Paired With Pages

amie // slightly dead student // providing music, art and humour to go with your book

[synthient]

The story of Cats is that in the 1930s, the famous poet T.S. Eliot wrote a book of cutesy little cat-themed poems for his godchildren

And then 40 years later, Andrew Lloyd Webber found a lost cat poem that T.S. Eliot had cut from the cat book for being too sad for children, and ALW was like "woahhh. A cat....that's sad. That's deep, man. I wanna make a musical out of this"

So the producer assigned to the project was like "okay, I guess you could maybe read these cat poems as a satire of 1930s British society? We could probably do something sort of interesting with that, I'm thinking a cast of about 5 and--"

And ALW was like "no. Forget the satire. Also I want a cast of dozens and the most advanced special effects technology ever seen on stage. I've taken out a second mortgage on my house to fund this"

And the producer was like "wh-- you-- wh-- do you even have. a plot"

So ALW got a bunch of actors and writers and artists together and they holed up and did cocaine workshopped for 5 weeks, and at the end of it they emerged and said "the plot is that a bunch of cats are having a dance contest for the right to take a ufo to cat heaven :)"

and then it made 2 billion dollars.

[my-cozy-library]

[bibliotheque-la-nature]

John Sandoe Books, Chelsea

[ampersandlore]

[paired-with-pages]

Some Questions for SJM

Actually I have lot of questions, but these will be around Hollin specifically.

Spoilers for King of Ash by the way.

Ok so:

We never really learn ANYTHING about Hollin

Like I thought he was going to come back in KoA and take one for the team, you know, since he’s technically part of Mab’s line and all

That child did indeed come from the loins of King Dorian Snr. (Rip)

Not I’m saying Aelin and Dorian would sanction child murder or anything

BUT BUT BUT

All we know about him is that he’s a little shit

Like despite being Hollin’s brother, Dorian doesn’t seem to give a damn about him

Think about it from Hollin’s perspective

You have a cruel, literal tyrant for a father, a brother who doesn’t care and a mother who holds the reins to a poisonous court

Like can you blame Hollin for being not the greatest child?

Everyone seems to describe Hollin as a “monster” or “rotted inside” and imagine what that can do to a tween

(I think he’s like 10-12 right?)

Lol I’d slap my 10 year old self

Why does Lorcan get to be described as “cruel” and “a monster” but have it be a good thing? He’s 500 years old. He’s had some time to think about his bad behaviour.

Not saying I don’t love him, because I do

But Hollin might be less of a shit than SJM describes him to be

Maybe it’s because he’s less muscular

Apparently only immortal magical people get to be rude

Not tweens

God forbid tweens be rude

So like after KoA, I want to know, who is Hollin???????

Could he be like another Kaz Brekkar, who, let me remind you, is also described as “rotted” and “monstrous”

Or is he actually like Dudley Dursley but worse and I’m just digging a story out of nowhere

But SJM has proven that she really can the biggest assholes into lovable bundles of joy

[paired-with-pages]

Me: Ok mum let’s go

Mum: let me look at your bag

Me:...

Me:...

Me:...

Mum:let me. Look. At. Your. Bag.

Me:...

Mum:*tackles me to the ground in a complex jujutsu manoeuvre* I SAID ONE BOOK ONLY

Me: But what if I finish the other book?

Mum: ONE BOOK!

Me: *quietly* I only have two hundred more pages

Mum: O N E!!! B O O K!!!

[paired-with-pages]

“Somewhere inside, nestled deep within secretive cavities, small portions of his body were actively betraying him.”

Kathy Wang, Family Trust (2018)

[wordsarevibrations]

[paired-with-pages]

The Cadre, Ranked

SPOILERS FOR KINGDOM OF ASH

1. Rowan

It was a hard battle between Fenrys, Rowan and Lorcan

But I feel like I have to give it to Rowan, purely out of loyalty

We’ve known him since Heir of Fire, and like that’s gotta count for something, right?

I do love how he treats Aelin, and how he treats her

But at this point their basically like Mum and Dad, you know? Like it would be weird if they weren’t together

I confess sometimes I find the Rowaelin sex scenes cringey, especially in Empire of Storms, but that is no fault of the character

Man listening to the audiobook of Empire of Storms was...interesting at times

STOP WITH THE GROWLING

I get you’re not human but also you cannot growl all the time

Wow I’m not really making ROWAN’S case well

I just feel like I’ve known him the best

Four books will do that to you

2. Gavriel

He was originally going to be fourth

But this daddy deserves second place

As in he’s a literal father

HE’S SO SWEET

Like he’s the only one who still bothers with manners in the Cadre

And also he just wants to make things right with his son

He doesn’t want to be the dead beat dad anymore

How admirable

I feel like he keeps getting shit for not being present in Aedion’s life, which is understandable but also get over it

This is war, and you need to hurry things along

Before Gavriel dies

Because he dies

Wow writing that felt like a literal stab to the heart

3. Fenrys

I did not care about Fenrys before

Like he was just another Fae warrior

“Wow but this time he’s sarcastic!”

Yeah nah

BUT IT ALL CHANGED IN KINGDOM OF ASH

“Are you alright?”

Blinks twice

I’M SO SORRY FOR THE LOVE I DIDN’T GIVE YOU

Because he deserves it all

For his loyalty to Aelin

For the pain he endures

For humour and humanity he still manages to keep

4. Lorcan

I also love Lorcan

But this is hard

Because I feel like Fenrys deserves more love, purely because Lorcan was not forced to watch Aelin bless

That said, LORCAN

IS

SO

CUTE

He’s honestly such a moony lovestruck 500-year-old teenager

Like he cut up his shirt secretly for Elide’s period

And swears himself into Aelin’s court, even when Elide hates him

Lorcan, you’re a secret sweetie and everyone knows your secret now

5. Vaughn

Here because he didn’t appear

And so therefore cannot offend

Fly free birdie

6. Connall

Ok, honestly his death felt a bit like shock factor

Any sadness I felt was more for the effect it would have on Fenrys rather than because of the actual character

WHICH I’M FINE WITH

But also why did he say all of those cruel things?

He was forced to by Maeve right?!?!

Right?!?!??!

I’m still a little confused

Was he actually jealous of Fenrys, or did he secretly love his brother

8. Cairn

Fuck you

I hope Rowan skinned you real good and turned you into gloves or some shit

Also his name reminds me of Cairns

Which is about as north of Australia as you can go

It’s a little bit in the middle of nowhere

Yeah I can’t take him seriously because of his name lol

[listentothestories]

Samantha | everlasting.charm

[paired-with-pages]

A Proposal

There is no BC and AD, or BCE and CE.

I only know BKOA and AKOA

Before Kingdom of Ashes

And After Kingdom of Ashes:

[paired-with-pages]

So I was trying to explain “The Passion of New Eve” by Angela Carter to my mum, and basically it went like this:

She’s now convinced that English is a waste of time as a subject.

[paired-with-pages]

“History is made by women, just as much as men.”

Euripides, Medea (431 BC)

[paired-with-pages]

Honestly at this point Aelin’s just picking up fae warriors like Pokémon.

[rosiethorns88]

Aaaaah just finished Kingdom of Ash and had to draw SOMETHING to get rid of the immediate hangover. This was probably the most defining scene in the book for me. Aelin’s arc was pretty much expected, but Manon and Dorian’s arcs were the most surprising events of the book. Dorian especially – every chapter I yearned that he could some how find his self-worth after working tirelessly to sacrifice himself at every turn - and this is the scene when he does. I don’t usually sketch in color too often, but these two deserved it. So much.

[rhysand-vs-fenrys]

THIS IS BEAUTIFUL AND PERFECT!!!

[rufousnmacska]

OMFG I AM DEAD 💙💛💙💛💙💛

[thatbitchydonutcollector]

@propshophannah HANNAH YES THIS IS BEAUTIFUL

[propshophannah]

OMG! @thatbitchydonutcollector YOU KNOW ME SO WELL! THANK YOU FOR TAGGING! I AM DEAD. 💀💔🗑

[susannadlpena]

YEEEEEES DORIANS FACE IS PERFECT

[booksandmorefreely]

Reblog

If you are okay with people messaging you to fan girl over a Sarah J Maas book

[paired-with-pages]

Thoughts on the Kingdom of Ash Cast Part 2

SPOILERS FOR KINGDOM OF ASH

Part 1

Aedion

Ok I’m seeing Aedion get a lot of hate for the way he treated Lysandra, and I agree it was terrible

But also I can empathise with him, because I would be lying if I said I’m 100% not a bitch

I’m not forgiving him for his behaviour but I can understand where he came from

Characters can not be perfect and understanding all the time

Aedion’s a little over-protective of Aelin, with good reason

Like I know logically his reason for being cruel to Lysandra was stupid, but sometimes emotions and logic are too different things

And we know Aedion is not the greatest with being calm and collected

Unless he’s killing, in which case SJM likes to mention the “killing calm” a lot

I still love Lysaedion so much

I think it’s good how their relationship was kind of a slow-burn

Well slow-burn for SJM

Lysaedion aside, I also think Aedion and Lysandra went through the most shit, barring maybe Aelin, in KoA

They were fighting up in the North with no real hope, keeping a front that was doomed to fail

ALSO Aedion and Gavriel hurt

Like a lot

That was the least satisfying yet most emotionally wrought reunion of the series

ALSO I love how Aedion took the blood oath in the end

It felt very full-circle and satisfying

Lysandra

MY POOR GIRL SINGLE-HANDEDLY DEFENDED THE NORTH AND GOT NOTHING BUT SHIT FOR IT

Darrow and then Aedion would not just sit their asses down and appreciate Lysandra for the badass she is

Honestly Terrasen would have been doomed if not for her

And I mean, what’s a girl to do when her queen orders her to become a replacement queen and pretend to have fire powers?

Lysandra was between a rock and a hard place

I love how she was so thoroughly done with Darrow’s shit by the end

But of course, Evangeline solved that, with the power of friendship

Darrow has been brought over to the enlightenment

ALSO HER MEETING WITH FALKAN

I love how she was perfectly satisfied with her life

ALSO I’VE ALREADY MENTIONED THIS BUT I LOVE LYSAEDION

Bow down before Princess Lysandra Ashryver, Ladyof Caraverre

Fenrys

Honestly last book, I didn’t really care about Fenrys that much

Like I only have space for so many members of the Cadre in my heart

Fenrys felt like another sarcastic Fae immortal warrior blah blah blah attractive blah blah blah deadly blah blah blah tragic

BUT IN KoA?!?!!? I can say there is indeed room in my heart for Fenrys

Like how he blinks at Aelin?!? And supports her throughout her torture?!? AND BREAKS HIS BLOOD OATH KNOWING HE WILL DIE?!?

Bellissimo 👌

Also he goes through so much shit

Watching Connall die? Following Cairn’s orders?!

Honestly though when SJM described how he had to hold his bladder to the point of pain because Cairn ordered him to, was when I physically winced

Holding in pee hurts, ok?

Fenrys also needs a hug

I’m glad he stayed single

As much as I love ships

We cannot have 100% of the population in a committed serious relationship

We need some single Pringles here

Maeve

She was honestly the true big bad in this book

Like Erawan became this vain little brother, while she pulled all of the strings

But also I felt like she was humanised (?)

I actually was super interested in her story: how she escaped her marriage, established a kingdom, ruled for millennia in a world of light

She’s more nuanced than I thought she’d be

But honestly her marital problems are the whole reason for the ToG series

Like I’m talking the whole “dissatisfied and sexually unfulfilled wife” narrative

But also she kinda dropped the ball this time around, didn’t she?

Like how do you lose a kingdom, get tricked by a 20-year-old and then get stabbed in the same book

Her death was a little anticlimactic

She was literally killed by the power of love and friendship

This isn’t My Little Pony

But I’m still happy with the ending to the series

This also isn’t a grim dark fantasy, and I’m fine with that

Erawan

Ahaha do you remember the days when Erawan was the biggest antagonist? Because I barely do

He was the jealous vain little brother in this book

Basically Sasuke lol

But also he loved his brothers?!?! Once again, Valg family problems wreck Erilea

But also he just felt like manpower

Like he had the armies but no brain?

Also he was wrecked by Yrene like a little bitch

Nesryn

I know she’s not really a main character

And SJM had to just chuck her in for that bird’s eye view

BUT I LOVE NESRYN AND I WANT MOREEEEE

Honestly I think a spin-off of Nesryn’s adventures across the Southern Continent is the good content we need

I would read the shit out of that series

Also I cannot wait for her to be an Empress

Her friendship with Borte was honestly the best

Sartaq

If I didn’t love Nestaq

I honestly would want Sartaq to be my husband

Like I would never get married

But I would to Sartaq

WHICH IS WHY I NEEDED MORE OF HIM

Especially him with Nesryn

NESTAQ FOR THE WIN

As mentioned before, I need a spin off

SOMEONE PLEASE GIVE ME ANY SARTAQ/NESTAQ CONTENT PLEASE AND THANK YOU

I felt a little starved for Sartaq ngl