thinking about a post I saw a while back about what types of stories get Fandomized, and this sweet spot of being fun to watch and leaving plenty of gaps for a potential fandom to fill in

Anyways I just watched Encanto last night and I think it's one of the most Fandomizable movies I've ever seen. It introduced so many intriguing ideas and didn't fully explore them. I can't stop thinking about it like I'm obsessed

All the books I read in 2019, reviewed in 2 sentences or less.

The annual tradition returns! These are all the books I read in the last year, and how I felt about them in two sentences or less.

Blue Mars - Kim Stanley Robinson: This was the final book of the science fiction trilogy that exploded my brain at the end of 2018, and the after-shocks lasted well into 2019. These books capture something essential about the relationship between place and politics that you can only do with science fiction.

Bark - Lorrie Moore: A thoroughly uneven book of short stories - when they were good, they were great, when they were bad, they were bumbling takes on the domestic side of the war on terror.

Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemingway: Maybe it's just my mood in the forsaken year of 2019, but I just have no tolerance any more for works of art that aestheticize the degradation of the human spirit. This book made me feel near constant disgust.

Mrs. Dalloway - Virginia Woolf: In contrast, I think you can create works of art that dignify people even in their darkest moments, and offer a bridge into the experience of others that can be a passage into becoming a better person. It's always nice to read a book for a second time and realize you can keep reading it again for years to come.

The Asshole Survival Guide - Robert I. Sutton: We all have assholes that we have to work with, and sometimes it's necessary to have some external validation that it's not all your fault, and that establishing distance between yourself and said assholes is a good idea.

My Invented Country - Isabelle Allende: It took me until the very end of this book to realize there was a different memoir by Allende that I meant to read instead. This one was not so great.

Catch-22 - Joseph Heller: Gonzo literary comfort food.

The Golem and the Jinni - Helene Wecker: I found this book charming enough, but it never totally wowed me at any particular point. I think it showed that the concept of two magical creatures from different cultural contexts meeting in turn of the century New York is an interesting thought experiment, but a struggle to land as a full narrative.

Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami: Prior to this, the only Murakami I had read was What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, and it's safe to say that did not properly prepare me for the surreal darkness of Kafka on the Shore, which seems to never stop going deeper into the abyss.

God Save Texas - Lawrence Wright: There are very few books about modern Texas that don't try to valorize it, or douse it with excessive nostalgia, and this is one of them. A politically-astute, funny meander through the state as it is, not as it might have once been, or never was.

M Train - Patti Smith: Patti Smith is obviously a genius, but this one didn't leave a great mark on me. Worth revisiting some other time, I think, since it's my girlfriend's favorite book.

Working - Robert Caro: I am shamefully still putting off my years-old plan to read Robert Caro's LBJ series, and finish his book on Robert Moses. In the meantime, this is a thoughtful reflection on how and why to tell stories about power.

Feel Free - Zadie Smith: I love Zadie Smith, and if you haven't read her non-fiction essays, you are missing out on some of her most exciting and moving writing. This is her second collection of essays, and you can tell how much the decade since the first has taken its toll - so many more of the pieces are about fear and frustrations, and the language is much wearier, even while it is still penetrating and beautiful.

The Telling - Ursula K. Le Guin: A slim, late novel from one of the best to ever do it, this book projects the sense of engrossing calm that reminds me most of all of listening to a story well-told - not incidentally, an experience that is a key theme of the plot itself.

Stories of Your Life and Others - Ted Chiang: On the other hand, the short stories in this book all came off as one note thought experiments that failed to build compelling worlds.

The Overstory - Richard Powers: Not just my favorite book of the year, but also one of my favorite ever, The Overstory is the book I talked the most about, and told the most people to read in 2019. The best way to explain it ('it's a book about people who become obsessed with trees') really undersells things, because it's also about forest ecology, generations of trauma, the terror and clarity of radical thought, and a soul-splitting vision of hope. It receives the coveted 3rd sentence in the review, because I just need to emphasize again that you should read this book.

The Flamethrowers - Rachel Kushner: Maybe it was the fate of any book that I read after The Overstory, but The Flamethrowers left me feeling cold. It wandered off into too many fanciful-seeming plot arcs that didn't develop all the characters to the depth they needed.

What is Populism? - Jan-Werner Müller: I re-read this book because I wanted to revisit his ideas about the strengths and weaknesses of populists ahead of the next election, and whether there is ever a version of populism suitable for the left agenda. I finished worried, and skeptical, respectively, on those two points.

The Great Derangement - Amitav Ghosh: I don't read many books about climate change - I find there are very few things that I really feel like need saying in the face of the obvious and overwhelming - but I'm glad I made time for this one, which focuses on both the global north-south dynamics of the issue, and the inability of storytelling to capture the problem in full. It's profoundly difficult to sum up in two sentences, but it's worth a full read.

There, There - Tommy Orange: I think this novel asks too much of characters that are too thin to hold what they are made to bear. Too busy at the same time as it's too ordered to be fully credible.

The Slynx - Tatyana Tolstaya: I somehow convinced myself that I had read this surreal post-apocalyptic novel set in Russia 100 years after nuclear winter, but not only had I not read it, I haven't read anything like it before. A wide-ranging nightmare about authority, literacy, and the power of fear, set in its own vernacular and kaleidoscopic distortions of our authoritarian world today.

The Iliad - Homer: I wanted to re-read The Iliad because I find the idea of a hero felled by a single, discrete flaw to be a fascinating allegory, not realizing that Achilles' fatal flaw is not his heel but his anger.

Ecology of a Cracker Childhood - Janisse Ray: There isn't much widely-read nature writing about the US South, and I think Janisse Ray's book dignifies and mourns the overlooked parts of the country that may not be wilderness but still contain bits of natural grace.

Sundiver and Startide Rising - David Brin: These two novels follow the same premise of humanity entering a universe of intelligent life as the only species to reach consciousness without patronage of, and servitude to, an elder species, and the power struggle that ensues. Sadly, the premise writes a check the execution can't cash, and while the first book, leaner and more focused, is solid, the second is over-long and distracted from what made the first fascinating.

Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry: It took a lifetime of seeing this book (a signed first edition, from an Austin bookstore that has left no digital trace) on my parents' shelf to finally read Lonesome Dove, and it was a fitting welcome back to Texas. McMurtry's characters are fully-grown from the beginning, made of both broad archetypes and fine detail, and the narrative gives them the journey they deserve.

The Goldfinch - Donna Tartt: There are very few novels that convey big ideas in balance with pot-boiler plotting, but this is one of them and my only regret is not reading it sooner. How dare anyone blight this novel with a terrible movie.

The Left Hand of Darkness - Ursula K. Le Guin: What makes this book special is not that it's speculative fiction about a world with unique gender arrangements; that's been done before by many other authors. What makes it special is that it investigates that world with tenderness towards its inhabitants, and an understanding of how gender weaves its way into institutions besides the family or the bedroom

Gun Island - Amitav Ghosh: I had high hopes for Gun Island, but felt it never quite rose above being a thought experiment carrying out his ideas from The Great Derangement.

The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P - Adelle Waldman: Your opinion of this book will probably hinge on how important you think it is to read books about writers in Brooklyn hanging out with other writers in Brooklyn. If you think that's still a useful world to explore, you will like that this book is merciless towards its characters, and startlingly accurate - but if you don't think that's important, you will be frustrated for the same reasons.

How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia - Mohsin Hamid: A gloriously rich experimentation in genre and contemporary global politics - playful, infuriating, and heartwarming, really everything you could hope for from a short novel. This is the second book by Hamid that I've read, and I'm going to set out to read all of them as soon as I can.

alright here is a very long and unorganized pnat rant about ch 5 specifically (no art rants because that would be too long to write up since i’ll have to pull image comparisions), but please bear in mind i am open to other opinions too if anyone else wants to read this. with that said, i’m not going to ride or die for these opinions, so i’m hoping that anyone coming out of this will give me their input, thanks

alright so i did a reread of pnat and I’ll just say that the pacing from chapter 4-5 is not as bad when you read it archivally, but things really do take a slow turn when chapter 5 hits. My main criticism is that hitball took way too long, and was even more painful when I was reading it as a serial reader. But there were some funny and interesting moments to be had, and things move a lot better when you read it all in one go. “Planball” aside, the exit from the gym is still a really good scene and gives us a lot of insight on the supporting characters. After this though, I think zack transitions scenes too much. When I want to find out what Ed is doing, the scene transitions to max, which transitions to isaac, then 2 seconds later, to isabel. I personally wouldn’t have a problem if the scenes were longer in between transitions, but one scene that I thought took a little bit to long when reading serially was Day and Zarei’s date. However, after reading it archivally, it was actually better paced than most of the previous and next scenes in the chapter. Also this scene really highlighted both Day and Zarei’s characters really well, especially Day I think. Towards the end of the train arc in chapter 4, I could already tell she was going to be an interesting character, and this date with Zarei delivers what I was hoping she’d turn out to be, smart, cunning, and a bit mysterious to keep the readers still interested. Zarei was also one of my favorite characters introduced in chapter 4, but I think Zack shows her awkwardness a bit too much, if that makes sense. I think having her be this cold kind of “ice queen” when she’s in a business setting is really cool, honestly makes me love this character even more than most “ice queen” type of characters i’ve seen in the past, but like many that fit the archetype they tend to have softer sides to them. Zarei being awkward to her parents makes sense and reveals another side to her, but I think some of the stuff she says on her date with Day makes her too wooby and lame. I don’t think someone like her would drop her act so easily, but the parts where she was seriously talking to Day about consortium business is the best shit. Anyway, after this scene passes we go back to switching around the kids until we get to max again, where he meets alex, the background character character. Even though the chapter was already getting kind of bloated, I think this character’s introduction is one of the better ones in chapter 5. Dunno if it’s just me, but mystery really gets me excited in a story. So even if she doesn’t know about the real reason behind the activity club, I think zack put enough information there to let the readers know she might be doing something important later down the line and plus it was nice to see max interact with some plain jane in a town full of hams. After this we cut back to ed, who i forgot to mention has the best spirit. Literally, muse is a godsends and everything he says is pure gold. Anyway, this scene is still ongoing, and if any of you have been reading my liveblogging, you know that I wasn’t really all too happy with RJ’s “reveal” if that’s how we’re framing it. Back when zack first made the change to the cast page, he revealed that RJ goes by they/them, indisputably a non-binary character. I thought this was really cool of him to do, and it makes total sense given the nature of johnny’s gang and their rebelliousness towards authority figures. I do however, think that the newest page is a bit too on the nose though, since to me it comes off as a PSA from the 90s. Rereading the chapter makes this page sit a little better with me since the whole chapter is full of plot-stoppers for some reason, so it really isn’t all to different from what i’m already used to reading. Although i do think it kind of ruins the really awesome representation we got with RJ since they are the only nb character i’ve seen in media that doesn’t feel forced or badly represented. I mean, I used to recommend parantural to people for it’s great story, design, plot, and humor, but i’ve always had to keep in mind that not everyone i talk to is open minded about minorities. I think parnatural is a really great introduction though since most webcomics nowadays tend to drive people away for being too “preachy,” for lack of better words, about these issues. Pnat really does it all though; great characters like Isabel (awesome, awesome main cast char), zarei, and day actually feel like characters instead of tokens. RJ and Zarei kind of lose the subtlety in this chapter, which i’m afraid will drive people away, but I hope that zack really isn’t too in-your-face about it in the future since I do want to share this comic with more people in the future. Even then, the representation so far is still eons better than the things i’ve seen in the past ie. author has done poor research, fetishy, hamfisted for brownie points, or not at all. On that note, I had to unfollow zack on twitter for his hamfisted comments too, like how he said cody was gay through word of god, which isn’t even a bad thing in nature, but it was just worded like he suddenly came up with the idea to make him gay because someone asked, and also that one comment about “background gays.” That kind of left a bad taste in my mouth since this kind of felt like tokenism here. But other than those small issues, I hope that this clears both my and whoever’s is reading this’s minds. (sidenote, i could talk about the art too, but i feel like i’ve already beaten a dead horse here, so i guess i’ll save the rest of that rant for later)

I value your opinion; spill the salt!

thank you

If anyone doesn’t want to read my complaining about Isaac, Hijack andwriting for Isabel’s arc we got so far, don’t click the read more. Seriously,just spare yourself a headache, I’m just throwing some frustrations away so Ican, you know, feel better.

Ok so, let’s start with Isaac.First things first – I don’t hate Isaac as a character. I think he’s wellwritten with a good balance of flaws and virtues, he’s important to the storyand relatable (mostly in his flaws, to me at least).My problem with Isaac is that he’s a fan favorite and his fans tend to absolvehim of all guilt when he does something wrong and pin his bad behavior as othercharacters’ fault. Or, what is lately my biggest pet peeve, fans demandingconsolation from every other character whenever he’s feeling intense emotionseven though others are suffering as well.And I guess it was enough to make Hijack’s thumbs up and him saying that Isaachas suffered enough rub me in a wrongway. Now there is so much salt in my body I’m basically a walking picklebarrel.Because Isaac’s not even allowed to think he played a part in someone’sdestruction for more than a couple of seconds, while Isabel believed she letMax straight up die right after letting her good friend sacrifice herself soshe could save him. For a good couple ofminutes. And all that while fighting for her life with manifestations ofher phobia. With a serious injury. And Hijack. Oh Hijack. Seriously, his redemption arc was already good! Himregretting his choices, Max making him think about his reasoning, admitting hedid bad (though I still feel like it’s all just because he broke the wrong kid’sarm) and the whole scene with Isabel. I really hated the theory that Hijack’sin Spender but in retrospect it makes sense and is for the better. Only onSpender’s side, though, because he didn’t miraculously get a change of heartwhich really bothered me for a while, too.So, honestly we didn’t need more reason to believe Hijack’s not evil. Honestly,I liked the progression of his character. How we were shown his worst sidefirst and eased into his better aspects, starting with him feeling bad abouthurting Max, then taking it all in with rereading the chapter after the revealthat he’s been in Spender this whole time. And then showing that he’s truly achild during his talk with Lucifer. Masterpiece. But then the comic overdid itwith him making sure Isaac knows Spender’s ok. It’s so much “look how goodHijack is!” it gave me this sinking feeling in the guts. And reminded me how hewas ready to hurt Isabel just because she was in his way. Not because she was abully he wanted to teach a lesson. Because she was an interference.Oh, hey, there I am mentioning Isabel again! I think you’re starting to seewhat I’m getting at.Isabel’s getting kicked down by the plot again and again.It sets herup as this overconfident kid that relies on the powers she was given and couldeasily be taken away. Grandpa is upset when she misses the target’s center by asmidge, but then expects her to humbly take her defeat with an older and more experiencedfoe? What are you playing at, gramps?Taking away her paper powers seems to have so much meaning behind it but inreality it’s just… pointless. It would’ve been fine, if the story’s pressurewas just on Isabel losing a friend she took for granted due to her learneddiscrimination against spirits (which is a really good and interesting thingthat I can’t wait to be explored more). And honestly, as I’m writing this Istart to think that was exactly what Zack tried to do. They wrote all the linesto show Isabel’s and her grandfather’s view on tools – as just tools. Just apower attached to them, just something to use directly or as a target for practice. Something less than people.But unless you really read into it like ten times and when you already knowwhat happens later, it sounds like Isabel’s being chastised for using a toolmore than she uses her spectral energy and needs to learn a lesson that it’sjust as important. But the problem is… She already knows that. Besides one throw-away line about how she could just make use paper instead ofspectral energy doesn’t really sell her as arrogant enough. Seriously, thefirst fight we see her in she uses both her paper powers and her spectralenergy to beat the bat spirit. She even does a double spec-shot. We’re already introduced to her being good atdual wielding her own and Eightfold’s abilities. So the whole “stop relying somuch on borrowed power” just doesn’t hold water and it had a lot of pressureput on it through dialog in ch4. Also when she fights off the pixel dogs shesays “all I need to beat you is me” which is… bad. Because it relates to herrelaying too much on her tool powers. Which she doesn’t. And that she needed aconfidence boost to believe in her spectral energy manipulation skills. Whichshe didn’t. Also it’s in bad taste to yell how much you don’t need a power that’sbeen lend to you by a friend who just sacrificed herself. Just saying.“But Fly! Hijack said Isabel’s a good kid and he talks to her about Eightfold!He validated her feelings just as much as Isaac’s!” I hear the voice of self-doubtin my head. Oh yeah. And when it was revealed that it was Hijack and she made a face of utter horror.That sure is going to make her learn that opening up to people she’s close withis a good idea and is not going to stab her in the back later. Especially sinceit happened a few times before.She asks Spender for help just to be quickly dismissed.Gleefully accepts Ed’s hand and support as soon as he offers it just to bebetrayed seconds later.And let’s not pretend that the whole scene was as much for her growth as it wasfor Hijack’s redemption arc. Her growth backpedalled into blind rage, there’sno progress there and I hope that Zack knows and doesn’t chalk it up as Isabelmoving on from her grief with Eghtfold.Also, she’s the one to start reaching out and call Isaac a friend after theirfight and forgives Ed instantly after a goofy moment because the plot needs tomove forward. I don’t know I just. I feel like Isabel’s not allowed to be angry? Like she’snot allowed to feel hurt for too long? But at the same time throwing crap ather to make her like this? And she doesn’t really have much agency over her ownchoices?I truly believe that Zack is an excellent writer and they want to give the bestcontent they can just some things fall flat. And a lot of those things arerelated to Isabel’s arc. The plot kicks her down, while not exploring theeffects long enough to be character development. Giving her terrible thingsthat happen to react to but no meaningful choices to make. I don’t know how to end this. I’ve been on this for a couple of hours.