Guys, don't worry, I haven't betrayed you. I'm not saying it's time to have an intervention on your obsession with the fandoms. It's about the characters. And I'm not saying you're not allowed to obsess over the characters. I'm saying let's be honest with ourselves: Our favorite characters, no matter how completely awesome they are, do have some flaws.
(Spoilers for The Last Olympian and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. And I guess Mockingjay a little)
Let's start with something we can all agree on: Harry. We love Harry. But let's admit it: in the fifth book Harry is having some serious moody teenager problems. That kid has anger issues like nobody's business.
And the way that Katniss is treating Gale and Peeta in Mockingjay, as I have heard from myself and other readers, is not our favorite. Someone said she was starting to dislike Katniss. Now I love Katniss, and it has taken me a while to get to that point. But she doesn't always think before she acts.
They say Percy's flaw is his love for his friends and how he'll do anything to help them. Us, the readers, of course, know that that is absolutely stupid. We love the fact that Percy is willing to help his friends. We just keep saying to the book, "Come on! Don't you know anything? Love is not a fatal flaw! Just because it gets him in a lot of trouble doesn't mean it isn't the right thing to do!" But Percy also could learn to control his temper. He gets too angry too fast, before he can think, and it tends to get him into a LOT of trouble. (Teenage boy? Black hair? Green eyes? Has a prophecy about him? Anger issues? Will do anything for his friends? Dang, the similarities between Harry and Percy are endless!)
Then there are the flaws that are so dang arguable that they pretty much aren't even flaws at all. Like Snape was working for Voldemort and did so much to help him. But he was really on the good side and did it all to protect Harry and save the wizarding universe. And the fact that Katniss and Peeta have killed people. But they were thrust into the Hunger Games, it's not like they went on a murderous rampage. The Stoll brothers are thieves. But they're the sons of Hermes. There isn't much you can do about that one.
Then there are the ones you could debate about all day long. The Malfoys worked so hard for Voldemort and never even said that they regretted it or did anything about it after he died, and didn't go to Azkaban for it. But you can tell by the end of the story they were just doing what it took to survive. But plenty of people had survived by being on the good side. But they had gotten too close and it was too late to go back. See? You could debate about that all day. (Personally, I think the point was that they were only doing what was best for survival, and Draco especially was thrust into that life. That's my view on it.)
Then Cato? Cato's a horrible kid, training his whole life for the moment he could kill people left and right. But he was trained to be that way since he was a kid by his district, so it isn't really his fault. But he still chose to live that lifestyle. But what would have happened to him if he didn't? (And I think that Cato is relatively innocent too. You're supposed to pity him. It's not his fault that he was taught that the Hunger Games were the best things that could ever happen to him and that was what his whole life was throughout his entire childhood. It's supposed to show how the Capitol uses the citizens.)
And Silena Beauregard. (Excuse me if that isn't spelled right.) Silena was a traitor. How could she just give all her friends to Kronos like that? But Luke used her into thinking it was right. But she's the daughter of Aphrodite! She should be able to resist stuff like that! She should be using him to help them! But even daughters of Aphrodite fall sometimes, and once she was in there was no way out. (I know all the fans feel the same way about Silena. There's no need to say that she was a really great person.)
And then there's Luke. He did so much against the camp. He led a battle against them, used many of them, told them his way was right even when he himself thought he was wrong. But in the end he made himself a hero, and we all kind of respect Luke for that one. So that one's just confusing.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Personal Problems
You know how you tend to talk about your life, and like your problems or whatever? And then you think in your head "What am I doing my friend that I am talking to has problems too I should probably help them with their problems"? You know that? Well I realize we read books and there's the big conflict that involves everybody. And other conflicts that you know who they involve but then we just hear the speaker talking about everything they are worried about, and everything that makes them sad/happy/angry/frustrated/any other emotion you can think of. But then we don't really see all the other personal problems that happen in the other characters' lives. The authors probably don't even go into thought of their personal lives, especially since sometimes the plots and problems are so big that the characters spend so much of their time dealing with the big things we know about they don't have much time to worry about everything else. But what if they do have other problems? I mean, they're often a little different than us but they're still normal people. Like, everyone's a person. They could be worrying about totally normal things! Like, what if Peeta is stressing out one day because he has a test in school the next day? And his mom is so mean and she hit him really hard once what if at school he worries about having to go home and if his mom will do something bad again? And yeah he has to work but luckily I don't think they have homework in Panem so his schedule doesn't really conflict but yeah what if he worries about work? And he had friends at school! And you know he had friends to worry about too!!! Ahh! He had problems! And then Annabeth her little demigod mind is going like 109,823,790,816,358,972,398,457 miles per hour all the time! And I realized when she goes to her mortal school she had to worry about monsters attacking her what if she keeps her knife on her for protection and she has to worry about getting caught? And did she have mortal friends how did her social life go down? Did any boys like her there was she just not saying anything to Percy because she was embarrassed and she liked him and she didn't want him to know? And seriously the Weasleys though! I'm not sure if they have taxes in the wizarding world or bills and stuff because when you build your house and have running water you can do it all by magic and they don't have electricity because they have magic. But if they do have to pay taxes then oh my gosh how the heck are they going to get by they have a whole family to raise not to mention the Order and Harry and Hermione! I mean the Weasleys have to seriously worry about money. Sorry. That's all.
Monday, January 6, 2014
Movies :p
So I didn't tell you guys this, but on Friday I saw Catching Fire with some friends. And.....
OH. MY. GOSH. THE FEELS.
Half the time I wanted to sob my eyes out (I didn't, because the only movie I cry in is Les Mis and aaaalmost the last Harry Potter movie) and I was hugging myself and whispering to myself "Kill it, Peeta, kill it" and then at the end I was just glaring at the screen. SO. MANY. FEELS.
And I was being horrendous and distraught afterward, but my parents were going on a date and I think to make me feel better and distracted from the troubling universe of a Hunger Games fangirl my mom said she would rent Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters for me to watch while they were gone.
That helped. :)
It was more like the book than the first movie was. They're getting more accurate every time. Maybe by The Last Olympian we'll have a super good movie. The worst part was Clarisse. Not only did she not look like Clarisse except for the hair, but her character really didn't seem that much like the way she is in the book. She was still mean to Percy, but it was different. And okay, the fact that they're already sixteen is crazy. Don't they know anything about demigods? Getting to sixteen is hard enough. You're just psychotic if you think they'll be able to survive to twenty. That's seriously just weird. But I mean, I still loved it 'cause it was part of my fandom and it was still one of my stories and it was good :)
OH. MY. GOSH. THE FEELS.
Half the time I wanted to sob my eyes out (I didn't, because the only movie I cry in is Les Mis and aaaalmost the last Harry Potter movie) and I was hugging myself and whispering to myself "Kill it, Peeta, kill it" and then at the end I was just glaring at the screen. SO. MANY. FEELS.
And I was being horrendous and distraught afterward, but my parents were going on a date and I think to make me feel better and distracted from the troubling universe of a Hunger Games fangirl my mom said she would rent Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters for me to watch while they were gone.
That helped. :)
It was more like the book than the first movie was. They're getting more accurate every time. Maybe by The Last Olympian we'll have a super good movie. The worst part was Clarisse. Not only did she not look like Clarisse except for the hair, but her character really didn't seem that much like the way she is in the book. She was still mean to Percy, but it was different. And okay, the fact that they're already sixteen is crazy. Don't they know anything about demigods? Getting to sixteen is hard enough. You're just psychotic if you think they'll be able to survive to twenty. That's seriously just weird. But I mean, I still loved it 'cause it was part of my fandom and it was still one of my stories and it was good :)
Friday, January 3, 2014
Sweetest Fandom Moments
Daaaaaaang, do the fandoms give us feels. Even more than regular books, which can tend to also give us feels. But here are the sweetest fandom moments that just make me want to vomit. (You know, in a good way.) (Slight spoilers for Harry Potter, Hunger Games and The Sea of Monsters.)
When Neville stands up for himself. Throughout the first book everyone's constantly telling Neville that he shouldn't let everyone step on him. And eventually, Neville does. Throughout the books Neville gets a little braver, and it starts with him telling Malfoy that he's worth ten of him and ends with him killing a Horcrux. Dang, Neville. You're awesome. But I seriously a few seconds ago realized something. I think that's why Neville became a Gryffindor. In the beginning Neville was really timid, but the Sorting Hat saw the potential Neville had to be brave and saw that it was something he had in him, it just needed to come out. Neville, you're the true definition of a Gryffindor.
When Peeta gives Katniss the lamb stew. Okay, so basically everything it Katniss and Peeta's relationship. 'Cause there's the first book where he's all shy at first but then they're in love then he's all sad because she doesn't love him, then in Catching Fire he tells her they should try just being friends, and now I'm going to talk about Mockingjay. Because guys, he's a mutt. And yet he does all these things for Katniss, because he's Peeta. And somehow he still loves her even though he thinks she's horrible and the worst thing that ever happened to the world and that she's a mutt. But for example, this lamb stew part. They've broken into a house in the Capitol and there's some canned food, so they're going to eat. Katniss is about to eat some cod chowder. But Peeta gives her a can. What does it say? Lamb stew. Ahh! He remembers! He remembers, everybody! The real Peeta is overcoming the mutt Peeta! Ahh! The fangirls are going crazy! Well, at least I am. Guys, seriously. Reread Mockingjay. That is the true definition of love right there.
When Percy tells Tyson, "You're my brother. No doubt about it." They've just been on this crazy adventure together, and at first Percy was ashamed and couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that this kid was a powerful Cyclops. And now Percy's finally admitted that Tyson is his brother. Tyson is about to go to the Forges of the Cyclopes, and when they're saying goodbye, Tyson says to Percy, "Brothers help each other." What does Percy say back? Well, I kind of already said, but I'll say it again. "You're my brother. No doubt about it." And I just want to die of feels.
When Neville stands up for himself. Throughout the first book everyone's constantly telling Neville that he shouldn't let everyone step on him. And eventually, Neville does. Throughout the books Neville gets a little braver, and it starts with him telling Malfoy that he's worth ten of him and ends with him killing a Horcrux. Dang, Neville. You're awesome. But I seriously a few seconds ago realized something. I think that's why Neville became a Gryffindor. In the beginning Neville was really timid, but the Sorting Hat saw the potential Neville had to be brave and saw that it was something he had in him, it just needed to come out. Neville, you're the true definition of a Gryffindor.
When Peeta gives Katniss the lamb stew. Okay, so basically everything it Katniss and Peeta's relationship. 'Cause there's the first book where he's all shy at first but then they're in love then he's all sad because she doesn't love him, then in Catching Fire he tells her they should try just being friends, and now I'm going to talk about Mockingjay. Because guys, he's a mutt. And yet he does all these things for Katniss, because he's Peeta. And somehow he still loves her even though he thinks she's horrible and the worst thing that ever happened to the world and that she's a mutt. But for example, this lamb stew part. They've broken into a house in the Capitol and there's some canned food, so they're going to eat. Katniss is about to eat some cod chowder. But Peeta gives her a can. What does it say? Lamb stew. Ahh! He remembers! He remembers, everybody! The real Peeta is overcoming the mutt Peeta! Ahh! The fangirls are going crazy! Well, at least I am. Guys, seriously. Reread Mockingjay. That is the true definition of love right there.
When Percy tells Tyson, "You're my brother. No doubt about it." They've just been on this crazy adventure together, and at first Percy was ashamed and couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that this kid was a powerful Cyclops. And now Percy's finally admitted that Tyson is his brother. Tyson is about to go to the Forges of the Cyclopes, and when they're saying goodbye, Tyson says to Percy, "Brothers help each other." What does Percy say back? Well, I kind of already said, but I'll say it again. "You're my brother. No doubt about it." And I just want to die of feels.
Mysteries of the Fandoms
There are probably countless mysteries of the fandoms, but these are two I noticed/remembered. These are things we will be wondering for years. We probably will never find out. And that, my friends, is really depressing. But here they are. Don't read on if you haven't read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows or Mockingjay.
What did Aunt Petunia want to say to Harry? Guys, on page forty-two of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, it says, "She stopped and looked back. For a moment Harry had the strangest feeling that she wanted to say something to him: She gave him an odd, tremulous look and seemed to teeter on the edge of speech, but then, with a little jerk of her head, she bustled out of the room after her husband and son." And that's the end of the chapter. That's the last time we see Aunt Petunia ever, in fact. And we could just follow all our characters for the rest of their lives, but writers know that you write enough to get the story told and that's it, and once the story is told, it's told, and the story is done. So sadly, we don't know if Harry ever saw Aunt Petunia again. And obviously mysteries like that that are not shown to us are endless and we could wonder about them day and night, but that's not the point right now. What did Aunt Petunia want to say to Harry? Could it be along the lines of the deleted scene from the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One movie? I don't think so, because Petunia really didn't miss her sister, I don't think. I don't know. It's complicated. Read "Vernon & Petunia Dursley" on Pottermore in "The Cupboard Under the Stairs" in the first book. It kind of shows how that doesn't really seem likely. I don't know what she wanted to say. Maybe she really did love him all this time? It could be. It could be anything. What did she want to say? Ugh.
What are the names of Finnick and Annie's and Peeta and Katniss's children? Dang, doesn't this one just kill you? All the fangirls of both Hunger Games and Harry Potter are sitting here saying, "J.K. Rowling gave us their children's names. Come on, Suzanne Collins. It was the least you could do." Some of us don't think she went into enough detail of how things happened at the end of Mockingjay at all. There's so much she didn't tell us. She just told us that Katniss and her fellow victors learn to live again and she and Peeta end up together and have a family. That's all? Of course, the fangirls will always want more, but we need to know their names. Finnick and Annie's was a boy, so I thought they might name it after Mags until I remembered they had a son. As for Katniss and Peeta, I thought maybe they would want to name their daughter after Prim. I've heard some people say that maybe they named their son after Katniss's father. Or maybe they all came up with original names. But that's the thing. We don't know. And we'll be wondering about it for the rest of our lives.
Thanks, though, Rick Riordan. You're still giving us more. Heck, you're writing a whole other series for us with one book still to come. Thanks, Rick. We owe you one.
Do you have any leads on these mysteries? Any personal theories? Any other mysteries that drive you crazy? Comment! I would love to know!
What did Aunt Petunia want to say to Harry? Guys, on page forty-two of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, it says, "She stopped and looked back. For a moment Harry had the strangest feeling that she wanted to say something to him: She gave him an odd, tremulous look and seemed to teeter on the edge of speech, but then, with a little jerk of her head, she bustled out of the room after her husband and son." And that's the end of the chapter. That's the last time we see Aunt Petunia ever, in fact. And we could just follow all our characters for the rest of their lives, but writers know that you write enough to get the story told and that's it, and once the story is told, it's told, and the story is done. So sadly, we don't know if Harry ever saw Aunt Petunia again. And obviously mysteries like that that are not shown to us are endless and we could wonder about them day and night, but that's not the point right now. What did Aunt Petunia want to say to Harry? Could it be along the lines of the deleted scene from the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One movie? I don't think so, because Petunia really didn't miss her sister, I don't think. I don't know. It's complicated. Read "Vernon & Petunia Dursley" on Pottermore in "The Cupboard Under the Stairs" in the first book. It kind of shows how that doesn't really seem likely. I don't know what she wanted to say. Maybe she really did love him all this time? It could be. It could be anything. What did she want to say? Ugh.
What are the names of Finnick and Annie's and Peeta and Katniss's children? Dang, doesn't this one just kill you? All the fangirls of both Hunger Games and Harry Potter are sitting here saying, "J.K. Rowling gave us their children's names. Come on, Suzanne Collins. It was the least you could do." Some of us don't think she went into enough detail of how things happened at the end of Mockingjay at all. There's so much she didn't tell us. She just told us that Katniss and her fellow victors learn to live again and she and Peeta end up together and have a family. That's all? Of course, the fangirls will always want more, but we need to know their names. Finnick and Annie's was a boy, so I thought they might name it after Mags until I remembered they had a son. As for Katniss and Peeta, I thought maybe they would want to name their daughter after Prim. I've heard some people say that maybe they named their son after Katniss's father. Or maybe they all came up with original names. But that's the thing. We don't know. And we'll be wondering about it for the rest of our lives.
Thanks, though, Rick Riordan. You're still giving us more. Heck, you're writing a whole other series for us with one book still to come. Thanks, Rick. We owe you one.
Do you have any leads on these mysteries? Any personal theories? Any other mysteries that drive you crazy? Comment! I would love to know!
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Big News Big News Demigods!
Guys, I was just frolicking around on Facebook.... And guess what I saw posted by a dear page I like to call Percy Jackson? Well it was a picture of the cover of The Blood of Olympus (Well, you know what I mean.... I can't wait for them to release the cover!!!) and Percy Jackson's Greek Gods.... Well what was on that cover of Blood of Olympus? ONLY THE DAY IT COMES OUT 10/7/13 OH MY GOSH GUYS ARE YOU SO EXCITED?!?! My friends want me to read The Mark of Athena and The House of Hades really badly, but I told them give me ten months. I have to wait for all the books to come out before I read the whole series.
So if you're wondering why I read the first two but not the other two... well, I wanted to read the Heroes of Olympus series, right? So I read The Lost Hero. Then I read The Son of Neptune. So that was all really great, right? Then I get to the end of the book and it says that Mark of Athena was coming out fall 2012. What? They weren't all out yet? Yeah, I stressed out about that for a few days. I didn't know what I was going to do. You see, I have a booklist; I've written out a list of books that I want to read. I had gotten to Heroes of Olympus, but I hadn't really finished it so I couldn't mark it off. But I couldn't just keep going either and read the others one by one until I had read them all. I just can't. It keeps me sane. (My sister says it keeps me insane, but she's wrong.) Luckily, there were favorite books I wanted to reread and seri that had other books in them that I had gotten, like some Nancy Drew or A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron, or ones that I didn't know existed, like the last three books in the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter. So I decided to reread those while waiting for the rest of my precious series. That's why I was rereading Harry Potter, and I'm reading Nancy Drew right now. (Well that's on hold because of school, but whatever.)
But back to the point. Celebrate, demigods! The wait is... well, really, it's not almost over. But, I mean, reread Percy Jackson and eat some blue cake! It's still on its way!
So if you're wondering why I read the first two but not the other two... well, I wanted to read the Heroes of Olympus series, right? So I read The Lost Hero. Then I read The Son of Neptune. So that was all really great, right? Then I get to the end of the book and it says that Mark of Athena was coming out fall 2012. What? They weren't all out yet? Yeah, I stressed out about that for a few days. I didn't know what I was going to do. You see, I have a booklist; I've written out a list of books that I want to read. I had gotten to Heroes of Olympus, but I hadn't really finished it so I couldn't mark it off. But I couldn't just keep going either and read the others one by one until I had read them all. I just can't. It keeps me sane. (My sister says it keeps me insane, but she's wrong.) Luckily, there were favorite books I wanted to reread and seri that had other books in them that I had gotten, like some Nancy Drew or A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron, or ones that I didn't know existed, like the last three books in the Gallagher Girls series by Ally Carter. So I decided to reread those while waiting for the rest of my precious series. That's why I was rereading Harry Potter, and I'm reading Nancy Drew right now. (Well that's on hold because of school, but whatever.)
But back to the point. Celebrate, demigods! The wait is... well, really, it's not almost over. But, I mean, reread Percy Jackson and eat some blue cake! It's still on its way!
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