Any Way the Whims Blow

25; she/her I was gonna just put all this stuff on my main blog but I guess I'll separate it for the sake of whatever comes of it I guess *awkward shrug*

[rambles-by-micki]

Hi & hello!

Part of the reason I wanted to start this blog is that I wanted somewhere to ramble about the books I read. I'll be the first to admit that I'm slower than others might be, but that doesn't mean that I don't have a lot to say. However, consistency is key. Therefore, allow me to introduce you to my ratings system and the general outline of these posts.

For the sake of simplicity, I use stars to rate the overall experience. After all, if it ain't broke don't fix right? The explanation for the rating will always be found in the blog post itself.

1 Star ⭐ - The simple explanation for this is "Who let this book happen?" Someone may like this book but it certainly isn't me. This could be anything from the book was badly written to I just plain didn't like it. Of course, this isn't an attack against the author or anyone that might've liked this book.

2 Stars ⭐⭐ - I might've hated the book but one could argue I at least got something from it. It got used so that earns it a star. Maybe the art was pretty or one scene's dialogue was really good. Essentially, a 2 star book is a 1 star book with redeeming qualities.

3 Stars ⭐⭐⭐ - This book was middle of the road like most might expect from such a rating. Books with this rating might've been right up my alley but executed weird. Maybe I thought it was too long or too short for the story that it was trying to tell. Either way, a book rated 3 stars is very mid.

4 Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The simple explanation is that this book was absolutely amazing. But there was something missing. I might not be able to put my finger directly on it, but there's just something that keeps me from giving it a full five stars. Usually, this book simply didn't have the desired pizzazz.

5 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 - The holy grail! Arguably, every creator's dream. The simple explanation for earning five stars is that this book changed something in me. Did I cry/laugh/cringe? Was I transported? Did it make me go out and buy the book? More importantly, do I want to read it again?

After providing the summary and explanation, I fully intend to break down my thoughts on the book further. It is also in this post-rating ramble that I'll dive into spoilers as well, with full warnings of course. These reviews will also go into what content and/or trigger warnings are applicable, the story behind the books themselves, and whether or not there's a fandom behind it. 

So let's take a look in a book and see what we find! 

Thanks for reading!

Until next time, 

Micki

[rambles-by-micki]

The creators behind It Takes Two and A Way Out released their game Split Fiction earlier this year. My brother bought it shortly after it was released, and we finished it about a month ago. If you don't want spoilers, here's what you need to know:

I personally rate the game 5 Stars. It made me think, laugh, almost cry, and ask questions. My brother and I had great conversations about the story beats which is always nice.

The story follows fiction writers Mio and Zoe as they arrive at Rader Publishing under the pretense that their stories were selected to published. Rather than a boring meeting between agents and editors and the like, Rader has something better. He has a machine that will put the writers into their own consciousness, allowing them - and their potential readers - to live and breather their stories. Mio, feeling bad vibes, tries to back out and ends up in Zoe's story. The two of them then go on a journey through their stories, their minds, and finding out if Mio's intuition was right.

Now, if you've looking for spoiler free fun, you should stop reading here. Find a friend or a partner, or even a stranger - it's literally required - and have fun!

Those of us that are still here... I'd like to discuss Rader, and present some somewhat organized thoughts about his character arch.

Aside from being a business man in a piece of media, Rader gives off sketchy vibes from the start. One might say that the machine itself is weird. Do we not read stories for our imagination to fill in any potential gaps? If it were meant to be a film or game, would the author not have simply formatted it as such? Of course, that's easier said than done. I learned how to write plays, poems, and prose for my Creative Writing minor. That doesn't mean that I don't turn to one more than the others.

Besides, the machine can have other purposes right? What about those who have difficulty reading? I don't visualize well at all, but there are those that don't visualize whatsoever. What about them? One might hope that the machine would solve this should one consider it a problem.

Unfortunately, Mio's intuition was correct. Rader had no intentions beyond making money. Backed by investors (who quickly learn that Rader is low-key insane btw) Rader's machine will not only have the stories become tangible environments, but it will also take every idea remaining in their heads. The good, the bad, the incomplete, the subconcious, and whatever else he can find. Rader quickly proves to be a further menace, consumed by pride and greed as he ignores the warnings of his investors and staff. Eventually, he breaks into the story realm in the game and declares himself a god.

The set piece for this boss fight was mind bending and glorious. Truly in control, Rader breaks reality in a number of ways in a boss fight that hurt my brain in the best way. It does make you wonder, what was his plan? Was he going to feed everything to AI? What about the authors themselves, it is unlikely they'd be okay with this. It is my personal opinion that no true author would be okay with AI but that is another tangent for another day.

The talking heads on his desktop screens in various cut scenes, assumed to be investors, clearly know of the machine, but do they know what he's doing with it? What do the authors know? The employees? At one point, when it becomes clear that Rader's shenanigans will likely end in the death of our main duo, two of his employees Ieave. What was in the contract the authors likely signed before arriving?

Of course, all this info isn't in the game. It'd be bogged down by expository dialogue if they were to include the full ins and outs of the scenario. That's the thing about writing: you must know what to add and what to leave out. Rader's machine was crafted to scrape the mind of any and all ideas. Would he then use AI to craft these ideas into useable and complete stories?

In the future, I'd like to craft post about the merits of storytelling at its core as I believe that I have a lot of (hopefully interesting) thoughts. That post will certainly take some time.

Anyhow, thank you so much for reading!

Until next time,

Micki J

[rambles-by-micki]

Hi, hello, and salutations!

My name's Micki and I like to write. I'm a 24-year-old theater fan who lives in NC. Beyond my love of the theater lies a love of books, music, and history. Honestly, just words in general. Posts here may or may not coincide with my podcast, but I also just like to hear myself talk. Maybe you'll enjoy it too!

I graduated from Catawba College in May of 2022 with a double major in History and English Literature with a Creative Writing minor tacked on. I then went back to the hellish environment that is retail (gas station retail at that!). The good news is that I now work in an academic library. Being in such a welcoming workspace provides a wonderful space to be creative and indulge in whatever research topic tickles my fancy. Of course, that means I must quench the thirst to share whatever it is I've learned with others.

That's where this blog comes in! If you're here and reading this, thank you so very much. Primarily, like my podcast, I post here just because I like to learn and I like to talk about it. My coworkers and loved ones can only handle so many rambles after all. I do, however, have to keep things at least somewhat organized.

A Guide to Tags

Theatre Shenanigans - I like to see shows, and I like to listen to shows. While I'm no expert, there is plenty to notice when watching actors on stage. Beyond that, I have this giant book of musical lore and I'd like to learn about the musicals inside. (P.S. If you'd like to listen to musicals with me, you can find me on Discord) Posts about this are tagged #Every. Musical. Ever. and #I Saw a Show.

Bookish Thoughts - I work in a library and I like to read. Unfortunately, I don't read nearly as much nor as fast as I want to DX This page leads you to any and all of my bookish thoughts, from reviews to notable trends and beyond. Posts about this will be tagged #Bookish Thoughts

Life Updates & Whims - They might be separated later on but for the time being, this final tab will lead you to anything else that you might be looking for while you're here. This is where you'll find posts about my life, my whereabouts, and anything else that comes to mind. Posts about such things will be tagged a lot of things but the main ones to look out for are #Whims and #Out and About.

I have plans, but we all know how those things go. Join me on this journey if you will and we'll see where it takes us! 

Thanks for reading!

Until next time,

Micki J

[crispyliza]

Hey guys..... I've been reading spamano fanfiction lately.... and I watched the latest hetalia musical.... I think I'm getting sucked back into the fandom 😭😭😭

[slightly-gay-pogohammer]

roleplayers!! where did you start playing??

tumblr

facebook

twitter

deviantart

amino?? ( idk how amino works but yknow-- )

specific rp forums or blogs

MMOs / online games

tabletop / LARP / RL

somewhere else??? ( pls comment!! )

Voting ended onJul 10, 2024

[rambles-by-micki]

Tfw you watch Cathy Rigby as Peter Pan for the first time in over a decade and now you're emotional