Sab 🪐

I made this while taking a quick break from other projects

The War of Lost Hearts world feels like something spawned from the depths of a combination of Hiromu Arakawa's hell brain and a fantasy RPG.

Yet I'd also argue that compared to what I've seen Carissa write in Crowns of Nyaxia...in terms of first books introducing these worlds, Daughter of No Worlds didn't quite have the same degree of grounding and depth. Not quite the same level of character and internal complexity (not surprising, as this is an older series and she's grown as a writer).

I'd actually lean towards--so far--these being incompatible audiences. Those readers are almost going to have to be looking for two very different things out of their books.

I'm driven as equally nuts as any other fantasy veteran by the folks who've only ever read ACOTAR for fantasy and compare everything they pick up in the genre after the fact to it. But to me, that almost seems like more of a "good book, wrong audience" scenario.

There is a significant lack of critical thinking skills, and a significant lack of media literacy regardless of which series you're talking about. There's entirely too much lack of perspective of individual character motivations towards ACOTAR on its own and too many want to play the role of morality police in a book about fae without the slightest notion of how hilarious that is.

Again, there are plenty of readers who enjoy both and who enjoy a wide variety of fantasy books. I think those are going to be the ones anyway who look at WOLH with a bit more discernment.

Truthfully, I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. There are aspects I liked and aspects I didn't. I definitely wanted more depth.

To be honest, I'm still trying to piece together how I felt about Daughter of No Worlds. Strangely, I'm inclined to believe the remaining to books will be what helps me solidify an opinion of it overall (though I liked it).

i missed the tulin icon wave on the switch so i’m drawing him a lot to cope

He first stopped “watch duty” at the Spring of Power, after listening to Zelda berate herself and question what is wrong with her.

And then as the Calamity struck, he assessed the situation at the castle and decided to flee with Zelda instead of facing Ganon. It is likely that Castle Town was overridden at that point, so Link had the choice of bringing Zelda through that and getting to the castle, or turning right back around and fleeing into the woods.

As we know, they fled right into the woods, where Link ‘fails’ as Zelda’s knight. She trips and falls. Rather than getting her back up, Link slows, puts away his sword, listens to her, and then comforts her.

Before the Calamity, Link was a dedicated knight of Hyrule, but ultimately… he was devoted to Zelda. And from the Japanese logs, we know his main motivation after remembering their time together is to help bear the burden and see her smile once again.

Link is a Hero through and through, that much is true— but he will always prioritize Zelda.

In Totk, Link TOSSES the Master Sword away in the beginning. Why? To reach for Zelda.

“Oh, but it was destroyed of course he wouldn’t care.” A sword that MAGICALLY heals itself and is the only thing to seal the darkness away… cmon now

IF YOU ARE NOT DOING THIS ALREADY, YOU SHOULD TRY IT

Do you think I’d give up? That this might’ve shook the love from me Or that I was on the brink How could you think, darlin’, I’d scare so easily?

-Hozier, Francesca