#annwithoutane

G. Glad You Gave This Book A Chance

Weirdly, Howl’s Moving Castle. I first tried to read it ten years ago, after seeing the movie, and I was so put off by a few differences that I returned it to the library unfinished, haha. But I decided I had enough distance now and gave it another shot and loved it!

Q. Quote From A Book That Inspires You/Gives You Feels

“There is a book of Revelation in every one's life, as there is in the Bible. Anne read hers that bitter night, as she kept her agonized vigil through the hours of storm and darkness. She loved Gilbert -- had always loved him! She knew that now. She knew that she could no more cast him out of her life without agony than she could have cut off her right hand and cast it from her. And the knowledge had come too late -- too late even for the bitter solace of being with him at the last. If she had not been so blind -- so foolish -- she would have had the right to go to him now. But he would never know that she loved him -- he would go away from this life thinking that she did not care. Oh, the black years of emptiness stretching before her! She could not live through them -- she could not!”

from Anne of the Island. I’ve read this page in my copy of the book so many times that it’s loose. She’d always loved him!

T. Three Of Your All-Time Favorite Books

Fire by Kristen Cashore, Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas, Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie

Onething that Hawke had noticed about Anders was that he could sleep anywhere.Another thing Hawke had noticed about Anders was that when he was in the vicinityof someone he trusted, he tended to slide.  It was as though some force mage had cast alittle Pull of the Maker that redefined 'down' just for him, so that he wouldslowly, gradually keel over towards the other person.

Of course Hawke had never taken advantage of this. Never.

Itwas a baking hot summer day in Kirkwall, and they were waiting in theantechamber of some upper crust estate for Varric to get out of his meeting sothat they could go find some trouble and get in it. Sunlight slanted throughthe low-cut window, making dust motes dance on the flagstones; and Anders,sitting on the padded bench next to him, was starting to slide.

Hawkesat, not daring to move as Anders drooped further and further on the bench.Every couple of seconds his head would jerk back upwards, but then the nextminute it would dip even further. Gradually he keeled over until his cheek hitHawke's shoulder;  holding his breath,Hawke leaned back slightly until Anders slipped off his shoulder and continuedhis slow, inexorable descent against his chest.

He didn’tknow how long he sat there, breathless, listening to the tiny buzzing snorts ofAnders' snores as he dozed on Hawke's lap. His hair spread out in a golden fallin the sunlight, the ends brushing the edge of the bench in a blaze of gilding.

Anoise from further in the house -- sounded a little bit like the twang ofBianca -- jerked Anders awake. "Whu?" he said, struggling to pullhimself back upright. "Where… Oh. Sorry, Hawke… didn't mean to fall asleepon you."

"It'sall right," Hawke said. It was more than all right, but he wasn't ready tosay that, yet. "You looked really tired."

"Iam really tired," Anders agreed, covering up a yawn. Some of his hair hadcome out of its ponytail, and was sticking in an awkward curl over his eyebrow.On impulse, Hawke reached out and brushed it free.

Atany other time, Anders would have shied away, defensive and wary and hurt. Butright now he was warm and sleepy and open, and still affected by the pull ofgravity, judging by the way he tipped for a moment into Hawke's hand and smiledagainst his palm.

For the book ask meme!

1. What’s the last book you read? What did you think of it?

The last book I read was Raina Telgemeier’s Ghosts, which I wanted to love (in a lot of ways, it’s her best book yet), but had some serious issues with, cultural appropriation-wise. Last prose book I read was N.K. Jemisin’s Obelisk Gate, which I completely adored.

14. The book that, in hindsight, really should have clued you in to the fact that you’re _________ (queer/in love/doomed to be an academic/etc)

I don’t have a clear answer for this one! I wish I had something deeply introspective, but I think the biggest thing is that I’ve always been more interested in “low-brow” literature. The earliest books I loved were mysteries and fantasies. I’ve never been interested in what a lot of people think of as real literature, I’ve always been content with genre.

24. The book that you got into because of the movie/TV series/etc, and the relative merits of each version

I don’t remember which one came first, but the Little Women movie and the BBC Pride & Prejudice miniseries were big moments for me, in terms of discovering the classics. I started with Little Women and moved on to everything else by Alcott I could get my hands on (I was OBSESSED with An Old-Fashioned Girl for a long time), and the same went for Austen. 

In terms of merits, I actually hate comparing adaptations to their source material, because the comparison is always going to be lop-sided. They’re different media, and if you’re only judging an adaptation based on how close it is to its source, you’re probably missing out on a pretty good movie.

12. Do you have to finish one book before you start the next one, or do you read multiple books at the same time?

hahahahahahaha I have maybe five books on the go at any given time.

16. The book that you don’t dare reread for fear it won’t be the same any more

“Youknow I can just email Flower, right?  You talk in your sleep, I bethe could tell me stuff you've said on plane rides.”