I don’t know about you, but I’m super excited for autumn. Although spring is my favorite season, autumn and winter are close seconds. I love pumpkin bread, cooler weather, Thanksgiving, and of course, Christmas. September usually begins this season, even if it is a bit of mixed weather. Do you love autumn? Or are you more a summer person?
What I Watched:
As always, you are welcome to scroll to reviews that you prefer and skip those you don’t.. I promise I won’t be offended. 😉
Rookie Historian Goo Hae-ryung
Rating: 5 of 5 Stars
“Even if you slash my throat, our brushes will not stop writing. If I die, another historian will take my place; if you kill that historian, another will take their place. Even if you kill every historian in this land, and take away all the paper and brushes, you won’t be able to stop us. From mouth to mouth, teacher to student, elder to child, history will be told. That is the power of truth.”-Goo Hae-ryung
I wasn’t sure what to make of this Korean Historical Drama when I began to watch it. Goo Hae-ryung seemed like a spoiled brat (but so did Prince Dowon), and their random encounters were both humorous and odd. However, as the series developed, the plot and characters got much, much better. Goo Hae-ryung and Prince Dowon aren’t the only two characters who have intriguing personalities and backgrounds.
From the outset, Prince Dowon’s older brother is an admirable ruler, while his father is a cruel dictator. Then, there is the behind-the-scenes plot of the Queen Dowager, the mysterious Mo-hwa, and intrigue with Goo Hae-ryung’s brother. This isn’t including the other historians, especially Min woo-won and Song Sa-hee, who each have their own stories to tell. All of their stories weave together in a fast-paced plot about hidden secrets, the role of historians, and fighting for the people even at risk to one’s own life. There was also a commentary on how Western influence was good for Korea, which isn’t something you will see now.
I especially liked the character of Prince Dowon, who went from carefree prince/romantic to wise and benevolent ruler. Goo Hae-ryung also learned how to control her emotions and use her words to convince others with wisdom. Their romance was like an enemies-to-lovers trope, and it was fun to see their bickering and back and forth banter. It reminded me of Beatrice and Benedict from Much Ado About Nothing. There were many “aww” moments when I got to see them fall in love and hear Dowon’s passionate pleas. However, there is one problem about their romance, which I will mention later.
There is also something else in this show that I have rarely seen elsewhere: the mention of faith being a good thing. Due to a plot point I don’t want to spoil (though the following has a bit of spoilers, so be warned), the Catholic Koreans are persecuted by the king. One of them is a fellow historian, and Min woo-won protects him from persecution, while questioning why he would have such a faith when it could get him killed. That historian answers that this faith shows him that all are equal in the sight of God, something he strongly believes in. Min, intrigued but unconvinced, is uncertain what to do. This historian then breaks a sacred rule of his profession in order to save his fellow Catholics. Again, Min questions why this historian did it. He can’t understand why someone would sacrifice their career for their faith. The historian says the he doesn’t know yet, but he wants to, and he wants to have the freedom to believe. His words convince Min to acquire a New Testament, a banned book.
Have any of you seen this on our television? I doubt it. Most of the time, the media portrays Christians as judgemental or hypocritical. But this Korean drama portrays them as willing to sacrifice all for their faith. And even though this is a minor plot point in a drama that has other moral issues, it was powerful, and a good example of how to portray faith in a non-preachy way.
There was also a powerful theme of telling the truth and recording the truth, even if it harms the rulers/upper class. A historian’s job is to protect that truth, and Min and Goo Hae-ryung take that seriously. Their passionate, unbending will, motivates the other historians to protect the record of history. Because of their unbending wills, they form large protests that go against the ruling class, even though they know they could lose their lives. Their dedication reminds me of peaceful protests that we have seen in American history.
This show was excellent, but it definitely had its issues. One of those was potty humor (there is a time when the king is defecating, a man is peeing), which was disgusting and unnecessary. Another is the positive portrayal of an emotional affair between two characters. Although nothing happened sexually, the affair was still a problem morally. Finally, there is the stubbornness of Goo Hae-ryung regarding marriage which results in a sleeping together arrangement at the end of the show. When one of the servants says they should just get married, another pipes in that this is how things are done now. These moral issues are problematic, and I wish it hadn’t been that way. As for story issues, the only one that wasn’t conversed about, but is “solved” is when Goo Hae-ryung rejects Prince Dowon for certain spoilery reasons, but never takes back her words. She and Dowon never have a conversation about it, despite getting back together. I would have liked both of them to talk about this to fully resolve their relationship, but I suppose there were lots of spoilery things going on, so I might forgive it a bit.
These issues don’t stop me from recommending the show to anyone who is willing to overlook them and enjoy the surprisingly deep themes throughout the series.
Food Wars
Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars
Honestly, this is probably one of the weirdest anime I’ve ever watched. From the premise, you would think it is about a diner cook (Soma) who goes to an elite school and learns to be a better cook. And for the most part, that is the correct summary of the show. However, the way it treats food evaluations as sexual and cooking itself as a battle is very unique. Although I could do without the sexual evaluations of food, their descriptions of flavors, combinations, and food is actually realistic. There were many unique flavors and food creations that I honestly wish I could eat for myself. I also learned a lot about food history that I didn’t know before. And the characters themselves were fairly fleshed out, and Megumi will remain my favorite of the cooks for simply being such a sweet cook who grows from being a coward to an elite cook. The cooking battles, played out in various ways through the series, was very unique and it was fun to see them battle it out with different flavors and foods. The last season, in my opinion, was very rushed. Most of the seasons feature one-on-one battles in each episode. Yet, the last season glossed over many of the one-on-one battles, instead summarizing them. It also seemed like there was a gap between Soma’s vow to defeat certain characters and them suddenly being defeated by him. It was very unsatisfactory.
As for deeper messages, I would normally say there isn’t because of the gratuitous fan service. However, I must admit that this show impacted me more than usual, especially with season 3 and 4. Because it involves spoilers, I’m giving a fair warning and then going into my analysis.
*SPOILERS AHEAD*
In seasons 3 and 4 (called the third and fourth plate), a new director takes over the school. This director institutes a new policy: there will no longer be great competitions for food. Instead, everyone will learn how to make the same exact elite food. That way, everyone will be equally great chefs and never have to suffer failure or be expelled. Although this sounds good to the majority of students at the elite cooking school, Soma and his friends see the fatal flaw: there is no more allowance for creativity.
I immediately saw parallels to communism. At first glance, communism seems ideal. All things are shared among people? People are all equal and never have to suffer from failure? But, as anyone who has read a classic dystopian novel knows, such ideals are not reality. Instead, an elite rules over the rest of society, and out-of-the-box ideas are oppressed.
This is exactly what happens to Soma and his schoolmates. They are then forced to fight back with their cooking skills. Eventually, their unique approach to cooking proves them victorious, and they reinstate the less equal, but more fair system of schooling as before.
I doubt the animators intended for this deeper message to be present, especially when you consider the humorous/sexual content throughout the show. Yet, it is there, and it makes season 3 and 4 my favorites.
Those seasons do not make-up for the illicit content and rushed season 5, which is why I gave this anime a 3.5 of 5 stars. I really liked this show, but I wished that it could have been fleshed out more and censored more heavily than it was.
Spice and Wolf (2008-2009)
Rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is actually the second time I’ve watched this series, and I must admit that I’m not sure I like it as much the second time as I did the first.
The first time I watched it, I learned so much about economics that my own history teacher didn’t teach me. Lawrence, the main character, teaches Holo (the wolf girl featured in the cover), so much about economics. He teaches her and the audience about how to make deals, what to do when deals fall through, the risks of getting greedy, how to crash a market, and the value of coins. His lessons were valuable to me.
The romance between Lawrence and Holo is fun to watch, too. A mixture between enemies to lovers, Beatrice and Benedict, their wordplay is on point. However, watching it as a now married woman, I was a bit aggravated by their constant unwillingness to speak honestly and openly about their feelings. There is only so many mind games you can play and flirtatiousness you can take before a establish-the-relationship talk must be had. Although the last episode gives a bit of that, most viewers will notice that Holo does not respond in kind. So, I ended up more frustrated than ever, and it was an unsatisfying ending to the series as whole (thus the 4 stars).
As for content, there is nudity that is filtered for American viewers, as Holo appears naked when she shifts from wolf form to human form. There is also a very anti-church message throughout the series.
I also finished watching Baka Test, but I had forgotten how terrible it was in terms of fan service, so I feel like it didn’t deserve a full review. I am currently watching Dr. Stone, Classroom of the Elite, and 100 Days My Prince.
What I Read
Yona of the Dawn Manga Review
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
Continuing where the anime left, I began on an epic journey into this manga, and found I couldn’t stop reading. There are many, many things I like about Yona of the Dawn, but I will try to boil it down.
Fantastic Worldbuilding
Mizuho does a wonderful job developing a fantastical world with realistic factions, interests, and personalities. I felt like each tribe came to life under her pen/drawings. She also does a great job exploring the different lands that surround Kohka (hope I’m spelling that right!), and how they react to the nearby kingdom. With so many different lands and cultures, it could be confusing to keep track of them all. Yet, somehow, I was able to follow the story with its multiple characters/rulers/lands. This is because she was great at giving them some sort of identity or problem that was unique to them (the water tribe struggled with drugs, for example). So I found it easy to keep track of, and she has a small character guide at the beginning with the main characters, and reminds people with titles and pictures throughout the text.
Excellent Character Development
Not only do the main characters (Yona and Hak) grow in love toward one another, but they also grow personally. Yona goes from a naive, spoiled princess, to a strong woman who doesn’t look down on the weak. Hak has always tried to do everything on his own, but as he grows to trust others, he finds support from others. Even my understanding of Su-won has deepened over the series, even though some things are mysterious (such as, who is he really? Is he the naive, playful child, or harsh, competent ruler?). The dragons don’t necessarily grow past their original arcs, but they each have endearing traits that make them worth fangirling over. And Yun? That boy “genius” captured my heart as the “mother” of the group.
Storybuilding
Every character has a story, and it’s not always what it seems. Sometimes, the backstory has me asking more questions than finding answers. Yet, as Volumes 33 and 34 finally reveal, some questions are finally answered, and others are still left open (as the manga is still unfinished). But the pay-off, the build-up, and everything keeps going until an epic climax that is well worth reading.
Romance
I have read many romance books, and sometimes I wonder why the characters like each other. Oftentimes, I wonder why the male love interest loves the female, as it usually comes to looks (she’s pretty!) instead of a real reason. This manga doesn’t fall into that same trap (though sometimes Hak has difficulties describing his one-sided love). Over time, it becomes apparent why Yona and Hak are a better fit than Yona and Su-Won. They strengthen one another, and they support one another. Just like a real couple should be.
Questionable Elements
Just barely there nudity (bath scenes are infrequently spread throughout the story, but with towels or steam barely covering people’s bodies-male and female alike).
Blood spray (this manga isn’t as bad as Castlevania, which literally had guts, but it certainly does have blood and dead bodies)
Innuendo/Sexual implications/One bed (so there are several instances where things are implied, but never said outright; sex is never shown in the manga (even between husband and wife); there is also the “issue” of Yona sharing a bed with the dragons, Yun, and Hak, because of the fact there is only two tents and six of them, but again, nothing beyond blushing/uncomfortableness is shown.)
Follow my heart mantra: Just like Disney, this mantra is not a good one to have, though so many like to repeat it (What if your heart says to go on a murder spree?). However, I don’t have a big problem with this, but I thought I would give a fair warning for parents.
Alcohol/Drug usage: One of the tribes struggles with a narcotic, and the manga spends time helping this tribe get rid of this drug and discussing its effects. Drug usage is portrayed in a negative light. Alcohol, on the other hand, is seen positively. The main characters often drink their sorrows, joys, and likewise, and get drunk (with happy drunk people in the background).
SPOILERS AHEAD:
Prince Yu-Hon, Su-Won’s father, is not a nice man. In fact, he is almost a borderline abusive husband (he pretty much insisted that Yon-Hi become his wife and doesn’t really consult her before going on murderous rampages). He does show tender moments (where he tells her how precious she is to him, that she is the only one he can trust, that he really cares about Ilk), but I can see why Ilk didn’t want him to be King. He was an act-first, ask questions kind of guy, and his paranoia pushes him to extreme actions (like murdering Yona’s mother). Yu-Hon, Yon-Hi, Ilk, and Kashi’s tragic tale is so revealing and has so many feels to it, but I don’t find Yu-Hon’s actions very excusable, just explainable.
Also, I’m so glad she finally answered why Su-Won didn’t marry Yona to secure the throne in the first place, and why Ilk wouldn’t have allowed it. First, Ilk knew Su-won was plotting against him from the time he was a child (scary!). Second, Su-won knew that he didn’t love or care enough about her to marry her. Third, he has the Crimson Dragon King illness. This illness makes it hard for him to have children (his mother took years to conceive) and cuts his life span in half. Fourth, I think he did care about Yona enough that he didn’t want to use her for his own ends. In the last volume, it was hinted that Yona may become Queen, but it is not certain.
I think the manga is on its last arc, but I am uncertain. Whatever it may be, I will be reading it to the very end!
Pryde Review
Rating: 5 of 5 stars
An intense, heart-pounding urban fantasy…
This is book was amazing! First, the characters were very well-developed. Lavanya, Kai, and Sadiq came to life on the page. I understood their motivations and personalities, and I really related to Lavanya, who was the “mother” kind of character. Kai, though she could be a brat at times, she grew on me. And Sadiq! I wanted to make him stop being evil and be good all at the same time.
The plot was fast-paced and interesting. At first, it seemed to all center around Kai wanting to become an official hunter. Then, Sadiq got more involved, and there were more twists and turns that I didn’t see coming! The plot itself resolves in this book, but there are hints for what is to come, so it isn’t a cliffhanger per say (though it made me preorder book 2!). Overall, I felt like it built in intensity until I couldn’t stop reading.
The world-building was like throwing you in a pool and expecting you to swim. I was never sure what city or place the story was in, but I think it was mostly at a mansion in the middle of a forest? There was a mall, a hotel, and a restaurant at one time, but they are all faceless buildings. The most interesting part of Chaffin’s world was the different beings: vampires, fae, shapeshifters, endowed ones. They all have unique powers and stones that enable them to use magic in a natural way that doesn’t involve chanting spells. There’s several guilds, and I think they rescue children from being trafficked by magical beings, but I’m not sure.
Even though the world was a bit underdeveloped, I didn’t mind because of the characters and plot. Both were so well-developed that it made up for the lack of setting and worldbuilding. Plus, since it is modern day, it was pretty easy to guess what the places looked like based on my own experiences.
Overall, I recommend it for people who like urban fantasy!
I have one small thing that I don’t like, but it is a spoiler, so fair warning.
SPOILERS AHEAD
I didn’t like the use of shadows as a good thing. It reminds me too much of agreeing to have demons possess you so that you can use their power. I will say that Terrence, Kai’s friend, carries my same misgivings. This makes me think there is something not too good about the shadows and that this may be something Kai has to overcome in the future. If that is the case, I may be more forgiving of this story element. But right now, it reminds me of demon possession, so those who are sensitive may want to steer clear. But, other than, I really liked the book.
What I Wrote
To be honest, I haven’t made that much progress from August in terms of words. However, I have done a few things worth noticing.
- My narrator, Grace Woods, and I finished producing the Etania’s Calling audiobook. As you’re reading this, it is in the process of being approved. I will let you know as soon as it is ready to buy!
- I finished writing Beginnings, a series of short stories about the tamers of my universe (wolf, wildcat, griffin, dragon, and unicorn). It will be released December 10, and if you would like to join the celebration for its release, join my team here: https://forms.gle/qBcor1XvZdo29U97A
- I have refined the battle scenes for Etania’s Destiny (thus the picture). Even though a few of my readers told me they enjoyed my battles, they were hard for me to write. That’s why, when it came to writing a war novel, I shuddered. But I forced myself forward and the last scene I read to my writer’s group was “my best one yet” they said. So I’ll keep working hard for you and bring Etania’s Destiny into your hands as soon as I can. I hope that it will really be the epic I hope for.
What I Learned
It’s hard to take criticism. Even well-meaning criticism.
This month, I’ve experienced criticism of various kinds. Whether it was criticizing my teaching, my writing, or how I behave, I feel like this month has been the month of criticism. Some of it was beneficial and meant to help, not harm me. Other bits of it left me swirling with confusion and hurt.
So, when I came to the end of this month, I honestly felt a little bit exhausted. Like I’ve been stretched, pushed, prodded, and overall, beat-down. Then, God lead me to this verse.
He reminded me that becoming a better person, a person that is more and more like him, often means being stretched beyond my limits. It often means listening to godly wisdom and taking criticism, even when it hurts. And it means pushing aside doubts and turning to God when I don’t feel like I’m enough.
Because the truth is, I’m never enough. Only God is perfect. Only He lived on this Earth without any sin. And only he can make me new day by day.
So, even though it was a hard month, I’m going to fully rely on God to get me through it. He will help me recognize areas of improvement and grow beyond my limits. He is a good God.