[rosesforyourproses]

If we choose to follow what actually happened in history then we know that Robin was wrong, that the British did wage war to China and China lost the Opium War. This shows us the glaring truth, that you don't win the war by dying. We hail those who have died for our freedom and how the greatest act of patriotism is measured if whether or not we are willing to die for our country, but death does not guarantee victory, death does not win the war. We fail to sometimes realize that the greatest act of love is choosing to live, to fight, to struggle, and to resist even when the world is cruel, even if the world wants you dead. Victoire is resistance. She refuses to die, she refuses to let go of her culture, she refuses to let go of her identity, she refuses to let go of her Kreyol even when they told her that it is useless, Victoire refuses to be their Oroonoko, she refuses to be the martyr in the colonizer's tragic story, Victoire continues to refuse, to resist, and she hopes and hopes and hopes of a better future-- the seed of revolution, because revolution is not vengeance, it is not senseless violence, revolution is the act of wanting, desiring--of a better world, and that it does not seek to destroy but rebuild. Truly, victory lives on.

[n00dlerdoodler]

Situationship so bad you lose your hand, start a revolution, team up with the evil overthrown lady that let your entire country suffer in war, get imprisoned by her in your own mind for the lolz, start hallucinating your dead crush/cousin insulting and beating you, save your old teacher/father, have to deal with his magical dementia and ptsd, kill your fellow rebelion leaders, rescue your platonic soulmate from said situationship and fuck shit up so bad that everyone you love is dead bc of you <3

[icarus-homebound]

Sunlight by Hozier is Rinkitay from Kitay's perspective. I, carrion (Icarian) is Rinkitay from Rin's perspective.

[dawaieye]

Devoured Babel. 6/5⭐️ would not recommend (I’m forcing all my friends to read it).

[dawaieye]

Ik I’m growing as a person when I can listen to people picking apart and lowkey roasting some of my favorite books. It’s a tough listen and I disagree with some of what they say, but when my opinion on the book hasn’t changed, it feels good to know and accept that people are allowed to have opinions LOL. Especially with so much media influence on everyone’s opinions (like fashion, lifestyle, politics, etc.), when ik that I like something because I wasn’t influenced to like it I feel much more grounded in myself and my ability to think freely!! IT FEELS SO STUPID TO ARTICULATE, but authenticity is something that feels like marketing now. It’s good to know you enjoy what you enjoy without an outside influence (given that it’s something sustainable).

[dawaieye]

I’m on ch 21 of Babel rn and the way I feel such a strong sense of impending doom every time I turn the page is making me so anxious 😭😭I’m so glad I started this with like no knowledge of where the plot goes because !!!!!!! I have so many emotions🚬

[dawaieye]

rich because i’m reading babel for the first time 🫰

[nerdnerdnerdnerddistheword]

The Poppy war

Such a good series!!! So much to be said about colonialism, war, and the manufactured consent when it comes to ‘liberation’ of peoples. The fact that it was based off of real life wars in Asia with themes of magical realism imbued into it. The philosophical aspects and the personal aspects were so good. 

So nice to have a female main character who wasn’t in a goddamn love triangle or a girl boss or Mary sue. She was just an angry victim of imperialism, racism, sexism, classism. She’s so fucking mad and she turns herself into a war machine to avoid forced marriage and overcome her helplessness. The fact that war is all she is good at and all she is made for but war is still fucking devastating to her. Fuck she’s so well written and morally quite grey and interesting.

The cyclical nature of systemic oppression and these fucking systems that override each characters idealism and hopes for change are devastating. The politics of war that are local, personal…  

Foreshadowing was fucking brilliant, and the character’s fates at the end made total sense. Heartbreaking. 

I love that it was so real about the nitty gritty complicated shit about war and the consequences without romanticizing or glorifying or turning into straight tragedy porn. 

[dawaieye]

not using em dashes for fear of getting an ai detection is holding me back. fuckkk ai detectors and their false positives.

[dawaieye]

Yes TPW is devastating but I think we’re all forgetting when Rin was drunk and peed in an empty wine bottle for Jinzha. Like yes girl now you’re on a mission 🫡 (Nezha caught her mid piss).

[dawaieye]

RIP Kitay you would’ve loved fidget toys. RIP Rin you would’ve loved men’s boxers and cutwaters. RIP(?) Nezha you would’ve loved enemies to lovers. RIP Venka you would’ve loved the “male loneliness epidemic.” ✊

[delusekeige]

chaltan ?! 😛

[dawaieye]

Do not think about the fact that Nezha had to go back to his home with remnants of his friends laying everywhere. Rin and Kitay’s handwriting on the table, Venka’s clothes, etc. I just know being in a place that they tired to settle into broke him.