weaselett

OK, so I just read 'The Captive Prince' by C S Pacat - and that is one weird ass, slightly creepy book. Anyone who has not read it, trigger warnings for pedophilia, rape, sexual violence, violence and slavery.

I say that, but I'm going to read the rest of the trilogy, because I want answers.

It is not however an amazing, or brillant book. It lacks some of Fifty Shades' utterly terrible writing, but it's worse in the sense of lacking plot for the first half and the amount of almost casual sexual violence/references to sexual violence.

I read it because it gets mentioned so much, and people have raved and it's might be made into a film or something. It get touted as a really good m/m trilogy and for POC representation.

I knew there was some sexual violence, but yeah, wasn't expecting quite what it is. It also isn't a good m/m relationship (or any relationships in the first book) and the POC element is v awkward. And there are no women. And there's no mention of mothers, though they were apparently married to the main characters fathers.

I was a bit amused as it seems to be an attempt at Ancient Greece v Ancient Rome, if they'd been even more hardcore about slavery and sex. *face palms* You could do that, and it could be AMAZING, but this book seems to focused on the potential kinks of the reader to fully engage in the fantasy or cultural exploration.

I am curious as to what others think though, so if any of you have read it, let me know!

(And yeah, this post isn't crossposted to LJ)

So I am (finally) up to the Chalet School at War in my reread, which seems strangely relevant. I also still kinda love Jack Maynard, who smacked two nazis' heads together before Captain America had ever punched one. (And thankfully, I really hope, no one has ever done to Jack what marvel has done to Steve :/ - funnily enough in Exile, with that incident was published a year before Captain America first appeared (1940))

I think the thing with the Chalet School books, for all their faults, they really capture a time, and EBD was quite liberal and open minded (there is such a massive point of not blaming all Germans for what's happening - and it was published at the time, not in the modern time, distant from it all).

But it is really surreal reading those two now, with everything going on. I honestly never thought it would be so when I started my reread last year! So much has changed....

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In other news - ITV and BBC have both done serial killer dramas (ITV did Mary Ann Cotton BBC is now airing their Christie drama) - it's always a bit...interesting? They choose a route and run with it, and it does feel like the truth gets a little lost. (And with Christie there are still people alive impacted by that - versus Cotton it's more distant). I haven't watched either, which is a bit of a surprise even how much I read about that stuff, but eh, a bit leary at the moment. I may watch the Christie one on catch up, but we'll see.

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Not achieving Nano word count (I never managed to nail down my plot, so never really got going apart from random bits and pieces, though it has got my word count up for the year)

I am enjoying Conviction, and The Librarians so far - a bit torn with Criminal Minds (it was the best that could be done but *sighs*) we'll see how it goes.

I intended to post before now - but somehow have failed to do so - at some point there will be a post with my aims and such for the year, but not today.

So, it's getting colder (and there was snow in Cumbria today) but we've still got rain for the moment. It's been relatively quite on the storm front, yay. Work is settling back to normal (things are still weird due to the unknowns with all the council proposed changes, and the effects of the floods and sadly one of the peeps based elsewhere died at New Year, so the inital week was weird.)

I have a weekend off, and a trip to London (Crime Museum exhibition! Special curatorial talk about said exhibition *bounces* - plus Celtic Art exhibition at the British Museum, though those are Mon & Tues stuffs, sat and sun will be visiting with peeps).

I did not manage to read 100 books last year (closer again though, 85) - so that's an aim again this year. I'm planning to mostly read books written by women/poc, and books with female/POC/LGBT/disabled main characters, though I have some from last year's pile to finish that don't fall under that. But if anyone has any recs they would be much appreciated (I favour plot over romance).

Work peep E and I are having more convos about stuffs - she was unimpressed with her latest book on the suffragettes (written by a man, and written from the pov that they didn't need to do what they did, almost having rights should have been enough, or they should have wanted universal suffrage). We have random convos about a mix of things, and they are always interesting, and we exchange books more often now *g*

I am also attempting to stealth make her a Pike scarf before the Dad's Army film comes out, I now have chunky wool, because DK was taking forever, but I need to poke at the stitch to figure out what type looks closest.

I hope all are well, and the year has treated you well so far!

Been quiet for a little while - currently have the evil throat not cold of doom (it's not quite a head cold - so it's annoying, because I still want to eat and do stuff, but throat is sore and I sound all raspy :/)

I do not get to see Age of Ultron until sunday morning (working wed-sat - so sadly feel just wrong) - so am going to be avoiding the internet, so as not to get spoiled (beyond 'it was good')

Watched the latest episode of Criminal Minds - heh - MGG's episodes are always promoted as being scary and thrilling, and yeah nope. They are always the worst of the 'this would totally happen, not' episodes and I never find them scary. Given her goes for atmospheric and all, it should be, but it just falls flat for me. *shrugs*

It at least had some basis in something (which I have read about, and which is disturbing - am sad they didn't do a proper episode dealing with it :/)

At some point I will update my reading challenge post - given that I am at 34/100 books read - and am fairly sure have managed a good few of the list.

Am however failing at word count for camp nano *glares at word doc*

So I haven't actually posted anything yet this year - sorry! I hope you have all had a relatively good 2015 so far.

My January kinda got eaten by writing my PhD proposal (it is sodding hard to get hold of references if not a student/academic - and UClan randomly doesn't have paper journals, so I mostly had books and what journal articles I could dig out). Hopefully will hear back soon - tis scary o.O

February - officially on my new work rota, I have no idea what I am doing, or what day it is (I am now off every Monday rather than Sunday - and working a four week rota) - I have also been reading 'Outlander' which was heavy going. God did I notice that was a 800+ page book. Going to read the second, or try to, will see how that goes. May fold.

I failed my 100 books in a year last year - am attempting again this year. If anyone has recommendations let me know, I will see if I can hold of them (at the moment I have random Star Trek Books, the last two Percy Jackson books, Wolf Hall and the first Jack Reacher book in my pile - I read three ish books at a time, because I'm weird and don't always feel like reading one)

I'll do a post with my chosen card from hamsterwoman's Communally Sourced Reading Bingo and that list of 50 that was going around soon :)

So I'm still alive - though the laptop remains dead (because I'm a wimp and I can't find the disk I need - mainly though because I'm a wimp and keep remembering just how much music is on there and don't want to wipe it by accident *g*)

I do however have deadlines *eep* (and a very late apocalypse_kree fic *hangs head*) - though after next week I have a break and time to consider whether I really want to attempt nano this year

I have internet access now though - slightly more than before - as I have claimed rights on the parents computer :) which has a much more comfortable chair - plus it's dad's fault I don't have said comfortable chair or internet on my computer sooooo.... seems fair? ;)

Am thus far loving Supernatural Season 4 - still considering a costume for pegasus (though I've done the necessary sketches and fabric searches for both possibles) - and am happily making my way though 'the chronicles of ancient darkness' series by Michelle Paver (a book a day thus far - though we only have 1-3 in the house - so will be finding 4 5 tomo) which is really good *nods* - people should go find and read :)

Am, also being slowly eaten by a crazed husky puppy who lives up to the nickname 'chewie' more every day even if ma doesn't like us calling her that :D

xx