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tailsformermaids · 9 months
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drew the pals from In Other Lands the only book ever
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tailsformermaids · 11 months
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So chatting again with @pap3r-cr0wn about the Border wall from In Other Lands by @sarahreesbrennan in the past in the times when the first humans migrated to the Borderlands and after it was probably easy to entice humans from the other side to join the Border camp.
But we see that by Elliots time, the idea of joining the Border camp has lost its appeal, it's pre industrial and violent and when it's compared to the human world which has moved far beyond the Otherlands in terms of tech and comfort, why would many humans choose to stay? And on top of that technology is only getting more advanced, soon there won't be any decent reason at all to stay.
What we will have is what Elliot is currently wary of, a growing population of humans who can see the border but live on the human side. Probably for the first time in a long time, likely the first time ever this might be the case where the majority chose to leave.
@pap3r-cr0wn mentioned that the culture of the humans in the Borderlands are not really suited to modern kids, and they have a suspicion towards people who come from the human world and strongly encourage them to assimilate to their ways. They encourage them to change their names and take on and be more borderland like. Elliot doesn't do that and there are examples like DeWitt (the human explorer who refused to change his last name and who gave a decent account of mermaids) who maintain some of their human world mentality but its clearly rare. Elliot stayed,not because he was necessarily suited to this place but because the human world was not a home to him.
As a result though it should come as no surprise that Elliot maintains his human world cultural artifacts and interests and why he understands the threat of a growing population of humans in the human world who know of and can see the Borderlands but have chosen not to stay and why peace is necessary to create a unified front should war come from the other side of the border.
Anyway just on my IOL brainrot thanks
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tailsformermaids · 11 months
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tailsformermaids · 11 months
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"“Rotten to have a birthday over the summer with no one around,” said Dale, waving the book vaguely over Elliot’s shoulder. “Fancy this as an early birthday present? Believe me, I don’t want it.” Elliot actually felt so confused he was almost disoriented. It was a confused gratitude, so he said the right stuff, but he almost stammered: “Y—yeah, thanks, Dale,” and he actually twisted around, put his arm around Dale’s neck and kissed him on the cheek. As if he were four years old, how embarrassing, but that was how he felt: reduced to being a kid, and with even less idea of how to behave than usual."
And
"Nobody had ever given him a birthday present before."
OK but this was already devastating to read since this happens right after Serene dumped Elliot and he's feeling so alone and unhappy. But the way the narrator read it in the audio book was DEVASTATING with a capital D cause he very correctly gave Elliot a cheeky, clipped voice throughout. But in this moment he makes Elliot sound so young and confused and touched. Like Dale kind of sucks but this moment was actually really nice, Elliot REALLY needed this bit of kindness and that it was his first ever birthday present is even more gutwrenching.
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tailsformermaids · 1 year
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tailsformermaids · 1 year
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In Other Lands Map
I recently did a reread of In Other Lands by @sarahreesbrennan and got really inspired so I decided to attempt to draw up a map based on the book! I tried to take as much as I could from the book and include it in the map, but it doesn’t clarify a lot about how things are located in relation to each other so I had to make up my own interpretation. With that said, this is how I envision The Border Land and The Other Land in the book and I’m pretty happy with how it came out!
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For a closer look at some places where events from the book happen, keep reading!
Keep reading
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tailsformermaids · 1 year
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Oldest Child has been telling me for months that I should read In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan, and I really wish I had taken their recommendation sooner because by page two I was already completely sold on Elliot. This kid is just So Extremely Thirteen and I love him.
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tailsformermaids · 1 year
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Cover redesign of In Other Lands by @sarahreesbrennan !
I am so excited that I got to work on this with @//dazzlingbookishshop on Insta!
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tailsformermaids · 1 year
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OH MY GOD I FINALLY READ TEARS WAITING TO BE DIAMONDS I AM IN SHAMBLES
in no particular order or explanation here are my favorite things
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going to go sob now
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tailsformermaids · 1 year
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Bonus:
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This gang of rebels has never followed a single rule in their entire lives. collectively they have 1 braincell and it belongs to Golden most of the time
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tailsformermaids · 1 year
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The way In Other Lands' profound commentary on human nature just casually unfolds amongst Elliot trying to seduce Harpies and Trolls,,,,,
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tailsformermaids · 1 year
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Sarah I can't emphasis how much I love In Other Lands. It's definitely been one of my biggest sources of comforts throughout the years, since I was still exploring my bisexuality when I first discovered Turn of the Story on your website, and even after, when I bought the book as a gift to myself for Christmas. It never fails to make me laugh and cry and then laugh again, but I must admit that I've been dying to know since the first read: who taught Luke Sunborn about computers and the Internet?
One Elliot Jerome Schafer taught Luke about computers and the internet, without knowing he was doing so. Elliot talks a lot about a lot of subjects. He also talks often to keep himself company, in the habit of unloved children, and without the expectation that other people are listening or that they care to understand. A crucial part of active love is paying attention, and Luke does pay attention, even when he thinks he should be dismissing what Elliot says. If you care about someone, you don't dismiss them, and he can't. Elliot doesn't even recall his own references to the internet, but Luke does.
There are other kids from the other side of the wall in the Borderlands, and Luke garnered some additional information re the wikipedia from them, but he honestly would not have listened to, or comprehended, what they were going on about without Elliot. Loving Elliot means he loves and understands the world better, and that imperfect love and imperfect understanding makes him better, too.
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tailsformermaids · 1 year
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one of the boringly human pair of boys, the obvious leader, was tall and broad-shouldered, with golden hair, as if nature has said, ‘no worries, buddy, i gotcha, no nasty tiring thinking will ever be necessary, also have a crown.’
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tailsformermaids · 1 year
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“I am trying my best,” said Elliot, making sure to project an air of noble suffering. “But I am not a sporty type.” Commander Woodsinger gave him a wry look. “You’re doing fine. And you can run a four-minute mile.” “So what?” said Elliot. “Wait, is that good?” Serene and Luke both looked unimpressed, but he became aware that Dale and several other people were nodding with some conviction. “Wait, have I been tricked into being athletic?” Elliot demanded. “Have I been bamboozled by people who turned out to both be inhumanly sporty?”
In Other Lands, Sarah Rees Brennan
I laughed a lot while reading this book. Like a lot. There was the unicorn scene, Luke explaining computers, Elliot stabbing himself with a fork (it makes sense in context. sort of) - the whole book is pretty hilarious really, when it’s not ripping out your heart.
However Elliot discovering he’d been tricked into becoming a sekrit athlete made me actually cackle.
(via fadingintotheforeground)
Serene and Luke: still don’t think it’s good.
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tailsformermaids · 1 year
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Elliot: You have an objection to Luke? What possible objection could there be to Luke? He’s smart-and he’s champion-and he’s radiantly good-looking-
Dale: He’s great.
Elliot: Well, I don’t know if I’d go that far.
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tailsformermaids · 1 year
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The weirdo table from In Other Lands.
Elliot started off so small, now he’s super tall. 💜
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tailsformermaids · 1 year
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Some memorable moments from “In Other Lands”
When Elliot informs the unicorn attempting to kill him that it should really stop caring about the social construct of virginity
The way Luke just. Comes out. In the middle of history class. Legendary.
How Elliot consistently shuts down biphobia
When Serene takes her shirt off at the lake because the boys are doing it and gets pissed off when they complain
When Elliot tries taking elven porn out of the library
Every time Elliot calls Luke loser, and how as the book goes on it gets more and more affectionate
How all the elves think Elliot’s a sex fiend and he goes along with it
Elliot hiding sharpies in strategic places in Luke’s cabin so he doesn’t get caught with contraband
How every single Sunborn separately threatens to blackmail Elliot if he doesn’t tell them who Luke likes
Elliot straight up poisons a bunch of dudes and nobody really does anything about it
Elliot running across the battlefield because he needs to get somewhere and getting genuinely surprised when people try to kill him
Elliot getting so pissed at his Dad and wanting to make a lasting mark, so he spray paints his name over his entire fucking house I could keep going but then I’d never stop, so. Please just read In other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan, it’s one of my favorite books of all time, it is such a special book and should be more famous.  I loved it so much I wrote a book review last summer.  For who? Nobody. I just wanted to talk about it.
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