Author: shakespearian12

Review

Enchanted Kingdoms: We’re All Mad Here

By shakespearian12

Written by duo J.A. Armitage and J.A. Cullican, We’re All Mad Here is an Alice and Wonderland retelling that kicks off the Enchanted Kingdoms anthology, paying homage to this quirky classic with several twists.

Style

Together, Armitage and Cullican write in realistic narrative style that is similar to the narrative style to the book The Duff. The two aren’t afraid to throw some slang into the proses, and use witty ellipsis (for example: “…sorry dead lady’s house.”) The descriptions, however, relate to pop culture that anyone with knowledge of the classic and the live-action Disney version of the tale. The setting is well-developed but also left to the reader’s imagination. One setting description that stands out to me is “croquet garden;” it’s the most poetic description of them all.

The authors’ dialogue is interesting. It pays respect to the original characters of the classic and each is unique to the characters.

The authors pay attention to the thoughts of the narrator and the dialogue between the characters.

Characters

There are several characters in this book. The main character is Alice, who goes to help her mom clear an old house for antiques on her eighteenth birthday. The one rule is don’t disturb the mirror on the second floor. However, her mom causes the mirror on the second floor to fall on Alice, transporting Alice back 1852 England. She joins forces with Albus Rabbit, Kit, Kit’s grandmother, and the Mad Hatter to get back to her own time while she helps out in a political campaign against Mrs. Heart.

The Mad Hatter, ironically, is described as having Johnny Depp looks from his Edward Scissorhands era. He’s brightly complex and moody, and has something in common with Alice that forms a romantic bond between the two while external forces (the citizens of the town in 1852, and Mrs. Heart) try to keep them apart.

The mirror qualifies as a character or at least an entity that has powers that are meant to be hidden and not disturbed. But together, Hatter and Alice try to defeat Mrs. Heart.

Overall

If you’re looking for something witty and quirky and unexpected twists, please, read We’re All Mad Here and support the Enchanted Kingdoms anthology.

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Review

Enchanted Kingdoms – The Ruin of Snow

By shakespearian12

In this anthology of fairy tale retellings called Enchanted Kingdoms, there’s one of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. It’s called The Ruin of Snow by up-and-coming fantasy author Lacy Sheridan. It’s one of my favorite retellings and creates an empowering, complex female protagonist as opposed to the classic telling in which Snow White is a damsel in distress.

The Style

Sheridan writes descriptions intricately to the point you can envision the world she has created and the emotions coursing through the narrator’s veins. There is clever word choice and the proses are realistic to a human.

Characters

In The Ruin of Snow, Sheridan creates realistic characters that fit into their alignment and makes clever changes to make an appealing twist on this fairy tale. In addition, most characters are written complexly, but if they aren’t there alignment is justified.

The protagonist is a witch named Nevya who was raised to use magic to kill and hide her magic. She has two older sisters named Serafina and Tulia, who are full witches. As siblings, they were raised to compete against each other for their mother’s approval.

In this complex world, things go wrong in Neyva’s world after she kills her suitor. Nevya eventually finds out what she has to do in order to become a full witch and decides to flee her situation after one of her sisters tries to kill her.

In a hefty turn of events, Neyva stumbles upon seven people cursed into shapeshifters, a good twist instead of them being dwarves. In exchange for shelter and safety, she offers to break their curse.

Character wise, there’s an appeal to the LGBT+ audience with one of the characters named Kye, who is also one of the seven shapeshifters. Overall, this is exciting because not a lot of fairy tales rewrite history to allow the LGBT community into the lore.

Overall

For those who are looking for something different and uniquely-written, I suggest The Ruin of Snow to you.

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Poetry Writing

O Venus

By shakespearian12 
O Venus,
As the somber drums echo my heavy feet
During the plight of wilted roses
To which gray fog lingers against my skin,
I pray to you,
O Venus,
Let your red arrows strike
Softer than lightning;
Let the silky white doves fly
High in the blue heavens. 
O Venus, 
I wither away from gaiety;
Into moiety, I become. 
As petals crumble,
And the thunder rolls, 
O Venus, 
I know not what might come,
For the clouds defeat the sun,
The night eats the moon,
And the waters rise before noon. 
O Venus,
Take pity on me.
I may not all be the Helen of Troy,
But grant solace on me, a Hestia,
A quiet voice and not by choice,
O Venus. 

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Poetry Songs Writing

fool

By shakespearian12 on

So, maybe I’m a Queen of Hearts,

destroying love with heavy darts.

But who are you, o Fool that clings?

Everything you do, it just stings.

Or maybe you’re the King,

And I’m just a puppet on a string.

But I broke free,

you saw me fly.

You’re on one knee,

but don’t dare try.

I ain’t no fool

you can use like a tool.

There ain’t no rule

saying that this is cool

’cause I’m not a fool

for you

anymore.

Mask on in the parade.

No I won’t fall for the serenade.

I’ll just hide behind my fan,

and wait for you to understand

I ain’t no fool

you can use like a tool.

There ain’t no rule

saying that this is cool

’cause I’m not a fool

for you

anymore.

Such a fool.

Such a fool.

Such a fool

you are.

I ain’t no fool

you can use like a tool.

There ain’t no rule

saying that this is cool

’cause I’m not a fool

for you

anymore.

So, maybe I’m a Queen of Hearts.

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Poetry Songs Writing

Again

By shakespearian12

There’s a tide in your eyes, and several hundred reasons why

I should simply say goodbye as I look into the tide in your eyes.

But there’s in the tide in your eyes that I can never deny,

so I give it a try …

Again.

I’m falling

Again.

Catch me,

I’m falling.

Again.

There’s a song from your lips, romantic like a kiss.

I know ignorance is bliss, so I don’t let you miss

the song on my lips, calling for your kiss,

filling me with bliss.

Again.

I’m falling.

Again.

Catch me,

I’m falling.

Again.

I think I’m on cloud nine, ’cause this is so divine,

something so sublime, I can hear the bells chime.

There’s a tide in your eyes, and several hundred reasons why

I should simply say goodbye as I look into the tide in your eyes.

But there’s in the tide in your eyes that I can never deny,

so I give it a try …

Again.

I give it a try.

Again.

So, catch me,

I’m falling

Again.

I’m falling.

Again.

Again.

Again.

I think I’m in love with you again.

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Poetry Songs Writing

Shadow

By shakespearian12

Light fades through the room, drones out the sound, uncertainty looms to the past to which we’re bound.

I can’t feel your heart, but I know that it’s slow, unable to grow, lost in the wind that blow, so …

You fade into a shadow.

You don’t recognize the tears on my face.

Everything we had will

fade away into the empty black space.

I don’t wanna be a shadow,

But you don’t a choice if you do.

I try, and I try. All do is try.

I try to get you as a shadow out of my mind.

I don’t even know why, yeah, even why,

why the end was nigh.

My thoughts intertwine, and the music gets too loud.

I stumble in line, and I fear you’re not proud.

And it’s like,

You fade into a shadow.

You don’t recognize the tears on my face.

Everything we had will

fade away into the empty black space.

I don’t wanna be a shadow,

But you don’t a choice if you do.

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Poetry Songs Writing

Bad News

By shakespearian12

Don’t bother to get too close.

I won’t be your ideal host.

I’m the fire, the burn, the ember, the spark, the flame, the smoke that’s making you nervous.

You see me around, watching me drown, gray in the frown, walking in town, like I ain’t worth it.

But you’ve heard it.

I’m bad news.

I’m just a rouse

In a game you’re gonna lose.

Yeah, I’m bad news.

I’m the ghost that’s lurking around, don’t make a sound, lost and not found, so aren’t you proud?

I’m the poison inside, escaping my mind, so out of time, small as a dime, claiming what’s mine.

But it’s time you know:

I’m bad news.

I’m just a rouse

In a game you’re gonna lose.

Yeah, I’m bad news.

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Poetry Writing

Burn

By shakespearian12

Flares could cave in on my skin.

Hot red flares burning my skin.

Why did partake in such sin?

To touch the amber gloss of her skin,

hot red flares burning my skin,

how could you not know what might’ve been?

Sleep in the hollow night,

you and your manly might.

Do you you not know you’re such a sore sight?

You brought on this sinful fight.

Now, I hope you never see the light,

but rather wallow in the freight.

I hope you fall from a height,

sleep in the hollow night,

you and your manly might.

When you burn,

having never learned

you brought fire at every turn,

and the last thing you see are my eyes so stern

when you you burn.

Flares could cave in on my skin.

Hot red flares burning my skin.

Sleep in the hollow night,

you and your manly might

when you burn,

having never learned.

Flares cave in on your skin.

Hot red flares burn you in your sin.

You sleep in the hollow night

Being such a pathetic sight.

Burn.

Burn.

Burn.

I watch love burn.

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