The "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" Book Tag // a dive into the characters and similarities to Stargate (1994)

Hello and good tidings, all you explorers of stories!

This month the movie Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) turned 25 years old! And when it comes to this movie, I am a HUGE fan. Let's see, it has:

• Blue being the main design color for the Atlanteans (which I approve of heartily) 
• An original story for Disney in the style of Jules Vernes's work (only maybe copied from something else...stay tuned for my theory on that.)
• One of the best examples of a large cast of characters being done right where they all have their unique personalities and skills to contribute which makes each memorable.
• A self-awareness of the explorer/white savior dynamic that other films (*cough* The Road to El Dorado *cough*) are lacking, and an examination of what it means to interact with other cultures (which they could do with this fictional world in ways that are not disrespectful!) 
• Great quotes and comic relief.

Not to say it doesn't have its fair share issues (and surprises, such as one of the highest body counts in a Disney movie?), but it navigates a new territory in story, characters, and themes that Disney had not explored before. 

All that's to say, it's a delight. And I'm not the only one who thinks so, as Sally Silverscreen at 18 Cinema Lane put together a book tag to celebrate that this movie has been around for a quarter of a century (just multiply that by 340 and we get Kida's age). I'm filling it out today to join in the celebration.

Remember that excellent huge cast of characters I mentioned earlier? Each of the questions based on one of the characters! Because of that, there are SPOILERS for the movie. This movie is super nostalgic for me so I wouldn't recommend revealing the twists to yourself if you haven't seen it.

Questions:

Milo Thatch: 

Throughout the film, Milo never gives up on finding Atlantis, even when he originally faced scrutiny from the Smithsonian Institute’s board of directors. What book series do you see yourself not giving up on?: 

I didn't give up on The Queen's Thief series - by Megan Whalen Turner even though I was super tempted a time or two. But it paid off because the last book was my favorite!

As far as a series that I am still in the midst of reading go, the sequels in the Emily series - by L. M. Montgomery are #1 on my Goodreads list. I read the first book, Emily of New Moon (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4), in 2019 and keep meaning to continue the series. It hasn't happened in the last 7 years but that doesn't mean my resolve is crumbling at all!

Another one would be to read all of Agatha Christie's books. I only read a Hercule Poirot book every few years people might have thought that I've given up, but that's the not the case at all. I'm just savoring them!

Kidagakash "Kida" Nedakh:

While recounting the state of Atlantis, Kida says, “We [Atlanteans] are like a stone the ocean beats against. With each passing year a little more of us is worn away.” Which book would you save from becoming lost to time?:

The Kite Runner - by Khalid Hosseini. This is a hard, hard book. It deals with very horrific things and dark circumstances but has stuck with me even 5 years after I read it. Due to some of the subject material it has been challenged to be a banned book so I would like to save it from being lost in time in that sense. There have been criticisms that certain groups are portrayed in an overly negative light which I have no place to speak about, but aside, it is one of the most stunning works I've ever read and really opened my eyes to perspectives so vastly different from mine.

Audrey: 

As a gifted mechanic, Audrey is tasked with making sure the Ulysses submarine and the team’s vehicles run smoothly throughout the expedition. What book had a pace you thought ran smoothly?: 

Etiquette & Espionage - by Gail Carriger is not your typical "protagonist goes to a new school" book. It's cheeky and fun and has lots of mysteries and lessons for Sophronia to complete. I gobbled it up so quickly and am already working on the second book. And as a bonus that speaks to Audrey's character, there are lots of mechanical goodies as it fits in the steampunk genre.

Also, Audrey is one of my favorite characters EVER and I feel like I forget about her and need to apologize.

Vinny: 

One of Vinny’s most memorable lines is “Hey look, I made a bridge” after creating a pathway using dynamite. What literary worlds would you like to see bridged together?: 

LOVE this question (and a moment to do with "nitroglycerin" takes the cake for my favorite line of the whole film). 

My combination is not going to make a lot of sense, but I just really, really, really want more Lemony Snicket books. Because I've basically read all of them and I want more. Another book series that really reminds me of those books is The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place - by Maryrose Wood. Lemony Snicket's world is here on earth, but has a timeless quality because no reference to the actual timeframe is made. There are cars and skyscrapers and submarines and movie theaters but it could really be anytime post-1960s? Meanwhile, Miss Penelope Lumley and co. are firmly in Victorian London. 

To combine this world let's say Miss Lumley and the Incorrigibles (and Simon Harley Dickenson) somehow are transported to the future and it's up to Lemony and crew (the cast from the All the Wrong Questions series) to get them back. Because I think it would be cute to see Jake cooking food to coax Alexander, Beowolf, and Cassiopeia to eat. And Penelope being fascinated by Pip and Squeak and their driving. And Moxie trying to get interviews which only Simon takes to heart because he's used to the press as an actor. And meanwhile Lemony is the only one doing any work at the Black Cat Cafe to try to get them home.

OH and each of the characters of the respective worlds being confused about the relationship so they think Penelope is somehow related so they call her Miss Lemony instead of Miss Lumley. 

It would just be fun and cleverness would abound.

Doctor Joshua Sweet: 

According to Disney Wiki, Doctor Sweet was the first character to show Milo kindness during the Atlantis expedition. Which book character would you give kindness to?:

Owen from Becoming Naomi Leon - by Pam Muñoz Ryan. Owen is ADORABLE and PRECIOUS and legit the sweetest kid in the universe but people can be mean to him because he's a FLK (funny looking kid) due to his limp. He's so good natured he doesn't hold the teasing against anyone but that doesn't mean he should have to endure it. I just want to get him ice cream every day and help him practice riding his bike.

And if I'm hanging out with Owen that means I'll be with Naomi, too! I'd tell her she's awesome and brave and I would gush over her soap carvings.

Gaetan "Mole" Molière: 

When Milo meets Mole, he discovers Mole’s dirt collection, with each particle of dirt coming from different parts of the world. If you could collect dirt from a book’s world, where would you go?:

In Between Jobs - by W. R. Gringell there are three worlds: the main world we live in, Behind (where fae, vampires, and many other magical creatures are), and Between (which is how the worlds are bridged). Things from Between are more illusions than anything else. You're not supposed to take things from Between but that doesn't stop Pet and even though I'm a rule follower I would want to take some to see what it could later turn into.

Cookie: 

On Cookie’s chest is a tattoo of “all 38 states.” Which book would you choose out of the states represented in Cookie’s tattoo?:

From the screenshots I can find of him showing off his tattoo it's hard to see what's there, but it looks like at least: Wisconsin, West Virginia, Florida, and Texas? Those are the distinguishable shapes, then the rest of them are a bit blurred together so I'm not sure where the divisors are.

The Last Bus to Wisdom - by Ivan Doig revolves around Montana, but there's also a sizable bit where our main character Donal is on the bus to Wisconsin then when he gets there it's not how he expected it would be.

Mrs. Packard: 

According to Disney Wiki, “Packard is hardly involved during the journey to Atlantis” yet as the Officer of Communications, Mrs. Packard plays a vital role in the Atlantis expedition. Which underrated book character do you wish received more recognition?:

In The Chronicles of Narnia, the Pevensie children and Eustace and Aslan and Caspian are all very well known characters. But as the series goes on even more are introduced yet aren't as talked about as much. For example, Digory and Polly from The Magician's Nephew. I LOVE Polly. I think she's so plucky and down for anything and gets annoyed at Digory at all the right instances. Digory is also a dear. Because it's the 6th book in the series (fight me) maybe people don't get around to it and so these two are just unknown instead of underrated. Maybe with Greta Gerwig's version coming out soon they'll get some more love!

Meanwhile, as far as a character getting more recognition from the author and therefore more "screen/page time" in a book, Margaret's brother in North & South - by Elisabeth Gaskell. His role is so brief that I don't even remember his name (should we guess John? That seems typical of the period). He's only there for a couple of chapters (if that!) and serves the plot point to introduce some misunderstandings and I understand why he can't stick around but I kind of wish he could've been there for Margaret for a little longer because she's going through a time where she really needs some support. Because I'm not there to comfort my girl!

Preston B. Whitmore: 

Because of his funding, Mr. Whitmore is the reason why the Atlantis expedition happens in the first place. If you possessed a large sum of money, what book related purpose would you use the money for?:

Textbooks for students are such a tremendous expense so I would like to set up a way that they could get them for cheaper! With some subjects that are evolving, after a few years textbooks aren't even the most current knowledge so it's painful to buy them for hundreds of dollars when they can't be resold.

(Also, was it just me or did anyone else think Cookie and Mr. Whitmore were the same person for the longest time?  It was only a few years ago that I watched it and realized they were COMPLETELY different characters. They both just seemed like old white guys to me? The rest of the cast are so diverse in race and drawing style and I just associated those two as the same person.)

Kashekim Nedakh and the Queen of Atlantis: 

         

Kashekim and the Queen of Atlantis play important roles in Kida’s story, despite spending most of the movie apart. Which book couple do you wish had gotten to spend more time together?:

I feel like I bring this book up in every tag that I do, but it's gotta be All the Crooked Saints - by Maggie Steifvater. I'm in a particularly celebratory mood when it comes to this book because I finally got my younger sister to read it and then she got one of her friends to read it, too! Daniel and Marisita spend most of the book separated and we hear retroactively about some of the time they'd spent together but I want to see those scenes play out.

This is a perfect book, though, so nothing needs to be changed. I can just imagine it (and maybe make some fan art...).

Helga: 

As one of the villains, Helga is not intended to be a likable character. In your opinion, what book possesses an unlikable female character?:

Leda Fox-Cotton in I Capture the Castle - by Dodie Smith. She's not in it that much but her antagonistic role serves to show what a person looks like who only uses others for themselves (the lesson that Cassandra is learning). She does it well and I really, really, REALLY dislike her for it. Poor Stephen.

Commander Rourke:

In Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Rourke desired to locate a book called the Shepherd’s Journal. Once found, he removes one of the pages from the Shepherd’s Journal in an effort to use that page for bad intentions. Which book would you not want to see fall into a fictional villain’s hands?:

The Count of Monte Cristo - by Alexandre Dumas. Because it's a honking big book and if a villain wanted to use it as a blunt weapon they surely could. 

It's also about revenge and if you don't get through all 1200+ pages you might think that it is encouraging it. I even stalled out part way through, so I imagine a fictional villain who's really busy might not put the effort into finishing it and might be encouraged to poison people and whatnot in imitation of Edmond.

Thanks to Sally for putting those questions together! If you're a fan of Atlantis, feel free to fill it out yourself! For those of you who have seen this (which should be all of you if you made it past my spoiler warning), do any of you remember the sequel? 

I low-key loved the 2nd one growing up. Do I remember the plot? No. Do I remember that it gave me nightmares? Yes. Is it still super nostalgic? Absolutely. All I remember is that they go to a bunch of other climates like a desert and a blizzard and lava? I think I have both films on VHS that I should dig out and coax my player into working. (Editor Chloe here, turns out I don't have the sequel, so it's probably lost to time!)

I'm not sure if the sequel even has continuity or a resemblance to the original, but last year I found another movie that I think is the prototype or inspiration for Disney's work. Do you remember how earlier I said it was maybe copied from something else? My theory is it was inspired by Stargate (1994).

This movie came out 7 years before the animated adventure, but the entire time watching it I kept making connections between the two. Especially through the character archetypes and dynamics. I've only seen Stargate the once while Atlantis has been dozens of times, so I won't go into a huge analysis, just some images to demonstrate my point.

Both are action/adventures films where a group sets out to explore a far away lost culture where they discover new technologies and that the culture isn't lost at all but still alive.

Both promotional posters have pyramids/triangles and beams.

Our protagonist is sandy-blond nerd with round glasses who is the only one who knows the forgotten language.

Army green and ulterior motives? (these characters do veer in different directions but both of strong chins)

Benefactors who give the linguist the benefit of the doubt. (remember how I apparently associate old white men? I guess I associate anyone with white hair who's not an Atlantean.)

Names starting with the same letter aside, it's up to them to protect their people.

Kida is a more developed character than Sha'uri, but they both have conflicts with their fathers about trying something new instead of sticking to the way it has always been done.

sooooooo...what do you guys think?

Do you see the similarities between Stargate and Atlantis: The Lost Empire? Stargate branched off into a TV show and other movies so the first film is most likely where the similarities end, but maybe Atlantis's sequel took notes from those, too!

Do you have an Atlantis character you relate to the most? What worlds would you branch together? Any other beloved direct-to-video sequels you love? Thanks for reading!

Chloe the MovieCritic

Chloe out.

The Narnia Tag!

 Good tidings my people!

Today is the last day of April, so May is almost upon us! Is it just me, or does May scream NARNIA? The snow is melting, flowers are starting to bloom, creation and adventure is everywhere, overall Aslan is on the move. Sure, I know that most people think of March or April in what I just described, but where I live the snow doesn’t usually melt until May and flowers definitely don’t come out before Mother’s Day. It can be like this in the earlier months, but we all know that it is an illusion and it is going to snow again.

(Which I am the cause of because I am Jadis the White Witch and proud of it.)

Since I am in such a nostalgic mood for Narnia, it is the perfect time to fill out a tag! This tag was bestowed upon me by two of my favorite peeps: Olivia @ Meanwhile in Rivendell and Sarah Seele @ Sixty Something Trees. Thanks, you two! You both know my love for Narnia so I appreciate it greatly.

I’m taking a small moment to mention that there are SPOILERS AHEAD. If you haven’t read ALL SEVEN BOOKS of the Chronicles of Narnia, then read no further! The Chronicles of Narnia is my favorite book series of all time, so I really don’t want the marvelous surprises taken away from you.

Rules:

1. Thank the person who nominated you

2. Rate your degree of “Narnia fanatic” (nostalgic, serious, maniacal)

3. Answer the questions below

4. Tag 5+ bloggers

5. Have fun!

Scale of Fanaticism:

1. Nostalgic Fanatic: You read the book and/or watched the movies as a child and the word Narnia gives you a warm feeling.

2. Serious Fanatic: You rediscovered the wonder of Narnia after you were older and have read the books and watched the movies.

3. Maniacal Fanatic: You have lived Narnia from childhood, hid in closets on more occasions than is healthy, have read and watched all the movies including the BBC version.

I protest! This isn’t fair! Anyone who knows me would tell you right away that I am a Maniacal Fanatic, but according to this I wouldn’t be because I haven’t seen the BBC version. Trust me, it’s not for lack of trying! I want to see it so badly but I haven’t had a chance.

I basically live and breathe Narnia. It fills me with an unimaginable joy every time I think of it. So I am breaking the rules and am calling myself a Queen Fanatic. You can surmise what that means.

Questions:

(Note, at first I was disappointed that there were only seven questions, but then I realized that’s because there are seven books so I highly approve)

1. Who’s your favorite Pevensie sibling?

I feel a wee bit called out as Olivia said that we in the Narnia fandom tend to not pick favorites, saying that all of them are the best and wonderful in their own way. Which is so try, man! They are the best! But, Olivia chose a favorite so I must too. I’m admitting something that I have never admitted before (besides to my sister a few weeks ago). I actually do have a favorite Pevensie.

Any guesses?

I feel like this Pevensie is the least appreciated of all of them.

I have seen people specially take time to mention all three of the others, but people say that this person is just kind of there.

That isn’t true. This character is one of the most amazing characters of all time and I relate to this person in a million ways.

They are all precious, but I have to admit this one is my favorite.

Peter.

People talk about how Edmund the Just has a heart-wrenching redemption arc. People talk about how Susan the Gentle was mistreated and deserved a better ending. People talk about how Lucy the Valiant is so pure and has a goodness and faith that exceeds all things.

I agree with all of those statements 100% and don’t want to down any of them because I love them all and wouldn’t change them for the world.

I just have a special place in my heart for Peter the Magnificent and it’s probably the fault of movies and William Mosley because they were my introduction to the world and I’ve been loving it ever since.

‘At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside.....Peter felt suddenly brace and adventurous.’

Just read or watch The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Everyone is always looking up to Peter and asking him what he thinks. He has to plan an army for crying out loud! He just wants to take care of his siblings and do the best for them. He is so humble, too! He was never cruel to Lucy when they all thought that she was making Narnia up, then as soon as he found out it was real he was sorry and asked for her forgiveness.

Source

In Prince Caspian I feel so much for him as he has the responsibility of guiding them all to where Caspian is. He is the leader and has to make big decisions which are usually having to split a vote. My favorite part of the whole series is the glorious scene where he apologizes to Aslan for having lead the group wrong and Aslan says to him, “My dear son.”

My heart can’t get any fuller.

Peter is my precious son and I will love him a bit more than the others for my whole life.

(I am also super bitter that in the movie they made him and Caspian hate each other because in the book both are so respectful of the other and it is the best dynamic. But other than that the movies are my favorites)

(I wrote this all before I learned that Megan Chappie feels the same way yet she beat me to publishing her post. You should check out hers HERE)

2. What is the most underrated Narnia book?

The Last Battle.

The first time I read it I hated it like so many others do. What?? This is how it all ends?

When I reread it in May of 2018 I went in without remembering a single thing that happened. I had read it so quickly and didn’t like it that I completely forgot what happened. I love that because it gave me a new chance to see it a different way.

Source

I do protest what happens to Susan, but that is my only problem with the book. It is profoundly beautiful and majestic and a perfect ending to a brilliant series.

Shift is so horribly manipulative yet REAL. I hardcore relate to Puzzle which probably isn’t good. C. S. Lewis gave us A UNICORN. Allllllllllllllll of it is fantastic and makes me weep with joy and sadness.

3. Who is your favorite Narnian king?

Frank the cabby! His reverence at Aslan and awe of the newly created world sparks wonder in me. He makes me cry. I mean, all of the books make me cry in someway, but it doesn’t make it any less special. I know that he and his wife, Helen, were the best first king and queen of Narnia that anyone could ask for.

Source

4. Who is your favorite Narnian queen?

I can’t pick between Susan and Lucy so I will stubbornly say both of them.

Source

5. Which non-human Narnian do you like best?

Like best? Who came up with this painful question??

Aslan is the given so we aren’t even going to include him. Of all the others, I have to say...Mr. Tumnus.

Once again, the deep nostalgia for the movies is coming through. I remember watching this movie about a war and not knowing what was going to come then suddenly Lucy was in a new world with a new friend. Mr. Tumnus brings a whole new level of happiness to my life.

AND (I can’t possibly narrow it down to a single creature) Puddleglum. He is my favorite wet blanket in the whole universe. I can’t hope to say anything original about him, but I’ll say this: His loyalty never fails to make me doubt less.

6. Which book deserves a movie?

I know that a lot of people don’t want to see them as movies but it was my introduction to the world so I really, really, really do. I have been wanting to see a movie of The Silver Chair ever since The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010) came out. If they make that one (even though the actors are too old now) then they have to continue with the rest of the series!

What is the one thing you did as a Narnia fan that you do not regret?

No regrets! My birthday theme was Narnia a few years ago, I’ve hidden in closets millions of times and don’t think any of it is a waste of time.

Especially for all of the times that I’ve started at a painting of the ocean in my grandma’s basement hoping that it would move. I swore that it did once, just ever so slightly.

That’s it! A lot of people have done this tag already so I won’t nominate anyone new, but if you want to fill it out then please do! Thanks again to the ladies who tagged me!

Thanks to all of you for reading! Anyone shocked by my favorite Pevensie? Does anyone else love the movies like I do? How did you get into the Chronicles of Narnia?

MovieCritic

Inklings // July 2020: The Silver Chair

Hello, all my readers!

The first "blogging event" that I participated in, was a monthly link up called Inkling Explorations. It was hosted by Heidi, and this is how it worked: Each month she would have a prompt and bloggers could join in talking about their favorite scene from a book or movie that involved that. I participated in July 2016, August 2016, and September 2016. After that, Heidi stopped doing them.

Well, my exciting news for today is that Heidi has started them up on her blog Along the Brandywine! I am so pumped to be joining again!

July 2020's prompt: A scene on the edge of a cliff

Naturally, I'll be talking about one of the books from my favorite series, The Chronicles of Narnia! This excerpt (copied exactly from my edition) is from book 4, The Silver Chair. I love this book, and in fact, it is the only book that I have read three times! Enjoy this scene!

Note: There aren't spoilers here, as the scene I am putting happens in the first chapter, but you'll probably be very confused if you haven't read the pages that come before this.

'Right ahead there were no trees; only blue sky. They went straight on without speaking till suddenly Jill heard Scrubb say, "Look out!" and felt herself jerked back. They were at the very edge of a cliff.

Jill was one of those lucky people who have a good head for heights. She didn't mind in the least standing on the edge of a precipice. She was rather annoyed with Scrubb for pulling her back---"just as if I was a kid," she said---and she wrenched her hand out of his. When she saw how very white he had turned, she despised him.

"What's the matter?" she said. And to show that she was not afraid she stood very near the edge indeed; in fact, a good deal nearer than even she liked. Then she looked down.

She now realized that Scrubb had some excuse for looking white, for no cliff in out world is to be compared with this. Imagine yourself at the top of the very hightest cliff you know. And imagine yourself looking down to the very bottom. And them imagine that the precipice goes on below that, as far again, ten times as far, twenty times as far. And when you've looked down all that distance imagine little white things that might, at first glance, be mistaken for sheep, but presently you realise that they are clouds---not little wreathes of mist but the enormous white, puffy clouds which are themselves as big as most mountains. And at last, in between those clouds, you get your first glimpse of the real bottom, so far away that you can't make out whether it's field or wood, or land of water: further below those clouds than you are above them.

Jill stared at it. Then she thought the perhaps, after all, she would step back a foot or so from the edge; but she didn't like to for fear of what Scrubb would think. Then she suddenly decided that she didn't care what he thought, and that she would jolly well get away from that horrible edge and never laugh at anyone for not liking heights again. But when she tried to move, she found she couldn't. Her legs seemed to have turned into putty. Everything was swimming before her eyes.

"What are you doing, Pole? Come back---blithering little idiot!" shouted Scrubb. But his voice seemed to be coming from a long way off. She felt him grabbing at her. But by now she had no control over her own arms and legs. There was a moment's struggling on the cliff edge. Jill was too frightened and dizzy to know quite what she was doing, but two things she remembered as long as she lived (they often came back to her in dreams). One was that she had wrenched herself free of Scrubb's clutches; the other was that, at the same moment, Scrubb himself, with a terrified scream, had lost his balance and gone hurtling to the depths.

Fortunately she was given no time to think over what she had done. Some huge, brightly coloured animal had rushed to the edge of the cliff. It was lying down, leaning over, and (this was the odd thing) blowing. Not roaring or snorting but just blowing from its wide-opened mouth; blowing out as steadily as a vacuum cleaner sucks in. Jill was lying so close to the creature that she could feel the breath vibrating steadily through its body. She was lying still beacuse she couldn't get up. She was nearly fainting: indeed, she wished she could really faint, but faints don't come for the asking. At last she saw, far away below her, a tiny black speck floating away from the cliff and slightly upwards. As it rose, it also got further away. By the time it was nearly on a level with the cliff top it was so far off that she lost sight of it. It was obviously moving away from them at a great speed. Jill couldn't help thinking that the creature at her side was blowing it away.

So she turned and looked at the creature. It was a lion.'

Source: Art by jet097
Found on Pinterest

There you have it! You'll have to read the book to find out what happens!
Heidi will link up eveyone's posts at the end of the month, so be sure to keep an eye out HERE.

Readers, what are your thoughts on The Silver Chair, the fourth book in the Chronicles of Narnia (some say it is the sixth, but nope, don't read them that way)? Are you more like Jill or Eustace when it comes to heights? Thanks for reading, and stay safe and healthy!

MovieCritic

Book Review: Till We Have Faces - by C. S. Lewis

Hello everyone, and happy February!

Last month Olivia, who blogs at Meanwhile in Rivendell..., hosted a read-along for one of her favorite books, Till We Have Faces! I, of course, am late and just finished it today but still want to talk about it. I am going to do my regular style of review, then get into my thoughts on the last part aka book two.

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning: This is spoiler free.


Till We Have Faces - by C. S. Lewis:

This is retelling of the myth of Psyche and Cupid.
Two sisters, one whom the people called beautiful and one ugly, love each other dearly. It involves the people in their lives and the beliefs of the people of Glome.
(That is really vague, but how do I even say anything about this without giving anything away? )
Genre: Fantasy, Fiction, Retelling.
Characters: 8, the character arcs were fantastic!
My favorites:
Orual: I don't know if I can count her as a favorite, but she is our narrator and I pity as well as relate to her.
Psyche: How can you not like her? She is so good and kind.
The Fox: Thinking about him after wards I don't agree with his thoughts completely, but he is reasonable.
Bardia: He was helpful even when he wasn't sure of things and just overall loveable.
Words: 8, C. S. Lewis has some masterful storytelling.
"Child, to say the very thing you really mean, the whole of it, nothing more or less or other than what you really mean; that's the whole art and joy of words."
Quotes: 9, I don't know why, but one time the King called someone "mandrake root" as an insult cracked me up.
Content: 5, there are sacrifices, blood, killing, and death. and what I mean by that is that there are a lot, a lot, a lot, of suggestive things. I bothers me, but I need to stress to you that if you decide to read it then read it to the end because:

"And you won't understand the wonder and glory of my adventure unless you listen to the bad part."

The setting for this book is in a pagan culture. As in this book features gods, but if that bothers you know that C. S. Lewis was a Christian so you look for allegories.
Originality: 10! This story and it messages were incredible! I don't even know how to put it. This goes deep.
'But if I practiced true philosophy, as Socrates meant it, I should change my ugly soul into a fair one.'
Good For: anyone who has lost someone, C. S. Lewis fans, anyone who loves the message of beauty lies within.
Age Range: I would say this is at least PG-13 if not PG-15. I mean, anyone can read this, but there is a ton of suggestive stuff as I already said, and a lot is going on. I don't even understand half of it and feel that I need to reread this a lot of comprehend some things.
Overall Score: 8.



For the read-along:

I was not expecting it to be what it was. Where do I even begin? I finished this book a few hours ago and it almost seems like I have been walking in a daze. How do I even write some thoughts on this? I know a few things for certain: that ending was incredible, and I need to read this again sometime.
I liked being able to read the original myth after wards and see all of the differences. I also liked how Lewis included part of it in his story to make it Orual's motivation for writing her story to correct it.
An impression that I got from this is that true beauty lies in your heart and soul, not in how you look.

Favorite Quotes from the last section:

1.
'This was only the first stroke, a light one, the first snowflakes of the winter that I was entering.'

2.
'Of the things that followed I cannot say whether they were what men call real or what men call dream. And for all I can tell, the only difference is that what many see we call a real thing, and what only one sees we call a dream. But things that many see may have no taste or moment in them at all, and things that are shown only to one may be spears and water-spouts of truth from the very depth of truth.'

3.
'But by the death which is wisdom I supposed he meant the death of our passions and desires and vain opinions.'


A huge, huge thank you to Olivia for hosting this! And thanks to all of you for reading! Can any of you make more sense of this than I can?

MovieCritic

Till We Have Faces: Chapters 8-21

Hiya, all!

Time for part two of Olivia's (Meanwhile in Rivendell...) Till We Have Faces Read-Along!

I am combining two discussions in this post because I am a little late and need to catch up. Make sure to read both of Oliva's posts for chapters 8-14 and chapters 15-21.

Spoiler alert! If you haven't read Till We Have Faces don't read any more of this post! I will be talking about all my thoughts on it with no restraint.

Till We Have Faces - by C. S. Lewis: Chapters 8-21

Format: Questions and then thoughts.

Discussion Questions:

Chapters 8-14:

1.  Psyche is described before her "sacrifice" as being painted and costumed beyond recognition.  Do you see any additional Crucifixion parallels in that?  Why might Lewis incorporate any of those sort of parallels into a character who does not seem meant to be a Christ figure?

I'm drawing a blank here. I can't think of any other similarities (though I'm sure there are quite a few). And I don't know the inside of Lewis's brain, haha! Um, any thoughts from any of you?

2.  Bardia claims that "You see [the King] at his worst with women and priests and politic men.  The truth is, he's half afraid of them."  Why would the King be afraid of them?  Does he recognize some strength in them that he knows he does not possess?

I know that sometimes to the people or things that I am most afraid of I can seem rather loud and crazy because I don't want others to know that I am afraid of them, but mostly because I am trying to convince myself that there is nothing to fear. That's what I thought of when Bardia said that, though I wouldn't compare myself to the King in any other way.

3.  Orual feels it is her duty to squelch any flickers of joy after she is separated from her sister and presumes her dead.  The Bible says we are to grieve with those who grieve.  Does this mean it is wrong to take pleasure in anything (for a period of time) after we have suffered a loss?

'The grief was coming back with my strength. So was the Fox's.'

I believe there is a time for that, but then we do need to learn to grow and see the joy in things again. I really liked this bit:

'Now, flung at me like frolic or insolence there came as if it were a voice, no words, but, if you made it into words it would be, "Why should your heart not dance?"'

4.  Psyche suggests that "people are most ashamed of . . . the things they can't help".  Is this true?

I find this to be the exact opposite for me. Things that I can't change I tend to just accept and look at the bright side, but with anything that I can help or it is my fault I feel terrible about.

Chapters 15-21:

1.  When thinking about Psyche as she was before the debacle of the Great Sacrifice, Orual characterizes the time as "when she was still happy, and still mine."  How does this sum up the possessiveness of Orual's love for Psyche?  What does it say about how she views her?

Love is selfless. Orual has only ever been loved by the Fox and Psyche, where she has been abused by others. She doesn't want to let go, which I completely understand and my heart bleds for her.

2.  Lewis describes Orual's reaction to the King's potentially fatal illness in this way:  "The largeness of a world in which he was not . . . the clear light of a sky in which that cloud would no longer hang . . . freedom."  Isn't it extraordinary how the author is able to capture and convey the feelings of an abuse survivor so accurately?

Yes. I tend to feel sorry for characters like the King, but not this time because he just hurt so many people all the time and did terrible things.

3.  In this book, Lewis gives a lot of insight into the realities of life as a soldier.  How much did Lewis's own experience as a WWI veteran influence his writing, both in general and in this book?

I feel like most of Lewis's war experience is pored out through Bardia. War also gives an appreciation of life, and I feel that expressed through his writing.

A Few Ponderings:

The part where Orual convinced Psyche to take the lamp reminded me a lot of the story of Adam and Eve. I don't blame Psyche because Orual was being cruel, but there are a lot of paralells. Psyche was in a sort of paradise and then she couldn't get in again.

The way it is written takes away the suspense. I love stories told in first person, but because it is past tense you know that Orual is going to live through everything because she is writing it.

I am quite surprised where the story is going!


Personal Highlights:
(Please pardon me if my punctuation or spelling is off on these quotes. I'm listening to an audiobook so I don't know how it looks.)

Chapters 8-14:

1.
"It is these chances that nourish the beliefs of barbarians."
"How often, grandfather, have you told me that there is no such thing as chance?"
"You are right, it was an old trick of the tongue."

2.
"And don't look at my face, look at my sword! It isn't my face that's going to fight you."

3.
"And you won't understand the wonder and glory of my adventure unless you listen to the bad part."

4.
"One can't dream things like that because one's never seen things like that."

5.
'"You don't think...possibly not as a mere...hundreth chance there might be things that are real though we can't see them?"
"Certainly I do! Such things as justice, equality, the soul, or musical notes."'

6.
"A good man might be an outlaw and a runaway." (This reminded me of Robin Hood, heehee!)

7.
'"You don't believe in the divine blood of our house." I said.
"Oh yes, of all houses, all men are of divine blood for there is the God in everyman. We are all one."'

Chapters 15-21:

1.
"I've played chess too long to hazard my queen." (Yes! Chess!)

2.
'The memory of his voice and face was kept in one of those rooms of my soul that I didn't likely unlock.'

3.
'I was with book as a woman is with child.' (This is so accurate, because once you have a story idea it is with you constantly!)



Thank you so much to Olivia for hosting! As well as thanks to all of you for reading! What are your thoughts on this?

MovieCritic

Till We Have Faces Read-Along: Chapters 1-7

Hello again, everyone!

This is my first post in the second of the two read-alongs that I am participating it! This one is hosted by the lovely Olivia at Meanwhile in Rivendell... and it is all about Till We Have Faces.

I am a huge C. S. Lewis fan, but that being said I've only read The Chronicles of Narnia and Reflections on the Psalms, so as soon as I saw Olivia announce this I knew that I wanted to be part of it!
Make sure to read Olivia's post about this week's thoughts HERE.

Spoiler alert! I will be giving my thoughts all about the book Till We Have Faces, so if you haven't read it don't continue any further!

Till We Have Faces - by C. S. Lewis: Chapters 1-7

Format: Questions and then thoughts.

Discussion Questions:

1. What do you think of the book's opening line and paragraphs?  Why are they effective?

It really gives me the impression of the narrator being tired with life, and it was very effective to make me wonder how the person got that way!

2. Orual often talks about a "smell of holiness" entering (or contaminating) a space.  How could a character believably recognize holiness in a scent?  Why would Orual be repulsed by it from infancy?

I really liked Olivia's response for this one. To me the smell that Orual is referring to is the sacrifice smell of blood. That would definitely be repulsive to me and I agree with it "contaminating" a place.

3. A major element of the plot is Psyche's beauty.  Orual says, "She made beauty all around her. . . . When she picked up a toad ⎼ she had the strangest and, I thought, unchanciest love for all manner of brutes ⎼ the toad became beautiful."  Is there foreshadowing in this?  Does it remind you at all of the Beauty and the Beast fable?

The most beautiful hearts are those that show love to everything! Psyche is so sweet and caring, I can see that reflecting on the people or things that she interacts with. Oh, I hadn't thought of the Beauty and the Beast connection!

4.  What do you think of the foreshadowing that you have seen so far, in general?  Is it effective or obvious?

Um, I have absolutely no idea of what is going to happen next, so I am still interested! It is keeping me hooked!

5. The practices of the "Great Offering" ritual dictate that the offering be "bound to the Tree," and that "In the Great Offering the victim must be perfect."  Do you see a connection here to the crucifixion of Jesus?  If so, do you think it was intentional on Lewis's part?

See, this is why I love read-alongs, because things are pointed out that I would never have thought of! I do know that C. S. Lewis meant to put a lot of allegories or connections in his books, but I've also read that he didn't mean to and always was impressed with the things people pointed out in his books, so I don't know if this was one of those times or not. But, from my experience with him so far I bet that he meant to do that.

6. Orual struggles to find truth throughout the whole story.  Already, we can see her torn between the "primitive" traditions of her community priest and the rationalism of her Greek tutor.  Though we trust the Fox more, we can sense flaws even in his reasoning.  Where, between the Fox and the Priest, might truth lie?

Truth is sometimes hard to find because everyone thinks that they are right. I feel drawn more to the Fox's explainations, because overall they make more sense to me. I could be wrong, though!

7. Psyche claims (speaking of marriage) that "To leave your home ⎼ to lose you, Maia, and the Fox ⎼ to lose one's maidenhead ⎼ to bear a child ⎼ they are all deaths."  What does this assertion reveal about this culture's sexual politics?

Reading this I thought of Psyche's mother. To leave her home and all of that was certainly caused her death, but even before that she was unhappy. I do admit that this is the one part of the book that is disturbing me a tiny bit, but it is being shown as wrong and harmful.


Personal Highlights:

1.

'He had all sorts of saying to cheer himself up with: "No man can be an exile if he remembers that all the world is one city." and "Everything is as good or bad as our opinion makes it."'

2.

'All she was saying seemed to me so light, so far away from our sorrow.'

3.

'"Not even for you, Psyche, will I pity Redival, whatever the Fox says."

"Would you like to be Redival? What? No? Then she's pitiable."'

4.

"We have made little use of the Fox's teaching if we're to be scared by death"

5.

"And because it was so beautiful, it set me longing, always longing. Somewhere else there must be more of it."

I was thinking about adding some thoughts to each of those, but they speak for themselves.


Thank you to Olivia for hosting! Make sure to check out the conversation, HERE.

Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic

It's So Classic Tag!

Greetings!

Rebellious Writing is celebrating two years of blogging, and are hosting the It's So Classic Blog Party!

Awesome, right? Classics are some of my favorite books so I'm excited to fill out their tag, but it will also be really hard!

It's So Classic Tag:
Rules:
1. Link your post to Rebellious Writing (http://www.rebelliouswriting.com/)
2. Answer the questions
3. Tag at least 5 bloggers.


1.What is one classic that hasn’t been made into a movie yet, but really needs to?


*cracks knuckles* Now, this is my kind of question. The thing is, I know that there are a lot of film adaptations of classics that I haven't seen yet. I'm just going to copy Nicole and say the rest of the Chronicles of Narnia books. I love them so much! Movies of The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, The Magician's Nephew, and The Last Battle would be so great! As long as they don't mess them up! Make them like how they made The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.

2.What draws you to classics?


(Note: Most of the classics that I read were written before 1900, so that is what I'm talking about.)
Whenever I am having a reading slump, or can't find any good books I go back to the classics because I know that there is a point, a message, or a moral. I know that I can find a story that will teach me something.


3.What is an underrated classic?


North & South - by Elizabeth Gaskell! I just read it this year, thanks to a friend's suggestion, and I LOVED IT SO MUCH. Ah! But, no one has ever heard of it! Every time I mention it people ask, "Oh, is it set during the Civil War?" The question makes sense, but no, it is set in England, now go read it.

4.What is one classic that you didn’t expect to love, but ended up loving anyway?


Well, I don't love it, but I was expecting to hate Frankenstein - by Mary Shelly, but it actually is really thought provoking. The characters do some really bad things that makes you want to pull your hair out, but that is the point. It shows that there are consequences to your actions, and that if all you show someone is hate, you will turn them into a monster.

5.What is your most favorite and least favorite classics?


No! This question is way too hard! Pick one favorite out of all of the many that I love?? Fine, I'll decide.:
Most favorite: Anne of Green Gables - by L. M. Montgomery. It is so beautiful! (It is also my favorite book of all time).

Least favorite: Candide - by Voltare. It is terrible.


6.What is your favorite character from a classic? Or if that is too hard, one is your favorite classic character trope (e.g. strong and silent, quiet sidekick, etc.)


(This was the hardest. question. ever.)
Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Ever since I started The Hobbit, I loved him. I actually wrote a post about him HERE (It was one of my first, so don't judge.).


7.What’s a popular classic that you felt wasn’t actually that great?


Popular? I know that 2001: A Space Odyssey - by Arthur C. Clarke is really famous, but it is so long, not a lot happens, and it is very confusing. Not my favorite.

8.Who is your favorite classic author?


Jane Austen, of course!


9.In your opinion, what makes a classic a classic?

"A classic is a book that has never finished saying what it has to say." 
~ Italo Calvino

10.Relating to newer books, what attributes does a book need to have in order to be worthy of the title “classic”?


As I said in question #2, there has to be a deeper meaning. When reading books like A Tale of Two Cities - by Charles Dickens, and To Kill a Mockingbird - by Harper Lee, I thought that they were super boring. It was only after I finished them, and I sat back, just thinking about the stories, did I realize how truly amazing they were, and are now two of my favorites. I am currently reading Agnes Grey - by Anne Brontë, and I think that the first line in there sums up what a lot of newer books are:
'All true histories contain instruction; though, in some the treasure may be hard to find, and when found so trivial in quantity that the dry, shrivelled kernel scarcely compensates for the trouble of cracking the nut.'
Whereas, to be a classic, the message or theme might be hard to find, but when you do, it is so great, you'll never forget it.

Okay, rant over.


And I tag:
PioneerGirl
Kara Lynn
Korin
Megan Chappie

I don't know how much you guys like classics, so only do it if you want to!


Happy Blogoversary to Rebellious Writing!

Thank you so much for reading! What do you think of my answers?

MovieCritic