Sera...

“You and Valentine were married, I was his suggenes; I walked beside him up the aisle, my presence meant to bless your joining. I remember the light in the garden as it fell on you, a bride so beautiful it took my breath. I remember your smile. I remember going home that night to a silent, empty house.” — Who the Wolf Loves

Luke is better than me fr if someone made that joke of groom's best man marrying his bride, I'd have jumped on the opportunity 😂

From a writing standpoint I think it makes sense. Hear me out.

Yes, it probably was to add more drama alone, but within the context of the characters it makes sense.

Of course Valentine would do something like that, not only to try and keep Jace by his side, but also to punish Clary for the perceived sins of Jocelyn.

It was dragged out a lot, but it does make sense because while Valentine lived he was never going to tell them the truth unless he got something better than Jace out of the deal.

And honestly, the drama is interesting too. A bit soap opera, but it's interesting all the same.

There's also the way this belief impacts the characters and their psyche, something that can never be truly be undone by knowing the truth, and I think that's delicious.

“Mother?” Jonathan said. He was staring, almost as if he couldn’t quite focus his eyes on her.

OKAY WAIT YOU ATE WITH VIDYA BALAN AS LILITH OMG?

I don't see DP as Tessa tbh 🤔 (Also, is Tessa tall???)

Imagine that the only compliment she can come up with for Jace is that he's a Herondale. As if being one is a compliment itself.

“Sebastian is still my favorite character. next to magnus. even after all the horrible things he has done. how do you manage to do that? make us like characters who are vile and bad, but we still end up loving to death?”

I decided to turn this question over to my friend and fellow author Sarah Rees Brennan, whose love for Sebastian is unbounded and who sometimes sneaks onto my computer and inserts scenes in which Sebastian saves kittens from infernos, and bandages the injured paws of little squirrels, so I have to keep an eagle eye on her. Clearly, she is the right person to answer this question. Spoilers for City of Glass, etc. below.

sarahreesbrennan:

So my pal Cassandra Clare just had a reader ask her why one of her villains, Sebastian of the Mortal Instruments series, is so lovable. As whenever I am with her, I ask anxiously ‘What have you done to Sebastian? How is Sebastian?’ or quietly, quietly slide her laptop away from her and type very fast, hoping she will not notice: ‘Then Clary hugged Sebastian, hugged and did not let go until he felt somewhat less evil. There were a few murderous relapses but basically after that he knew he was loved.’ … Cassie turned the question over to me.

This is Sebastian. Look at him. CLEAR need of a hug.

Now Sebastian was raised in isolation by an EVIL and EXTREMELY HARSH father: all indications are that his childhood was not filled with father-son marathons of My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.

Also Sebastian is a wee bit demonic. Now if you guys know me or have read any of my books or spent three minutes in my company at any time, you know I like demons. I mean… demons! Of course they are not like people. Of course they have a little bit of a tendency towards evil. Makes them fascinating!

Another obvious candidate for HUGGING TOWN.

Nature and nurture are both against young Sebastian, and he does a number of terrible things. But he does not spend all his time on top of Skullcrusher Mountain, stroking a cat. He is JEALOUS of his horrible father’s affection for his other son, and HOPEFUL that his sister will be somewhat like him… because nobody else is like him.

He is in short, crying out for a connection! Which he has never had. If he had had somebody to love him, everything might have been very different.

As we all know, but Sebastian does not: love makes you real. It makes other people real to you, as well. Sebastian is many things: not entirely human being one of them, but another is a kid who wasn’t brought up in a loving environment. Of course someone who isn’t loved is capable of terrible things. 

There’s a lot of media asking what you do if someone is born, you know, a little evil. (‘Healthy boy! Slight jaundice. Touch of evil.’) Rosemary’s Baby. The Ring. The Omen. A book by Lionel Shriver that just became a most excellent movie… 

Monsters aren’t lovable. I find them lovable because they’re not lovable. It might not turn out well, but you have to try loving the monster. If only because it’s interesting to think about how they would respond.

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai au with Stephen, Celine and Amatis 🥲

Masterlist of Flower Cards

Flower: Wisteria

Translation: Regret

Other Translations:

• I cling to thee (to Stephen? To Luke? To Valentine?)

• Serious devotion (Circle or to her son?)

• The imperishability of life (*crying*)

• Love

• Poetry (please tell me Hace inherited his love of poetry from Celine?)

• Sensitivity and tenderness (this matches well to how others such as Luke and Joycelyn described her)

• I want to protect you

• Welcome

• I will always welcome you

• Youth

• Forever young (sadly this is funeral flower often what this means is someone who died young)

• Will you please be my friend? (This is where I become inconsolable)

• Welcome fair stranger

• I remain steady

• Given to wish a new bride luck in her marriage

• To celebrate a healthy child

• In Japan wisteria symbolises long life and immortality (ah the irony)

• Expanding consciousness and awareness (her seeing who Valentine truly is?)

Points of Interest:

• Wisteria is associated with Mercury and the element of Air. Its most common magical associations include psychic development, wisdom and meditation. Less common associations include love, prosperity, and healing from grief.  The scent of wisteria flowers may aid in meditation, embracing one’s femininity, channeling, and overcoming the fear of intimacy.

@beclynn-herondale this made me so sad for Céline!?