I really did enjoy B59AAH, and I think the skilled writing added to that enjoyment. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>2. Diversity</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Mel Ingrid does diversity right. I was pleasantly surprised at how diverse <i>B59AAH</i> was - and the fact that it doesn't rub your nose in it. Diversity is present, but it doesn't overpower the story nor does it define the entirity of the characters. The diversity in <i>B59AAH </i>is awesome and beautiful, and it deserves a round of applause for that alone. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u>3. The Mental Illness Themes</u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><u><br /></u></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">This one's another small one, but super important. The moral behind Yusuf's character arc, summed up in the line about how mental illness isn't just angst or pretty tears or beautiful, but that it's actually very painful and destructive. Not only did this pleasantly surprise me, it's very relevant. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Final Thoughts</u></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Overall, <i>Bus 59 & A Half</i> isn't bad - just short, fast, and unfortunately underdeveloped. What saves it are it's clean and efficient writing, and it's themes and use of diversity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Objective Rating: 6.5/10</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i>Enjoyment Level: 7/10</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Gah! Another book review complete! Get used to seeing these in your feed because I've got lots of indie books I want to discuss!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-2683159950255588292018-07-21T08:22:00.000-07:002018-07-21T08:36:42.128-07:00Therapy Still Helps Even When You're No Longer Mentally Ill | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you," - Ray Bradbury</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I go to therapy, counseling, whatever you want to call it. I have been going for around four years. And there's no good reason to be ashamed of it. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The original reason I went was because of anxiety and depression, and I can proudly report that I no longer struggle with anxiety and depression on the scale that I did in 2014. In fact, it has decreased to such a degree that I can function healthily and manage my stress levels. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But then why do I keep going to therapy?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I suppose because it continues to help me - we can always get better. If you're not growing, then you're receding, as my pastor always says. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But really, I think it's because my therapist always helps me put life into perspective. We can get so emotional and wrapped up and even deluded about the situations in our life, that having an outside source is essential in keeping a level head and making rational decisions. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So even though I probably don't <i>need</i> to see a therapist anymore, continuing to see one helps me in making rational decisions, chipping away at the negative habits I've formed, and ultimately working toward being a better and healthier person. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">So just because your depression has lifted or your panic attacks are manageable, doesn't mean you should break off with your therapist. What it means is that you should deepen your relationship even more with them to explore other, more subtle or complex issues. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">And if you don't go to therapy, I highly recommend it. It's changed my life, and it will change yours, even if you don't struggle with apparent or debilitating mental illness. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Lots of love, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-19241210067388076972018-07-07T09:45:00.000-07:002018-07-07T09:45:37.606-07:00SUMMER GIVEAWAY | A Cactus In the Valley<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"How vain is it to sit down and write when you have not stood up to live," -Henry David Thoreau</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">I am having an Instagram giveaway for my novel, <i>A Cactus In the Valley!</i> </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_CLjI07MoBcam1sXXfYdYLCBmSnmj6fSKsjgmc5OTuSzs0ed7m3ZVzmLrYKX9YOmMe8-AuOhNoDLuJxr3w4zt6r2o9c3-WxDUqzB_lN21ztngLmsxMeziKn5OOxKmV0IVRmihZWvszgY/s1600/IMG_9400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_CLjI07MoBcam1sXXfYdYLCBmSnmj6fSKsjgmc5OTuSzs0ed7m3ZVzmLrYKX9YOmMe8-AuOhNoDLuJxr3w4zt6r2o9c3-WxDUqzB_lN21ztngLmsxMeziKn5OOxKmV0IVRmihZWvszgY/s400/IMG_9400.JPG" width="266" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As the heat climbs, there's nothing better than curling up with a good book. Actually, it's always a good time to curl up with a book in my opinion.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">However, I have lots of goodies to give away this July! Here's what's up for grabs:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">1st Prize: a personalized, signed copy of <i>A Cactus In the Valley</i> and a custom-scented <i>A Cactus In the Valley</i> candle by @olivia.j.the.wickmaker</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">2nd Prize: a personalized, signed copy of <i>A Cactus In the Valley</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">3rd Prize: the ebook version of <i>A Cactus In the Valley</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>HOW TO ENTER</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">1. Follow me on Instagram (@olivia.j.the.wordshaker) and like the giveaway post on my account!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">2. Share this photo in your Instagram story, announcing the giveaway, and tag me in it!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">3. In the comments, answer the question of the day and tag two people who you think might be interested!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The giveaway is open <b>July 7-14</b>, and winners will be announced on July 16th!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b>Disclaimer: giveaway is not open to users under the age of fourteen due to mature themes and content. </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Now, go jump over to my Instagram for your chance to win some goodies! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~@olivia.j.the.wordshaker</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-81889056604763532782018-06-30T08:07:00.003-07:002018-06-30T08:07:45.888-07:00Text and Subtext: Complexity in Writing | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif; font-size: large;">"No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader. No surprise in the writer, no surprise in the reader," -Robert Frost </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Recently, I watched a video called "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dX64cBuPbw&t=566s">How To Write A Scene: Casablanca</a>", and while the video has a focus on script writing, the points and tactics outlined can easily be applied to any dialogue. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">However, what I took away from this video was the meaning of text, and it's relationship to subtext. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Some definitions to get us started:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Text is, obviously, the written words on the page - <b>the literal meaning </b>of what is happening in a scene. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Subtext, however, is <b>the underlying meaning</b> - a character's intent when they say something. Their intent. Ex: if Character A asks: "when's dinner?" this probably means that they're hungry. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">As one might expect, these two things are very closely related, and they can overlap. Sometimes people do say what they feel, and sometimes people don't have any ulterior motives. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Essentially, a synonym for how subtext is used is <b>manipulation</b> - which sounds bad, but manipulation isn't inherently a bad thing. We all do it - we all gauge situations and see what scenario will best benefit us, and then act in the subsequent way to achieve said goal. What manipulation means in the context of text and subtext is: <b>how is this character's dialogue used to accomplish their goal in the story or in the scene? </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Subtext is essential to employ in writing, because in reality, <b>people don't say how they feel. </b>When dealing with human interactions, we dance around the subject, beat around the bush, go in through the backdoor, and stretch the truth. By writing subtext and layers into your dialogue, you can not only convey aspects of character, but also add in more complex conflict between the speaking characters. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The purpose of subtext in dialogue is to reveal what a character is thinking and feeling to the audience and other characters without coming out and stating it directly. However, you have to read between the lines with subtext. The other character in the conversation - as well as the reader - must take every single line of dialogue and ask the question: <b>Why are they asking this question? What does this character anticipate the answer is going to be, and why? </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Another example would be if - without any other context for the sake of this example - a girl asks a guy if he has a girlfriend. We can assume from this interaction that the girl is romantically interested in the guy; otherwise, why would she ask this out of the blue? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It works the same way with characters in all forms of media. Every line of dialogue in a scene should be purposeful, and, if it's a good scene, should be fueled with conflict that lies just below the surface of what is actually being discussed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Unfortunately, modern YA writers have lost this magic touch - of being able to write people with subtlety. I'm still learning how to do this, which is why I'm writing a blog post on it so I can better understand how to employ it. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">It all starts with reading books and watching movies that use text and subtext. Some authors and books I recommend are: my favorite, J.D. Salinger, Fahrenheit 451, and A Lite Too Bright. Basically any modern classic before Harry Potter. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Drop down in the comments your favorite book/movie/tv show that you think uses text and subtext masterfully! I always need some new recommendations!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-10935648686464792872018-06-23T09:28:00.000-07:002018-06-23T09:28:34.224-07:00Is My Blog Dead?! | Olivia J<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"If there is a book you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it," -Toni Morrison</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Is my blog . . . dead?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">No, that's a serious question - does anyone read this anymore? My stats say that people do . . . </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Have I killed my own blog? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Earlier in the year, I was going strong with consistent analysis posts, ripping into your favorites with snark and ruthless critique. And I loved doing that. I still do. But those posts take a lot of time and effort that I haven't been feeling lately. I've been a lot more focused on reading, writing, and my Instagram account (@olivia.j.the.wordshaker)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So, my blog has suffered. My viewership has gone down. I've been less consistent. And maybe it's just my blog going through phases, like anything else in my life. But truly, I'm feeling a bit discouraged about it all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">What is this blog? Where is it going? For the longest time, it was a catch-all for everything that wasn't novel-writing. Poems, philosophical musings, life updates, analysis posts. And I feel like that hasn't changed much. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">But there's this strange phenomena that I experience - my writing goes through phases. Like the moon. And I'm in a phase where the writing has slowed, and I think that's because I'm busy living life. I'm busy gathering the material that will fuel my next novel. Actually, that's a pretty hard place to be, because any time spent not writing isn't a good time. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I don't think there's a point to this blog post. Maybe this blog is dying. Maybe it needs to. But as of right now, this blog is still my word dump. Read it or don't, I don't care. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-8065693944862311762018-06-16T08:47:00.001-07:002018-06-16T08:47:32.177-07:00colors | a poem<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"The worst thing you write is better than the best thing you didn't write."</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">A little poem I wrote, kind of about the last 18 years. Enjoy.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">my story is told in colors</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">of scarlet red and pastel blue</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">my fingers graze the moon</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">and he’s left with stardust bruises</span></span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-ada4f204-fb17-1b15-b585-e53cd5e1cab7" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">my story is told in colors</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">of red that rips mountains</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">like paper wilting in the rain</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">where you and me are not one</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">my story is told in colors</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">orange like the split of the sun and sky</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">sparks flit off of my fingers</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">catching my soul aflame</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">my story is told in colors</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">the yellow that reaches down for me</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">that stains our cheeks with might</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">where we are full of life eternal</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">my story is told in colors</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">a green that paints my ground</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">that holds me close</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">when life is new and old again</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">my story is told in colors</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">a blue i could fall into </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">with the sky shrinking ever above</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">and where the sun cannot reach</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">my story is told in colors</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">the purple skylines under my skin</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">rising and falling with the beat of my heart</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">and the memories between us</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">my story is told in colors</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">pink that whispers of something</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">where our souls find each other</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">and leave galaxies in our wake</span></span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">my story is told in colors</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">moments painted in gold and silver</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">i’d tell this all to the stars, the moon and sky</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">and, why, i think they’d answer back</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-22529625978896310842018-06-09T05:29:00.000-07:002018-06-09T05:29:54.834-07:00"Clutching Roses" - My Gold Medal-Winning Short Story | Olivia J<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">"I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter," -James Michener</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">These 869 words got me to New York. Enjoy.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Clutching Roses</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Olivia J. Bennett</span></span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-26ddaa08-2c1f-8672-fa3a-63f3892d035e" style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The man rubs his gray mustache, staring up at the blue sky outside of the grimy window. He brushes some coal dust off of his lunchpail, stepping out of the elevator, rising from the bowels of the earth. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“Have a good evening, Ernest. Tell your wife I said hi!” Carl says, tipping the bill of his hardhat. The light shines into the old man’s eyes for a moment, and he squints back at Carl.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“You too. Hope tomorrow isn’t as rough as today,” Ernest says, not facing the man. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“Anything to serve the masses of this good, God-fearing town,” Carl says, laughing spitefully. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Pushing open the creaky, wooden door, Ernest walks on the gravel road through the fluorescent-lit town. The sun has ripened to orange.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The man walks this path every day. He could do it with his eyes closed. In fact, often, he does, soaking up the smells and sounds of the northwestern settlement. He knows everything about this little town, so much so that he can recognize the women in their patterned dresses smelling of gardenia and lavender, and the men coming home to their wives smelling of sweat and spice. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“Evening, Ernest,” the grocer says from his storefront. “Hope Rose is doing well!”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">The friendly voice of the grocer forces the man to open his eyes. “Yes, she is. I’ll let her know you asked.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">On his way out of the town’s main drag, the gravel crunches under his heavy-bottomed boots. The clouds are an explosion of white, purple, and orange, and he finally sees the small, tin-roofed house emerging from the treeline. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ernest runs his fingers along the bark as the gravel slowly dissipates and becomes a worn, dirt path. The white blooms of baby’s breath line the path, along with the petals of bright yellow and purple wildflowers. Pain creaking through his back, the man leans over to pluck a small daisy from the side of the path. He puts it up to his nose, and smells the sweet, earthy aroma of the flower. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">His lungs contract, coughing, and the scent of the flower dies. Now, all he can taste or smell is the coal dust. Still, the man gets down on his knees, and gathers a bouquet of flowers for his wife, Rose. She loves flowers, and Ernest would always tease her about it because her name was a flower, but Ernest knew she loved them because they could brighten any room. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The grainy wood of the house comes into view. The sun glints off of shards of broken glass. </span><span style="color: black; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oh, no</span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the man thought, </span><span style="color: black; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">an animal must have broken the window again</span><span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">He runs his fingers over the remaining shards, seeing a small tuft of fur caught on the corner. He wrinkles his leathery face and pushes open the old door. It sticks, as it most often does, and the old man nearly tumbles into his own house. He gazes into the musty home, the evening sun casting thick bands of light onto the floor. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“Good evening, Rose. What have you made for dinner tonight?” Ernest says, like he does every night. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">But she doesn’t answer. She just sits there, in her pastel dress, staring at the wilting bouquet of flowers on the table.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Sighing, Ernest sets down his lunch pail and turns on the generator under the sink. Small lamps on the walls flick on and the gray refrigerator hums to life. A small floor fan blows dry, brown leaves around the floor. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“Carl asked about you again. I think he’s got a thing for you, even though he’s got his own wife and kids to look after.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ernest scrapes out something from a corroded pot and fills it with water. In goes the cabbage, carrots, and roast beef. With a click, he turns on the gas stove. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“The grocer asked about you, too, old William, who used to be our neighbor. He’s a nice man - grows the sweetest corn in the county if I’ve ever seen it.” Suddenly, Ernest turns around to face his wife, who still hasn’t acknowledged him. “You miss him, don’t you? I’ll bet you miss a lot of the nice men in this town . . .”</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Ernest suddenly hears a scratching, gnawing sound. Nearly dropping his wooden spoon, he moves over to the leg of the crooked wooden table. A racoon gnaws on his wife’s anke.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">Aghast, Ernest cries, “shoo! Shoo! Get on out of my house, filthy animal!” The old man chases the vermin out of his house, suddenly sweaty and out of breath. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">His pot is boiling over, too, so he brings it over and sets it down on the table, already perfectly set for a dinner for two. Finally, Ernest takes the bouquet for his wife and begins plucking out the fresh, aromatic flowers. The larger bundle he places within her gnarled, bony fingers. Several strands of baby’s breath go between her meaty ribs and collarbones, and finally, the last two daisies, a lively white and yellow, he places in his wife’s two hollow eye sockets. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">“There,” the old man says, slowly sinking back down into his chair. He unfolds his napkin and places it on his lap. “Now you’re truly dressed for dinner, Rose.” </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">*mic drop*</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10195282030449999638noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9094088735006698878.post-43031620461207886062018-06-02T06:31:00.003-07:002018-06-02T06:31:47.569-07:00Owl City's "Cinematic" - An Album Review | Olivia J<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">"To gain your voice, you have to forget about having it heard," -Allen Ginsberg</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6L5N9KFY_IdxdPAlG4Czs5m9Eb6YVYoG8ega-uCMd6y_Hi2g1wlHr28IzHHlS_hQSR306FQpstdFFCWZThiCPzy5lTamwevREEd4gSNYm5Kawi8YHLgt5amecRdiYSEkJck0OycBmqjA/s1600/IMG_8872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1066" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6L5N9KFY_IdxdPAlG4Czs5m9Eb6YVYoG8ega-uCMd6y_Hi2g1wlHr28IzHHlS_hQSR306FQpstdFFCWZThiCPzy5lTamwevREEd4gSNYm5Kawi8YHLgt5amecRdiYSEkJck0OycBmqjA/s320/IMG_8872.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">It's been a while since I've done an Owl City album review, hasn't it? <a href="http://oliviajthewordshaker.blogspot.com/2015/07/my-review-of-owl-citys-mobile-orchestra.html">I reviewed Mobile Orchestra</a> back in 2015 (plus <a href="http://oliviajthewordshaker.blogspot.com/2015/07/poem-equality-parts-1-and-update-on.html">my update</a> later on). I'll be formatting this review the same way as that one, not like how I formatted my Adam Young Scores . . . </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">OKAY but I was browsing the internet, as usual, and I saw this crackpot theory of sorts, and it was basically explaining why Adam didn't make an even twelve scores, and it was because Cinematic is the twelfth score. The Adam Young Scores were conceptualized as movie soundtracks, and cinema is obviously a prominent theme in this album. It makes sense that Cinematic would complete the twelve scores, since Cinematic is about Adam's life. Pretty cool, right? </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Alas, onto the review. </span></span></div>
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1. Fiji Water</b></u></span><div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: </b>4.5/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>This song is just so . . . FUN. It has that carefree and almost silly feeling of Dental Care and has amazing synth work. Overall, it captures the music style of old Owl City while maintaining maturity and the lyrical content of "Cinematic". I just love the flair and attitude it's got. It's so . . . Adam Young and I'm living for it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric: </b><i>And I'd say, "Hey, there is more to me than meets the eye. / Let me be who I wanna be." / And I'd say, "Hey, I'm an oddity and that's alright. / Let me fly and follow my dreams."</i> Basically the whole prechorus lol. </span><div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>2. The 5th of July</b></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: </b>4/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>Holy crap this song is actually really sad. It's made me tear up more than once because it just emanates such a whole and pure love for the people who've labored - literally - over you to get you into this world, and that's something that hits me really hard. The violins and background vocals are solemn and also really humble and happy and the whole song is great. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric: </b>When the violins break down around 1:34 when Adam sings about his mother watching the fireworks; <i>A teacher and a mechanic / brought me into this world. / They loved me with all their hearts / since the day I opened my eyes / on the fifth of July.</i> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>3. All My Friends</b></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: 2/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>Ah, this song is so hard. It's the Verge of this album, and I think the problem is that other Owl City albums never had the song that was trying to be mainstream and poppy. It just feels . . . cheesy, and I mean, Owl City is kind of cheesy but not in the genuine and sweet way that Owl City normally is. I'm also not a fan of the speak-singing. However, I do love the music video for this song, and it arguably makes the song better. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric: </b>I like the guitar riff between the choruses. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>4. House Wren</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: 5/5</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>Holy cannoli I love this song. It's happy-go-lucky and hopeful but also kind of sad, which is what makes Owl City so wonderful. The lyrics paint a rustic and charismatic picture of a nomadic house wren, and this, I think, parallels Adam's feeling of not fitting in and searching for a home, metaphorically, but spinning it in a joyful way as he often does. I just, ah, I love this song, and it speaks to me and makes me want to sing it at the top of my lungs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric: </b>Like basically the whole thing !!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>5. Not All Heroes Wear Capes</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating:</b> 4/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>This is another song that makes me really emotional. It's in the same vein as The 5th of July, which is nice. And the whole song also makes me emotional because I'm personally a lot like my father, and I always saw him as this great big, man figure and I can relate to a lot of what he says about looking up to his dad. It's just so tender and humble and it feels like a love letter to fathers, and I feel like that's long overdue. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric: </b>The background guitar melody. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>6. Montana</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: </b>4.5/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>I love how this song feels so . . . cinematic, for lack of a better word. It has the musical quality of the scores, with the use of violins and percussion. My only real critique is that the buildup to the amazing, sweeping chorus isn't all that impressive, but that's basically it. I love the rhythm and harmonies. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric:</b> Basically all of the lyrics lol I do love this song it's a bop. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>7. Lucid Dream</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: </b>3.5/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>Getting ALL of the Thunderstruck vibes from this song. It remains lyrically reminiscent of Adam's dreamier stuff, but is somehow more grounded. It doesn't seem to climax enough though. The verses are good, but the chorus doesn't have enough impact. Overall, the song is still a jam, but it doesn't leave a stunning impression. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric: </b>The prechorus of the song. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><u><b>8. Always</b></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: </b>3.5/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>This is Adam's token Christian song off of the album, and I like this one better than My Everything. Albeit formulaic, it's still heartfelt, sweet, and well composed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric: </b>Not sure I have one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>9. Cloud Nine</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: </b>4/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>The key changes really make this song. Also not one of my favorites, but the synths are glittery and very Owl City-esque. And by the end of the song, the chorus hits hard, and the song really works. Overall, a jam. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric: </b>The last chorus, definitely. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>10. Winners Never Quit</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: </b>3.5/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>I was a bit shocked when this song started out with such an 8-bit opening, but somehow it works. Again, this song is like Cloud Nine and some of the other songs on Cinematic. The lyrics are straighforward, and the themes are uplifting as usual. I don't have much to say about this one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric: </b>Don't think I have one at this point lol. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>11. Madeline Island</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating:</b> 4/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>Love this one, and I can definitely hear the score influences. All of his music just feels so much fuller and more rounded out than before. Not that it was bad, but this is just so much more polished and has so many layers. This one speaks to my wanderlust, and it reminds me of my trip to Minnesota. I ca also hear some tweeting noises from Twenty One Pilots' A Car, A Torch, A Death, but maybe that's just a coincidence. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric: </b>Not really any lyrics, but I love the visuals and scope of the song. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>12. Be Brave</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: </b>4.5/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>This song really grew on me. It starts off slow with pianos but builds beautifully to reflect the euphoria of meeting someone and falling in love. The guitars are powerful and the lyrics mesh well with the song. Just about everything in this song works. I love it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric: </b><i>I grabbed my keys and drove toward a star / and there I was understood for the first time in my life / and that's when I was introduced to true serendipity. / I knew it when / you showed up again;</i> and, of course, all of the guitar parts, especially when it really builds at the end. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>13. New York City</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: </b>5/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>This song is my heart and soul. It's magical and synthy and builds perfectly. I have much more of a personal attachment to this one because it came out around the same time I found out I was going to New York City to recieve a national award for my writing. It just makes me feel like I'm floating, and has this almost sweeping feeling. I can't say enough about this song. It also makes me want to belt lol. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric: </b>The whole thing, obviously. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>14. Firebird</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: </b>4/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>The guitars are slamming, and the vocal production is awesome. This version has a more uplifting mood than the alternate version, and I think both work. I'm loving the guitar work. It reminds me of Bird With a Broken Wing, which I wanted more of from Mobile Orchestra. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric: </b></span><i style="font-size: x-large;">We used to talk all night and not say a word / when I would hop into your red Firebird, / and, man alive, we would drive just to drive around town / cause in your car we understood and figured out / that everything changes</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>15. Cinematic</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: </b>3.5/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>I wanted to love this song more than I do. It's a bit too cheesy for its own good, and feels slightly disconnected from how personal all of the other songs are. However, it's real catchy as they all are, and I love jamming to the chorus. The rapid beats in the background really add to the intensity and mood of the song. The whole thing is so happy and encouraging, and even if it's not my favorite, I can't hate it. I don't want to hate it. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Favorite Part/Lyric: </b>When the higher synth parts come on in the second chorus. It adds to the build of the song. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>16. All My Friends (Alt Version)</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: </b>3/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating:</b> I will say that this version is a bit better because it conveys the genuineness better, and it also is a bit less . . . harsh on the listener. The inclusion of Breanne Duren is a nice homage to Owl City's days gone by, and her voice just works so well with Owl City's music and Adam's voice. This one just feels less try-hard and less poppy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>17. Montana (Alt Version)</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: </b>4.5/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>I think Adam Young did this intentionally, but this alternative version of Montana is so Sky Sailing-esque and I'm living for it. This version gives the original song and it's lyrics a whole nother meaning, and I so love the inclusion of dialogue from one of Adam's family members. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>18. Firebird (Alt Version)</u></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Star Rating: </b>5/5</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Why I Chose this Rating: </b>Wow, this song makes me cry. Like, the regular version of Firebird is good, and it's a good jam, but I feel like the lyrics don't always mesh with the musical style. However, in the alternate version, the quiet and soulful style is reflective and really hits home the theme of the song: that everything changes, and that it's sad but also wonderful to look back on. And man, that shit gets me right in the feels. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">~</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">It sounds like I really love Cinematic, and I do, but the reason the songs aren't getting mostly 5/5's is because this isn't the BEST Owl City music out there. All Things Bright and Beautiful will always be the best, and I'll fight you on that. Definitely the best songs on this album are the ones that I can relate to, and the ones that I can attach my own memories and feelings to, which I think was Adam's intended meaning. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I think the difference between 'old Owl City' and 'new Owl City' is that when Adam used to write lyrics and music, the job of the listener was to figure out what he meant, or just to find their own meaning in the lyrics. But now, Adam presents his messages and themes more clearly, which isn't really a bad thing. I just prefer the old ways more. I prefer it in music, and in movies and books. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">All in all, Cinematic is good. Overall, it's incredibly genuine, heartfelt, fresh, and, above all, catchy. It feels meaningful and cohesive. I'm not going to lie, I think I'll always miss the days of Ocean Eyes and All Things Bright and Beautiful. But maybe the magic of it is that you can't recapture it. Cinematic is something new, and Owl City has always been Adam Young, just like what it says on the CD inserts. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">~The WordShaker</span></div>
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