Day 12: Favourite quote/scene
There are many. Many. Many. Great quotes, especially in the Heroes of Olympus series. I don't know....
*considers everything Leo Valdez ever said*
...what can I say? I have a weakness for him, okay?
I mean, let's face it, there's one line from these books that I will be quoting pretty much every time the oppurtunity presents itself.
Hazel: What are you thinking?
Leo: I try not to think. It interferes with being nuts.
Tell me that's not a good line.
(Also, this line pretty much directly precedes the scene where Leo has to distract Narcissus and his fangirls, I think that's the fourth time I've brought that up? I really like that scene, okay?)
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Monday, September 15, 2014
Percy Jackson Thirty Day Meme: Day 11
Day 11: Saddest character death
Hah, get back to me after Blood of Olympus comes out (it's either Jason, Percy or Leo, like, let's be real. And if Leo dies, I am throwing my book at a wall).
Zoe Nightshade.... Silena Beauregard..... Charles Beckendorf.... Luke Castellan, uh, no, sorry Luke, you were too much of a jerk for the entire series for me to like you for two pages as you died.
I'm going with Zoe Nightshade. It was tough between her, Silena or Beckendorf, but the thing is, we barely know Silena or Beckendorf at all. They get less than half as much screen time as Zoe got, so the thing is, having Zoe die was sadder and more unexpected and just... harder. Yeah.
So, this is of course way back before this Heroes of Olympus stuff happened. We meet Zoe Nightshade, the lieutenant of Artemis, and a general arrogant jerk-ette. Like, I can understand the vow of maidenhood and renouncing the company of boys and everything, because she's the lieutenant of Artemis, but she pretty much can't stand to be in the company of a male at all. She's pretty uptight about it. Even Artemis's brother, Apollo, she pretty much looks down on, so she's just arrogant and superior and ughhhhh.
But then, character development happens!
She learns to respect Percy, despite the fact that he's, y'know, male, and learns to respect Thalia, even though Thalia is pretty much the exact opposite of everything Zoe likes. Basically, Zoe, Thalia, Percy, Grover and another huntress named Bianca (who's Nico's older sister whoops) are on this quest to free Artemis from the Titan Atlas, who has been freed from his burden of holding up the sky and has captured her.
As the story continues, we start to get a glimpse of Zoe's background. Turns out, she was one of the Hesperides, but she helped Hercules on his quest to steal an apple from the garden of Hesperides (and then Hercules promptly wrote her out of the story entirely), so the other Hesperides kicked her out. Which is why she became one of Artemis's huntresses, and also probably one of the main reasons she mistrusts men. After all, Hercules is revered by men everywhere, right? But he wronged her. So, yeah, that's a thing. (Rant alert: Riordan really likes writing Hercules in unfavourable lights even though, in the actual myths, Hercules was pretty much never anything but moral and loyal. Artistic license and everything, but still.)
Every quest has a prophecy to go with it. I don't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure the one for this quest went like: Five shall go west to the goddess in chains/One shall be lost in the land without rain/The titan's curse must one withstand/And one shall perish by a parent's hand. Hey, for off the top of my memory, that's pretty good!
But anyways, the point is, as a Hesperide, Zoe was the daughter of Atlas. You know, the Titan who captured Artemis. So, she pretty much knew from the beginning which one was going to "perish by a parent's hand". And she went on the quest anyway. Because she had to rescue Artemis. And because she's a badass, brave lady.
So, yes, in the battle with Atlas, they leap into the fight and Atlas delivers a blow to Zoe that's irreparable. They'd defeated the Titan and won the battle, but Zoe's dying. So she dies at her lady Artemis's side, the one she'd been loyal to for centuries, and Artemis turns her into a constellation so that she can always be running and hunting across the sky.
And just -
Ouchies.
Sadness. I tear up every time.
That is because I am a sucker.
A hopeless sucker.
But things are so much more fun when you let yourself get suckered!
There's that emotional masochism again. Was wondering where that went.
Hah, get back to me after Blood of Olympus comes out (it's either Jason, Percy or Leo, like, let's be real. And if Leo dies, I am throwing my book at a wall).
Zoe Nightshade.... Silena Beauregard..... Charles Beckendorf.... Luke Castellan, uh, no, sorry Luke, you were too much of a jerk for the entire series for me to like you for two pages as you died.
I'm going with Zoe Nightshade. It was tough between her, Silena or Beckendorf, but the thing is, we barely know Silena or Beckendorf at all. They get less than half as much screen time as Zoe got, so the thing is, having Zoe die was sadder and more unexpected and just... harder. Yeah.
So, this is of course way back before this Heroes of Olympus stuff happened. We meet Zoe Nightshade, the lieutenant of Artemis, and a general arrogant jerk-ette. Like, I can understand the vow of maidenhood and renouncing the company of boys and everything, because she's the lieutenant of Artemis, but she pretty much can't stand to be in the company of a male at all. She's pretty uptight about it. Even Artemis's brother, Apollo, she pretty much looks down on, so she's just arrogant and superior and ughhhhh.
But then, character development happens!
She learns to respect Percy, despite the fact that he's, y'know, male, and learns to respect Thalia, even though Thalia is pretty much the exact opposite of everything Zoe likes. Basically, Zoe, Thalia, Percy, Grover and another huntress named Bianca (who's Nico's older sister whoops) are on this quest to free Artemis from the Titan Atlas, who has been freed from his burden of holding up the sky and has captured her.
As the story continues, we start to get a glimpse of Zoe's background. Turns out, she was one of the Hesperides, but she helped Hercules on his quest to steal an apple from the garden of Hesperides (and then Hercules promptly wrote her out of the story entirely), so the other Hesperides kicked her out. Which is why she became one of Artemis's huntresses, and also probably one of the main reasons she mistrusts men. After all, Hercules is revered by men everywhere, right? But he wronged her. So, yeah, that's a thing. (Rant alert: Riordan really likes writing Hercules in unfavourable lights even though, in the actual myths, Hercules was pretty much never anything but moral and loyal. Artistic license and everything, but still.)
Every quest has a prophecy to go with it. I don't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure the one for this quest went like: Five shall go west to the goddess in chains/One shall be lost in the land without rain/The titan's curse must one withstand/And one shall perish by a parent's hand. Hey, for off the top of my memory, that's pretty good!
But anyways, the point is, as a Hesperide, Zoe was the daughter of Atlas. You know, the Titan who captured Artemis. So, she pretty much knew from the beginning which one was going to "perish by a parent's hand". And she went on the quest anyway. Because she had to rescue Artemis. And because she's a badass, brave lady.
So, yes, in the battle with Atlas, they leap into the fight and Atlas delivers a blow to Zoe that's irreparable. They'd defeated the Titan and won the battle, but Zoe's dying. So she dies at her lady Artemis's side, the one she'd been loyal to for centuries, and Artemis turns her into a constellation so that she can always be running and hunting across the sky.
And just -
Ouchies.
Sadness. I tear up every time.
That is because I am a sucker.
A hopeless sucker.
But things are so much more fun when you let yourself get suckered!
There's that emotional masochism again. Was wondering where that went.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Will Grayson, Will Grayson: Book Review
[I've only been working on this post for three months. My brain was pretty dead for a while there. Stop judging me.]
It may have come to your attention that I pretty much only blog about things that I like, so it probably won't surprise you to learn that I really love this book.
Will Grayson, Will Grayson was a book written by John Green, A.K.A Ruler of the Internet, and was also co-written by some guy called David Levithan (I'm just kidding, David Levithan is also remarkable, and to be honest, his half of the book touched me just as much, if not more, than John Green's half). (For those who don't know, John Green wrote about Will Grayson; David Levithan wrote about will grayson).
It is about two kids, who live completely separate lives that have nothing to do with each other, except they're both called Will Grayson. Until eventually they meet, their lives touch, and ultimately, their lives change.
Which makes it sound super corny but you have to take my word for it that this book is utterly engaging and sincere.
First of all, I've said this about John Green and I will say it again about this book as well, he knows how to write teenagers. I'm reading it and I'm like wow, these guys get me. So, yeah, I've touched on that before, and obviously for this book that credit doesn't all go to John Green because again, I was also touched by David Levithan's half, I just wanted to put it out there because it's important to me.
I love the complexity of the book. Not like it's hard to follow, or like it's a complicated storyline or anything, but just, the depth of the characters and the issues they're dealing with and how they interact with each other is just so.... complex. And there's interesting thematic devices used, and there's interesting characterization, and basically, it's just a very interesting novel, from an english teacher perspective.
Interesting characterization example: the book is in first person. So, John Green's Will Grayson writes normally, the way we're used to seeing things written, the way our grade three teachers taught us things were supposed to be written, with proper capitalization and quotes and paragraphs. David Levithan's Will Grayson (if I refer to them anymore, Imma just call them J.G and D.L, 'kay?), on the other hand, doesn't write like that. he writes like this. it's a subtle difference, for sure, because there's nothing else too changed about it except for the lack of capitals. but nevertheless, it's jarring at first. is it jarring for you right now? funny thing is, you get used to it through the book. like, you notice it as an indication that d.l's will is the one telling the story, but it doesn't throw you off in the same way after a while.
the other thing is that his will doesn't use quotes to describe conversations, he just uses the same technique i use when quoting tv shows. that technique being:
me: stuff that i'm saying in a conversation
other guy: stuff that he's saying in a conversation
that's how it's written in the book.
And I'm going to start writing normal again, because when I do that, it just bothers me.
But it's characterization. It's lower-case, it's understated, because that's the kind of person will (deliberately lower-case when describing the character) thinks he is.
And basically, through the story, the two Wills are pretty much tied together through one character, Tiny Cooper, who is described as "not the biggest person on earth, and not the gayest person on earth, but the biggest person who is very very gay". J.G Will is his best friend, and D.L Will becomes his boyfriend.
So, already, homosexuality is a thing. I really love what they did with that. Because it's not like Tiny and Will don't encounter homophobia - they do - but it's not their main issue. They don't care what other people think, and besides, they're both surrounded by people who accept them and don't care about their sexuality (Tiny more so than Will, but that's part of Will's growth, is finding real friends who accept him and don't act like total bitches. Excuse me, is my intense anger towards one of the characters showing?). Which is pretty much all I've encountered in the high school environment. I just think it's realistic, and plus, it's a nice way to avoid the retelling of the "I exile you from my family because you are gay, the power of Christ compels you" type story, because, tragic as that story is, and common as it may possibly turn out to be (I really wouldn't know), it's just not interesting, due to everyone having heard it a thousand times.
But what I find more interesting about Tiny Cooper are two facts that are not interesting separately but more interesting when put together. Fact 1: the story is never told from his perspective. Fact 2: he's the cohesion that ties the entire story together.
He brings J.G Will and Jane together. He brings D.L Will out of his little emo bubble. Ultimately, he brings the two Wills together (and others too...... I spoil nothing). And does he get any appreciation?
...
...
I'll leave that for you to decide after reading it, if you do.
But the thing is, you never really get a look inside his head. I mean, not really. He has a monologue to D.L Will which kinda tells about what it's like to be Tiny Cooper, but it's not really... it's not enough. Which is what makes the character interesting. Tiny Cooper is a significant presence at every turn, and yet, we never get a chance to look through his eyes. The purpose of this? He's character foil. For both Wills, incidentally, although the two Wills are quite different. And yet similar. Have I mentioned this book is kind of complex?
But the fact that he's character foil wouldn't, ordinarily, mean that we don't get a look inside his head, except part of the entire conflict of the story is seeing how the two Wills interact with him. The two Wills, who both try so hard to not care, are tied to Tiny Cooper, arguably the most emotional out of the lot of them (though I think a case could be made for J.G Will, too. HAVE I MENTIONED THIS BOOK IS COMPLEX?)
But, yes. For J.G Will, Tiny is foil for the fact that Will has made a point of not becoming invested in anything that happens, because as long as you don't care, you don't get hurt. And the first thing we learn about Tiny Cooper from J.G Will? Is that Tiny is constantly heart broken from yet another failed relationship. I completely adore J.G's first chapter, his whole bit with the "You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friend's nose." Well, according to him, he can't pick his friends, as he wouldn't have chosen Tiny, and in fact, he must pick his friend's nose, as Tiny passed out drunk and Will was afraid he wouldn't be able to breathe. Bravo, John Green. Bravo indeed.
But the whole bit, it speaks to how sometimes he and Tiny really just don't get each other, emotionally, but in spite of this, Will still sees him as a good friend. A) I totally understand that dynamic, and B) the fact that they are foil for each other in a lot of ways.... it really highlights both their weaknesses and strengths, and makes the book a lot more interesting.
For D.L Will, Tiny is foil for the fact that Will is always trying to kind of hide himself, and who he is. After all, Will's first impression of Tiny is that he is huge and impossible to ignore and he completely embraces that, after all, as they stroll through the streets with Tiny belting songs from a musical he wrote... about himself (don't worry, it later became about LOVE - it was an important epiphany for Tiny). (He even changed the title from Tiny Dancer - because he's Tiny Cooper - to Hold Me Closer. Subtle, Tiny. Realllll subtle).
But mostly, I just really love.... realistic teenagers. God, we do not get enough of them. They are a pile of emotions, but they're still obviously really smart in their own separate ways, and they know, to an extent, who they are and who they want to be, but they're also discovering it and just, ugh, this book gets me. They talk like teenagers (which is to say, they are actually capable of speaking eloquently) and act like teenagers and it just gets me. (By the way, that's pretty much the main reason that this book isn't going to be turned into a movie. Apparently John Green was told by a Hollywood producer that, "The only thing that people hate more than smart teenagers are gay teenagers." Like, ugh, shut up already.)
Also, yay for post-meds depression representation! As someone with more than one friend who suffers from depression, it's nice to finally see a story that shows what happens after they've got their meds. It's not necessarily happy-ever-after after that. There's still every day coping. Representation of things like that is pretty important, I think.
I just love this book to death. It is smart and funny and rude and in-your-face and I LOVELOVELOVE IT TO DEATH.
I loved it so much I went out and bought my own copy after borrowing it from my friend. Because I just need it to be on my bookshelf 24/7.
Everyone should read it. It is the best.
Just awesome.
12 out of 10 would read again.
 |
| The cover is so smooooooooooth... |
Will Grayson, Will Grayson was a book written by John Green, A.K.A Ruler of the Internet, and was also co-written by some guy called David Levithan (I'm just kidding, David Levithan is also remarkable, and to be honest, his half of the book touched me just as much, if not more, than John Green's half). (For those who don't know, John Green wrote about Will Grayson; David Levithan wrote about will grayson).
It is about two kids, who live completely separate lives that have nothing to do with each other, except they're both called Will Grayson. Until eventually they meet, their lives touch, and ultimately, their lives change.
Which makes it sound super corny but you have to take my word for it that this book is utterly engaging and sincere.
First of all, I've said this about John Green and I will say it again about this book as well, he knows how to write teenagers. I'm reading it and I'm like wow, these guys get me. So, yeah, I've touched on that before, and obviously for this book that credit doesn't all go to John Green because again, I was also touched by David Levithan's half, I just wanted to put it out there because it's important to me.
I love the complexity of the book. Not like it's hard to follow, or like it's a complicated storyline or anything, but just, the depth of the characters and the issues they're dealing with and how they interact with each other is just so.... complex. And there's interesting thematic devices used, and there's interesting characterization, and basically, it's just a very interesting novel, from an english teacher perspective.
Interesting characterization example: the book is in first person. So, John Green's Will Grayson writes normally, the way we're used to seeing things written, the way our grade three teachers taught us things were supposed to be written, with proper capitalization and quotes and paragraphs. David Levithan's Will Grayson (if I refer to them anymore, Imma just call them J.G and D.L, 'kay?), on the other hand, doesn't write like that. he writes like this. it's a subtle difference, for sure, because there's nothing else too changed about it except for the lack of capitals. but nevertheless, it's jarring at first. is it jarring for you right now? funny thing is, you get used to it through the book. like, you notice it as an indication that d.l's will is the one telling the story, but it doesn't throw you off in the same way after a while.
the other thing is that his will doesn't use quotes to describe conversations, he just uses the same technique i use when quoting tv shows. that technique being:
me: stuff that i'm saying in a conversation
other guy: stuff that he's saying in a conversation
that's how it's written in the book.
And I'm going to start writing normal again, because when I do that, it just bothers me.
But it's characterization. It's lower-case, it's understated, because that's the kind of person will (deliberately lower-case when describing the character) thinks he is.
And basically, through the story, the two Wills are pretty much tied together through one character, Tiny Cooper, who is described as "not the biggest person on earth, and not the gayest person on earth, but the biggest person who is very very gay". J.G Will is his best friend, and D.L Will becomes his boyfriend.
So, already, homosexuality is a thing. I really love what they did with that. Because it's not like Tiny and Will don't encounter homophobia - they do - but it's not their main issue. They don't care what other people think, and besides, they're both surrounded by people who accept them and don't care about their sexuality (Tiny more so than Will, but that's part of Will's growth, is finding real friends who accept him and don't act like total bitches. Excuse me, is my intense anger towards one of the characters showing?). Which is pretty much all I've encountered in the high school environment. I just think it's realistic, and plus, it's a nice way to avoid the retelling of the "I exile you from my family because you are gay, the power of Christ compels you" type story, because, tragic as that story is, and common as it may possibly turn out to be (I really wouldn't know), it's just not interesting, due to everyone having heard it a thousand times.
But what I find more interesting about Tiny Cooper are two facts that are not interesting separately but more interesting when put together. Fact 1: the story is never told from his perspective. Fact 2: he's the cohesion that ties the entire story together.
He brings J.G Will and Jane together. He brings D.L Will out of his little emo bubble. Ultimately, he brings the two Wills together (and others too...... I spoil nothing). And does he get any appreciation?
...
...
I'll leave that for you to decide after reading it, if you do.
But the thing is, you never really get a look inside his head. I mean, not really. He has a monologue to D.L Will which kinda tells about what it's like to be Tiny Cooper, but it's not really... it's not enough. Which is what makes the character interesting. Tiny Cooper is a significant presence at every turn, and yet, we never get a chance to look through his eyes. The purpose of this? He's character foil. For both Wills, incidentally, although the two Wills are quite different. And yet similar. Have I mentioned this book is kind of complex?
But the fact that he's character foil wouldn't, ordinarily, mean that we don't get a look inside his head, except part of the entire conflict of the story is seeing how the two Wills interact with him. The two Wills, who both try so hard to not care, are tied to Tiny Cooper, arguably the most emotional out of the lot of them (though I think a case could be made for J.G Will, too. HAVE I MENTIONED THIS BOOK IS COMPLEX?)
But, yes. For J.G Will, Tiny is foil for the fact that Will has made a point of not becoming invested in anything that happens, because as long as you don't care, you don't get hurt. And the first thing we learn about Tiny Cooper from J.G Will? Is that Tiny is constantly heart broken from yet another failed relationship. I completely adore J.G's first chapter, his whole bit with the "You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friend's nose." Well, according to him, he can't pick his friends, as he wouldn't have chosen Tiny, and in fact, he must pick his friend's nose, as Tiny passed out drunk and Will was afraid he wouldn't be able to breathe. Bravo, John Green. Bravo indeed.
But the whole bit, it speaks to how sometimes he and Tiny really just don't get each other, emotionally, but in spite of this, Will still sees him as a good friend. A) I totally understand that dynamic, and B) the fact that they are foil for each other in a lot of ways.... it really highlights both their weaknesses and strengths, and makes the book a lot more interesting.
For D.L Will, Tiny is foil for the fact that Will is always trying to kind of hide himself, and who he is. After all, Will's first impression of Tiny is that he is huge and impossible to ignore and he completely embraces that, after all, as they stroll through the streets with Tiny belting songs from a musical he wrote... about himself (don't worry, it later became about LOVE - it was an important epiphany for Tiny). (He even changed the title from Tiny Dancer - because he's Tiny Cooper - to Hold Me Closer. Subtle, Tiny. Realllll subtle).
But mostly, I just really love.... realistic teenagers. God, we do not get enough of them. They are a pile of emotions, but they're still obviously really smart in their own separate ways, and they know, to an extent, who they are and who they want to be, but they're also discovering it and just, ugh, this book gets me. They talk like teenagers (which is to say, they are actually capable of speaking eloquently) and act like teenagers and it just gets me. (By the way, that's pretty much the main reason that this book isn't going to be turned into a movie. Apparently John Green was told by a Hollywood producer that, "The only thing that people hate more than smart teenagers are gay teenagers." Like, ugh, shut up already.)
Also, yay for post-meds depression representation! As someone with more than one friend who suffers from depression, it's nice to finally see a story that shows what happens after they've got their meds. It's not necessarily happy-ever-after after that. There's still every day coping. Representation of things like that is pretty important, I think.
I just love this book to death. It is smart and funny and rude and in-your-face and I LOVELOVELOVE IT TO DEATH.
I loved it so much I went out and bought my own copy after borrowing it from my friend. Because I just need it to be on my bookshelf 24/7.
Everyone should read it. It is the best.
Just awesome.
12 out of 10 would read again.
Percy Jackson Thirty Day Meme: Day 10
Day 10: Demigods or Titans?
Uh, what?
Demigods. The demigods beat the Titans, remember? There was a five book series about it? There was this whole war? It was kind of a big deal.
Titans have power handed to them and then use it to destroy everything.
Demigods, if they have powers at all (which they often don't) use it to defend themselves and their heritage and, y'know, western civilization. Not to mention that, even if some of their powers are pretty, um, measly, they stand up regardless.
How could anyone pick Titans?
Uh, what?
Demigods. The demigods beat the Titans, remember? There was a five book series about it? There was this whole war? It was kind of a big deal.
Titans have power handed to them and then use it to destroy everything.
Demigods, if they have powers at all (which they often don't) use it to defend themselves and their heritage and, y'know, western civilization. Not to mention that, even if some of their powers are pretty, um, measly, they stand up regardless.
How could anyone pick Titans?
Saturday, September 13, 2014
Percy Jackson Thirty Day Meme: Day 9
Day 9: Favourite ship
How is this even a question?
THE ARGO II OF COURSE!!!!
*cracks self up because I'm so hilarious*
Okay, but for real, I don't hate shipping, I just don't do it. I ship a lot of friendships and bromances and stuff. But, like, relationship-relationships? I've never gotten into it. Like, I'll look at a relationship and be like, "Yeah, I get that," but I'm never really like, "OH MY FREAKING GOD THEY ARE KISSING FINALLY UGH MY LIFE IS COMPLETE" and all that fangirly stuff. I get fangirly in different ways.
But if I had to pick one.........
God, I don't know.
Percy and Annabeth are pretty cute, I guess, except that they spend so much time being like "Never ever leave me" that it gets kind of tiresome. Hazel and Frank are cute, but not really anything yet. Piper and Jason are just annoying as all hell. Don't make me rant about that one.
To be honest, this is one of the things about the books that annoys me, is that the author, like, compulsively pairs up his characters. That's the main (but not only) problem with Piper and Jason, is that I was supposed to buy into them being a couple before I even bought into them being, y'know, interesting. Is there a reason they need to be paired up like that right away? Not to mention that when there is a character who isn't paired up with anyone, like Leo, it turns into this whole thing, hence the whole, "You will always be the seventh wheel" going on with Leo. Or Reyna, one of the strongest characters of the series, paired up with no one, but of course that's because she was rejected so many times. Or, if you want a single character, may I present you Thalia Grace, who pledged her life to Artemis, vowing to be a virgin forever, or Rachel Elizabeth Dare, who has to be a virgin for the rest of her life in order to host the spirit of the Oracle. It's kinda like, "Look, if you're not dating by the time you're sixteen, (preferably in a relationship with THE ONE) then you're probably never going to."
Can you tell I'm irritated by this I am very irritated by this. (In a way, if you look at Riordan's actual life, he did marry the person he was dating since, like, grade nine or something, so it sorta makes sense. I still do think he should have taken steps to represent something that wasn't that, though.)
Rant aside, I guess I have to choose one.
I can't choose between Percy/Annabeth or Leo/Calypso.
I know, after I just ranted about how single characters should just be allowed to stay single, but I just really enjoyed the whirlwind Leo/Calypso relationship. Sue me. Mostly because their interactions begin with Leo crash-landing on her island and Calypso's like, "YOU DESTROYED MY DINING TABLE!" and Leo's like, "Oh, I'm sorry, I just got thrown into the sky, built a helicopter in mid-air, had it explode, and then crash-landed on this island, but please! Let's talk about your dining table!" and then end with Calypso stopping Leo's mouth with a kiss and then pulling away and being like, "That didn't happen!" And Leo's just there like, "Okay," with his voice about eight octaves higher than usual. I laughed.
I like Percy and Annabeth for pretty much the opposite reason. They're just so solid. I realize that may not be an attractive trait in a couple from story perspective, but it's what I like about them. They're not just a couple, you know, they're teammates too, and they watch each other's backs and look out for each other and fight together and they just, you know, make sense. Also, Annabeth judo-flipping Percy for going missing for eight months and then Percy laughing and being like, "I missed you too," was pretty adorable, not gonna lie.
There you have it. I can't decide. Like, with Percy/Annabeth we got to watch their relationship grow and everything... but with Leo/Calypso, they're adorable in that they're trying to convince themselves they don't like each other, and it's really amusing. So, you see my dilemma.
I feel shallow for even considering Leo/Calypso but WHAT CAN I SAY I ENJOYED IT OKAY?!
How is this even a question?
THE ARGO II OF COURSE!!!!
*cracks self up because I'm so hilarious*
Okay, but for real, I don't hate shipping, I just don't do it. I ship a lot of friendships and bromances and stuff. But, like, relationship-relationships? I've never gotten into it. Like, I'll look at a relationship and be like, "Yeah, I get that," but I'm never really like, "OH MY FREAKING GOD THEY ARE KISSING FINALLY UGH MY LIFE IS COMPLETE" and all that fangirly stuff. I get fangirly in different ways.
But if I had to pick one.........
God, I don't know.
Percy and Annabeth are pretty cute, I guess, except that they spend so much time being like "Never ever leave me" that it gets kind of tiresome. Hazel and Frank are cute, but not really anything yet. Piper and Jason are just annoying as all hell. Don't make me rant about that one.
To be honest, this is one of the things about the books that annoys me, is that the author, like, compulsively pairs up his characters. That's the main (but not only) problem with Piper and Jason, is that I was supposed to buy into them being a couple before I even bought into them being, y'know, interesting. Is there a reason they need to be paired up like that right away? Not to mention that when there is a character who isn't paired up with anyone, like Leo, it turns into this whole thing, hence the whole, "You will always be the seventh wheel" going on with Leo. Or Reyna, one of the strongest characters of the series, paired up with no one, but of course that's because she was rejected so many times. Or, if you want a single character, may I present you Thalia Grace, who pledged her life to Artemis, vowing to be a virgin forever, or Rachel Elizabeth Dare, who has to be a virgin for the rest of her life in order to host the spirit of the Oracle. It's kinda like, "Look, if you're not dating by the time you're sixteen, (preferably in a relationship with THE ONE) then you're probably never going to."
Can you tell I'm irritated by this I am very irritated by this. (In a way, if you look at Riordan's actual life, he did marry the person he was dating since, like, grade nine or something, so it sorta makes sense. I still do think he should have taken steps to represent something that wasn't that, though.)
Rant aside, I guess I have to choose one.
I can't choose between Percy/Annabeth or Leo/Calypso.
I know, after I just ranted about how single characters should just be allowed to stay single, but I just really enjoyed the whirlwind Leo/Calypso relationship. Sue me. Mostly because their interactions begin with Leo crash-landing on her island and Calypso's like, "YOU DESTROYED MY DINING TABLE!" and Leo's like, "Oh, I'm sorry, I just got thrown into the sky, built a helicopter in mid-air, had it explode, and then crash-landed on this island, but please! Let's talk about your dining table!" and then end with Calypso stopping Leo's mouth with a kiss and then pulling away and being like, "That didn't happen!" And Leo's just there like, "Okay," with his voice about eight octaves higher than usual. I laughed.
I like Percy and Annabeth for pretty much the opposite reason. They're just so solid. I realize that may not be an attractive trait in a couple from story perspective, but it's what I like about them. They're not just a couple, you know, they're teammates too, and they watch each other's backs and look out for each other and fight together and they just, you know, make sense. Also, Annabeth judo-flipping Percy for going missing for eight months and then Percy laughing and being like, "I missed you too," was pretty adorable, not gonna lie.
There you have it. I can't decide. Like, with Percy/Annabeth we got to watch their relationship grow and everything... but with Leo/Calypso, they're adorable in that they're trying to convince themselves they don't like each other, and it's really amusing. So, you see my dilemma.
I feel shallow for even considering Leo/Calypso but WHAT CAN I SAY I ENJOYED IT OKAY?!
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Percy Jackson Thirty Day Meme: Day 8
Day 8: A scene that made you sad
I guess I should have seen this one coming, considering what yesterday's was.
*considers all the scenes Leo's been in*
....what can I say? He's kind of a magnet for sadness.
Oh, yeah, I've got it.
Okay, so, Hazel recognizes Leo from her pre-death life, right? Which is weird, because Hazel's pre-death life was seventy years ago, and Leo's sorta from this century, so how exactly does that work? So, basically, Hazel pulls Leo into a flashback to see if they can figure it out together. First, Hazel shows Leo her memories of Sammy, who, yes, looked exactly like Leo and acted like Leo (only smoother), and Leo's basically like, "Yeah, I see the resemblance, but I still have no idea who that is."
Then, they get pulled into a different scene. In Houston. Where, of course, Hazel never lived. What's going on?
But wait! Leo's family is from Houston. This is a scene from Leo's life.
And at this house in Houston, there's an old man, sitting on the front porch and looking wistfully into the distance. He says, "Hazel...."
And then a young woman comes out with a baby in her arms. "Look, Leo, it's your bisabuelo!"
And then Leo starts crying and Hazel starts crying and I start crying.
Turns out, Sammy is Leo's great-grandfather. This happened when Leo was still a baby. Leo is watching the scene fifteen-sixteen years later, after having killed his mother accidentally with his pyrokinesis and then he starts crying and I scream at the book LEO IT'S OKAY DON'T CRY right before I start crying.
From Hazel's point of view, she is looking at an old man who was her boyfriend in her old life, this old man who blames himself for never seeing Hazel again after she moved, when in fact it was Gaea's fault because Gaea sorta killed her. Sammy looks at Baby-Leo and tells him that he'll be seeing her again and to tell her hello and that he's sorry because it's his fault he never saw her again. Hazel knows it's not. Hazel starts crying. I start crying.
Then they get pulled out of the flashback and Leo looks at Hazel and says, for his great-grandfather: "Hello, Hazel Levesque."
And then I cry.
I guess I should have seen this one coming, considering what yesterday's was.
*considers all the scenes Leo's been in*
....what can I say? He's kind of a magnet for sadness.
Oh, yeah, I've got it.
Okay, so, Hazel recognizes Leo from her pre-death life, right? Which is weird, because Hazel's pre-death life was seventy years ago, and Leo's sorta from this century, so how exactly does that work? So, basically, Hazel pulls Leo into a flashback to see if they can figure it out together. First, Hazel shows Leo her memories of Sammy, who, yes, looked exactly like Leo and acted like Leo (only smoother), and Leo's basically like, "Yeah, I see the resemblance, but I still have no idea who that is."
Then, they get pulled into a different scene. In Houston. Where, of course, Hazel never lived. What's going on?
But wait! Leo's family is from Houston. This is a scene from Leo's life.
And at this house in Houston, there's an old man, sitting on the front porch and looking wistfully into the distance. He says, "Hazel...."
And then a young woman comes out with a baby in her arms. "Look, Leo, it's your bisabuelo!"
And then Leo starts crying and Hazel starts crying and I start crying.
Turns out, Sammy is Leo's great-grandfather. This happened when Leo was still a baby. Leo is watching the scene fifteen-sixteen years later, after having killed his mother accidentally with his pyrokinesis and then he starts crying and I scream at the book LEO IT'S OKAY DON'T CRY right before I start crying.
From Hazel's point of view, she is looking at an old man who was her boyfriend in her old life, this old man who blames himself for never seeing Hazel again after she moved, when in fact it was Gaea's fault because Gaea sorta killed her. Sammy looks at Baby-Leo and tells him that he'll be seeing her again and to tell her hello and that he's sorry because it's his fault he never saw her again. Hazel knows it's not. Hazel starts crying. I start crying.
Then they get pulled out of the flashback and Leo looks at Hazel and says, for his great-grandfather: "Hello, Hazel Levesque."
And then I cry.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Percy Jackson Thirty Day Meme: Day 7
Day 7: A scene that made you happy
HAVE I BROUGHT UP THE SCENE WHERE LEO HAS TO DISTRACT NARCISSUS AND HIS FANGIRLS YET?
Narcissus: Who are you?
Leo: I'm the super-sized McShizzle, man!
Because that's still not getting old. What do you mean I've brought that up three times already?
Okay, but for real, House of Hades had a few major gems. Lots of Frank development, because Frank was tragically underutilized in Mark of Athena. Like, there's the scene where Frank gets promoted to praetor so that he can lead this whole roman army into battle against the monsters. Frank Zhang is a beast (literally and figuratively hardy har har get it because he can morph into animals).
But mostly - because it opened up a different perspective into relationships of the Seven and I just really like observing the evolution of the relationships of the Seven - the scene where Leo gives Frank the bag.
Allow me to explain.
So, along with Frank being the son of Mars, and being able to morph into animals, and being more or less a tactical genius, he also kinda has this major weakness where if this piece of firewood burns up, he'll die. It's literally his lifeline. So he brings it with him everywhere so that he can protect it. It's wrapped in layers of cloth and stuff, but the fact is, if that thing caught fire, then Frank's life would be over.
UNTIL
Yeah, remember how I was talking about the tension between Leo and Frank? Because Frank likes Hazel and Hazel was drawn to Leo because of Sammy, and also because Leo sort of has a really big mouth and doesn't know when to shut up and sort of ended up making fun of Frank a lot because he made him nervous, AND OH YEAH, did I mention that Leo is pyrokinetic and Frank has a deadly fear of fire, since his weakness is a piece of firewood? There are layers to their issues.
But, the thing is, Leo comes back from Calypso's island, and Leo has this thing where, if he doesn't concentrate hard enough, he could easily just burn off the clothes he's wearing if he sets himself on fire, so Calypso made him new clothes from fire-proof material. So Leo asked for her to make a bag from the same material, to help save Frank's life.
Throughout the scene of Leo giving it to Frank, Frank keeps on doubting Leo continuously. Leo goes, "Look, my clothes are made from the same material and they don't burn!" And Frank and Hazel are like, "Leo, you can't burn." So, in order to prove to Frank that it worked, he had to set fire to the bag that the wood was in. He's like, "C'mon, don't you trust me?"
And what goes through Frank's mind: of course he doesn't trust Leo. Not initially. Maybe with the ship. Maybe with a practical joke. With his lifeline? Come off it.
But then he's like, oh yeah, Leo's saved my life a couple times. Leo's been willing to sacrifice things in order to get me and his friends out safely. Maybe I should trust him.
So he pretty much just hands over the bag with the wood in it and is like, "Try not to kill me."
Spoiler alert: the fireproof material works. But more importantly:
EVOLUTION OF FRANK AND LEO'S FRIENDSHIP
I WAS SO SO HAPPY JUST
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Because the thing is, up until that point, they had been the weak link on the Argo II. They were the ones that still didn't totally trust each other.
They do now.
FRIENDSHIPS MAKE ME SO HAPPPYYYYYYYYYYYYY
HAVE I BROUGHT UP THE SCENE WHERE LEO HAS TO DISTRACT NARCISSUS AND HIS FANGIRLS YET?
Narcissus: Who are you?
Leo: I'm the super-sized McShizzle, man!
Because that's still not getting old. What do you mean I've brought that up three times already?
Okay, but for real, House of Hades had a few major gems. Lots of Frank development, because Frank was tragically underutilized in Mark of Athena. Like, there's the scene where Frank gets promoted to praetor so that he can lead this whole roman army into battle against the monsters. Frank Zhang is a beast (literally and figuratively hardy har har get it because he can morph into animals).
But mostly - because it opened up a different perspective into relationships of the Seven and I just really like observing the evolution of the relationships of the Seven - the scene where Leo gives Frank the bag.
Allow me to explain.
So, along with Frank being the son of Mars, and being able to morph into animals, and being more or less a tactical genius, he also kinda has this major weakness where if this piece of firewood burns up, he'll die. It's literally his lifeline. So he brings it with him everywhere so that he can protect it. It's wrapped in layers of cloth and stuff, but the fact is, if that thing caught fire, then Frank's life would be over.
UNTIL
Yeah, remember how I was talking about the tension between Leo and Frank? Because Frank likes Hazel and Hazel was drawn to Leo because of Sammy, and also because Leo sort of has a really big mouth and doesn't know when to shut up and sort of ended up making fun of Frank a lot because he made him nervous, AND OH YEAH, did I mention that Leo is pyrokinetic and Frank has a deadly fear of fire, since his weakness is a piece of firewood? There are layers to their issues.
But, the thing is, Leo comes back from Calypso's island, and Leo has this thing where, if he doesn't concentrate hard enough, he could easily just burn off the clothes he's wearing if he sets himself on fire, so Calypso made him new clothes from fire-proof material. So Leo asked for her to make a bag from the same material, to help save Frank's life.
Throughout the scene of Leo giving it to Frank, Frank keeps on doubting Leo continuously. Leo goes, "Look, my clothes are made from the same material and they don't burn!" And Frank and Hazel are like, "Leo, you can't burn." So, in order to prove to Frank that it worked, he had to set fire to the bag that the wood was in. He's like, "C'mon, don't you trust me?"
And what goes through Frank's mind: of course he doesn't trust Leo. Not initially. Maybe with the ship. Maybe with a practical joke. With his lifeline? Come off it.
But then he's like, oh yeah, Leo's saved my life a couple times. Leo's been willing to sacrifice things in order to get me and his friends out safely. Maybe I should trust him.
So he pretty much just hands over the bag with the wood in it and is like, "Try not to kill me."
Spoiler alert: the fireproof material works. But more importantly:
EVOLUTION OF FRANK AND LEO'S FRIENDSHIP
I WAS SO SO HAPPY JUST
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Because the thing is, up until that point, they had been the weak link on the Argo II. They were the ones that still didn't totally trust each other.
They do now.
FRIENDSHIPS MAKE ME SO HAPPPYYYYYYYYYYYYY
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