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I assume that Quaker meeting house was an author’s vacation insert.
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Nov 11, 2020 20:17
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chitoryu12 posted:If he has no blood in his body, was it a boner produced by venom in Breaking Dawn? If so, why does it only work for that? The whole venom thing makes no sense. Does he cum venom? Is his saliva venomous? Does he sneeze venom? Does he produce earwax, and if he does, is it also venomous? I've officially thought more about this than Smeyer has.
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Nov 11, 2020 20:45
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Dirt Road Junglist posted:The whole venom thing makes no sense. Does he cum venom? Is his saliva venomous? Does he sneeze venom? Does he produce earwax, and if he does, is it also venomous? I hate to say it, but the cum and saliva are correct.
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Nov 11, 2020 21:39
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The way they solved it in Vampire: The Masquerade (and possibly other vampire media, I'm not a specialist) is so much better. There the blood that vampires suck just circulates in their bodies so that they can perform all the bodily functions and when it runs out, they need to feed again. Sorta like, um... regular food works. What the hell was Meyer thinking
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Nov 11, 2020 22:33
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macabresca posted:The way they solved it in Vampire: The Masquerade (and possibly other vampire media, I'm not a specialist) is so much better. There the blood that vampires suck just circulates in their bodies so that they can perform all the bodily functions and when it runs out, they need to feed again. Sorta like, um... regular food works. What the hell was Meyer thinking Same in LKH. Feeding made vampires more "lifelike" until it wore off.
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Nov 12, 2020 04:30
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The venom saliva reminded me of a spiteful fanfic where one of the random vampires from Breaking Dawn gets petrified and shattered. His friends desperately attempt to fix him by licking the pieces and trying to piece him back together.
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Nov 12, 2020 05:00
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macabresca posted:The way they solved it in Vampire: The Masquerade (and possibly other vampire media, I'm not a specialist) is so much better. There the blood that vampires suck just circulates in their bodies so that they can perform all the bodily functions and when it runs out, they need to feed again. Sorta like, um... regular food works. What the hell was Meyer thinking Vampire biology gets a bit more explanation in this book. Basically, vampires are rock-hard internally and externally and move and function through an unknown means that may as well be magic. All of their bodily fluids are replaced by venom. Blood is the only substance they can digest; anything else they eat or drink remains in their body unless they vomit it back up. The context in which this gets explained is not one you will expect, and it will horrify.
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Nov 12, 2020 06:14
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This setting straight up runs on magic anyway with the weird powers everyone has but only vampires have noticed. Meyer should have just said "It's magic, I don't gotta explain poo poo" and be done with it. Although I suppose that would get her in trouble for encouraging witchcraft or some such... Cythereal fucked around with this message at 02:01 on Nov 13, 2020 |
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Nov 12, 2020 15:18
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quote:The passing of time was meaningless while I cradled her, my lips against her hair. Her heart moved languorously now, her breath was slow and even against my skin. I only noticed the change when the shadow of the trees fell over us. Without the reflection off my skin, the meadow seemed suddenly darker, evening rather than afternoon. Don't tell me now that you can hear her bowel movements. quote:I pulled away—reluctant to end our embrace no matter what came next—and placed my hands lightly on her shoulders. Except for hiking, at which point she almost breaks down crying. quote:“Don’t worry,” I reassured her. “You’ll be very safe, and we’ll get to your truck much faster.” "Are you a loving idiot? I just threw a tree branch hard enough to make it explode." quote:“Hah,” I snorted. I forgot how weird that was. quote:I took off at a relaxed lope, choosing the smoothest route back to our starting point. It would cost me a few extra seconds to go the long way, but we would still get to her truck in minutes rather than hours. It was better than to jostle her with a more vertical path. I didn't expect the sequence of Edward galloping through the woods at high speed to be so boring, but here we are! quote:I slowed to a smooth stop just a few paces from where she’d parked. Imagine writing a character who's supposed to be strong and fearless and stubborn, and she spends so much of the series passing out or crying in terror that it becomes a regular occurrence for the love interest within a month. quote:I knelt down and set her on a soft patch of ferns. Edward, please! You're in front of a lady! quote:She smiled a wan smile. “No, it was very interesting,” she lied. How much is her lip jutting out that you're staring at it? quote:I rolled to my knees, facing her. I felt nervous, and restless, and impatient, and unsure. The yearning to be closer to her reminded me of the thirst that used to control me. This, too, was demanding, impossible to ignore. Edward is the worst forum moderator. quote:“No, I was thinking there was something I wanted to try.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RnM-hsbpeH8 quote:What strange alchemy was this, that the touch of lips should be so much more than the touch of fingers? It made no logical sense that simple contact between this specific area of skin should be so much more powerful than anything I’d yet experienced. It felt as if a new sun was bursting into being where our mouths met, and my whole body was filled to a shatter point with the brilliant light of it. "We're sitting here openly at the trail head." quote:Gingerly, with the lightest force possible, I eased her face away from mine, leaving my fingertips in place against her skin to keep her at that distance. Apart from that small shift, I held myself motionless and tried, if not to ignore the temptation, at least to separate myself from it. I noted the unpleasant return of a few predatory reactions—an excess of venom in my mouth, a tightening in my core—but these were superficial responses. While perhaps it would be unfair to say that rationality was in total control, at least it was not a feeding passion that made that statement untrue. A much more agreeable passion held me in its thrall. Its nature, however, did not eliminate the need to moderate it. "A few hours ago, I'd have just killed you instead!" quote:She was unaware of the progress I’d made today, but she had always acted as if I were in perfect control of myself, even when it wasn’t true. It was a relief to finally feel as if I deserved some of that trust. Not this book. quote:I laughed. “I’m stronger than I thought.” I would have never believed how in control I was able to be now. This was very rapid progress indeed. “It’s nice to know.” "I had a minor heart attack. Give me a minute." quote:“Maybe you should let me drive.” Ah. Road head. quote:“I can drive better than you on your best day. You have much slower reflexes.” I smiled so that she would know I was teasing. Mostly. "Bella, my superhuman senses just detected a major heart palpitation when I kissed you. You need to go to the emergency room immediately." quote:“Bella,” I breathed. All the jocularity vanished from her eyes, and she leaned into me, her face tilted up toward mine. Kissing her immediately seemed like both a fantastic and a terrible idea. I forced myself to err on the side of caution. This was already a hell of a dad joke in the original book. Midnight Sun has somehow made it worse. quote:“Drunk?” she protested. "I am also a senior citizen." quote:Her lips pursed into a frown. “And are you not affected at all? By my presence?”
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Nov 19, 2020 06:04
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I swear to god, every paragraph of this chapter shortened my lifespan by a few months.quote:Gingerly, with the lightest force possible, I eased her face away from mine, leaving my fingertips in place against her skin to keep her at that distance. Apart from that small shift, I held myself motionless and tried, if not to ignore the temptation, at least to separate myself from it. I noted the unpleasant return of a few predatory reactions—an excess of venom in my mouth, a tightening in my core—but these were superficial responses. While perhaps it would be unfair to say that rationality was in total control, at least it was not a feeding passion that made that statement untrue. A much more agreeable passion held me in its thrall. Its nature, however, did not eliminate the need to moderate it. This is so cursed I hate it 
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Nov 19, 2020 11:59
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I think the idea there is that it's a closed-mouth kiss and Bella is safe because of it, but that's an even stranger mental image than one of them making out like typical teens is.
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Nov 20, 2020 00:52
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Since venom has replaced all of a vampire's normal bodily fluids and their skin is so rock-hard that it breaks like stone, I'm guessing that when Bella describes Edward as a marble statue that she means it literally. Kissing and cuddling him is literally like molesting a statue at the Met.
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Nov 20, 2020 07:31
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Chapter 18: Mind Over Matterquote:Insisting upon driving had been a very good idea. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rahTKCeBZ2M This is another song not mentioned by name in the original book. Enjoy the soundtrack! quote:I began to sing along, feeling a little cheesy, but also enjoying the chance to say these words to her. Always and forever, I’ll love only you. How hard did Emmett and Alice try to get Edward into disco? quote:She pressed her lips together for a moment, her eyes tensing as if something worried her. Quietly, she asked, “Are you ever going to tell me how old you are?” See, here's the problem people keep running into with this relationship. On the one hand, Edward is over a century old and him dating a teenager should be criminally creepy. But Twilight vampires are also locked mentally as well as physically, which means Edward has until the heat death of the universe to remain a bratty teenager forever. Had Bella never been turned into a vampire at 18, the relationship would have become weird and virtually predatory on her side because he would never mature. No matter which way you look at it, it's going to end up hosed up in some way. quote:What had she imagined already? Millennia behind me, gothic castles and Transylvanian accents? Well, none of that was impossible. Carlisle knew those types. They're supervillains! And soon to be your allies! quote:“Try me,” she challenged. Something we're all now familiar with! quote:At this her control slipped, and she gasped in shock, her eyes huge. This is a really obtuse reference, but it'll actually get explained later. There was a moment in the original book that I reacted to with confusion, as it didn't seem to be referencing anything in the plot. It turns out there's more to Edward's transformation that we don't know! quote:She absorbed my answer, lips pursed and eyes narrowed in thought. I wanted to know her reaction, but I knew that if I asked, I would face more pointed questions. I continued my history, hoping to distract her. "Oh God she's strategizing." quote:“No, that’s just Carlisle. He would never do that to someone who had another choice. It is easier he says, though, if the blood is weak.” Since we only got a brief line from Edward in the original book, this disgust was never palpable. The Cullens are a lot more complicated and kinda hosed up than we anticipated. Fortunately, we're going to get a very extensive amount of Rosalie backstory that will make you even more furious about how the series treats her! quote:“But she was never more than a sister.” That was probably the kindest way to sum up that chapter. “It was only two years later that she found Emmett. She was hunting—we were in Appalachia at the time—and found a bear about to finish him off. She carried him back to Carlisle, more than a hundred miles, afraid she wouldn’t be able to… do it herself.” No, we will not get to find out how the Cullens lived it up in the 1930s New Orleans nightlife. Instead we just get Edward complaining that a newborn vampire who was raped and murdered by her fiancee and will have that trauma for eternity is "whiny". quote:Rosalie preferred to hunt by herself, and though I really should have watched after her, it was a relief to us both that I didn’t object very strenuously. She knew how to be careful. We all were practiced at restraining our senses until we were in unpopulated areas. And though I was reluctant to attribute any virtue to this unwelcome interloper, even I had to admit that she was incredibly gifted at self-control. Mostly due to stubbornness and, in my opinion, a desire to best me. I mean, gently caress you? quote:So when the sound of Rosalie’s footsteps, thudding faster and heavier than usual, broke the predawn calm of that Knoxville summer, her familiar scent preceded by the strong aroma of human blood and her thoughts wild and incoherent, my initial expectation was not that she had made a mistake. Why is Rosalie not the loving protagonist? quote:I’d believed she’d gotten them all. Her thoughts had long since calmed, no longer obsessed with the desire to break and tear, maim and mutilate. Why are you making me like her so much more than Bella quote:Carlisle understood her anguish. He swiftly removed the man from her arms and laid him on the parlor rug with gentle hands. The man was too far gone even to groan. Remember how I said that there's some passages in Midnight Sun that are good enough to make the bad parts of the book stand out? This is one of those. quote:We didn’t have long to wait for Carlisle’s decision. And so another Mormon couple finds each other. quote:I wasn’t looking for yet another addition to my family. I’d never been particularly concerned about what Rosalie wanted or needed. But suddenly, seeing this all through her eyes, I could only root for her happiness. For the first time, we were on the same side. If only Edward could have continued not being a loving douchebag. quote:We couldn’t return for a while, though Rosalie was anxious in the extreme to know what was happening. I assured her that Carlisle would have come for us if he’d been unsuccessful. So for now we would just have to wait till it was safe. They why didn't you write the rest of the series that way? This scene, and a later Rosalie one, are possibly the most frustrating in the entire Twilight canon. Stephenie Meyer belatedly realized, over a decade late, how much people actually liked and sided with the character she used as an avatar for her schoolyard insecurities. She writes so many pages trying to humanize her and better justify her place in the Cullen coven after having her be seemingly hated by everyone....and doesn't even change the first third of the book where she keeps her villain personality. It's laziness to the degree that it hurts the story and offends me personally. quote:The pause as I remembered how I’d come to love my sister was not very long. Bella was still waiting for the rest of the story. I thought of where I’d left off: Rosalie, dripping with blood, holding her face as far away from Emmett as she could. Her posture in the image reminded me of a more recent memory: me struggling to carry a lightheaded Bella to the nurse’s office. It was an interesting juxtaposition. And we're back to the uninteresting part. quote:“But she made it,” Bella said after a short silence, eager for me to continue. Emmett and Rosalie are canonically so horny that they're constantly tormenting Edward with their house-destroying sex. quote:Rosalie loved to get married. The chance to do it over and over was probably her favorite thing about immortality. That's because she's better than you. quote:“Alice and Jasper?” Bella asked. All right, time to leave behind the old poo poo for more flashbacks! quote:I’d missed that first introduction, when Alice and Jasper had presented themselves to an extremely wary Carlisle, a frightened Esme, and a hostile Rosalie. It was Jasper’s warlike appearance that had them all so apprehensive, but Alice knew exactly what to say to ease their anxiety. Of course she knew exactly what to say. She’d envisioned every possible version of that momentous meeting, and then chosen the best. It was no accident that Emmett and I had been away. She’d preferred the smoother scene without the family’s primary defenders in residence. Yes, that is how Alice joined the Cullens: she literally showed up and told them "I'm moving in, you'll love me." quote:It was hard to believe how firmly entrenched they were by the time Emmett and I arrived, just a few days later. We were both shocked, and Emmett was ready for battle the second he laid eyes on Jasper. But Alice ran forward to throw her arms around me before a word could be spoken. And Emmett is left standing there, dumbfounded, at everything going on. This is probably the funniest scene in all of Twilight and it's already over. quote:There were so many stories about Alice, so many miracles and phenomena, paradoxes and enigmas, I could have spent the rest of the week just telling Bella the bullet-point version. Instead, I gave her a few of the simpler, more mechanical details. Definitely never! quote:“And Alice came from another family, like Jasper?” she asked. So in case you can't figure it out, that's Jasper. Alice knows her name because she saw Jasper saying her name in the future because she told it to him because she saw him say it because she told it to him and oh no we've created a recursive timeline. quote:“And she doesn’t know who created her,” I told Bella. “She awoke alone. Whoever made her walked away, and none of us understand why, or how, he could. If she hadn’t had that other sense, if she hadn’t seen Jasper and Carlisle and known that she would someday become one of us, she probably would have turned into a total savage.” "I've discovered that humans can survive entirely off these compact lifeboat survival rations. I've made you dinner." quote:“I’m sorry, I’m keeping you from dinner.” Keep it light? quote:I stewed on that while I got out and opened the passenger door for her.
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Nov 21, 2020 06:03
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Happy Thanksgiving! On Tuesday, we received the horror that is Ready Player Two. Since I've been brought up by name in several threads and Discord servers now with the release (and have tormented a few of those servers with the book already), I wanted to announce that I will be doing a Let's Read of it once we finish the slog that is Midnight Sun! Rather than just hate-reading a hideously awful book that the publisher is attempting DMCA takedowns on to try and prevent anyone from seeing how horrid it is without buying it, it's going to focus on engaging with and interacting with the media involved on a deeper level than Cline does. And hate-reading it. Once I finish Midnight Sun and prep for Ready Player Two, this thread and my Bond one will receive links to the new one.
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Nov 27, 2020 01:13
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See you there!
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Nov 27, 2020 01:29
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My liver is ready!
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Nov 27, 2020 02:50
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quote:We walked together at human speed across her shadowed, silent yard as if this were a normal thing. She flickered glances at me as we walked, smiling to herself. I reached up and pulled the house key from its hiding place as we passed, then opened the door for her. Even Edward is confused by her treatment of this behavior! quote:I should have confessed all then, but I went along with her teasing tone. “What else is there to do at night?” You dumbass. quote:She shook her head slightly, then gestured for me to enter. I moved past her down the hall, switching on lights as I went so she wouldn’t have to stumble in the dark. I took a seat at her small kitchen table and looked around, examining the angles that were invisible from outside the window. The room was tidy and warm, bright with gaudy yellow paint that was somehow endearing in its failed attempt to mimic sunshine. Everything smelled like Bella, which should have been quite painful, but I found that I enjoyed it in a strange way. Masochistic, indeed. Is this why they never go on dates? They're too awkward and obnoxious to be seen in public together? quote:It only took her a minute to find an acceptable option. She cut out a square of casserole and heated it in the microwave. I could smell oregano, onions, garlic, and tomato sauce. Something Italian. She stared intently at the plate while it revolved. Just read the recipe, dude. quote:Because, suddenly, I felt sure that this was just the first of our quiet evenings in, rather than a singular event. We would have years of this. She and I together, just enjoying each other’s company. So many hours… the light inside me seemed to stretch and grow, and I thought again that I might shatter. Bella and Edward were well-prepared for the pandemic. quote:“How often?” Bella asked without looking at me. If this book were written by someone more competent, it would be a black comedy right now. quote:“I come here almost every night.” "Look, I didn't want to see her naked! It's okay!" quote:Would she believe me if I tried to explain my torment at being separated from her? Could anyone believe the kinds of catastrophes I’d imagined, thinking she might not be safe? They had all been so far-fetched. And yet, if I were separated from her now, I knew the same impossible dangers would begin to plague me again. I recommend therapy. quote:Long seconds passed, the microwave shrilled out its announcement that its work was done, but Bella didn’t speak again. Or are you actually thrilled that you got away with being a creep? quote:“Don’t be upset!” I pleaded. Her eyes were downcast. I leaned in so that our faces would be on the same level, and waited until she met my gaze. I think there is! quote:“Anything else?” she demanded, raising one eyebrow. The way she half turned her face away, her eyes moving down and then darting back up again, helped me realize what she was worried about. The sound of the blood draining from her neck onto a tile floor... quote:I whispered my response into her ear. “Don’t be self-conscious. If I could dream at all, it would be about you. And I’m not ashamed of it.” Try self-flagellation. quote:I became aware of another sound beyond her heart thrumming in my arms. A car was drawing closer and the thoughts of the driver were very quiet. Tired after a full day. Looking forward to the promise of food and comfort that the warm lights in the windows offered. But I couldn’t be perfectly sure that was what he was thinking. Meyer covering for forgetting Edward's super hearing in the first book. quote:“Should your father know I’m here?” It'll match you! quote:But some small part of me was just a little… wistful. When I’d asked if she wanted her father to know I was here, that we were together, I’d hoped that the answer would be different. Of course, she had so much to consider before introducing me to him. Or she might never want him to know she had someone like me in love with her, and that was perfectly fair. More than fair. ....oh my God, he didn't put his shirt back on before this scene. quote:“In here,” Bella called to her father. I heard his soft grunt of acknowledgment as he locked the door, and then his boots stomping toward the kitchen. Wow, I hope her difficulty in telling lies will matter in the future! She can't just say anything and get away with it, that's for sure! quote:“It was a nice day,” he agreed, sounding oblivious to the edge in her voice. A more interesting story than this one, you mean? quote:“Do I?” Bella asked with put-on innocence. Water ran in the sink, and I could hear the sound of bristles against melamine. After all these years, Charlie is still stuck on his relationship and how it ended. Now remember how quickly Bella would use his sadness and trauma against him. quote:“No, Dad, I just want to get some sleep.” She sounded anything but tired. So sayeth the author, I guess. quote:“No, none of the boys have caught my eye yet.” Bella’s tone was slightly patronizing. That's because you're a psychopath. quote:“He’s just a friend, Dad.” "Just like your creator!" quote:“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Bella agreed quickly. She turned the corner and started up the stairs. Her footsteps were slow—probably to emphasize her assertion that she was sleepy—and I had plenty of time to beat her to her room. Just in case Charlie followed. It would hardly be in line with her wishes for him to find me here, half-dressed, eavesdropping. Sometimes this book just really reminds you of how creepy it is. quote:As soon as she entered the room, Bella stopped dragging her feet. She slammed the door shut behind her, then ran on her tiptoes to the window. Right past me without a glance. She shoved the window open and leaned outside, staring into the night. This time! quote:“I’m sorry.” She nodded. “Just give me a minute to restart my heart.” Don't worry, you'll stop it for real soon!
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Nov 30, 2020 21:21
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This book really is a prime example of putting too much detail in the story. I mean it's nothing new but it got me thinking. When I write my own stories I usually think of many details about the characters but I don't put them in because they are largely unnecesary for the overall narrative. They're just a fun little thing I do and who knows, maybe it'll be useful eventually but most of the time it isn't. But Meyer just puts everything in. She knew what Edward was thinking and feeling, which probably helped her plan out the dialogue, but a lot of it could be discerned easily by context. But now we get every. single. thought. and feeling. What for? If only Edward was an interesting character, but, well. And even the occasional flashback or a new scene don't really make it worth it, especially since their inclusion is so awkward and jarring. If Meyer didn't plan on remaking the whole series, why not make this book more about Edward? Start the plot back when he was turned or something, show his miserable life step-by-step, and contrast it with how big of a change Bella's brought, instead just having him dramatically monologue all the time. He would still be an insufferable rear end in a top hat, but at least it'be something new.
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Nov 30, 2020 23:03
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This book is so hard to slog through just because there's so much. It's a full repeat of the first, but with entire paragraphs inserted between lines so Edward can keep overthinking every one of them. The only reason I'm pushing through this is for the ending, honestly. The Phoenix chapters are so nuts that it's almost worth it.
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Nov 30, 2020 23:43
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Currently having issues getting highlights working on Kindle. Hold tight.
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Dec 5, 2020 03:45
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https://twitter.com/thatpazuzu/status/1335401585824952320?s=21
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Dec 6, 2020 05:36
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quote:I sat up, all my movements deliberate and slow. Moving like a human. She watched, her eyes riveted to each motion, a smile starting to form at the corners of her lips. It surprised me to! It's not only totally out of character, you do it later! quote:I was about to mention Charlie’s odd behavior when her expression suddenly changed. Her eyes slid to the bedroom door and then back to me. Oh, he's a sub. quote:I made my voice serious to match hers. “Yes, ma’am.” I straightened up and conspicuously locked all my muscles into place. She smiled, pleased. Yes, someone has put a reference to Midnight Sun on the Tooth and Claw Wikipedia page. quote:I was aware as I read that Bella was taking longer than usual. As ever, the constant anxiety that she would at last see something in me to avoid quickly reared its head. I tried to ignore it. There could be a million reasons why Bella dawdled. I focused on the book instead. I could see why it was one of her favorites—it was both strange and charming. Of course, any story of triumphant love would fit my humor today. He's also trying to understand this story. quote:“’Night, Bella,” he mumbled back. "I fell back on old habits by negging her." quote:She frowned, but her shoulders relaxed. You are no longer allowed to use words like that. quote:“Thanks,” she murmured, and then she came to sit beside me, just as close as before. This time she sat cross-legged. Her knee touched my leg, a bright point of heat. "Which is why I didn't make a joke at all in the original text." quote:“You look very warm, actually,” I murmured and, without stopping to think of every possible consequence, I leaned in and pressed my cheek against hers. My eyes closed of their own volition. A great deal of space, none of which is for behaving like a decent person or remembering human biology. quote:I lifted her curtain of damp hair and then pressed my lips lightly against the impossibly soft skin just beneath her ear.  quote:Her grin grew to match mine. “Would you like a round of applause?” This book is proving otherwise. quote:I shrugged in mock acceptance, and then laughed quietly with her, mostly with joy and wonder. "...stop being weird." quote:My sentence trailed off, unfinished, as I finally met her gaze. I took both her hands in mine. Even Meyer can't figure out an explanation for his random mood swings, which makes me wonder about what she's like. quote:The frown that crossed her face featured an unexpected note of outrage. This is the least interesting romance since Ready Player One. quote:“You seem more optimistic than usual. I haven’t seen you like this before,” she noted. "Your emotions only give me amusement." quote:“I waited, unreasonably anxious to hear what you would say to them, to watch your expressions. I couldn’t deny the relief I felt, watching the annoyance on your face. But I couldn’t be sure.… That was the first night I came here.” This all sounds a lot scarier now! quote:Angry, miserable, as if life were draining of all color and purpose. "She might call the police to put him in witness protection." quote:“I should have known you’d be listening,” she muttered. Yeah, that makes it better. quote:“That made you feel jealous, though, really?” Her tone changed from annoyance to disbelief. It'll help your marriage? quote:No one had ever had more sympathy for the devil. Still, I wondered that she could count her own sacrifices so lightly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgnClrx8N2k Listening to this is a much better use of my time. quote:“You’re right. I should make this harder for you, definitely.” I gathered both of her wrists into my left hand so that my right was free, then brushed lightly down the length of her dripping hair. Its texture, slippery like this, wasn’t so far from the seaweed I’d imagined before. I twisted a strand between my fingers as I listed her forfeitures. “You only have to risk your life every second you spend with me, that’s surely not much. You only have to turn your back on nature, on humanity… what’s that worth?” Like everything you do? quote:Huh, was the only reaction I could read from Charlie. As Bella performed her next sleeping breath, Charlie eased the door closed. I waited until his own bedroom door was closed and I’d heard the creak of mattress springs before I returned to Bella. "There's not a chance you can lie later in the series. Ever." quote:Her heart drummed loudly again, but her voice was as casual as mine. “Darn it.” This is a really weird and creepy thing in this book. Meyer is trying to find a way to deal with Edward's criminally and abusively invasive actions that she seemed to disregard entirely over 15 years ago, but she can't. She's stuck herself in the quicksand of the past. The best she can give is having Edward repeatedly claim that he should be getting punished for all of the terrible things he does, then react in surprise that he gets forgiven or even ignored. This book was a folly from the start that only exposes her issues deeper. quote:“So if you don’t want to sleep…?” I asked. Was this like food? Was I selfishly keeping her from something vital? But how could I leave when she wanted me to stay? "Have I explained to you yet how Mike Newton would totally be killing you right now if he was breaking into your room instead of me?" quote:laughed again, and then sighed. I would always regret this part of my After your actions in the later books? Nope! quote:She didn’t comment, and she didn’t move. Oh, gently caress off. "Rosalie has no gifts except beauty, but I couldn't make Bella jealous so I just said she was supernaturally stubborn!" Are we forgetting that Rosalie is the only vampire other than Carlisle to never drink human blood at this point? She may be the only vampire who hasn't been given a seriously useful "gift" (because Meyer is using her as a lightning rod for her childhood anger), but she's one of the mentally strongest vampires we've ever seen. quote:She was quiet again. I wasn’t surprised; it was a lot to process. Get the club. quote:“Right,” I agreed, and then laughed. I closed my eyes and pressed my lips to the top of her head. "Unlike every previous night, where I left you before you knew I was sitting in your chair staring at you for 8 hours." quote:“One more, then, tonight…” "Strange that the author could think of no reason for anyone to object to my actions..." quote:“Please?” I pleaded. I do! quote:“Is that… marriage… the same as it is for humans?” I thought you avoided that word out of Mormon purity. quote:“Because it would be too hard for you?” she whispered. “If I were "Everything about me is indefensible and immoral! It just doesn't matter as long as I get what I want!" quote:She thought over my answer for a long time. Perhaps my wording was more frightening than I’d intended. But how would she understand if I edited the truth too much? Look buddy, I can barely parse this book already. quote:“I know,” I assured her. “It’s just that I know other people’s thoughts. I know love and lust don’t always keep the same company.” How is this getting more Mormon? quote:I decided to answer her next question before she could ask it. “That’s nice. We have that one thing in common, at least.”
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Dec 14, 2020 08:47
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quote:Another answer that was only conjecture. “Well, where did you come from? Evolution? Creation? Couldn’t we have evolved in the same way as other species, predator and prey? Or…” Though I didn’t always agree with Carlisle’s unshakable faith, his answers were just as likely as any others. Sometimes, perhaps because his mind was so firm, they felt most likely. “If you don’t believe that all this world could have just happened on its own, which is hard for me to accept myself, is it so hard to believe that the same force that created the delicate angelfish with the shark, the baby seal and the killer whale, could create both our kinds together?” This bit's been bugging me since I've read Twilight 10 years ago. From the perspective of evolution Twilight vampires are complete gently caress ups - they're not independent as a species because there's no way for them to breed other than turning humans. But that means their potential offspring is their only food source. And on top of that, death of starvation is never mentioned in these books so there's no reason to assume they need blood to actually survive. They are these standard undead unholy abominations but here Meyer tries to suggest there might be a scientifically plausible reason they exist. There aren't any vampire scholars who try to uncover their origins? There aren't any vampire mythos of how were they created? The oldest vampires we hear about were created B.C. iirc. But were there any vampires before that? Were there any vampire species that the current vampires evolved from? Honestly, the biggest wasted opportunity here is that Twivamps don't have any culture. They are complete parasites of human race in every possible aspect, yet they are presented as superior in every way
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Dec 14, 2020 12:08
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I swear I've read Amish romance novels written by and for middle aged women (don't laugh, it's a surprisingly popular niche genre and I worked as a librarian for years) with a healthier attitude towards sex and sexuality.
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Dec 14, 2020 15:56
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These conversations are just so unfathomably boring a second time around. Kudos to you for sticking with it
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Dec 17, 2020 18:45
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Mouzer posted:These conversations are just so unfathomably boring a second time around. Kudos to you for sticking with it It’s seriously difficult to find decently funny interjections a lot of the time.
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Dec 17, 2020 20:16
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Chapter 19: Homequote:I wondered if I would ever spend a night happier than this one. I doubted it. Wait until you discover sex! quote:As she slept, Bella told me again and again that she loved me. More than the words themselves, the sound of perfect bliss in her tone was all I could ever want. I made her truly happy. Did that not excuse everything else? The author's insecurities. quote:Rosalie. As I said. quote:I realized there was prep work I absolutely had to accomplish before I could even think of bringing Bella home. And that meant leaving her. Never, ever say "nightly gyrations" again. quote:I hurried home, hoping to conclude my tasks in the briefest time possible. Who's ready for the scene that will really make you wish Rosalie was the protagonist instead? quote:She pursed her lips but nodded. I led the way around the house, to the edge of the night-black river. At first we were silent as we paced north along the bank. There was no sound but the gush of the water. Well, it wouldn't be night-black to you. Meyer did this a lot in Breaking Dawn where she initially established that vampires have such good night vision that night itself is basically "daytime with a different color palette" but then kept writing as if Bella was still a human when describing anything. quote:It was by design I’d chosen this path. I hoped it would remind her of the day I’d been thinking of earlier, the day she’d brought Emmett home. The first time we’d found common ground. "He's actually fun." quote:“More permanent, certainly.” She caught on real fast. quote:Her thoughts were so caught up with these questions, it took me by surprise when she spoke to a different subject. Rosalie's complexity and sympathetic personality has finally come roaring back in full force, ready to make you hate everything Meyer does to force her to remain in her original Twilight personality after this scene! quote:I’d been annoyed by Rosalie’s strange jealousy, which indeed had roots in my preference for Bella. That part was all so petty. But this was something different, so much deeper. I felt that I understood her now for the first time since I’d saved Bella’s life. If this were done by a better writer, this would have been part of the book from the very beginning. It immediately sets all of Rosalie's behavior in a different light: not only is she horrified to see that Bella is so willingly to throw away all of the potential that she had forcibly taken from her by rape and murder, she knows that there's no alternative once Edward sets down this path. Both of them are too emotionally unstable to be apart from one another and Bella's growing obsession with immortality means she'll only keep pushing the Cullens to turn her even if Edward is unwilling (recall that at one point she threatens to get Alice to vamp her if he won't). Her anger and rudeness through the entire series are completely justifiable with this knowledge. She's watching an immature and dangerously crazy teenage girl force herself into the world of vampires (which Rosalie doesn't exactly consider glamorous and cool) by latching onto her supremely hosed up stalker of a "brother" who's always one bad day away from returning to mass murder. Alice is all too eager to use her visions to push everything her way, Emmett thinks having a vampire sister-in-law is too cool to care about the moral implications, Carlisle is exceedingly diplomatic and won't stand in the way if Edward wills it, and Esme is totally absorbed with the idea of a new family member. To Rosalie, the only possible benefit of Bella becoming a Cullen might be that Jasper is less inclined to eat Edward's girlfriend! It's easy to interpret Rosalie as the only sane woman in this entire plot. But that's not to be, because this just Meyer hastily papering over her years-old writing with extra scenes for the first book. Rosalie is destined to just be a vessel for her insecurities who does nothing but act like a mean girl for no apparent reason, then instantly shift to an obsessive surrogate mother who unconditionally loves Bella as soon as she does the proper thing and has a baby. This scene, finally giving Rosalie the characterization she deserves, is ultimately no more meaningful than fanfiction. quote:“I’ll find a way to survive. After she goes…” I flinched, my hand falling to my side. He shouldn't be up to anyone's standards! quote:I shook my head. “Someday she’ll want more than I can give her.” There was so much I couldn’t give her. “You would have wanted more, wouldn’t you? If you were in her position, and Emmett in mine?” Earlier in the book, I mentioned how the 2010 Meyer wrote a mention of Rosalie being so willing to return to normal mortality that she would give up even Emmett for it. This, written years later, makes it far more ambiguous. quote:But I know what I lost, she thought, her tone subdued. I don’t think she’ll see it that way. “I’m going to sound like an octogenarian now,” she continued aloud, the faintest hint of levity suddenly in her voice. “But… you know kids these days.” She smiled weakly. “All about the here and now, no thought for five years into the future, let alone fifty. What will you do when she asks you to change her?” Rosalie has spent this entire series being the only character to understand all the crazy bullshit going on, and got castigated by the author and tricked into being hated by readers for it. quote:She turned around and started walking slowly back toward the house. I kept pace with her. You stupid, selfish teenager. quote:“Will you try?” I demanded, my voice sterner than before. Her walk slowed for a few seconds, and her eyes were on her feet. Poor Rosalie. quote:It made me sad, and tired, to see that her eyes were suspicious again. Maybe she wasn’t strong enough. She seemed to feel the judgment in my gaze. She looked away, then suddenly ran for the house. I let her go. And even after all that, he's still finding a way to blame her for her feelings. chitoryu12 fucked around with this message at 07:19 on Dec 22, 2020 |
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Dec 22, 2020 03:20
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The Assassination of Rosalie Cullen by the Coward Stephenie Meyer
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Dec 22, 2020 06:24
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chitoryu12 posted:If this were done by a better writer, this would have been part of the book from the very beginning. It immediately sets all of Rosalie's behavior in a different light: not only is she horrified to see that Bella is so willingly to throw away all of the potential that she had forcibly taken from her by rape and murder, she knows that there's no alternative once Edward sets down this path. Both of them are too emotionally unstable to be apart from one another and Bella's growing obsession with immortality means she'll only keep pushing the Cullens to turn her even if Edward is unwilling (recall that at one point she threatens to get Alice to vamp her if he won't). In the hands of a competent writer, this could be THE hook for an incredible story. Even make Rosalie the primary antagonist, but with this depth and complexity to her motivations would make for an extremely sympathetic "villain". Hell even flip the script and make her the protagonist, trying save a young girl hurtling towards doom due to her emotional immaturity.
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Dec 22, 2020 16:48
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Dirt Road Junglist posted:The Assassination of Rosalie Cullen by the Coward Stephenie Meyer
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Dec 22, 2020 20:27
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Proteus Jones posted:In the hands of a competent writer, this could be THE hook for an incredible story. Yes, this, PLEASE.
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Dec 22, 2020 23:43
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I don't think Stephanie Meyer has the writing talent to pull off any of the incredibly interesting premises and protagonists that emerge in her writing but it does kind of amaze me that she's either unable to see them or not interested in trying to write them rather than... *Gestures wildly towards the crap pile*
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Dec 23, 2020 12:53
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I wonder if the lack of continuity in Rosalie’s personality is handwaved away by fans with “oh, she just pretended to be bitchy and jealous in hopes of driving Bella away, but once Bella got pregnant Rose couldn’t keep up the facade any longer.” At least it’s the only way it makes any kind of remote sense.
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Dec 23, 2020 13:43
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SUPERMAN'S GAL PAL posted:At least it’s the only way it makes any kind of remote sense. It's Mormonism at work. The moment babies appear, if you are a woman, your previous personality, beliefs, and ambitions for the future are summarily replaced by MUST CARE FOR BABY.
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Dec 23, 2020 20:45
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SUPERMAN'S GAL PAL posted:I wonder if the lack of continuity in Rosalie’s personality is handwaved away by fans with “oh, she just pretended to be bitchy and jealous in hopes of driving Bella away, but once Bella got pregnant Rose couldn’t keep up the facade any longer.” At least it’s the only way it makes any kind of remote sense. This scene was completely unknown by fans until August when the book released. It does fit in with her Eclipse scene, though, which reflects the really odd order in which she wrote everything. Since Breaking Dawn was her second book hastily recycled into the fourth, it reverts everyone back to their first book personalities and erases Rosalie's character development entirely before adding the baby craziness. Now Midnight Sun is coming a decade later and you have her old stuff that's still stuck in the past and new stuff from the last few years (at the very oldest; for all we know this scene could be barely a year old) that's trying to improve on her old flaws. If you read the entire series in chronological order with Midnight Sun coming right after Twilight, her personality is just a series of wild ups and downs like there's a different author every time.
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Dec 23, 2020 21:11
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Going out of town for a bit and got a chunk deleted by a computer fuckup. I will see if I can continue my work on a laptop though!
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Dec 30, 2020 03:15
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The LP curse looms. 
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Dec 31, 2020 00:55
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Malah posted:The LP curse looms. We’re finishing this bitch!
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Jan 1, 2021 01:26
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Also, as I continue typing, I'm happy to say we're well past the halfway mark.
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Jan 12, 2021 01:37
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 This chapter sucks so bad
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Jan 18, 2021 22:40
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