Alright friends. We are all chomping at the bit for any Alecto news at all. So here is what I've compiled from interviews, podcasts and AMAs. Sources are linked and screenshots have alt. text.
I've also included a little commentary or speculation on some points but ultimately that's not the focus of this collection.
Under the cut because I feel like it's going to get long.
So many screenshots, it turns out I'll have to split it into 3 posts.
If you enjoy this post please reblog so more people can see it!
Jump to part ā Two of the post
Jump to part ā Three of the post
I'm making this post on mobile, so forgive any wonkiness. Also tumblr ate this post once already *screams into the void*
ā¢ The book starts with Harrow in Hell. A reference to the Harrowing of Hell. Based on the presence of a porn mag I'd guess it's her own little river bubble inside Alecto but still just speculation.
Source: Tamsyn reads to us! Video with written description
ā¢ There is a wedding of some sort. Possibly other excuses to dress up the characters in formal ware. Some people have expressed concern that this was referencing the N- and C- wedding in Nona, but nope. We have confirmation that it is in book 4.
Source: Twitter
The next series of screenshots are all from the same tor.com interview: TM on Lyctorhood and Genderfuckery.
ā¢ This first one again confirms allusions to the harrowing of hell/ the decent of Christ. For those out of the loop the tldr:
The harrowing of hell is anĀ Old EnglishĀ andĀ Middle EnglishĀ term referring to the period of time between theĀ Crucifixion of JesusĀ and hisĀ resurrection. In triumphant descent, Christ brought salvation to the souls held captive there since the beginning of the world.
A lot of speculation has gone on around about Harrow and her role in freeing the souls trapped in the river/reviving the river from whatever is poisoning it. [ *cough*JOD*cough*].
Also another reference towards formal outfits for the cast. So at least the wedding if not multiple formal functions.
ā¢ The question of Harrow and Gideon's souls will continue into Alecto. Looking forward to info on how enmeshed they've become and/or if they can be separated.
ā¢ I mean this quote is infamous by now. Which of our faves is it in reference to? All of them?
ā¢I feel like we haven't seen enough about the differences between rebirth [a la Paul and Nona] vs Resurrection [Gideon/Harrow?! Someone else?] So while not a direct promise of anything in Alecto, I feel like the implication is there.
ā¢The next two screenshots are about the Alecto cover, which is complete[the first from the above interview:]
ā¢and the second is from an AMA from Aug. 5 2020
ā¢ The cover is definitely done since she was talking about it in 2020 and reaffirmed right before Nonaās release. I feel like they are waiting until they have a better idea of a publishing date before release. Maybe we'll get news in Q4 after the Nona paperback release and excitement dies down?
ā¢ From the same 2020 AMA. As this is pre-Nona, it could be possible that the heist mentioned deals with Gideon's body [either the Houses heisting it from BOE which happened off screen or the heist of Gideon's body from the barracks]. But I included it just in case that isn't what is being referenced.
ā¢ Same 2020 AMA: Again this could be covered in Nona as being what the John chapters were about, but also maybe not.
Source: TazMuir tumblr post from April 2020
ā¢ Another infamous quote at this point. Definitely feels like this is about the 'Third Most Toxic Polycule' of Harrow/Gideon/Ianthe and maybe Alecto is in this loop as well. With all the references to weddings and relationships I'm wondering who out of these four is marrying who...[maybe it's someone totally different, but my money is on someone in this situation]
You know, an interesting tumblr transformation that's happened gradually, and which I've seen no one talk about: ask-culture has essentially dropped off to nothing.
By which I mean, asks used to be WAY more of the tumblr economy. They used to be more common to send, and receive, and see. They were integral to the collaborative, forum-like behavior of old tumblr communities, not even to speak on the HUGE number of ask-blogs that used to exist to only be interacted with in ask-form.
I'm not saying this in a vying-for-attention way but instead in an observational way: I used to get way way more asks in like 2015, even with a fraction of my follower count. I wonder if it's due to the homogenization of social media sites? There's a lot more of this divide between "content creator" and "consumer" instead of just a bunch of peer blogs who would talk to each other. "Asks" aren't really a thing on twitter, are they? And as I understand it, the closest thing to an "ask" on instagram or tiktok would be a creator screenshotting some comment and responding to it in a new reel or video or whatever those content mediums are. Are asks just too tumblr-specific? Is that aspect of the site culture dying out as more and more people converge to using all their social media sites in the same way?
it's probably from assholes making asks a minefield of trolling/harassment for years with no real blocking ability, which turned people off from allowing asks on their blogs so as a whole the site moved away from it
but now that we do have better blocking, we should try to revive it.
Hey hey, as a librarian, can I just say donāt pace yourself at the library. I get a lot of customers saying āoh I shouldnāt get too many books out at onceā but like you should!!!! Max out your card, take everything we have on a subject youāre interested in, make a book fort in your home. We love that shit! It doesnāt matter if you read them or not; just take them for an adventure and bring them back whenever theyāre due!
For public libraries, one of the ways we secure funding year to year is lending. Governments donāt want to fund more books if theyāre not being used and the way we measure use is by issues. Regardless of whether you read it or not, whether you have it for a day or a month, if you issue it to your library card, we get the stats! It makes the library look good!
Help your local library; get books out even if you know you canāt read them all!
"You and I spoke of what will likely happen the day England returns to this place. We spoke of how I must stay. Must find a way to enter into their world, and I believe you would want to enter it with me. I believe that in this moment you cannot fathom leaving me. But if we are honest with each other, I think we both knowā¦"
"Stop."
BLACKĀ SAILSĀ āĀ EPISODEĀ XX.
It was a huge milestone of scientific and technological advancement. (Plus, at the time, politically significant). Humanity went to space! We set foot on a celestial body that was not earth for the first time in human history! Thatās a big deal! Iāve never thought about it before but now that I have, itās ridiculous to me that thatās not part of our everyday lives and the public consciousness anymore. Why donāt we have a public holiday and a family barbecue about it. Why have I never seen the original broadcast of the moon landing? It should be all over the news every year!
Itās July 20th. Thatās the day of the moon landing. Next year is going to be the 54th anniversary. Iām ordering astronaut shaped cookie cutters on Etsy and Iām going to have a goddamn potluck. Youāre all invited.
PITCH: We call it Moon Day, and then every 7 years when it falls on a Monday, that's an even BIGGER deal and we call that Moon Day Monday and go absolutely apeshit about it (the next Moon Day Monday is in 2026 so we have a couple trial runs first)
