Hoje vou falar um pouco sobre uma nova série de livrosque alguns consideram o “Percy Jackson da Mitologia Nórdica”, mas eu discordo um pouco. Pois o que foi usado para a construção da trama foi só a “fórmula” tão utilizada pelo titio Rick Riordan.…
Rain's Character Analysis Q&A: Loki's Wolves - Fen
For this week's Character Analysis Q&A, or as I like to call it "Our Babies and Why We Shouldn't Be Allowed to Adopt", I have chosen Fen from Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr, which is a part of The Blackwell Pages series. The lovely N.T. shall be asking me questions about my thoughts on Fen and his role in the book in general whilst I come up with answers that are true to his character, or how I perceive him to be. The purpose for this is to express my feels for this character and to maybe get others interested in learning more about him, too! The following Q&A will be a deeper look into who Fen is and why he acts the way he does. Though we will try to stay away from spoilers as much as possible, we may need to touch on a few here and there to explain who he is as a whole. If you haven't read the book and don't want to be spoiled, I advise you stop reading now and encourage you to return once you HAVE read the book. <3
Without further adieu, here's the Q&A~
Out of all of the characters in Loki's Wolves, you really got attached to Fen. How did that come about and when did you realize that he was a character that you loved?
Well, I first met him when he was stealing a shield off of a ship. It was then and there I realized he was a keeper. But in all seriousness, what really lured me in was his personality. Who he is. He was always so angry and never let anyone close to him (not counting his cousin). I have a soft spot for characters who seem so cold to the world around them. Why? Because you know that something tragic must have happened to them to make them that way and it's the journey, the discovering of what that something is that makes me grow fond of characters like Fen. I could tell he had a softness to him, a kindness, that he was not willing to share with just anyone. That there was pain and loneliness as well as passion and intelligence in him that I wanted to see blossom into something more. Or maybe it was the fact that his name is short for Fenrir. You see, I am quite partial to that name... for reasons~
*Chuckles* Prior biases aside though, you did mention in your review that Fen was deeply burdened by how differently he was treated, and that he hated being different. It seems that that anger and cold exterior come from this. Was it because he was a direct descendent of Loki, and this affected how even his family treated him and thus became a shackle he couldn't shake off, a burden he always carried?
Actually, no. His entire family are descendants of Loki. They each share some type of resemblance to the trickster god (it just so happens that Fen holds a stronger resemblance to Loki). No, the reason why his "family" treats him differently is because they are a clan that look out for themselves. They are not a family that hold each other in high regards. They only look out for those within their own immediate family and since Fen's mother and father are no longer in the picture, that means Fen has no one to look out for him. He is forced to live with different relatives until they get tired of having him around. A kind of "foster care" without the "care" portion. It is because of this that Fen becomes a rather rebellious teen and finds himself in more trouble than is worth. Poor dear...
It's interesting that you say that he becomes rebellious and becomes a mischief-maker, because wasn't one of the unusual twists to the book that Fen wanted to be a "hero"?
Yes, it is. And that's the beauty of this book! He became rebellious because he was very much angry at, well, everything. It wasn't until his confrontation with Matt and learning about Ragnarok that he decides to change. He grows fond of his new friends. He learns to appreciate and care for them. It's because of them he decides to try something new. Try to be a better person. He doesn't want to see any of them get hurt so he really tries to better himself for their sake. It's an amazing display of character development and one of the many reasons why I adore Fen!
Well this brings my curiosity back around to the character of Baldwin. You mentioned that Fen and Baldwin had a particularly special relationship. Was Baldwin part of the reason that so much more of who Fen truly was, outside of that anger and loneliness, began to come out?
Yes he was! Okay, so here is where I might go a bit fangirly so bear with me. Fen was already starting to warm up when Matt came into the picture. Matt and Fen form this friendship where they will always watch each other's backs. It was this relationship that made Fen think that maybe it was okay to be friends with people. However, it was Baldwin that really got Fen to show a side of himself that we never would have seen otherwise. Fen became a lot softer and kinder and more thoughtful. In the past, he only cared for Laurie, his cousin, and only wanted to protect her. Baldwin came around and now Fen wants to do that with everyone! Baldwin made Fen feel happy and at peace with who he was. They looked out for each other and authentically cared for one another. If it wasn't for Baldwin, I don't think Fen would be as open as he was by the end of the book.
This might be the time to bring out another big question then, speaking of how much Fen began to open himself up and show who he truly was thanks to Baldwin. One of the things that any fan of Norse mythology and of Loki himself is going to want to know is: How much does Fen have in common with Loki? And also, what makes Fen different from Loki? We all know that people tend to assume that anyone based off of Loki is going to be similar to him in some way, and they might forget that Fen is his own, unique character. (I'm looking at you Hiddleston fangirls. Though to be fair, we're both fans of Tom and Loki ourselves.) However, Fen is not Loki. He is Fen. This is an important difference.
Hey, Tom Hiddleston is a sexy man with amazing talent who can read deeply into the characters he plays which is why his portrayal of Loki is beloved by many. But his portrayal is that of Marvel's Loki with a small mixture of Norse mythology's Loki. That being said, I should probably stop focusing on my future husband's acting skills and focus on Fen... who could also be my future husband. (I demand all the husbands!)
Fen, being a descendant of Loki, holds quite a few similarities to the god of mischief. The fact that he is a trouble-maker being the big one. As I've said before, he doesn't really get along well with his family. In order to deal with that, he lashes out by playing pranks, stealing, and misbehaving in general. Another thing that is similar is his relationship with Thor (Matt, in Fen's case) and how hectic it can be at times. But Fen wants to be seen as someone different than Loki. He wants to prove to others that he is a good person. To be seen as a "hero" than as a "villain." Fen has a deep, caring, sensitive heart willing to mourn those he lost whereas Loki was not so willing to do so. Like you said, Fen is his own person and, even though there are some similarities between the two, Fen and Loki are two completely different beings entirely with their own goals and their own hearts.
Part of that was his desire to protect his cousin Laurie, I'm assuming? If she was the only person he was really close to at the beginning of the book, how did those "good" personality traits show up concerning her? Before Matt, Baldwin, and the others began to help him be himself, that is.
Well, he was overprotective of her. Because she was the only one who would listen to him and care about him, he didn't want anything bad to happen to her. So he would try to keep her out of harm's way. But Laurie is a bit... self-indulgent. She used to get into trouble all the time and he would end up being blamed for it. Not that he minded, of course. He was more than happy to take the fall for her. However, this relationship is not very healthy. There were times when Fen wanted to keep Laurie safe but she would play at being a victim and forced him to let her go along. She was fully aware of his feelings about her and she took advantage of that. I don't think she did it maliciously... it just so happens to come across that way. Laurie just doesn't have what it takes to appeal to Fen's better side because she is more concerned with not being perceived as weak and Fen is more concerned with keeping her safe. It doesn't work. What made him come out of his shell was when the other two, Matt and Baldwin, started treating him as an equal. As someone who matters. And when Fen messed up, they didn't reprimand him. They comforted him. Made him feel better about himself. In the end, even though Laurie was there first, it was Matt and Baldwin (especially Baldwin) who were good for him in the end.
It really seems as though being around Matt and Baldwin finally gave Fen that loving, healthy environment where he could finally grow. Like you said, even the people he was close to, as exampled by Laurie, didn't nurture him. It's interesting that those who are often considered his rivals and even enemies at times are the ones who welcomed him with open arms in the end.
It's something he really needed. I feel that Fen and Laurie are "too close" as it were. They are always together so they can't always see what the other one needs in order to strive as a person. Matt and Baldwin came from the outside. They are getting to see Fen from a different perspective. They can tell what Fen needs, whether it be comfort or a pep talk or what have you. I think that's why they can help him better than Laurie can. For as much as Laurie does care for him, she just can't see what will help him to grow in the end.
Do you think that this is why the relationship between Fen and Baldwin really stood out to you in the book?
Yes~ You see~ These two babies were adorable throughout the entire book! From the moment they met to the very end, they formed this beautiful friendship where they wanted to support each other. Comfort each other. Be with each other. It was a relationship you don't see too often so it really stood out to me with its beauty. I really love those two so much!
It's amazing that Fen was able to grow so much. He started out as this troublesome kid who wouldn't trust anyone, and to see him develop to the point of having such a healthy relationship with even one other person is huge. It sounds like, by the end of the book, that he was a completely different person. Perhaps the person he was meant to be?
I would say so, sure. He still has his sassy attitude by the end of the book but it's a lot more subdued. He was always such a caring person, but it grew to a point where he didn't mind showing it as much. There's still room for him to grow and I do hope he continues to grow because what I, and anyone else who has read the book, has seen so far is incredible, and I want to see more. I want to see him continue to grow into the beautiful person that I know he is. I want him to be able to tell people what he is truly feeling. I want him to admit to Matt that he likes helping others. I want him to confess his love to Baldwin! Er... I mean... No, that's exactly what I mean. >:3 (I ship them so hard you don't even know!)
(Actually, I kinda do know. X3) But I know what you mean, and you've already answered the last question that I wanted to ask: How much more do you think he'll grow in the next book, coming out this May?
Bah! I have to wait till May!? DX I hate waiting... -_-"
Anyway, I think there is still a lot of room for him to grow! He did a substantial amount of growing in the first book, yes, but I do think there's still quite a bit of growing he can still do. Like I said, he is better with showing his feelings but there are still times where he hides them, thinking they are a weakness. I want to see him not feel that way anymore. He's close... but not quite there yet. I want to see him rely on others more. I don't want him to think that he needs to face his problems on his own. I want him to know that he's not alone anymore. That there are people out there who care about him. Once he comes to realize all of this, I feel as if he would have truly grown as a character. He will be all the happier for it, too~
I think it's clear to see why you want so much happiness for him. You've explained a lot about his struggles and how much he's overcome them, and like you said, we can only hope that he continues to grow and improve in the next book. Do you have anything else you'd like to say as we finish up?
Why, yes~ I would like to encourage everyone to go out and read this book! It's so amazing and awesome and cute and wah! Do it for the characters! Especially Fen and Baldwin! They are so beautiful together! Ugh! My feels! You should see the way the interact and laugh together and love each other! They LOVE each other and nothing you say can convince me otherwise! They were so close and there's this one part-- *Continues talking about boyfriends for the rest of the night*--and that's how you squeeze a lemon to look like a squirrel.
...
I'd like to thank everyone who read this far into our talk about Fen's sexiness. I hope this has piqued your curiosity enough to go pick up the book. Or if we just scared you away then... oops? Thanks for dropping by anyway? X3 Hope you enjoyed our shenanigans! Hope to see you on the next "Our Babies and Why We Shouldn't Be Allowed to Adopt!"
Rain's Review - Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong & M.A. Marr
Ever pick up a book because it has a certain something that calls to you yet you have no idea what it might be about? It might turn out to be horribly painful to get through and yet you can't help but check it out of the library anyway? That's exactly what happened with Loki's Wolves. I was just browsing the library like I normally do, searching for something brand new to read. Something different. Something that might help pass the time. Well, I saw Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong (Kelly Armstrong) and M.A. Marr (Melissa Marr) on the shelves and thought, "Loki!? Yes! I love Norse mythology AND a book about Loki? MUST READ." (Not even joking. That's what happened. Ah~ The mind of a fangirl.) So I grabbed it and took that baby home!
I bet you're all wondering what this book is all about. Well, never fear! Rain is here to give you a heads up! >:3
The book tastes place in Blackwell, South Dakota where all you hear about are myths. Norse myths to be specific. It's all the rage since most of its residents are descendants of either Thor or Loki (I know~ I squeed, too~). Matt, descendant of Thor, is then told how Ragnarok is about to happen and he must stop it. If you know about Norse mythology, it's quite common for a lot of the myths to center around Ragnarok, or as I like to call it "when the world goes BOOM!" Matt, along with other descendants of gods (Loki's descendants, Fen and Laurie), must figure out a way to collect Mjölnir, a shield, some other doodads, and prevent the world from coming to an end... if they could survive that long, that is.
Doesn't that sound like every other Middle-Grade book out there? Well, trust me. It's not.
Armstrong and Marr did a fantastic job co-writing this book! I was left speechless by the end of it with how good it was (that's a lie; I was left screaming and flailing and cursing the fact that the sequel wouldn't be out until May but you get my drift~). I can tell that they worked really hard to bring this book to life. Of course, it didn't start off that way. The book did have some consistency issues. Like how one character would have their arms folded across their chest for a bit only for them to do it again without them ever having stopped in the first place. It was strange and it was something that you do notice but not enough to ruin the story, in my opinion. However, I actually had a bit of difficulty getting into this book at the beginning. Reason being was I felt like this was like any other adventure book out there and certainly if I wanted to read an adventure I would have picked something a lot better than this, right? Also, it didn't help that in the first few chapters, the writers made it feel like they were talking down to the readers. As if children couldn't read the same things that adults could because of their age. That always was something that didn't sit right with me. A child should be allowed to read whatever the hell they feel like reading! Age shouldn't be a factor in that because they deserve to know what's out there in the world. They deserve to have knowledge! So when I saw that this was being dumbed down because it was meant for a "younger audience" I was a bit furious. I thought that, given that they don't normally write Middle-Grade, that these authors had no idea what they were doing.
Boy, am I glad that turned out to be false!
Both authors came together and created an amazing story with wonderful characters in the end that left me wanting more. Yes, they had a bit of a rocky start but that "talking down to the audience" I was talking about went away after the first few chapters. I feel as if they were trying to find the right tone for the book and that's why it took some time to get used to their writing. Once they got over that, it was smooth sailing. They found a pace and writing style that worked for them and, in turn, made the book a lot more enjoyable than it was at the beginning. Also, they started to treat the audience as intelligent readers. For example, towards the end of the book, they decided to tackle a lot of "adult themes" that were lacking at the beginning of the book, making it a much darker and richer experience for the reader. Nothing felt forced! The world became believable and the development between the characters was amazing... for the most part.
I don't know much about Armstrong's other books seeing as how I've never read anything by her before. However, I've read three of Marr's books and... let's just say I have a love/hate relationship with them. When Melissa Marr writes stories and worlds, I feel like she gets it right and you are interested in what she has to say. But when she writes characters, she gets them HORRIBLY wrong... most of the time. You see... I feel like she gets male characters down perfectly (that's why I love Irial and Niall from her Wicked Lovely series so much). But when she writes about females... you just want to bash your head in. And I feel like that's what happened here again. I feel like the male characters are amazing! ...not so much the females. Maybe that's just my take on it, but I feel like she makes her male characters pretty awesome, well-rounded badasses where as her females, though they have spunk and I like that, are usually whiny, insufferable asshats. -_-"
Let's get into more details with this, shall we?
Matt, the hero and our Thor in this tale, is kind and caring. He looks out for everyone and tries to protect everyone. He's a bit of a dummy but that adds to his charm. His relationship with Fen, other main character and our Loki in this tale, is one of the best I have seen in any book. It starts off with so much malice, so much hatred, that you wonder what's going to happen in order for them to get along so that way they can stop Ragnarok from happening. But as time passes, you see them become quite close and what develops is a beautiful friendship that still has its ups and downs, but that no longer has that hatred between them. Speaking of Fen, I feel he is such a complex character that I can't just mention one or two things and be done with it. In fact, I won't. My character analysis on him will be up shortly, for now I will say he is a very misunderstood character (much like the Loki we all know and love). He's very angry and bitter at his family for treating him so differently and at himself for being different. However, he goes from being a prankster without a purpose to a beautifully developed character that learns to open up to others and learns how to love more people than just his cousin, Laurie (who we will talk about shortly). Fen and Baldwin, a character they meet later on their journey, create this wonderful friendship where you get to see Fen show a side to himself he didn't have a reason to show before, though you knew it was there. It's one of those friendships you love to see develop because you just want to know where it will go; that's how beautiful it is! (I will touch on their relationship more in the analysis because their "friendship" could be interpreted into something more and I am SO excited to talk about it.) I was really amazed with all three of these boys and their friendship, and the growth they went through as people.
The same cannot be said about the girls.
Laurie, Fen's cousin, was really irritating to me. I loved that she had spunk and didn't take anyone's bullshit, but at the same time... the "need" to prove that just because she was a girl didn't mean that she couldn't "fight" really got under my skin. Mostly because she got in the way of what the others were trying to accomplish. She couldn't hold her own against these magical beings (trolls, wulfenkind, etc.) and I would have been fine with that! After all, she was the "normal" one compared to Matt and Fen. However, she insisted on tagging along, knowing full well that she didn't stand a chance. Furthermore, what I really didn't like about her was how she used to take advantage of Fen's protectiveness of her. For all his life, Fen had no one to look out for him, to listen to him, to love him. Laurie was the only one so he was, obviously, very close to her. And Laurie knows this! And she used his feelings a lot of the time to get what she wanted. She never did it maliciously, but she did it whenever she wanted to tag along and that always pissed me off. Don't take advantage of your cousin's love like that. It's not right. Granted, she does grow on you as time goes by. She develops her own skills and is not as much of a nuisance by the end of the book... but that's like saying, "The fly? Oh, yeah, you stop noticing the buzzing noise after a few days." See what I'm saying? Still, could be worse. She could have been annoying throughout the ENTIRE novel.
Other females that got under my skin were Reyna and Astrid. Reyna is another "friend" of theirs that just comes off as obnoxious. She was very detestable and I couldn't bring myself to like her at all until close to the very end, but only because she became less obnoxious and more reserved, along with her twin, Ray (I have no complaints about him. He was just a kind of "stand-in" character. Didn't really do much without Reyna's prompting). Reyna did get better... but not by much. Which is more than I can say for Astrid. I won't talk much about her because she comes a bit late in the book and I feel like I might give too much away from the plot. I will say this: She annoyed me to high heaven and I hope she gets hit by a steamroller. There. Now you know how much I love her. *Mumbles about an anvil falling on Astrid's head*
If all of this was too long and you didn't read it (it's okay if you didn't; I tend to ramble when I am excited), then here's the short version: Read the book. It has a few flaws at the beginning but push on through! It gets better, I promise. There's so much to love here with the adventure aspect, the magical beings, the great writing (after the first few chapters), and the wonderful character developments that will have you squealing your head off. Not to mention the artwork in this book is FANTASTIC!!! Xaviere Daumarie did an amazing job with making his art fit the story so well with his incredible eye to detail and how smooth it flows all together. It's because of these reasons you should read Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong and M.A. Marr. Seriously! Go read this book! It's amazing!
Recommendation: BUY IT
Support these lovely ladies for doing a fabulous job~ Here's the link where you can purchase the book. <3
