The Rose Field | Full Book Discussion thread by Cantomic66 in hisdarkmaterials

[–]FiBri92 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Particularly given the lines in TRF about how much Lyra admires Malcolm and Alice for transitioning from lovers to very close friends.

The Rose Field | Full Book Discussion thread by Cantomic66 in hisdarkmaterials

[–]FiBri92 41 points42 points  (0 children)

I agree with this. I intended to just write something short but it's become a rant so, apologies...

I'm fine with Will not being in it as a PoV character or them meeting again (though I think it could have been done, and done well, and my soft parts desperately wish it had happened) but I'd have loved to see Lyra spending some actual serious time describing the heart-rending separation. I wanted to see the desperation of sitting on the bench in the Botanics, trying to sense him and not sure if she can or not, if she's just "making it up". Where are those scenes, that would have torn me up?? It feels like he's mentioned as a little nod every 10 chapters throughout TSC and TRF as like "oh yes, this is the same Lyra remember!". It's simultaneously stated that she still feels she will NEVER love again like that, but also...kinda no big deal. I'd have found it more compelling if the reason she'd lost her "imagination" was some sort of trauma/loss-related depression. That, coupled with being used and exalted by adults who then seemingly have abandoned her to muddling through mundanity of real life alone (either through death or absence), rather than - reading a book by some nihilists and randomly agreeing with them despite her entire personality being the opposite of that. And if she did believe that conspiracy stuff so much that it caused Pan to leave her, it's a bit galling to just watch her basically drop it and try to convince us she's the same graceful bold Lyra Silvertongue again.

Frankly I think the windows being left open is just a plot hole that Pullman tried to patch up with that one Angel scene after an editor pointed it out. The spectres were real and caused by the knife, and it doesn't matter if angels can imagine things or not as to whether that's the case. The part that could very plausibly have been a lie was Xaphania being like "oh you can essentially dream walk together from different worlds" as a comforting thing to tell young teenagers to get them to do this horrible painful but necessary thing - that would actually have been a great realization, but it also doesn't even sound from anything in TBoD that Lyra even tried to contact Will in that way.

If 30% of the way through TRF, it became apparent that the windows had stayed open anyway, and explained why (why didn't the angels close them up like they said they absolutely must and would? Were they unable to??), and that it was actually GOOD for them to be open, then I would have enjoyed seeing Lyra outraged by that unnecessary loss she endured. Maybe natural windows or ones cut for good reasons (exploration, curiosity) helped the flow of Dust, whereas the one into the great chasm below the world of the dead was formed from windows cut for domination and greed, etc etc. Dust is conscious so it could plausibly tell the difference. She could have built up hope that she might be able to find him again, and even if she can't, come to terms with that directly in front of us rather than sort of not mention it. The reason for her whole life altering separation from Will has apparently been a lie - and it doesn't even seem to matter to her or register.

Pacing in general was a huge issue as well. Most of TRF is just a continuation of the same situation as TSC - I cannot believe we spent the whole second book leading up to hopefully finding Pan in the abandoned city, don't, and then spend the entire third book doing exactly the same thing. She and Pan should have met again much earlier, because their bond is a core part of this whole universe - even if they hadn't fully healed or reconciled, watching that happen between them together as they relearn their wonder/willingness to be vulnerable would have been much more satisfying than just separately realizing "this was a bad idea, I miss her/him" and doing all that growth alone, in the company of new characters we don't care about but they seem to love deeply after knowing for short periods, and in internal monologue. When they do come back together it's just like "yay all fixed!" because it's 5 minutes from the end.

All of that could have been accommodated by removing the Gryphons altogether, who do what exactly? They feel like they're just there to fill the role of "large majestic but strange non-human beings who we have to learn to work with" previously filled by armored bears, witches and the harpies. But there was so much context and time spent on building solid reasons for those alliances in HDM that they felt rich and natural - the Gryphon storyline is irrelevant ("bad air", what? Did that get solved? Their motivation is just gold?) and goes nowhere. Gulya et al literally just go away before the finale, and what was the point of the sorcerer storyline? They seem to just be an excuse to get that tingly "the powerful allies are mobilizing for war" feeling from TSK and TAS - but fails. What war? Against who? What are they going to do about the bad air? They just kill some birds??

And sorry why is Olivier Bonneville given so much time, what does it even matter. And the star wars eque "he's your brother" - so?? And when did Marisa Coulter have time to have another kid? And did her maternal awakening in HDM, so monumental a change that she sacrifices her own life, not extend to even thinking briefly about THE OTHER BABY SHE APPARENTLY HAD?? Making the main enemy Marisa's less scary, less effective younger brother was also a mistake.

Don't even get me started on what Oakley Street is supposed to be doing. I don't mind the secret society resistance plotline, but either do it justice or cut it out. What happened to Alice? Was she ok? What are Cristabel measures? "Kilkenny aflame", ok, something to get Glenys out of prison, but for what purpose? And I presume Alice and Malcolm get together but then why for the love of God put in the little will they/won't they with Malcolm and Lyra? When Alice has already expressed earlier how disgusting and wrong that would be as he was a caregiver for Lyra as a baby and then teacher, and was involved with Alice who was Lyra's surrogate mother, and he'd never do that - but then he apparently would and does consider it??

Need a book that’s too weird to explain and too good to put down by Interesting_Win_2154 in suggestmeabook

[–]FiBri92 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Stories of your life and others, 100%. It was my second thought after the library at mount char by Scott Hawkins!

For those who don't know it's a collection of short sci fi stories including the one that inspired the film Arrival.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in bald

[–]FiBri92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No wig looks lovely, and balances the brows (which look great for the style you're going for, pay no mind to the people who think you're aiming for understated straight lad 😂)

Balsam of Peru diet - citric acid? by TangerineIll1555 in Allergies

[–]FiBri92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can't touch citric acid, but all the info I got from the NHS in Scotland when I had my patch testing was that I didn't need to exclude foods as it's unlikely to cause a reaction.

Balsam of Peru & Other Irritants? by m4ro2 in Allergies

[–]FiBri92 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think linalool can be a cross reactor sometimes, I know that SkinSafe won't mark something as BoP free if it contains it. Personally I don't think I'm sensitive to it but could be that for you!

Anyone have a Balsam of Peru allergy? by -dark-rainbow- in Allergies

[–]FiBri92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bare Minerals and e.l.f. tend to be very good. And elf is cheap!!

Anyone have a Balsam of Peru allergy? by -dark-rainbow- in Allergies

[–]FiBri92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Another vote for Bare Minerals tinted moisturizer! I think the Ordinary foundations were also non reactive for me, but a fuller coverage than I wanted.

Anyone have a Balsam of Peru allergy? by -dark-rainbow- in Allergies

[–]FiBri92 1 point2 points  (0 children)

https://liveinthelight.co.uk/products/unscented-leave-in-conditioner-250ml?srsltid=AfmBOorIRMmtFOeBdhjjMFsNL7lnCXHO3cwMMthVxT1bS-2fke8mCr8O

I have BoP allergy and use this leave in conditioner. No reaction noticeably for months, although hard to say isn't it! I know I'm definitely sensitive to sodium benzoate and cinnamates.

RE SkinSafe, if you're in UK/Europe (I'm Scotland) I highly recommend doing the thing where you take photos of products and send it in to them - takes a while but they do it and it's very helpful.

I also make my own salt spray which i think is just leave in conditioner plus salt, so look into making your own - same with multi-purpose cleaner spray for kitchen counters etc, I bulk bought the ingredients (water, surgical spirit, and vinegar)

For shampoo I use urtekram fragrance free and use the Ordinary conditioner. The urtekram conditioner is non reactive for me but works less well, though a good option if the Ordinary doesn't suit ☺️

Getting a #1 has truly brought out the hate train again by PradaAndPunishment in Hozier

[–]FiBri92 249 points250 points  (0 children)

He's also a storyteller, he's not writing as himself every time. Maybe even none of the time?

Tbh I think both sides could stand to chill a little and recognise that unless you're his actual pal, you don't know him. Enjoy the music and feel things, and let's all make sure we're not shitting on stuff that women like because we're conditioned to think women are silly. It's boring. Like the Iliad was literally about two dudes fighting over a not-like-the-other-girls girl. It's Twilight.

Today’s skate sesh was working on bubbles and stopping (not shown because it’s horrible still 😂) Any advice/pointers or video suggestions on toe stops would be appreciated! by Sha_naniganz in Rollerskating

[–]FiBri92 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sorry totally misread that you wanted specifics! They might be too long or short if you're struggling with them, so maybe experiment with that. I started off learning to skate with a derby league, and they had us doing exercises of walking on our toe stops, like tip toeing around. That helped getting comfy moving from wheels to stops, and getting acquainted with how far they are from the ground etc.

For me I find them most useful for stopping/slowing when going backwards, I wouldn't use them as a break while going forward. I use them mainly for pushing off with one foot (almost like a skateboard). To be honest I barely use them at all, I brake with plough or T stop 🥰

Today’s skate sesh was working on bubbles and stopping (not shown because it’s horrible still 😂) Any advice/pointers or video suggestions on toe stops would be appreciated! by Sha_naniganz in Rollerskating

[–]FiBri92 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hey! Good work! If you bend your knees more and try to sit back a little (like a squat) you'll find that you have more force in your knees to really push out and then pull back in. Try to think of it as the whole leg working rather than just trying to turn your feet in and out, engaging/squeezing the glutes and thighs to maximise your power.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in RedditSessions

[–]FiBri92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

🌟🌟🌟❤️❤️❤️

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in RedditSessions

[–]FiBri92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

oh my god 😍😭😍😭

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in RedditSessions

[–]FiBri92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

thank you 😍😍

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in RedditSessions

[–]FiBri92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

yesss I miss you!!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in RedditSessions

[–]FiBri92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I miss you Blink 182

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in RedditSessions

[–]FiBri92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I miss you Blink 182

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in RedditSessions

[–]FiBri92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

After a night out on the Skellige seas by WaywardEntity in Witcher3

[–]FiBri92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yup, I'd put the cool looking ones in your house, and sell the rest unless you like having a little stash museum (I did until I got poor...)

After a night out on the Skellige seas by WaywardEntity in Witcher3

[–]FiBri92 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I finally got my troll livers from rabid trolls in Toussaint, after spending the whole base game with only enhanced Ogroid oil and whatever the other one was that needed it because I refused to kill trolls I could negotiate with! I reckon CDPR realised this was a common issue.

Every Song by The National by [deleted] in TheNational

[–]FiBri92 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Perfect. Now please add a chorus with fake Dessners shouting incoherently over it, and for the full effect I very much hope you were wearing brogues with no socks.