Caitie ([info]caitiedidit) wrote,
@ 2007-09-22 23:06:00
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Entry tags:avatar, books

Will of Unsteel
I so brought this completely upon myself. Believe me, I realize this. But I'm at the end of New Moon where Bella is telling her dad that she is going to MOVE OUT because he expresses concern about her getting back together with Edward Cullen after she's only just managed to fight her way out of the depression she'd spiraled into following their breakup, and I just... I am so completely and utterly repulsed by this relationship. I am a little concerned that it is so popular, because it is just way too fucked up to be the focal point of a series for teenaged girls. (And not in a good, dramatic or interesting way. Like in a seriously unhealthy way.)

It's all my fault, I know. I was not even going to complain about this until I couldn't help it any longer. I mean, I feel ridiculous even admitting that I'm reading them because it was so OBVIOUS that they are not the books for me. But then a f'lister posted the html files and I could not resist the FREE. I've been so masochistically curious because they're so popular. I suck, I know.

I wanted to talk about Avatar, but I don't have much to say.

They are still being ambiguous about whether or not Aang died in the Avatar State. Aang notes that he wasn't just hurt; he says it was "worse" and that Katara brought him back. Katara says she doesn't know what she did exactly, but she does mention that she used the spirit water. I remember one of the producers in the commentary saying that Katara's spirit water wouldn't have worked on Zuko's scar because the water is only truly powerful if you have a spiritual connection to the person you are healing. The stronger the connection, the more powerful the water, and who has a stronger spiritual connection than Aang and Katara? So she could still have brought Aang back to life; Aang could still have canonically died in the Avatar State. Whether or not that means anything of significance wrt the Avatar State, I guess we'll find out.

Anyway. I very much liked the premiere. It kind of pisses me off that Zuko's next move is going to involve sending assassins after Aang & Co. Like it's not already fucked up enough that he may have facilitated the death of the Avatar? I wanted to like Mai/Zuko, but I just don't care. While they were kissing, I just felt kind of sorry for her. Zuko is so surly! Her gothiness is no match for his manpain. I missed Iroh.

ETA: My sister made the point that if all the Fire Nation people have those golden eyes, it's going to be a little difficult for Katara and Sokka to fit in. (But probably they don't.) Most everyone we've met from the Fire Nation is very light-skinned, as well.


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[info]chocolatepot
2007-09-23 03:27 am UTC (link)
I remember one of the producers in the commentary saying that Katara's spirit water wouldn't have worked on Zuko's scar because the water is only truly powerful if you have a spiritual connection to the person you are healing.

My Zutaranity takes this as foreshadowing that Katara and Zuko will therefore develop a spiritual connection. HOBVIOUSLY.

Because nothing is a match for his manpain except for Katara's rage.

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[info]caitiedidit
2007-09-23 06:51 pm UTC (link)
Have you seen the official comic about how Zuko and Mai got together? It made it a little less random but I still... don't care?

And Zutaranity = Zutrara plus INSANITY?

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[info]chocolatepot
2007-09-23 07:02 pm UTC (link)
Aww, that's loldorable! Although what gets him in the end is Iroh, so ha!

Zutaranity was just supposed to = Zutaranness, but it is also that, yes.

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[info]themis
2007-09-23 03:35 am UTC (link)
Your thoughts on Stephanie Meyer = my thoughts on Stephanie Meyer. Even down to the FREE bit.

Edward is not even cool in a stupid way, either. He's just a dick!

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[info]ameterasu
2007-09-23 04:54 am UTC (link)
Honestly, I don't understand why everybody (the majority of my female friends, sigh) makes such a big deal out of the Stephanie Meyer books. I just never really got into them. I made it into 100 pages of Twilight before I was just like...meh...and gave up, before going to reread Deathly Hallows. But even in the 100 pages I read of Twilight, the whole Bella/Edward thing so did not do it for me. Not in the least.

How does Edward have rabid fangirls? He makes me want to beat him over the head with something heavy and iron. SRSLY. *dies*

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[info]caitiedidit
2007-09-24 08:19 pm UTC (link)
*high fives*

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[info]bohue
2007-09-23 01:46 pm UTC (link)
All my friends at school are like TWILIGHT! VAMPIRES! EDWARD IS MAH LUVER! The Edward and Bella relationship is so fucked up. Have you read Twilight where Edward was watching Bella sleep without her knowing and she was expressing gratitude for it when she found out? I gave up at that point and threw my book against the wall. He's a freaking vampire! It's creepy and stalkerish!

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[info]caitiedidit
2007-09-24 08:10 pm UTC (link)
I think it says a lot that in the grand scheme of things, I don't find that particularly creepy in comparison to the rest of the book. Like how about the fact that Bella is 17 and Edward is a 110+ year old man? (I don't care what he looks like on the outside; Bella is still a "child" where he is concerned.) Or how about the fact that Bella is TOTALLY GOING TO BECOME A VAMPIRE to be with him. A VAMPIRE. Like, the other vampires are taking bets about how many people she'll slip up and KILL during her first few months as a newborn vampire. SHE'S DOING THIS FOR A BOY.

Oh, excuse me, he is not just a boy! He is not even the SUN or her SOULMATE (in her own words, that would be Jacob, her BFF who totally got the shaft). HE IS THE CENTER OF HER UNIVERSE AND HER WHOLE LIFE EXISTENCE. I mean, I'm not being hyperbolic here. This is what she actually says!

So, yeah, the watching her sleep part does not even begin to cover the CREEPY in this relationship. WTF.

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[info]themis
2007-09-25 02:38 am UTC (link)
HE IS THE CENTER OF HER UNIVERSE AND HER WHOLE LIFE EXISTENCE. I mean, I'm not being hyperbolic here. This is what she actually says!

I AM HEATHCLIFF.

Whatever. That's only the least bit convincing when Ralph Fiennes is involved.

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[info]caitiedidit
2007-09-25 02:49 am UTC (link)
My favorite part of Wuthering Heights is Catherine 2.0/Hareton. TRUE STORY.

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[info]mardia
2007-09-23 11:36 pm UTC (link)
I am so completely and utterly repulsed by this relationship. I am a little concerned that it is so popular, because it is just way too fucked up to be the focal point of a series for teenaged girls.

Oh my God, YES. Just...yes. Words cannot express how much I HATED the Edward/Bella relationship. God, HATE. Especially when Jacob--who I adore--is fantastic and awesome and SO TOTALLY THE BETTER CHOICE. GOD.

That said, Eclipse is a little bit better, and you can read my review of it if you're curious why.

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[info]caitiedidit
2007-09-24 08:18 pm UTC (link)
I just finished Eclipse. I do not know that it was better! I prefer the Jacob of New Moon, and although I appreciate that Meyer gave weight (that I never expected, honestly) to Bella and Jacob's relationship, it only made me more squicked by Edward/Bella. I mean, she could have this great life with Jacob, buuut she's going to kill herself and lose her soul and put herself in a position where she'll be a danger to other people ALL FOR A BOY? And marry him even though she sort of possibly doesn't want to? It creeeeeps me out. Creeeeeeepy.

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[info]aea
2007-09-24 04:48 pm UTC (link)
I just don't know why I dig those Twilight books. *hangs head in shame*
I kinda love how there *are* so many women who don't find Edward all that. All the comms and avatars would have me believing otherwise.
:P

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[info]caitiedidit
2007-09-24 08:02 pm UTC (link)
There were parts that I liked! Like, for instance, Jacob was totally LOVE, pre-werewolfication. And, actually, a lot of the werewolf stuff (the history, the imprinting, the bonds between the pack) was really interesting to me. I found it a lot more original and interesting than anything that was going on with the vampires, actually.

Anyway, I know what you mean! From the fandom and the icons I see, I was sort of thinking that everyone just loooooves Edward Cullen and Bella/Edward. But, heh, that's not the case if my f'list is any indication.

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[info]aea
2007-09-26 02:23 pm UTC (link)
I think the author didn't originally intend for the books to be YA. She said she started writing a sequel but realized it was too adult for her audience. I wish the books weren't labeled as YA; not that I don't love YA, but I think it can sometimes limit the work. However, the author is Mormon, so she probably wouldn't go crazy Broadway style if the books were adult. She is also a huge fan of Edward. :/

I love Jacob, but he can be a pain in the ass, too. He's still young. I would prefer a warm, soft body to a hard, cold one though. :D

I like how fucked up Edward and Bella are together, but I'm sure there are some younger readers that can't see them as anything other than tragically romantic, and might be a bit pissed about any insinuation that this is not a healthy relationship.

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[info]rhienelleth
2007-09-26 06:20 pm UTC (link)
Here via friendsfriends, and I just have to say on the Twilight books - ITA with you 100%!! When the third book came out and there was all this hype surrounding it (I had never heard of them before), I just had to pick up the first two and see what was what.

I won't be picking up the third. The first one just...took some slogging to get through. And the second? Spending 80% of a book with your POV character in serious depression is why I put down Anne Rice back in the day. God. Bella's whole entire existence is Edward, and without him she might as well not exist at all appears to be the message. GREAT MESSAGE! I prefer my heroines to be as strong as the heroes they're with. She should have been angry he left like that.

Anyway. I was completely disgusted. And to listen to some people talk about these books, you'd think they were the first vampire books ever written! I watched one of the promos for that new show Moonlight on youtube the other day, and one of the commenters left a comment saying "This is just like Twilight, what a ripoff". Seriously?? The mind boggles! The ONLY thing, thank God, the two seem to have in common is the vampire element.

Erm...sorry for going on and on. God, those books hit one of my author/reader buttons.

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[info]caitiedidit
2007-09-26 09:09 pm UTC (link)
Bella's whole entire existence is Edward, and without him she might as well not exist at all appears to be the message. GREAT MESSAGE!

YES, exactly! That is EXACTLY the problem. And the fact that we are ostensibly supposed to find this romantic gives me the heebee jeebees.

I watched one of the promos for that new show Moonlight on youtube the other day, and one of the commenters left a comment saying "This is just like Twilight, what a ripoff".

Heeee. If Moonlight ripped anything off, it was totally Angel.

Anyway, do not apologize! It's always nice to get interesting comments (um, especially when people are agreeing with me!) and it was pretty cool to see your name in my inbox because I was a huge fan of your Sarkney fic once upon a time. (Feel free to tell me that I am crazy and that this was not you, but I am pretty sure it was!)

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[info]rhienelleth
2007-09-26 09:22 pm UTC (link)
Wow, surreal moment! Thank-you. :) Nope, you are not crazy - it is definitely me. I still love Illusions, actually, even five years later.

Ah, Sarkney. They will forever be my OTP. Sark is one of those characters I can just pick up and write, even though it's been years. Which is nice, because I frequently miss him/them.

*is nostalgic now*

If Moonlight ripped anything off, it was totally Angel.

SO TRUE! That was my first thought upon seeing the promos.

FYI, if you want to read a really well written/1000 times better vampire themed YA, try out Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. I really, really enjoyed it, and it's the first in a series.

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