Sirius, Smugly: When I Was Your Age-

The Bird King by G. Willow Wilson is a historical fantasy set in the sultanate in Granada just before the city is taken over by the armies of Isabella and Ferdinand, as well as by the reaching hands of the Inquisition. Fatima is a teen concubine born at the Alhambra; when she discovers that she and her best friend, a magical mapmaker named Hassan, are in danger, she chooses to flee, with Inquisitor Lulu hot on her heels.

I loved the magic in this novel. Hassan's abilities, the eerie djinn, the demonic unleashed curses, the winding journeys, the stories of the Bird King, were all wonderfully surreal and well-crafted by Wilson. The world-building is rich on the historical side as well: the gaps between cultures of the visiting Castillians and the Muslims of Granada, the insidious manipulation and influence of the Inquisition as well as its real-life horrors, and the atmosphere of Europe at the time of the conquering of Spain, all feel accurate and complexly depicted.

Some choices felt strange—such as both protagonists being Caucasian or Circassian, often considered white ethnic groups, in a story so inspired by Islamic folklore and belief. Some parts of the story dragged as well. But the horror provoked by the Inquisition, the power of mythmaking and faith, and the bonds between the characters all made this a very compelling read.

Content warnings for Islamophobia, homophobia, torture, violence, sexual assault.

Rowing Boats on the Banks of the Oise at Auvers (1890) by Vincent van Gogh

is the world really such a terrible place? yesterday i asked if oat milk was extra and the barista said yes so i said ok just regular milk then and when she gave me my chai latte she whispered “i used oat milk ;)” doesnt that make u want to live another day?

touching grass is not enough i must psychically connect to a mushroom colony

You deserve a calm love with someone who gives you best friend energy, makes you laugh, and never stops flirting with you. someone who learns your love language just to treat you right and make you feel loved properly.

“How many years does it take to forget a minute?”

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