Stories Have A Way Of Changing Faces. They Are Unruly Things, Undisciplined, Given To Delinquency And

Stories have a way of changing faces. They are unruly things, undisciplined, given to delinquency and the throwing of erasers. This is why we must close them up into thick, solid books, so they cannot get out and cause trouble.

Catherynne M. Valente, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (via victoriousvocabulary)

‘There are important rules in Fairyland. I am afraid that if you trample upon the rules, I cannot help you. You may be ticketed or executed, depending on the mood of the Marquess.’ 'Is she very terrible?’ The Green Wind frowned into his brambly beard. 'All little girls are terrible,’ he admitted finally, 'but the Marquess, at least, has a very fine hat.’

Catherynne M. Valente, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland In A Ship Of Her Own Making (via porchwood)

Yes. This is 100% me.

Hi my name is Marissa and I get inordinately emotional about fictional characters.

LdyEnki reads Anger is a Gift Chapters 9, 10 and 11.

The continuing adventures of LdyEnki being unprepared for Mark Oshiro’s “Anger is a Gift”. 

Chapter 9:

This feels very much like a setup chapter.  We see the pieces start to move. The school escalating, becoming more controlling and the students starting to ask why, starting to get angry and want things to change.  And we see Moss’s hopelessness, the world isn’t fair and there is nothing we can do to fix the overwhelming wrongness in the world.  

I am worried about Moss and Esperanza.  They have each had very different first weeks and it is jarring after everything that has happened to see Esperanza busy but happy, talking about college.  It is a careless comment she made, probably something she didn’t even think about before saying but I can see how it puts Moss on edge.  There is a tension between them and it doesn’t feel right.  Don’t do this to us Mark.  The power of friendship is sacred.

Chapter 10:

Yay!  Happiness!  They are so cute.  I love how realizing Javier is nervous helps Moss relax.

Though Moss, the whole doing push ups just before a date, sorry but it doesn’t work that way.

Interesting contrast of Javier’s response to the locker situation with Esperanza’s response to the college booths.

Chapter 11:

And some hope!  They are starting to plan.

Chapters 1 and 2 are here.

Chapters 3 and 4 are here.

LdyEnki reads Anger is a Gift Chapters 12 and 13

The continuing adventures of LdyEnki being unprepared for Mark Oshiro’s “Anger is a Gift”.

Chapter 12:

Again, the tension between Moss and Esperanza hurts.  It makes sense though, their different experiences are going to cause misunderstandings. Esperanza feels left out and isolated because she goes to a different school from her friends but Moss can’t conceive of anyone wanting to go to his school, especially now.  His school is a trap to be escaped, not a fun experience Esperanza is missing out on.

Chapter 13:

That was intense.  The stomach tightening, heart pounding kind of intense.  I expected the crowds and everyone being late to class.  I expected the cops to give Reg a hard time.  I did not expect that.  I didn’t even know it was possible for a metal detector to have that effect, though I knew machines like MRI scanners can do that and worse.  God, Reg.  And he was already worried about making a full recovery.

I can’t help thinking about a friend I had in college.  She has 3 metal rods in her back, but you would never know it to look at her.  She has enough metal in her back that you can place a magnet there and it will stick.  She took something that must have been a traumatic childhood experience and turned it into a party game.  I didn’t hear her talk about it much, but I know she was always given a hard time whenever she had to go through metal detectors.  I don’t even want to think about what could have happened in a situation like this.

Chapters 1 and 2 are here.

Chapters 3 and 4 are here.

There must be blood, the girl thought. There must always be blood. The Green Wind said that, so it must be true. It will be hard and bloody, but there will be wonders, too, or else why bring me here at all? And it’s the wonders I’m after, even if I have to bleed for them.

Catherynne M. Valente, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (via poolofjello)