#porthos4ever

It’s a beautiful sunny day today, which might not seem like that big a deal except that we’ve had a string of of those brooding dark iron-grey days where there’s little difference between noon and twilight, other than night coming even earlier than usual.  So for all that it’s only supposed to last for a day or so, I’m glad to have the break.

What I’ve just finished reading

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, by Aleksander Solzhenitsyn.  I note right off the bat that the day Solzhenitsyn relates to us is a pretty good one, all told—the various gambles our title character undertakes in order to find minor alleviations to the privations of camp life (swiping an extra bowl of oatmeal at lunch, for instance, or hiding away a hacksaw blade in his mitten despite the threat of solitary confinement if it’s found during searches) all pay off, and he manages to avoid the ever-present threat of violence from either the guards or the other prisoners.  It’s a clever approach, as it both keeps the narrative from becoming unreadably depressing (it’s not hard to imagine what life is like on the less-good days) and also shows exactly how close to the line many prisoners live, as such tiny things bring such intense pleasure. 

That said...I think I’m supposed to admire our protagonist’s scrappy resourcefulness and determination to continue under such unforgiving circumstances—and I do!—but the strongest emotion that his story stirs in me is grief—there’s so much human potential being wasted in these camps and for such objectively ridiculous reasons.  I think that might ultimately be where I have trouble with so much Russian literature—culturally, so many of their stories involve people at the mercy of their environment, whether the harsh natural environment or the harsher artificially-constructed society.  And they either struggle against it and are miserable, or find some way to exist within it and find a measure of peace.  Whereas I, being by nature more of a big-picture person, just sort of sit here shaking my head and thinking but it doesn’t have to be like this...even though I realize that’s beside the point.  For those people living in that world, it does, because there’s nothing they can do to change it. 

I find that a very uncomfortable place to be in, mentally, which probably explains a lot about how tough I’ve found it to exist in America in 2020.

(@coffeeandchemicals​?  @thisisnotmolchanka?  I would love your input here.  Is my reading way off?)

What I’m currently reading

Tender Morsels, by Margo Lanagan.  This is definitely the sort of story that gives you pause before describing anyone’s “fairytale life”.  The stark and terrible realities of Liga’s life under the thumb of a cruel and controlling father, and then later as a woman unprotected, are softened a bit by some truly lovely prose that gives equal weight to the little poetic moments of beauty as to the deeply-engrained awfulness.  I appreciate the focus on Liga’s internality, as well—it does a lot to make her a character in her own right, rather than simply a victim.

Gideon the Ninth, by Tamsyn Muir.  I’m about a fifth of the way in, and while the plot’s taking a little bit of time getting started, I am absolutely living for Gideon and Harrowhawk’s chemistry.  The sheer and utter loathing they harbor for each other, despite having been thrown together by circumstance, practically throws off sparks—I’ve found myself giggling maniacally more than once, which is probably disconcerting when I’m listening via headphones.  (Props to the audiobook narrator too; she clearly relishes these characters just as much as I do.)  I’m genuinely uncertain if I want this to be an enemies-to-lovers story or an enemies-to-world-shattering-nemeses story or some combination of the above; I may not be sure where their relationship (or the story) is going but I’m completely convinced it’s not going to be boring.

What I plan to read next

Honestly, I’m not sure right now; I’ve got a lot on my plate for the next couple of weeks so I have a feeling my current books will keep me occupied for the next week or two.  Still, there’s no shortage of books in my TBR pile...

Fanfiction spotlight

“Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea”, by @porthos4ever.  After the events of Dark City, Daniel Schreiber finds himself in the not-entirely-uncomfortable role of potential check to John Murdoch’s godlike powers.  But as his feelings grow, so does the complexity of the role he’s assigned himself.  Can love really exist when you hold the key to your near-omnipotent beloved’s destruction?  But without it, wouldn’t the imbalance of power tear the relationship apart?

Babby here is your Swancest:

It’s been six years since… Ah, he cannot say his name. It does not belong to him. Three years since Wangji has come out of the Cold Cave. Each year that passes leaves a ring of worry around Lan Xichen’s heart, as if it were a tree trunk. Each spring he hopes that his brother will forget. Each winter he is reminded that Wangji has the elephant’s memory. And when the snow begins to fall, he thinks of love.

I mean, he plays so many stereotypes that we could totally conspiracy theory a Kiefer-extended-universe 🤣

Having never seen ‘It’, all I know is that he’s a pedophile, and David Does Not Suffer Pedo clowns. Pennyworst’s gonna get his clown head CHOMPED, surf nazi style.

thewondernanazombie replied to your post

“KGK reporting in on the long US holiday weekend hoping you all are...”

Though I love David very much, the fact that a vampire from 1800 was almost kill by a guy that had been a vampire for like one week can't be ignored. Also, he has a pretty traumatic past that Pennywise could easily use against him so, unfortunately, I think It would win this one.

this looks and sounds so good! I'm tempted to try it now                   

:D  It tasted very good, too!  If you do try it, let me know!  Or if you need more instructions on the soup, for that matter.  ;D  I realize the directions are kind of... hmm...  XD

@renkayli replied to your photo “Adventures in making congee, Take 2 Some of you may remember that last...”

I've had congee, but never like this.  Clearly, I've got to try it for myself.  Yours looks delicious.  

Thank you!  I know it’s far from the traditional flavors you would find in congee, but I figured... if I’m going to make a chicken stock, I’m going to stick with what I know.  And at least I’ll know I’ll like the stock base this time.  ^_^  And yeah, if you do try it this way, let me know!  My mom is already terribly amused that I’m effectively getting people to make chicken soup.  XD

@porthos4ever replied to your photo “Adventures in making congee, Take 2 Some of you may remember that last...”

TBF most congee I've had is super bland and boring, so I approve of this approach.  

I think because you can put like... everything and the kitchen sink in it or nothing at all?  Like, you can literally just make it with water and rice and nothing else if you want.  Which I imagine would be... fairly bland.  But you can doctor it up with like... anything, from what I read.  And given my own background, this was what made the most sense to me to try, so...  ^_^  That’s how I landed here!  ;D