POV you're Nikaro

I made Yumi in a kind of anime style (hope it looks like 😅) and experiment with certain scene on the book and the world palette color .

What do you think about?

I think it’s funny when people roll their eyes about all the time Sanderson spends on clothes and fashion, as if it’s not an integral part of the world building and character development. I did my undergrad thesis on fashion semiotics in Mistborn (primarily using Roland Barthes) and there’s a direct correlation between how Vin is dressing and where she’s at on the hero’s journey, but in a way that doesn’t feel obvious at first. So it’s interesting to read Yumi and see how Sanderson is utilizing the language of fashion to explore these worlds and characters. The changing room scene with Akane is more than just a cute romcom scene, it’s about the process of discovery. Which is obvious but I can’t help harkening back to Barthes, who co-opts De Saussure’s thoughts on language for the use of fashion.

De Saussure identifies two aspects of language and communication: langue and parole. Langue is the rules of a particular language (subject verb order, for example) and parole is how an individual uses those rules to express themselves. Barthes applies this idea to fashion. We’re given these arbitrary rules of fashion (even as simple as “one must be dressed in public”) and from there we learn to work within the parameters of those rules to outwardly express ourselves. There’s a difference between your favorite pair of jeans and the pair of slacks you wear to work; there’s a difference between the dress you wear to a job interview and the dress you wear on a date where you’re trying to fuck.

The changing room scene is Yumi shotgunning the concepts of langue and parole all at once. She is learning new rules (you can have your shoulders bare) while learning how to express herself within the parameters of those rules (you can wear a dress with bare shoulders and still cover your shoulders with another garment). It’s cute and sweet but also important. She’s learning not just how to express herself but also that she’s allowed to. There’s nothing frivolous about how Sanderson uses and describes fashion. It’s a direct outgrowth of the journeys he sends his characters on.

Hoid's Apprentices:

On the run from a Necromancer Star Fleet

Dragon exiled and trapped in her human form.

My man, you're 2 for 2 on apprentices who are all fucking boned situationally. What's wrong with your third and final apprentice?

New cosmeme format dropped

There’s always another secret

I feel like Brandon's been actively working on his female character count in the secret project books. I can't decide if there were actually more female named characters than male named characters in The Sunlit Man or if I'm just falling victim to bias and it's actually even. I'd have to count to know for sure

So I was reading Yumi and the Nightmare Painter, and came across this line (minor spoilers I guess???):

“Leaves and florets-similar to the white sprigs that dandelions release on Scadrial”

And I’m floored I didn’t know there were Dandelions on Scadrial. When did that happen????

Do I need to re-read Mistborn??? They for sure weren’t in the original trilogy to my knowledge. No way for them to survive in the ash. But like when???? Did Harmony create them???? I’m just reeling over that fact. What else did I miss???

BrandoSando, you can’t drop a line like that and move past it

Am I just dense and didn’t notice???

“and had a jaw so straight it made other men question if they were.”

Mister Sanderson. What. Obviously I love it, but I was not expecting that in one of your books

I won't lie, when Yumi and Painter first touched each other and got the strange sensation my initial thought was: "is this part of the weird magic shenanigans or are these kids just really touch-starved?"

Nothing will ever beat this absolute banger of a line.

New secret project new secret project NEW SECRET PROJECT!!!!

2 and a bit chapters into Secret Project 4 and so far we have

. Planet with weird weather cycle

. Mysterious magic system that needs to be solved over the course of the novel

. Sad protagonist living in the shadow of their former self

. Magic that lends itself to cool action scenes but depletes and runs out ready for dramatic moments

Yep, this is a Sanderson book

What everyone cannot stop thinking about: Zellion

What I cannot stop thinking about:

Khriss

Khriss

Had to get this out of my system so it's nothing super fancy but I LOVE HIM.

won't put a name in here for spoiler reasons :>

If you take submissions:

Riina: "So, you've finally arrived- what the hell are you wearing?"

Hoid, in an orange shirt with Marewill flowers on it, red short shorts, and flip-flops and socks: "It's my ass kicking outfit, bitch!"

Original source: "picking RPG clothes based on maxing stats instead of whether they match or not" by ProZD.

(i do take them)

Me reading The Sunlit Man:

As an engineer, this one had quite a bit for me.

I, for one, am very excited for the future of the cosmere. I think it's going to be a fun, and very interesting, time.

You can probably guess which name related moment made me laugh out loud. Brandon, you absolute troll. Never change.