I stepped on an ancient fish

[sovay]

I feel I should mention I aten't dead. I am not doing well, but I persist to complain about it. I recommend Beth Lincoln's The Swifts (2023), an eccentric family murder-mystery-cum-treasure-hunt which I would not describe per one of its blurbs as "a Knives Out feel by way of Lemony Snicket" so much as "Edward Gorey does the Westing Game," although what it is really about is sorting one's own identity from expectation and tradition in a way which is focused through names and does not feel like a trans metaphor when the narrative casually has queer and trans characters in it, my favorite obviously being the non-binary cousin who knitted their own jumper in the coloration of a poison dart frog. I have watched a couple of movies, written a strongly worded letter which I suspect no real person will ever read about the continued dysfunction of Watch TCM, am planning to watch tonight's installment of Noir Alley as it airs because otherwise I won't see it and I could just have a real TV if I wanted this hassle. The cats continue to be wonderful.

Comments

[gwynnega]

I hope you feel better soon. The official TCM Twitter account says (as of two days ago) that "there's been a massive technical error that meant new films were not added to Watch TCM over the weekend. Engineering is working on fixing this now and they'll be up shortly." I hope this proves to be the case!

[sovay]

I hope you feel better soon.

Thank you. I am working very hard on it.

I hope this proves to be the case!

I hope so! And thank you for the news: since the most recent implosion of Twitter, I can't read any of it since I don't have an account.

[edit] I checked again! As of this writing, Watch TCM appears to have been unfucked! I can watch Deep Valley! And a bunch of other things!

[gwynnega]

As of this writing, Watch TCM appears to have been unfucked!

Hooray! (I saw part of El Cochecito on TCM the other day, and I really want to see the whole thing.)

[minoanmiss]

Gorey does _The Westing Game_. Hmm.

[sovay]

Hmm.

The Swifts is not as twisty as a full Ellen Raskin, but it is a fairly clued family puzzle full of people with unusual names and I feel like I wouldn't have been surprised if a tattooed potato had made an appearance (it does not).

[theseatheseatheopensea]

I hope you feel better soon! Meanwhile, you should complain as much as needed--sometimes, that's all we can do! (And I'm glad you have movies and cats!)

[sovay]

I hope you feel better soon! Meanwhile, you should complain as much as needed--sometimes, that's all we can do!

Thank you! It's true. Without kvetching, how would we survive?

(And I'm glad you have movies and cats!)

(They are also critical.)

[thistleingrey]

Glad of your cats.

[sovay]

Glad of your cats.

They are the best.

[kore]

Oh the darlings.

[thistleingrey]

Aww, that's an excellent photo.

[asakiyume]

Beautiful portrait!

[yhlee]

*support support*

[sovay]

*support support*

*hugs*

[radiantfracture]

I have put a hold on The Swifts. I love your refinements on its genre placement.

I was obsessed with The Westing Game. Maybe my first pattern novel.

I thought Ellen Raskin had also written a comic young adult künstlerroman, but that must have been someone else.

(Rabbit hole result: Daisy Summerfield's Style by M.B. Goffstein. I don't know why I put those together.)

Hugs.

[sovay]

I have put a hold on The Swifts. I love your refinements on its genre placement.

Thank you! I hope you enjoy it equally. I was pleased and surprised.

I was obsessed with The Westing Game. Maybe my first pattern novel.

It's a good one. I can remember where I was in my fifth grade classroom reading the denouement. I keep meaning to re-read The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel) which for some reason I had discovered a few years earlier; I associate it strongly with a third grade bookcase.

(Rabbit hole result: Daisy Summerfield's Style by M.B. Goffstein. I don't know why I put those together.)

Not having read the Goffstein, I can't comment, but do you recommend it in its own right?

[mrissa]

This is news I can use. I mean about The Swifts but also about you aten't being dead, I can always use that news.

[sovay]

I mean about The Swifts but also about you aten't being dead, I can always use that news.

Thank you.

[aurumcalendula]

*hugs*

That book sounds neat! (My memory of The Westing Game is hazy at the moment, but I remember really enjoying it)

[sovay]

That book sounds neat! (My memory of The Westing Game is hazy at the moment, but I remember really enjoying it)

I loved all of Ellen Raskin's books. I'm not sure if The Swifts really can have been influenced by any of them, but it reminded me and I hadn't expected it to.

*hugs*

[kore]

Yay not being dead! As my dad used to say, it beats the alternative.

That book sounds neat, but oh wow the note about deliberately Americanizing the US edition right up front was kind of disappointing. Do you have the UK edition? (Bad flashbacks to buying editions from Amazon.co.uk of the Bryant and May series....)

[sovay]

Yay not being dead! As my dad used to say, it beats the alternative.

My father says that also.

That book sounds neat, but oh wow the note about deliberately Americanizing the US edition right up front was kind of disappointing. Do you have the UK edition?

No, I have the American, which is why I linked to the British. I would prefer there to be no difference between the two, but at least if I am going to have an altered edition, I appreciate being warned up front as opposed to made to find out for myself. (Harry Potter: can of worms: still never going to forgive "sorcerer's stone.")

[kore]

at least if I am going to have an altered edition, I appreciate being warned up front

Seriously, that is better than finding out later and feeling duped!

[asakiyume]

A sweater in poison-dart-frog patterns is a strong selling point!

[sovay]

A sweater in poison-dart-frog patterns is a strong selling point!

Right? Who wouldn't want one?

[swan_tower]

an eccentric family murder-mystery-cum-treasure-hunt which I would not describe per one of its blurbs as "a Knives Out feel by way of Lemony Snicket" so much as "Edward Gorey does the Westing Game,"

SOLD.

[sovay]

SOLD.

Enjoy!