Lily

“Oh, I will be cruel to you, Marya Morevna.”

I recently finished my first mad, rushed read through ‘Deathless’. It was beautiful. It made me cry, which is not something I can say about most books. The only faults lie in world-building completeness and consistency. Now I am making my way through it at a more measured pace. Some things have become a bit clearer or stand out more and I wanted to talk about them.

To both Marya and the reader, it is fairly obvious that Koschei presents himself at her doorstep in a form custom-designed to appeal to her. It is manipulative but also kinda sweet. But his actions during the long trip to his kingdom are more sickening than sweet. He sets a travel-pace that he knows full well will make Marya, a human, ill and reliant on him and then gains her trust by nursing her back to health. He hijacks the position that her parents occupy in her life by using cures that Marya remembers her mother applying to her in her childhood and by using an egg to absorb her fears and nightmares as her father had once done. But even in the midst of this astoundingly cold-blooded manipulation of Marya’s feelings, Koschei makes himself vulnerable by using the egg that holds his death to rid Marya of her fears. Neither she nor the reader knows this at this point, but it is still meaningful, like the risk he took by appearing outside her window as a bird. 

So what does it mean when Koschei says, “It will stop your breath, how cruel I can be… But I am your servant”? Is it an acceptable arrangement? Of course, this is a fairytale world, where everything is painted in brighter colors, but selfishness and cruelty are a part of all relationships, just as sacrifice is. Everyone asks a lot of their partners and gives a lot to them too. But Marya eventually sees punishment as an indicator of love. Is this abuse? 

Also, as a side note, the use of eggs in this book is fascinating. I am not sure how much is Valente’s own invention and how much is from Russian traditional magick and folklore, but the idea of eggs holding death - life and death entwined - is most thought-provoking. I suppose it is also related to eggs absorbing fear. Maybe the life potential they contain has the power to trap and hold powerful negativity. Or maybe it’s just that they are such good natural containers.

Oh tumblr, what have you done to me? Jay and I went to see ‘The Avengers’ and all I could think was ‘I want more Loki!’ I would do all sorts of things for his smile… 

Hey desi posse:

onionjulius:

Does it bother you when white people use henna/mendhi?

I don’t know… I’m still trying to sort out my thoughts on cultural appropriation, but here’s what I think at the moment: it’s okay if it isn’t being done as something ‘exotic’. So wear the clothes like they’re just clothes, not a costume. Don’t expect people to congratulate you on your ‘cosmopolitan’ fashion sense.

And I’m okay with people not wearing clothes in a ‘traditional’ manner. I am all for cultural innovation and evolution. I’d rather have that than let things die and fossilize because people are too intimidated. So, yeah, I’m okay with temporary pierced hearts on biceps in mehendi. (Note, ‘I’m okay with’ does not equal ‘I think this would look good’.)

And it’s not okay if it is piled on. I am not sure exactly how much would tip the scale, but I’m pretty sure there’s a limit.

And it is definitely not okay that Heidi Klum decided to dress up as Kali for Halloween.

Onion, sorry I hijacked your question and gave a long and convoluted answer. Also, love the term ‘desi posse’. 

onetrueharem:

The Initial Problem, Chapter 2: The Strange Case of Victor Trevor

John makes some new friends, in a manner of speaking, and is introduced to his first mystery.

I love it so far. Am very glad you’re doing this. Thanks so very much. I feel compelled to share my favorite parts from this chapter (and my reactions to them) (below cut in case anyone considers them spoilers):

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Question about Theon

croclock:

nobodysuspectsthebutterfly:

croclock:

This is a constant subject between Theon fans hahahahaha (Actually there is a debate between responsability and blame on what concerns the fate of Winterfell after Theon’s invasion, but since everyone keeps hammering him as a turncloak monster for two books before he appears in aDwD feeling guilty as judas, it just becomes natural to the reader to accept that in the end, too…) and you are right! 

Actually Cat points that out herself in the books iirc, Robb tells her at some point that he should have kept Theon hostage, as she tells him something along the lines of “Balon paid for his last rebellion with two sons, maybe he thought that an estranged son wasn’t such a bad price for a crown after all”.

And no, I don’t think Robb would ever have killed Theon, Robb was very emotional and loved Theon dearly. I think he would reason with himself, after all, that it would be unfair etc etc. I don’t think his bannermen would press too much for his execution either, but maybe Theon would end up locked up… I wonder if Cat would advocate for his execution? Somehow I don’t think she would insist on the matter… and as usual, it just seems like so much would have been avoided if Cat had been listened to!

Though, while it’s clear that Theon wasn’t Balon’s son anymore, and that the sacking of the north would have happened anyway, I think the motif of Cassandra still works on what tragedy in the family is concerned, I suppose…but Blooraven was certainly happy with the outcome, I don’t think he would ever have gotten his tree hands on Bran otherwise!

Yeah, I’m pretty sure Cat and Robb were only vengeance-crazed re Theon because of the Sack of Winterfell and the reports of the boys’ deaths, so Theon not being involved in that would have tempered them a bit. But still, Robb was very much focused on duty and “what would Ned have done”… Ah well, those kind of what-ifs are up for the ficcers to write, I suppose.

As for Bloodraven, Meera and Jojen came to Winterfell for a reason. Yes, Bran being “dead” helped his plans along, but I bet they’d have figured out how to get him north even without everything happening. Maybe more three-eyed crow dreams or something. 

whimsicalinthebrainpan:

Brilliant observation, and one that I missed. You’re right, the Iron Islanders would have gone on attacking the North anyway even w/o Theon. Granted, releasing Theon led to the whole awful business with Winterfell. I don’t think Balon Greyjoy cared that he was attacking the homeland of the man who holds Theon hostage. I think Theon was essentially as dead to him as his two other sons at that point.

What I think is important to realize in terms of character with Theon is that he wanted so badly to belong back in his homeland that he went along with the plan and tried to take over Winterfell, solely to impress his father. What’s really sad is that he could’ve tried to warn Robb about the attack and been welcomed as a hero by the northmen, finally, as one of their own had he renounced his father by reporting the attack. Theon is such a very tragic character all around.

Yes, that is a point. Theon not being a hostage didn’t make any difference towards the attacks on the North happening or not… but he could have sided with Robb, instead of his father, and warned him.  (Wonder if that’s what that scroll-burning scene we’ve seen in the S2 trailers is about.) Poor Theon.

wolfheartedqueen:

Balon doesn’t care. He’s disgusted with Theon before he ever shows up, honestly. His clothes are just the first thing he can insult. His love of a child is nothing compared to his need to build himself up and forget his mistakes. He’s unwilling to accept his failures and Theon represents one of those: he’s his lost son AND his lost rebellion. Theon is everything he did wrong that he refuses to learn from. If it was independence he wanted, he’d work w the North. It’s pride.

“Working with” is so against the ironborn mindset, though. (Although we’re told Balon was revitalizing the old customs and they hadn’t been quite all so gung-ho “old ways” before him, IIRC.) Consider the problems Asha had when she logically suggested they should make peace and get some farmlands and have fertile land instead of salty rocks.  It was Euron’s “let’s conquer the world” that won that argument.

Talking this over again with my bf tonight, he was wondering what the whole point of having a Greyjoy hostage was in the first place — didn’t the Starks know enough about the character of the ironborn to realize they would have always rejected a boy raised among greenlanders and written him off? And considering Starks have been fighting Greyjoys for hundreds of years, they should have known their enemy.  I think, though, it’s probably related to Ned’s failing in assuming that his enemies are as honorable as he is.  But I wonder if such a hostage situation ever did work in the past… the fact that there’s a Theon Stark in the crypts makes you wonder if the families are more connected than you’d think…

you’re right to point out that starks and greyjoys have been fighting for a long time, but Balon is always described as being something completely differentr - the Old Way was pretty much dying between iron smallfolk when Balon and Aeron injected new life and brought new ambitions to the Ironman (Aeron wants to drown babies fgs). The current Greyjoy family in power - Balon, Aeron and Victarion - are very pious men. I’m convinced that another leader wouldn’t think so badly of Theon’s proposal - but Balon only cares about the Iron Price. Also there seems to be a divide on the land - it seems as if Aeron and Balon succeded in brining about a renewal of the faith on the Drowned God, but there are still a lot of Ironborn who don’t really care about this religion, irrc that’s mentioned in Aeron’s chapters? Most of the Ironborn just really care about plunder and wouldn’t mind attacking either Moat Cailin or Casterly Rock, I think?! Not sure,  cause anyway I might be saying a load of bull because it’s been a long time since I last read the books ahahahah

I think it would be wonderful and terrible to think about what would have happened if Theon had stayed. As i said I don’t think he would be put to death, but I’m pretty sure he would end up locked up. Theon’s only advocate is Robb’s affection… everybody would expect him to run away and betray their plans if he’s left free. But I really don’t think he would be killed at once, there would be a lot of conflict about his final fate.

Now imagine Theon and the Kingslayer dividing a cell hahahaha. Imagine the dialogues odkemajamdks if i could write I WOULD

I really wonder what would be Cat’s and the Blackfish’s opinions on the matter though hnnn oooh my god SO SAD… Theon would be the worst of all. HE would probably be convinced (and maybe Robb too) that if he had carried out his plan, he would have prevented it all by offering his father a crown, since he would never have realized the importance of the ‘iron price’ for Balon, and maybe Robb too would come to blame Cat for not letting Theon go and treat with Balon. ..

Imagine however if Robb decided to kill Theon. He would have to swing the blade himself. Man, I don’t even…

“it seems as if Aeron and Balon succeded in brining about a renewal of the faith on the Drowned God” - I’m not sure if you meant this as a pun, but it’s pretty brilliant anyway. :D

nobodysuspectsthebutterfly:

lilyavara:

nobodysuspectsthebutterfly:

Something I’ve occasionally wondered — does Westeros have a forgotten history of volcanic activity? The Children of the Forest used obsidian weapons… but where did they come from?  There’s hot springs under Winterfell, but that’s it for geothermal activity on that continent as far as we’re aware… was it all imported from Valyria? (By travelers, or just long-distance explosions.) Or is there something long dormant somewhere else in Westeros?

(edit: Can’t recall… Dragonstone has a lot of obsidian statues and such, right? Was there mention of glassy/lava tunnels under the island or is my brain pulling that out of nowhere?)

Yes. Davos’s chapters at the beginning of ASoS mention the mountain of Dragonstone crowned in smoke (as opposed to steam), the dungeons being warmer the more you descend and Stannis and Melisandre descending into the heart of the mountain where only she can walk unburned and where they watch the flames. Salladhor mentions the flames like they are news so I think Dragonstone was a dormant volcano that is now becoming more active.

Right, thank you. So between Dragonstone/Dragonmont and Winterfell, that’s probably enough volcanic activity to provide the obsidian that the Children of the Forest and the First Men used against the Others the first time.  Probably. Wonder if there’s something volcanic in the south somewhere, in the Dornish Marches, or west in the mountains around Casterly Rock? (Gold deposits are frequently connected to vulcanism.) I wonder if that ASOIAF map book will help clarify…

Ooh, yes, am looking forward acquiring the map book. And if Dragonstone is becoming more active with the return of the dragons, Aegon and his sisters must have been really heat- and flame-resistant to hang out there with three full-grown dragons. Unless dragons’ volcano-amplifying powers are not inversely proportionate to distance. 

(Source: stannisisthefury)

I don’t understand why forging Valyrian steel is so impossible.

nobodysuspectsthebutterfly:

stannisisthefury:

Maesters who study magic get a link made from it, so somebody in Oldtown must know how to do it.

But maybe that’s going to become a plot point, since ‘dragonsteel’ is supposed to kill The Others. Oldtown turned into an armory for the war for life is a pretty sweet image. Especially since they seem to hate magic there.

Per GRRM, the problem is the loss of the knowledge of the spells required to forge new Valyrian steel.  Presumably, like Oathkeeper and Widow’s Wail were made from Ice, the maesters’ links are made from an existing block of Valyrian steel, with whatever spells or techniques are needed for that.

But yes, I wouldn’t doubt that Oldtown will be a source of weapons.  The maesters know a lot about obsidian/dragonglass too, so that should be helpful.

Something I’ve occasionally wondered — does Westeros have a forgotten history of volcanic activity? The Children of the Forest used obsidian weapons… but where did they come from?  There’s hot springs under Winterfell, but that’s it for geothermal activity on that continent as far as we’re aware… was it all imported from Valyria? (By travelers, or just long-distance explosions.) Or is there something long dormant somewhere else in Westeros?

(edit: Can’t recall… Dragonstone has a lot of obsidian statues and such, right? Was there mention of glassy/lava tunnels under the island or is my brain pulling that out of nowhere?)

Yes. Davos’s chapters at the beginning of ASoS mention the mountain of Dragonstone crowned in smoke (as opposed to steam), the dungeons being warmer the more you descend and Stannis and Melisandre descending into the heart of the mountain where only she can walk unburned and where they watch the flames. Salladhor mentions the flames like they are news so I think Dragonstone was a dormant volcano that is now becoming more active.