#the darkling

[writerslittlelibrary]

Darklina soulmate au is at 7000 words...

It's going slow but it's going

[bben-squaredd]

[bben-squaredd]

[bben-squaredd]

Byeee

[justaneedle]

Aleksander is a little wolf who's taking care of his pack yes, I love comparing all my favorite character with wolves, but—

[libraryofnika]

˖ ࣪⭑ :･ﾟ✧ 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐬 & 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐢𝐜 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬

I AM SUPER SORRY for being MIA again 😫. I've been so distracted, sick, and busy (at the same time) last week that I am unable to dedicate a solid time for booksta.

Anyway, I'm back now, started a new book, and am trying to catch up on my arcs (failing terribly 😭) and editing my posts.

Other than that, just last Saturday, I've been in caught in the rabbit hole of Final Fantasy, specifically Sephiroth. This man is so pretty it's making me sick 😫.

Anyway #2, I thought I could post 3 of the reads I read in July that I planned on posting about today ✨️. Full review and at the bottom 🤎.

[justaneedle]

I don't like that I have to typing it all again, cause Tumblr ate my first post…

Why "Be Careful of powerful man" was okay in the book, and How the show-writers Twisted Everything Again

I examined myself in the mirror. My hair shone. My cheeks held a rosy flush. I still wasn’t pretty, but I couldn’t deny the improvement. I wondered what Mal would think if he saw me, then shoved the thought away. “Better,” I agreed grudgingly. Genya gave a plaintive sigh. “It’s really the best I can do for now.” “Thanks,” I said tartly, but then Genya winked at me and smiled. “Besides,” she said, “you don’t want to attract too much attention from the King.” Her voice was light, but I saw a shadow pass over her features as she strode across the room and opened the door to let the servants rush back in.

Shadow and Bone, Chapter 6

Genya warned her about not attracting to much attention of the king, we all know why — @stromuprisahat, this may be the reason why I interpreted Genya's words about jewels in this way.

“Has the Darkling arrived?” “Oh yes. He arrived yesterday. I saw his coach.” My heart sank a little. He had been in the palace for an entire day and he hadn’t come to see me or called for me. “I imagine he’s very busy,” said Genya. “Of course.” After a moment, she said softly, “We all feel it, you know.” “Feel what?” “The pull. Toward the Darkling. But he’s not like us, Alina.” I tensed. Genya kept her gaze studiously focused on the coils of my hair. “What do you mean?” I asked. Even to my own ears, my voice sounded unnaturally high. “His kind of power, the way he looks. You’d have to be mad or blind not to notice it.” I didn’t want to ask, but I couldn’t help myself. “Has he ever… ? I mean, have you and he ever… ?” “No! Never!” A mischievous smile twitched on her lips. “But I would.” “Really?” “Who wouldn’t?” Her eyes met mine in the mirror. “But I’d never let my heart get involved.”

<<…>>

In the other boxes on my bed, we found golden silk slippers, glittering jet and gold earrings, and a thick fur muff. When I was ready, I examined myself in the little mirror above the basin. I felt exotic and mysterious, like I was wearing some other, far more glamorous girl’s clothes. I looked up to see Genya watching me with a troubled expression. “What’s wrong?” I said, suddenly self-conscious again. “Nothing,” she said with a smile. “You look beautiful. Truly. But…” Her smile faltered. She reached out and lifted the little golden charm at my neckline. “Alina, the Darkling doesn’t notice most of us. We’re moments he’ll forget in his long life. And I’m not sure that’s such a bad thing. Just… be careful.” I stared at her, baffled. “Of what?” “Of powerful men.” “Genya,” I asked before I could lose my nerve, “what happened between you and the King?” She examined the toes of her satin slippers. “The King has his way with lots of servants,” she said. Then she shrugged. “At least I got a few jewels out if it.” “You don’t mean that.” “No. I don’t.” She fiddled with one of her earrings. “The worst part is that everyone knows.” I put my arm around her. “They don’t matter. You’re worth all of them put together.” She gave a weak imitation of her confident smile. “Oh, I know that.” “The Darkling should have done something,” I said. “He should have protected you.” “He has, Alina. More than you know. Besides, he’s as much a slave to the whims of the King as the rest of us. At least for now.”

Shadow and Bone, Chapter 14

Genya noticed Alina's infatuation in the Darkling and says it's pretty okay, but he wasn't been seen interested in all of this. Just don't get your heart involved.

Then looking at the blooming Alina in black, Genya says again that the Darkling is quite distant, and at the same time clearly worried that Alina has clearly become prettier — Alina very easily turns the topic to the king.

So here we have a) Genya warn Alina from letting her heart involved in the lust for the Darkling; b) Alina being maybe too pretty in the presence of the rapist-leech.

AND Genya hints at the impending coup, also clearly appreciating contribution of the Darkling.

I bit my lip, hesitating, and then decided to take what might be my only chance. “Genya, if I could get word to the King. I’m sure he doesn’t know what the Darkling is planning. He—” “Alina,” Genya interrupted, “the King has taken ill. The Apparat is ruling in his stead.” My heart sank. I remembered what the Darkling had said the day that I’d met the Apparat: He has his uses. And yet, the priest hadn’t just spoken of toppling Kings, but Darklings as well. Had he been trying to warn me? If only I’d been less fearful. If only I’d been more willing to listen. More regrets to add to my long list. I didn’t know if the Apparat was truly loyal to the Darkling or if he might be playing a deeper game. And now there was no way to find out. The hope that the King might have the desire or will to oppose the Darkling had been a slim one, but it had given me something to hold on to over the last few days. Now that hope was undone, too. “What about the Queen?” I asked with faint optimism. A fierce little smile passed over Genya’s lips. “The Queen is confined to her quarters. For her own safety, of course. Contagion, you know.” That was when I realized what Genya was wearing. I’d been so surprised to see her, so caught up in my own thoughts, that I hadn’t really taken it in. Genya was wearing red. Corporalki red. Her cuffs were embroidered with blue, a combination I had never seen before. A chill slid up my spine. What role had Genya played in the King’s sudden illness? What had she traded to wear full Grisha colors? “I see,” I said quietly. “I did try to warn you,” she said with some sadness.

Shadow and Bone, Chapter 20

Genya's talking about the WARNING ALINA ABOUT THE COUP!

Now the way the show-writers did it:

Do you see my fucking problem with THIS SHIT?

[taragreenfield]

The Darkling is a cautionary tale meant to teach young naive girls not to trust powerful men!

This is why the heroine's struggle against that powerful man relies entirely on the funds and strategy provided by Nikolai, a literal prince, the endorsement and authority of the literal King and the religious following gathered for her by the Apparat, a literal head of the church.

Don't trust a powerful man! Spite him by trusting all other powerful men!