tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47537909735625315832024-03-22T12:10:24.565+00:00INKY SQUIGGLES A nook for the bookish.sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-9550399649566557032024-01-31T16:42:00.010+00:002024-02-09T10:36:24.235+00:00Bad Editors: Employer Red Flags to Watch Out For When Seeking Copyediting Work<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZsA5dBHhAR0jWTIqyRtvz_GDMcnhYmlH2Jsy7J0lNBF918NTAHObxIiKKU8olPy-OAOTS7c9055QkPxaO2CJ5A3SY_NI44cDUZwmRMPegX9g2QvJT3mn0FjZY_bJHSVEtW-vasrbIWwINKN3c6BmarLMCdCmGgCgl9HwTamhuFphVRWEYaEkz-CyxGkT/s1078/jjonahjameson.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="1078" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ZsA5dBHhAR0jWTIqyRtvz_GDMcnhYmlH2Jsy7J0lNBF918NTAHObxIiKKU8olPy-OAOTS7c9055QkPxaO2CJ5A3SY_NI44cDUZwmRMPegX9g2QvJT3mn0FjZY_bJHSVEtW-vasrbIWwINKN3c6BmarLMCdCmGgCgl9HwTamhuFphVRWEYaEkz-CyxGkT/w640-h360/jjonahjameson.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>J. Jonah Jameson, the editor everyone loves to hate, in</i> Marvel Knights Spider-Man</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div>The internet is teeming with people and companies marketing ultra-competitive editing and proofreading services. For the UK market alone, there's Dissertation Britain, British Proofreading, London Proofreaders, Oxbridge Editing, Cambridge Editing... and ever on. Quantity doesn't denote quality, however (Oxbridge 'connection' or no), and such a competitive landscape inevitably breeds <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-road-goes-ever-on-whatculture-and.html" target="_blank">unscrupulous individuals</a> who run their businesses like the editing equivalent of a sausage factory. I should know – I worked for one early in my editing career, after all (my ex-employer would probably even agree with this assessment; he 'hilariously' referred to the company as a 'sausage factory' on more than one occasion).<br /><br />While their services might be comparatively cheap, you wouldn't want to pay for a manuscript with the editorial integrity of reconstituted mystery meat (this could actually work out more expensive if you then have to pay someone else to go over it again) – so it goes without saying that you probably shouldn't work for such a company if you can help it, either. When speed and volume are prioritised above all else, it's not just the quality of the edit that suffers – it's the editors, too. <br /><br />However, even the most discerning of applicants can find themselves in such positions, especially at the start of their career, as Helen Hughes, associate professor at Leeds Business School <a href="https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20230111-the-companies-that-churn-through-young-workers#:~:text=%E2%80%9CGraduates%20can%20find%20themselves%20vulnerable,not%20have%20the%20best%20conditions.%E2%80%9D" target="_blank">explains</a>: 'Graduates can find themselves vulnerable to exploitation where they haven't acquired the experience to know what's OK and what's not'. This issue is compounded by a lack of choices due to a flooded market and pressure to establish oneself and 'pay one's dues'. <br /><br />But in an industry where high volumes of work and relatively low pay are standardised, how can you tell what's acceptable and what's not? When does challenging cross over into exploitative? Or is an element of exploitation simply baked into industry practices – or the working world as a whole? The following are some of the most glaring red flags I've encountered – both as a jobseeker and former card-carrying 'sausage factory' worker.<br /><br /><b>High volumes of work in unreasonably narrow time frames<br /></b><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_VE_Vf4VA6_T3BlInrFN7t_8GjSIPrq_FVEXaZKDGIPe4dHcOvcLk8jrK6z7Bo8TzdmMiIDfoZXv-jSN-zrrVHy0gsiW45OlSxlzGPFMdLgv3RE0_80YIS-_eVBEzl6FMkANxU23D4sseJ8Sp7-TtIMOZZYYt2TWGNRzAMm5QCqLe3Q3JHCSWM2APst7/s730/one%20million%20words.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="369" data-original-width="730" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_VE_Vf4VA6_T3BlInrFN7t_8GjSIPrq_FVEXaZKDGIPe4dHcOvcLk8jrK6z7Bo8TzdmMiIDfoZXv-jSN-zrrVHy0gsiW45OlSxlzGPFMdLgv3RE0_80YIS-_eVBEzl6FMkANxU23D4sseJ8Sp7-TtIMOZZYYt2TWGNRzAMm5QCqLe3Q3JHCSWM2APst7/w400-h203/one%20million%20words.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">1,000,000 words by tomorrow? Sure thing. You want fries with that?</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Many publishing houses, especially independent ones, operate on narrow profit margins. Couple this with the endless – and cheapened – proliferation of content in the digital age and the public's increased appetite for fresh media, and it's unsurprising that high workloads with fast turnarounds are something of a feature of the digital media landscape. In fact, I've seen <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2016/01/excellent-telephone-manor-required-how.html" target="_blank">'fast-paced environment'</a> emphasised on so many job listings that it's basically become a badge of honour. <br /><br />While this might be common, I don't think that makes this a positive or healthy expectation. It's an unfortunate byproduct of an undervalued industry as well as a toxic, work-centred culture. This culture can lead to employees being habitually pressurised to work overtime (paid or not) or even edit sloppily simply to inflate their workload ('You need to be making <i>more</i> errors,' as my former editorial supervisor/factory foreman once told me). <br /><br />Nevertheless, there's a spectrum of reasonability, and if there's a significant fixation on word count targets or pay is defined by this figure rather than the time you've spent on a job, the employer in question might just be part of the problem.<p></p><p>Look out, too, for misleading job listings that hide behind attractive-sounding fixed hourly rates that are actually based on an assumed (and typically unrealistically high) volume of output, making the pay much more variable and, predictably, lower. Agreed-on freelance rates based on word counts where the quality of the text has been assured (e.g., it has already been copyedited) are fairer, however.<br /><br />Services like 'VIP' edits can compound this systemic issue; instead of allotting an appropriate amount of time to each job based on its length and complexity, clients can simply pay more for their work to be turned around faster (though not necessarily to a higher standard). In practice, these more lucrative jobs were never turned down at the company I worked at, regardless of how busy we were, and editors were simply expected to meet the demands of this increased load by whatever means possible. <br /><br />Rather than expecting concessions on the part of the editor in terms of their time and standards, therefore, a good editing company shouldn't be afraid to occasionally hold off on – or even turn down – work when it exceeds their capacity.</p><p><span style="font-weight: bold;"><b>Overly competitive pricing</b></span><br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4xE2zxnbDylRENrB1QdQ13sOFIAzLQd2zKEyryqZcpD7U4yDIxbXPvHw594FzoIMZt3vsoGX8Wr3CzWnLSW00wn4JfI-aKjO4fHHTw_fIO2LxbKHutkFCmlA8UzxpmHdTz3oM2W3v1ditBQ8MlydLvaSRSVyRmln4fKSsUnA3k667yLue-CxVYXOvAYz/s632/proofers.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="316" data-original-width="632" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4xE2zxnbDylRENrB1QdQ13sOFIAzLQd2zKEyryqZcpD7U4yDIxbXPvHw594FzoIMZt3vsoGX8Wr3CzWnLSW00wn4JfI-aKjO4fHHTw_fIO2LxbKHutkFCmlA8UzxpmHdTz3oM2W3v1ditBQ8MlydLvaSRSVyRmln4fKSsUnA3k667yLue-CxVYXOvAYz/w400-h200/proofers.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Where to begin with how much is wrong about this? (This won't all go to the editor, either.)</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p></p><p>Editing is an involved and complex process, with innumerable considerations besides spelling and grammar, including sentence and text structure, formatting, length, house style, tone, logic, legal issues, contents pages, indexes and references. There's a reason why companies still need to contract human editors and don't simply rely on AI or tools such as spell check or Grammarly (check the CIEP's suggested minimum rates for freelance proofreading/editing <a href="https://www.ciep.uk/resources/suggested-minimum-rates/" target="_blank">here</a>. Spoiler: it works out to a bit more than £6.99 per 1,000 words).</p><p>Ultra-low pricing is, therefore, a cardinal red flag – and the underlying cause of many of the issues mentioned here. While low, low prices can attract more clients, this also entails a lower calibre of work – and higher demands of editors, who are pushed to edit faster and with less care just to turn a profit. (Clients aren't necessarily more understanding if something escapes your notice, either.) The cost of low prices is, of course, almost always passed on to employees rather than employers.</p><p>However, many 'content mill' editing companies side-step this issue by focusing their recruitment efforts on the student and recent graduate labour market as salary and job quality expectations will be lower. Employee turnover will undoubtedly be high, but companies can exploit a constantly replenishable labour supply in the form of bright-eyed (if only briefly) graduates who may feel less able to advocate for themselves due to their lack of experience. <br /><br />These companies can also get away with sloppy standards as they often rely on a source of work that promises abundant demand but limited scrutiny: the international market, especially students applying or submitting work to English-speaking universities. While many such study abroad students have cash to burn, as they're generally non-native English speakers, they won't always be able to call out finer linguistic issues with an edit.<br /><br />Such jobs will rope you in with how accessible they seem (e.g., they might be remote, available to recent graduates or directly connected to your degree) but are unlikely to have any real growth potential – their entire model is based on low prices and rates of pay but ultra-high volume, after all. Even if you do decide to take up such a role, therefore, whether for experience or money, don't stay any longer than necessary. You can do better, but the company never will so long as they keep turning a profit. </p><p><b>Unrealistic claims about breadth of company qualifications and expertise<br /><br /></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKPkGeIF9EZ10uCVnbh1dTiQgpgtyG7AtffqyOA0QfE6NRl0vIICSM5N7SRsxxLz9D8dH-y-FKnwflFfsNyU_Hut2p22EP6nWG_DLiOy-3gFpupwl4dBwfeE2O9UHco2QW3fCOTWMTtX8vjbc3x6DGaHoOa2nwDKfVdDzAhXRm8exGm400D38MsCxtYQg/s1146/editors%20in%20every%20field.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="136" data-original-width="1146" height="77" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKPkGeIF9EZ10uCVnbh1dTiQgpgtyG7AtffqyOA0QfE6NRl0vIICSM5N7SRsxxLz9D8dH-y-FKnwflFfsNyU_Hut2p22EP6nWG_DLiOy-3gFpupwl4dBwfeE2O9UHco2QW3fCOTWMTtX8vjbc3x6DGaHoOa2nwDKfVdDzAhXRm8exGm400D38MsCxtYQg/w640-h77/editors%20in%20every%20field.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Editors experienced in every possible field but no specifics to back it up. Sounds legit.</i></span> </td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Despite charging clients such competitive rates, predatory editing companies will sell themselves on how educated and expert their editors are, with specialists in every discipline available 24/7. Much like a restaurant, however, the broader the menu, the lower the food quality is likely to be. When a company seems able to offer anything to anyone at any time, they're likely more focused on maximising profits than providing an expert editing service. <br /><br />The business might be much smaller than indicated, and the behind-the-scenes reality is each editor having to step into a diverse array of roles depending on the availability of work or editors, with shapeshifting identities to match. Of course, you might not need expert-level knowledge of a field to be able to provide a competent editing service, but when the company is cultivating that expectation in clients, this can put undue pressure on editors. <br /><br />Alternatively, the company might have a worryingly bloated supply of editors on their books to ensure round-the-clock coverage. It's a demoralising feeling to be congratulated on securing a 'job' after completing editing tests and providing evidence of your further qualifications only to find you have to 'bid' for jobs... almost like any other freelancer. They won't have any qualms about swelling their ranks with more editors, either, as they'll only pay for each completed job rather than an hourly wage. This also insures them as the variable availability of work will result in high turnover. <br /><br />Morale? Never heard of her.<p></p><p><b>No standards on work accepted (entailing duties beyond your job description)<br /></b><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejy2XZTTFkdfJrxD0f4l0jqMS07IgxEVxbV9a513B2SK74v4YQMkTAoOHBOvEYn4wyPRrtzU7QBFkOMGQAKMo5tcQahfiUhrABiGAqDOZpmKjzQySe6h2Ozh5Bu3PQtKp9ekpmwArzThW67Nl4yx6tvhnBBCzMHjugZGaLu7FrACd1-xuLkunM3Sh78_f/s620/rewriting.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="149" data-original-width="620" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgejy2XZTTFkdfJrxD0f4l0jqMS07IgxEVxbV9a513B2SK74v4YQMkTAoOHBOvEYn4wyPRrtzU7QBFkOMGQAKMo5tcQahfiUhrABiGAqDOZpmKjzQySe6h2Ozh5Bu3PQtKp9ekpmwArzThW67Nl4yx6tvhnBBCzMHjugZGaLu7FrACd1-xuLkunM3Sh78_f/w400-h96/rewriting.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Yeah, this... isn't proofreading.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>It might seem counterintuitive, but a manuscript should meet certain quality standards before editing. Proofreading, meanwhile, is appropriate only for writing of very high quality or after copyediting has already taken place. This is because while the editor can correct, clarify and crystallise the voice of a writer, this shouldn't be confused with the writing process itself. An editor can't be expected to imbue writing with value it didn't already have, like some linguistic conjurer. Any expectations of this sort edge dangerously close to ghostwriting (or 'paraphrasing', as some companies like to term it) – an entirely different discipline. <p></p><p>This is why work focused on non-professional sources, such as students, and unrestricted non-native English markets is risky territory. When there are no checks on the quality of work coming in, there are no limits to the expectations that can be placed on editors. Nonetheless, editors will be expected to produce work according to deadlines defined by word counts, not work quality. </p><p>Some editing services actively market themselves on their ability to increase the client's chances of obtaining a higher grade, winning admission to a chosen school or being published by an academic journal or publication. Not only is this morally ambiguous, straddling the grey area between editing and plagiarism, it's laborious, too – of all the checks an editor must make, trying to make sense of the damn text in the first place shouldn't be among them. <br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzcf-30eg1HH0GhEk_ZoaRGHDwmp6c2pxhIOcIduWPdavzTw14EJ6tyLLmBP_dtMypZwGKdIJE_ZWROtlRa9UXgA3JHWCWZUE7AVmm3GzYUwVeor1uSujNtLobIISbWdYE2lXBSjFY8SNAWFOqDN870p0xgN_wbCKQKGAf2okY64ElIVBRB0-Y5AyWoSA/s1179/boost%20your%20grades.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="163" data-original-width="1179" height="88" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzcf-30eg1HH0GhEk_ZoaRGHDwmp6c2pxhIOcIduWPdavzTw14EJ6tyLLmBP_dtMypZwGKdIJE_ZWROtlRa9UXgA3JHWCWZUE7AVmm3GzYUwVeor1uSujNtLobIISbWdYE2lXBSjFY8SNAWFOqDN870p0xgN_wbCKQKGAf2okY64ElIVBRB0-Y5AyWoSA/w640-h88/boost%20your%20grades.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Buy a proofread, get boosted grades and English proficiency for free. Bargain.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>In my previous role, which relied heavily on non-native markets, obvious Google Translate jobs (texts automatically 'translated' via Google, either in whole or part – especially unreliable when translating between, say, Korean and English) would occasionally filter through. While dealing with these wasn't part of our official duties, they were tricky to weed out when the work was of such variable quality, and in practice we'd be expected to get on with them as long as they weren't ridiculously lengthy. No one wins in this scenario – not the put-upon editor and certainly not the client, whose work might be made passable in the same way that '<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/18/painting-matching-fresco-monkey-christ-resurfaces-zaragoza-spain" target="_blank">Monkey Christ</a>' fresco restored by a well-meaning elderly lady in Spain was.<p></p><p>Nor should an editor have to lose sleep over whether a client's edited paper will allow them to pass English Literature 101 at the end of the semester. This can cast the editor in more of a 'teacher' role relative to the client, entailing additional labour in the form of in-depth explanations of changes and drawn-out exchanges based on miscommunications and unrealistic expectations. It's a slippery slope from 'helping' in this way to other teaching duties, too – to the point that I've even been expected to grade the English writing of clients before.<br /><br />If the client isn't used to dealing with professional editors or has a shaky grasp of English, they might instead equate a 'good' edit with other markers, such as more 'red' on the page. An edit can't be very good, I've seen some clients reason, if their writing hasn't been radically transformed. They might not know what those changes should <i>be</i>, but they're confident there should be much <i>more</i> of them. <br /><br />As well as a lack of confidence in their writing, this attitude is fuelled by the company overselling their services. Be wary, therefore, of editing companies that invite work from non-professional corners and promise exaggerated results. Editing is the business of polishing texts, not turds. </p><p><b>Lack of acknowledgement of personal achievements</b><br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj175RaaBa0L1YAsYVEBuuS7lhR5v92qwQXz9F5suDinL-8LworjIBnJ1Dz4uyKrLXR7Y27be31B3Dgn62Kd5tU9YF8aHHSktrOk4y7F_jyOkMDL04TBs2eAcXgwexMeE6w6_P0LqIAXCW8PaoEcDUnGt8nNwfGuq9DTGNPYL693cVIVKKLU69fikUcqeda/s866/author%20credit.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="144" data-original-width="866" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj175RaaBa0L1YAsYVEBuuS7lhR5v92qwQXz9F5suDinL-8LworjIBnJ1Dz4uyKrLXR7Y27be31B3Dgn62Kd5tU9YF8aHHSktrOk4y7F_jyOkMDL04TBs2eAcXgwexMeE6w6_P0LqIAXCW8PaoEcDUnGt8nNwfGuq9DTGNPYL693cVIVKKLU69fikUcqeda/w640-h106/author%20credit.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">A generous offer to forgo credit by the company. Credit the editor? Who's that now?</span></i> </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>Finally, while this might be difficult to determine when applying, an early sign of an unrewarding work environment might be the encouraged use of alternate editor names. This is concerning on a few fronts – it allows the company to inflate the apparent size of their workforce through the use of endless personas and skirt around the question of accountability. If an editor gains a reputation for poor quality, exacerbated by a culture of excessive work volumes in protracted timescales, they can simply shed their identity and adopt a new one.<p></p><p>The other, more insidious implication of this system, however, is that editors are never truly credited for their work. An author happy with my edit of their book once asked if they could thank me in their dedication. The use of a fake name, however, barred me from this possibility; my employer defended this by stating he didn't want to advertise individual editors – only the company (despite him demanding personal credit on a larger, more impressive project soon after). <br /><br />The fact that the book in question was a cringey tween-penned fantasy about anthropomorphic wolf wars I didn't really want to be associated with anyway was beside the point. Taking an employee's name from them is one of the most dystopian things I've ever encountered. Words matter. Listen to the language an employer uses. When mine 'joked' that we were part of a sausage factory, this revealed his true view of us as employees, too. Cheap, disposable and of little more distinction than the homogenous products we were manufacturing. <br /><br />Not only do you want to be in the kind of place where you'd be proud to put your name to your work, but, crucially, you want to cling onto some semblance of your own identity. Employers might demand much from their employees, but if one is willing to take something as fundamental as your very name from you at the outset, you have to wonder what else they wouldn't hesitate to take from you.<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup o' joe my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><p><i style="background-color: #fff8f6; color: #757575; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-2459222216041528232023-07-02T19:26:00.009+01:002024-02-01T11:41:44.729+00:00A Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within-Inspired Tour of Southern Germany<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAiXKBhGXwKdaaOsHSJLzB5xGPkJ4KMYIaBVnkwqZZW96loSnBrKuWn8i8NYwd45RaXFTTwD0BCIpK5NjuVrfqbG3lBn_TmqBzk0VhRzMas013sTx6AJ62_3FeSMmHsc-6DRWdxXLD_Y5M_aP0smAXoEGEPXNL-Ce64eTfEuJ5Ou7SRDNmwBL5IMrfJeP/s1295/received_1804139586585965%5B1%5D.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1295" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUAiXKBhGXwKdaaOsHSJLzB5xGPkJ4KMYIaBVnkwqZZW96loSnBrKuWn8i8NYwd45RaXFTTwD0BCIpK5NjuVrfqbG3lBn_TmqBzk0VhRzMas013sTx6AJ62_3FeSMmHsc-6DRWdxXLD_Y5M_aP0smAXoEGEPXNL-Ce64eTfEuJ5Ou7SRDNmwBL5IMrfJeP/w334-h400/received_1804139586585965%5B1%5D.jpeg" width="334" /></a></div><p>Throughout the pandemic, one international location in particular <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2020/04/inspiring-adventure-game-locations-that_27.html" target="_blank">haunted my imagination</a>: South Germany. While locked down, I took advantage of my daily exercise allowance of a single socially distanced outing in my local area. However, while I'm lucky to have access to abundant pretty, green spaces, my hometown is also a place where noteworthy sheep regularly make the front-page news. Like everyone else in the world, I craved a change of scenery – so I turned to the immersive worlds of books, films and adventure games to transport me from my somewhat fertiliser-seasoned surroundings.<br /><br />And, with its majestic forests, fairytale castles and melding of medieval and modern locales, the setting of FMV adventure game <i>Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within</i> gave me the perfect fantasy fuel. Better yet, it was rooted in reality; this was somewhere I might actually go someday – as fellow adventure game fans <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOhXbtt6_1M&ab_channel=AdventureGameGeek" target="_blank">AdventureGameGeek</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFxuh4BIzZw&ab_channel=IPKISS4LIFE" target="_blank">IPKISS4LIFE</a> had before me. So, as soon as international travel opened up again and I could arrange the time off in summer 2022, I went, nine-euro <a href="https://www.railtech.com/all/2023/01/30/germany-announces-start-of-9-euro-ticket-successor-campaign/" target="_blank">unlimited public transport ticket</a> in hand (and, less helpfully, <i>Schattenjäger</i>, the German for 'shadow hunter', echoing in my head). <br /><br /><b>Rothenburg ob der Tauber ('Rittersberg')</b></p><p><i>'The Schattenjägers are of this place, and this place is of them. We believe in the old ways here. It has not changed much over the centuries. We still remember what the rest of the world has forgotten... </i><i>That life is a battle between the light and the dark. Do you know this?</i><i>'</i> <i>– Werner Huber</i></p>Though Rittersberg, the town that surrounds the Knight/Ritter family's ancestral castle, Schloss Ritter, might not technically exist, it's still possible to visit the place that inspired it. Thankfully, Rothenburg, the extraordinarily well-preserved medieval town in Northern Bavaria that served as its model, is well worth visiting despite the absence of a resident <i>Schattenjäger</i>.<p>With its colourful half-timbered houses, narrow, cobbled streets and miraculously intact city walls and towers, it's easy to see why it was chosen as the setting of a story interwoven with werewolf lore – it feels like the ideal backdrop for a Grimm folktale. (Apparently the makers of the film <i>The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm</i> had the same idea – as did those of Disney's original <i>Pinnochio</i>, <i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows</i>* and <i>Shadow of Memories</i>, another strange, story-rich adventure game that holds a special place in my heart.)<br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZh0OGr2QIchAkP7fbTrzNB3xuN-KaTs61NzWooi8EKD9QrfiO5mOOpEBJfgVXiZ5zdatH0h9wQf3tv2gHhUlRpcs_wkX3vaJaQKU_JauW6xzzi0FW0nYLZiTbR9q73WHayWdhqkHTwJCOBkSp2CAnIbeaCUYhGY7neCgyqrwzit92XBWno7NC-niIRDo/s1000/Rothenburg.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="1000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZh0OGr2QIchAkP7fbTrzNB3xuN-KaTs61NzWooi8EKD9QrfiO5mOOpEBJfgVXiZ5zdatH0h9wQf3tv2gHhUlRpcs_wkX3vaJaQKU_JauW6xzzi0FW0nYLZiTbR9q73WHayWdhqkHTwJCOBkSp2CAnIbeaCUYhGY7neCgyqrwzit92XBWno7NC-niIRDo/w640-h426/Rothenburg.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">L: Siebersturm clocktower and colourful timbered housing (bonus: me!); R: Georgsbrunnen fountain in the marketplace (across the street from the <i>rathaus</i>)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Because of its beauty and historical significance, Rothenburg also had the unfortunate distinction of being revered by Nazis as the quintessential German 'Home Town', representing idealised family life. During World War II, over a third of the town was destroyed by bombs, but you wouldn't know it today. Reconstruction efforts were so faithful to the original buildings that the main reminder of the devastation is commemorative bricks engraved with the names of donors from all over the world in rebuilt parts of the city wall. It's now one of only three towns in Germany with completely intact city walls (which also make for a stunning stroll overlooking the old town's quaint rooftops and otherwise hidden gardens).<br /><br /><i>GK2</i> features the southern part of the marketplace in the main square most prominently; though visually accurate, the buildings shown have different uses in reality than in the game. The main difference, though, is probably the town's renown; whereas Rittersberg is a relatively little-known place where people keep their business to themselves ('not so many know about this place. It is perhaps better that way, hmm?'), Rothenburg is a popular tourist destination along the famed Romantic Road. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfoUwAWxLbMWJH_68ObOO4Gk57HGRWI21jMkAC0JJ_PgwxRDGa2zbjrYzbVVEiOvnDCQSCZi7E0QQCemNqfH3XbkLtQlyhJMvTwb-Uekwk7_vx_YLIOBWpjzFEh3t5lTSw2Wt-c1mk-qffWAfqEPLB-eh4sRDNZyGymOPPUswWt5NRpse6NK0DIxLFgawQ/s1000/RothenburgShoppen.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="1000" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfoUwAWxLbMWJH_68ObOO4Gk57HGRWI21jMkAC0JJ_PgwxRDGa2zbjrYzbVVEiOvnDCQSCZi7E0QQCemNqfH3XbkLtQlyhJMvTwb-Uekwk7_vx_YLIOBWpjzFEh3t5lTSw2Wt-c1mk-qffWAfqEPLB-eh4sRDNZyGymOPPUswWt5NRpse6NK0DIxLFgawQ/w640-h424/RothenburgShoppen.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">L: Waffenkammer Rothenburg, a medieval specialty store; R: hand-carved cuckoo clocks in a Christmas decoration store</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The town itself is also much larger, encircled as it is by a newer section, and boasts a range of idiosyncratic, tourist-inclined shops; we browsed places for handmade teddy bears, year-round Christmas decorations (for Germans, Christmas is something of a national obsession), intricate cuckoo clocks, <i>schneeballen</i> (deep-fried pastry made with plum schnapps), beer steins and, yes, knight armour and weapons. Appropriately, the town has a strong knight legacy, with various chivalric orders founded there or involved in its construction (including the epically named Knights of the Hinterland). <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGxd5KVpkyNuDpjIi7WbvXPdp8GmvcTRJF0aaDNZ4oXaiEk330L-zd7ixUV5JRW6pIqy0s99V_YGqkmUUnQ9nZFB1-6n8ucZ7zyke25wSYDck8CleSVYby_z7o79sg0WB6f5AAFNUfQjKP9-vyDj5szxR8SlQBbr0xvmrDQicjr5NuCbCurYjGJnOgJkV/s1000/gasthof.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="1000" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGxd5KVpkyNuDpjIi7WbvXPdp8GmvcTRJF0aaDNZ4oXaiEk330L-zd7ixUV5JRW6pIqy0s99V_YGqkmUUnQ9nZFB1-6n8ucZ7zyke25wSYDck8CleSVYby_z7o79sg0WB6f5AAFNUfQjKP9-vyDj5szxR8SlQBbr0xvmrDQicjr5NuCbCurYjGJnOgJkV/w640-h424/gasthof.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">L: Gasthof Goldener Greifen; R: one of the traditionally decorated dining rooms inside the <i>gasthof</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>If, like me, you're more used to minimalistic modern hotels, staying a night in a traditional <i>gasthof</i> (inn) is not to be missed. The inn we stayed at, Gasthof Goldener Greifen (or Golden Griffin), was just as much a curiosity as the town itself. Around 650 years old, it was formerly the mayor's residence and fittingly grand. Every room was unique and filled with charming traditional touches, from historical murals to wall-mounted crests and weaponry – not unlike Schloss Ritter itself (though in better repair and, helpfully, with more than a single, lovelorn maid in their employ).<br /><br />*<i>Though these scenes were inexplicably cut from the finished films.</i><p></p><p><b>Marienplatz Square, Munich</b><br /><br /><i>'Die Weisswurst ist sehr gut. Wollen Sie etwas?'</i> <i>– The Weisswurst lady</i></p><p>It would be unthinkable to travel to Munich and not visit Marienplatz, the heart of the city. The distinctive square, which dates back to the medieval era, appears largely unchanged since <i>GK2</i>'s time (1995), though the shops housed within its arches will undoubtedly have undergone several transitions. <br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksv5xryD1nyr4ss3iGNvCBqg8NbKjeogN8b7M5h8TQeij7kPMyayvcFi439yLSk3se272wgaMzY3JqJ_8xSxWlQqw0eE37vuUA_IvUiHrsihivWoFwXjdcktpGxLcFMsdc9pyr81v2FunsLeE9hptcGzKIKssnii259_KmiysaTeNJL71jozXuXPxOOa0/s4032/20220621_110940%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksv5xryD1nyr4ss3iGNvCBqg8NbKjeogN8b7M5h8TQeij7kPMyayvcFi439yLSk3se272wgaMzY3JqJ_8xSxWlQqw0eE37vuUA_IvUiHrsihivWoFwXjdcktpGxLcFMsdc9pyr81v2FunsLeE9hptcGzKIKssnii259_KmiysaTeNJL71jozXuXPxOOa0/w400-h300/20220621_110940%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Gothic Marienplatz tower and city hall</span> </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The game captures the energy of the square well; with its bustling businesses, acoustic street music and grand yet forbidding gothic architecture, <i>GK2</i>'s Marienplatz embodies a feeling of opening up and connecting with the modern world while still retaining a sense of the weight of history. It also serves as a hub of activity, from the practical (Gabriel's lawyer's office and the post office) and the cultural (the cuckoo clock shop) to the more... frivolous (the <i>Weisswurst</i> – or white sausage – vendor, who elicits Gabriel's mysterious line 'I already have some wurst'). <p></p><p>Naturally, the actual square is much more touristy than in the game (and likely more so than in the 90s, too). And, while we sadly weren't offered any <i>wurst</i> by matronly yet enterprising ladies who 'only want to talk about white sausage', we did pay a small fortune for four dates at a fruit stall and scoped out the souvenir magnets (for our mums, of course) at one of the typical tourist tat stalls. <br /><br />There are also reliably large gatherings for the free 11AM and noon Glockenspiel 'performances'. The Glockenspiel, an iconic mechanical clock with bells and life-sized figures in the new <i>rathaus</i> (city hall) tower, was first constructed to cheer up residents after a plague epidemic in the 17th century. It has been re-enacting stories inspired by the Medieval tournaments held in the square ever since, and it felt fitting that we should be lucky enough to view it after (sort of) emerging from the Covid pandemic. The first performance tells the 16th-century story of the marriage of a local duke followed by a celebratory joust with knights on horseback – unsurprisingly, the Bavarian knight triumphs every time.<br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69ajn2fEVEaOtLHX440YTismlPCggp4TPwgtVU8hah-VSD9f3_K5VwSSMZ4A1I79oy6HegWn9KYm5RJc893k_M2i9URzP_49mU9aXoMiQfTBtzbOgzlfpQ2kiXoLkCnvmMjax7wmxzl5rGwRTSRdtl3v670i7rcvaFISougZZLeOA_Zt9xMsquixrmwr3/s1000/Marianplatz.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="1000" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi69ajn2fEVEaOtLHX440YTismlPCggp4TPwgtVU8hah-VSD9f3_K5VwSSMZ4A1I79oy6HegWn9KYm5RJc893k_M2i9URzP_49mU9aXoMiQfTBtzbOgzlfpQ2kiXoLkCnvmMjax7wmxzl5rGwRTSRdtl3v670i7rcvaFISougZZLeOA_Zt9xMsquixrmwr3/w640-h424/Marianplatz.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">L: The Glockenspiel with its life-sized mechanical figures; R: the golden <i style="text-align: left;">Mariensäule</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Another monument in the square that is impossible to ignore is the <i>Mariensäule</i>, or Marian column, a towering golden statue of the Virgin Mary built in the 1600s to celebrate the end of the Swedish occupation during the Thirty Years' War. Gabriel notes that he feels Mary, Bavaria's spiritual protector (or <i>Patrona Bavariae</i>), is 'watching me' (and well she should, given his womanising and wurst-inclined proclivities).<br /><br /><b>Schloss Neuschwanstein </b><br /><br /><i>'Ludwig withdrew more and more into his fantasy world of epic heroes and absolute monarchy – an ideal he was determined to create in his castles if he could not have it in real life. He wanted only to be alone with his dreams.'</i> <i>– Tour guide</i><p></p><p>Perhaps the most famous – and certainly the most spectacular – stop on our tour was the fantastical castle dreamt up by the Fairytale King himself, Ludwig II. Its appearance is so dreamlike, in fact, that its soaring towers served as the inspiration for Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle. From its perch on the rugged foothills of the Alps, 925m above sea level, Neuschwanstein commands views of the lushly forested valley and impossibly picturesque village of Hohenschwangau below.<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisn-TlugKAWn9JEQrg-aupMpQ_0Usu0EDhRabj21ya7OINsVHYFq5HNvm_Mx2O5ZiCdw53DHH_ApLY35yk4hBRPi2L-0OF9GZFMWZ6lk2D9oJ49x4g70r6LFYHOLxD4_4YxjZNKY2UfIRdsaEZ-4VxRJHxCnMB86IifyhnewIvch1JoB2K3HJACacpe_jY/s1000/Neuschwanstein.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="1000" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisn-TlugKAWn9JEQrg-aupMpQ_0Usu0EDhRabj21ya7OINsVHYFq5HNvm_Mx2O5ZiCdw53DHH_ApLY35yk4hBRPi2L-0OF9GZFMWZ6lk2D9oJ49x4g70r6LFYHOLxD4_4YxjZNKY2UfIRdsaEZ-4VxRJHxCnMB86IifyhnewIvch1JoB2K3HJACacpe_jY/w640-h424/Neuschwanstein.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">L: The tree-lined mountain path up to the castle; R: the first glimpse of the castle towers</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>While the castle can be reached by bus or horsedrawn carriage via a mountain road, we trekked up on foot to take in every detail (and to save some precious Geld). While this was predicted to take around 45 minutes, it only took us around 25 at a moderate pace, and we found the path scenic and the incline adequately gentle. If you think the horsedrawn carriage option sounds fancy, Ludwig actually had a fabulously flamboyant peacock-shaped 'flying car' powered by steam planned – sadly this only served as further proof of his insanity to his opponents before he was declared insane and deposed (turns out it <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/aug/06/germany.theobserver" target="_blank">wasn't such a bad idea after all</a>). <br /><br />Intended as the king's private residence, the castle is a monument to his rich inner world; its rooms are bedecked with countless paintings, frescoes and sculptures of knights, maidens and swans. Ludwig was, as Grace notes, 'really into swans and lilies [which] represented purity and majesty' (an alternate reading of the pervasive swan symbolism favoured by the closeted king is, of course, about as subtle as the homoerotic subtext in <i>GK2</i>). <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CkMysEd85xR8VrKgMYqmWdXxMhf5YIvPDraicFbeGkAfGcM-hgZqGfzzlq9cxaf1OhjxtVLc-vkYYIzuQ64_HYvnOUW5Z-VH3q23bAXKkVdPmpPunjQqStEts6TlgXi6QQO5AtypM5iL4aRi8-lV_0f3xH8g863fs_Qj36UzVtQcbTFpGgNi1zdJ0jIB/s4032/20220620_142707%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CkMysEd85xR8VrKgMYqmWdXxMhf5YIvPDraicFbeGkAfGcM-hgZqGfzzlq9cxaf1OhjxtVLc-vkYYIzuQ64_HYvnOUW5Z-VH3q23bAXKkVdPmpPunjQqStEts6TlgXi6QQO5AtypM5iL4aRi8-lV_0f3xH8g863fs_Qj36UzVtQcbTFpGgNi1zdJ0jIB/w400-h300/20220620_142707%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">View of the castle from a tavern painted in the traditional Bavarian style</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The castle, which was built as a Romanticist interpretation of the Middle Ages, also honours composer Richard Wagner, whose operas had profoundly impressed Ludwig. This is apparent from the castle's elaborate decor, which, like Wagner's operas, draws on themes from classical German heroic dramas.<br /><br />Though they are huge tourist draws today, Ludwig's obsessive castle-building projects ultimately drove him into deep debt. This led to his financial ministers ousting him on grounds of mental illness and his eventual mysterious – and highly convenient – death. The castle remains unfinished to this day, despite some of its <a href="https://www.neuschwanstein.de/englisch/palace/tour.htm" target="_blank">unimaginably opulent rooms</a>. These include the Grotto (an artificial dripstone cave with its own waterfall adjoining Ludwig's bedroom), the Throne Hall (a golden churchlike marvel that represents Luwdig's self-image as a mediator between heaven and earth) and the Singers' Hall (a grand gallery-like space adorned with vast murals depicting the Grail saga).<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPKEdQvk3zlDAr21p5VRC0SkFtmi2c_MUqjm2siDVQxCBBFslW98rW7Th8rvdlM8GTnVgXaY0B4KATHv5tzx26RtHjfkhWzipRE2LKNmKbixG8PRgPe7hiA7uEeUTtvlYLnZXoO-0W2NSUfcPq9U0WKPjmMx7b6c6TPUeJZI21JN2xUUxQzNOO_h2vCip/s1963/20220620_161248%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1346" data-original-width="1963" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFPKEdQvk3zlDAr21p5VRC0SkFtmi2c_MUqjm2siDVQxCBBFslW98rW7Th8rvdlM8GTnVgXaY0B4KATHv5tzx26RtHjfkhWzipRE2LKNmKbixG8PRgPe7hiA7uEeUTtvlYLnZXoO-0W2NSUfcPq9U0WKPjmMx7b6c6TPUeJZI21JN2xUUxQzNOO_h2vCip/w400-h274/20220620_161248%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">View of the castle and Alps from the road approaching Hohenschwangau village</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>It's easy to see why the werewolf metaphor fits the king so well; hiding what was at the time seen as a terrible secret (his sexuality) and tormented by a longing to return to his true nature, Ludwig likely felt caged by the expectations of others. As our guide led us through the castle's magnificent rooms, it was hard not to feel moved by the story of the Swan King, who increasingly retreated into a world of legends and fairytales to escape the heavy burden of his responsibilities before his untimely death. <br /><br /><b>The Black Forest (Baden-Baden)</b><br /><br /><i>'Ludwig took his train or sleigh out at night because he was 'restless.' Sometimes he'd stop and go wandering alone in the woods for hours. Tell me, friends and neighbours, what do you think he did out in the woods at night alone?' – Grace</i><br /><br />While we didn't visit the Bavarian National Forest, the location of the Royal Bavarian Hunting Lodge in <i>GK2</i>, we did take a hike in the famed Black Forest, another national park in Southern Germany. The Black Forest is renowned for its gâteaus, wood-carved cuckoo clocks (like the ones in the game's shop in Marienplatz) and lush mountainous woodlands. With its towering evergreen trees and ruined 17th-century forts, you can sense the ancient quality of the woods, too – in fact, it isn't hard to imagine Ludwig sweeping past the trees on one of his mysterious midnight sleigh rides.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDL9RkKAaCq2xc_WcV3a4Kx-DmGkNqLeBBUE9nc7AI5pzJiAmb-zdm1YJkaWG_blLTv-MfowOr7uitlbtb_0dX3Wiw4Pt-seKklbCocv4dFqftuZkJHkjy_9E9qfG9D-KPg1K4kBN-oi_hl9y7Ie20fK_o1G9Pj73vk-KX3qr6yD69hp0i7Akht4nb_Z5-/s1000/BlackForest.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="664" data-original-width="1000" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDL9RkKAaCq2xc_WcV3a4Kx-DmGkNqLeBBUE9nc7AI5pzJiAmb-zdm1YJkaWG_blLTv-MfowOr7uitlbtb_0dX3Wiw4Pt-seKklbCocv4dFqftuZkJHkjy_9E9qfG9D-KPg1K4kBN-oi_hl9y7Ie20fK_o1G9Pj73vk-KX3qr6yD69hp0i7Akht4nb_Z5-/w640-h424/BlackForest.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">L: Signpost on the Baden-Baden <i>panoramaweg</i> (panoramic walk); R: landscape view from a high point on the walk</span> </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>We strategically chose Baden-Baden as our base, a chic spa town near the border with France, so we could soak our aching bods in the local thermal waters after a day of intense hiking. Unwisely, we picked a day of ~30° heat (caught out by Europe-wide heatwaves) for our 10km+ expedition. However, with an area of over 2,000 square miles, the forest provided endless dense tree shelter, a drinking fountain of natural spring water for us to replenish our bottles and breathtaking views that made it all worth it.<br /><br />While we didn't spot any rogue wolves (which, despite being wiped out in Germany in the 19th century, have <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/27/wolves-and-brown-bears-among-wildlife-make-exciting-comeback-in-europe-aoe" target="_blank">begun to stage a comeback</a> in recent years), we did glimpse several majestic, Tolkien-worthy eagles soaring casually by the roadside throughout our trip. <br /><br /><b>Alternativer Wolf- und Bärenpark Schwarzwald, the Alternative Bear and Wolf Sanctuary</b><br /><br /><i>'Hey wolf! Come on, boy! Wolfie, come on, come on! Wolfie, wolfie, come on, come on! Get back over here, will you! So it's like that, is it?'</i> <i>– Gabriel</i><br /><br />Rather than visit the Hellabrunn Zoo in Munich featured in <i>GK2</i>, we decided to take a day trip to somewhere slightly more unconventional but similarly animal-themed: the Alternative Bear and Wolf Sanctuary in the Black Forest. While some zoos (including Hellabrunn) take part in conservation activities, the sanctuary is committed to rescuing bears, wolves and lynxes from zoos, circuses and captivity to give them a better, wilder life.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4cNhBA_IqaYfbWu2KJobds60AP2Ua1UO-yiPvHpeol2ETfwwYeBKYEUbAi-1J_yKNUW1oWKF_OBPSogIFWmMDRPU_IkUz7B4VJgGe0iOtHFWzrzwwhyZ7eB1373Qi2m39m3DhX3jVBv5vRynrC-_BeMptgcIkKBeZL5aav8qXPaR_-hY8qldy3-547LV/s4032/20220618_125730%5B1%5D.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih4cNhBA_IqaYfbWu2KJobds60AP2Ua1UO-yiPvHpeol2ETfwwYeBKYEUbAi-1J_yKNUW1oWKF_OBPSogIFWmMDRPU_IkUz7B4VJgGe0iOtHFWzrzwwhyZ7eB1373Qi2m39m3DhX3jVBv5vRynrC-_BeMptgcIkKBeZL5aav8qXPaR_-hY8qldy3-547LV/w400-h300/20220618_125730%5B1%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Carefree bear statue welcoming visitors to the sanctuary</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div>It was heartbreaking to read all their stories; Agonis the bear, who had been taken from his mother in the wild at only a few weeks old, had been rescued from a restaurant where the owner had chained him up as an 'attraction'. While he was finally learning about life's bear necessities at the sanctuary, he continued to suckle on his paws as a self-soothing behaviour. Visitors were therefore advised not to stop and stare openly at him as he found this triggering (same, Agonis, same).<br /><br />Gaia the wolf was raised as a dog in Lithuania and taught to follow dog commands. In a shocking, completely unforeseeable twist, she was soon given up to the shelter when her owner discovered that she didn't behave well as a pet as she was not, in fact, a dog.<p></p><p>Jurka, the sanctuary's first and oldest bear, is also the mother of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/jun/26/animalwelfare.germany" target="_blank">Bruno, the notoriously bloodthirsty, beehive-looting '<i>Problembär</i>' (problem bear)</a>. As the sanctuary points out, though, 'The problem was not with the four-legged friend, but with the two-legged friend'; his problematic behaviour was, unsurprisingly, considered due to interaction with people – a common theme.<br /></p><p></p><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqR1e3DVXCgXGAqgHOpl9Ew1-JdZv8xX7dcsqe8cq7iDlx2ItPjelpV2pMmNgSFFGe9xS_JAGxiQKUqaCZBRt0kAcKKgyqoo1SIJzoSn4G1WBQzFN7dYnqNV2JoSOz_tb_KJN4ejGSZrmP9JM1hEZDHMkOn8FnTxz1FrlM_xeV7tYaO6icBRNE0Ygisjv/s1000/AlternativeBearNWolf.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="1000" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqR1e3DVXCgXGAqgHOpl9Ew1-JdZv8xX7dcsqe8cq7iDlx2ItPjelpV2pMmNgSFFGe9xS_JAGxiQKUqaCZBRt0kAcKKgyqoo1SIJzoSn4G1WBQzFN7dYnqNV2JoSOz_tb_KJN4ejGSZrmP9JM1hEZDHMkOn8FnTxz1FrlM_xeV7tYaO6icBRNE0Ygisjv/w640-h426/AlternativeBearNWolf.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">L: Jurka, the sanctuary's oldest bear; R: one of a group of wolves rescued from a wildlife entertainment park</span> </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>It was incredible, however, to see some of the animals roaming blithely in the sanctuary's large, specially constructed natural habitats. As the animals were fed regularly by sanctuary workers, they weren't in competition for food, so they could live alongside each other amiably. The wolves, who were highly intelligent and vigilant, were so at home they'd sometimes even sneak up on and tease the bears (the phrase 'Don't poke the bear' was, clearly, lost on them).<br /><br />Interacting with the animals, as Gabriel disastrously attempts to in <i>GK2</i>, was rightly frowned upon. In fact, the sanctuary was something of an anti-zoo; if animals were sleeping or frolicking elsewhere, you simply wouldn't see them (the animals aren't there to entertain you; you're very much a lightly passing visitor through their home) – in fact, this was possibly the happiest I've felt to be occasionally disappointed.<p></p><p><i>Support the wunderbar work of the Alternative Bear and Wolf Sanctuary </i><a href="https://www.baer.de/" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">here</a><i>.</i><br /><br /><b>Final thoughts</b><br /><br />While we didn't visit <a href="https://www.burg-rabenstein.de/en/" target="_blank">Burg Rabenstein</a>, the basis for Schloss Ritter, as it was a little out of our way, our tour was filled with countless beautiful, awe-inspiring sights I may never have thought to visit if not for <i>GK2</i>. And, while my elementary German still leaves much to be desired, I'll never tire of pronouncing overlong agglutinated German words like 'Neuschwanstein' as though I know what the hell I'm doing. Alongside my memories of this trip, I'll also always carry with me an enduring sympathy for Ludwig's story and feel haunted by the mystery of his tragic fate (and what exactly Gabriel meant by that <i>Weisswurst</i> line). <br /><br />Have you ever travelled to the location of one of your favourite games? If not, which game location would you visit if you could?<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup o' joe my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><p><i style="background-color: #fff8f6; color: #757575; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-2960632671403791042023-03-05T17:10:00.004+00:002023-03-15T15:48:41.095+00:00Seeing Things Differently: My Laser Eye Surgery Story<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbj0c-o8h2_M3Y2kAZ2-a1cqYknrv5M3lbSYlULiy27KnAU03lc7kfReuxs4XPrqOzLGugOfI3ZogVskmDjrO0527HftRrHaHqV0qyQiKhUt-_eYULqIV7XKWNvuArhY1ZxiwzygMwZPkTkBzQbKp1HCW6tFxpXlZ1U2CyzCYU7xDsEuyX_Vgodt9Ogg/s2160/Before%20and%20after.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="2160" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbj0c-o8h2_M3Y2kAZ2-a1cqYknrv5M3lbSYlULiy27KnAU03lc7kfReuxs4XPrqOzLGugOfI3ZogVskmDjrO0527HftRrHaHqV0qyQiKhUt-_eYULqIV7XKWNvuArhY1ZxiwzygMwZPkTkBzQbKp1HCW6tFxpXlZ1U2CyzCYU7xDsEuyX_Vgodt9Ogg/w640-h318/Before%20and%20after.jpg" width="640"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spot the difference.</td></tr></tbody></table><b><br></b><p></p><p><b>Embracing the four-eyed life</b><br><br>I'd been wearing glasses for around twenty years, after a short-lived phase in early secondary school of 'forgetting' my pair in an effort to look cool. Somehow the penalty -- squinting in vain across the dining hall for familiar faces -- seemed worth it at the time. </p><p>'You really need to wear these at all times,' my horrified optician scolded me after I casually revealed this. And so I came to terms with the fact that some things -- like seeing where I'm going -- should probably rank above others -- like whether my glasses clashed with my outfit. Eventually, I even grew to like my glasses, assimilating them into my style and routinely opting for their familiar comfort over the hassle and waste of contact lenses.</p><p>So when the time came to refresh my pair, which had -- quite literally -- seen me through multiple job and house moves, a postgraduate course and a pandemic, I took the task seriously. I spent hours combing through scores of pairs, considering how the slightest adjustment in size or shape would complement the contours of my face. I'd be wearing them almost every waking hour, after all, and I'd donned my current pair for longer than I could remember, so this was a ritual worth taking my time over. </p><p>After whittling my search down to a shortlist of contenders, a wild thought occurred to me: '<i>Or</i> I could just get my eyes lasered.' I dismissed the idea -- as I had countless times before -- almost immediately. The mere thought of bringing any kind of sharp implement into alignment with my eyeballs was enough to make them water. Learning to put in contacts had been ordeal enough, taking two eye-reddening trips to the optician to master, and then only after having finessed the manoeuvre to avoid touching the eye itself as much as possible.<br> <br>As decisive as ever, I set aside the final choice of frames for later. Soon after, I stumbled on a laser eye success story online. 'I don't know why I didn't do it sooner,' the author wrote, accompanied by a grinning, glasses-free photo of them scaling the Cumbrian hills. They made it sound easy. It <i>did</i> look tantalisingly freeing to be able to participate in physical activities -- in all manner of weather conditions -- unencumbered by glasses. Plus, it <i>would</i> be nice not to have to wipe off a regenerative film of dust and grease from my lenses every five minutes. And the author's experience -- of putting something rewarding off, possibly after working that thing up in their head to the point of paralyzing terror -- felt familiar. Still, I thought. <i>I</i> couldn't do it. <br><br><b>Flirting with the unthinkable</b></p><p>The next morning, I looked up information about the procedure. Just out of curiosity. And who knows? Maybe if I learned more about it, the fear would diminish slightly. In this spirit, I then decided to watch a full SMILE keyhole procedure being performed on a patient (as I'd read this is the least invasive option and has the fastest recovery). Each eye, I discovered, only took a few minutes. If I can't sit through this, I've no business even thinking about this, I told myself. This turned out to be a mistake. </p><p>The video reassured me that the procedure was pain-free, and the patient smiled serenely throughout, even though their eye was clamped open <i>Clockwork Orange </i>style. But the sight of the surgeon probing and scraping across what can only be described as the gelatinous surface of the patient's cornea for multiple eye-watering minutes was enough to make up my mind. No, nope, absolutely not.</p><p>I returned to my glasses search feeling slightly defeated but validated in my decision. This was my lot. And it wasn't such a bad one, I thought, as I considered the same glasses again admiringly. But somehow they'd lost some of their shine.<br><br><b>Down the rabbit hole</b></p><p>As these things have a way of doing, my true desire resurfaced -- in the shape of a dream. In it, I went through with the procedure. Like I'd read in all the online articles, it was over startlingly quickly. And immediately afterwards, I could see perfectly (less realistic, though many people experience instantly improved vision). That was so much easier than I thought, my dream self marvelled. It was as though my subconscious was telling me this was within my grasp. I awoke charged with a strange sense of renewed motivation.<br><br>Before taking any further steps, I interrogated my brother, who had successfully undergone LASEK several years ago, about his experience. Despite achieving better than 20/20 vision, his recovery process had been fairly rough, and he didn't spare me any unpleasant details*. During the procedure, his numbing eye drops hadn't been administered correctly, so he'd struggled to keep his eyes open and 'felt more than he should have'. Perhaps worse still, for years afterwards, he'd sometimes wake up to extremely dry eyes, causing intense irritation and watering. 'Think eyelids sticking,' he said, before adding brightly, 'The results were otherwise amazing, though.' </p><p><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">His story had haunted me for years and, until this point, had been enough to put me off laser eye surgery for life. The thought of the anaesthesia failing is an instinctive fear that's followed me into dental appointments and an appendectomy, but one I'd told myself is just that -- an unfounded fear. However, though I hadn't read any similar accounts, hearing this from a source so close to home made it sound like a disconcerting possibility. </span></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">But I knew that this was as logical as dwelling on a single negative comment in a sea of positive reviews (<a href="https://www.opticalexpress.co.uk/laser-eye-surgery">over 99% achieve 20/20 vision</a> or better), and I'd researched enough to know that the procedure he'd chosen came with specific risks -- one of which was a longer recovery time and greater discomfort relative to LASIK, a more popular alternative. My experience didn't have to echo his, and he urged me to speak up if anything felt uncomfortable.</span></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Only mildly deterred, I decided to press ahead with a consultation at Optical Express. I could always abandon the idea if the quote was too high or the prospect too daunting. Either way, I could put</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"> the matter to rest once and for all.<br></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br><b>Setting the date</b></span></p><p><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">My consultation ended up lasting three hours. I answered a questionnaire about my lifestyle and expectations and underwent a few vision tests, but the bulk of the session consisted of conversation (and sharing of dog pics with the consultant, a fellow dog lover; if this was a ploy to put me at ease, it was a master touch). Unlike watching the procedure video, though, talking it through with an expert made me feel reassured -- or as reassured as I was ever going to feel about having my eyes zapped with lasers. Instead of coming to my own horrifying conclusions after watching a video of the procedure through my fingers, the consultant patiently explained each step and answered my endless questions. <br><br>The procedure would only take a few minutes per eye. The numbing drops would eliminate the blink reflex and any pain. As I qualified for LASIK, recovery would be fast, with most of the healing taking place within the first day, enabling me to return to my computer-based job after a couple of days. The answers were so reassuring, in fact, that a small part of me doubted them still. But by the end, I was left with few reasons NOT to press ahead besides apparently overblown fears and a faintly lingering attachment to my glasses and the young girl who'd started wearing them after deciding she didn't really care what anyone else thought.</span></p><p>Up until this point, I'd continued to tell myself this was all just theoretical; to come this far, I'd had to maintain this sense of distance, as if swathing everything in a veil to soften the edges. So I was in mild shock at my decision at the end of the consultation to book my surgery within the month. I opted for LASIK with iDesign, a special technology that captures your prescription more precisely. No more pretences or excuses. If I was going to do this, I wanted to get it over with as quickly as possible.</p><p>The intervening weeks were a strange anticipatory time during which I swung between moments of Zen-like calm and rippling panic. Some nights I lay half-awake, thoughts tiredly cycling through the imagined procedure. After watching a fireworks display on Bonfire Night, I couldn't help but wonder whether I'd ever see fireworks again. I shared the news about my decision with family and friends not just because this was a momentous and exciting development for me -- but also because I wanted to hold myself accountable. Telling others would make it harder for me to turn tail and run when the time came. <br><br><b>The day of surgery</b></p><p>The big day soon arrived, but the waiting didn't end there. The clinic was bustling with others undergoing laser treatments too, and I had to wait around an hour to be called in, filmed in a cold sweat despite my winter layers. It felt like waiting to be called into a final exam. I watched as others re-emerged after a short time wearing sunglasses and smiling broadly as if they'd just had their hair cut or tan topped up. They made it look impossibly straightforward, and I couldn't reconcile the fear I felt with the knowledge that I'd be in their shoes soon enough. <br><br>I was eventually called into another waiting room, and after a few more minutes met with my surgeon for a final briefing and to allow me to ask any final questions. Dr Erik is as close to a wizard as mortals come -- one of the world's leading ophthalmic surgeons, he'd performed over fifty thousand eye surgeries and spoke five languages. But in that moment, there was little that could've made me feel much better. I told him I was feeling nervous. <span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">'The things we worry about rarely happen,' he reassured me in his precise Dutch accent, calmly appraising me over a pair of half-moon spectacles. 'It feels strange. But not so terrible.' I felt as though I'd been given a pep talk by Dumbledore's clean-shaven, scientifically inclined cousin. <br></span><br>The sight of the laser apparatus looming by the bed in the procedure room stirred a nervous flurry in my stomach. What had I got myself into? 15 minutes. Just 15 minutes of my life in exchange for perfect vision, I recited to myself dryly. My nerves must have been palpable, as an assistant gave me a stress ball to squeeze. They talked me through each step as it happened in soothing tones, starting with administering the numbing eye drops. <br><br>I needn't have worried about this going awry. Despite my robust blink reflex, they managed to apply the drops in stages, giving them a few seconds to settle before applying further rounds to ensure my eyes were completely numb before proceeding. I barely felt the clamp as it was placed on the first eye, and, as I began to furiously pump my stress ball, I was instructed to focus on a dot on a screen while the first laser was activated. I could only keep track of it for so long before inky darkness spilled across everything, but I was told that this was fine.</p><p>I didn't feel any pain, only firm pressure for several seconds. This, they assured me, was the worst part. The surgeon then tinkered with my eye for a few minutes, occasionally blurring my vision with a mist of drops. Again, I didn't feel any pain, and I couldn't see enough to know what was happening, which was probably just as well; at most, I perhaps felt a light tickling. <br><br>The second laser was then applied, and I could perceive it patterning across my eye, emitting a faint 'burning' smell, making me feel almost like an item being machined on a production line. This was followed by some final tinkering. Not so terrible, as the doctor had promised, but certainly strange and bewildering. </p><p>The procedure was then repeated for the second eye. I must've been tensing my eye without realising it, as at one point I heard someone report that 'suction has been lost', but this was fine, too, and I was told to try to relax as a process was restarted. It seemed I couldn't really go wrong otherwise; even if I sneezed or turned my head, the machine, which used eye-tracking technology, would turn off automatically. <br><br>Amazingly, I never once felt the urge to blink, either, which had been a deep-seated fear. In fact, after the surgeon had finished fine-tuning one of my eyes, after all the strobing lights and blooming darkness, I could no longer even tell if it was open or closed.<br><br><b>The (short-ish) road to recovery</b><br><br>And just like that, it was over. Through the bleariness, I could already see distant details more clearly. I broke out into a small fit of uncontrollable shaking soon after, attempting to nod sagely through the tremors as a nurse ran me through my new hardcore eye drop regimen; perhaps it was shock or a runoff of excess adrenaline. <br><br>My shades-wearing re-entrance into the waiting room wasn't quite as slick as it had been for others, either; I began to feel faint after a few steps (probably from stress and reclining with my head angled slightly back) and had to lie down and be brought around with a bourbon biscuit, like the most British of damsels. Oh well.</p><p>I was advised to take some painkillers and a nap afterwards, but as the numbing drops began to wear off while I was driven home, the sensation was too strange and uncomfortable to ignore. For the next few hours I could barely open my eyes, shrinking back at the slightest hint of light like an infernal creature of the night. The consultant had likened the feeling to that from 'chopping lots of onions', so I was prepared for the non-stop streaming (if not the sneezing), but it felt more like my eyes had been blasted with microscopic grains of glass. <br><br>Thankfully, my partner had converted our house into a darkened vampire's den in preparation, and he patiently led me by the hand through it, curtains drawn and lights dimmed or swivelled away from my line of sight. He only needed to drape shrouds over the mirrors to complete the effect. Instead of sleeping, I listened to the gentle tones of Louis Theroux on BBC Sounds and waited to feel semi-normal again. <br><br>Just when I was beginning to think this might never happen, after around four hours my eyes began to feel markedly less gritty, and I even managed to open them without hissing and shielding my face like Nosferatu. From then on, they continued to feel progressively better, and at my checkup the next day I was told my eyesight was better than 20/20 and I was even cleared to drive -- a truly remarkable turnaround. To lapse into the dramatic, the experience felt a little like being reborn -- emerging from darkness into light. </p><p><br><b>Today</b><br><br>Three months on, and my life has improved in many small ways it's easy to take for granted: I've walked in the rain without my vision steaming up and nestled into my partner's shoulder without my glasses squashing into my face. I look forward to hiking and swimming and just feeling the sun on my face in the summer, like a girl in a period product ad. I still get dry eyes when I'm tired and glare from bright lights at night, but that's OK -- my vision is projected to improve further over the coming weeks and months. I also still sometimes reach for my glasses on my nightstand or make as though to adjust them on my nose; twenty-year-old habits are hard to break, and in some ways I still think of myself as a glasses wearer. <br><br>Things have changed but also stayed the same, and perhaps more than anything this experience has helped me appreciate what I already have -- the support of others around me: my mum, who prayed for my safety; my brother, who drove me to my first post-surgery checkup; my friend, who told me she thinks I'm beautiful with and without glasses; and my partner, who was so alert on the night of my surgery that he hardly let himself sleep, reflexively waking himself up to swat my hands away from rubbing my eyes <span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">whenever I moved (even though I wore protective goggles).</span><br><br>While it may seem like a minor thing to others, this also involved breaking through a huge wall of fear for me, and it's shown me that I'm capable of much more than I thought -- something I think I've always known but haven't always been able to see as clearly as I should.<br><br><br><span style="font-size: x-small;">*My other brother was kind enough to remind me of a certain <i>Minority Report</i> scene. Yes, <i>that</i> one. Thanks for the support, guys</span>.<br><br></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup o' joe my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><p><i style="background-color: #fff8f6; color: #757575; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;"></a></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-32168909235257063022022-11-15T12:11:00.005+00:002022-11-15T12:36:05.807+00:00First Impressions of Princess Jellyfish by Akiko Higashimura (Vol. 1): Funny, Feel-Good and Fabulous<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFJXkgNqkb1hUCeC5S7yJQgxaRE-WtA2QVRYnZM1KuKrqGshIbUJz3MdrMaDqoWjrTw8d0oZmfH5mWpIFu9WuK_5LlZtr6UZekvvZ1RVsbQ_iQJiZHr221cV7Vnd4Rq_FobTWMSKDQHS1XPNsJQGWnunX852e6P5veWGZux4AMxDwQmvhwBLKgjdMfA/s1600/Princess%20Jellyfish%20cover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdFJXkgNqkb1hUCeC5S7yJQgxaRE-WtA2QVRYnZM1KuKrqGshIbUJz3MdrMaDqoWjrTw8d0oZmfH5mWpIFu9WuK_5LlZtr6UZekvvZ1RVsbQ_iQJiZHr221cV7Vnd4Rq_FobTWMSKDQHS1XPNsJQGWnunX852e6P5veWGZux4AMxDwQmvhwBLKgjdMfA/w640-h360/Princess%20Jellyfish%20cover.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><b><br />What's it about?</b><br /><br />'Tsukimi Kurashita has a strange fascination with jellyfish. She’s loved them from a young age and has carried that love with her to her new life in the big city of Tokyo. There, she resides in Amamizukan, a safe haven for girl geeks who regularly gush over a range of things from trains to Japanese dolls. However, a chance meeting at a pet shop has Tsukimi crossing paths with one of the things that the residents of Amamizukan have been desperately trying to avoid – a beautiful and fashionable woman! But there’s much more to this woman than her trendy clothes! This odd encounter is only the beginning of a new and unexpected path for Tsukimi and her friends.' <i>[Kindle edition blurb]</i><p></p><p><b>Things I loved</b><br /><br />I'm a sucker for slice-of-life josei manga geared towards an older female audience – they're such unicorns! – so the premise of this and its quirkily charming art style immediately appealed to me. </p><p>I was also impressed by its focus on an often overlooked group – female otaku ('fujoshi' or, as they call themselves, 'amars') – from a refreshingly sympathetic female perspective. Rather than simply presenting female otaku as token nerdy side characters, Higashimura spotlights the everyday challenges of the socially awkward fujoshi, like approaching strangers (especially men) and navigating a bustling metropolis with an anxiety disorder.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><blockquote>'Rather than simply presenting female otaku as token nerdy side characters, Higashimura spotlights the everyday challenges of the socially awkward fujoshi.'</blockquote></h3><p></p><p>This is tackled with humour, but some of the details hit surprisingly close to home – like how Tsukimi regrets not planning her trip to the aquarium on a weekday to avoid the crowds after suffering a panic attack. There are other reminders of the kinds of prejudices the group faces on a daily basis amid the zaniness, too, like how the amars are treated dismissively by others and viewed with contempt and even revulsion.</p><p>And, while the <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/OppositesAttract" target="_blank">marriage of opposites trope</a> is a common one, I enjoyed the clashing of personalities in the confident, cavalier Kuranosuke and the withdrawn, awkward Tsukimi. I've always been drawn to unconventional characters, and the sudden arrival of a dazzling, rebellious personality who challenges Tsukimi to leave the comforting confines of her mundane existence is a simple but fun twist that offers the right dose of wish fulfilment.</p><p>There are layers here, too, and the book encourages you to take a closer look at each character. Kuranosuke is introduced as a beautiful 'princess' with a seemingly perfect existence but is in fact a cross-dressing man shirking the conventional life that awaits him in politics in favour of his ambition to work in fashion. Tsukimi, meanwhile, could easily follow a typical ugly duckling arc, especially after Kuranosuke transforms her with a makeover; but, as fun as it is to see her transformation, I was pleasantly surprised when she is instead recognised as being most beautiful while in her element – surrounded by jellyfish in an aquarium – and therefore able to be the most herself. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahMe1cNqfBTm6eN5u226Sa_bZIoiPPuBKCkJlXDci1zjyT8xJQRrj_ntgy84ipQOismtlOVrpc_U9r3AIIR3vdyCK9FNaopz1WatQ7yoWjVlROr6VtXra7yp4pU8Ea8pUF7lcoj7ZoLlqQaV133W6vBJ9ploJ9uGNEuzPzsiDFcxytklGiQFdHh6HwA/s1119/pj.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiahMe1cNqfBTm6eN5u226Sa_bZIoiPPuBKCkJlXDci1zjyT8xJQRrj_ntgy84ipQOismtlOVrpc_U9r3AIIR3vdyCK9FNaopz1WatQ7yoWjVlROr6VtXra7yp4pU8Ea8pUF7lcoj7ZoLlqQaV133W6vBJ9ploJ9uGNEuzPzsiDFcxytklGiQFdHh6HwA/w400-h640/pj.png" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p><b>Things I didn't love</b><br /><br />How prejudiced the tenants of Amamizukan are! They not only fear men and stylish, attractive people but loathe them to a ludicrous degree, too. This is mostly played for comedic effect, but some of the tenants – such as Chieko, the manager of Amamizukan – can be genuinely unpleasant to outsiders. Their reasons for this are possibly explored more – or even challenged – in further volumes, but they're not touched on here. </p><p>The amars are also presented in quite caricaturish ways, both behaviourally and visually. While this can be genuinely funny, like Mejiro, the socially phobic and nocturnal <i>yaoi</i> manga writer, communicating solely through notes passed under her door or Tsukimi adopting the foetal position when threatened, it does mean we don't get to know much about the other amars beyond their respective obsessions. Again, this is perhaps something that will hopefully be developed in further volumes – a single volume can only establish so much, of course.</p><p>The tendency towards wacky hijinks also means some more real-life concerns are glossed over, giving this more of a shōjo feel than a josei one. We know Tsukimi has come to the city to work as an illustrator but, like the other amars, receives money from a parent (her dad). Has she struggled to find work or avoided it altogether? The addition of this contextual information – one of the key dilemmas of young adulthood – and insight into her goals and struggles could have informed Tsukimi's character further and made her even more relatable.</p><p>I also arched an eyebrow at a couple of parts, like when Kuranosuke asks Tsukimi if she's a virgin because of her enthusiasm for jellyfish or when he insists he's not a drag queen, just someone who likes women's fashion, and is therefore 'normal'. He also thinks all women want to be pretty, though it's unclear if this is down to his initially limited perspective or the manga's actual stance. But as far as dated manga/anime gender representations go, these are relatively tame slip-ups. </p><p><b>Was it well-paced?<br /></b><b><br /></b>As I enjoy slice of life more than wacky adventures, I admittedly had to push past the zany antics of the amars at the start to get to the meat of the plot and character development. I was rewarded for this with the introduction of a compelling new character and a succession of well-paced and compelling turns – each chapter is brimming with humour and energy, reveals something important about the characters and gives you a reason to read on. Coupled with the typically short length of a standard manga volume, this was an easy, breezy read. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zQ2yih7M-ZKrj9zOrHUKEKaihkjjHzk8secwwgrDTiaXkX51ssmOsZ5bAtWzpl2xEWrsar9zVnVGuHSqXEFG73auETDQN0FHmKqQgbUwSIhFaA11C78rvkaD4w4R7cm2g23QsNw_bplY-pQvhGtOo8PE5dpHwstKL2w6U9StAlg7jKubHbtaK6hfxA/s1113/C270C-N616667N-24.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1113" data-original-width="700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8zQ2yih7M-ZKrj9zOrHUKEKaihkjjHzk8secwwgrDTiaXkX51ssmOsZ5bAtWzpl2xEWrsar9zVnVGuHSqXEFG73auETDQN0FHmKqQgbUwSIhFaA11C78rvkaD4w4R7cm2g23QsNw_bplY-pQvhGtOo8PE5dpHwstKL2w6U9StAlg7jKubHbtaK6hfxA/w402-h640/C270C-N616667N-24.jpg" width="402" /></a></div><br /><b>What surprised me the most<br /></b><b><br /></b>Many of the tropes on display here will be familiar to any seasoned manga or anime fan, but there are clever little twists to each one, revealing surprising depth; I can think of several gender-bending manga/anime characters, but few who are the main love interest. And, while Tsukimi is horrified to find Kuranosuke is a man, this seems to derive primarily from her deep-seated fear of men rather than any prejudice against cross-dressing. <br /><br />Kuranosuke's gender fluidity is also more than just an opportunity for cheap titillation and is instead a medium through which he takes control of his destiny; he challenges Tsukimi's – and the reader's – perception of what a 'princess' is, showing that each individual can create their own personal power. As Kuranosuke proclaims, 'All girls are princesses from the moment they're born.' <br /><br />Another welcome surprise is that Tsukimi's transformation into a beautiful 'princess' isn't presented as a simple solution to her issues. While she is, of course, super cute after she sheds her glasses and is subjected to a style overhaul, she fundamentally doesn't believe she is like the princesses of the world. She also resists the makeovers, questioning why girls need to be pretty at all, but Kuranosuke demonstrates that there's more to being a princess than looking pretty – at its core, the manga is about Tsukimi overcoming her self-limiting beliefs and discovering her inner beauty by finding conviction in her voice.<div><h3></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;"><blockquote>'There's more to being a princess than being pretty -- at its core, the manga is about Tsukimi overcoming her self-limiting beliefs and discovering her inner beauty by finding conviction in her voice.'</blockquote></h3><p></p><p>I loved the twist that this is what Kuranosuke finds most attractive about Tsukimi, too (which contrasts with Shu falling hopelessly, and hilariously, in love with a fantasy based on her appearance).<br /><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4AU_htnfmnGnsOXJU9GnPlXO7Gi9bRXjp25d4lgkgqHEnB_ECtF1f2pk-wDr4yfJrgAWAYAhx_L6AIVtJz2lbg31pnCLCdODfMqBcfjHcJjyBZ9940RVcGRsJCYm97dU-ZTmKSjAL2qIQzdnRPB-9R2iTdWA5WENhHTSKqEFGiPECt1cx7RLN2dXfA/s700/C270C-N616669N-25.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="700" height="510" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4AU_htnfmnGnsOXJU9GnPlXO7Gi9bRXjp25d4lgkgqHEnB_ECtF1f2pk-wDr4yfJrgAWAYAhx_L6AIVtJz2lbg31pnCLCdODfMqBcfjHcJjyBZ9940RVcGRsJCYm97dU-ZTmKSjAL2qIQzdnRPB-9R2iTdWA5WENhHTSKqEFGiPECt1cx7RLN2dXfA/w640-h510/C270C-N616669N-25.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><b>Which moments stood out to me<br /></b><b><br /></b>There are lots of great moments – Higashimura is skilled at depicting awkward, humorous situations – but highlights included a hilarious scene where Tsukimi is so thunderstruck by the revelation that Kuranosuke has come just to see her that her soul leaves the solar system entirely. And then there's the stunned look on Shu's face when Tsukimi wafts out of the room post-makeover, only for him to immediately faceplant violently into the door.</p><p>There are also a couple of sweet scenes I loved, like when Shu notices Tsukimi from afar without recognising her and gives her a small warm smile, making her feel some sort of way (and instantly ruins the moment by reflecting on his disgust at the amars and their building). And, of course, when Kuranosuke feels an unexpected pang of jealousy when he happens upon Shu embracing a tearful Tsukimi, elevating his interest in her from a jewel to be polished to something more complex.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5R7PA7FMlMsSKOBZZksVZCkEHmdIUvkaUZTpPtwofESjjqmN8Iirdg_anHOcar6GEAmw-wx7VqFZnle7q5jYs4UhxeiBxjNjYirCG4pIHQntmdKi33Jn3a31KKGvYYVDI_8_TUvkFV98gSbtZvomh6MSTBPVE88EAz9ZxEi41fnGS0vAhC217gBrT7Q/s2251/C270C-N616670N-11.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1114" data-original-width="2251" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5R7PA7FMlMsSKOBZZksVZCkEHmdIUvkaUZTpPtwofESjjqmN8Iirdg_anHOcar6GEAmw-wx7VqFZnle7q5jYs4UhxeiBxjNjYirCG4pIHQntmdKi33Jn3a31KKGvYYVDI_8_TUvkFV98gSbtZvomh6MSTBPVE88EAz9ZxEi41fnGS0vAhC217gBrT7Q/w640-h316/C270C-N616670N-11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><b>So... will I read any of the other volumes in the series?<br /></b><b><br /></b>This had been on my to-read list for a while, and my main hesitation in picking it up was that it looked a little wackier than my usual picks, but the first volume has won me over with its humour, charm and heart. Seventeen volumes in total feels like a reasonable length, so I'm definitely intrigued to read more – especially to see wallflower Tsukimi blossom and the progression of the love triangle between Tsukimi, Kuranosuke and Shu (because who doesn't love a good love triangle?).</div><div><br />There's also a mysterious family drama subplot involving Kuranosuke's missing mother that has piqued my curiosity – given Kuranosuke is the black sheep of his stuffy, politically focused family, he no doubt inherited his fabulousness from her, so I'm compelled to find out more about her (and her wardrobe).</div><div><br /><b>I would recommend this manga for...<br /></b><b><br /></b>Anyone seeking a fun, feel-good romantic shōjo/josei manga with a dash of style and a fresh take on gender identity.<br /><br />If this tickled your fancy, you can find Vol. 1 of <i>Princess Jellyfish</i> on Kindle and comiXology <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Princess-Jellyfish-Vol-Akiko-Higashimura-ebook/dp/B01D58E6IU/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=princess+jellyfish&qid=1668509574&s=books&sprefix=princess+jellyfish%2Cstripbooks%2C440&sr=1-2" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg337VtpOjDJNuiMpYoe9fLw8XawiG7wENmrlp2ncKnyTPq2wLnLycqJqzaNynpe5eseaiKIZ83zp3xn_xJOhKR2rE8XxDZlytyMj-8AreN7oRTSHsKk5Dm3Ac5mEduYEZTBFGvfKCAnYvM4yZHnMGe_pB2nEJO2-ulqe0egK8fUsq3I6cjs2f7Jsa-GA/s1108/C270C-N616668N-28.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1108" data-original-width="700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg337VtpOjDJNuiMpYoe9fLw8XawiG7wENmrlp2ncKnyTPq2wLnLycqJqzaNynpe5eseaiKIZ83zp3xn_xJOhKR2rE8XxDZlytyMj-8AreN7oRTSHsKk5Dm3Ac5mEduYEZTBFGvfKCAnYvM4yZHnMGe_pB2nEJO2-ulqe0egK8fUsq3I6cjs2f7Jsa-GA/w405-h640/C270C-N616668N-28.jpg" width="405" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><p><i style="background-color: #fff8f6; color: #757575; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-85237820425996293022022-06-08T20:10:00.006+01:002023-01-25T11:43:57.215+00:00My Recommendations for Cosy, Story-Rich PC Adventure Games (Non-Gamer Friendly)Whether you're new to gaming or just hankering after something to lose yourself in that isn't weighed down by complicated mechanics or repetitive grindfests, I've got the perfect list of adventure games for you. Crucially, these won't send your blood pressure soaring with jump scares or game over screens (just good old-fashioned emotional trauma). Many can even be – and are compelling enough to be – completed in just a few sittings (or even just one).<div><br /></div><div>And, as much as I love the classic adventure games, I've opted for more modern titles where you're unlikely to be stumped for months on end by mind-bending moon logic puzzles involving, say, having to craft a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_hair_mustache_puzzle" target="_blank">fake moustache</a> disguise using cat hair, maple syrup and the last shreds of your sanity. <br /><br /><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Night in the Woods</span></b><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmdUARr1zcLrbmBx9bCYtS6bR7TjMOaRmoVJb6clneeNiQ25AVgXWDe0uu3XKh7ZSYm-49wuhrg-YRMVkU8X_XYx81k7tleotQZYcbCHX8PmKG8OVROwGitKuzuJU7vEVXQEXl6KTMqcRawipSyQ3CN52ViPo16HZq5YsU1B0C8sntO_vxEWb9QJJHA/s1110/night%20in%20the%20woods.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="623" data-original-width="1110" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBmdUARr1zcLrbmBx9bCYtS6bR7TjMOaRmoVJb6clneeNiQ25AVgXWDe0uu3XKh7ZSYm-49wuhrg-YRMVkU8X_XYx81k7tleotQZYcbCHX8PmKG8OVROwGitKuzuJU7vEVXQEXl6KTMqcRawipSyQ3CN52ViPo16HZq5YsU1B0C8sntO_vxEWb9QJJHA/w640-h360/night%20in%20the%20woods.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>At first glance, I wasn't sure how I felt about this game's quirky art style featuring cartoonish anthropomorphised characters, but as soon as I started playing it, any misgivings quickly dissipated. You play as college dropout Mae as she returns to her hometown, Possum Springs, where she tries to recapture her aimless teen existence and reconnect with childhood friends. But things have shifted – her friends have changed and home feels slightly different. And what dark secrets lurk in the woods?</div><div><br />As someone who grew up in a small rural town and struggled with questions about my direction and where I fit in post-uni, this game resonated profoundly with me. As Mae, you explore a lush, vivid world, partaking in charming everyday activities like playing bass with your band, stargazing with your neighbour and, um... tossing pierogi in your friend's mouth. As a sense of creeping unease sets in, you also investigate bizarre goings-on that mirror Mae's discomfort at forces beyond her control. <br /><br />There's so much to rave about here: the well-developed and lovable cast of characters; the wonderful and often hilarious dialogue; the sweetly poignant music; the sympathetic treatment of mental health issues; the simplistic, quirky art style that belies the game's darkness and maturity (themes include '<a href="https://theconversation.com/night-in-the-woods-the-video-game-that-captures-bittersweet-millennial-life-under-covid-19-145451#:~:text=Its%20themes%20of%20underemployment%2C%20decaying,future%2C%20presciently%20capture%20this%20moment." target="_blank">underemployment, decaying cities and youth disenfranchisement</a>').<p></p><p>The game's greatest strength, however, is capturing that bittersweet sense of change and uncertainty in that strange limbo between youth and adulthood, past and future – something that feels more relatable today than ever. </p><p><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/481510/Night_in_the_Woods/" target="_blank">Steam store page</a><br /></p><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Life Is Strange</span></b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK9RoNeel6V8UtmF8HGhxUGKZopmMwtnYY1KkNo11MWUJ44e0KCNmLgfcvSni960krcWMHJOvreHsuStl2_jnLdizb5CF9U6p5-qO_8-2NXOFxTV-N5cz-0ZaLt5a8DSgIITU7n7jmoNAWdY3WZ2oLhHBpW20EEj9bUCd4zTuPPD9fQqRK75x28IGTYA/s1366/lifeisstrange.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK9RoNeel6V8UtmF8HGhxUGKZopmMwtnYY1KkNo11MWUJ44e0KCNmLgfcvSni960krcWMHJOvreHsuStl2_jnLdizb5CF9U6p5-qO_8-2NXOFxTV-N5cz-0ZaLt5a8DSgIITU7n7jmoNAWdY3WZ2oLhHBpW20EEj9bUCd4zTuPPD9fQqRK75x28IGTYA/w640-h360/lifeisstrange.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>If you haven't played this beloved episodic adventure game yet, it's not too late to make up for lost time – which, incidentally, is the subject of the game. You follow Max, a photography student who discovers she can rewind time, averting the death of her best friend, Chloe. But the rot in Arcadia Bay goes deeper than this, and she is soon drawn into the mysterious disappearance of Rachel, the most popular girl in school. </div><div><br />Combining the magical and the mundane, this game captures the nostalgia of small-town life as a teenager, from grabbing pancakes at the local diner to listening to bangin' indie rock tunes with Max's best friend while sprawled on her bed. Beautifully written and compelling, with a haunting soundtrack that matches the narrative perfectly, you get to choose the relationships you foster as Max reconnects with her hometown and childhood best friend. The only downside? This game will <i>destroy</i> you as you face the inevitable consequences of tinkering with the past.<br /><br /><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/319630/Life_is_Strange__Episode_1/" target="_blank">Steam store page</a> (Episode 1 is free!)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gone Home</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WezyKmyzUnbAmusSJT-1Po5u6AhyV1ZdDHL0afGTa31tprlHZn7kKnIGmmM8j6veRREoestH_ggdF1hTwyT16jsutYjbaIP9L4GlizDczcduuj39jhC2-9AkVnI3MvtgbX6mffcTB5kein_yBs41kEf3oPnVJMBtGquuXgS9fI5TxoeKH_nW_bIkPg/s1920/gonehome.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5WezyKmyzUnbAmusSJT-1Po5u6AhyV1ZdDHL0afGTa31tprlHZn7kKnIGmmM8j6veRREoestH_ggdF1hTwyT16jsutYjbaIP9L4GlizDczcduuj39jhC2-9AkVnI3MvtgbX6mffcTB5kein_yBs41kEf3oPnVJMBtGquuXgS9fI5TxoeKH_nW_bIkPg/w640-h360/gonehome.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-weight: 700;"><br /></span></div>In this interactive exploration simulator, you return to your family home after a year abroad to find the house empty. What happened, and where is everyone? While there is an air of unease, the game allows you to take in every detail – from notes and letters to the contents of drawers and cupboards – at your leisure to slowly piece together the personal stories of every inhabitant. But don't be fooled – while you're unlikely to get stuck, this game is surprisingly complex; nothing and no one are as they seem. Eschewing puzzles and combat, the focus here is immersion in the 90s domestic setting and the telling of an intensely heartfelt and intimate story (read my review <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2013/09/gone-home-review-house-is-not-home.html" target="_blank">here</a>). </div><div><p><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/232430/Gone_Home/" target="_blank">Steam store page</a><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Her Story</span></b><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7M0k2YBJY-h3zNcZ4LeO74yNz7lzgy-4cq9_0r8V9dIcUUKIl16wyqIKQMAF2Pk6KIp6hZ86Rdo2zU8YM6h3hcP_guEP5_S4LmRV17RBG00ssrDQja1ZoXJJ54mCdhsKX95Tkj20f3CQ2KZBafB-ukG4WpPbtaqR6OPJ4bFL1-ImZLggQ26JzN10Z4g/s997/her%20story.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="625" data-original-width="997" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7M0k2YBJY-h3zNcZ4LeO74yNz7lzgy-4cq9_0r8V9dIcUUKIl16wyqIKQMAF2Pk6KIp6hZ86Rdo2zU8YM6h3hcP_guEP5_S4LmRV17RBG00ssrDQja1ZoXJJ54mCdhsKX95Tkj20f3CQ2KZBafB-ukG4WpPbtaqR6OPJ4bFL1-ImZLggQ26JzN10Z4g/w640-h402/her%20story.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The concept and mechanics underlying this FMV detective game are amazingly simple: a woman is interviewed by the police about her missing husband; the player must search the police database for video clips from these interviews by typing in search terms (e.g., 'murder', 'love', 'secret'), gleaning key terms from each clip to reveal further videos and insights into her story.<br /><br />As you begin to piece together her story, however, more questions emerge. Is she telling the truth or lying (or is her story simply what she believes to be true)? Is there one woman or two? For that matter, who exactly are you, the investigator?<br /><br />The game's simple setup yields opportunities for creativity in thinking of new search terms and rewards the player with a rich, involving story. It also works brilliantly collaboratively – I began this without knowing what to expect and found myself playing it long into the night with my partner, both of us interjecting with our own ideas for new search terms. Even after finishing it, I thought about the narrative possibilities for days afterwards, turning the clues over in my head and subjecting my long-suffering partner to excessively elaborate theories – the unmistakable mark of a damn fine story.</div><div><br /><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/368370/Her_Story/" target="_blank">Steam store page</a><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Contradiction: Spot the Liar!</span></b><br /><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVLlPM852puloLp0sv3gX92SMzAtAQyDMBo7Lz8Ti7Z7RFSE3QKwZ-_Tb95Go8Y9y00a4_qH-C4bDY0_PSANQCdADMRMPms29gyBRHsSP-UEjoIcO8uUD6fhLxu17aDFnp4ZTD5k-2F3DqjUqiGGpCwLMTpyAwwr3KDGTP2j7hw7GV49yWDsTrjkVVg/s1024/contradiction.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="467" data-original-width="1024" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVLlPM852puloLp0sv3gX92SMzAtAQyDMBo7Lz8Ti7Z7RFSE3QKwZ-_Tb95Go8Y9y00a4_qH-C4bDY0_PSANQCdADMRMPms29gyBRHsSP-UEjoIcO8uUD6fhLxu17aDFnp4ZTD5k-2F3DqjUqiGGpCwLMTpyAwwr3KDGTP2j7hw7GV49yWDsTrjkVVg/w640-h292/contradiction.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>If the concept of <i>Midsomer Murders: The Game</i> intrigues you, then you won't be able to resist the charms of this live-action murder mystery. Set in a deceptively sleepy rural English village (where else?), <i>Contradiction</i> stars an eccentric detective whose facial contortions when delivering zingers like 'And another thing!' are a joy to behold. <br /><br />The central mechanic involves interviewing the highly suspect cast of characters and catching them out in their lies, leading to highly satisfying reactions as they attempt to wriggle their way out of them. (One of my favourite characters is Simon, the resident stoner, who has an unhealthy interest in the occult and responds to every question with a tired yet haunted look that suggests he's <i>seen</i> things, man.) <br /><br />Despite culminating in a disappointing final reveal due to budget issues, the story is otherwise well-crafted and engrossing, featuring intrigues such as illicit affairs, a cultish 'business course' known as ATLAS and demonic soul possession. Rural English villages are just the wildest. Best enjoyed plugged into a TV so players can work together to spot the lies, this game is an unmitigated delight.<p></p><p><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/373390/Contradiction__Spot_The_Liar/" target="_blank">Steam store page</a><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">What Remains of Edith Finch</span></b><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyb4WxXwDClGj_HXIHjmqBpztR0_4z3nYPUp6QVZfCM8gXE0uechIuFVZoW7eiPR1--D8kIv5QcA4ZkoIrKbP5dFj7GRSYiqffSdHeT9SyBkGGrsrsOnZhxaD4QYQS7viH9D7JShZYcgmqDkCMI_d2fJ45Lqxz8QPkVNfzEyY3K8rb4nNTTqutLXEvoQ/s1067/edithfinch.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="1067" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyb4WxXwDClGj_HXIHjmqBpztR0_4z3nYPUp6QVZfCM8gXE0uechIuFVZoW7eiPR1--D8kIv5QcA4ZkoIrKbP5dFj7GRSYiqffSdHeT9SyBkGGrsrsOnZhxaD4QYQS7viH9D7JShZYcgmqDkCMI_d2fJ45Lqxz8QPkVNfzEyY3K8rb4nNTTqutLXEvoQ/w640-h360/edithfinch.png" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>In this strange yet beautiful environmental exploration game (or, less flatteringly, walking simulator) you play as Edith Finch as she explores the colossal family house in search of an answer to the question of why she's the last surviving Finch. Each family member's unique life story up until the day of their death is represented by a different section of the house. As such, every section varies significantly in gameplay and tone, from comic-book-style horror to high fantasy and with stories stretching from the distant past to the present day. The house is a labyrinthine marvel, and each story is like plunging into the pages of a fantastical, spellbinding book. <br /><br />At its heart, however, each story is about real people and the very human problems they face: mental health struggles, broken relationships, family trauma. Things too painful to confront without the softening veil of metaphor (one dreamlike scene involving the soul-crushing monotony of a factory job haunts me in particular). The game's dark subject matter is counterbalanced, however, by the sense of wonder it instils at all the lives, hopes and dreams around us that we aren't normally aware of or don't always fully appreciate.</div><div><p></p><p><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/501300/What_Remains_of_Edith_Finch/" target="_blank">Steam store page</a><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Firewatch</span></b><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBfd_Qu2gPU_UeH_i3ipioIjgLBt0W2SJZMb-hAmQlbm6gLsJ6Kf43ZMfmt-kEMO9IutqwwUHTI7Ws4cWjNpuObe89ucBtQa4UKJBtCP95hWFn-_yI7Sml1zrcBBAev-JK_NufynAMFyySpn5RCPSN-MjsBbOQ56f2NTnnIFvUTRavpkjar1BB6C0Dg/s3000/firewatch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1688" data-original-width="3000" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPBfd_Qu2gPU_UeH_i3ipioIjgLBt0W2SJZMb-hAmQlbm6gLsJ6Kf43ZMfmt-kEMO9IutqwwUHTI7Ws4cWjNpuObe89ucBtQa4UKJBtCP95hWFn-_yI7Sml1zrcBBAev-JK_NufynAMFyySpn5RCPSN-MjsBbOQ56f2NTnnIFvUTRavpkjar1BB6C0Dg/w640-h360/firewatch.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>If you've ever felt the pull to leave everything behind and live among the trees, Walden-style, <i>Firewatch</i> is the perfect way to scratch that itch from the comfort of your home. You play as Henry, a man fleeing his complicated past for the peaceful solitude of life as a fire lookout in the Wyoming wilderness. When strange events draw you out from the safety of your tower, however, you must plunge into the unknown and explore the forest wilderness around you to uncover its secrets in this riveting first-person mystery. <br /><br />The environment shifts from majestically beautiful to subtly menacing depending on the time and context, and, with only a handheld radio connected to one other person as your emotional lifeline, the game evokes feelings of awe and vulnerability in turn. Interestingly, despite its grand landscape, <i>Firewatch</i> concerns itself with stories on a domestic scale. It also features refreshingly adult conversations and a thought-provoking story shaped by your choices and the relationship you build. With its stunning setting, gripping narrative and top-tier voice acting, <i>Firewatch</i> draws you irresistibly into its expansive world (read what else I had to say about this <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2020/04/inspiring-adventure-game-locations-that_27.html" target="_blank">here</a>). <br /><br /><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/383870/Firewatch/" target="_blank">Steam store page</a><br /><span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>The Blackwell Legacy</b></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4GWZZbM4zEmwRyV-kg_Su5b6EhpxStgQD8DrYxlsL0OmLPtKzM0HaBWwbgvXL0ZwwD8YiOUPTPOkzCoVbvn2WBIl8ECnq_9PmgBq1GY5y9nl0ny-CQ_ACAbW9NiJGaRW8UFK5hiU91xcNISd9Ovi1ebtr9QlN4Mepcax6nBohTijo3itxxkt_kq3nw/s639/blackwell.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="639" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT4GWZZbM4zEmwRyV-kg_Su5b6EhpxStgQD8DrYxlsL0OmLPtKzM0HaBWwbgvXL0ZwwD8YiOUPTPOkzCoVbvn2WBIl8ECnq_9PmgBq1GY5y9nl0ny-CQ_ACAbW9NiJGaRW8UFK5hiU91xcNISd9Ovi1ebtr9QlN4Mepcax6nBohTijo3itxxkt_kq3nw/w640-h362/blackwell.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The first in Wadget Eye's spooky five-part Blackwell series, <i>Legacy</i> introduces us to Rosa Blackwell, whose quiet, isolated life is upended when the sardonic Joey Mallone breezes into her life. I mean this quite literally – Joey is a ghost from the 1930s, and Rosa, he reveals, is the only surviving member of a line of mediums who must now remedy the supernatural ills of New York by nudging lost souls into moving on. That is, if she can overcome her social anxiety and push past the boundaries of her comfort zone first. </div><div><br />We don't see nearly enough leads flying the socially awkward introvert flag, so this instantly endeared Rosa to me. Meanwhile, sarcastic spirit guide Joey is her perfect foil, and, despite bemoaning the thankless nature of his job and liberally applying his dry brand of humour, he can't hide his genuine care for and protective instincts regarding his young charge.<p></p><p>The Blackwell series is a hugely rewarding experience; accessible though gently challenging, with a compelling narrative and well-developed characters brought to life by excellent voice acting and animated character portraits, the indie-developed series only improves with each episode as characters grow and the plot becomes more ambitious (and heart-rending).</p><p><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/80330/The_Blackwell_Legacy/" target="_blank">Steam store page</a><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Emily Is Away</span></b><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1Xyyy49B6damRCFyScy4JFiDbo9Vmm5le4x2AIlY0VXHgePlGnUClyfrHxvc59j0A3yyT9eNH0Scedw6ZTyZIXcAZPPy21usqmyAMhZxEKj1DEXtA1Th563iawIYTAJOQVYebol6Hyx1dZ2ckhX2oamI7zuNa_O8eOZvG26NgC_DAgmqIK0twdCEIw/s799/emily%20is%20away.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="799" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR1Xyyy49B6damRCFyScy4JFiDbo9Vmm5le4x2AIlY0VXHgePlGnUClyfrHxvc59j0A3yyT9eNH0Scedw6ZTyZIXcAZPPy21usqmyAMhZxEKj1DEXtA1Th563iawIYTAJOQVYebol6Hyx1dZ2ckhX2oamI7zuNa_O8eOZvG26NgC_DAgmqIK0twdCEIw/w640-h360/emily%20is%20away.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>If, like me, you're a child of the 80s/90s who came of age in or around the noughties, this interactive story game is sure to hit you right in the nostalgia. The gameplay couldn't be simpler – essentially a text adventure for a new (but old) age, choose from era-appropriate responses to your fellow teenagers to experience a branching narrative spanning five years of the protagonist's life. </div><div><p></p><p>It's amazing how something as simple as the Windows XP start-up jingle or selecting a 'mysterious' AOL Instant Messenger username (sarahsometimes) and angsty away message ('I like pleasure spiked with pain, and music is my aeroplane') can transport you back to a formative time in your life – when your circle of friends and high school drama were your whole world but everything was also starting to come undone as people prepared for college and uncertain yet hopeful futures.</p><p><br />Clocking in at around an hour and a half of gameplay (the sequels are somewhat longer and more ambitious), this is a short and sweet yet surprisingly affecting experience, just like those heady high school days (it's also free!). <br /><br /><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/417860/Emily_is_Away/" target="_blank">Steam store page</a><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A Case of Distrust</span></b><br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfbJEmsXa7SxuP0TdBQhjU_URDejesuww-f5_3eZSktJBfrPXnd1YUH1wLSd4O395VEed_TsWUCHrEahbFsTzA2t5iMx7xtUS2vHTWI1jUOy730TVPbAe3ccYR9tFdYlbRhD_57nyPWY0GnO2gb6bMmBJHJM_VeFZz1vG9hfqtZ3Y75rcc5Bp0epJNw/s1280/2018091408112200-4FEDB8D0558A21C35C7EAFFA4DDB47C6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBfbJEmsXa7SxuP0TdBQhjU_URDejesuww-f5_3eZSktJBfrPXnd1YUH1wLSd4O395VEed_TsWUCHrEahbFsTzA2t5iMx7xtUS2vHTWI1jUOy730TVPbAe3ccYR9tFdYlbRhD_57nyPWY0GnO2gb6bMmBJHJM_VeFZz1vG9hfqtZ3Y75rcc5Bp0epJNw/w640-h360/2018091408112200-4FEDB8D0558A21C35C7EAFFA4DDB47C6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>This stylish noir narrative mystery set in the roaring twenties, San Francisco, was a winning combination for me: noir and interactive storytelling, like the more adult, Raymond Chandler-inspired evolution of Choose Your Own Adventure books. The game has an important distinction from typical hardboiled stories, however: you play as Phyllis Cadence Malone, a female P.I., during a time when the ink on the amendment granting women the right to vote has barely dried. This defining obstacle informs the world you find yourself in, elevating this beyond a basic retreading of familiar yet comforting noir tropes. <br /><br />The game doesn't flinch away from other issues of the day, either, including poverty, discrimination and emancipation, many of which come up in the stimulating conversations you can choose to engage in with cab drivers, the eyes and ears of the city.<p></p><p></p><p>With its <a href="https://filmartgallery.com/collections/saul-bass-archive-film-posters" target="_blank">Saul Bass</a>-inspired art style and toe-tapping jazz/swing soundtrack, this is an exercise in how to build atmosphere and intrigue without fancy 3D graphics or complicated mechanics. The writing and dialogue are also highly enjoyable, evoking that characteristic noir style without feeling caricaturish. And, while the game may be 2D, the characters are anything but; their backstories had me concocting my own theories about the culprit, successfully throwing me off the scent of a twist worthy of the twistiest (and most frustrating) in the genre. </p><p><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/717610/A_Case_of_Distrust/" target="_blank">Steam store page</a><br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><p><i style="background-color: #fff8f6; color: #757575; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-62728409200905394902021-10-31T23:50:00.008+00:002022-11-15T12:31:56.462+00:00The Black Mirror PC Game Review: Dark, Twisty and a Hot Mess of an Ending<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVwQJiFhTFyy69rdKq-KOZbS8bpstidrV5At02340M4GhhlvqrTPCMkYyV0b_yj9N4czKVGk6-8HXFGkprYCBibZ1jiXeLoQMYpt3YWsduvVbuf99a39MYSCesekQW_WoRLSB4PJQFMVr/s1366/blackmirrormanor.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVVwQJiFhTFyy69rdKq-KOZbS8bpstidrV5At02340M4GhhlvqrTPCMkYyV0b_yj9N4czKVGk6-8HXFGkprYCBibZ1jiXeLoQMYpt3YWsduvVbuf99a39MYSCesekQW_WoRLSB4PJQFMVr/w640-h360/blackmirrormanor.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>A journey into darkness.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>I've played my fair share of retro point-and-click adventure games, so when I peeped moody aesthetic screenshots of this cult classic 2003 horror adventure from Czech developer Future Games, I wondered how it'd slipped past my radar. <br /><br />One Halloween Steam sale whirlwind later, and I was transported to Black Mirror, the remote ancestral Gordon family manor in Suffolk, 1981. After a 12-year absence, protagonist Samuel Gordon is drawn reluctantly back by his grandfather's mysterious death. Dismissed as suicide by everyone else, Samuel is convinced otherwise and begins his own informal investigation. This leads – naturally, given their sizable wealth and gothic English estate – to the revelation of an ancient family curse. As Samuel confronts the darkness that shrouds his family history, more bizarre, unexplained deaths gather pace around the manor, and he must race to break the curse before Black Mirror claims another victim.<p></p><p>The most striking thing about <i>Black Mirror </i>– and what drew me to it in the first place – is its lushly detailed pre-rendered environments. I strongly appreciate this hand-drawn style of background, allowing for more charming, realised worlds, over fully 3D environments, especially when 90s and noughties game engines aren't quite equal to the task (*cough*, <i><a href="https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/17459" target="_blank">Gabriel Knight 3</a>. </i>3D just 'cause you can isn't the asset developers seem to think it is). The main drawback to this is when 3D character models don't quite integrate into the scenery; the models aren't glaringly out of place here, but the game doesn't offer anti-aliasing to smooth out the rough edges and the characters' oddly pipe-limbed, clay-like forms and plodding movements detract from the realism a tad.</p><p>The game boasts 150 locations (though I suspect this refers to screens rather than distinct locations), and they're a treat to behold. From the imposing gothic manor itself framed by skeletal trees and portentous skies and the grand, ornately decorated rooms within to the Tudor-style houses and pretty old-worldly charm of local village Willow Creek, <i>Black Mirror</i> excels at atmosphere. The settings are also cast in dramatic light and shadow and set off by atmospheric effects including rain, fog and storms. Meanwhile, realistic animated touches like leaves rustling in the breeze and blackbirds circling the spires and turrets of the manor lend to the game's tense ambience. As I've mentioned <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2020/04/inspiring-adventure-game-locations-that.html" target="_blank">before</a>, after almost two years of Covid-related travel restrictions, immersive game worlds like these soothe the caged adventurer's soul.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhEmAy-iRi9Vnszcz4oYlcWpNxjOes42VH4EDGmEkVZdaPpjHvZZ5-vod0M98kwu00j5lBicaBmur6T_3TwPz0YjD4tFdup9u7kILC-WjHNxl9LcJANv5uqfTKjGiC3WkUFmqysN5Xtk1K/s1366/willowcreek.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhEmAy-iRi9Vnszcz4oYlcWpNxjOes42VH4EDGmEkVZdaPpjHvZZ5-vod0M98kwu00j5lBicaBmur6T_3TwPz0YjD4tFdup9u7kILC-WjHNxl9LcJANv5uqfTKjGiC3WkUFmqysN5Xtk1K/w640-h360/willowcreek.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Though set in the 80s, many of the locations feel like stepping much further into the past.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p><i>Black Mirror</i> builds tension well, even slipping in some surprising little scares when examining seemingly innocent objects, like a memorable sanity-questioning moment with a wood chipper in the first chapter. On first inspection, Samuel finds it smeared with blood, but after he returns, it's gone. Did someone clean it off, or did Samuel imagine the whole thing? Subtle, but effective. <br /><br />All this is set to appropriately spooky – and occasionally <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCmaWZlTH_c" target="_blank">heart-stopping</a> – music, with moments of restrained quiet – like the eerie stillness of the manor punctuated only by an ominous ticking clock.</p><p>While this may have gone against the creators' intentions, I would've enjoyed more lighter moments, such as a little quintessentially British dark humour and maybe even a few cosy retreats, to offset the brooding character of the game. In short, I craved more contrast; as well as providing relief from the menacing atmosphere, this could've made the horror all the more effective. As things stand, this is quite a relentlessly dark game, especially given the turn of events towards the end (more on which later). <br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3uGNCZq3UNoHlEGbI785IG3kT7s7IcCApH7G62dOM3iCsxNfjxElSQ67lLSll5PURiElvg7BaElC5Dyt6NAAN_6jJl5O0OpKsjMwUlZcqKVhdk0Y3jXUwXMwP4ivPIOP-URlILh1WLnCq/s1366/blackmirrorlab.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3uGNCZq3UNoHlEGbI785IG3kT7s7IcCApH7G62dOM3iCsxNfjxElSQ67lLSll5PURiElvg7BaElC5Dyt6NAAN_6jJl5O0OpKsjMwUlZcqKVhdk0Y3jXUwXMwP4ivPIOP-URlILh1WLnCq/w640-h360/blackmirrorlab.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>It might be the 80s, but this can't be compliant with hygiene regulations.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table> </div><p></p><p>This lack of texture is made more apparent by the flat, stilted voice acting; the highly popular German version, on the other hand, puts the English release to shame – German Samuel is voiced by David Nathan, a voice actor known for regularly dubbing Johnny Depp and Christian Bale in international film releases. In contrast, in the English version, Samuel '<a href="https://youtu.be/sCmaWZlTH_c?t=217" target="_blank">I must go now</a>' Gordon manages to give players a more wooden performance than Keanu Reeves' iconic turn as Jonathan Harker in <i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqotT8iERxk" target="_blank">Bram Stoker's Dracula</a></i>. </p><p>The dialogue isn't much more lively – or particularly helpful, for that matter. While the player can choose to lie, this has no real impact, nullifying any sense of player agency (especially given later events), and interactions lack emotional punch. All of this makes it difficult to form attachments to characters, rendering Samuel an unrelatable lead. This is a shame; his homecoming posed a fantastic opportunity to explore his memories and relationships with family members in more depth.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYw4K0aSEyVxCDEQk_9VkBQZJ68iTVg24xWVbUCg_tIAhr_aiu7RG0bAR0zsL040nrIz8bX074jrJbytu0KjCI590XXHUuJ2kyu11qs4y2sQFIle4nq05sLCIgj1wi_lWouLY19DuZuJb/s1366/blackmirrorgrandma.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYw4K0aSEyVxCDEQk_9VkBQZJ68iTVg24xWVbUCg_tIAhr_aiu7RG0bAR0zsL040nrIz8bX074jrJbytu0KjCI590XXHUuJ2kyu11qs4y2sQFIle4nq05sLCIgj1wi_lWouLY19DuZuJb/w640-h360/blackmirrorgrandma.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>LOVE the drapes.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p>All of the focus rests, instead, on the central mystery and Samuel's ensuing quest to seek five sacred keys to seal the hell-portal beneath Black Mirror (given the task at hand, his lack of relish over proceedings is admittedly somewhat justified). This involves a variety of enjoyable and sufficiently challenging though generally logical puzzles, with a few frustrating instances of pixel hunting (at one point I'd neglected to check a doorframe in a bedroom that concealed an essential key. There was nothing about it that warranted any special attention, and without consulting a guide I might well be wandering the halls of Black Mirror engaging in awkward unproductive conversations to this day). <br /><br />One notorious puzzle bizarrely assumes knowledge of the zodiac symbols, which must be placed in order in that beloved adventure game staple, the sliding-block puzzle. Players have found this puzzle so exasperating that there are numerous forum threads on the topic and even requests for post-zodiac puzzle save states just so they can skip it altogether (I had to look up a table showing what each one represents). Simply providing an in-game reference for these symbols would've saved a lot of grief. <br /><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdDDg416oH4qWT1sEl3QKxWThTE3QFYkQ0G-IbLMPOFQhvHMJxgil_ohLmu4_wl9k5jn4M5eccR_vBYsWILyiOEyoeKhN_2DfuzF2B3-CBT_CV7Kbbz0khROMeCaGtmj6WaFE8GgxgcFp/s480/blackmirrorzodiac.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtdDDg416oH4qWT1sEl3QKxWThTE3QFYkQ0G-IbLMPOFQhvHMJxgil_ohLmu4_wl9k5jn4M5eccR_vBYsWILyiOEyoeKhN_2DfuzF2B3-CBT_CV7Kbbz0khROMeCaGtmj6WaFE8GgxgcFp/w640-h480/blackmirrorzodiac.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The sliding-block zodiac puzzle that launched a thousand tears.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />There's also an unwinnable state (if you waste a bullet shooting the lock in the mine you won't be able to defeat the wolf outside); given that this is an isolated incident, this seems to be an example of unforgivingly flawed puzzle design rather than a decision to emulate hardcore adventure games of yore. Thankfully, I'd caught wind of this one ahead of time, so I didn't run into any dead ends – though I did die in a number of the game's creative 'game over' scenarios (eyeball skewer, anyone?).<br /><br />The narrative culminates in a shocking twist (warning: the following contains spoilers. If you want to avoid these, retreat now. I repeat, retreat now) – but does it land? The revelation that Samuel is the true, albeit unconscious, killer genuinely took me surprise, a successful feat for any murder mystery, and worked well in that it was foreshadowed by Samuel's nightmares and the literal writing on the wall in the sanatorium.<br /><br /><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6zNduRLJSpO5A3rxAzWFALBoE5znkR1lXmtX1d3dNFRBnktsQ58scGKhHCIqCxxpWpqamPyDkp47UA8sovg8iKUB7IGvFrRyPuL0VdE-CDOl-a8_KHe0OkhCXj8Krg4x86rvRIGNR4Us/s1366/blackmirrordreams.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs6zNduRLJSpO5A3rxAzWFALBoE5znkR1lXmtX1d3dNFRBnktsQ58scGKhHCIqCxxpWpqamPyDkp47UA8sovg8iKUB7IGvFrRyPuL0VdE-CDOl-a8_KHe0OkhCXj8Krg4x86rvRIGNR4Us/w640-h360/blackmirrordreams.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>It's moments like these that the German Johnny Depp voice dub would be strongly appreciated.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p>However, my surprise wasn't simply due to clever misdirection; the reveal doesn't quite hold up to scrutiny. One of the bodies was entirely drained of blood and another was torn apart, suggesting supernatural or superhuman intervention – something the game never offers an explanation for – and one of the murders would've required Samuel to travel from Wales to Suffolk and back (a more than 10-hour roundtrip) on a night when the player has him up past midnight tombraiding. This left me feeling almost as scammed as the time I discovered the true killer in <i><a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2014/12/my-pick-of-video-game-titles-that.html" target="_blank">Heavy Rain</a></i> was [<span style="color: #fff8f6;">Shelby</span>] when I knew damn well they couldn't have killed that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrxz0frSR0A" target="_blank">clockmaker guy in the office</a> in the space of a few seconds with their partner just a few feet away. *Nostrils flare* But I digress...</p><p>Plot holes aside, there are some dangling plot threads – a photo of Samuel's wife, Cathrin, who died in a house fire, sits prominently on his dresser, hinting at some Jane Eyre-worthy exposition on Samuel's past, but by the end the player is none the wiser. While I found out later that this is the subject of one of the sequels, it feels strange to drop such a dramatic plot point in near the start without any follow-up. </p><p>None of these issues was as maddening as the unsatisfying ending, however, when, much like sanity-challenged Uncle James, the game pretty much loses it. The whole basis of the narrative and motivation for playing is uncovering the mystery of the Gordon family curse – and ultimately breaking it, saving any innocent victims caught up in the whole sorry mess, the Gordon bloodline and Samuel's own soul.</p><p><br />While the curse origins are discovered, Samuel ultimately succumbs to the same curse that killed his grandfather. In the process, he deals some major collateral damage to unsuspecting manor-adjacent bystanders and renders all preceding game actions somewhat hollow. But then Samuel's characterisation is so flat, you'd be forgiven for not really caring about his self-imposed spiky-fenced fate (which also, quite literally, kills off any motivation for following the series into its sequels). </p><p><b>Verdict:</b> Overall, <i>Black Mirror</i> is polished on the surface (especially for a game almost 20 years old now), just as long as you don't look <i>too</i> closely. Its worst sin, for me, is that it lacks the vital factor that sets other greater adventure games, like <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2020/04/inspiring-adventure-game-locations-that_27.html" target="_blank"><i>Gabriel Knight</i> and <i>Broken Sword</i></a>, apart – characters that feel real and sympathetic. However, if you can suspend your critical judgment long enough to submit to an experience that makes up for flaccid characterisation with zany plot turns, you're in for an effectively atmospheric, absorbing and twisty ride. The box art does promise a 'Journey into Darkness' – and by this metric, at least, it delivers.</p><p><br /><b>Score: </b><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0_Vu-Kdg-ybOerpXrsPReIdbPSz0nwUqoBBgCC6DuXwt3LRPKX3t0dQec4ED8nOj6wLsa3NxyLnGxla1Eu-SuDg12RYn0kP_DpTrTylhzIGYsy36ftNnqQaNtxZ8UBe2huEWId_oM8L2/s1366/blackmirrorgate.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1366" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0_Vu-Kdg-ybOerpXrsPReIdbPSz0nwUqoBBgCC6DuXwt3LRPKX3t0dQec4ED8nOj6wLsa3NxyLnGxla1Eu-SuDg12RYn0kP_DpTrTylhzIGYsy36ftNnqQaNtxZ8UBe2huEWId_oM8L2/w640-h360/blackmirrorgate.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>'I must go now.'</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><p><i style="background-color: #fff8f6; color: #757575; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-14647191106775638102021-07-25T16:33:00.013+01:002022-11-15T12:34:44.717+00:00Choose Your Own Adventure Retrospective: The Curse of Batterslea Hall by Richard Brightfield<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGT5T022WS-PipMnafLS7mSdpFEPEwWyVbf-sucQOI6efqk5Gla_TfZHyrPsOG3a7qwd2gyiend5uK_NXAVbGNObFiddKLMsAZ3tWPDy9slfcMaq9fhaFpbjdb-4qNV_v65kJZRE5kuDP/s2048/223063510_119667693618399_8808763773155352013_n.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggGT5T022WS-PipMnafLS7mSdpFEPEwWyVbf-sucQOI6efqk5Gla_TfZHyrPsOG3a7qwd2gyiend5uK_NXAVbGNObFiddKLMsAZ3tWPDy9slfcMaq9fhaFpbjdb-4qNV_v65kJZRE5kuDP/w640-h360/223063510_119667693618399_8808763773155352013_n.png" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><i>The Curse of Batterslea Hall</i> was always my favourite <a href="https://www.cyoa.com/collections/classics" target="_blank">CYOA</a> book – it was also, for reasons I'll get into, one of the more unusual ones. It sparked my later love of adventure games and inspired some of my sketchy early attempts at creative writing (including a thinly veiled recreation on 90s 'edutainment' program <a href="https://youtu.be/bNFJHsQCmoY?t=443" target="_blank"><i>Storybook Weaver</i></a>). It also deepened my devastation when I returned home one fateful school night to discover my mum had donated my extensive CYOA collection – precious gems tremblingly unearthed from the dusty Mills and Boon-straining shelves of my local Scope – back to charity. <br /><br />Around twenty years later, and I took the obvious next step for a mildly lockdown-crazed 90s kid squinting down the barrel of their thirties: sourced a copy inflated by just four times the original cover price through eBay. But was it worth it, and does it still hold up? Dust off your bootcut jeans and fire up your Walkman – it's adventurin' time, 90s* style...<br /><br /><b>The premise</b><br /><br /><i>Batterslea Hall</i> opens in a relatable modern domestic setting: the bedroom of the protagonist (that's you!). You've received a letter from a distant cousin orphaned in mysterious circumstances from England inviting you to stay with her at her family estate, and she's enclosed a plane ticket! <br /><br />Brightfield lays on the atmosphere and tension thickly from here on out – you next arrive at a deserted, fog-enveloped train station just after dark in the heart of the English moorlands, where, ominously, a storm accosts you as soon as you attempt to breach the castle. If you choose to wait out the storm, you soon hear rumblings of dark goings-on at the supposedly cursed hall at the local inn, where the locals fall into a sudden hush when they hear where you're going before warning you against persisting – not unlike the opening of <i>Dracula</i>. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWMwyG452i5XQD3xwpI_E1E2xWcmrsJS6e2zc5Z5zSAlbUaYdKYSmZKZJNq1-FrGvt_IvCM0GZoHQRR9Ya14qiM-SsmhmIRJRH0knGoATBhpYb3mz8k1aldWUFf7JHlinrD7GNTaY5mqv/s960/225683573_306438414594098_4054725896588356320_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYWMwyG452i5XQD3xwpI_E1E2xWcmrsJS6e2zc5Z5zSAlbUaYdKYSmZKZJNq1-FrGvt_IvCM0GZoHQRR9Ya14qiM-SsmhmIRJRH0knGoATBhpYb3mz8k1aldWUFf7JHlinrD7GNTaY5mqv/w400-h300/225683573_306438414594098_4054725896588356320_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The warning signs continue to spring up at an alarming pace: reports of escapees from Dartmoor Prison, an unlived-in west wing, a great-great-grandmother called 'Lady Darkness'... all set against a blood-steeped historical background of civil war involving the massacre of loyal Cavaliers by rebellious Puritans. <br /><br />A little heavy-handed, perhaps, but there's a higher level of development and worldbuilding here than in other titles in the series (see: <i><a href="https://gamebooks.org/Item/526/Show" target="_blank">You Are a Shark</a></i>, which in fairness, also allows you to transmogrify into a husky, zebra and tree, among other life forms). Your mission? To stage a rescue of your cousin from the clutches of Lady Darkness and break the curse of Batterslea Hall, of course.<br /><br />It's easy to see why this CYOA book in particular captured my imagination – as a daring young girl surrounded by boisterous brothers, something about the idea of making a connection with a young girl not unlike myself against a backdrop of perilous adventure resonated with me. Having grown up in a small rural town, I also loved the idea of being called away to some far-flung part of the world and being swept up in a historical mystery while visiting 'exotic' locations like a traditional inn, the enigmatic local woods and the foreboding fortress-like hall itself. <br /><br />Overall, the premise was fantastical yet grounded enough for me to place myself snugly in the protagonist's Marty McFly-esque getup. <br /><br /><b>The writing</b><br /><br />Written for a *cough* middle-grade audience, the writing style is generally simple, straightforward and secondary to the dramatic situations in which you find yourself. An obligatory few opening paragraphs lead into the all-important central action in a quite bare, matter-of-fact way, hustling you along on your adventure without leaving much time to ask questions (like why are my parents allowing my tweenage ass to travel across the world unaccompanied to visit a mysterious relative I've apparently never met?).<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkojHp4e0MdJ8VpXQ1krmlavstR4_tQ8XfwLHAntvrJVeZjakp0VBx2CoqVHmDWi5BARA8R8lbzpsQacY2o4ALGrb07Xq7u2Eq50tPw8Kp6de7-t4374X0JyN0rYK0BS3-Jf9hx8ueqkTd/s960/219766547_978532682935898_4127520402744470317_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="717" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkojHp4e0MdJ8VpXQ1krmlavstR4_tQ8XfwLHAntvrJVeZjakp0VBx2CoqVHmDWi5BARA8R8lbzpsQacY2o4ALGrb07Xq7u2Eq50tPw8Kp6de7-t4374X0JyN0rYK0BS3-Jf9hx8ueqkTd/w299-h400/219766547_978532682935898_4127520402744470317_n.jpg" width="299" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>There are some nice descriptive touches that build tension and characterisation, imprinting vividly on the mind's eye (for example, Blope is introduced as a 'huge, bent form [that] looms out of the fog [but] shrinks down to a short, gnomelike creature' as he approaches). Several pages end on simple yet effective cliffhangers, defying you not to read on ('A flash of lightning outside suddenly illuminates the room. The bed is empty. You switch on the light. Mr. Atwood is gone!').<br /><br />Like the opening, endings can be perfunctory and underwhelming, even when positive, giving an almost list-like rundown of concluding events ('Amanda and her dog never return to Batterslea Hall. Amanda puts the Hall into the National Trust. She and Baskerville make their home with the innkeeper and his wife. You have to go back home, but whenever you go back to England you stay at the inn'). <br /><br />This sort of scarcity comes with the territory, however – after all, there are 22 endings in this title alone (comparatively modest compared to older titles – <i><a href="https://www.cyoa.com/collections/classics/products/space-and-beyond" target="_blank">Space and Beyond</a></i> has twice as many). Besides, it's in the rereads that layers are gradually added, and the endings do a good job of raising intrigue and encouraging further reading, hinting at mysteries that have yet to be solved. <br /><br />And, while my view is perhaps rosied by nostalgia, I found the book's concise nature to actually leave space for the imagination, with much of the excitement deriving from the exciting situations, locations, cliffhangers and choices presented. <br /><br />Wouldn't it be cool to have a convenient excuse to take off to the other side of the world in the shape of a mysterious cousin? What would it be like to travel alone by train to somewhere you've never been, arriving at night in the fog, or to stay in an inn full of locals loaded with beer and dark tales of mysterious disappearances? <br /><br />While it would undoubtedly make for a stronger – and longer – book, these characters and locations don't really need to be described with much sophistication for the tween imagination to begin whirring with possibilities.<br /><br /><b>The characters</b><br /><br />Though your interactions with others are naturally limited due to the book's pocket-sized nature, <i>Batterslea Hall</i> features a colourful cast of memorable supporting characters with unique voices whose fates you come to care about almost as much as your own: Mr Atville, the detective investigating disappearances connected to the hall fronting as a National Trust agent; Blope, the West Country native and bizarrely 'gnomelike' but kindhearted hall dogsbody; and, of course, the sweet but mostly helpless Amanda, the princess in the proverbial (and quite literal) tower. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht92YwymIntyMZlz1DBka96F7QWz23__rdOlsbNVg25YHe26uUrfrs01ZGA86PgNVRuh3yPUKqkMIBPhXpUVhCjnb9Y4PDyBIsbKqCulWINHO7UMBacGiFMeGhdRxQkO8LpDfshyee0NvJ/s960/223754382_4365341850189416_957093059789771208_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht92YwymIntyMZlz1DBka96F7QWz23__rdOlsbNVg25YHe26uUrfrs01ZGA86PgNVRuh3yPUKqkMIBPhXpUVhCjnb9Y4PDyBIsbKqCulWINHO7UMBacGiFMeGhdRxQkO8LpDfshyee0NvJ/w300-h400/223754382_4365341850189416_957093059789771208_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The cast of antagonists is led by the witches – Amanda's 'imposter' grandmother and Lady Darkness – but also includes the ghosts of the clashing Puritans and Cavaliers and the half-witted but mercenary escaped convicts, Freddie and Spike. Encounters with Lady Darkness herself are uncommon, fleeting and almost always lethal – making for a formidable main foe (who, again, like Dracula, must be toppled for the curse binding the hall and its inhabitants to lose its grip). <br /><br />This lends to the witches' mystery but also means that you don't get to square off against them in a truly satisfying way or learn much about them; despite having backtracked through the book to find all 22 endings, I still don't know who Amanda's imposter grandmother really is (besides another lackey of Lady Darkness), how the witches (presumably) did away with Amanda's parents or exactly how they can be overcome – another casualty of the compressed, busy format.<br /><br />(I, for one, would love to see an ending where you turn Lady Darkness' soul-sapping black arts back on her or run her through with a Cavalier's sword... Misleadingly, despite featuring the heroine clutching the sword on the cover, the only ending in which you can use it sees Freddie and Spike skewering you due to its unwieldy bulk.)<br /><br />Somewhat disappointingly, Amanda remains the most mysterious of all. Something of a <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MacGuffin" target="_blank">MacGuffin</a>, she motivates your quest and has moments where she's actually useful but remains, for the large part, passive; who she actually is and what her experience has been outside of a captive of Lady Darkness are afterthoughts – though more than this is perhaps expecting too much. Still, I'd at least like to have seen more cooperation between the protagonist and Amanda, but an intrepid female lead and a female-centred relationship aren't bad going for a 90s gamebook.<br /><br /><b>The art style</b><br /><br />There are some lovely black-and-white illustrations by Ted Enik here with linework that gives an almost wood-cut aesthetic, as well as some choice late 80s/early 90s fashion moments (feathered hair, bootcut jeans and turts being the style at the time). Several detailed full-page images complement the narrative, with some impressive sprawling double-page spreads. <br /><br />I can still remember some of the more striking images due to the distinctive character drawings, fusion of modern and medieval elements and PG-appropriate horror. A dreamlike scene where you follow a sleepwalking Amanda into a lavish dance hall of Cavalier revellers from the past and another with Lady Darkness cackling over a skeleton you will soon join stayed with me long after my first reads, for example.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGbpDFHZZzKzwYuwCNtfwfl1w0uDWSjwqhzE-yT_BfK7qnevylVq6nkf2-mm0gTsi0f-8OsGhcAAHQQ50psIWknAGtGi03amgX8KCzV42o14Hifc841kUJiKw90xdmoub4yvB1DHit9a-/s960/219856720_279796893904079_6897879598880624428_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="706" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJGbpDFHZZzKzwYuwCNtfwfl1w0uDWSjwqhzE-yT_BfK7qnevylVq6nkf2-mm0gTsi0f-8OsGhcAAHQQ50psIWknAGtGi03amgX8KCzV42o14Hifc841kUJiKw90xdmoub4yvB1DHit9a-/w294-h400/219856720_279796893904079_6897879598880624428_n.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><i>Batterslea Hall</i> also takes the somewhat unusual approach of including a female main character on the cover and in illustrations (albeit in gender-neutral garb), which series daddy <a href="http://www.gradyhendrix.com/edward-packard-interview" target="_blank">Edward Packard</a> attributes to the need to counterbalance publisher Bantam's earlier focus on supposedly more 'identifiable' boys on the covers and combat the huge success of rival series <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Baby-Sitters_Club" target="_blank">The Babysitter's Club</a></i>. <br /><br />In re-published ebook versions, anything outside of the reader's POV has been left out to enable them to place themselves more easily in the protagonist's shoes, as Packard explains: 'I was always extremely rigorous never to have anyone refer to the reader as "He" [...] we decided that all illustrations should be from the reader's point-of-view, so everything that's drawn, except for occasional establishing shots, is what "you" see during the course of the story.'<br /><br />However, I actually preferred <i>Batterslea Hall</i>'s choice over the more disembodied recent one as it gave me a central figure to relate to amid a male-saturated adventure book market while still being able to place myself in her shoes (only natural, then, that I developed a distinct preference for a third-person to first-person game perspective).<br /><br /><b>Best ending</b><br /><br />While there are multiple positive endings, the one that achieves all main goals – vanquish the witches, save Amanda and break the curse of Batterslea Hall – with the most satisfactory arc, and therefore, in my view, the most 'true', is the gypsy ending. All others either involve the witches being defeated without your intervention and Amanda breaking free without you connecting with her (boo) or hint that the witches may have disappeared but are still alive somewhere, with the potential to cause further destruction. <br /><br />In this ending, you and Amanda follow lilting violin music in the forest and find much-needed respite from the endless perils of the hall in a gypsy encampment. This is possibly the only truly safe space in the whole book (even the inn, where Mr Atwood vanishes, is not entirely safe), so it is accompanied by a palpable feeling of release. The gypsies, one of whom was captured and befuddled by Lady Darkness, have their revenge, weaving a curse of their own with magic older still than the witches'. <br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDgdebbuGbq-9QOIMj7zmXUmRzY2sRwNglHgJCr94Sc3FJU2xaXCPzoyWtXImLtvNGDj0Ohm7fYh0ZvdH2yacAHWqPmL35kEzsqOW754wcd-9W6rlzklorvbIVDHfvcBBz1KEbPqFIs_z/s957/222040725_362776825371544_2493333613624318931_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="879" data-original-width="957" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTDgdebbuGbq-9QOIMj7zmXUmRzY2sRwNglHgJCr94Sc3FJU2xaXCPzoyWtXImLtvNGDj0Ohm7fYh0ZvdH2yacAHWqPmL35kEzsqOW754wcd-9W6rlzklorvbIVDHfvcBBz1KEbPqFIs_z/w400-h368/222040725_362776825371544_2493333613624318931_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>This ending ties up a lot of loose ends – the gypsies heal Amanda, Blope is freed from the spell he was under, the hall is taken on by a caretaker family and even adopts Amanda – but has the added boon of light triumphing over darkness. <br /><br />Strangely, though, this ending is still quite passive, in keeping with many of the other hurried positive endings; the action is taken out of your hands and into those of the gypsies, omitting a dramatic showdown with the witches and leaving a lingering sense of dissatisfaction, even though you've 'won'.<div><br /><b>Worst ending</b><br /><br />While there are several contenders, including endings where you're zombified, drained of your life force and Force-choked by Lady Darkness, the worst endings, for me, are categorically the ones that involve being trapped permanently in some way. The tunnel ending involves such a fate – the warning signs also rapidly multiply after you've already made your choice, so you're left to read helplessly on as you and Mr Atwood saunter blithely into certain doom like rookies who've never watched a horror film before.</div><div><br />And when you opt to escape the hall through a cellar tunnel of questionable structural integrity despite the anxious whines of Baskerville, Amanda's dog, then press ahead despite Baskerville's staunch refusal to accompany you (he's probably just spooked by something silly!), you know shiz is about to go down. The two of you are already quite far along in the tunnel when you hear the stone door grind closed behind you – guess we'll just press on – whup, that's a cave-in. Aaaaand we're entombed inside forever.</div><div><br />The final line is especially chilling: 'You call for help, but it does no good. You are only using up oxygen that will be gone soon enough.'<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1nekVy2TPkXJ7kbCJsB_LG-6F7jhcmzcnHtCD-3oEOU2RDpJhH8nAPQTISsvUqOaBQCrPu-gUuhKFdwQ7elcsclj62xxur2b2KmHA22yUHh0CnXAr_GIW83oKmz15ICipIT_z-4HTzaS/s957/223422066_628381595232844_3574091893901235621_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="957" data-original-width="551" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1nekVy2TPkXJ7kbCJsB_LG-6F7jhcmzcnHtCD-3oEOU2RDpJhH8nAPQTISsvUqOaBQCrPu-gUuhKFdwQ7elcsclj62xxur2b2KmHA22yUHh0CnXAr_GIW83oKmz15ICipIT_z-4HTzaS/w230-h400/223422066_628381595232844_3574091893901235621_n.jpg" width="230" /></a></div></div><div><br /><b>Weirdest ending</b><br /><br />Things just aren't destined to go your way in the run-up to this ending. After falling into an apparent time slip, you promptly fail the 'Be thee a heathen?' litmus test of Puritan invaders by dancing uncontrollably to the infectious tune of a piper. They then attempt to cut you to ribbons but can't make contact because you're not technically there, so they conclude that you must be some kind of demon and flee (but not before somehow getting a nasty parting shot in that paralyses your arm).<br /><br />The sequence closes with you watching a procession of battle-bloodied Puritans march past your hiding place while muttering something about 'burning those devils [the Cavaliers in the hall] out'.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCbfJ6ypRdPIQ5oyP-PTzpjSULI01CDR_FLMOS1RUn31iw-vv6Bz3enoP32JvZNtdpNbG9CtB0HN54lJv5NlUYxB1JkuHWAJxpeQ4TNGcJcBESkBeoX12tsCUScfIQb0qTqpvvOTAHuoh/s960/221743403_544825393541370_8321438004702575779_n.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCbfJ6ypRdPIQ5oyP-PTzpjSULI01CDR_FLMOS1RUn31iw-vv6Bz3enoP32JvZNtdpNbG9CtB0HN54lJv5NlUYxB1JkuHWAJxpeQ4TNGcJcBESkBeoX12tsCUScfIQb0qTqpvvOTAHuoh/w300-h400/221743403_544825393541370_8321438004702575779_n.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>This is quite an anxiety-inducing ending as you know you should be warning Amanda but can't shake yourself awake from what you think is a dream – one that 'will last a long time – in fact, for the rest of your life'.</div><div><br />It also leaves a lot up in the air and raises several questions – how long is the rest of your life? Do you live it out as a Cavalier, Puritan or other? Or do you remain in hiding forever, subsisting on forest berries and steering clear of piped music? (Presumably the Puritans don't succeed in burning the witches, at least, because the spell remains unbroken.) </div><div><br />I'd like to think you make the best of it by capitalising on your newfound demonic status and spooking Puritans into doing your infernal bidding.<br /><br /><b>Conclusion</b><br /><br /><i>Batterslea Hall</i> constructs a compelling mystery that requires several read-throughs to fully unravel – who is Lady Darkness? How did Amanda become crippled? What is the curse, and how can it be broken? Of course, this means many endings, both negative and positive, will be unsatisfactory and missing key details, leading to an imbalance of a careful setup but rushed, anticlimactic finale, and backtracking to make different choices can disrupt immersion somewhat.</div><div><br />But the real fun is uncovering a more satisfying, fleshed-out story through all these misadventures and finally 'winning', which feels more earned at this point. There are also some cool payoffs in connections made across different reads (one of the 'bad' endings reveals the curse origins and cause of the fire mentioned in several other endings; the aforementioned time-slip ending references another readthrough where you wake up from a bad dream with a dead arm), so even when you 'lose', not all is lost.<br /><br />Overall, while it suffers from the same pitfalls as other CYOA books and a lack of autonomy even in the best endings, it's now clear to me why this was my favourite growing up: the combination of a strong setting, memorable characters, female representation and impressive tension-building still sets this book apart from others in the series. <br /><br />While other titles can be condensed to simply presenting the reader with a series of high-stakes scenarios without developing any emotional connection to those involved, this felt like stepping into the pages of a tense, relatively well-crafted story that made my countrified tweenage self feel like history was thrilling and rural England was an exciting place to be. Quite the accomplishment – and surely one that warrants a place for this overlooked title in the relaunched Chooseco series.</div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><p><i style="background-color: #fff8f6; color: #757575; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-56004871988437305862021-01-15T17:37:00.009+00:002021-01-19T14:00:33.338+00:00First Impressions of Mars by Fuyumi Soryo: A Beloved 90s Shōjo Classic<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWc-82FbLOhlWXSgmU_cj5PO_lP9LvJTz-vi1L75cG_GqPJ_gBjvhy_IcHXHdOoVfyyvyfNi0KWgqgJfGsXtYQb61JH7X_98o59hwoY5lkhw-h-vntC_-vK0wz4GCBCoF1SffgpnYgAC0/s1079/mars+covers.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="1079" height="637" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWc-82FbLOhlWXSgmU_cj5PO_lP9LvJTz-vi1L75cG_GqPJ_gBjvhy_IcHXHdOoVfyyvyfNi0KWgqgJfGsXtYQb61JH7X_98o59hwoY5lkhw-h-vntC_-vK0wz4GCBCoF1SffgpnYgAC0/w640-h637/mars+covers.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "apple color emoji" , "segoe ui emoji" , "noto color emoji" , "android emoji" , "emojisymbols" , "emojione mozilla" , "twemoji mozilla" , "segoe ui symbol"; font-size: 16px;">⚠️ </span><i>This review contains spoilers for Volumes 1 to 5</i><i>.</i></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i style="text-align: left;"><br /></i></div></div><b>How it started</b><p></p><p>Fuyumi Soryo's manga career had an unlikely start – as an artsy fashion college student, she earned an honorable mention in a manga competition after entering to raise money for a fashion contest. <i>Mars</i>, which would become her most popular work, was first serialised in shōjo magazine <i>Bessatsu Friend</i> from 1995 to 2000 before being published as 15 manga volumes from 1996 to 2000. Despite the shōjo genre's bubblegum trappings, Soryo became known for exploring darker, more psychological themes in her work. </p><p>While <i>Mars</i> fell out of print several years ago, it has enjoyed a <a href="https://www.themarysue.com/exclusive-comixology-mars-youre-my-pet/" target="_blank">recent resurgence</a>; it was adapted into a live-action series and film in Japan in 2016, and ComiXology and Kodansha Comics brought the series back into digital circulation in 2019. You can <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/MARS-Vol-1-comiXology-Originals-ebook/dp/B07RLJHNV4/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=mars+manga&qid=1610052514&sr=8-2" target="_blank">read it now</a> via a Prime Reading or Kindle Unlimited subscription or buy it on Kindle (Amazon actually did good in this case).</p><p><b>What's it about?</b></p><p>'A bad boy can change a good girl forever...' Kira is a shy art student who struggles to connect to her classmates and is terrified of boys. Rei is a rebellious motorbike racer and school delinquent chased by all the girls. To Kira, he might as well be from, well, Mars. However, when Kira asks Rei to model for her art project – and, to everyone's surprise, he says yes – their lives become intertwined. But Mars has another meaning – the Roman god of war. And through their unlikely connection, Kira and Rei gain the strength to battle the demons from their past and learn to love each other – and themselves.<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOMk1Fqb1-gNnCIrGaFsGG7q9_KVj47RNfAZ8eNiCs18Bhx49mFqXwr6U7FSfhGiHR1nlZZl3totmxIyIqL-WQU1se8EWD6-EYpsG4sHgJA4IuAu28fSBaYFQdfkN09Kp7fcjol4C-7z0/s1598/138947294_225501525845379_6354427346759093606_n.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1598" data-original-width="1074" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaOMk1Fqb1-gNnCIrGaFsGG7q9_KVj47RNfAZ8eNiCs18Bhx49mFqXwr6U7FSfhGiHR1nlZZl3totmxIyIqL-WQU1se8EWD6-EYpsG4sHgJA4IuAu28fSBaYFQdfkN09Kp7fcjol4C-7z0/w269-h400/138947294_225501525845379_6354427346759093606_n.png" width="269" /></a> </div></div></div><p></p><p><b><br />Things I liked</b></p><p>Admittedly, I've been going through something of a shōjo dry spell; I've opted for more mature stories for years now, and high school drama is typically an instant turnoff. But something about the muted tones and simple character focus of the <i>Mars</i> covers made me break this spell, putting me in mind of the chic pastel minimalism that first drew me to josei series <i><a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-joys-of-josei.html" target="_blank">Honey and Clover</a></i> (intended for a more mature audience and one of my long-time favourites).</p><p>The art style has a characteristic 90s flavour, all doe eyes and endlessly long limbs, but there's an element of realism, too, reflecting the everyday focus. The retro style might not be to everyone's taste, but, while I'm slightly biased as a shamelessly nostalgia-inclined 90s kid, I found it dreamily beautiful and at times breathtaking. In particular, Soryo captures characters' moods and expressions with nuance to the point where I was even able to distinguish between Rei and his identical twin brother, Sei, when he is first introduced.<br /></p><p>Unlike many other shōjo manga of its time, <i>Mars</i> avoids the <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicalGirl" target="_blank">magical girl</a>/transforming heroine trope and is instead firmly rooted in reality (albeit a hyper-dramatic one). As a sucker for slice of life, this immediately drew me in. The characters are flawed, with surprisingly hefty emotional baggage that informs their personalities and actions, and Soryo doesn't shy away from exploring darker themes from the get-go, including bullying, sexual abuse, mental health and suicide. </p><p>Despite this, there's a sweet innocence to the blossoming relationship between Kira and Rei that I found refreshing. Unusually, <i>Mars</i> side-steps the frustrating stasis, misfires and false starts of eternally unrequited or unrealised love that shōjo romance so often leans on (or the toxic seesaw of on-again/off-again relationships in the romance genre more generally). While I'm only five volumes deep, so far, Kira and Rei consistently support each other's passions and work to try to understand each other despite their differences, something of an oddity in the romance genre. <br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQJNo4gp2sy_ALzTkn1lfmzKWb1KVjjRPS3XkSN9rUAA3PqeyAbuXBHP0lejF1fJEihmGg2MsvSQ5y4hAbrPxSrswnNcMoR7PU9wjY9iagQk0OQTOQxpc-C5TIgnIBiPNFDlnOGX3dW2_/s1601/139410249_738457593465865_7911189171489892409_n.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1601" data-original-width="1074" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcQJNo4gp2sy_ALzTkn1lfmzKWb1KVjjRPS3XkSN9rUAA3PqeyAbuXBHP0lejF1fJEihmGg2MsvSQ5y4hAbrPxSrswnNcMoR7PU9wjY9iagQk0OQTOQxpc-C5TIgnIBiPNFDlnOGX3dW2_/w269-h400/139410249_738457593465865_7911189171489892409_n.png" width="269" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2MHs24HJypzWblxaEAlinnZ5eCWvBOOMqszdoz2Qs8wE-dWz0cArRNwy3xaJQjxR6g_N9cfvgBtMwv2I4Q6RHA85CpEbcpaR9tUJbwk86UnyR0FjTS0edScIe9V-bJQ8pYLlReZximdn/s1599/138903288_789045698485195_3755477975676255447_n.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1599" data-original-width="1074" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg2MHs24HJypzWblxaEAlinnZ5eCWvBOOMqszdoz2Qs8wE-dWz0cArRNwy3xaJQjxR6g_N9cfvgBtMwv2I4Q6RHA85CpEbcpaR9tUJbwk86UnyR0FjTS0edScIe9V-bJQ8pYLlReZximdn/w269-h400/138903288_789045698485195_3755477975676255447_n.png" width="269" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p><p>Despite an initial intense magnetism (which, let's face it, isn't too farfetched when adolescent infatuation is involved), their relationship also develops at a realistic pace, with moments of simple yet moving tenderness, like when Kira ties her hair ribbon around Rei's wrist as a good luck charm in return for his bracelet. Or when Rei asks Kira to kiss him even though they're on the phone before starting his big race as he can 'feel it if you do it with love'. Or when Kira is too shy to see Rei's reaction to her painting of him, so he describes all the things he likes about it to her later instead. I lingered over these panels, and their heartfelt wholesomeness reminded me of the giddy early days of my own high school relationship.</p><p><b>Things I didn't like <i>quite</i> so much</b></p><p>For all its emotional maturity, no one could accuse <i>Mars</i> of being short on drama. Some of this can feel quite contrived, like the introduction of a highly punchable face from the past in Volume 4 who hasn't previously been mentioned apparently just to stir up complications between Kira and Rei. </p><p>Indeed, much of the drama stems from the past, meaning that the obstacles the couple face aren't so much organic developments but obviously planted plot devices, resulting in various flashbacks and scenes of exposition. After the initial reveal about the tragic fate of Rei's twin, further twists connected to his past – Rei pushed Sei? Their dad isn't actually their dad? – feel a bit tiresome as they don't have any meaningful ties to Rei and Kira's present reality.<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1ZJhbDfVegyv7Xt6adr8X84_msB6lrVgQVNVjB9sfwymwRzXIUmZIsLpH1PqK8F2-E692l9p31t1-o4Ak-EId1WOfl7RWZf4iVCb-uzmg238I-2iLAQ4psiTGobuh1HMShrCQSJ3lfCZ/s1904/755f2b27b5a022cddd58dd9bf10a2459._SX1280_QL80_TTD_.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1904" data-original-width="1280" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1ZJhbDfVegyv7Xt6adr8X84_msB6lrVgQVNVjB9sfwymwRzXIUmZIsLpH1PqK8F2-E692l9p31t1-o4Ak-EId1WOfl7RWZf4iVCb-uzmg238I-2iLAQ4psiTGobuh1HMShrCQSJ3lfCZ/w269-h400/755f2b27b5a022cddd58dd9bf10a2459._SX1280_QL80_TTD_.jpg" width="269" /></a></div></div><p><br />I'd much rather see them deal with, for example, the more realistic fallout of Rei, the most popular guy in school, breaking from his established social group to hang with Kira, a widely shunned outsider, which isn't really addressed but would surely alter their social landscape more radically. While Harumi, Rei's last fling, bullies Kira out of jealousy, this quickly blows over and the two even become best friends soon after ('Hey Harumi, remember that time you threatened to smash my fingers in with a barbell if I kept seeing Rei? Haha, yeah, me either.'). Meanwhile, Rei doesn't experience any real resistance to his sudden interest in Kira. </p><p>It's possible that more natural developments directly connected to the characters and setting emerge as the series goes on, but the soap-operatic 'Who's the daddy?' cliffhanger at the end of Volume 4 almost made me give up on <i>Mars</i> altogether. </p><p>Despite the series' avoidance of certain shōjo cliches, time has not been as kind to other aspects, particularly regarding gender. Disappointingly, Kira is extremely submissive and passive for at least the first few volumes, with Rei habitually stepping in as her (slightly blood-tainted and initially victim-blamey) white knight. This is especially glaring in Volume 1, making this weaker for me than the following volumes – quite the drawback for a series opener in an age of limitless content. </p><p>While I have since discovered that a Good Reason for Kira's shrinking violet tendencies emerges later in the series, this might put modern readers off from persevering, especially since much of the focus rests on Rei's motivations and complex character for the first several books. Everyone seems obsessed with him, and, while he is exceptionally pretty and quite possibly my hair idol, balancing this unhealthy focus with more early insight into Kira would make for a more compelling, well-rounded narrative.<br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAiuaezLFCqzuouIFoU2Pq63_icmJ6Tkw_6D5j6aSHmD0rqq0pUdXY4ltU60uKnVeG6_21qm6QIHpU7Wam0eN2D1gW29aJQn_80GFPX7WJSX4WHc4s6XeQ9l8J0H9E-N3nkwvCTNbOvLLF/s1598/138891536_403240167634418_5397361822652396811_n.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1598" data-original-width="1074" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAiuaezLFCqzuouIFoU2Pq63_icmJ6Tkw_6D5j6aSHmD0rqq0pUdXY4ltU60uKnVeG6_21qm6QIHpU7Wam0eN2D1gW29aJQn_80GFPX7WJSX4WHc4s6XeQ9l8J0H9E-N3nkwvCTNbOvLLF/w269-h400/138891536_403240167634418_5397361822652396811_n.png" width="269" /></a></div><p></p><p><br />Other lowlights include Harumi's short-lived turn as the 'crazy' jealous ex-girlfriend; Rei's <i>other</i> ex-girlfriend, Shiori, threatening to kill herself without Rei; the descriptions of motorcycle racing as something only a man can truly understand on an instinctual level; and Kira's dogged support of Rei's dangerous racing habit. And, as <a href="https://shojocorner.wordpress.com/2011/09/04/an-analysis-of-the-manga-mars/" target="_blank">Shojo Corner</a> points out, Rei has a, frankly, worrying tendency to solve problems with violent outbursts that he himself acknowledges but Kira never really questions or challenges, which can feel jarring when immediately followed by a casually romantic scene. While this is maybe intended to show how she 'gets' him like no one else, instead this comes across as, at best, naive and, at worst, doormattishly accommodating.</p><p><b>Does it still hold up?</b></p><p>For all its problematic aspects and contrived drama, <i>Mars</i>' strengths lie in its simpler moments of human connection. In particular, Soryo is able to convey the characters' intense emotions with wordless simplicity through small actions or looks. The crestfallen look on Rei's face when he wins a Tiffany necklace for Kira but is compelled to give it to Shiori instead. Rei squeezing Kira's hand to reassure her when she's feeling out of place at a lunch gathering. Rei overcoming his embarrassment to cry in front of Kira, who cries along with him (to the point that they both need a drink) after he confesses some of his darkest fears to her. These touching little moments elevate <i>Mars</i> beyond a run-of-the-mill melodramatic shōjo, giving it depth and relatability.<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdApWNFLcNd76i935xIC1FhktsWwHzs4yYu1ZbUYRCzvzvxvtVnmAg4jnPYGbS3HvIGQgdcSk7jzo2bxR8UXcf77aTNiWx1K_Tv69WkRlb9p37FQ2DASXH6U_fGVHR3ii2BiDIv5FxlBr/s1599/138960425_247071223450384_1641431454346003009_n.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1599" data-original-width="1074" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdApWNFLcNd76i935xIC1FhktsWwHzs4yYu1ZbUYRCzvzvxvtVnmAg4jnPYGbS3HvIGQgdcSk7jzo2bxR8UXcf77aTNiWx1K_Tv69WkRlb9p37FQ2DASXH6U_fGVHR3ii2BiDIv5FxlBr/w269-h400/138960425_247071223450384_1641431454346003009_n.png" width="269" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_K0EyAFiflwOFgJXpa6OrdZlSqtPegHM8g3wcfbDwYNFaZ-wgvVsXCTHNIouGD2Yq4hydBUc568i-eJnnwOJn-dE9zdFh3G1s5qAhRgehXzLtzFFGTPti5D-9JmgZoYUVvuGgjC6Ow0Oh/s1601/139442659_1405697266488797_5473755596184673758_n.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1601" data-original-width="1074" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_K0EyAFiflwOFgJXpa6OrdZlSqtPegHM8g3wcfbDwYNFaZ-wgvVsXCTHNIouGD2Yq4hydBUc568i-eJnnwOJn-dE9zdFh3G1s5qAhRgehXzLtzFFGTPti5D-9JmgZoYUVvuGgjC6Ow0Oh/w269-h400/139442659_1405697266488797_5473755596184673758_n.png" width="269" /></a></div></div> </div><p></p><p>They're also what's driving me to keep reading to see how Kira and Rei's relationship will grow and challenge them further personally. These might seem like tame plot elements to some, but there's something quietly radical about a book for younger readers that focuses on the emotional growth, psychological trauma and all, of its characters rather than wacky misunderstandings and gimmicky misadventures. This certainly isn't a series that cuts its emotional impact with much comedic relief, but it's nevertheless light enough to lift you out of a lockdown-induced reading funk.</p><p>Ultimately, with each other's support, the protagonists strive to become better people. Kira opens up emotionally and artistically and begins to see herself as someone worth fighting for, and, through fighting for Kira, Rei shifts his focus to someone besides himself and reconnects to a softer, more sensitive part of himself. This is something, I think, that has the potential to still resonate with readers today, over twenty-five years later.<br /><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnH13x-eL6cpxPyjK28GD0HDg8KZqp11EM3CRCfePorovWfW2Jjz5NeWw3xC2sSshSUhWxheU_rlcuYOxqxJo947Ss-H-rj4tUj9XFwMsy-RB7mLQE_TVBrlh9bYi3j37QJIvPSvhpnyR/s1602/138717990_2525025460955331_1741226025021782648_n.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1602" data-original-width="1075" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDnH13x-eL6cpxPyjK28GD0HDg8KZqp11EM3CRCfePorovWfW2Jjz5NeWw3xC2sSshSUhWxheU_rlcuYOxqxJo947Ss-H-rj4tUj9XFwMsy-RB7mLQE_TVBrlh9bYi3j37QJIvPSvhpnyR/w269-h400/138717990_2525025460955331_1741226025021782648_n.png" width="269" /></a><br /><br /><div><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div><i><b>↓</b></i></div><p style="text-align: left;"><i style="background-color: #fff8f6; color: #757575; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i></p><div><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div></div></div><p></p>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-50036570063844346882020-10-30T17:49:00.004+00:002020-11-02T10:16:02.872+00:00Halloween Storytime: The Goat Lady<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYsJgar6LxwQ_z-UeUxV8y2IQ4OwqdmC58KT4Eyk_kyXFraRFfQt6jEI94zq0fP78EIdG9r1o8rmyazDEx7qk-XiL8jfLTow6JWlqDa7L8SyI7DrCfe3fveqL-4nvAgApYKstb2vpNZ4Q/s1200/candle_candlelight_creepy_dark_eerie_flame_ghost_halloween-1364415.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYsJgar6LxwQ_z-UeUxV8y2IQ4OwqdmC58KT4Eyk_kyXFraRFfQt6jEI94zq0fP78EIdG9r1o8rmyazDEx7qk-XiL8jfLTow6JWlqDa7L8SyI7DrCfe3fveqL-4nvAgApYKstb2vpNZ4Q/w640-h426/candle_candlelight_creepy_dark_eerie_flame_ghost_halloween-1364415.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>'Wow... this seems much more... remote than you made it sound,' my partner, Ricky, said in a hushed tone as we dragged our luggage over the rutted dirt road. The area still bustled with life despite the late hour; stray dogs, untethered chickens and barefoot children roamed under the patchy streetlights. Colourful motorised tricycles passing by to larger towns guttered past explosively, stirring dust and still-hot air.<br /><br />I hadn't visited my grandparents' home in the tiny settlement (it wasn't large or defined enough to quite classify as a village or a town) in Abuyod, Philippines for almost 10 years, and I'd forgotten how otherworldly the area could feel to an outsider – and, despite my mixed race and the ready warmth of my relatives, I, too, was an outsider of sorts. The haphazard arrangement of modest self-built houses and improvised wooden structures among the vibrant tropical trees contrasted sharply with the uniform brickwork streets and fenced-in gardens we'd left behind in England. <br /><br />While the nearest town, Antipolo, was only a few miles away, accessible by jeepney or motorcycle, it was impossible to judge our proximity to broader civilisation from our immediate surroundings – the municipality of Teresa, Rizal lies deep within a valley surrounded by agricultural land and marble-rich mountains. At night, the darkness was as thick as the heat-laden air, as encompassing and constrictive as a swaddling blanket.<br /><br />We'd arrived in the late spring of 2015, approaching the hottest time of the year, for a long-overdue family reunion. My grandad, at a resilient 90-odd years old, wanted to see all his grandchildren and great-grandchildren together in one place in his lifetime. A few of my cousins and I had made a nearly 7,000-mile trip to a place we felt deeply connected to yet had only visited a handful of times between us. From Abuyod, we planned to converge in Kabankalan, where my uncles and aunts had grown up and could pass on the stories of their youth to the younger generations. <br /><br />Sadly, my grandma had passed away shortly before our trip, and knowing I'd missed the chance to ever see her again made it a particularly poignant one. I remembered her as an abundantly warm and caring woman, with an infectiously childlike energy, ready to effusively welcome and embrace and fuss over us despite the language barrier and lack of opportunities to spend time together. I'll always regret that I never knew my grandparents better, though my mum, ever the storyteller, has been more than willing to supply any details.<br /><br />In my grandma's absence, the house she and my grandad had been staying in had lain largely unused and fallen into a mild state of disrepair. Part of the roofing had begun to peel away and lights – including the one in my designated bedroom – no longer worked. The modest two-bedroom bungalow nevertheless offered a decent standard of accommodation: running water, modern furnishings and, crucially, air-conditioning – luxuries not all of our neighbours were lucky enough to have. <br /><br />While by no means extravagant, the house was one of the 'fancier' ones in the vicinity, so it also benefitted from additional security in the form of steel bars striping across the mosquito-netted windows and doors. (An unfortunate necessity – on an earlier visit, after returning from a day trip, my little brother had once seen a disembodied hand creeping past the bars into his bedroom and groping around blindly for something solid before making a hasty retreat when he entered the room.)<br /><br />Despite my unfamiliar surroundings, the lack of light in my room didn't bother me much – I was sharing with Ricky, after all, and we had a small torch at the ready, making each night in the small space feel like a little campout. Surrounded by family both in the house (my mum, two brothers and grandad) and the immediate vicinity (a smattering of uncles, aunts and cousins), I had no reason to feel unsafe or uneasy, either. This didn't last long.<br /><br />Early one morning, soon after we'd arrived, in the pale half-light between night and day, I was awoken by a noise. It wasn't unusual to hear noises in the area before sunrise – the high-pitched maraca shake of cicadas, the overeager crowing and general scuffling of roosters (which, contrary to popular media depictions, crow much earlier than the break of dawn, as I quickly found out). The sound I heard, however, was unlike anything I'd ever heard before.<br /><br />A bleating, keening wail rose and fell outside the house, passing close by our window. With only single glass panes and a flimsy mesh panel to keep out mosquitoes, snatches of indecipherable words sifted through, contorted by the drawn-out, shuddering cries. The wails seemed to drift around the house in a meandering orbit, impossible to place exactly. We didn't see any movement outside the window or hear any footsteps or rustling of the unkempt brush that bordered the house. Most unsettling, however, was the strangeness of the sound itself: the voice was like an old woman's but carried an unhuman, goat-like quality. <br /><br />Unable to make out much in the darkness of our room, I lay motionless in bed, prickling with sweat and breathing shallowly in the stifling heat that had gathered overnight in the absence of a continuous electric fan. After a few beats, I shout-whispered to Ricky, 'Do you hear that?'<br /><br />'Yes.'<br /><br />'What is it?' <br /><br />'I don't know.'<br /><br />I felt only slightly reassured that he was awake despite being a normally heavy sleeper. We listened to the anguished bodiless wails hover about the house a while longer, eyes wide and hearts racing, willing it not to approach our window again. After a few minutes, it faded away, as if dispelled by the strengthening morning light. I promptly snapped on the torch and leapt out of bed. <br /><br />On entering the living room, we were met by the surprised stares of my mum and grandad, who were seated at the dining table poring over a Bible and devotional materials in a pool of lamplight. It turned out that they regularly studied religious texts early in the morning as part of their daily worship practice – the morning was one of the coolest parts of the day, so it was perfect for anything that required concentration. It must've only been around 5 or 6am.<br /><br />'What are you doing up?' My mum asked, alarmed at my wild, wide-eyed look.<br /><br />'Are there any goats around here?' I blathered.<br /><br />'No.' She appeared bemused. 'Why?'<br /><br />We explained being woken by the strange noise, attempting to keep our voices low; seeming spooked, my mum said that they hadn't heard anything, despite only being in the next room. Apparently we hadn't been quiet enough, however, as my younger brother, Aaron, soon entered from the adjoining bedroom. I thought he might berate us for waking him; instead, without hesitating, he said, 'Are you talking about the crazy lady?' <br /><br />'Yeah. Did you hear it too?' <br /><br />He revealed that both he and my older brother, Gwynne, had heard the noise, confirming that we hadn't somehow dreamt it. Bizarrely, however, we all seemed to have slightly differing recollections of it, with none of us able to agree on where it had come from. However, we soon fell into referring to whatever we'd heard by a certain name, half-jokingly yet with a lingering unease: The Goat Lady.<br /><br />The Philippines has a uniquely colourful folklore tradition, with a zoology of nightmarish creatures that populated the nighttime tales my mum would tell me in my childhood. One of these in particular, the <a href="https://cnnphilippines.com/life/culture/2017/07/13/aswangs-in-pinoy-myths.html" target="_blank">Sigbin</a>, a hornless goat said to smell like rotten flesh and walk backwards with its head lowered between its hind legs, might've come to mind had I stopped to consider it. The creature is believed to come out at night during Holy Week to drain the blood of its victims from the shadows. Its favoured prey, though, is children; it feeds on their hearts and fashions them into amulets. A silly little yarn meant to scare children into obeying their parents, no doubt. I made a point of not prompting my mum to recall any of these tales. <br /><br />Other, more disquieting, stories found me anyway, however. These were less easily dismissed. In a quieter moment, when it was just the two of us, my mum told me more about the history of the house. We were only planning on staying there for a few nights, so it hadn't seemed relevant before, but after my grandma had passed away, apparently the house had been a hotbed of unexplained events.<br /><br />Occurrences ranged from the relatively innocuous to the downright chilling. A gentle clinking in the kitchen, as of someone stirring a drink with a spoon, when nobody was there. The clacking of clothes hangers being pulled violently from side to side of the rail as if in a fit of rage – this, too, in an empty room – my room. It turned out that this had been my grandma's bedroom shortly before she passed away.<br /><br />'Something happened almost every night. It was always at night,' my mum said. 'It got really bad.'<br /><br />This culminated in sightings – both in the house and outside it. My grandma had a special chair outside the garage that she had always sat in. One day, after my grandma's funeral, my baby cousin had been staring fixedly at the empty seat.<br /><br />'What is it, Chloe?' my older cousins asked her. 'What are you staring at?'<br /><br />'It's Grandma,' the little girl said, stepping forward eagerly. 'She wants me to go to her.'<br /><br />'Whatever you do, don't go over there,' my cousins cautioned her, exchanging concerned glances.<br /><br />'But Grandma is smiling at me.' <br /><br />This became a regular occurrence. <br /><br />It emerged that the sightings weren't confined to my family, either. A local taxi driver described waking early in the morning, when it was still dark and no one else was up, to begin his shift. Despite being used to spending long periods on his own at night, he would always hasten his steps outside my grandparents' house on his way to his vehicle. The reason for this hardened taxi driver's fear? There, in the chair outside the garage, like clockwork, my grandma would be waiting each day, smiling at him in the darkness.<br /><br />The house, I was told, was now widely regarded as a figure of fear locally. A black spot. Perhaps this was why no builders would come to work on it, despite my mum's attempts to hire someone to fix the roof.<br /><br />Perhaps most terrifying, however, was my mum's own close-up encounter. One night, after turning out the light in her bedroom and lying in her bed, she saw the figure of my grandma standing there smiling serenely down at her.<br /><br />'It was as though she was really there. She had my mum's face,' she said. 'I tried to call out, but I couldn't speak. I tried to get up, but I couldn't move.'<br /><br />'That sounds like sleep paralysis,' I interjected, attempting to dispel my mounting discomfort.<br /><br />'I wasn't asleep. I had only just switched the light off. She appeared instantly.'<br /><br />'How could you see her if the light was out?' I probed further, though more unnerved.<br /><br />'I don't know. But I could see her clearly somehow. Eventually I managed to break free from the paralysis and switch the light back on. As soon as light filled the room, she disappeared.'<br /><br />This happened three times that night. As soon as my mum turned the light off, the spectre would reappear, opaque and tangible, but as soon as she turned the light on, the apparition would vanish, like an uncanny face in the dark that reveals itself to be a pattern in the curtains or woodwork, a mere trick of the light. <br /><br />'She looked just like her, but some details were... wrong. She was wearing a dress I'd never seen before. Stripes. Red and white. She'd never worn a dress like that before.' <br /><br />'What did you do?' <br /><br />'I finally found my voice. I confronted it and told it to get out – I said I knew it wasn't my mum.' She was adamant on this point. My grandma had been a cheerful, loving lady. Playful, perhaps, but never angry or malicious. Whatever had been haunting them couldn't have been her. This was in keeping with my family's religious beliefs; while they believed in God and an afterlife, ghosts and spirits were not the souls of the departed, they insisted, but treacherous likenesses assumed by fallen angels. <br /><br />'And then I prayed,' she added simply. 'Eventually it just... faded away.'<br /><br />Soon after, my mum decided to combat the spiritual attachment in classically practical, down-to-earth Filipino fashion: with a quite literal cleansing. She deep-cleaned the house, getting onto her hands and knees and scrubbing furiously with bleach and water. Then, she gathered all my grandma's clothes and possessions, everything she'd treasured or anything her scent still clung to, amassed them into a small bonfire outside and burned them to ashes. <br /><br />'I was heartbroken to do it, but I felt like I needed to get rid of that energy. After that, things were much better; the house was quiet again.'<br /><br />I had to smile at my mum's postscript to her story, however. 'I slept in that room again, but after that I always kept the lights on throughout the house. I never turned them all off at night again.' <br /><br />Thankfully, we left for Kabankalan soon after without further incident. In that contracted span of time, the house was otherwise a place of warmth for us: of shared family meals, catch-ups with cousins I hadn't seen in a decade and laughter over the chronology of my mum's hairstyles in old photo albums. Time has a way of reconciling you to bizarre events, whether through rationalisation or denial, and we brushed the experience off as an eccentric old lady or a wild goat. I'd heard they can sound startlingly human-like, after all.<br /><br />Once we had returned to England, several weeks later, my mum pulled me aside. 'By the way, I mentioned the noise you heard to your cousins,' she said, a note of urgency in her voice. 'They were shocked when they heard your description. The sound – they immediately recognised it. They said that only one person had an unusual way of crying just like that: your grandma. Whenever she was upset, she would make the strangest sound – like the bleating of a goat.'<br /><br /><br /><br /><i>For my other Halloween Storytime posts, click </i><a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/search/label/halloween" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a><i>. </i><i style="background-color: #fff8f6; color: #757575; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Had any eerie encounters of your own? Let me know in the comments!<br /><br /></span></i></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><p><i style="background-color: #fff8f6; color: #757575; font-size: 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></i></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-61966180113211256722020-09-09T12:14:00.014+01:002023-07-02T19:36:17.879+01:00Inspiring Adventure Games That Gave Me Wanderlust: Part 2<div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="994" data-original-width="1766" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcVMYVuawAirOvrIOI4F85mzBVaw9JGVqW2-nscFfI4GLV0ObGt9N4qeuQb8NZfoImwvBxUt-wIL6PPzs97ziKAncWEDS1V3bn9poireBxVV-fwGSFRo7IMlHIBLJ5RwGIREkZeBvkEey/w625-h351/e8111da17ae971e629722dcfed27f493.jpg" width="625" /></div><br />With lockdown easing (i.e., becoming rapidly non-existent) here in the UK, the prospect of wider travel is, maybe, hopefully, starting to seem not so dim and distant after all. My Google Maps timeline update for July even cranked up from one visited place to – get this – <i>two</i>. These are heady times. Meanwhile, in adventure game terms, these past few months have seen me exploring a foreboding ancestral manor in <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/292930/Black_Mirror_I/" target="_blank">Suffolk, England</a>, the vibrant electronic markets and maid cafés of <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/412830/STEINSGATE/" target="_blank">Akihabara, Japan</a>, and the idyllic mountainside landscape of a fictional <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1055540/A_Short_Hike/" target="_blank">provincial park</a>. I think it's safe to say that, through lockdown and beyond, games like these will continue to fuel my spirit of adventure.<br /><br /><b><i>Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars</i>, Paris, France</b><br /><br /><i>'Paris in the fall, the last months of the year, at the end of the millennium. The city holds many memories for me – of music, of cafés, of love... and of death.' </i><i>–</i><i> George Stobbart</i><br /><br />Broken Sword's first entry spans countries including Ireland, Spain, Syria and Scotland, but it is above all a love letter to Paris, France, reflecting director Charles Cecil's passion for the city. From the very outset, it's clear that the city itself will be as central to the game as the characters; in its cinematic opening scene, a sweeping view of the autumn-hued Parisian skyline zooms in on protagonist (and, aptly, tourist) George Stobbart enjoying coffee and a flirtatious exchange at a charming local bistro.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1179" data-original-width="1910" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0EFgHGtnZLNGJ-_AvM2YhhDsRpXgnV4ejVcPzLGGFRqGoRYUSey_25HfnESixI7_F_P1FcprRkbzb17wGFu7YaVgOjlvA8d0U-cTF-7EiCA94TYot2VqdwQFkr2Zkc8Ux8cpu0VK-k0xO/w625-h388/2406718-img_0143.jpg" width="625" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Lushly detailed hand-drawn backgrounds add to the authenticity of the setting, creating more of a sense of a classic animated film than a game. In true Parisian style, each location is a visual delight, whether you're plumbing the depths of the ancient Catacombs or teetering on the window ledges of the stately Hotel Ubu. Cecil has said that he aims to make the settings in his games <a href="gamespot.com/articles/how-broken-sword-broke-the-da-vinci-code-code/1100-6339038/" target="_blank">'aspirational'</a>, such as the dramatic glimpses of gargoyles from the Notre-Dame giving way to the iconic Eiffel Tower towering above the cityscape. These awe-inspiring touches elevate the setting beyond a simple stage for puzzle-solving or localised action.<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="959" height="389" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuWXrio1fVd3Wvi6bXPJShJ9S3qpxmYDwpy6ZqL759KiFVF4-pfL3SbEwFb_5-lVq8btiFt4trqSGrK138-Agtz9CqwF6wJD8FksctCVQip2CZ_RMn6eU4z-KM2QRD5VwBBKNRiIavjmO8/w625-h389/Broken_Sword_1_opening2.jpg" width="625" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div>The game impresses on the player the quiet magnificence of historical sites like Montfauçon Church, with its lofty vaulted arches, grand stained-glass windows and sombre stone knight effigies. History is not simply a dusty, passively pretty relic in this world but informs the present in a vital and immediate way. The environment reflects this, eliciting genuine excitement when the player discovers cryptic Latin inscriptions in statues and tombs or discusses ancient artifacts and stories about the Knights Templar with the curator at Musée Crune.</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="1018" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsmFBi-GbGndTuJ69h5CMrXEecPS1z7pA5hfQe76-M_MrVGmwLcwLbcTGa_g1HXjAsB5PcNE96P7mg6885RMkBm4R0oD-FlYm8R1n16wUYlcD9rolOI8GvOkx2XXY1jw8suzSSg8tgQ2JG/w625-h388/e0db4f6d-8156-4c56-8a52-114398413172.jpg" width="625" /></div><br /></div>This contrasts with the laidback modern European lifestyle captured in locations like the cosy Café de la Chandelle Verte and Nico's effortlessly shabby chic studio apartment on Rue Jarry. History and modern life interweave seamlessly, making George's plot-driven forays into the city sewers and impromptu trips to Ireland and Syria on the strength of the symbolism from an antique manuscript feel completely justified.<br /><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1920" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKoj2KkJSmZZu_9mb4C82zLVqjr3iAMB-Sf8rF9gvetOxXG5N1DJqKCK8w_3uniC7no74BKG2_01bzTJyrX3sOghSFY7jQskG6Mlzv1IJjm8KyF2BROS6lHVfUszGVfPFCQFgXdFQFVNeg/w625-h391/UA3OubC.jpg" width="625" /></div><br />(Full nerd disclosure: I dropped by the <a href="https://twitter.com/Inky_Squiggles/status/1260941482032345091/photo/1" target="_blank">real-life Rue Jarry</a> on my Megabus-facilitated trip to Paris in 2012. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it is in fact just a residential street without much resemblance to its in-game equivalent. A pretty one, but an ordinary one all the same. In another slightly disappointing blow from reality, I missed out on the Catacombs as I hadn't anticipated just how long the queue would be and how long tours could take. Always plan ahead, kids. Or, you know, just stick to adventure games.) <div><br /><b><a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2018/12/the-beast-within-by-jane-jensen-my.html" target="_blank"><i>Gabriel Knight 2: The Beast Within</i></a>, Bavaria, Germany</b><br /><br /><i>'[Rittersberg] is a small town. Private. We keep our business to ourselves. The Schattenjägers are of this place, and this place is of them. We believe in the old ways here. It has not changed much over the centuries. We still remember what the rest of the world has forgotten... That life is a battle between the light and the dark. Do you know this?' </i><i>–</i><i> Werner Huber</i></div><div><br />Gabriel Knight's second installment was Sierra's largest and <a href="https://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/DavidCraddock/20151030/257912/The_Making_of_quotThe_Beast_Within_A_Gabriel_Knight_Mysteryquot.php" target="_blank">most ambitious</a> project to date, with past and present locations spanning Munich as well as a clutch of 'Mad' King Ludwig II's iconic castles. In fact, these locations have captured players' imaginations so vividly that several fans have even embarked on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOhXbtt6_1M" target="_blank">game-inspired tours of Bavaria</a>, a testament to designer Jane Jensen's characteristic commitment to detail (naturally, this is the third game helmed by Jensen featured in these posts). As Jensen <a href="https://episodiccontentmag.com/2015/11/06/gabrielknight_ch4/" target="_blank">explained</a>, 'I loved Germany [...] if I can find locations and subjects that I’m passionate about, I try to infuse that feeling into the game. I was really in love with that region at the time I wrote [<i>The Beast Within</i>], and I wanted to translate that passion and romanticism into the game. I never thought it would make people go visit these places, but they do.'</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigoI7rKcUY3We4kfoDBQ4B7mDLyZxd4xBy_X4y1i9uIR4_vTsEMJ895TOO-HivYl87V2209762W0xH3idqqOZC8VbSkTruW0vUACA2oQ8H2IK5r1eviW6rOdGwTtJSBnRNU3ie32xK6Yjx/w625-h351/castle-ext-1.jpg" width="625" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>The game opens in quintessentially German fashion in the romantic yet mildly run-down Schloss Ritter (Ritter Castle) in Rittersberg, the ancestral home of the Schattenjägers ('Shadow Hunters') and stronghold of the 'old ways'. While these places are, sadly, inventions of the Gabriel Knight universe (including the magnificent Ritter Library of historical and occult books), their external structures are closely modelled after real locations. Schloss Ritter is based on Burg Rabenstein, a small 12th-century castle perched high on a plateau overlooking a forested estate and village. Meanwhile, Rittersberg draws from Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a picturesque medieval town in Bavaria and pitstop on the famous <a href="https://www.romantischestrasse.de/index.php?L=1" target="_blank">Romantic Road</a> through southern Germany. Gabriel may embark on his quest partly as an excuse to avoid the dreaded blank page, but this setting looks like the perfect writer's retreat.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="358" data-original-width="866" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lr5-AIkllY9loeK3VIpW_0zX6zrHDIId1_HZiYMsGYi-TaOHNqvvltJMXf1MlTCt2fvWN6n8NKVtcFWpfa-4js9IWun4fiB4V-feoOSkRqTXqbw8m_RWEl5pABU63lVNhKlUf-RZ-_JY/w625-h258/gk2_rittersberg2.jpg" width="625" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>While time has not been as kind on the photographic backgrounds of <i>GK2</i> as on the classic hand-drawn ones in <i>Broken Sword</i>, the faithful recreation of locations like Marienplatz, Munich's central square, and its Gothic architecture gives a fascinating glimpse into another place and time. Many local details, like the Glockenspiel and golden Virgin Mary (the <i>Patrona Bavariae</i>, or Protector of Bavaria) statue, lend to the game's impressive worldbuilding. These don't necessarily inform the plot but can be examined, in the manner of a curious traveller, eliciting sometimes quite telling comments from Gabriel (of the Virgin Mary: 'She almost seems to be watchin' me'). Other classic German details, like a Weisswurst stand and a cuckoo clock shop, are woven into puzzles and offer distinctive points of interest and comparison for dedicated gamer-travellers. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="639" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRoAnZYDhhej_M40NRHTHJYEZ38poF8k8Qg4ytbbTHCCt_1jLvM1ouuY0_Ag1ZLk6RqxSgkHCWON-B51bqoMB9W6Dd0g6d_v_72WbcFTwLUUouDBD9jV3CwGc8SoMe4OzrZts4n2l7HAW2/w625-h354/d875f2fb75418167c40f8b1710c12777aba6a26400ed8df12fefea7f85b19fc7_product_card_v2_mobile_slider_639.jpg" width="625" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The game fosters a genuine appreciation of the country's heritage, with locations such as the fairytale-worthy* Neuschwanstein Castle and the Ludwig Museum in Herrenchiemsee saturated with historical details: murals inspired by tragic love stories and epic heroes, extravagant four-poster draperies and Ludwig's fantastically kitsch 'Grand Master' wardrobe. Decades before virtual gallery and museum tours took off in the age of Covid, <i>GK2</i> was offering a comprehensive <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTISj3XBrTw" target="_blank">audio tour</a> of each castle room and lifelike museum <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tWX_N2h48E" target="_blank">exhibits</a> that could be examined and interacted with. This game truly is the gift that keeps giving.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1494" data-original-width="2048" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBWq1wHGEGo9IOfkcFht_N8w3O_0FEuKNRrt2LqtpXqbiI4zp2FsfCMY31XmPMzaAXYn_t76CfT7c_zLqgnTMqEWESd42eVWAU2vUVOTCuEZL0Q0sDsJNBV36gQS1YX5eT72XiaqnEuHt/w500-h364/gk2_neucastle2.jpg" width="500" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>Grappling with philosophical issues such as Primitivism and Hedonism, the game also departs from civilisation at times – plunging deep into the haunting Bavarian National Forest surrounding Von Glower's hunting lodge in Eppenberg. 'The largest continuous area of forest in central Europe', this land is said to be virtually untouched, with more than 100 miles of hiking paths. However, the natural destination that captivated me the most was the rugged landscape surrounding Neuschwanstein Castle; since playing, I have longed to drive through the snow-dusted Alpine hills to the soaring palace, which lies at an elevation of 800m (there's even an option to travel by <a href="https://hellojetlag.com/visit-neuschwanstein-castle/" target="_blank">horse-drawn carriage</a>, a small extravagance that Ludwig himself would no doubt approve of).</div><div><br />*Quite literally. The castle served as the inspiration for Disneyland's famous Sleeping Beauty Castle.<br /><br /><b><i>Firewatch</i>, Wyoming, US</b><br /><br /><i>'You are here, and it’s beautiful, and escaping isn’t always something bad.' </i><i>–</i><i> Delilah June A.</i></div><div><br />Most people have probably expressed a desire to 'get away from it all' at some point. But, with airport and booking stress, queues at attractions and, let's face it, other people in general, most holidays promptly invoke the need for another holiday. What makes <i>Firewatch</i> so refreshing, therefore, is the opportunity to leave behind civilisation – and everyone in it – in favour of an isolated firewatch tower in the Two Forks Lookout Area of Shoshone National Forest. Whether motivated by the need for a change of pace, time to reflect or – like protagonist Henry – an escape from life's complications, the unbroken wilds of Wyoming offer the boundless space to work through some stuff.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUYMS7Bd92ID4RkEeYUcs_EoXUMSiCXLoeXoNveE77-go_fpCszyHeVe1TmDdDQWe0BVPuAY8NA65ko8W_8EY3EQHVTt6kDW65CP5kBLEv_ZZY1RS_XkISgOhN2pYnpr1CPt1CKmQKHN4h/w625-h351/ss_c7e16bc8d5a6d40ab1f7c339395d26d8f6eb57ff.1920x1080.jpg" width="625" /></div><br /></div><div>There's something quietly life-affirming and centring about stripping reality back to the essentials: a single room in an elevated cabin with a small bed, kitchenette, books, radio and typewriter. The four walls of this simple, compact space feel infinitely expanded by an abundance of spectacular scenery, however; Henry's station is host to panoramic views of towering treetops and misty mountain ranges, with unparalleled access to sunrises, sunsets and the stars in all their unobstructed glory. One would be hard-pressed to envision a more idyllic reading perch (Henry's predecessor was apparently an aficionado of <a href="https://www.finebooksmagazine.com/blog/books-firewatch" target="_blank">80s pulp mysteries</a>) – heck, even the outhouse manages to look scenic.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqZNJbaUp_fCeFCLt6UfdqmXOX3YAHTJzpTxJxUIS28Dxeob_rWC6zBOs0rGeIVnKlEOSQBIEq-NOKoPMUeWUvgoXL597Hv5IlVjfvL0prANIheZkd5JfwIi4-RUEakHiXR_xL9Mp-krSv/w625-h351/firewatch-2.jpg" width="625" /></div><br /></div><div>But, as Instagrammable as the views may be, this is set in the 80s, and Henry's only connection to humanity is a walkie-talkie line to a fellow fire lookout, so any connection you build with the environment is entirely personal and blessedly hashtag-free. The designers evidently crafted the world with excruciating care; inspired by Yosemite National Park, they hand-modeled 23 types of trees 4,600 times and built the lookout towers according to government specifications, including standard lumber size. It pays off. While you're there ostensibly on a job, armed with little more than a handheld compass and paper map, it's hard not to experience childlike wonder when crashing through the trees with wild abandon and cautiously navigating shadowy caves. From creeks and canyons to abandoned bunkers and the remnants of Native American monuments, the land is ever-changing and always has a story to tell, even if you can only hope to collect fragments of it.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="2048" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-wVGqItA2RQkdi_tq3MNzyTnJ6tBKGCNsphXg2fCExQTMSVw9FiJ-ey5Tg8-EibYRDMnV4xFDx1KhsFCiTG1NQtc5GXfwLC720TS3EYweC8rb5sVlYZvRJTEvFfAhNvL8RwU_1EVD50i2/w625-h351/firewatch-e3-5.jpg" width="625" /></div><br /></div><div>One reviewer describes <a href="https://www.gameinformer.com/games/firewatch/b/playstation4/archive/2016/02/08/firewatch-review-gabbin-in-the-woods.aspx" target="_blank">'the novelty of taking part in something so mundane'</a> by helping a character find peace rather than saving the world. Indeed, there's a refreshing lack of competitive or people-pleasing pressure; there aren't any sales quotas or monthly leaderboards or irate customers, and, outside of emergencies, there's no clock to constantly check. Your tasks, such as surveying the landscape for fire outbreaks and investigating illegal fireworks and downed communication lines, are defined organically based on your surroundings, and for long stretches of time, you could well encounter nothing out of the ordinary. While this work is undoubtedly important, it allows for a certain extinguishing of the ego that I think everyone yearns for on some level. Certainly, it motivated me to seriously look into volunteering opportunities at wolf mountain sanctuaries and training with national forest fire lookout associations – something that still draws me to this day.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJvB2xuUzKNhTrntVJBLhM6LPTLVxdCAEOgYeaYScLvxhKDw8tJ1QHN8iC8q-NAKBWAinVObVxKQbqw98G3Y0uuQ4AqQT-o0zZH94X-7JyEtNcb2vfwtzqYVAjtZXuESS6Pox6TDACV0go/w625-h351/firewatch_150305_06.png" width="625" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The game is also masterful at subjecting you to the simultaneous wonder and terror of an environment where you are completely and utterly alone. The Romantics were onto something; those majestic mountains and waterfalls might be breathtakingly beautiful, but an awareness of your fragility in the face of, say, a thunderstorm or a bear is never far behind (or, in this case, a faceless presence watching your every move). Invigorating, yes? In this pressing isolation, your lookout contact, Delilah, forms a vital emotional lifeline, fostering a unique and moving bond and an appreciation of the importance of a connection with another soul, no matter how fragile.</div><div><br /></div><div>In the end, though, even if you're running away from your responsibilities, <i>Firewatch</i> demonstrates how you furnish your environment with your own inner world. Eventually, you'll be forced to confront your demons – even if there's no grand answer to your problems and this simply means picking yourself up and summoning the courage to carry on.</div><div><br /><b><i><a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2017/03/syberia-ii-game-review.html" target="_blank">Syberia</a> I</i> and <i>II</i>, France, Russia and Siberia</b><br /><br /><i>'Welcome to Romansburg! The last town before the vast wild glacial wastes of the tundra.' </i><i>–</i><i> Colonel Emeliov Goupatchev</i></div><div><br />While, admittedly, <i>Syberia</i> didn't capture my heart quite like some of the other entries in this post, its imagining of various enchanting wintry locations across France, Russia and Siberia is perhaps its greatest strength. And, while its depiction of fictional Russian towns like Komkolzgrad, an almost abandoned 'dusty Communist-era industrial mining complex', might not exactly inspire my travel bucket list, the spirit of protagonist Kate Walker's travels certainly does.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1200" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy-zd0cmrRxUVegi1zNR9kuEoMf0GR4snzoSuLzoRf7_ubsbvU_NQ6_IlF6HFcKMnN16R0JJfKUWZ5o_DVhYadeU7yIifnrBNSxnTFpmqCU8rtuHlrAAJbTJxSUTGEw2ISsxFQRxB_rHTY/w625-h419/DZovJtHX0AUiaXy.jpg" width="625" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Initially sent to oversee the corporate takeover of a family-owned toy factory in France, she instead decides to help realise an eccentric inventor's dream of finding and riding one of the last woolly mammoths in existence. In doing so, she pulls an <i>Eat, Pray, Love</i> before it was trendy and abandons her home life, job and fiancé, seeking adventure for the sake of it rather than pursuing anything as humdrum as a logical goal or personal gain. In this sense, <i>Syberia</i> taps into a deeply engrained urge to plunge into the unknown, leaving behind the comfortable and familiar to find yourself.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="910" data-original-width="1276" height="445" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNfCmB_tldJ4IYXcgsoOKS5-En8x5cUPeIbNN7oqljNNTgPLnE8E_jBrvzunzzGd1scHe5r7DnDULuKD9fA8XisCiKAu_NQngaEq5wl2OXQ-0TsWFgDGqNwo1k2n8uvlH9-sX2w88BI4DO/w625-h445/5c0137fc47975e893ad1457e6ae99e32.png" width="625" /></div><div><br />Kate's travels first take her to Valadilène, a small, picturesque town in the heart of the French Alps accented with curious steampunk contraptions and automatons that reflect the playful nature of their creator, Hans Voralberg. From here, she eventually journeys by coal-fuelled clockwork train (because who doesn't want to travel the world in what is essentially an exceedingly pretty, if slightly impractical, toy?) to Romansburg, Russia, a remote snow-blanketed town that feels as though it lies at the edge of the world; rarely visited by trains, its outer limits give way to unending white. The town is civilised enough to include a few cosy traditional taverns and shops, creating small safe havens amid the inhospitable climate.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="469" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkdfLpyJzN3v3GmfdYq_xQS6whS-5q-NVwHSYrwpKiDa89Y2E8UNqpmxpVsWNw_Sp4qQW_goT4qMbYEYWO2Ryo81euu5D0J6jJURTrHuIu_4XMGV1bIdiAQhKGhMMrEFAUM6vNBX5We1KL/w625-h469/25349_370234637404_2531999_n.jpg" width="625" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The penultimate stop is Youkol Village, a hidden underground dwelling carved into the ice inhabited by a mysterious tribe who lived with and tamed the mammoths. In true hero's journey style, it boasts its very own dream-transporting shaman – as well as ancient mammoth-summoning horns. These would certainly spice up the usual Airbnb offerings of free Wi-Fi and guest towels.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="1920" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGsHx1PPmGm5yTAGGjyhdUe3pf8vG8XmZD8_LGUBgD2hwURZ9Lq_WNclhvriZtDt3nggMvl2uemlhUJsu3Ix5TcQ1R-GH9wIwsA3PBOd4yD7adSSsBhUPJGJkrkPZRZrX2rWdFgaTB9qJ/w625-h350/5-13-2015_18.jpg" width="625" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>The real Siberia (with an 'i') is actually known as the <a href="https://www.newdawnmagazine.com/articles/secrets-of-siberian-shamanism" target="_blank">birthplace of shamanism</a>, with 'tribal healing practices dating back to the 13th century'. Additionally, the fabled island of Syberia (with a 'y') is based on Wrangel Island, Siberia, the last place on earth where mammoths roamed around 4,000 years ago, so the game has a not <i>entirely</i> unsound basis in reality (mammoths aside). The island itself is breathtaking (quite literally – Wrangel Island is subject to a severe polar climate with temperatures as low as −57.7°C and cyclonic episodes), its mists providing a suitably majestic entrance for the last mammoths.</div><div><br />After reaching her destination, the private detective tailing Kate reports to her old law firm that she has 'vanished without a trace'. Because isn't that sort of the dream? To leave it all behind and not look back, without letting anything so mundane as what seems practical or even possible stop you?</div><div>
<br /><b>Honorable mentions</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="511" data-original-width="908" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXJ7qL1PtjGF5Be3q2Qxpn7R6cACFTCrSBKF9DIHn969GX1NeXuHwE8SWIRyyOIQm_r3_BMGztPDC47wCmcnz6ueXHO9LoxZiiNqy4f2WCQv4LewHOW36u89u-212HEdaXR14AFNPjCj_v/w625-h351/Arcadia_Bay.jpg" width="625" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><i><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/520720/Dear_Esther_Landmark_Edition/" target="_blank">Dear Esther</a></i>, the Hebrides, Scotland<i><br /><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/417880/Everybodys_Gone_to_the_Rapture/" target="_blank">Everybody's Gone to the Rapture</a></i>, Shropshire, UK<br /><i><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/231200/Kentucky_Route_Zero_PC_Edition/" target="_blank">Kentucky Route Zero</a></i>, Kentucky, US <br /><i><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/319630/Life_is_Strange__Episode_1/" target="_blank">Life is Strange</a></i>, Arcadia Bay (Oregon), US<br /><i><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/532210/Life_is_Strange_2/" target="_blank">Life is Strange 2</a></i>, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada & Arizona, US, & Mexico<br /><i><a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/758330/Shenmue_I__II/" target="_blank">Shenmue II</a></i>, Aberdeen, Wan Chai & Kowloon, Hong Kong, & Guilin, China<br /><br /><i>Haven't seen my previous post on adventure games that gave me wanderlust yet? Find it <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2020/04/inspiring-adventure-game-locations-that.html" target="_blank">here</a>.<br /><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px; text-align: center;" /></a></div></div></div></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-25616452600398742402020-04-27T16:50:00.019+01:002023-07-02T19:36:28.102+01:00Inspiring Adventure Games That Gave Me Wanderlust: Part 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmv8bRDnEAmkoPUilom_nh71k3lIgLKjTolBASScA0NF5GQaXVIXkGG6iXAgaePFMW8H04m1jjVCk8G63ivNTWosvRf-rAgJVaCMYFyAyyKSaUwy8h1XS0YpWNnOS76woJlVxwh9NkD7I/s2048/gk20th-cazanoux.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Madame Cazaunoux's house, New Orleans, in Gabriel Knight adventure game promo pic | Inky Squiggles" border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmv8bRDnEAmkoPUilom_nh71k3lIgLKjTolBASScA0NF5GQaXVIXkGG6iXAgaePFMW8H04m1jjVCk8G63ivNTWosvRf-rAgJVaCMYFyAyyKSaUwy8h1XS0YpWNnOS76woJlVxwh9NkD7I/w640-h480/gk20th-cazanoux.jpg" title="Madame Cazaunoux's house in Gabriel Knight" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
I might be unable to venture much further than the sheep-dotted Teesdale hills near my small hometown due to nationwide lockdown, but one can still dream of broader horizons. One of my favourite ways of travelling vicariously is through adventure games. These often emphasise immersion in another place or time, whether real or imagined, and the best examples achieve this through a combination of carefully constructed characters, mood-making music and fully realised settings. <br />
<br />
Rather than focus on the characters, who act as the natural faces of the games, however, I'd like to direct the spotlight to lesser-recognised characters – the locations themselves. From sleepy small towns in the Japanese countryside to the far-flung Wyoming wilderness, these game locations have inspired my own travel bucket list and creative writing as well as eased my anxiety during times of high stress and uncertainty (like now).<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b><i><span style="color: #b33a0d;">The Longest Journey</span></i>, Venice, Newport (New York's East Village), US</b></h3>
<i><span style="color: #b33a0d;">'I also believe we're on the border between two more abstract worlds. Between art and spirit on the one hand and science and technology on the other.' – Fiona</span></i><i style="text-align: center;"></i><br />
<br />
April moves to the big city of Venice, a fictitious residential neighbourhood in Newport in 2109, to study at VAVA, the Venice Academy of the Visual Arts. Heavily inspired by <a href="https://tlj.fandom.com/wiki/Venice" target="_blank">New York's East Village</a> 'both from an architectural... and a social and humanistic point of view', Venice is a cultural melting pot of its industrial past and bohemian present. Its diverse student and artist population and cultural hotspots, like the Italian-influenced Roma Gallery and retro Mercury Theatre, flourish against a backdrop of foul-smelling canals, iron-wrought Art Deco frameworks and towering graffitied high-rises. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHMklSinkzYAlvThdQ6F3p9WBW1WJiFMRgdszJVsqz7OHVv2UUliwviC3_Vd21mVCogbTbq40HyGCsrmvq3ueF_NPkZoNLUjofb8w3UeXjFaPGWlKrTY9A_pqidmQikKuucs0clIt8imA/s1600/0000001821.1920x1080.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Florence Park and Venice Bridges, Newport, screenshot in The Longest Journey adventure game | Inky Squiggles" border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMHMklSinkzYAlvThdQ6F3p9WBW1WJiFMRgdszJVsqz7OHVv2UUliwviC3_Vd21mVCogbTbq40HyGCsrmvq3ueF_NPkZoNLUjofb8w3UeXjFaPGWlKrTY9A_pqidmQikKuucs0clIt8imA/s1600/0000001821.1920x1080.jpg" title="Florence Park and Venice Bridges in The Longest Journey" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Venice's industrial past is never far from mind, even in Florence Park, where the Venice Bridges and train line can be glimpsed. </span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
There are surprising snatches of beauty amid the concrete jungle, like the awe-inspiring Cathedral on the rundown Hope Street and the fantastical mural decorating the factory-converted Border House, the safe haven where April and her flatmates live. Here, everyone democratically contributes to cooking and cleaning duties, despite the odd-sized bedrooms (perhaps the most fantastical aspect of the game).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLCGsKtPZiSXIe2YZj_G80MXQlXI4qFdgo3cLFp6tYasS-ht3Xdq7a9FeIyCOUDYZE6EwFE11OBvgh5T2MGNoOMxaDFFsKt85rVpGwBkS2DVib0pQKSRggGz0ZsqLmz6AVxmQoT5vpaSA/s1600/Border_house_tlj.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Border House mural, Venice, Newport, screenshot in The Longest Journey adventure game | Inky Squiggles" border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="637" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvLCGsKtPZiSXIe2YZj_G80MXQlXI4qFdgo3cLFp6tYasS-ht3Xdq7a9FeIyCOUDYZE6EwFE11OBvgh5T2MGNoOMxaDFFsKt85rVpGwBkS2DVib0pQKSRggGz0ZsqLmz6AVxmQoT5vpaSA/s1600/Border_house_tlj.png" title="The Border House mural in The Longest Journey" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The mysterious mural on Border House features softly lit trees, a dragon and a cloaked figure.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Meanwhile, dreamy ambient tracks with industrial undercurrents and titles like '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBJSSrtxMJM&list=PLF3C708F2AD83CE6A&index=3" target="_blank">Dragon</a>', '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJc4umi5gbA&list=PLF3C708F2AD83CE6A&index=4" target="_blank">Eagle</a>' and '<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pV22go6g6z8&list=PLF3C708F2AD83CE6A&index=5" target="_blank">Winterland</a>' are on rotation on the jukebox in the rundown but sun-suffused Fringe Cafe. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Fringe Cafe, Venice, Newport, screenshot in The Longest Journey adventure game | Inky Squiggles" src="https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/tlj/images/a/a1/OutsideFringeCafeTLJ.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20130921124426" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The Fringe Cafe in The Longest Journey" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The slightly rundown yet Italian-reminiscent exterior of Fringe Cafe, which attracts students and drifters alike.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Fascinating characters abound, too, from the mysterious art connoisseur and riddle-spinning Cortez to Fiona, April's free-spirited, salacious landlady. As the latter puts it, Venice is a city with 'art and spirit on the one hand and science and technology on the other'. Dreams and reality coexist and comingle (quite literally, as it turns out), giving everything a sense of bright optimism and boundless possibility despite adverse circumstances. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhirVozpBwhm0vm3OHJ9hw3it5OUA8klWICUiSrVfyGvyf9M1Zt_j86ocYsgeZLKg2JU-qARWbJo4zuYRF3uz1N6TKV8M2BEr04vod2hQX8qjx2gBd5m-6Rkxpv6Csb2ceLaeLOx0e3wmDL/s1600/VAVA.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The VAVA art academy, Venice, Newport, screenshot in The Longest Journey adventure game | Inky Squiggles" border="0" data-original-height="361" data-original-width="639" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhirVozpBwhm0vm3OHJ9hw3it5OUA8klWICUiSrVfyGvyf9M1Zt_j86ocYsgeZLKg2JU-qARWbJo4zuYRF3uz1N6TKV8M2BEr04vod2hQX8qjx2gBd5m-6Rkxpv6Csb2ceLaeLOx0e3wmDL/s1600/VAVA.jpg" title="The VAVA art academy in The Longest Journey" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The bright campus of VAVA, April's art college: home to artists, filmmakers, dancers and 'holosculpturists'.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is the perfect setting for finding yourself, which strongly drew me to it when I first played this as an undergraduate liberal arts student with her head forever in the clouds. It genuinely feels like a living, breathing city, as if it might exist somewhere on the other side of the world (no doubt owing to Ragnar Tornquist's film student years spent in the actual East Village). <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/189al6/i_am_ragnar_t%C3%B8rnquist_creator_of_the_longest/c8cr9cy/" target="_blank">Rubber ducky</a> aside, the early portion of the game spent here was always my favourite in the game and <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2017/12/dreamfall-chapters-game-review.html" target="_blank">series</a> – it's just a shame you don't get to spend longer here.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5Cb-EIIod_26V72PTf_N2OcmaAW8sRVU-FGPZ8RsRfzwSDXX0fBr-tcoBT2jG_4Ft0FlQhF_ana7bIcUhAd_S3K9zXYIVRX4kXTQxAvM3wOossccUS7U_8hTN10UOz4AKotlGzJ0_PBf/s1600/tumblr_miqb0jxHTy1ra0cfqo1_640.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Venice subway, Newport, screenshot in The Longest Journey adventure game | Inky Squiggles" border="0" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="633" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF5Cb-EIIod_26V72PTf_N2OcmaAW8sRVU-FGPZ8RsRfzwSDXX0fBr-tcoBT2jG_4Ft0FlQhF_ana7bIcUhAd_S3K9zXYIVRX4kXTQxAvM3wOossccUS7U_8hTN10UOz4AKotlGzJ0_PBf/s1600/tumblr_miqb0jxHTy1ra0cfqo1_640.png" title="The Venice subway in The Longest Journey" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Yeah, I probably wouldn't sit down, either.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
I could see myself riding the dusty subway to the theatre or gallery; chatting art, philosophy and pop culture with colourful local characters and misfits; and soaking up strong coffee and good vibes from local bands at the resident hipster cafe – activities not <i>so</i> far removed from my actual student life in Lancaster, UK (if you swap out 'subway' for 'Stagecoach bus line' and the sultry Venice climate with reliably interminable rain).<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b><i><a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2017/12/gabriel-knight-sins-of-fathers-review.html" target="_blank">Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers</a></i>, New Orleans, US</b></h3>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="color: #b33a0d;">'I've only been here for two months, but I love it. It's so much more "alive" than any place I've been. It feels like anything's possible here.' – Grace Nakimura</span></i></div>
<br />
Designer Jane Jensen recreated various key New Orleans locations with an impressive level of care and detail considering the game's 90s-era graphical limitations (this was given a glorious high-res update that makes the most of the game's warm, earthy palette in 2014). By comparing the game to its <a href="https://www.pinterest.co.uk/postudios/new-orleans/" target="_blank">real-life inspiration</a>, you can gain a full appreciation of all the research that went into capturing the city's vibrant, eclectic spirit, from the cajun and jazz bands of Jackson Square to the macabre oddities of the Historic Voodoo Museum. Incredibly, Jensen had <a href="https://episodiccontentmag.com/2015/09/10/gabrielknight_ch1/" target="_blank">never visited</a> New Orleans at the time; this being pre-Google, naturally, she relied instead on picture books from a city bookstore.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Historic Voodoo Museum, New Orleans, screenshot in Gabriel Knight adventure game | Inky Squiggles" height="360" src="https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steam/apps/262000/ss_76fbf8801109da99b2973a3a56a4e61f61967040.1920x1080.jpg?t=1447359350" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The Historic Voodoo Museum in Gabriel Knight" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Dr. John happens to keep a snake in the Historic Voodoo Museum. No bad guy ever kept a snake, right?</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Jensen melds the city's diverse cultural influences in a spicy gumbo of French, African, American, Catholic and Voodoo flavours. The stately historical architecture of St. Louis Cathedral, St Louis Cemetery and Napoleon House contrasts dramatically with the exotic curiosities of the Dixieland Drug Store and the Voodoo Museum. The 'Look' option often gives you some context for locations and objects, too, with interesting historical or factual asides (or, as Gabriel might call it, <i>lagniappe</i> – 'a little something extra'), creating a strong sense of place. And it's a distinctive one – there are few cities where you can unburden your soul in a confessional booth and nab some Lover Come Back To Me Oil at the local drug store on your way home without anyone batting an eyelid.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans, screenshot in Gabriel Knight adventure game | Inky Squiggles" height="479" src="https://gocdkeys.com/images/captures/gabriel-knight-sins-of-the-father-20th-anniversary-edition-pc-cd-key-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="St. Louis Cathedral in Gabriel Knight" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Corpses notwithstanding, St. Louis Cathedral offers a welcome reflective space in the midst of the energetic city.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Expansive dialogue trees allow you to explore everything from local folklore and characters' uniquely personal beliefs to how historical figures like 'Voodoo Queen' Marie Laveau and festivities like Saint John's Eve impact them differently. One minute you can be shooting the breeze with someone about their hobbies and what the city means to them, the next asking them whether they dabble in gris-gris (a Voodoo amulet worn for protection from evil or to bring luck) and what they know about, ahem, human sacrifice (<i>cabrit sans cor</i> – a goat without horns). Smooth.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Dixieland Drugstore, New Orleans, screenshot in Gabriel Knight adventure game | Inky Squiggles" height="425" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/3vWsnrdvVZH42o_6yTG5tPHwkBk=/151x0:1789x1092/1200x800/filters:focal(151x0:1789x1092)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/42043808/ss_107ae3d58e48fe6a6fb3fe1bb5bc50f321235da5.0.0.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The Dixieland Drugstore in Gabriel Knight" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The Dixieland Drugstore proprietor takes pains to emphasise that this is a curio shop, not a voodoo shop. Um. Right.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This ability to dig deeper into your surroundings by interacting with the environment and locals makes the city, its history and magic feel truly alive. Rather than simply existing as a passively pretty backdrop or triggering a series of meaningless fetch quests, the environment feels textured and compelling. This game motivated me to read up about Louisiana Voodoo and made me want to celebrate Mardi Gras and visit all the in-game locations in the French Quarter. And, to be honest, I aspire to have the passion for novel research required to saunter up to a stranger and drawl <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R__-EsicZs8" target="_blank">'What can you tell me about [lowers voice huskily] Voodoo?'</a> apropos of nothing.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="A street in the French Quarter, New Orleans, screenshot in Gabriel Knight adventure game | Inky Squiggles" height="480" src="https://www.heypoorplayer.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/2014-08-25_00002.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="A street in the French Quarter in Gabriel Knight" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The French Quarter buildings are accented with pretty Parisienne flourishes like brightly coloured shutters and ornate balconies.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
All of this is grounded by Gabriel's cosily cluttered home base – St. George's Books. This place has everything – 60s and 70s pulp mystery novels jostling beside biographies of kings and queens and cryptic German poetry about dragons. Characterful design features including exposed brickwork, arched lattice windows, a mezzanine, a charmingly lopsided chandelier, a ladder for accessing hard-to-reach shelves and... haunting nightmarish family art? Perhaps most important of all, there's a ready supply of hot, black-as-midnight-on-a-moonless-night coffee. Travel? I want to <i>live</i> here.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbL7djO37vpmEndQ0J7V-KNFTxDdcw1FhnBKOIDsSWbmh8ggF5S17xFENvKt9yF54QTLOtVY8Tmn29PfFPEi0PPSVcqC2VHmbfuV0PLF_HQe3XQ862pKUaxul1wk3SbXbYbIADdCWzMiJJ/s1279/Bookshop1280x1024.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="St. George's Books, New Orleans, screenshot in Gabriel Knight adventure game | Inky Squiggles" border="0" data-original-height="949" data-original-width="1279" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbL7djO37vpmEndQ0J7V-KNFTxDdcw1FhnBKOIDsSWbmh8ggF5S17xFENvKt9yF54QTLOtVY8Tmn29PfFPEi0PPSVcqC2VHmbfuV0PLF_HQe3XQ862pKUaxul1wk3SbXbYbIADdCWzMiJJ/w640-h474/Bookshop1280x1024.jpg" title="St. George's Books in Gabriel Knight" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">I always wondered how a down-on-his-luck writer could afford a city bookstore like St. George's Books. Turns out it was set up with his late mother's trust fund. Sigh.</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<h3>
<b><i><a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2014/12/my-pick-of-video-game-titles-that.html" target="_blank">The Last Express</a></i>, Paris to Constantinople (modern Istanbul)</b></h3>
<i><span style="color: #b33a0d;">'Oh, I love the in-between times. It's the only time I can really think.' – Rebecca Norton</span></i><i></i><i><br /></i><br />
My longing to travel on the Orient Express stems as much from a desire to experience the romance of a bygone era as it does the historical locations on its route. In a time of high-speed trains and budget travel, languidly drinking in the passing sights of pre-war Europe aboard the iconic overnight sleeper service feels like the ultimate luxury. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0km5c9H1G2txJROhiMf8oAjzVubaadJ3zM69CnPuEebbC-IKGVbuPyAh8RKsZ_oLp55hBh2fifYF60sxqjWU6qKn69nlUYGZzWwrAMNovqceM4LwnlzW_Qi96XDLwMsq5_I6Li9gpIxl4/s1600/salon-render.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Smoking Compartment, Orient Express, in The Last Express adventure game promo pic | Inky Squiggles" border="0" data-original-height="375" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0km5c9H1G2txJROhiMf8oAjzVubaadJ3zM69CnPuEebbC-IKGVbuPyAh8RKsZ_oLp55hBh2fifYF60sxqjWU6qKn69nlUYGZzWwrAMNovqceM4LwnlzW_Qi96XDLwMsq5_I6Li9gpIxl4/s1600/salon-render.jpg" title="The Smoking Compartment in The Last Express" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The Smoking Compartment – an essential source of scandalous personal details and political intelligence. All obtained entirely innocently, of course.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
There's something about watching the world go by from the comfort of my window seat that appeals to the observer in me. Meanwhile, a single location acting as the focal point of unfolding intrigue and captivating personalities, like in Jordan Mechner's underappreciated gem, speaks to my inner mystery maven. It's the ideal setup for the perfect self-contained whodunit.<br />
<br />
The train line in this imagining spans Paris to Constantinople via Strasbourg, Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade and Sofia across four days during a tense yet defining time on the cusp of World War I. However, the game's action is focused within the compartments of the pre-rendered 3D train itself, which was <a href="https://youtu.be/DygVxOWd_9o" target="_blank">painstakingly recreated</a> from one of the last remaining sleeper cars of the type used in the Orient Express.<br /> <br /><div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The train carriage corridor, Orient Express, in The Last Express adventure game screenshot | Inky Squiggles" border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="375" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7P_8wPQlyo4KBBSxeZusnpgwvFJTbN1JJ-Bcgr4i5x85N2DNryHEwXMdNFkj9c_nMU6pf2tpy2uKuDYMWg-zsFz9mGZDK8nwAesyfl2P_EaYTxApJ4t6KeHweIn77O_xQ8LqM8q21Sqe8/w500-h375/last-express-train-corridor.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The train carriage corridor, Orient Express, in The Last Express" width="500" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Even moving between locations is an opportunity for eavesdropping in on intriguing conversations and catching suspicious character movements.</i></td></tr></tbody></table></div><br />
Of course, finding Cath's friend's body in his compartment spoils the view slightly, but he soon applies his famed problem-solving ability to the dilemma.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Robert Cath with Tyler Whitney's body on the Orient Express in The Last Express adventure game screenshot | Inky Squiggles" src="https://images.gog-statics.com/9ab745f34251167ef2e9090b8c3e1876f84a4270bd64c9edcd30c3b5bd801cea_product_card_v2_mobile_slider_639.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Robert Cath with Tyler Whitney's body in The Last Express" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">'Sure, I'll help you out.'</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As well as the changing landscape, the game offers a window into a compelling moment in time. The visual style of the environment and the game itself, for which each frame was hand-coloured, emulates the period's gorgeous Art Nouveau movement, which would collapse during the imminent war. This gives everything a sense of fragile opulence – we simply don't have luxurious trains of this level anymore (and with probable good reason). It's unlikely you'll wander into a hauntingly beautiful 20-minute <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4-ilJrhKQQ" target="_blank">piano/violin duet</a> on the Avanti West Coast service today, when travelling in style doesn't get much fancier than free WiFi and slightly more generous leg room.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlGhBf15sHt8TpNym_lZ-iUKeje3FazKvttfU4OyfrNyPGnQxiVvw8z49OM_AQKPGgmhNZ-TVyHsLserTSLNegYOQAVE8Mg5wuqFwRBinTSddYhs8_d5WT9M-KgiTIqKmU2lS9BKK19ohV/s1600/TLE-art.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Art Nouveau artwork and decor, Orient Express, in The Last Express adventure game screenshot | Inky Squiggles" border="0" data-original-height="356" data-original-width="952" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlGhBf15sHt8TpNym_lZ-iUKeje3FazKvttfU4OyfrNyPGnQxiVvw8z49OM_AQKPGgmhNZ-TVyHsLserTSLNegYOQAVE8Mg5wuqFwRBinTSddYhs8_d5WT9M-KgiTIqKmU2lS9BKK19ohV/s640/TLE-art.jpg" title="Art Nouveau artwork and decor in The Last Express" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Art Nouveau details abound, from the train fittings and decor to the rotoscoped characters themselves.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
Mechner was <a href="https://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/132255/the_last_express_revisiting_an_.php?page=1" target="_blank">reportedly</a> fascinated with the transitional nature of the era – the war marked the boundary between the old world and the new; between complex family dynasties, royalty and entrenched class divisions and a much more pragmatic reality. This is all epitomised by the Orient Express itself, a beautiful, seemingly untouchable monument crystallised in time but ultimately just as vulnerable to rumblings of change as the wider world.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="European train station in The Last Express adventure game screenshot | Inky Squiggles" src="https://www.gamasutra.com/db_area/images/feature/3862/lastexpress_shot4.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: start;" title="A European train station in The Last Express" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Destined to never be the same.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
In this context, one thing becomes abundantly clear: it's the journey that matters, not the destination. And what better way to travel than in the company of intellectuals, aristocrats and anarchists in the magnificent trappings of the Smoking Compartment, where everyone is united by the simple fact they all drink and smoke. Here, everyone has a story, from Sapphic love affairs to political treachery, and you never know how they might affect yours.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b><i><a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2017/06/grey-matter-review.html" target="_blank">Gray Matter</a></i>, Oxford, UK</b></h3>
<i><span style="color: #b33a0d;">'This crossroads once consisted of dusty roads and this tower [Carfax]. Now the tower's kind of lost in the middle of this city.' – Samantha Everett</span></i><i></i><br />
<br />
Jane Jensen certainly has a talent for realising hauntingly memorable game versions of real-life locations because this is the second entry in this list that she designed. And, while her imagining of Oxford has been described as a 'fairytale' and 'patronising' by some critics, Jensen's deep-seated love of England and its mythos permeates every pore of <i>Gray Matter</i> (she even planned to develop a game called <i>Anglophile Adventure</i>, for Chrissakes). My main gripe is that I couldn't explore this world further.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://secure.i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01995/Gray_Matter_1995391i.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Oxford Town Centre in Gray Matter adventure game screenshot | Inky Squiggles" border="0" src="https://secure.i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01995/Gray_Matter_1995391i.jpg" title="Oxford Town Centre in Gray Matter" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">A moodily lit Oxford Town Centre </span></i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">– </span></i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">without the teeming tourists.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
While a bonafide Oxfordian might find the depiction of the setting fanciful, as someone stranded in a strange city for a month-long work contract at the tail-end of winter at the time of playing, I was willing to suspend my disbelief. Because sometimes a soft-focus version of England that is equal parts mist and magic is exactly what is needed to slip away from reality after a long day in the office.<br />
<br />
In a Brontë-infused twist, Sam, the 'ex-goth' protagonist, is diverted from her London destination after breaking down and forced to take refuge in the ominously named Dread Hill House. If only all breakdowns were invitations to adventure! The mansion is the architectural embodiment of gothic romance: elaborately carved wood-panelled walls, lofty cathedral windows, a grand four-poster bed...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Entrance hall of Dread Hill House, Oxford, in Gray Matter adventure game screenshot | Inky Squiggles" height="360" src="https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steam/apps/260570/ss_8b008d2be2b551553f3ce538ac716e38159b22cd.1920x1080.jpg?t=1584640057" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The entrance hall of Dread Hill House, Oxford, in Gray Matter" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="text-align: start;">There's also a cheery Cockney housekeeper who sounds a bit like Mrs Potts from </span><span style="text-align: start;">Beauty and the Beast</span><span style="text-align: start;">.</span></span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The Oxford high street is similarly romanticised (in Jensen's defence, Oxford's shops <i>are</i> much quainter and more curated than in the average city); but for a few modern details, it could almost be mistaken for a rendering of the streets of Camelot. It is undeniably beautiful, however – all medieval stone architecture, moody streetlights and stormy skies.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Black Wand magic shop, Oxford, in Gray Matter adventure game screenshot | Inky Squiggles" height="360" src="https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steam/apps/260570/ss_78eef4c13422cb49633d834fbe98ddb59871be82.1920x1080.jpg?t=1584640057" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The Black Wand magic shop, Oxford, in Gray Matter" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">'Find Alice – she is close at hand / Follow well her zage / Then find the rabbit if you nac / And enter the name of the mage'</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
There's a Diagon Alley-esque vibe to the establishments, too (which is fitting given <a href="https://www.experienceoxfordshire.org/oxford-harry-potter/" target="_blank">Harry Potter's ties to Oxford</a>) – you won't find any banks or chain supermarkets here. Instead, the player is treated to intriguing hideaways like the Black Wand magic shop, with its boudoir-worthy fittings and curios, and the Windy Dog Pub, whose traditional cabin-like interior wouldn't look out of place on a pirate ship.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="The Windy Dog Pub, Oxford, in Gray Matter adventure game screenshot | Inky Squiggles" height="360" src="https://cdn.nivoli.com/adventuregamers/images/screenshots/15549/12853.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The Windy Dog Pub, Oxford, in Gray Matter" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">There's even a hunting horn.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
Several real-life locations have been realised in immersive detail and dusky palettes, including Christ Church Cathedral, the Bodleian Library and other parts of Oxford University. Loading screens present <a href="https://steamcommunity.com/app/260570" target="_blank">local historical trivia</a> and in-game lore, and close attention has been paid to finer visual details like college crests and graffiti-scrawled walls and rooftops. Shelves laden with whimsical knickknacks and novelties have even been recreated in <a href="https://aliceinwonderlandshop.com/" target="_blank">Alice's Shop</a>, based on a real Alice in Wonderland-themed gift shop in a 15th-century building.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTaCX39eeB0NhU7PjRX2E9wPIBG63vo-XJm6mqibJ7ZW8pDRAQUL9h9F09zdI6_LJY5t6UsdpoeSDmKFyCqyk9lWSdW4HgOQtG79VbWSgChGMUduEB5lYkkJ5Ik3jhPwvrNZEyQcraxft/s1600/christ+church.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Christ Church, Oxford, screenshot in Gray Matter adventure game | Inky Squiggles" border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="660" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXTaCX39eeB0NhU7PjRX2E9wPIBG63vo-XJm6mqibJ7ZW8pDRAQUL9h9F09zdI6_LJY5t6UsdpoeSDmKFyCqyk9lWSdW4HgOQtG79VbWSgChGMUduEB5lYkkJ5Ik3jhPwvrNZEyQcraxft/s640/christ+church.png" title="Christ Church, Oxford, in Gray Matter" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: small;">At times the locations, like Christ Church, feel like a portal to another time as well as place.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
All told, it's not hard to believe that this is a world where a secret members-only magic circle called the Daedalus Club might lie hidden, awaiting an intrepid explorer to unearth the trail of clues and riddles safeguarding its secrets.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #b33a0d;"><b>Honorable mention: <i>Persona 4</i></b></span>, Inaba (Fuefuki), Japan</h3>
<span style="color: #b33a0d;"><i>'There isn't much to do here compared to the big city, but there is that certain... something you can't get anywhere else. The air's clean, the food's great...'</i> <i>– Yosuke Hanamura</i></span><br />
<br />
While Persona 4 isn't technically an adventure game (though it certainly <i>is</i> an adventure), its small-town rural setting of Inaba is as well realised as the best in the genre and too memorable not to warrant a mention. Inaba is based on <a href="https://www.peach-city.com/" target="_blank">Fuefuki</a> ('the Peach City') on the outskirts of Mount Fuji, where more than 58% of the city's area is covered in forest and the Fuefuki River flows through its centre. Having previously visited Kyoto, Inaba immediately transported me back to its small-town, rural sensibility steeped in history and traditional culture.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWeqAsf81spEQ9DAaZJ_0Uiim-rZVaPPFkXyBlhJi3z8hyphenhyphenrm9UHcCj_oQbON-a68kHI9xZFQ-4mJQVRYds6Bu_1iih1LgHHJcb6FRpA7T27SBZl6GX9nAb2Xr_y_j4eHNderYDDLMAF8r/s1280/66-3FG37Dkl.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img alt="Train and countryside, Inaba, Japan, Persona 4 JRPG screenshot | Inky Squiggles" border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIWeqAsf81spEQ9DAaZJ_0Uiim-rZVaPPFkXyBlhJi3z8hyphenhyphenrm9UHcCj_oQbON-a68kHI9xZFQ-4mJQVRYds6Bu_1iih1LgHHJcb6FRpA7T27SBZl6GX9nAb2Xr_y_j4eHNderYDDLMAF8r/w625-h351/66-3FG37Dkl.jpg" title="The train line and countryside in Persona 4" width="625" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Miyazaki-worthy levels of natural beauty.</i><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
Though various young characters bemoan how 'boring' the town is and that it is in 'the middle of nowhere', others see this as a strength, viewing it as relaxing and peaceful. If by ' boring', the former mean 'impossibly pretty', then it certainly is that (if habitually rainy, but as a bit of a homebody I can forgive it for that). The landscape is composed of gentle hills and farmland among floodplains broken up by a rustic train line and tranquil river. A former coal-mining town, Inaba itself appears largely untouched by modern developments, with a string of small family-run businesses with traditional wooden Japanese styling, sliding <i>shoji</i> doors and colourful awnings and bunting.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/apis.ign.com/shin-megami-tensei-persona-4-golden/9/9b/2013-01-22-101933.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Central Shopping District, Inaba, Japan, Persona 4 JRPG screenshot | Inky Squiggles" border="0" height="362" src="https://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/apis.ign.com/shin-megami-tensei-persona-4-golden/9/9b/2013-01-22-101933.jpg" title="The Central Shopping District in Persona 4" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">The local Central Shopping District is threatened by big business but essential both to game progression and the distinctive character of Inaba.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Of course, the Junes Department Store is the exception to this, and various store owners and older residents discuss the negative impact the big conglomerate has had on local businesses, though younger characters are more welcoming of it – the food court even acts as the 'Special Headquarters' of the Investigation Team (and who can resist that catchy <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBtVGq3Q6ag" target="_blank">Junes jingle</a>, am I right?). In the Golden edition, Junes eventually incorporates a 'locally produced goods' section to support local shops, maintaining a balance between old and new.<br />
<br />
It's the independent businesses that give Inaba its charming character, however; in classic Japanese style, no two are visually alike, and each serves a distinct purpose. There's a subtle contrast between traditional and modern, too, with a characteristic red <i>torii</i> gate tucked among newer buildings, a vending machine beside the Marukyu Tofu shop and power lines clustering against maple leaves and cherry blossoms. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Chinese Diner Aiya interior, Inaba, Japan, Persona 4 JRPG screenshot | Inky Squiggles" height="362" src="https://cdn.escapistmagazine.com/media/global/images/library/deriv/111/111005.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Chinese Diner Aiya interior in Persona 4" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Near-enlightenment levels of understanding are required to conquer the rainy-day special, the Mega Beef Bowl (AKA 'portal to the meat dimension'), at Chinese Diner Aiya.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Nothing feels jarring, however, and the ability to mooch around Chinese Diner Aiya and order preposterously oversized noodle bowls or make wishes at Tatsuhime Shrine after fulfilling residents' <i>ema</i> requests lends to the sense of freedom and easygoing pace of these sections. This is a place where the player can take their time and fully appreciate their surroundings, whether at the hot springs at the Amagi Hotel, the town's oldest historical landmark, or the bright, cheery Junes food court.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Tatsuhime Shrine, Inaba, Japan, Persona 4 JRPG screenshot | Inky Squiggles" height="362" src="https://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/apis.ign.com/shin-megami-tensei-persona-4-golden/c/c4/Tatsuhime_shrine.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Tatsuhime Shrine in Persona 4" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Tatsuhime Shrine has long been abandoned, but a few locals still drop off their ema wishes.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Inaba is somehow small yet expansive, cosy yet endlessly interesting, and revisiting the same locations with familiar faces through the changing seasons and during different events (like the Summer Festival of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYSvW5g39hU" target="_blank"><i>yukata</i> reveals</a>) fosters a real sense of intimacy that the big city would be hard-pressed to beat. If Dojima ever listed his spare room on Airbnb I'd book it in a heartbeat.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Dojima Residence, Inaba, Japan, Persona 4 JRPG screenshot | Inky Squiggles" height="362" src="https://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/apis.ign.com/shin-megami-tensei-persona-4-golden/8/8c/Dojima_residence.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Outside the Dojima Residence in Persona 4" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Dojima pretty much gives you free rein of his house in exchange for babysitting duties. It's a good thing Nanako's such a delight.</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Next time...</b><br />
<br />France, Germany, Northwest US, Russia & Siberia<br /><br /><i>Find the second installment of games that gave me wanderlust <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2020/09/inspiring-adventure-game-locations-that.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>↓</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div><br />sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-29124608326937217442019-10-31T01:39:00.003+00:002020-09-08T19:18:38.327+01:00Cold Bath Street by A.J. Hartley Book Review: A Modern Ghostly Mystery Woven with Local Legends<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39661500-cold-bath-street" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="Cold Bath Street" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1522164490l/39661500._SX98_.jpg" /></a><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/39661500-cold-bath-street">Cold Bath Street</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/270624.A_J_Hartley">A.J. Hartley</a> (with illustrations by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18059117.Janet_Pickering?from_search=true" target="_blank">Janet Pickering</a>)</b>, £7.99 (UCLan Publishing, 9780995515574)<br />
<b>Publication date:</b> 27 February 2018<br />
<b>My rating:</b> <span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>Despite appearances, most ghost stories focus on the living and the impact the dead have on them. By the beginning of <i>Cold Bath Street</i>, however, protagonist Preston Oldcorn has already died, his heart and watch stopped forever at 9:22p.m.<br />
<br />
Part supernatural thriller, part mystery, <i>Cold Bath Street</i> is pacey and engaging, drawing the reader in with an unpredictable plot and warmly drawn characters. Hartley casts Preston as a relatable young boy who, like many of us, wishes he'd spoken up for himself more often. Unfortunately, it takes his untimely death to jolt him with this realisation. The extraordinary circumstances in which he finds himself see him face many of the usual worries and desires of a teenager alongside the dawning realisation that he will never again get to act on any of them. <br />
<br />
Some of my favourite scenes, however, involve Tracey, one of the main perspectives in the book. Smart, fearless and determined, Hartley succeeds in writing a likable, realistic female lead as well as the sort of character you'd want in your corner in trying times. She also isn't afraid to reevaluate her preconceptions about the world based on her observations, which is an admirable trait.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX29PT5LBIKW6WJvVjPFP-Kp7Csa_BleC0R2PfffyjoQS2NhJ_ICMqNYanIWmBb2COarsv0gIXExKksfRlwrVbTGlBwiUDQcyj9QcnAYqMFW1kC9FQd2doLxwk2gn79GadIm1HKqEooea1/s1600/cbs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="416" data-original-width="368" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX29PT5LBIKW6WJvVjPFP-Kp7Csa_BleC0R2PfffyjoQS2NhJ_ICMqNYanIWmBb2COarsv0gIXExKksfRlwrVbTGlBwiUDQcyj9QcnAYqMFW1kC9FQd2doLxwk2gn79GadIm1HKqEooea1/s400/cbs.jpg" width="353" /></a></div>
<br />
Hartley clearly conducted a considerable amount of local research about his native Preston for this book (see <a href="https://uclanthroughtheages.org/2017/01/23/haunted-preston-part-1/" target="_blank">The Bannister Doll</a> ghost legend and the painting <a href="http://www.harrismuseum.org.uk/exhibitions/764-70-years-of-pauline-at-the-harris" target="_blank"><i>Pauline in the Yellow Dress</i></a> at the Harris Museum for more details), and he weaves his modern-day tale with compelling local legends and history in a highly original way. In doing so, he shines a much-needed spotlight onto a unique and underappreciated Northern city with a strong working-class presence (the audiobook version is even read by the superbly suited <a href="https://www.uclan.ac.uk/news/christopher-eccleston-narrates-audiobook.php" target="_blank">Christopher Eccleston</a>).<br />
<br />
The lovely detailed, atmospheric illustrations by Janet Pickering contribute to the scene-setting as well as the sense of care taken with this book, though considering the strength of some of these I feel that the cover image chosen could've been much stronger, cool optical effect aside.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dweLGSPqN14-8gCZKg04lxzb-f-wbMts20PuylGteUjFVMPhRU6lQulImNJhUaOeHwDwPVQjRicNtL_YFDdMw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Hartley also offers an interesting angle on the afterlife without claiming to know all the answers, avoiding info dumps and retaining a certain mystique around supernatural mechanisms that aren't of great importance to plot progression. The result manages to touch on spirituality without being preachy, though I sensed (and sympathised with) an aversion to organised religion on Hartley's side.<br />
<br />
I can't say I was ever truly scared, though there is a subtle sense of unease and dread throughout (though this could differ for younger readers) and I did have the creeptastic folk song '<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_One_Morning" target="_blank">Early One Morning</a>' stuck in my head for a few days afterwards. Due to the dark, reflective themes, there is an undercurrent of sadness to this book, though it isn't overwhelming.<br />
<br />
In addition, due to the detached, lonely nature of Preston's world, I couldn't help but look forward more to scenes that overlapped with the 'real' world, resulting in a feeling of slight slow pacing at the start. As the book is so character-driven and readable, however, my interest was maintained throughout, and I wasn't surprised to hear that some finished this in a single sitting.<br />
<br />
I did find the ending a little 'neat', though this is perhaps suited to younger readers and counterweighed by Hartley's humanistic approach to ghosts, showing that behind every object of fear is its own story. I also enjoyed the perfect simplicity and sweetness of the final few lines, which I found refreshing when a more emotionally overblown ending might've been expected.<br />
<br />
Overall, I'd highly recommend this for children and young teenagers with a taste for mysterious, spooky tales (which I'm assuming is just about all of this demographic) as well a few local history and paranormal buffs my own age. Those interested in these themes should also check out the sequel, <i><a href="https://www.waterstones.com/book/written-stone-lane/a-j-hartley/janet-pickering/9781912979073" target="_blank">Written Stone Lane</a></i>, which was just released this Halloween.<br /><br />
<i>Note: I was a student at the publishing house that produced this book during its publication date, but I wasn't involved in its creation</i>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>↓</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-37954364140786197272019-10-30T12:36:00.003+00:002020-09-08T19:18:55.904+01:00Halloween Storytime: Knock to Enter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img src="https://i0.wp.com/www.brainpickings.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/gustavedore_raven7.jpg?w=600&ssl=1" /></div></div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<i><br /></i>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. 'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, 'tapping at my chamber door — Only this, and nothing more.' – 'The Raven', Edgar Allen Poe</i></div>
</div>
<br />
After spending several years of my early childhood sharing a bedroom with two brothers, coming into a bedroom all of my own was a momentous event. It might have been little more than a glorified closet with hot-pink pebbledash walls (a misguided effort by my parents to designate it the 'girl's' room), but for the first time I had my own space. I filled the little shelves in my space-saving cabin bed with <i>Choose Your Own Adventure</i> and <i>Goosebumps</i> books carefully curated from local charity shops and hunkered in the cubby hole under my desk with friends conspiratorially as though it were a secret hideout. Apparently drunk on the sudden power of establishing my tiny empire, on my first day in residence, I also attached a small handwritten note to the outside of my door set off with red-crayoned warning signs: 'KNOCK TO ENTER'. Important business to be seen to and all that.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Nobody paid it any mind, of course. My brothers continued to burst in unannounced, and I continued to turn them away exasperatedly whenever I had friends around, like the world's whiniest and least intimidating bouncer. Privacy is in short supply in a house of six, after all. After a few days of such comings and goings, I all but forgot about the sign.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
</div>
One night, however, just as I was settling down to sleep, my eyes were snapped open by an unmistakable sound. Three loud, pronounced knocks falling in rapid and urgent succession on my door.<br />
<div>
<br />
KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK.<br />
<br />
My bed faced away from the door, so I swivelled around to take in the hallway beyond my half-open door, but it lay in darkness, the inkier, more definite shapes of objects only just visible. The door did not open further, and no greeting or footsteps followed. I retreated further under my covers, heart seeming to hammer almost as loudly as the door had, before summoning the courage to spring from my adrenaline-warmed bed and scamper to the entrance of my room, where I flicked on the light switch, breath held. There was no one there.<br />
<br />
I crept to my brothers' room along the hallway. They both lay in bed, apparently asleep and unresponsive to my entry and the fractionally increased sliver of light behind me. I whispered a tentative 'Hey, did anyone just come to my room?' only to be met with resolute silence disrupted only by the low, even breathing of the deeply asleep.<br />
<br />
Unusually, my parents were downstairs in the garage that night, surveying and trying to patch up the damage from an unsettling incident earlier that day: someone had smashed the back window of my dad's car to steal a discarded but empty jacket, leaving a single brick and a hailstorm of glass shards in their wake. I doubt I could've recalled this discordant detail otherwise but remember it clearly in the way unfamiliar, frightening events bring their environment into sharper focus, the scope of my memory that night temporarily widened by my heightened senses.<br />
<br />
I rushed into the cool yet welcoming light of the garage and breathlessly explained what I had experienced to my incredulous parents. My mum was questioning, but not dismissive, and escorted me back upstairs, calmly suggesting level-headed rationalisations. Perhaps I was dreaming.<br />
<br />
'I was awake. I'm sure I was awake.'<br />
<br />
Perhaps one of my brothers was playing a trick on me. <br />
<br />
'No. They're asleep. I checked.' <br />
<br />
Perhaps I had heard my baby brother in my parents' room kicking the wall of his crib in his sleep, as he sometimes did. She took me into her room and indicated towards the crib; as if on cue, my brother kicked its far wall restlessly. The sound was less solid, more rattly than I remembered. <br />
<br />
'No. It didn't sound like that.'<i> </i><br />
<br />
We returned to my room, and I lightly knocked on the door experimentally. The sound was quieter than before but distinct and resonant – exactly as I remembered it.<br />
<br />
'That's it. That's the sound I heard.'<br />
<br />
By now my other two brothers were stirring. They groggily denied knocking on my door before lapsing back into sleep.<br />
<br />
Having exhausted all apparent possibilities, my mum uttered a little prayer with me, enveloped me in her arms, then left an open Bible by my bed, a small, comforting ritual she performed whenever any of us felt scared, though whether to humor or protect me I wasn't sure. I returned to bed reluctantly, mildly reassured by the distant bustle and hushed voices of my parents downstairs. I lay awake for a long while afterwards, senses primed for the slightest of creaks and rustles, before my tiredness eventually overtook me.<br />
<br />
Sometimes I wonder if the noise I heard was that strange reflex that wrenches you awake just as you're drifting between sleep and awake, like the simulacra of an alarm when you have nowhere to be. Only I'm quite sure I was fully awake, and it's strange that the sound should have been so eerily lifelike, seemingly in response to the sign when I hadn't been thinking of it – at least not consciously.<br />
<br />
Other times, particularly when it's late and I'm the last one up, I wonder if my sign invited in some kind of negative energy, possibly attracted by the violence and greed – or desperation – of the car break-in. I've since read that doors and windows can act as portals, or channels, for energy, bridging the divide between the earthly and spiritual. If that's true, then, what came to my door that night? What did it want? And, most unsettling of all, did it let itself in?<br />
<br />
Either way, besides running to my mum, the natural course of action for all manner of ills, before returning to bed that night, I did one last thing: I took down the sign and tore it into fragments so small the words were indecipherable, impossible to piece back together. I never heard the knocking again.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i1.wp.com/www.brainpickings.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/gustavedore_raven24.jpg?w=600&ssl=1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://i1.wp.com/www.brainpickings.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/gustavedore_raven24.jpg?w=600&ssl=1" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">Illustrations by Gustave Doré for 'The Raven', 1883. I urge you to view the others in their full glory <a href="https://www.brainpickings.org/2015/08/05/gustav-dore-poe-the-raven/" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<i>For my other Halloween Storytime posts, click <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/search/label/halloween" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>. </i><i style="background-color: #fff8f6; color: #757575; font-family: roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Had any spine-tingling experiences of your own? Let us know in the comments!<br /><br /><div style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; text-align: center;"><i><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</span></b></i></div><div style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; text-align: center;"><i>↓</i></div><div style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div></i></div>
sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-88560870402486289232019-09-30T00:16:00.002+01:002020-09-08T19:19:22.137+01:00We Are Not Okay by Natália Gomes Book Review: Big Issues that Need More Space to Breathe<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40696038-we-are-not-okay" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="We Are Not Okay" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1547836853l/40696038._SX98_.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40696038-we-are-not-okay" style="font-weight: bold;">We Are Not Okay</a><b> by </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19119270.Nat_lia_Gomes" style="font-weight: bold;">Natália Gomes</a>, £7.99<b> </b>(HQ Stories, 9780008291846)<br />
<b>Publication date:</b> 2 May 2019<br />
<b>My rating:</b> <span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "apple color emoji" , "segoe ui emoji" , "noto color emoji" , "android emoji" , "emojisymbols" , "emojione mozilla" , "twemoji mozilla" , "segoe ui symbol"; font-size: 16px;">⚠️ </span><i>This review contains spoilers and refers to sensitive issues, including sexual assault and suicide.</i><br />
<br />
Four teenage girls: all of them different, all of them struggling with their own shame and secrets. Lucy loves to gossip, Ulana is from a conservative Muslim family, Trina likes to party and Sophia has a seemingly perfect boyfriend. But in this book by the author of the dark social problem novel <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31296412-dear-charlie?from_search=true#" target="_blank">Dear Charlie</a></i>, no one is exactly as they first appear.<br />
<br />
Gomes’ chatty, readable narrative style belies, and sometimes jars with, its mature subject matter, which ranges from interracial relationships and teen pregnancy to slut-shaming and sexual assault. The chapters cycle through each girl’s perspective; each is given a voice, and I assume that the intent is for the reader to identify with different aspects of the narratives, building a cumulative impact similar to <a href="https://everydaysexism.com/" target="_blank">The Everyday Sexism Project</a>.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://media1.giphy.com/media/U1bA20MaJ9NDUakCfl/giphy.gif?cid=790b76112bb7403e07e74b4f9a8ba84d3ca0515b4feeb22f&rid=giphy.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Source: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/maria.jose.guzman/" target="_blank">María José Guzmán</a></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
However, while younger readers might relate more to this, I didn't find the girls' voices especially engaging or distinct, despite their diverse backgrounds. In fact, due to the chapter-by-chapter switch-ups, I had to refer to the back cover to remind myself of which character was which on several occasions. Some of the devices used to distinguish characters, such as the contrasting diary-style entries and listicles in Trina's chapters, didn't seem to serve any broader purpose and instead felt gimmicky and inconsistent.<br />
<br />
Given the gravity of the subjects, just one of the protagonists’ stories could have easily provided enough substance for the whole book; with four different perspectives squeezed into 300-odd pages, that's only around 75 pages per story. While I would have devoured this as an angst-ridden adolescent and it's sure to appeal to the expansive market of <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32075671-the-hate-u-give?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">The Hate U Give</a></i> and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29844228-thirteen-reasons-why?from_search=true" target="_blank">Thirteen Reasons Why</a></i> fans, this fast-paced, more-is-more approach is high on drama but doesn't allow for the necessary depth required to explore the numerous heavy issues raised.<br />
<br />
Some of the descriptions of the personal repercussions from sexual assault feel lifelike and are sure to resonate with others who have been through similar traumas. However, several important issues are sadly oversimplified; it is foreshadowed early on that a character might develop an eating disorder, which is occasionally hinted at, but this gets left by the wayside for more dramatic reveals.<br />
<br />
Another character considers an abortion, understandably expressing that she wants to go to uni, loves her life and doesn't want to pay for a mistake every day of the rest of her life, but her concerns are dismissed as her caring too much what others think. By the end of the book, having her baby anyway has seemingly healed her emotional and identity issues and rift with her mum. <br />
<br />
This narrative felt the most familiar and predictable, and, honestly, I'm tired of tales involving young mothers 'overcoming the odds' to have a baby and it being presented as 'worth it' despite any initial misgivings and somehow a solution to any identity crises. Considering how taboo the alternative is, for once I'd be interested in reading a book in which the alternative is explored and becoming a mother isn't presented as inevitable -- something this book appeared to be angling to explore.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="269" src="https://i.giphy.com/media/6dWqFML304KRO/giphy.webp" width="400" /></div>
<br />
Most troublingly, the steep escalation to Sophia's sudden tragic fate yet lack of exploration of the buildup to this or real everyday aftermath for her family risks a problematic depiction of suicide -- a highly sensitive and challenging topic that this novel simply isn't equipped to tackle. Although how this turn affects Sophia's best friend, Ulana, and the school on the whole is discussed, this is almost as an addendum and after a time skip, softening the blow. <br />
<br />
The fact that the story continues past this point, with the cast and community all shown coming together in the wake of this tragedy and certain characters learning from their errors and showing remorse, unintentionally casts Sophia's suicide as a necessary plot point as well as action with a desirable payoff. Similar to the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/202639713?book_show_action=true&from_review_page=1" target="_blank"><span id="goog_143731207"></span>criticism<span id="goog_143731208"></span></a> leveled at <i>Thirteen Reasons Why</i>, this plays into the suicide ideation fantasy that the individual will be able to see the idealised consequences of their actions unfold and somehow remain in control of their narrative.<br />
<br />
While this was probably unintentional on the author's side, I couldn't help but discern an underlying cynicism to this book -- released in the #MeToo era, it ticks all the right boxes from a keyword perspective and has a clear marketing niche, but its superficial glossing over of important issues (despite its young target audience) and rushed writing style make it feel ironically opportunistic.<br />
<br />
For example, rather than emulate realistic teen dialogue, Gomes drops several brand names unnecessarily throughout in a cringeworthy attempt to appeal to young readers ('You should use Boots' Extender Tan'), and some of the narration comes across as juvenile and eye-roll-inducing, even for 17-year-olds ('UGGGHHHHHHHH! I can't wait for Friday. This week is going to SUCK!!!!!!'). Other passages include roughly sketched out backstories and unimaginative filler text ('Everyone gets up and starts collecting their bags, phones, throwing Coke cans into the blue recycling bin, half-eaten cold lunches into the brown bin, plastic into the green').<br />
<br />
In the book's favour, the characters overcoming their differences to find commonalities in adverse circumstances is an admirable development, and Gomes gradually draws the cast together as their stories increasingly interweave. It's just a shame that we don't see more of this overall, with many interactions consisting of bitchy slanging matches.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img src="https://i.giphy.com/media/hrF4obGsY21XDcRuO9/giphy.webp" /></div>
<br />
There is also immense value in showing the perspectives of characters who would typically serve as villains in YA media, and Gomes doesn't demonise anyone. Even the person who perhaps most deserves it is given an opportunity for redemption, highlighting the important role of male allies in tackling misogyny (even if they have participated in it), although some would argue he gets off lightly. In contrast, his earlier actions are almost cartoonishly villainous, and the fact he goes basically unchallenged for so long stretches credulity (a revenge porn-style Facebook post linked to his account that everybody sees yet nobody reports? I would also imagine he would care what his parents, teachers and peers think of him if not about his ex-girlfriend's wellbeing). <br />
<br />
Therefore, the sudden development of formerly problematic characters can feel somewhat artificial, and the protagonists' predicaments are given overly neat resolutions that feel unsatisfactory. This is one of the main issues with the book: while ambitious and <a href="https://www.bullying.co.uk/wear-blue-day/" target="_blank">positive</a> in its apparent aims, the lack of nuance means the resolutions feel forced for the sake of pushing an agenda (at one point, Steve, the antagonist who pushes Sophia over the edge, and Lucy, a pregnant teen, enter the school and 'no one gossiped or pointed fingers, or whispered behind their backs' because everyone has apparently learnt from the recent bullying drama, which is a nice thought, but no one? Really?). <br />
<br />
While the least dramatic, Ulana has perhaps the most satisfactory ending as her small yet significant triumph feels the most natural and touching even though the subject of interracial/intercultural relationships warrants much more exploration. <br />
<br />
The issues raised could be a good starting point for discussions between parents or caregivers and teenagers, and if someone is able to feel a little less alone and more empowered as a result of reading this, it will have succeeded, despite its flaws. But ultimately there are far stronger, more revolutionary books on some of the topics covered, such as <i><a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-books-that-have-influenced-my-life.html" target="_blank">Speak</a></i>, which was published two whole decades before this and manages to tap into the adolescent headspace without name-dropping 'Revlon's peach parfait lip gloss'.<br />
<br />
<i>Note: I received a free proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. A heavily summarised version of this review was originally posted in the <a href="https://nyalitfest.wordpress.com/reviews/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">NYALitFest newsletter</a>.<br /><br /></i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-84689007712047989102019-08-14T01:00:00.001+01:002020-09-08T19:19:48.304+01:00The Harm Tree by Rose Edwards Book Review: A Dazzling yet Dizzying Debut<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43727735-the-harm-tree" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Harm Tree" border="0" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1548684817l/43727735._SX98_.jpg" /></a><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43727735-the-harm-tree">The Harm Tree</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18826386.Rose_Edwards">Rose Edwards</a></b>, £7.99<b> </b>(UCLan Publishing, 9781912979004)<br />
<b>Publication date:</b> 19 July 2019<br />
<b>My rating:</b> <span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-size: 14px;">½</span><br />
<br />
<i>The resistance is rising and dark forces stir to take back what was once theirs. Belief in the ancient gods runs strong—the sacrificial Harm Tree still stands. Torny and Ebba are friends. Sent away by their families, they work together and watch out for each other. Too young to remember the war that tore apart the kingdom, Torny dreams of the glorious warriors of old, while Ebba misses her family, despite the darkness she left behind. But when a man is murdered on the street and Torny finds herself in possession of a dangerous message, the two friends must tread separate paths. These will lead them through fear, through grief, to the source of their own power and to the gates of death itself. As Torny and Ebba are used as tools for the opposing factions of the war, a deep power is ignited in them both. Can they uncover their own strength to finally heal the wounds of a nation?</i><br />
<br />
Rose Edwards' ambitious debut is imagined on an epic scale, with a richly woven Norse-inspired history and meticulously constructed world. The cast of characters is no less developed; the plot follows two young friends, Torny and Ebba, with complex personal histories who come to play conflicting yet instrumental parts in the fate of their nation, Arngard.<br />
<br />
Of note, Edwards writes refreshingly nuanced and trope-defying female characters who show different facets of strength and vulnerability in equal measure. While the narrative structure hinges on their distinctive paths and voices, I'd like to have seen more of Torny and Ebba's interactions, as their bond is touching and important. But there is much to admire here, not least a narrative that doesn't underestimate its YA audience by shying away from the complexities of war, love and loss. And then there's the beautiful, often lyrical prose. For example...<br />
<h4>
‘Under my ribs, the hook of my homesickness tugs me north. I wonder if this is what the gulls feel, flying back to their nests in the spring.’<br /><br />‘At first there’s just emptiness, a gap in the sounds of the world. But then I feel a shiver going through me in the middle of that emptiness. Like the way whalesong shivers through the cliffs back home [...], except this is deeper, so deep it’s not a sound, and it doesn’t waver or change. I open my eyes. Fenn is beaming at me. “What is it?” I ask. Fenn says a word I don’t understand. He says it lovingly, like a beautiful name, or something he lost long ago. <i>Aimi</i>. “The world breathing,” he says. “My mother taught me to hear it.”’</h4>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-QQJmcwfJY4PJiv19eHxSDF9pRG40rw8Lf5aGVvkC4tNnmtrYnLBVFPpnNlYi5qmoeVdTVSFKCI1-UfoxQcLRUE_OzXxBpIpktonPDAZgpjcAEEHjXcsPNBye45nLZivdlkRtpRE0umI/s1600/HT+map.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="597" data-original-width="391" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO-QQJmcwfJY4PJiv19eHxSDF9pRG40rw8Lf5aGVvkC4tNnmtrYnLBVFPpnNlYi5qmoeVdTVSFKCI1-UfoxQcLRUE_OzXxBpIpktonPDAZgpjcAEEHjXcsPNBye45nLZivdlkRtpRE0umI/s400/HT+map.JPG" width="260" /></a></div>
<br />
Where <i>The Harm Tree</i> faltered for me connects to some of these strengths; the complexities of the plot and extensive cast of characters could veer into the convoluted, causing me to lose the narrative thread at times. Halfway in, I struggled to explain exactly what the story was about succinctly when my partner asked me what I was reading. This isn't a book to attempt over an extended period or if distractions are expected.<br />
<br />
And, while I appreciate that Edwards avoids large information dumps, a pitfall common to the genre, there is much fantastical jargon here. I felt that some of the phenomena unique to the world of Arngard could have been given more context, particularly certain magical/supernatural mechanisms that weren't fully elucidated, which would've helped with fully appreciating everything as it unfolds.<br />
<br />
Because many of the events propelling the story are on such a large scale, far beyond the scope of the protagonists, I was also sometimes unclear on Torny and Ebba's individual motivations and goals, feeling that they were reacting to a series of grand, important events rather than driving the narrative directly. As beautifully written and detailed as this was, this caused my motivation as a reader to flag in turn over the course of 500-odd pages.<br />
<br />
It could just be my appetite for high fantasy waning in my crusty old twenty-somethings, but I found the sweeping nature of this book both a strength and weakness; while the writing and worldbuilding were impressive, I was more likely to feel lost than lose myself. For those of you who like your fantasies meaty, twisty and complex (of whom I'm sure there's no shortage what with the success of <i>A</i> <i>Game of Thrones</i> and <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29774026-the-priory-of-the-orange-tree?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">The Priory of the Orange Tree</a></i>), however, this could be the exciting discovery of a talented new voice in feminism-infused fantasy.<br />
<br />
<i>Note: I received a free digital proof copy of this book from the publisher for the purposes of a university assignment.<br /><br /></i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-62497689667360813632019-02-05T12:23:00.001+00:002020-09-08T19:20:07.888+01:00The Raven's Children by Yulia Yakovleva Book Review: Breaking the Silence around a Dark Period of History<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36987624-the-raven-s-children" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Raven's Children" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1536400509m/36987624.jpg" /></a><b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36987624-the-raven-s-children" target="_blank">The Raven's Children</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/777093.Yulia_Yakovleva" target="_blank">Yulia Yakovleva</a> and <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14217205.Ruth_Ahmedzai_Kemp" target="_blank">Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp</a> (translator)</b>, £6.99 (Puffin Books, 9780241330777)<br /><b>Publication date:</b> 5 July 2018<br />
<b>My rating:</b> <span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆</span><br />
<br />
A bestseller in its native Russia and translated into English for the first time, <i>The Raven’s Children</i> was written to ‘break the silence’ surrounding a dark and largely hidden period of history. However, despite its setting of Stalin-era Russia, a time of terror, paranoia and the Secret Police, Yakovleva delivers an accessible, engaging and resolutely hopeful story.<br />
<br />
This is achieved through the courageous protagonist, seven-year-old Shura, whose innocent world is shattered after his family—Mama, Papa and baby brother Bobka—vanish overnight, spirited away by a mysterious figure called The Raven. Nevertheless, Shura determines to find them himself, navigating a hostile, unpredictable city where birds talk, the walls have eyes and few can be trusted.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtG9ga5H2d3SfsCMkq2E9FD6d9kWYeNCyUQlAYxiLBh1crDzCBCoAo4Y6Rv0AF0AdFzvfBWcK4PJ5JyY_dpItUvWujUXS0yOXzuXrod9RMR8e0UyIMlHQ835NaqSra2p8VtvAI3Lh2CeM_/s1600/DSC_2965.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtG9ga5H2d3SfsCMkq2E9FD6d9kWYeNCyUQlAYxiLBh1crDzCBCoAo4Y6Rv0AF0AdFzvfBWcK4PJ5JyY_dpItUvWujUXS0yOXzuXrod9RMR8e0UyIMlHQ835NaqSra2p8VtvAI3Lh2CeM_/s320/DSC_2965.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
As Shura discovers the truth about the Stalinist regime, fact and fantasy are increasingly interwoven to occasionally disorienting effect, encouraging the reader to question everything, much like Shura. With vivid, symbolism-rich imagery and page-turning tension, there is enough depth and intrigue here to appeal to older as well as younger readers.<br />
<br />
Overall, Yakovleva has succeeded in a penning a powerful story that engages and informs while raising important questions about complicity, challenging the status quo and the importance of freedom—issues that are just as relevant today.<br />
<br />
<i>Note: I received a free proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review was originally posted in the <a href="https://nyalitfest.files.wordpress.com/2019/01/nyalitfest_newsletter_jan.pdf" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">NYALitFest newsletter</a>.<br /><br /></i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-37968942017490987892019-01-15T13:57:00.001+00:002020-09-08T19:20:21.552+01:00Charlie Changes into a Chicken by Sam Copeland Book Review: Dealing with Anxiety Through Laughter and Friendship<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
</div>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41451626-charlie-changes-into-a-chicken" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding-right: 20px;"><b><img alt="Charlie Changes into a Chicken" border="0" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1536070279l/41451626.jpg" width="130" /></b></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41451626-charlie-changes-into-a-chicken" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Charlie Changes into a Chicken</a><b> by </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16332722.Sam_Copeland" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Sam Copeland</a><b> (writer) and </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/850523.Sarah_Horne" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Sarah Horne</a><b> (illustrator)</b>, £6.99 (Penguin, 9780241346211)<br />
<b>Publication date: </b>7 February 2019<br />
<b>My rating: </b><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆</span><br />
<br />
Meet Charlie. He’s a fairly normal nine-year-old who enjoys playing <i>FIFA</i> on the PS4 and tries to stay positive—even though he’s the target of the school bully and his brother is in hospital. Oh, and he also happens to turn into a colourful menagerie of animals when he least expects it, from a high-hopping flea to an incontinent rhino.<br />
<br />
Young readers are sure to be delighted by Charlie’s lively tale, which begins in action-packed fashion and manages to sustain its pace throughout. Each animal transformation is as unpredictable as its consequences, setting off an imaginative chain of preposterous events.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Copeland constructs an entertaining ensemble cast of characters, each with their own quirks and foibles; my favourite was the ever-inquisitive Flora, who acts as both the brains and the brawn of the bunch.<br />
<br />
This book would be ideal for reading aloud, with numerous humorous asides and footnotes, playful language and dialogue and a self-aware narrative voice that doesn’t take itself too seriously or underestimate its target audience. The illustrations from Sarah Horne complement the text perfectly, bringing the wonderfully weird characters to life and giving the pages variety and shape.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVNMVc_zZQNYEm-WHd6PfYtV1aC7zODzgGg587-WiuEntUbSBvAMaLs850gRW5I_okIV903ZD8FosIORSK8uDy5i04ohUg98r-jOziLqMJFBx-ckXCB6PP0NMVLVu2i9DM-P94NYVsdAl/s1600/IMG_20181101_155436.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNVNMVc_zZQNYEm-WHd6PfYtV1aC7zODzgGg587-WiuEntUbSBvAMaLs850gRW5I_okIV903ZD8FosIORSK8uDy5i04ohUg98r-jOziLqMJFBx-ckXCB6PP0NMVLVu2i9DM-P94NYVsdAl/s320/IMG_20181101_155436.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I might not be the intended audience for this book, but Charlie’s escapades will be a sure-fire hit with fans of Kid Normal and David Walliams. At its heart, however, the book carries an important, though far from heavy-handed, message on dealing with difficulties through laughter and friendship. This will likely resonate with anyone who has worried about things beyond their control or been through hard times—which is just about all of us.<br />
<i><br /></i> <i>Note: I received a free proof copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This review was originally posted in the <a href="https://nyalitfest.files.wordpress.com/2019/01/nyalitfest_newsletter_jan.pdf">NYALitFest newsletter</a>.<br /><br /></i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-9223376877874116432018-12-30T11:12:00.002+00:002020-09-08T19:20:38.179+01:00Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within by Jane Jensen Book Review: A Warming Dose of 90s Lycanthropic Nostalgia<div style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
</div>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93990.The_Beast_Within" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding-right: 20px;"><img alt="The Beast Within (Gabriel Knight, #2)" border="0" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1390351630m/93990.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93990.The_Beast_Within" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Gabriel Knight: The Beast Within</a><b> by </b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/32743.Jane_Jensen" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Jane Jensen</a>, $6.99 (Roc, 9780451456212)<br />
<b>Publication date: </b>1 December 1998<br />
<b>My rating: </b><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆</span><br />
<br />
<i>Just as Gabriel Knight is finally settling into his ancestral home in Germany, he is called upon in his role as schattenjagger, or "shadow hunter", to help solve the savage killing of a young girl. The authorities claim it was a wolf escaped from the zoo, but the townspeople say it is a werewolf. Gabriel soon becomes certain the answer lies within an exclusive hunting club in Munich that celebrates the nature of the beast. As his loyal assistant Grace delves into the past to discover the truth, Gabriel finds himself ensnared in a sinister trap, in which the beast within himself becomes the greatest threat of all!</i><br />
<br />
I found a digital copy of this as it turns out the paperback is near-impossible to acquire these days. I wasn't expecting much in the way of literary merit, simply a way to get my Gabriel Knight fix having exhausted many of the best <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2017/12/gabriel-knight-sins-of-fathers-review.html" target="_blank">classic adventure game</a> titles (not unlike how Gabriel might hunt down a shot of caffeine with little regard for much else).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/QN47b0wDg48bryONYW/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/QN47b0wDg48bryONYW/giphy.gif" /></a></div>
<a name='more'></a><br />
I was pleasantly surprised to find some fairly solid characterisation (at least, for a game novelisation) and a wealth of details on the enigmatic central historical figure, 'Mad' King Ludwig II of Bavaria. Much research clearly went into this, and Jensen offers more than an uninspired rehash of the game (*cough* <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/93989.Sins_of_the_Fathers?ac=1&from_search=true" target="_blank">Sins of the Fathers</a></i>), with more context and motivation provided (and the convoluted puzzle logic removed, although a few game-driven devices remain). Oh, and certain aspects of the game, particularly the glaringly homoerotic subtext, also make <i>much</i> more sense.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://media.giphy.com/media/2fRA372F2BJ9wfiBGA/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://media.giphy.com/media/2fRA372F2BJ9wfiBGA/giphy.gif" /></a></div>
<br />
Jensen has an unfortunate habit of occasionally lapsing into clichéd language, and the characters sometimes say things like 'Geez Louise!' This was also longer than it needed to be, and I would've liked to see more intersections between Gabriel and Grace, as their romantic tension is largely neglected.<br />
<br />
At the same time, I would've appreciated learning a bit more about Grace outside her focus on all things Gabriel, as dreamy as his hair may be (the lady has an independent streak and a master's in history and classics but seems largely motivated by pursuing Gabriel all over the world). In addition, while the book gathers pace towards the end, the finale was rather unsatisfying.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable and easily absorbed dose of lycanthropic escapism with a warming glow of 90s nostalgia – perfect for a few long, wintry nights.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://sierrachest.com/gfx/games/GK2/pic1.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://sierrachest.com/gfx/games/GK2/pic1.JPG" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><div><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div><i><b>↓</b></i></div><div><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div></div>
sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-49590887178731408072018-10-05T12:25:00.002+01:002023-07-02T19:36:41.006+01:00A Vegan's Guide to Surviving China: Xian and Chengdu Edition<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLD_OAn68ZfZ1vly6dT3yH6AJIUB6rFhZoBhj6owlnxmAHdTGe6Uc7Kcjd0fto85bEnSXPOVfprr_kHOSyMk7zcAq1k3TJ1ELc_DqZkiPAEEqtFUoqlwYU8XFLIGBFTloTGzmV5OhTild/s1600/DSC_1600_00085.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeLD_OAn68ZfZ1vly6dT3yH6AJIUB6rFhZoBhj6owlnxmAHdTGe6Uc7Kcjd0fto85bEnSXPOVfprr_kHOSyMk7zcAq1k3TJ1ELc_DqZkiPAEEqtFUoqlwYU8XFLIGBFTloTGzmV5OhTild/s640/DSC_1600_00085.jpg" width="580" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Open-air restaurants in Shidai residential block, Chengdu. Photo credit: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/ricksphotothing" target="_blank">Rick's Photo Thing (RPT)</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Around a year and a half ago, I read a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jan/30/free-range-eggs-con-ethical" target="_blank">Guardian article</a> with the provocative title 'Free range is a con. There’s no such thing as an ethical egg'. As a long-term vegetarian, while I was aware of some of the issues with factory farming, I had been somewhat reassured by labels such as 'free range' and 'organic'. The article confirmed what I think, deep down, I had already suspected but hadn't known how to address given that so many veggie alternatives are heavily reliant on egg and cheese ingredients. It made for an eye-opening, unsettling read. I shared it with my partner, proclaiming, 'I can't eat another egg again in good conscience.' We decided to trial a vegan diet almost immediately.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>This was before the vegan movement had taken off in the UK to the extent it has today, and our first food shop was an agonised, plodding affair of ingredient scanning and backtracking, as well as small, revelatory moments of euphoria -- Walkers prawn and cocktail crisps don't contain milk! McVitie's fruit shortcake biscuits are egg-free! Over time, of course, this became routine, and, despite a few dismal spots, the British high street has become much more welcoming to vegans overall.<br />
<br />
Travelling, on the other hand, can be like reliving the precarious experience of starting all over again. In the case of China, this is intensified by a culture where English is often sketchy at best and vegetarianism alone is an alien concept to many. This, of course, is one of the beautiful, infuriating challenges of travel -- seeing life from a completely fresh perspective and appreciating your privilege.<br />
<br />
In that spirit, the following is a repository of some of the best vegan food locations and lifesaving discoveries we found while travelling in Xian (Shaanxi Province) and Chengdu (Sichuan Province).<br />
<br />
<b>Xɪᴀɴ</b><br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g298557-d1839660-Reviews-Muslim_Quarter-Xi_an_Shaanxi.html" target="_blank">Muslim Quarter</a></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfafURaMkkqbJo5iTp2pJJWoV0CzZOLNNvKXR9FU1t1Yp7leVLwYhZvxRbYvMtpPYJKPne_J83Tgr1JqAeX0uqaZMHCw5GNmz0hfMQEaLP6Sp5SVQIjiSnFYAd0o5JR1cxCgzZpeUMeFv/s1600/IMG_20180630_152518.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1027" data-original-width="1600" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfafURaMkkqbJo5iTp2pJJWoV0CzZOLNNvKXR9FU1t1Yp7leVLwYhZvxRbYvMtpPYJKPne_J83Tgr1JqAeX0uqaZMHCw5GNmz0hfMQEaLP6Sp5SVQIjiSnFYAd0o5JR1cxCgzZpeUMeFv/s400/IMG_20180630_152518.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
This vibrant area is overflowing with street food stalls, mosques and marketplace curiosities. Taking in the sights, sounds and (occasionally quite ripe) smells is an experience in itself, although the food the area is renowned for tends towards the extremely meaty (a plethora of meat options on sticks, steamed meat sandwiches, mutton stews, dumplings etc.).<br />
<br />
One of the region's most famous dishes, however, also happens to be vegan in its essential form. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biangbiang_noodles" target="_blank"><i>Biang biang</i> noodles</a>, known as one of the 'eight strange wonders of Shaanxi', are broad, hand-stretched, ribbon-like noodles topped with red-hot peppers (originally meant as fiery fuel for the province's harsh winters). We got our fix of <i>biang biang</i> and spinach noodles from a nondescript restaurant in the quarter and weren't disappointed, though there's sure to be several other eateries that offer their own interpretations nearby.<br />
<br />
For light bites, other local delights include the spiced fried potatoes and crispy fried <i>liangfen</i> (green bean jelly) flogged by street food vendors.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g298557-d2255391-Reviews-First_Noodle_Under_The_Sun-Xi_an_Shaanxi.html" target="_blank">First Noodle Under the Sun</a></b><br />
<br />
An oddity by British standards, this is a 'family-style' restaurant that resembles an expansive food hall of tables shared by all manner of guests. While this meant we were bookended by an older lady and a young couple who spent the entirety of the meal staring at us agape and silently glued to their phones, respectively, this also offers opportunities for chitchat with locals (though it seems popular with tourists, too).<br />
<br />
I went for the <i>biang biang</i> noodles, which this restaurant is renowned for, and was rewarded with a huge, seemingly bottomless bowl of Rapunzel-like noodles. They also serve a 4-metre-long noodle dish for maximum slurping potential (considered a sign of enjoyment by some).<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g298557-d8482134-Reviews-Three_Sisters_Dumplings_East_Mutoushi-Xi_an_Shaanxi.html" target="_blank">Three Sisters Dumplings</a></b><br />
<br />
A homely little kitchen-style restaurant with modest decor and teenagers playing mobile games obnoxiously loudly, this was a deceptively impressive find. Three Sisters specialises in dumplings, and the veggie peanut dumplings are exceptional (so much so, in fact, that we visited three times across our four-day stay in Xian -- even though the waitresses seemed to think we were a new set of 'white' people each time and had a <i>very</i> unfortunate mispronunciation for 'peanut').<br />
<br />
The veggie platters, such as the wok-fried eggplant, green beans and chilli, while simple-sounding, are also delectable. For all its meat-centricity, China certainly knows how to cook vegetables well. Incidentally, variations on this dish are available throughout both Chengdu and Xian and make for a simple, safe vegan option if you're swamped by choice, as was often the case for us.<br />
<br />
<b>Cʜᴇɴɢᴅᴜ</b><br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g297463-d4565391-Reviews-Qing_Shui_He_Hua_Shi_Fang_ChengDu_Wen_Shu_Fang-Chengdu_Sichuan.html" target="_blank">ChengDu Wen Shu Fang</a> (Wenshu Monastery)</b><br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHK_yK33dRUd6Z1UuCS5DDYm_6KlU8riaWykwf-QYipIRODVrnxkVhWnkL3Dx2de2Zh5nYNBVZn7Mz-_l8DkUSblmXhWUzNz00Nt9KwRgEQSyIhI840O0YTtIOzt1HCYdz6s1fatZfFHF/s1600/IMG_20180701_123024.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1097" data-original-width="1600" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgHK_yK33dRUd6Z1UuCS5DDYm_6KlU8riaWykwf-QYipIRODVrnxkVhWnkL3Dx2de2Zh5nYNBVZn7Mz-_l8DkUSblmXhWUzNz00Nt9KwRgEQSyIhI840O0YTtIOzt1HCYdz6s1fatZfFHF/s400/IMG_20180701_123024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<b><br /></b> China has the <a href="http://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/global-religious-landscape-buddhist/" target="_blank">largest population of Buddhists</a> in the world, many of whom are vegetarian. This makes the meat-free monastery restaurants some of the best places to avoid having to play Russian roulette with meat/non-meat food (even though my partner, a Chinese language grad, could translate the menus, restaurants in China have a pesky habit of sneaking meat into meals anyway, even in tofu dishes. Mapo tofu, for example, typically contains ground pork, so it's important to ask for this to be removed if you want to try a veganised alternative -- something we learned the hard way).<br />
<br />
This doesn't, however, protect against eye-watering spice levels; at ChengDu Wen Shu Fang (connected to Wenshu Monastery), the menus we were given weren't translated (though extensive and accompanied by photos), so approach with caution even if you enjoy hot food, particularly if you're in a region renowned for its spicy dishes, like Sichuan. We were both reduced to tears by surprise spiciness in a dish that was high quality, but about 70% chillis (eating around them was like playing a game of minesweeper).<br />
<br />
The food here was nevertheless beautifully presented in an authentic temple environment. This was, however, reflected in the price; so, while monastery food is a unique experience, it wasn't an everyday option for us.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g297463-d11892972-Reviews-Dongzi_Kouzhang_Lao_er_Liangfen-Chengdu_Sichuan.html" target="_blank">Dongzi Kouzhang Lao'er Liangfen</a></b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4fp2sByHYpONxZ9zNBN4H-_NIxQ4O-um-EPa8bDvQFWry1wf8bZmypc_kSDK-oYkmmJtauoTkvAhumIJIpUX1TEIA7ni5Stg-TcdCBCI8PxbHOAm6owBfFiErSvyNZ4iFHDkckgx8eC2/s1600/DSC_1644_00098.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1068" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4fp2sByHYpONxZ9zNBN4H-_NIxQ4O-um-EPa8bDvQFWry1wf8bZmypc_kSDK-oYkmmJtauoTkvAhumIJIpUX1TEIA7ni5Stg-TcdCBCI8PxbHOAm6owBfFiErSvyNZ4iFHDkckgx8eC2/s400/DSC_1644_00098.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/ricksphotothing" target="_blank">RPT</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It's worth checking out the restaurants in the vicinity of monasteries, as vegetarian/vegan options are sure to be lurking nearby (see also the Buddhist-frequented vegan restaurants around <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g297463-d1832090-Reviews-Jinli_Pedestrian_Street-Chengdu_Sichuan.html" target="_blank">Jinli Pedestrian Street</a>, near Wuhou Temple). Dongzi Kouzhang Lao'er Liangfen, near Wenshu Monastery, is one such gem -- a bustling lunchtime venue where cold <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liangfen" target="_blank">liangfen</a></i> noodle dishes are stacked high and can be swiped almost instantly after taking your receipt to the window.<br />
<br />
This is no place to linger. In quintessential Chinese style, guests are often sandwiched between each other at shared tables and move fast, appearing to inhale their noodles. They barely register newcomers to their tables, so while I can find crowds overwhelming, there's an oddly liberating anonymity in this.<br />
<br />
The bowls are small and affordable, presenting a perfect opportunity to mix and match various dishes. The noodles are chunky, with an unusual jelly-like texture, and the sweet and sour variety is a must-try. I don't think I've ever tried anything quite like them. While the offerings are generally spicy, they're so delicious even my spice-challenged partner enjoyed them; we didn't feel like we were missing out by forgoing meat at all.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g297463-d8702478-Reviews-Yu_Su_Ge_Vegan_Cafeteria-Chengdu_Sichuan.html" target="_blank">Yu Su Ge Vegan Cafeteria</a></b><br />
<br />
A restaurant we ended up revisiting throughout our stay was also one of the most low key (and one of the best value). Yu Su Ge Vegan Cafeteria is all-you-can-eat and boasts an impressive line-up of choices, including diverse vegetable and mock meat dishes, soups, desserts, fruit, juice and soy milk. It also offers an elusive vegan hotpot; before discovering this place, we'd resigned ourselves to a hotpot-free trip, as this dish generally centres around meat ingredients (like much of Chinese cuisine). As hotpot is a Chinese institution, particularly in Sichuan, this was hugely disappointing, so Yu Su Ge was a revelation.<br />
<br />
Yu Su Ge also has a really inclusive, utopian atmosphere; monks, tourists and locals alike eat there, and staff were always welcoming and accommodating, going as far as bringing us plates of fruit when we came in too late to enjoy the sweet options. Customers are even given money off their next meal if they finish all their food to encourage minimum waste.<br />
<br />
In fact, the food was so varied and affordable I'd strongly recommend it to travellers regardless of where they fall on the meat-eater--vegan spectrum. Just make sure to go early for the best selection!<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g297463-d8467826-Reviews-Mi_Xun_TEAHOUSE-Chengdu_Sichuan.html" target="_blank">Mi Xun Teahouse</a></b><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvt1QMGxmppzD0cX8vpQrJ2PccUVOBCKHDTJWll1aJQw92kvyMjJmq6H19uvvnPPclW-_KZ7QT-i9hEBr4vuu4C4kiCx-XdqR2qj9zcfhkI63utyxt-kePm8Q4CE7_KyYlC0jyt-kCRGv/s1600/IMG_20180624_195849.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAvt1QMGxmppzD0cX8vpQrJ2PccUVOBCKHDTJWll1aJQw92kvyMjJmq6H19uvvnPPclW-_KZ7QT-i9hEBr4vuu4C4kiCx-XdqR2qj9zcfhkI63utyxt-kePm8Q4CE7_KyYlC0jyt-kCRGv/s400/IMG_20180624_195849.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
Set in a Zen temple house hotel, this was one of the most beautiful yet expensive places we visited, so we limited ourselves to starters and complimentary jasmine tea like the shameless penny pinchers we are (despite the all-vegan menu). The staff here were the most attentive we encountered and happy to give recommendations (to our slightly heightened shame).<br />
<br />
My delicate heart-shaped cashew and spinach starter was exquisite, and the tea selection was incredible, though eye-wateringly expensive, even by British standards; this is a true tea connoisseur's paradise.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g297463-Zaozishu%20Vegetarian%20Restaurantd2226005-Reviews-Zaozishu_Vegetarian_Restaurant-Chengdu_Sichuan.html" target="_blank"><b>Zaozishu Vegetarian Restaurant</b></a><br />
<br />
Nestled on the top floor of a seemingly deserted mall, this was an unlikely oasis of vegetarian sophistication at moderate cost. This was also one of the rare few places we found that served vegetarian dumplings, alongside a broad range of other veggie-friendly takes on Szechuan cuisine, so it made for a welcome change of pace after a diet composed predominantly of noodles and rice.<br />
<br />
The restaurant is airy, modern and relaxed, offering a bird's-eye view over the surrounding streets -- ideal for a contemplative afternoon spent people watching.<br />
<br />
<b><a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g1528697-d1795860-Reviews-Sichuan_Cuisine_Museum-Pi_County_Sichuan.html" target="_blank">Sichuan Cuisine Museum</a></b><br />
<b></b>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxw9OM1wpPK72Pz2YLNF3bSWB6jatjEGADYA2aUOLZUmYSJT32olgVkw1lzUlNpx1dSuXR8zmZ8eamD9kmmOHzC7fk77Hq7kY2PQmWkWZUxWvW0Ew6Bt8fE6gOEqiOShS5oEcdyB3QY78/s1600/DSC_1631_00092.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHxw9OM1wpPK72Pz2YLNF3bSWB6jatjEGADYA2aUOLZUmYSJT32olgVkw1lzUlNpx1dSuXR8zmZ8eamD9kmmOHzC7fk77Hq7kY2PQmWkWZUxWvW0Ew6Bt8fE6gOEqiOShS5oEcdyB3QY78/s400/DSC_1631_00092.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/ricksphotothing" target="_blank">RPT</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b><br /></b> While more of an experience than a habitual food hangout, this is not to be missed. This is a museum where a guide takes you on a gastronomical tour of a variety of local dishes. In other words, my kind of museum.<br />
<br />
The cookery classes accommodate vegan palates (simply inform your guide at the start of your visit) without compromising on the authenticity of the Sichuan specialties visitors can attempt: panda-shaped sweet bean dumplings, spicy mapo tofu and Kung Pao chicken (sans the chicken, still delicious). We were also treated to hair-fine noodles sliced by a blindfolded chef who had trained in the technique for over two years.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGiPSZhxqfsaNkEofuWn6OPeoAde0eEV_UEUYueG8nNlWQRBXg6MYhnmKUxDj31G200_wjxV9Bfg4fojLBU1drZy5V1h04W-I8WU7EivijMIKkWBbmpHjo3GfeDHkdfx4rHUqQGA_aGF1/s1600/DSC_1634_00094.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFGiPSZhxqfsaNkEofuWn6OPeoAde0eEV_UEUYueG8nNlWQRBXg6MYhnmKUxDj31G200_wjxV9Bfg4fojLBU1drZy5V1h04W-I8WU7EivijMIKkWBbmpHjo3GfeDHkdfx4rHUqQGA_aGF1/s400/DSC_1634_00094.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: <a href="http://www.instagram.com/ricksphotothing" target="_blank">RPT</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As well as the satisfaction of creating your own Sichuanese dishes (and the jaunty chef's hat and apron you get to take home), all the ingredients are sourced from the vegetable gardens and chilli fermentation vats on site, making the resulting meal truly special.<br />
<br />
<b>Western-style venues: <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g297463-d2535584-Reviews-Mike_s_Pizza_Kitchen-Chengdu_Sichuan.html" target="_blank">Mike's Pizza Kitchen</a> and <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g297463-d11800841-Reviews-Munchwich-Chengdu_Sichuan.html" target="_blank">Munchwich</a></b><br />
<br />
While we didn't travel 5,000-odd miles to sample pizza and sandwiches, after tofu fatigue, sometimes you simply have to answer the call for something a little more homely. There's an additional benefit to this as a vegan -- fully English menus and English-speaking staff for weeding out contraband ingredients.<br />
<br />
Neither of these places has extensive vegetarian/vegan options, and both are less economically priced than standard Chinese fare. But, while it would be easy to assume the food at such places might be second rate, the marinara pizza and dough balls at Mike's Pizza Kitchen were worth the 50-minute bus ride alone, while the American-style sandwiches at Muchwich put Subway to shame.<br />
<br />
<b>Fɪɴᴀʟ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛs</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxCekj2CiJmUKauAR00Lf9XoMEG9PQ0wiYKSkFWgIWJ53Z8SwrSLOtBJ8vR4d1Pbhbucuz6Jt9YV1S1rPvirDdr6lyNC-uuJINqU6RfU7LQgmjWaMjWXc_psfV3DG3dlQV8S5osyylLQj/s1600/IMG_20180625_214558.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxCekj2CiJmUKauAR00Lf9XoMEG9PQ0wiYKSkFWgIWJ53Z8SwrSLOtBJ8vR4d1Pbhbucuz6Jt9YV1S1rPvirDdr6lyNC-uuJINqU6RfU7LQgmjWaMjWXc_psfV3DG3dlQV8S5osyylLQj/s400/IMG_20180625_214558.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Unfortunately, if you stay in China long enough, it's likely only a matter of time before some meat (or, in the case of an acquaintance, a rat claw) finds its way into your meal unless you stick to Buddhist and all-vegetarian eateries. This is a liability even if you translate the menu and ask the waiter -- whether through confusion, cross-contamination or complacency. Don't be surprised if people interpret your query of 'Is this dish vegetarian?' as 'Does this dish include vegetables?'<br />
<br />
Apart from trial and error, you can minimise the risk of non-vegan 'surprises' by doing your research, learning a few <a href="https://www.chineasy.com/living-china-vegan-vegetarian/" target="_blank">key Chinese phrases</a> (meat, dairy, eggplant, tofu) and inspecting your food carefully... although we prefer not to send back food that contains meat/dairy if it's already been prepared to avoid waste, but that's just us.<br />
<br />
If you get it right, you can live large for scandalously low prices, rendering cooking redundant -- you don't need to go anywhere fancy to find wholesome vegan food. The open-air eateries scattered below our apartment might've looked a bit rough, but it was hard to argue with their tasty two-person spreads for the equivalent of under a fiver (peanuts boiled in spices, fried eggplant, crushed cucumber with garlic and chilli, rice, a complimentary fruit/jelly dessert concoction and jasmine tea).<br />
<br />
<i>Màn màn chī</i> (enjoy your meal)!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="giphy-embed" frameborder="0" height="264" src="https://giphy.com/embed/kUFlw7XaGE36w" width="480"></iframe><br /><br /><div><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div><i><b>↓</b></i></div><div><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div></div>
sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-21598614274540171822018-06-05T12:56:00.001+01:002020-09-08T19:22:52.809+01:00Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller Game Review: Brimming with Unrealised Potential<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Image result for erica reed cognition" height="297" src="https://steamcdn-a.akamaihd.net/steam/apps/242780/header.jpg?t=1478025368" width="640" /></div>
<br />
Touted as the spiritual successor to <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2017/12/gabriel-knight-sins-of-fathers-review.html" target="_blank">Gabriel Knight</a>, I really wanted to love this. An intriguing murder mystery/supernatural crossover setup, a strong female lead and Jane Jensen as a story consultant; this has a lot going for it.<br />
<br />
However, I never really felt that this had the heart that some of the best adventure games have, such as the Gabriel Knight and <a href="http://www.wadjeteyegames.com/games/blackwell-legacy/" target="_blank">Blackwell</a> series. You're plunged into the action from the get-go, but I missed those quieter, reflective moments that give more insight into the characters through idle chit-chat, relationship building and even the protagonist's home space. You never visit Erica's home (the closest thing is her work desk <span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-size: x-small;">–</span> this tells you something about her, but nothing particularly meaningful) or learn much about her outside of her job/predicament.<br />
<br />
The other characters are similarly sketchily drawn. Your partner/best friend is resigned to his desk for the majority of the game, interactions with your romantic interest don't really progress beyond an email and a couple of emotionally charged scenes and, cringe-worthily, one of your other main points of contact is restricted to the trope of <a href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagicalNegro" target="_blank">Magical Black Friend</a>.<br />
<br />
One of the main assets of the game is the dark, twisty story (there are some genuinely surprising turns here), although I felt that the plot became rather convoluted towards the end and the lack of character development resulted in a less than emotionally satisfying conclusion. Another asset is the generally strong, if at times slightly uneven, voice acting; Raleigh Holmes, who lends her voice to the protagonist and soundtrack, is an impressive vocal talent (see video below), despite slipping in and out of a New York accent. The music, meanwhile, is tonally appropriate and atmospheric, with shades of Gabriel Knight, but lacks the same memorable quality and could be quite repetitive.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/qO4FExFrQ0E/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qO4FExFrQ0E?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
There are some challenging puzzles, and the postcognition ability is an intriguing concept that adds some variety, though it can be slightly tedious in practice and at times confusing (especially in Act 3, which involves excessive backtracking). And, while there is a clue function, a few more prompts woven into the gameplay would have been welcome, as it wasn't always apparent what I was supposed to do next.<br />
<br />
The other obvious issue is that this game is riddled with glitches:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/73lKEhWo2iU/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/73lKEhWo2iU?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
This is quite possibly the buggiest game I've ever played (and I've just finished the most recently patched version). The laundry list of offences is long: heinous graphical glitches marring an otherwise appealing visual style, freezing, seemingly random unskippable dialogue (even when repeated), unintentional dialogue skipping, overlapping audio during dialogue, occasionally unresponsive controls, menu freezing during scenes... As an indie title, this deserves some slack, but I ran into bugs so frequently the game felt unfinished. It also broke immersion, which is one of the main draws of adventure titles for me.<br />
<br />
While I truly feel this has sparks of something that could have been much better, for the latter reason alone, I can't rate this higher and wouldn't recommend this to anyone outside of dedicated adventure gamers who are hungry for something to fill the void post-Gabriel Knight.<br />
<br />
<b>Verdict:</b> Brimming with potential, but let down by weak character development and a slew of glitches.<br />
<br />
<b>Score: </b><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆<br /><br /><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div></span>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-50397843902083648712018-05-30T10:00:00.003+01:002021-05-25T13:04:52.994+01:00Nana by Ai Yazawa Book Review: A Very Unconventional Love Story<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXREzkrBbgzgU5Pf96R4E1hlKSBWJjE0c4VfKP5U8xAO2GKPRUz-sr5l5U12WzT7BDhZ2pUJl5zju5nCGHGmzOnsgUnLUGfh7dwRD9LunnxYYStkCu99XO7exr1sLU97P4A1rAUbd6Te65/s870/Esr9ChhXIAI_9zK.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="520" data-original-width="870" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXREzkrBbgzgU5Pf96R4E1hlKSBWJjE0c4VfKP5U8xAO2GKPRUz-sr5l5U12WzT7BDhZ2pUJl5zju5nCGHGmzOnsgUnLUGfh7dwRD9LunnxYYStkCu99XO7exr1sLU97P4A1rAUbd6Te65/w640-h382/Esr9ChhXIAI_9zK.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "apple color emoji" , "segoe ui emoji" , "noto color emoji" , "android emoji" , "emojisymbols" , "emojione mozilla" , "twemoji mozilla" , "segoe ui symbol"; font-size: 16px;">⚠️ </span><i>This review contains spoilers and refers to sensitive issues, including sexual assault and abuse</i><i>.</i><br />
<br />
After 21 volumes and 80 chapters, I've finally come to the provisional* end of a manga series whose characters have taken on the familiarity of old friends. Endearing, relatable and, at times, hopelessly infuriating. Saying goodbye to them was accompanied by a quiet sense of loss I'm sure the two Nanas would implicitly understand. So what was it about <i>Nana</i> that made me stick with it for so long?<br />
<br />
<i>Nana</i> follows two young women who move to Tokyo in search of their dreams at key junctures in their lives. A frivolous airhead who attaches herself to men too readily and a fiercely independent punk rocker set on making it as a lead vocalist, on the surface, Nana K. (a.k.a. Hachi) and Nana O. share little more than a name and the same train journey. Nevertheless, they make an improbable connection.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnP8iY2TYZOJ8aEf5pA2CuUdSi2IskXCvguZ-sW1j4-OIRLtmwKVp4aP8BYenOYqcQGjmx0wO30T63XE00EegAfhWANB-NPYnpZDBZcbttosW_72z-ah_EZnonTemZH3MPZDmnVS2cub8/s1600/Nana+train.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="606" data-original-width="679" height="355" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSnP8iY2TYZOJ8aEf5pA2CuUdSi2IskXCvguZ-sW1j4-OIRLtmwKVp4aP8BYenOYqcQGjmx0wO30T63XE00EegAfhWANB-NPYnpZDBZcbttosW_72z-ah_EZnonTemZH3MPZDmnVS2cub8/s400/Nana+train.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Both Nanas are seeking fulfilment, whether through romantic relationships or career success, and their attempts to establish their own versions of happiness and place in the world, however transient or wrongheaded, are in turns moving and frustrating. There's a constant sense of something unrealised, of bittersweet yearning that creates a sense of nostalgia; this reflects the displacement of that transitional twenty-something period all too well, when you're no longer a child but haven't quite figured all this adulting business out. I began reading it during that awkward limbo between finishing my degree and my own search for my first real job, and it really resonated with me. However, every reader is likely to find something in both Nanas to relate to.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOtd0ufDppm3Oa_zmmu08NewPkf55kLHNQ4HjwVDf5mUCHQA7f3kdG2xWR65_9k_n82HnCV8MeuaqyMLzSPOLLsCNJYVxVCRjRwgPco9dq7dkc2QHJGpqCr483XHMSlfHUdTsb5-2NTu8/s1600/Nana+glasses.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="645" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOtd0ufDppm3Oa_zmmu08NewPkf55kLHNQ4HjwVDf5mUCHQA7f3kdG2xWR65_9k_n82HnCV8MeuaqyMLzSPOLLsCNJYVxVCRjRwgPco9dq7dkc2QHJGpqCr483XHMSlfHUdTsb5-2NTu8/s640/Nana+glasses.JPG" width="546" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
As the series progresses, Yazawa draws a touching relationship between the two leads that presents a complex exploration of female friendship in its many shades <span face="" style="color: #545454; font-size: x-small;">–</span> sometimes protective and devoted, sometimes jealous and possessive, sometimes estranged and regretful. Similarly, there's an acknowledgement of the flaws in each character and relationship, giving the series an undercurrent of darkness that belies its trendy, shojo-appropriate (yet exquisitely drawn) trappings. This focus on twenty-something women and their platonic relationship is <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-joys-of-josei.html" target="_blank">unusual</a> in manga. Because, despite their romantic entanglements (particularly those of Hachi, <i>cough</i>), it's this enduring, intense relationship <span face="" style="color: #545454; font-size: x-small;">–</span> not the obsessive Sid<span face="" style="color: #545454; font-size: x-small;">–</span>Nancy love between Nana and Ren or the lopsided rock star<span face="" style="color: #545454; font-size: x-small;">–</span>fan-girl dichotomy between Hachi and Takumi <span face="" style="color: #545454; font-size: x-small;">–</span> that forms the true love story and heart of the manga.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/26/ca/e1/26cae120f2ef0312b7522c03abeb439a--nana-manga-nana-anime.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image result for nana manga heroine" border="0" src="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/26/ca/e1/26cae120f2ef0312b7522c03abeb439a--nana-manga-nana-anime.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
Unfortunately, this is something that I feel Yazawa loses sight of in the latter half of the series. While the eventual rift between Nana and Hachi is an important and inevitable stage of young adult growing pains, the series protracts this phase excessively. In doing so, it loses its most compelling draw. Characters are reduced to pining after each other and their romanticised past together, but don't act on their impulses, instead remaining static within unsatisfactory, oppressive situations. Nana longs to break free of an all-consuming relationship she has outgrown; Hachi, meanwhile, resigns herself to the life of a dutiful housewife and mother-to-be, the 'number-one second priority' to a selfish, emotionally (and, on a few occasions, physically) abusive, philandering, workaholic husband. Thank God he's pretty.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="Related image" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC0POIT3Eb5qbdUTGKM5RJbY8Hidsw2wyokwvpRsBkOq_BP_COflAswKRgk1vXRS7CwYx7v04T0xS_Qek4JcKohGK_PEQrfeIiUpY1tvMW6UsGbkAD8zpqAQuRlCBoDhaS7vvEed-SsTg/s1600/Yazawa+19,+157.jpg" /></div>
<br />
It's unclear whether we're supposed to root for Hachi and Takumi as a couple. Their relationship is never painted as ideal, but Takumi has enough moments of surprising tenderness and consideration that Hachi remains drawn in by him. This is, of course, textbook emotionally abusive behaviour, and Yazawa occasionally lampshades it <span face="" style="color: #545454; font-size: x-small;">–</span> the recurring metaphor of the dark fairytale (Cinderella losing her glass slipper; the princess in the tower falling in love with her captor) applies to Hachi as well as Reira.<br />
<br />
However, for both these characters, Takumi's hot<span face="" style="color: #545454; font-size: x-small;">–</span>cold temperament seems a factor of his toxic allure, and, as the driving force behind Trapnest's success, the impression is given that his ruthlessness is the cost of his genius, which is presented as an otherwise admirable trait. Most disappointingly, Hachi's rape is glossed over and latter volumes and flash-forwards imply that, while Hachi and Takumi eventually drift apart, he has softened into a marginally more sympathetic character, suggesting that Hachi's patience in this relationship is a virtue, if not enough to save them.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtz3WVg9GtbL_aeOCrbgReAKQh_n_RJ4QKRhdd9Ce0iWmISqhh1XYO_dSEe6eWLXvOz3AGYI5KxqFk0UMu9GzWLPicgDXCNvGW3nXeZ5He_gEa8MFJpPR0D1cl-BYesYdB4_CNr78wLGho/s1600/Nana+princess.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtz3WVg9GtbL_aeOCrbgReAKQh_n_RJ4QKRhdd9Ce0iWmISqhh1XYO_dSEe6eWLXvOz3AGYI5KxqFk0UMu9GzWLPicgDXCNvGW3nXeZ5He_gEa8MFJpPR0D1cl-BYesYdB4_CNr78wLGho/s1600/Nana+princess.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Yazawa's exploration of the hidden complexity of each character is one of <i>Nana</i>'s main strengths; nothing is simple, everyone is fighting their own internal battles. Learning to be kinder, more understanding, is perhaps the most important takeaway of the series. However, the most interesting part of conflict is showing how the characters deal with it and grow as a result, but in <i>Nana</i>, the main characters seem unaware <span face="" style="color: #545454; font-size: x-small;">–</span> or terrified <span face="" style="color: #545454; font-size: x-small;">–</span> of their agency, doing little to change their realities for several volumes. For the most part, their melancholic situations are only disrupted by erratic twists of fate that lie beyond them: a chance invitation to a birthday party; a tragic accident.<br />
<br />
Accordingly, Nana and Hachi diminish as characters, with the focus broadening to the two main bands in the series, Blast and Trapnest, and a roster of new, only vaguely interesting filler characters apparently intended to compensate for the ever-widening gap between Nana and Hachi. At this point, the characters plunge into a seemingly unending downward spiral, and the darkness inherent in the series threatens to overwhelm, washing over everything with a heavy sense of futility. To reiterate: shiz gets <i>dark</i>.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhBBquCVbV2NwvPpigfZZjmy0vioAN8Zc9QNq-6cD7uPnjEt4w68sfw0Sxk_yTPx1VGe-41UxSYerRTc98HErjtDamnrPO02cpBf8txxvXhMDiuSTDfAM2IRzYVWxTTlS0njQfzFOt3pR0/s1600/Nana+trap.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="744" data-original-width="535" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhBBquCVbV2NwvPpigfZZjmy0vioAN8Zc9QNq-6cD7uPnjEt4w68sfw0Sxk_yTPx1VGe-41UxSYerRTc98HErjtDamnrPO02cpBf8txxvXhMDiuSTDfAM2IRzYVWxTTlS0njQfzFOt3pR0/s1600/Nana+trap.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />
While there are small moments of levity and redemption (and this stasis is something Yazawa would undoubtedly have addressed in future volumes), the characters' inability <span face="" style="color: #545454; font-size: x-small;">–</span> or apparent unwillingness <span face="" style="color: #545454; font-size: x-small;">–</span> to save themselves from drowning gives the reader a feeling of ambivalence. While you want the two Nanas to reunite and accept the love they don't seem to think they deserve, it's difficult to continue to root for characters who don't even root for themselves.<br />
<br />
Interestingly, I feel Yazawa paces her shorter, earlier work, <i><a href="http://parakiss.wikia.com/wiki/Paradise_Kiss" target="_blank">Paradise Kiss</a></i>, better. Its protagonist, Yukari, engages in a similarly intense, unsustainable relationship with narcissistic artistic 'genius' George; however, it isn't unnecessarily drawn out, and Yukari shows real growth over the course of the series. Of course, <i>Nana</i> leaves a more lasting impression, and the strength of its characters and their touching group dynamic (and the anticipation of a game-changing twist hinted at by the narration and flash-forwards) are just enough to sustain the series through its more sluggish moments. It could even be for this reason that Yazawa felt compelled to extend the story past its natural lifespan.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="228" src="https://i.giphy.com/media/Up6Yu90I6SKzu/giphy.webp" width="400" /></div>
<br />
The 'final' two volumes of <i>Nana</i> pick up its earlier momentum; the two Nanas' paths intersect again, and a devastating twist pushes everyone to reassess their relationships. The death of one of the core characters is treated with the gravity it calls for; this makes for a heartrending and heavy, yet important, volume, showing death in all of its anguish and numbness. It's likely this would've catalysed even more much-needed change, though all we have to go on are the clues dropped by the tantalising, if sometimes disorienting, flash-forwards.<br />
<br />
In a way, that Nana is unfinished adds to its iconic status; for Yazawa's characters, nothing is clear-cut, so the lack of resolution is fitting, in a way (albeit unsatisfying). It also gives scope for interpretations as open-ended as the characters' destinies; <a href="http://merrygloom.tumblr.com/post/145409668069/blasts-nana-where-is-she-now" target="_blank">what happens</a> between the final events shown and the glimpses into their future? In the future timeline, once again, the two Nanas are at a crossroads; Nana has fled to England, and Hachi is stuck, unable to envision her life without her.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEU7MzWi3qASYYB2Ogpt4ump-LXZagx0BEk2uFcldstG4CmMhJw_eXA4gLTP5ySTpy6L3R38tBgZFhe5gdsJAl01xn7K_tVOOXgZ7uSrc7ZgnxNpVOjAj3i4Mxs7kjgnQYwnYTqAuOPPkc/s1600/nana032.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="694" data-original-width="931" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEU7MzWi3qASYYB2Ogpt4ump-LXZagx0BEk2uFcldstG4CmMhJw_eXA4gLTP5ySTpy6L3R38tBgZFhe5gdsJAl01xn7K_tVOOXgZ7uSrc7ZgnxNpVOjAj3i4Mxs7kjgnQYwnYTqAuOPPkc/s640/nana032.jpg" width="580" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I'd like to think that this would've finally opened the way for Hachi and Nana to heal and grow while apart from each other, though still connected, a bit like how Lena Dunham described the relationship progression in <i><a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/04/girls-finale-hbo-lena-dunham-interview-jenni-konner" target="_blank">Girls</a></i>: 'Like, part of figuring out friendship is realising that you don’t have to either be roommates who spend every single moment knowing where the other is, or stop speaking entirely. There’s a more mature version of being connected.'<br />
<br />
In the future scenes, Yazawa teases the beginnings of inner change. Throughout the series, Hachi has struggled with co-dependence issues, while Nana has battled with her pride; however, the former is now estranged from, if not broken up with, Takumi, while the latter, although still too proud to accept others' help, is singing anonymously in a small bar, renouncing the larger-than-life persona she has constructed.<br />
<br />
They may no longer share baths and the same bed or mirror each other in terms of life stage (as embodied by their parallel names and the palindromic apartment number, 707). But that's OK <span face="" style="color: #545454; font-size: x-small;">–</span> they'll always have that time and place together. And, with each still holding a key to room 707, every once in a while, there's a small chance they might even return, just as I hope Yazawa will one day.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPnXItG1nyUyXvUHeic_hd_OmUMuT0lk9P6pKUA0fz2f_s7ji9fCTs8hFbKyMPvIx8PnaGApgcoAmqdPGLp2LFiF9tRqN45T69RM8O88l5iwe5fK-_UCWFnBZDlRnM7c90MdNwytuG8pt/s1600/Nana+key.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="170" data-original-width="542" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuPnXItG1nyUyXvUHeic_hd_OmUMuT0lk9P6pKUA0fz2f_s7ji9fCTs8hFbKyMPvIx8PnaGApgcoAmqdPGLp2LFiF9tRqN45T69RM8O88l5iwe5fK-_UCWFnBZDlRnM7c90MdNwytuG8pt/s640/Nana+key.JPG" width="580" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
*<i>At least, the point Yazawa sadly stopped working due to long-term <a href="https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-06-26/nana-ai-yazawa-puts-manga-on-hold-due-to-illness" target="_blank">illness</a>. The series has been on indefinite hiatus ever since. It seems increasingly unlikely that it'll be picked up again at this stage, but a girl can hope.<br /><br /></i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-2815537038459889962018-02-10T12:55:00.001+00:002020-09-08T19:23:27.320+01:00The Perks of Being a Publishing Postgrad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKxAiimkI8oK5Qzp_6o4d1X-K77Flm1JKzDrEBdX-d_-cSy4jgmif3olxfUkpgnmfT-7SSliusg2F3dcEgNClpjQklMYD7J_UksstuFanwpO-PdXHtVBqz_GR-cWXuK2t99y0_JTDTcTX/s1600/IMG_20180209_215444+CR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1600" height="376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCKxAiimkI8oK5Qzp_6o4d1X-K77Flm1JKzDrEBdX-d_-cSy4jgmif3olxfUkpgnmfT-7SSliusg2F3dcEgNClpjQklMYD7J_UksstuFanwpO-PdXHtVBqz_GR-cWXuK2t99y0_JTDTcTX/s640/IMG_20180209_215444+CR.jpg" width="580" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ricksphotothing/" target="_blank">Rick's Photo Thing</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Last September, I started a new chapter in a book I had convinced myself I had long since finished. Resuming higher education through an MA in Publishing wasn't something I'd mapped out as part of any five-year postgraduate plan. Though I had toyed with the possibility as a recent graduate, this was more out of a sense of obligation than anything else. Besides, I wasn't exactly grief-stricken to see the back of late-night essay-writing frenzies and endless grade-chasing. While I went on to pursue journalism training, this turned out to be one of the most unbalanced and stressful periods of my life. Why, then, was I potentially putting myself through something like that again?<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Part of the catalyst behind my reevaluation was the sobering realisation that last year marked a noteworthy tipping point: as of late August, I would have been in work for longer than I had spent studying at university. For all its stressors, university had also been a time of looking forward, possibilities and enriching myself with knowledge and experiences.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, despite the financial security and opportunity to hone my editorial eye my work had brought me, I had been stagnant in my role for too long and was taking 'Should I leave my job?' surveys in my spare time. Nevertheless, depressingly, I had produced more work for my company than I had while at university and for creative projects combined. Crucially, I felt like I just wasn't making a difference.<br />
<br />
However, I didn't feel empowered to alter my course due to various factors: the job market, finances, location. But, more than that, I was afraid to pursue something new that would potentially involve more stress, less money and a host of other uncertainties.<br />
<br />
It took a negative experience to give me the final kick I needed; after a continued lack of interest in employee feedback and support, my employer flippantly dismissed a concern I raised (after an extended period of keeping my head down and working overtime to meet demanding targets). I realised that, while I wasn't sure how I would handle any seismic changes, I couldn't continue on in a situation that made me feel undervalued. And, once I seriously looked into changing my situation, propelled in equal parts by determination and desperation, I found myself reconsidering my former aversion to further <i>further</i> study.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD31xBGTS_bwkwiEwr57dQ5rfaFoAd62flLiul-zpIc5C_QJW25pv-IZu3sCyhW5lEcl1uVozml3QTkhN_IVHoMgdWZB47qBquEZb05-hV8Cdhe3qVyY9g1wQZQK1KeObAml9ptqkrYYEG/s1600/xYQjogf.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="654" data-original-width="952" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD31xBGTS_bwkwiEwr57dQ5rfaFoAd62flLiul-zpIc5C_QJW25pv-IZu3sCyhW5lEcl1uVozml3QTkhN_IVHoMgdWZB47qBquEZb05-hV8Cdhe3qVyY9g1wQZQK1KeObAml9ptqkrYYEG/s640/xYQjogf.jpg" width="580" /></a></div>
<br />
The consideration was, in some ways, a natural one. For years I've had a recurring dream – that I'm a student again, but pursuing a higher level of learning. I usually awaken imbued with overwhelming motivation to act in some way, but as the day wears on, this is displaced by the inevitable creeping doubts: What would I study? How would I justify spending so much money?<br />
<br />
While the prospect of MA study intrigued me, I dismissed it for the same main reason I had years before – I didn't think it would realistically improve my employment prospects. The thought of investing so much time, effort and money into something only to end up right back where I started discouraged me. It seemed a luxury I couldn't afford to indulge. Even though the dream would resurface from time to time, like fragments of wreckage from a long-sunken ship, I put it down to a general desire to develop myself instead of a literal direction.<br />
<br />
So when I found the UCLan MA Publishing course description, which hinged on a love of books and gave weight to both academic and vocational aspects, I saw an entry point into an industry that had always appealed to me but seemed like a dim prospect due to formidable competition for editorial roles. I was also in a position where I now knew what I wanted from MA study (other than an excuse to defer job-hunting).<br />
<br />
In fact, it sounded so promising that I refused to talk about applying or attending in a definitive sense; I didn't tell anyone besides my partner that I had applied in case I was rejected or changed my mind, and I waited until the start of my first term was imminent before broadcasting the news that I'd been accepted to friends. Heck, I even decided against writing this until a whole semester had passed and I felt more secure in my position.<br />
<br />
The truth was that I was still afraid. I had composed several half-formed doomsday scenarios in my head: I could fail. Maybe I'd been out of the academic game for too long; I might struggle to motivate myself to a terminal degree, allowing projects to accumulate and moulder, like end-of-jar mayo at the back of the fridge. I could be left jobless and considerably poorer, despite course graduate employment rates, or uproot my life only to find myself in an equally unsatisfactory position.<br />
<br />
One of the prospects that frightened me the most, however, was having to sustain <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2017/07/the-pursuit-of-worklife-balance.html" target="_blank">both a job and studies</a>, potentially letting go of time for creative projects and space to breathe. Acting as though I might not go through with it, therefore, carved out my escape route in the event my new resolve came crashing down around me.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Nz0WPUaO_cXNpAq2kqdS38nOTUn0XHEqGX2UwAajym7Ep8y2Y6COXOu9Q6ctezEY4bpIkvp0V88K3qHCGi9iiJupQSGk5zpSiI1FsQaJVtbJFBBpyIzTNx3X_zb-fiy1EtKs2FdUrWvl/s1600/source.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Nz0WPUaO_cXNpAq2kqdS38nOTUn0XHEqGX2UwAajym7Ep8y2Y6COXOu9Q6ctezEY4bpIkvp0V88K3qHCGi9iiJupQSGk5zpSiI1FsQaJVtbJFBBpyIzTNx3X_zb-fiy1EtKs2FdUrWvl/s400/source.gif" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Ultimately, the motivation behind my decision to apply nudged me along; before I knew it, I was agonising over picking my favourite book for my induction day self-introduction (I ended up choosing <i><a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2015/07/10-books-that-have-influenced-my-life.html" target="_blank">Charlotte Sometimes</a></i>). Since then, I've successfully* mock-pitched a book to a panel of industry professionals and discussed publishing issues with respected editors and authors, such as Jane Johnson, for research. This semester, I'll be writing and putting together my own children's picture book and embarking on a behind-the-scenes tour of the London Book Fair.<br />
<br />
I still feel guilty every time I watch back-to-back 90s sitcoms with an essay (or three) on the back-burner, succumb to fairly regular bouts of <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/2015/12/on-feeling-like-fraud-and-harsh-inner.html" target="_blank">imposter syndrome</a> and have questioned my capacity to take on everything during more stressful periods. However, my schedule doesn't allow me to dwell on a single problem for long and the sense of personal growth and accomplishment from each completed project is a huge incentive. And, step by step, mini meltdown by mini meltdown, I've passed the halfway mark of my first year. I might not know exactly what the future might bring, but right now, I'm OK with that. In fact, it's kind of liberating.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">*Not dissolving into a quivering pool of pink sludge is a valid measure of success, right?</span><br />
<br />
<i>Have you recently made any big life transitions? What motivated you to switch things up and how did you cope? Let us know in the comments below!<br /><br /></i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-40467080278932506002017-12-09T12:52:00.001+00:002020-09-08T19:23:50.172+01:00Dreamfall Chapters Game Review: Immersive and Impressive but Fragmented and Flawed<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="360" src="https://igg-games.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/127-1024x576.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<br />
While I found <i>Dreamfall Chapters</i> immersive and enjoyable, the various disparate narrative threads simply didn't come together at the end for me. I ended up looking forward to Zoë's parts of the game much more than Kian's, who I found somewhat dull. In keeping with this, I found Stark, Zoë's futuristic cyberpunk world, more compelling than Arcadia, which presents a much more typical magical fantasy setting.<br />
<br />
Because of this, I was disappointed at the fragmentation of the gameplay into three different main characters and settings, all of which had intrigue but none of which felt fully fleshed out (particularly Saga, the third character, who mostly remains a mystery throughout). <br />
<br />
While Stark and Arcadia appear large, atmospheric and interesting, most of the buildings are simply decorative and cannot be entered, and most of the city inhabitants cannot be interacted with meaningfully, only eavesdropped in on. Similarly, Riverwood and the Purple Mountains are stunning locations, but, disappointingly, you are effectively on rails in the former and spend very little time in the latter.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="360" src="https://www.destructoid.com//ul/410258-WU2CNTc.jpg" width="640" /></div>
<br />
There's also some lovely character design <span face="" style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-size: x-small;">–</span> although I could've done without Zoë's <a href="https://youtu.be/nxK7CwOSUVY?t=122" target="_blank">distractingly well-rounded butt cheeks</a> (mostly NSFW) being the focus of so many shots (a strangely male gaze-driven choice for an <a href="https://www.pcgamesn.com/dreamfall-chapters/ragnar-t-rnquist-defends-ableist-language-in-dreamfall-chapters-those-people-exist-in-real-life-and-so-they-must-exist-in-fiction" target="_blank">apparently progressive</a> studio).<br />
<br />
There are also odd lapses in the game. At one point, Zoë and Crow discuss needing to get somewhere; in the next moment, the screen fades to black and it becomes evident that they have acquired a means of getting there and already made the trip. This could be indicative of budget/time constraints (the chapters were slow to be released, with stretches of up to six months between each one, leading to a fragmented gaming experience for me and many others), but it nevertheless takes you out of the experience.<br />
<br />
And, while I enjoyed the sense of autonomy given to the player in the form of choices, some of these felt somewhat arbitrary and did not have any apparent meaningful consequences. For example, the <a href="https://steamcommunity.com/app/237850/discussions/0/351659808490790593/" target="_blank">revelation of a certain character's sexuality</a>, while welcome, seems inconsistent given a previous choice and therefore feels forced for the sake of inclusivity.<br />
<br />
The puzzle-solving is quite straightforward for the most part, although there are a few illogical hurdles, which comes with the adventure gaming territory. In addition, I experienced a couple of game-halting bugs that required a reload (although these might have since been ironed out).<br />
<br />
<b>Verdict:</b> Overall, <i>Dreamfall Chapters</i> is substantial, immersive and impressive-looking enough to entertain adventure game fans, but fragmented and flawed, which might disappoint those who have followed the series since its genesis.<br />
<br />
<b>Score:</b> <span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.25px;">★</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">☆<br /><br /><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div></span>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-40401235959462476122017-11-29T21:06:00.000+00:002019-02-07T19:34:54.743+00:00RootsThe interviewer looked me in the eye and smiled. "Where do you see yourself five years from now?"<br />
<br />
"When will people stop asking me this ridiculous question?!" I groaned. "How am I supposed to know?! Anything can happen! Life can change dramatically in one afternoon, one year, let alone five! Having goals is one thing, but why do you have to put a timeline to it?!"<br />
<br />
Alright, I didn't say that. Out loud, anyway. I certainly thought it.<br />
<br />
There are two questions I never know how best to answer: "Where are you from?" and "Where do you see yourself in the next five years?"<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoS5nyEqrVgfRNu1VzpRrwgoCfSzhTWp9Sb41o8Y087Yxapdam5iFWfhuQDE7aaVzU1LQxhpG6G6M_cKVDTgYbUmeJvTJKNrMCMjG7l8FbcLhV-7H3SN9WneyjvyWDoFe-pnItVqnwrCAE/s1600/rootless.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="596" data-original-width="460" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoS5nyEqrVgfRNu1VzpRrwgoCfSzhTWp9Sb41o8Y087Yxapdam5iFWfhuQDE7aaVzU1LQxhpG6G6M_cKVDTgYbUmeJvTJKNrMCMjG7l8FbcLhV-7H3SN9WneyjvyWDoFe-pnItVqnwrCAE/s320/rootless.jpg" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From this <a href="http://denizenmag.com/2011/05/drifting-between-nations/" target="_blank">article</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I grew up moving between towns, cultures, and countries <span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">–</span> I spent my formative years in England, South East Asia, and the United States. Thanks to my parents' work as pastors and missionaries, life could be shaken up overnight <span style="background-color: white; color: #545454; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">–</span> an exciting, sometimes heart-breaking reality. Occasionally I wondered if I was alone in my struggle to answer questions about my origins and future, in my uncertainty about where exactly I fit, and in all the paradoxical pains and joys of my highly mobile existence.<br />
<br />
Thankfully, an eye-opening <a href="https://www.amazon.co.uk/Third-Culture-Kids-Experience-Growing/dp/1857885252" target="_blank">read</a>, and my Master's research and thesis which spawned from the book's inspiration, helped me to understand that I was not the only one with such an experience and its complicated side-effects.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
This lifetime of moving around has left me a complex legacy, with both negative and positive aspects. Part of this is a contradictory desire and reluctance to establish roots.<br />
<br />
I didn't plan to stay in London, for example. After leaving college in America, my idea was to come back for one year, get my Master's degree, and zoom off again (though where to was uncertain). However, to my surprise, and for no immediately apparent reason, as I neared the end of my studies, I deeply felt that I should stay longer. So I stayed, and I didn't regret the decision. (Besides, it <i>was</i> kinda nice not to have to pack and unpack again.)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfsz9e3JRqLSKEKBacf2axtVzInvqD_HjiMNWOVTqfOFtqCHa12yrYLkQAvBCyyb-Bqa2NFvX529D8JApsR3M2HJYYIfZ-H5dqk6f0WF0fuyE5bXkUKzoHaPCAEPCEAdQcFic-hBj1SRq/s1600/London.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfsz9e3JRqLSKEKBacf2axtVzInvqD_HjiMNWOVTqfOFtqCHa12yrYLkQAvBCyyb-Bqa2NFvX529D8JApsR3M2HJYYIfZ-H5dqk6f0WF0fuyE5bXkUKzoHaPCAEPCEAdQcFic-hBj1SRq/s320/London.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">London grew on me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Yet even though I had decided to remain longer, it was never with a complete mental "unpacking." I wasn't trying too hard to put down roots, because who knows, I might leave at any time. Every few years, I get itchy feet.<br />
<br />
I live with this paradox. On one hand, I know the importance of embracing everything and everyone you have now. Now is precious. <i>Live </i>and make the most of it. On the other hand, I know how everything can suddenly change, which can make it hard to establish plans. Sociologists David Pollock and Ruth van Reken explain it well:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #b33a0d;">"[Some] have difficulty in making a choice that involves a significant time commitment because they know a new and more desirable possibility may always appear. Signing a contract to teach in Middleville might be a wise economic move, but what if a job opportunity opens in Surabaya next week? It's hard to choose one thing before knowing all the choices. Experience has taught them that life not only offers multiple options, but these options can appear suddenly and must be acted on quickly or they will be gone. Yet the very fact that one choice might preclude another [can make it more difficult to or keep them from] making any choice at all." (<i>Third Culture Kids</i>, p. 107)</span></blockquote>
<br />
Living healthily with this tension has moved to the forefront of my mind again, particularly as a getting-closer-to-30 woman considering her future and thinking about accepting a new job (and with it, a career change).<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJnGTv0m8U8CvXoah3i4mGv5GvVqGHCb1eE75LFG5q63flahkydOwZO0lmmwQSy6DVQzqBEjKvMxFghT4m_WC7ADQu87q6GvuO9m_ci-Q9-tovsUUieJSDWiI-zA7bTppDkLdu3J6XDvZ/s1600/katie+rodgers+pack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="690" data-original-width="378" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaJnGTv0m8U8CvXoah3i4mGv5GvVqGHCb1eE75LFG5q63flahkydOwZO0lmmwQSy6DVQzqBEjKvMxFghT4m_WC7ADQu87q6GvuO9m_ci-Q9-tovsUUieJSDWiI-zA7bTppDkLdu3J6XDvZ/s400/katie+rodgers+pack.jpg" width="218" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Pack, Unpack" by Katie Rodgers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In the context of life's uncertainty and my paradoxical desires, there is a profound quote that has guided and challenged me:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="color: #b33a0d;">"Wherever you go in life, unpack your bags </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #b33a0d;">–</span></span><span style="color: #b33a0d;"> physically and mentally </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #b33a0d; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">–</span><span style="color: #b33a0d;"> and plant your trees. Too many people never live in the now because they assume the time is too short to settle in. They don't plant trees because they expect to be gone before the trees bear fruit. But if you keep thinking about the next move, you'll never live fully where you are. When it's time to go, then it's time to go, but you won't have missed what this experience was about. And if you never eat from the trees, someone else will." (<i>Third Culture Kids</i>, p. 218)</span></blockquote>
<br />
How do I put this into practice? That's something I'm still learning. In some ways, I still struggle to let roots grow, and I keep one bag packed, in a sense. But there are a few things I have learned are helpful or necessary:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #b33a0d;">Make the choice.</span> Sure, you can never know all the options which may or may not appear, but why miss out on opportunities that can be, or lead to, something amazing? I believe that everything ultimately can work out for good.</li>
<li><span style="color: #b33a0d;">Invest in relationships.</span> Yes, goodbyes are painful, but not every relationship ends in "goodbye." Even if you or your friend moves away and the relationship fades, you are left the richer for having known each other. And good relationships are ultimately what makes life the most beautiful, joyful, and meaningful. Relationships are worth the risk.</li>
<li><span style="color: #b33a0d;">Write. Read.</span> Hearing other people's stories can be a growing, even healing, experience. Reading is going on a journey that can even help stay the restless spirit at times. And writing has proved critical for knowing myself, recording my physical and emotional journeys, and enabling honesty, sympathy, and growth. </li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Q8QeqRJf2bBto7bG_Eyn05q5sYxHz78lX-ma9QSaX_GxkqXZi1EedwgMem5NNwNJkedm6ZbEo9Rbh8aTlsE5DSAqwZwEiZC62BpqWvKYekpJXd021KmfVYdbQUkcjueaP5AmT3wQgr7A/s1600/think.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="620" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Q8QeqRJf2bBto7bG_Eyn05q5sYxHz78lX-ma9QSaX_GxkqXZi1EedwgMem5NNwNJkedm6ZbEo9Rbh8aTlsE5DSAqwZwEiZC62BpqWvKYekpJXd021KmfVYdbQUkcjueaP5AmT3wQgr7A/s320/think.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<br />
Ultimately, I am discovering that putting down roots and unpacking bags is about not giving in to fear. For, after all, a life lived in fear is a life half lived.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/46keEUbWOIA/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/46keEUbWOIA?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
<br />
I may not be able to say where I'll be in five years, but I want to be able to live every present moment in such a way that I can look back with no regrets.<br />
<br />
**************<br />
<span style="color: #b33a0d;">I am writing from my experience as a Third Culture Kid, someone with a highly mobile upbringing who has lived in multiple cultures. If you are a TCK, or know one, or are just curious and want to find out more about us and how to support us, then I recommend checking out...</span><br />
<b>Book:</b> <i>Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds</i> by David Pollock and Ruth van Reken<br />
<b>Facebook:</b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TCKWorldwide/">https://www.facebook.com/TCKWorldwide/</a><br />
<b>Video:</b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrVWHfEQz6A">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrVWHfEQz6A</a> (Short TED talk with Ruth's story and insight into different kinds of TCKs or cross-cultural kids)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/vrVWHfEQz6A/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vrVWHfEQz6A?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
Lynette Allcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12225566293452319571noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753790973562531583.post-79455152414220292252017-10-30T14:47:00.001+00:002020-09-08T19:24:16.915+01:00Halloween Storytime: The Intruder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeLE61TRhDMDSlsqxo0PHGTejHw6VptLaaq-6RtHlI7WEO_mEWCC9MgiwJGRQLy0k2brMkHEtSke0gsy3MXz32Qr5Br0ERlTfHcvuwXcDXyXPQiuOMcrIe-y3Kc9t-39mux_yKuqsHm3s/s1600/tent-camp-night-star-45241.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1063" data-original-width="1600" height="385" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeLE61TRhDMDSlsqxo0PHGTejHw6VptLaaq-6RtHlI7WEO_mEWCC9MgiwJGRQLy0k2brMkHEtSke0gsy3MXz32Qr5Br0ERlTfHcvuwXcDXyXPQiuOMcrIe-y3Kc9t-39mux_yKuqsHm3s/s640/tent-camp-night-star-45241.jpeg" width="580" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i> <i>Enter if you will, gentle reader, pull up a stuffed armchair by the fireside and join me in a true tale of small-town terror.</i><br />
<br />
As young teenagers, one of the biggest and most important obstacles my friends and I faced was convincing all our parents to allow us to stage spontaneous sugar-fuelled sleepovers and backyard 'campouts'. We would listen to cheese-rock ballads on a temperamental Walkman, play pass-the-buck-style dramatic storytelling games, conjecture wildly about our dream futures and generally achieve little to no sleep.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
My best friends, Danni and Sian, and I lived in a tiny rural market town (population: 1,137) surrounded by the North Pennines in England. It was the early noughties, and Busted, the Rasmus and Bon Jovi (respectively) were the height of musical sophistication to us.<br />
<br />
One summer's night, after having wheedled my dad into pitching his tent for us in the back garden, my friends and I were taking it in turns to tell a laughably overblown and uneven spooky story. We passed a torch to the active speaker so that their face was spotlit as they spoke in a hushed, melodramatic voice. We kept track of time only by the growing impression of darkness through the tent canvas and, at midnight, the faint chiming of the town clock tower.<br />
<br />
Whenever Danni's turn came around, as the youngest, and most 'imaginative', member of the group, she would invariably derail the story with an outlandish plot twist.<br />
<br />
'Aw, come on, Danni,' Sian and I groaned, suppressing laughter.<br />
<br />
'How am I supposed to work with this?' Sian lamented, then straightened up as a thought occurred to her. 'OK, OK, I've got this.' She dropped her voice to just above a whisper. 'He awoke to find it had just been a dream.' She paused and shot an apologetic look at Danni. 'Sorry, Danni.'<br />
<br />
I laughed guiltily as Danni pouted.<br />
<br />
Every now and then we would hear the ominous sound of my mum's slippers slapping against the concrete footpath that spanned the length of the garden so that she could chastise us for still being awake. We quickly wised up to this, and at the first intimation of approaching footsteps, we would abruptly fall silent, kill the torchlight and drop to the ground in a fluid motion, as if an air raid siren had just blared across the small, sleeping town.<br />
<br />
This had already happened a couple of times that night, so we thought nothing of it the third time. In the still night air, the echo of the rapidly nearing footsteps was unmistakable, enabling us to react quickly, having finessed our technique with each interruption. Only this time, they seemed wrong, somehow.<br />
<br />
The footsteps sounded more solid, as if ringing from a harder, heavier shoe. The pace was faster, more insistent. And, instead of stopping somewhere along the footpath, as my mum normally did (she would call across to us rather than cut across the dew-damp grass to the tent), they continued, growing louder and closer.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwz5s9xjEJlPA4owJsyKLrn1ln5Ay0APMR4TGw5JK5JRHCAHFSo6hHAF6nOSr02kFGbNqXt757P1R84QFA69H6hGDOJepeafYzFDL2Us6c0kB9F9TTsW0hGFhWjMckX4-AAgcojwzllAY/s1600/motion-1303885_960_720.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="491" data-original-width="960" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIwz5s9xjEJlPA4owJsyKLrn1ln5Ay0APMR4TGw5JK5JRHCAHFSo6hHAF6nOSr02kFGbNqXt757P1R84QFA69H6hGDOJepeafYzFDL2Us6c0kB9F9TTsW0hGFhWjMckX4-AAgcojwzllAY/s640/motion-1303885_960_720.jpg" width="580" /></a></div>
<br />
At some point earlier in the night I had smuggled the family dog, a small, rust-brown border terrier called Bracken, into the tent. She began growling and barking with a ferocity I had never seen in her before. Occasional whining yelps of excitement (and an accompanying butt jiggle) when greeting me after I came home from school, certainly. But unmistakable, hair-standing-on-end aggression? Never.<br />
<br />
A palpable thrill of fear filled the tent. The small, enclosed space that had, moments ago, felt safe and inviting now felt terrifyingly exposed. None of us spoke. None of us moved. We simply lay there in mute understanding that to do either would be very, very bad and attempted to subdue quick, trembling breaths as whoever was outside shuffled around to the back of the tent, brushing noisily against the canvas as they went. Here, they would have been invisible to anyone glancing outside the windows of the house, just metres away. I don't think this was a coincidence. They leaned oppressively against the tent, their heavy breathing audible between the brief lapses in Bracken's persistent barking.<br />
<br />
I'm not sure how long they stayed there. It might have been mere seconds or a handful of minutes. It felt immeasurably longer. Eventually, the pressure of their body against the tent was removed and Bracken's barks gradually subsided. I'm convinced that the only reason they didn't act further is because Bracken was there to protect us. While only diminutive, her savage barks were suggestive of a dog twice her size.<br />
<br />
Oddly, except the footsteps, we never heard the intruder enter or leave, despite the fact that our garden is enclosed on all sides (by the house, two hedge-lined fences and a wall around a metre and a half high). While it wouldn't be impossible to scale one of the fences or the wall, it would be difficult to do so without making a noise. Even more unnervingly, our back garden was only visible to our neighbours, whose own back gardens encompassed ours.<br />
<br />
After waiting a while longer, ears pricked for the slightest of sounds, I turned to my friends' quivering forms in the darkness.<br />
<br />
'We need to get back to the house,' I whispered.<br />
<br />
'I don't want to go outside,' Danni whimpered.<br />
<br />
'We have to,' I insisted. 'It's OK, I'll go first. Just stay close behind me.' The responsibility I felt for my friends gave me a rush of adrenaline that emboldened me as I unzipped the tent flap to the entrance. I took in the garden hurriedly. All was apparently as it had been; undisturbed and peaceful, even, in the soft moonlight. Clutching Bracken to my chest, I burst out of the tent and sprinted across the garden to the garage that adjoined the back of the house, closely followed by Sian and Danni.<br />
<br />
We collapsed in the living room, breathless but grateful for the home comforts of central heating, electric lighting and, most importantly, impenetrable brick walls. We constructed makeshift beds out of sofa pillows and what blankets we'd had the foresight to bring. Now that the edge of our nervous energy had softened somewhat, we began discussing the events of the night in raised, urgent whispers.<br />
<br />
Who could it have been? How had they gotten in? Was one of my brothers pranking us? (This seemed unlikely given Bracken's uncharacteristically aggressive reaction, and I had already checked on everyone upstairs – they had been fast asleep.) Could it have been a supernatural entity, thus explaining their apparent sudden materialisation in our garden?<br />
<br />
We could resolve none of these questions to our satisfaction, however. All we could be certain of was that someone had entered the garden and approached our tent; knowing they had been so close to us, perhaps seconds away from attempting something sinister, and we would never be able to conclusively determine who they were or why they had been there was deeply unsettling. Most disconcertingly, it might have been someone I, or my family, knew. I might have walked past and greeted them every day. After exhausting wild speculative possibilities, we drifted off into an uneasy sleep.<br />
<br />
The next morning, we explained to my confused parents why we had spent the night in the living room. Alarmed, they scoured the garden for clues and found a single incongruous detail behind the tent: a charred cigarette butt. While my dad smoked, he was partial only to St. Bruno tobacco filtered through a stout, worn pipe, and he attested that the butt hadn't been there when he had pitched the tent. We lived in a picturesque, tranquil neighbourhood where everyone knew everyone, and our neighbours were not given to tossing their litter over the wall into our garden, either. While this indicated that someone had indeed been in our garden, with only the remains of a cigarette and our lingering unease, the case didn't seem concrete enough, and my parents decided against alerting the police.<br />
<br />
After that, to our dismay, we were never allowed to camp out in my back garden again. We didn't find out any more about the incident, and the memory faded with time as my friends and I took separate, yet in some ways parallel, paths in life. Part of the reason why I believe we now struggle to recall it is because it didn't quite fit with our constructed ideas and experiences of the world, so we tucked it away, like an old, discordant item of clothing. Even now it has an unreal quality.<br />
<br />
However, occasionally, when I'm walking my dog in the woods just before the tide of day changes to dusk, I am reminded of that night, of how little I know about people and places that seem so familiar, and hasten my steps.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>For my other Halloween Storytime posts, click <a href="https://inkysquiggles.blogspot.com/search/label/halloween" target="_blank"><b>here</b></a>. </i><i>Had any spine-tingling experiences of your own? Let us know in the comments!<br /><br /></i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>If you liked this, please consider fuelling my next post by slinging a cup of coffee my way.</b></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>↓</b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://ko-fi.com/inky_squiggles" target="_blank"><img alt="Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com" border="0" height="36" src="https://cdn.ko-fi.com/cdn/kofi1.png?v=2" style="border: 0px; height: 36px;" /></a></div>sarahsometimeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11496705491341205673noreply@blogger.com0