Avalon: Rather Misty, Apparently
Mar. 27th, 2009 11:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sophieisgodSo I finally got around to finishing The Mists of Avalon. Seriously, it has taken me, like, three months BUT THAT IS ONLY BECAUSE I KEPT GETTING BORED OF BORING IGRAINE AND FRUSTRATED AND HAVING TO THROW THE PAPERBACK BRICK ACROSS THE ROOM. Not having the internet drove me to finish it. And, well. It's a weird one.
SOME THINGS THAT I THOUGHT
+ I really did not care much for Igraine at all, although I did quite like the idea of Igraine/Uther as, like, ~mystical lovers across time and space~ or whatever that was.
+ The thing I just could not get past was WHY THE DEVIL EVERYONE, AND I MEAN EVERYONE, WAS IN LOVE WITH LANCELET. I JUST, HE WAS SUCH A FUCKING DOUCHEBAG. Even Morgaine was stuck on him FOR YEARS, FOR NO REASON, and she was mostly sensible! And everyone keeps talking about how good he is, but he really isn't, AND HE BASICALLY HAS NO PERSONALITY AND IS JUST PRETTY, AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON HOW EVERY SINGLE FUCKING CHARACTER IS OBSESSED WITH BEAUTY. CHRIST. And Gwenhwyfar/Lancelot was just so much blech with basically nothing behind it. ALTHOUGH I DID ENJOY HER INSINUATION THAT "HOMG YOU ONLY SLEPT WITH ME BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO BADTOUCH ARTHUR".
+ Ohhh, Gwenhyfar. I AM SO TORN. Because on one hand, y'know, she never asked to be given to Arthur, and she had all those agorophobia issues, and I feel bad that she was so brainwashed by priests and patriarchy and whatever and I WANTED SO MUCH TO BE ABLE TO LIKE HER. BUT THEN. SHE KEPT DOING THESE AWFUL THINGS LIKE FORCING ARTHUR TO PUT ASIDE THE PENDRAGON BANNER, WHICH MADE ME REALLY REALLY IRRATIONALLY ANGRY. I hated how much she seemed to hate ALL THE OTHER FEMALE CHARACTERS; she basically had nothing but negative thoughts about any of them, just endless not-particularly-varied variations on the theme of WHORE and SORCERESS and WANTON and so on. UGH. Which would have been fine and consistent and whatever WERE SHE NOT HAVING IT OFF WITH LANCELET. OR THINKING ABOUT HAVING IT OFF WITH LANCELET. ONE OF THE TWO. ALL THE TIME. I just, HYPOCRISY!
+ Ohhh, Arthur. BROKE MY HEART, BUT ALSO NEEDS TO GROW A PAIR.
+ Lots of nicely ambiguously powerful ladies, WHICH IS A DEFINITE GOOD THING. Morgaine I found really difficult to get a handle on for the entire novel; the whole Accolon OMG MUST HAVE POWER interlude I found a bit jarring, but she was generally fascinating. I actually really liked Morgause, for the most part, which I wasn't expecting. I think out of everyone, she was the most honest with herself, so good for her. And Viviane, of course, or as I like to think of her, THE PUPPETMASTER AHAHAHA.
+ I think I was effectively actively shipping Merlin/Nimue(h)? WEIRD. And I also liked Kevin/Morgaine. I pretty much just really liked Kevin. MERLIN IS APPARENTLY MY FOREVER GIRL WHATEVER FORM HE TAKES.
+ OH GOD I SUPPOSE THIS MAKES ME REALLY SHALLOW BUT AFTER READING THIS I AM SO GLAD MY MERLIN EXISTS. Arthur needs friends! He needs people to stand up to him! He needs to not be fucked up by having sex with his sister (although awwww, Arthur/Morgaine was misguidedly very sweet in its incestuous way. Kinda)! HE NEEDS MERLIN, DAMMIT. And Gwen! Lovely, lovely, kindhearted Gwen who is going to be an awesome queen because she is politically aware and has much potential for badassery! ILU GWEN ♥ I would, however, very much like to have Gareth and Gawaine on the show. SOME OF THE KNIGHTS TO BE ACTUAL CHARACTERS, PLZ.
+ Whatever I have spewed up there, the book was rather gripping. And, I will not tell a lie, I have procured the miniseries. WE SHALL SEE IF MICHAEL VARTAN CAN MAKE ME NOT HATE LANCELET.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS, MY LOVELIES?
Also, because I have been playing it with the divine![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
darkangsty42, SHAG, MARRY, PUSH OFF A CLIFF! Give me three characters in the comments, and I'll do the same, AND THE FUN WILL NEVER EVER END.
How are you? ♥
SOME THINGS THAT I THOUGHT
+ I really did not care much for Igraine at all, although I did quite like the idea of Igraine/Uther as, like, ~mystical lovers across time and space~ or whatever that was.
+ The thing I just could not get past was WHY THE DEVIL EVERYONE, AND I MEAN EVERYONE, WAS IN LOVE WITH LANCELET. I JUST, HE WAS SUCH A FUCKING DOUCHEBAG. Even Morgaine was stuck on him FOR YEARS, FOR NO REASON, and she was mostly sensible! And everyone keeps talking about how good he is, but he really isn't, AND HE BASICALLY HAS NO PERSONALITY AND IS JUST PRETTY, AND DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON HOW EVERY SINGLE FUCKING CHARACTER IS OBSESSED WITH BEAUTY. CHRIST. And Gwenhwyfar/Lancelot was just so much blech with basically nothing behind it. ALTHOUGH I DID ENJOY HER INSINUATION THAT "HOMG YOU ONLY SLEPT WITH ME BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO BADTOUCH ARTHUR".
+ Ohhh, Gwenhyfar. I AM SO TORN. Because on one hand, y'know, she never asked to be given to Arthur, and she had all those agorophobia issues, and I feel bad that she was so brainwashed by priests and patriarchy and whatever and I WANTED SO MUCH TO BE ABLE TO LIKE HER. BUT THEN. SHE KEPT DOING THESE AWFUL THINGS LIKE FORCING ARTHUR TO PUT ASIDE THE PENDRAGON BANNER, WHICH MADE ME REALLY REALLY IRRATIONALLY ANGRY. I hated how much she seemed to hate ALL THE OTHER FEMALE CHARACTERS; she basically had nothing but negative thoughts about any of them, just endless not-particularly-varied variations on the theme of WHORE and SORCERESS and WANTON and so on. UGH. Which would have been fine and consistent and whatever WERE SHE NOT HAVING IT OFF WITH LANCELET. OR THINKING ABOUT HAVING IT OFF WITH LANCELET. ONE OF THE TWO. ALL THE TIME. I just, HYPOCRISY!
+ Ohhh, Arthur. BROKE MY HEART, BUT ALSO NEEDS TO GROW A PAIR.
+ Lots of nicely ambiguously powerful ladies, WHICH IS A DEFINITE GOOD THING. Morgaine I found really difficult to get a handle on for the entire novel; the whole Accolon OMG MUST HAVE POWER interlude I found a bit jarring, but she was generally fascinating. I actually really liked Morgause, for the most part, which I wasn't expecting. I think out of everyone, she was the most honest with herself, so good for her. And Viviane, of course, or as I like to think of her, THE PUPPETMASTER AHAHAHA.
+ I think I was effectively actively shipping Merlin/Nimue(h)? WEIRD. And I also liked Kevin/Morgaine. I pretty much just really liked Kevin. MERLIN IS APPARENTLY MY FOREVER GIRL WHATEVER FORM HE TAKES.
+ OH GOD I SUPPOSE THIS MAKES ME REALLY SHALLOW BUT AFTER READING THIS I AM SO GLAD MY MERLIN EXISTS. Arthur needs friends! He needs people to stand up to him! He needs to not be fucked up by having sex with his sister (although awwww, Arthur/Morgaine was misguidedly very sweet in its incestuous way. Kinda)! HE NEEDS MERLIN, DAMMIT. And Gwen! Lovely, lovely, kindhearted Gwen who is going to be an awesome queen because she is politically aware and has much potential for badassery! ILU GWEN ♥ I would, however, very much like to have Gareth and Gawaine on the show. SOME OF THE KNIGHTS TO BE ACTUAL CHARACTERS, PLZ.
+ Whatever I have spewed up there, the book was rather gripping. And, I will not tell a lie, I have procured the miniseries. WE SHALL SEE IF MICHAEL VARTAN CAN MAKE ME NOT HATE LANCELET.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS, MY LOVELIES?
Also, because I have been playing it with the divine
darkangsty42, SHAG, MARRY, PUSH OFF A CLIFF! Give me three characters in the comments, and I'll do the same, AND THE FUN WILL NEVER EVER END.How are you? ♥
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-03-28 03:04 am (UTC)OH MY GOD FELICITY/MORGANA. THAT IS JUST - WOW. I WILL TRY MY BEST TO GET A HANDLE ON THE FIERCENESS.
Marry: JARED - He's such a fun and adorable bundle of LOVE. Also, PRETTY HOT.
Shag: Jensen - I CANNOT WAIT FOR HIM TO SHOW UP IN SMALLVILLE AND HOPEFULLY GET SHIRTLESS
Cliff: JDM - I mean, I like him, but not THAT much.
ATTACK OF THE L'S. Lana Lang, Lionel Luther, Lois Lane.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-28 03:13 am (UTC)YOU MAY NEED GLOVES. FIERCE ONES. Here is some fierce to help you along!
Marry: Lionel, for many reasons, not least of which is the chance to USE HIS SHAMPOO, GOOD GRAVY
Shag: Lois! If only because she's related to Chloe! FIERCENESS MUST BE AT LEAST PARTIALLY GENETIC.
Cliff: SORRY LANA, YOU WORE ME DOWN.
Jenny, Blair, Serena.
no subject
Date: 2009-03-28 03:19 am (UTC)OHHHH MARTHA! I LOVE YOU ALWAYS.
Marry: Serena, most definitely. I adore Blair, but, er, in a theoretical sense only. I WOULD NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS WANT TO MARRY HER, EVER.
Shag: Blair! Leighton Meester is freaking HOT.
Cliff: Jenny. GOD, LITTLE HUMPHREY, WHEN DID YOUR AWESOME POINTS GO INTO THE NEGATIVES???
ALSO: Head!Six, Caprica!Six, Gina-from-Pegasus!Six
no subject
Date: 2009-03-28 03:39 am (UTC)THIS GIF SERVES NO PURPOSE. I JUST ENJOY IT A LOT.
Marry: Caprica! She seems a nurturing sort.
Shag: Head!Six! TWO WORDS: RED. DRESS.
Cliff: Poor broken Gina. OH SHOW, MUST YOU DESTROY EVERYTHING? Don't answer that.
Lee, Helo, Anders.
ALSO, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT. Did I make you read this (http://derryere.livejournal.com/112470.html) yet? BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO READ IT. And also, there is J2 Chasing Liberty fic in the world. AHAHAHAHA.