leigh bardugo has massively edited and rewritten the six of crows books and no one has noticed
or has for some reason decided not to mention it at all or let anyone else know.
I just found out something insane today. in the new dregs editions that came out for the 10th anniversary, leigh bardugo has removed any and all mention of the crows being teenagers, cut out whole sentences and completely changed quotes that are classic and very well known by fans of the six of crows duology. sheâs replaced any mention of words like âchildrenâ âboyâ âgirlâ and âkidsâ with âmanâ âwomanâ âgrownâ etc
this is concerning, bewildering and just feels wrong for so many reasons. but besides the obvious âwhich is that the six protagonists of the duology being young is essential to many aspects of the plot, seeing as their world weariness and competence is a result of their experiences as children and survivors who are victims of their environmentâbesides even that, editing a piece of literature thatâs been published and on shelves for 10 years is objectively not a good idea at all, and doesnât at all take into account the new contexts and connotations the new wording brings.
above is an example of the original scene we know verses the new version. lots of it has changed, namely their ages, but the sentence at the end in matthas' pov doesn't even sound like him at all. her writing quality has declined noticeably and she sounds like she wrote that sentence in a rush. it makes no sense, and it's not something matthias, who knows practically nothing about the barrel, would be thinking.
and not to mention the famous line 'brekker's eyes were ancient, but he couldn't be any older then matthias' â cut out of the book completely. I do wonder what impact, effect and influence these changes will have on new readers.
this is another example. such a classic line and they cut it completely.
the entire books are like this. inej saying kaz looking seventeen is changed to kaz looking like someone's apprentice. the boy of the barrel changed to man. criminal prodigy changed to just mastermind. inej described as a woman in place of a sixteen year old girl. wylan changed from boy to young man. full scenes cut. 'jesper is zemeni but don't hold it against him' changed to âdonât let him wax sentimental about itâ which sounds way worse then the original.
and I don't actually own the new copies of these books, my best friend was looking at them in a bookstore and that's when we first noticed all of the changes. so I truly have no idea what else could possibly be changed besides the things I noticed as I cannot look at them for reference - the crow's physical appearance, more of the plot, other famous scenes just being cut completely, etc. if nothing else has changed, then itâs still way too much and massively changes core aspects of the books. but I do wonder.
if you own the dregs special editions, I suggest looking for similar differences. I might have to write examples to express how messed up the new connotations are.
leigh now implies that jesper, an adult black man, made the right choice by handing over his share from his job to his white father to keep for you, as he cannot control himself and isn't ready to receive his own funds, as he is a mindless gambler. this is extremely different to a reckless irresponsible teenager grieving his mother and making stupid mistakes, and then deciding to make better decisions in the future with help from his parent. I'm sure you can see without me spelling it out how awful, racist and problematic the new context of jesper being a grown man makes this situation sound.
another example is matthias' childhood centrally seeing him be groomed, manipulated and indoctrinated by a nazi coded witch hunting organisation that targets grisha, an oppressed community, with the intention of torturing, burning, hanging, raping and eradicating them from the world
matthias is just turning 18 when he meets nina. he has not yet done any of these terrible things himself. he is fresh out of training and still basically a child. his views are first challenged, and he eventually breaks out of the brainwashing and mental manipulation that has been taught and instilled in him with repetition. it's not an excuse, but it's more understandable. matthias, now a grown man apparently way older then 18, has no excuse for these bigoted views as he is way more mature, has way more experience, and would have had to have done these horrific things to grisha at some point.
it feels like some sort of fever dream that six of crows was edited and re published so that these famous teenage characters (who were first written so obviouslyâ in dialogue, actions, pov, - as teenagers) and their criminal prodigy leader were made into poorly written adults. I can put into words how much this has deeply bothered and distressed me and many other readers I've spoken to.
it's such an odd choice and makes me think it was done to soften the backlash the shadow and bone adaption received from some fans for aging up the characters in the first place.
I cannot stress this enough- leigh bardugo would edit iconic lines and change core aspects of her characters that have been around for 10 years to justify a cancelled netflix adaption of these incredibly popular and well loved books. it's odd and uncomfortable.
now, these books mean the world to me, they have quite literally got me through physical, mental and emotional childhood abuse, suicide ideation and self harm, the everyday ableism and oppression, chronic pain and disability experience, severe depression and anxiety, absolute hopelessness, work and life, etc) but the sheer absurdity of this all just outmatches my distress that it happened. it feels like some sort of hallucination becasue it's lowkey just insane. she never even mentioned she was going to do something like this?
there is just no conceivable reason for leigh bardugo to have done this secretly and quietly other then to have stopped people negatively critiquing the show or some other deeply odd notion. and with all of these changes, the new books absolutely are not the 'dregs' editionsâ the heart of the dregs is the young blood, 'the kids like kaz who he had brought in a organised, who worked the hardest and took the worst jobs'
they are the bad netflix adaption editions. the sympathy for terrible adult cast editions. it's troubling, clearly not a well thought out decision, and deeply bizarre. tell me others agree.
I am Shaima from Gaza, 32 years old, a mother of four children who have suffered from fear, displacement, and homelessness. Can you imagine? They are living through a horrific war for which they have no fault. Yet the war in Gaza has stolen their beauty and childhood, and burdened them with worries far beyond their years. They even search for water as if they have aged decades.
I am now the sole breadwinner for the family because my husband, Ibrahim, who has always been determined to succeed and who has been my primary source of inspiration and strength, was severely injured in the foot during the war and has lost his passion for everything, even his own medical care. He needs special treatment for his foot, and without it, he suffers from severe pain, fatigue, and exhaustion. What did he do to deserve this?
We lived in peace despite all the hardships, but in moments, we lost a great effort. We struggled and rebuilt ourselves from nothing, until God provided for us, but I never imagined that our struggle and effort would fade and never return. Our home, with all its beauty and warm memories, is buried under the rubble. I only grieve for the memories.
As for me, I won't talk about myself because everything that happened saddens and pains me. But to you, people of mercy, I place my hopes in you to save my family. My family and I are not safe from this war. I pray to God to help us survive this death, so that we can survive what remains of us. Please help us buy the basic necessities and leave Gaza so we can treat my husband's foot - the cost of leaving is $5,000 per person. Help us live a dignified life. My family is the most precious thing in my life, and I thank every donor for their humanity. đčđ”đž
I am Shaima from Gaza, 32 years old, a mother of four children who have suffered from fear, displacement, and homelessness. Can you imagine?
What I think Viktorâs speech in S2 EP6 (ACT2) meant.
edit: rewritten to be shorter
âI understand now. The message hidden within the pattern. The reason for our failures in the commune. The doctor was right, itâs inescapableâhumanity, our very essence. Our emotions⊠rage, compassion, hate. Two sides of the same coin, inextricably bound. That which inspires us to do our greatest good⊠is also the cause of our greatest evil.â
Viktorâs goodbye speech in S2 EP6 tells us a lot. We learn about the âwhyâ of his actions and our own reality, and thatâs why itâs worth understanding to a higher standard. His words show how humanity interferes with his pursuit of goodness.
Firsthandedly, Viktorâs speech teaches us about the emotionality of humanity. All humans do is feelâthis leads to thinking, acting, and as a human, this process is inescapable. Emotions are why we do what we do. Ambessa started a war against Piltover because she hated the Black Rose and wanted revenge (by using hextech as weaponry). Viktor connected people to the hexcore because empathy, influenced by the hexcore, clouded his thoughts. He believed it was saving them. âThe doctor was right, itâs inescapableâhumanity, our very essence.â We do bad when we feel low, we do good when we feel uplifted. But how do we even know whatâs good or bad? Itâs because we know the other. âOur emotions⊠rage, compassion, hate. Two sides of the same coin, inextricably bound.â Emotions like hate/love, compassion/ignorance⊠They canât exist without itâs other side. Thatâs why humanity canât be perfectly good or perfectly bad, each side proves the other, itâs neutral in the end.
Next, Viktorâs speech shows how humanity contradicts his vision of hextech. If humans arenât perfectly good or perfectly bad, then a purely good technology (used by people) is deemed impossible. Viktor and Jayce created hextech to end suffering, but in human hands, the tech then reflected both good and bad. Ambessa saw it as a pinnacle of power in war, while Viktor and Jayce saw it as a tool to aid the lower classes. This contrast already breaks Viktorâs idealistic viewpoint. âThe message hidden within the pattern⊠the reason for our failuresâŠâ His dream of pure goodness in hextech failed because the nature of humanity is inescapable.
In S2 EP9, Viktor says, âChoice is false. It is how we clothe and forgive the baser instincts that spur us to division. Death, war, prejudice. Energy spent only to consume itself.â Yet, benefit requires free will. Near the end of Act 2, Viktorâs plan for the hexcore was already flawed. His dream of perfect good was a paradox⊠Because to achieve it, evil, the very thing that defines it, would have to be gone. He used the hexcore to âhelpâ humanity, but humanity and its flaws already makes it destructive. For the hexcore to be purely good, feelings, conscience, pain, all of humanity would need to be erased. But then again, without humanity, the hexcore deems no purpose. There would be nothing left to prove its goodness. Viktorâs plan ended up destroying what he tried to save, humanity. His greatest good became his greatest evil. âThat which inspires us to do our greatest good⊠is also the cause of our greatest evil.â
The line âTwo sides of the same coin, inextricably boundâ sums this all up. Yin and yang, Jayce and Viktor, Piltover and Zaunâgood and evil, is what makes reality, reality. This applies to life too. Evil gives good its meaning. Appreciate hardship, it makes righteousness exist. Accept sadness, itâs what makes your happiness real. Joy and sorrow make an already full realityâhumanity. âPeople decide to choose their own fatesâ (S2 EP9, Jayce).
I am reaching out on behalf of my dear friend, Mohamad S., who is facing one of the most challenging times of his life. Mohamad is 37 years old and left his homeland in 2015 in search of a safer and better future. Heâs a kind, hardworking man, and his small family has always been his greatest priority.
Living abroad, Mohamad has recently endured unimaginable loss and financial strain. Amidst the ongoing conflict in his homeland, his mother passed away, leaving behind his sister and her five young childrenâthe last remaining members of his immediate family.
As the situation worsened, Mohamad managed to help his sister and her children escape to safety in Egypt, covering their immediate needs and securing a temporary refuge for them. Since then, he has been fully responsible for providing everything they need to survive during this transition.
In his efforts to support his family and cope with this devastating loss, Mohamad has found himself deeply in debt. To make matters even more difficult, he recently underwent knee surgery, which limits his ability to return to work for the foreseeable future. This has made it even harder for him to manage his financial responsibilities and the pressing need to provide his family with a stable future.
Mohamad is now working to bring his sister and her five children to join him in Belgium, where he hopes they can find stability and opportunity after all theyâve endured. This transition, however, requires significant resources that he is currently unable to meet alone.
For privacy reasons, we are not sharing Mohamadâs full name, as he has chosen to keep his identity discreet. While he initially refused the idea of asking for help, I couldnât stand by and watch him struggle alone. I insisted on doing this for him because he deserves a chance to overcome these challenges.
Your contribution will help Mohamad repay the debt incurred during this difficult time, cover ongoing living expenses for his family, and assist with the costs involved in bringing them safely to Belgium.
Mohamad has been a good friend of mine for years, and Iâve always admired his resilience and generosity. Any support, no matter the size, will make an incredible difference in helping Mohamad and his family rebuild their lives after these painful experiences.
Thank you for reading his story and considering helping a man who has always done everything he can for his loved ones.
Adam
â Vetted by Association: @bilal-salah0
Donate & share: Donation Link
I am reaching out on behalf of my dear friend, Mohamad S., who is faci⊠Adam Bin Ali needs your support for Help Mohamad reunite his family
tags: ALTERNATE UNIVERSE, STORY REWRITE, angst, fluff, returning home, jayce just misses his partner, viktor does too, unhealthy obsession (with a goal/project), viktor gets flustered by jayceâs physical touch
summary: viktor disappears for months without contact, and suddenly comes back to jayce, who is seen working alone in their shared lab.
chapters: 1 / ?
a/n: DISCONTINUED
available in ao3 under my account monikatzu
Again, and again, for the past 11 months.
Viktor was absent.
Jayce didnât care enough to turn around and look at Viktor, whoâs crutch was clacking against the floor as he shamelessly walked into their shared lab, the lab Viktor hadnât set foot in in months. The door opening emitted a light from the hallway that lit up the dark room Jayce had obviously been sitting, and working in for what seemed to be hours. Jayce almost scowled, and he appeared to be tweaking a new Hextech device. It was flashing blue in-front of Jayce, a device Viktor hadnât seen yet, because he wasnât there to be working on it with him, together, as they shouldâve been for the majority of it.
Jayce could only think about Viktorâs recent, unusual behaviour as he resumed working. It was annoying, painful, even. It didnât make sense, especially for Jayce. Viktor wasnât there to see his speech on progress day. Viktor wasnât there with him to present their experiment to Heimerdinger, as partners. Viktor wasnât there when he discovered something new for Hextech, something beneficial. Viktor wasnât there, at all. Why?
As Viktor took another step into the lab, he did not close the door behind him, letting the light continue to leak into the lab. Viktor wanted to have a bright, clear view of his partnerâs face, for it was like he had been deprived of it. Viktor was steps away from Jayce, who was just sitting there at his desk, his posture like a shrimp, Viktor could only observe that he looked rugged, overworked.
âJayce,â Viktor called out softly. To Jayce, Viktorâs voice had almost become unfamiliar, his accent making his ears ring.
Jayce did not reply back. He spitefully continued to work on the glowing device set in front of him, ignoring his âpartnerâ who stood awkwardly behind him.
As Jayce then heard Viktor start to approach him, he did not feel any sense of relief that his partnerâwho decided to disappear for monthsâfinally made an appearance, he felt hatred. Jayce did not like working aloneânot ever seeing his partner, whoâs usually always with him, especially at a time where the both of them knew was important for their decade-long research they started together. Jayce had been working by himself on countless, dangerous projects assigned by Heimerdinger, that were meant to be worked on and shared by a pair of two. And even when Viktor was absent, heâs presented each one to the public, yet again by himself, his life partner not once by his side; Nowhere to be seen, even.
At first, when this âscientistâ began disappearing, Jayce was concerned about him, and his strange schedule of being absent, but in the end, Jayce was just frustrated. Jayce knew Viktor was sick, he always has been. He thought that was the underlying reason for him not attending work. But recently, heâs figured that Viktor was okay, better than ever, actually. So now it just seemed that he had been purposefully avoiding work, avoiding Jayce, altogether.
Viktor placed his hand on Jayceâs shoulder, and immediately he felt how stiff it was. Jayce wanted to shove his hand off, and push him away. But out of instinct, he remained still, letting Viktorâs hand just lay there. Jayceâs hands pulled away from the device in front of him, placing them limp on his lap. He didnât know how to react, how to feel at that moment.
Jayce had so many questions. Why did you leave? Did you know how hard it has been for me these past few months? Why did you leave me alone?
Why did you come back?
Tears had started to form in Jayceâs eyes, although he could feel Viktorâs gaze pierce through the back of his head, he still didnât dare to look back at him. Heâd been starting to forget what his partner looked like, he wasnât ready to see him after all these months. Jayce pouted as he sat still, Viktorâs hand was cold against his skin as he felt it through the fabric of his shirt. Cold, like metal, Jayce thought. And with a few more deep breaths, he snaked his own hand up to meet Viktorâs.
It felt soft, smooth, uncalloused. Jayce slowly caressed his hand, taking time to feel each of Viktorâs slim fingers, the bony structure. It was an odd gesture, but Viktor remained unbothered throughout.
âViktor,â Jayce breathed out, a tinge of longing in his tone, he blinked out a few tears from his eyes. Viktor stood still behind him, removing the hand from Jayceâs shoulder, Jayce sighed; Viktor did not reply back to him.
And with that, Jayce briefly shook his head, finally deciding to look up at his partner who stood behind him. Jayceâs heart was beating rapidly, eyes widening as he gulped, taking in Viktorâs face. Sharp, pale, two moles, and eyes that drooped. He observed every featureâand although he did not need toâhe just wanted to make sure it really was him.
Memories flooded Jayceâs already cluttered mind. He was looking at Viktor , who had basically saved him from ending his life years back. Viktor, who aided and believed in his research since day one. Viktor, who was his life partner. Viktor, who had always been there for him. Jayce did not feel hatred anymore, he finally felt relief . He thought he would never see Viktor again since the day he disappeared.
Viktorâs eyebrows furrowed, his eyes glassy. âIâm truly sorry, Jayce.â He said slowly, his accent now like a harmony to Jayceâs ears.
âIâve missed you,â Viktor tilted his head to the side, âIâm.. assuming you have a lot of questions.â Jayce scanned him, looking up and down his lean figure, Viktor was fiddling with the hem of his own vest.
Jayce sniffled, he was crying now. He turned his body around to face Viktor, still sitting as he leaned forward to hug him by the waist. Jayceâs arms wrapped neatly around Viktor, biceps flexing against the small of his back, the side of his face squished against Viktorâs abdomen, sighing. Viktor briefly stumbled back from the abruptness of Jayceâs embrace, the sound of his crutch echoing throughout the lab as it hit the floor. Jayce supported his body enough that he wouldnât need it at this moment, and so slowly but surely Viktor melted into the embrace just as much as his partner did. He gently ran his hands over Jayceâs back, attempting to comfort him, feeling how it moved as Jayce heaved.
âWhere have you been?ââ Jayce muttered, muffled by the fact his face was still pressed against Viktorâs stomach. Viktor did not convey what Jayce said, ââPardon?â he asked, and Jayce peered up to look at him, his eyes like a puppyâs.
Jayce audibly sighed, âWhere have you been?â He muttered once again, his tears wetting the fabric of Viktorâs vest.
He heard him clear this time. Viktor paused for a moment,
âIââ he hesitated, his mind buffering as Jayce unintentionally squeezed his waist.
Viktor cleared his throat, blush prominent on his cheeks and across his nose,
âI donât think it is best to talk⊠Here, right now.â His hands gripped around Jayceâs arms, âI know your work hours end in a bit,â Viktor slowly eased Jayce off of him, and he looked up at Viktor, confused.
âYou know where my room is, yes? We can.. properly, converse there after your work.â
Jayce ran a hand over his face, itâs like every part of him turned cold as he left his partnerâs embrace. Viktor was acting so⊠calm, throughout all of this, whilst Jayce was still pathetically trying to comprehend everything. He grunted as he got up from his seat, eyes red from how heâd cried as he met face-to-face with Viktor. He grasped Viktorâs forearms, holding himâ because he couldn't get enough of him âand, knowing his crutch was still lying on the floor beside them. Viktor looked into his partnerâs eyes, and immediately he knew how bad he had hurt him all through the past few months. Viktorâs gaze softened, and so did Jayceâs.
âNo,â Jayce muttered,
âI canâtââ he paused, reconsidering his words, âyou need to tell me. Now.â
Viktor hummed, breaking the eye contact between them. He did not think Jayce was currently in a well-enough state to talk about something so serious, âI donât think now is the right time.â Viktor simply put. Jayceâs eyes narrowed at him, pupils shrinking as Viktor studied him, and for a moment, he felt fear.
âViktor, please. â Jayce almost sobbed,
âI want toâI need to know everything. Please tell me, I donât want to wait any longer.â
Viktor could feel Jayceâs breath on his skin with every word that came out of his mouthâconsidering how close he was. He could practically feel his pain, as he guided him into one more empathetic embrace. Jayce held him tightly in response, not wanting to lose him again.
âIf you insist,â Viktor simply replied.
âButââ Viktor softly hissed, his bad leg finally starting to ache, âIâd prefer if we.. sat down.â
Jayce sniffled, wiping the brief snot from his nose.
âYeah, yeah, of course.â He pulled away from their hug to quickly search around the area around them, pulling out an extra stool from underneath his desk for Viktor to rest on.
Viktor eyed his crutch on the ground beside him as he sat down, letting out a little grunt as he did so, then focusing back on Jayce in front of him.
âErr,â Viktor did not know where to begin, his eyes now darting all over the place as his partner silently awaited for his question to be answered.
âWell, as you can see, I am a bitâ healthier ânow. Although my leg is still unstable.â He swallowed down the lump in his throat, why was he suddenly so nervous? He had been calm before, while watching Jayce sobbing through his thoughts, and words.
âThat is because ⊠Iâve found a cure , of sorts. I left because I had been busy working on it, things havenât been so .. easy, with handling it.â
Viktor's eyes immediately flashed back to this âcureâ he mentioned, he hadnât even named it yet. It was very distinctive, purple, bright ⊠enticing . Itâs like it lured Viktor in every time he encountered it, he was not sure why it did that, but it wasnât enough to be a bother.
Viktor watched as Jayceâs eyes widened, he was unsure how he would take the news he brung.
âI cut contact because I did not want to be bothered, this cure I've discovered ⊠I believe it is very important, Jayce. I couldnât waste a second on anything else.â
Jayceâs eyebrows furrowed, and Viktor feared he wouldnât understand. Viktor had been as overworked and overwhelmed as Jayce had been these past months, he was longing for his partner too. Suffering as much as he did.
Ohâhow painful it was for Viktor, working with something he didnât even fully understand yet. For every moment it operated on him, how it truly, gruesomely sucked the soul out of him every time, the blinding, purple light of it almost engraved in his mind. It was a horrid experience ⊠Every. Single. Time. But it worked, Viktor felt better after each time, and thatâs all that mattered.
Jayce could not know about this, how it functioned in-order to succeed in its purpose . He would tell Viktor to stop in response. And Viktor definitely did not want that. He discovered something revolutionary that would most indefinitely heal people all over Piltover and Zaun. It was great, beneficial, the research for such a thing couldn't be discontinued.
Viktor leaned towards Jayce in his seat, putting a hand over his, attempting to convey some affirmationâ empathy.
âI hope you can understand, Jayce. Things have been insufferable for me too.â Insufferable was an understatement, Viktor thought.
Jayce sighed, flipping his hand over so his palm would be against Viktorâs, he immediately melted into the touch.
âI understand,â He responded, solemnly. âA cure? Impressive. You do seem.. Better than before.â Jayce laughed, lightly.
Viktor was rather surprised Jayce took everything he had to say so lightheartedly. Maybe heâd always been like that, and that Viktor had probably forgotten, he hadnât seen him in so long, after all.
âMhm,â Viktor replied, looking up at Jayce. Both of their gazes upon each other could be described as soft, warm, sweet. Viktor wished things could always feel like that, as he held eye contact with Jayce.
Jayce smiled at him. âJust ⊠Please,â he then took Viktorâs hand into both of his, his thumbs caressing the flesh.
âDon't do this again.â He squeezed his hand.
Viktor chuckled softly, âI promiseâI'm sorry.â He smiled, and squeezed his hand back.
Although, Viktor really did need to get back to working on his personal project sooner or later. And Jayce could not get in the way.
discoholicmusic
germansingergirl
dededos
stormborns
romaincrisis
titsay
kaledo-art
pixelskylines
