Subplots & Storylines – January 2020

It’s 2020 and high time for a new S&S banner, right? Ta-da! 🙂 Hard to believe the first month of the year is DONE, but here we are. It was a mostly good one in my corner of the world, minus a few tired days and some sickness passing through the house. I read great books, got back to working on WIP, met up with several friends, and revived my bookstagram (which had been languishing for months).

One of the loveliest things about January, though? The days are getting longer. Right around the winter solstice, daylight hours are SO short here, from about 8am to 4pm. But now the sun starts climbing closer to 7:30 and doesn’t set till after 5… which means my daily work commute is no longer in the dark. SO HAPPY.

First up in this month’s Subplots & Storylines: silver screen reviews on a web-slinger, a raider of tombs, and motley shows!

Screen Storylines

Spider-Man: Far From Home

Can you believe that I missed seeing this one in theaters?! A Spider-Man movie! And I waited half a year to see it! Oh well, at least I finally did.

This was suuuch a good one. Classic Marvel: lots of action, some feels, a generous dose of humor—and also teenaged angst, because it’s Peter Parker we’re talking about. It was the perfect movie to get a post-End Game storyline, too.

Besides Peter’s adorkableness, the international setting, and MJ’s awesomeness, I LOVED that one trippy scene instigated by the villain. If you’ve seen it, I hope you know exactly which one I’m talking about. 😉

Tomb Raider

I’m generally “meh” about video games adapted into movies, but this was probably the best one I’ve seen yet! It definitely delivered on all the thrilling, gritty action I expected, without sacrificing characterization. And the ending landed on a plausible answer to a mystery that could’ve veered into either a) a boring letdown or b) an unbelievable cop-out, a la Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skulls.

Thankfully, I was happy with the way it turned out. It would’ve been nice to get more of Lu Ren as a sidekick, but obviously Lara Croft had to take center stage.

Stranger Things Season 3

I FINISHED ST. Those final two episodes were heartbreakers, and now I’m miserably awaiting season 4 along with everyone else.

Just yesterday, I posted some Stranger Things appreciation on Instagram!

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“Friends don’t lie.” . Meet my latest obsession: Stranger Things. I was rather late to the party because I don’t have Netflix, but when I finally started watching Season 1 with some friends last October, it sucked me in! The 80s setting, fantastic characters, tight plot, heartbreak… it’s golden. Now I’m all caught up and miserably waiting for Season 4 like everyone else. 😭 . The writer in me wanted to take notes on all the character development and suspense techniques! I mean, to go from hating Steve’s guts to him being one of my favorites? 🍦 That’s pretty great. I just LOVE how all the characters interact. Their distinct personalities fairly crackle with life. . And the suspense! 🤯 My friends and I would watch a few episodes at a time, then wait a week or two to continue. (Torture!) . The end of Season 3 made me cry. Just had to throw that in somewhere. . Anyway, you can imagine I was thrilled to get the first season on DVD for Christmas! Swipe to see inside the case—it looks like an old VHS and it’s the coolest thing. It came with a Demagorgon poster, too. I’m planning to rope my sisters into watching with me soon… . Have you seen Stranger Things? Are you a fan? (Let’s keep things spoiler-free, but feel free to fangirl!!!) . {featuring my attempt at drawing Eleven} . . . #strangerthings #elevenstrangerthings #eggosforeleven #hawkinsindiana #steveharrington #scoopstroop #milliebobbybrown #strangerthingsfanart #plottwist #flatlaystyle #artistsoninstagram

A post shared by Tracey Dyck (@traceydyckauthor) on Jan 31, 2020 at 5:58pm PST

Once Upon a Time Season 4 & 7 // The Flash Season 4 // EXO: Climb the Ladder Season 2

Rewatching Once Upon a Time season 4 (two episodes): My siblings and I are finally getting to some good stuff in the second half of the season!

Slogging through Once Upon a Time season 7 (three episodes): Can this be over soon, LOL? There’s a pretty decent murder storyline here near the end of the season, but it was wrapped up really quickly.

Got past the cross-over episodes in The Flash season 4 (two episodes): Now that I’m back to the main Flash storyline, stuff is getting intense with the villain. Yay!

Still frolicking through EXO: Climb the Ladder season 2 (eight episodes): Ha, this K-pop reality show is such an outlier compared to everything else I talk about around here. But my sisters and I are having fun with it!

Page Subplots

The Light Between Worlds // Laura E. Weymouth // 4 Stars

I’m not even sure where to begin on this book. On one hand, it was lovely—beautifully written and hauntingly evocative of another time and place. On the other, I found it very, very melancholy right up until the final chapter. There didn’t seem to be much light between worlds, as the title would suggest.

WHAT I LOVED

• Such a strong setting, particularly in our world! I liked the Woodlands too, but it’s been compared to Narnia, and I preferred to think of the Woodlands as its own thing… because nothing compares to Narnia.
• Incredibly strong sibling bonds. I am here for all the siblings in fiction!
• How the book dealt with the aftermath of a story like The Chronicles of Narnia. We actually get to see the children come back and navigate loss and a sense of displacement.
• The poetry appreciation (by Evelyn) and art appreciation (by Philippa)! It makes SENSE that you would be drawn to the otherworldly beauty found in art when you’ve lost the magic of living in another world.
• Cervus the stag—he was no Aslan (I’m sorry, I couldn’t help but compare sometimes), but he was pretty cool.
• TOM. AND JACK. These two precious people were the saving graces, the lighthouses in a dark story. Tom lost a smidgen of his shine later on because “Reasons,” but generally he was such a happy, adorkable chap who shared his caramels and could eat four sandwhiches in one go on the train. And Jack, an amputee from the war, was so humble and gentle and understanding with Philippa.
• Speaking of Philippa, I haven’t really said how I felt about the sisters yet. I related to Evelyn’s longing for another world and introverted self, but ended up relating to Philippa more, who numbed her pain with busyness and a facade of perfection. Some lines about Phil hit me hard, in an eye-opening way.

WHAT I DIDN’T LOVE

• This is perhaps no fault of the BOOK, but I struggled with the pervading sense of heaviness. I’ve never personally dealt with some of the things present in the story, like depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts, but they were nevertheless challenging to experience alongside the characters. It was heartbreaking to watch Evelyn and Philippa destroy themselves in their own different ways.

CONCLUSION
I’m not sure how I feel about this book! Like I said, it was beautifully written and I love how it dealt with the aftermath of a chosen one/portal fantasy trope (so much!!!), but the journey was deeply sad and even the ending was bittersweet. (That final line, though. LOVED IT.) I had been hoping for… well, a little bit more hope amidst the darkness.

The Forgetting // Sharon Cameron // 5 Stars

This one’s been on my shelf for THREE YEARS and I finally, finally read it. And loved it! Which was no surprise, because I adored Sharon Cameron’s The Dark Unwinding duology years ago, too.

The Forgetting is one of the more unique dystopians I’ve read. Seriously underrated. In the walled city of Canaan, where people lose their memories every twelve years, everyone records their lives in their books—because “I am nothing without my memories.” Except on the cusp of another Forgetting, it’s all too easy to change what’s recorded or commit heinous acts that soon, no one will remember, not even you.

WHAT I LOVED

• I LOVE stories about memory loss, and what makes this one even cooler is that Nadia, our heroine, is the only one who remembers everything. Her friends and even her family forgot her twelve years ago, but she hasn’t forgotten them.
• And Nadia is such a great character. She carries so much pain, to the point of hardly ever speaking, but she’s incredibly strong, logical, and brave without losing her relatable sense of uncertainty.
• Gray the glassblower’s son!!! Charismatic and daring and way smarter than anyone gives him credit for, he and Nadia formed such a great team.
• I ended up loving several characters, actually. Especially spunky little Genivee and grandmotherly Rose. And Anson too, even though he’s… complicated.
• So many twists! I can’t even hint at a lot of them because it’s best to go in blind… but be prepared for some unexpected turns! I did actually predict a couple, but others kept me guessing and flipping pages.
• I hate the antagonist, by the way. That’s listed as a good thing, because she should be hated.
• The Archives was a cool place. Of course I’m going to love the library, guys, what did you expect?
• I also loved all the trades. Dyers, planters, metalworkers, glassblowers (especially the glassblowers)… I’m glad that people’s roles functioned as part of the background worldbuilding and didn’t take the focus like some other dystopians have done.

WHAT I DIDN’T LOVE

• Eh, not much to say here. There were a couple of your typical YA kissing scenes, but they weren’t too detailed.

CONCLUSION
It may not have been the most fast-paced book, but I was so invested that I didn’t mind the slower parts. Nadia and Gray’s relationship, the unraveling of mysteries, and the ticking clock leading up to the Forgetting made this a fantastic addition to the dystopian genre. <3

Mark of the Raven // Morgan L. Busse // 5 Stars

I’ve heard many good things about Mark of the Raven from my friends, so I’m happy to report that I really, really enjoyed it too! It started out a little slow, but definitely picked up in pace and intrigue, and now I can’t wait to read book 2!

WHAT I LOVED

• DAMIEN IS MY FAVORITE. He’s a gentle soul with a strong heart for his people and a good head on his shoulders. Plus, as Grand Lord of House Maris, he has water powers. One of my favorite Damien scenes was the one depicting his daily prayers on the clifftop. <3
• Selene is a dreamwalking assassin, which is such a cool concept! She hates her role and longs for another way to use her gift, but she’s stuck in the long, secretive history of Ravenwood’s women. I liked that she put up a cold, aloof front without being a cliche bad*** girl.
• Speaking of secrets, the concept of house secrets being bound was awesome.
• Selene’s father is one of those clever, underrated characters working behind the scenes, and I loved it. He had such an unusual role.
• It was easy to visualize everything. The Magyr Mountains are so beautiful and cold, especially in autumn.
• I’m a fan of houses used as a political structure in fantasy! So it was cool to see the seven houses with their various giftings come together for a council.
• Selene and Damien together—I ship them even though they’re not even in love yet! No spoilers, but I’m sooo curious what will happen to them after the way things ended. 😉

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

• I was expecting a bit more to take place in people’s dreams. I think there were maybe five or six dream scenes altogether?
• The Dominia Empire feels like a pretty distant threat at this point, since we only saw any on-screen movement once. But I suspect there’ll be more in the sequels!

CONCLUSION
I’m glad I read it! The story had a slightly different flavor than I expected, but nonetheless, it was a delicious slice of fantasy, romance, and intrigue underneath that beautiful cover. Like I said, now I need the second book! (Book three is releasing soon too, yay!)

Wrath of the Storm // Jennifer A. Nielsen // 3.5 Stars

While not the strongest book of the series, this one still had some great moments (especially around the middle).

WHAT I LIKED

• Crispus and Nic are bros now.
• Everything surrounding the trial! The rescue attempt, the political maneuvering in the arena, the lashings (owwww)…
• The epic showdown.
• Nic finally faced some things he’s been running from since the very beginning.
• Although maybe a bit cliché, I did like the thematic turn of forgiveness highlighted in the end.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

• Not enough Radolf, especially after all the development between him and Nic in the first two books.
• I still feel like the amulets can be a bit too convenient. It would’ve been nice to have some clearer parameters around the magic.
• Some things felt kind of repetitive… but maybe that’s because I was listening to the audiobook?

CONCLUSION
The Ascendance Trilogy definitely outranks this series for me, but this one was still fun—especially with all the Roman settings and mythology thrown in. I do think the second book’s chariot races might’ve been my favorite part!

Written Storylines

I did it! I picked up my long-suffering WIP, The Brightest Thread, again! I’ve been away from it so long that getting reacquainted felt like an awkward first date… except with homework (a.k.a. edit notes) to study first.

So yes, I reviewed my notes and plans and spreadsheet, then got back to work with some light edits on chapters 25-31. It was just the thing to get me primed for the harder work: heavily revising the final four chapters and the first two chapters. That’s going to be my job for February!

And that, my friend, was January. How was your beginning of 2020? Any stories to tell?