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zelda_queenZeldaQueen: Well folks, I guess Stouffer figured she had been hanging around in the fantasy genre for too long, so we get another switch here. Enjoy! Or don't, doesn't matter to me
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
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Chapter Nine: An Attitude
We're told how, ever since they were infants, Rah and Zyn had been taught from the Ancient Book of Tales and given a first-rate education. Given how factually accurate the rest of this book's been, I find that quite laughable. Apparently Rah is just so saintly and goodhearted that he is able to analyze the irrigation systems of the Muggles and build a "three-story, iron-stone Mill House". No, we're not told how he got the materials or labor or skills to build something that could handle water distribution or food processing. What, you wanted explanation? Silly you.
Anyway, we get a lot of very pointless details about the mill and how it was built and I honestly don't care about the frigging thing. It doesn't play any part to the story besides showing how Rah is kind and generous (which we already know) and clever. We're then told a bunch of garbage about how the system was seemingly simple but the Muggles saw that it was really very complex and hail Rah as a genius. No, hand to God, I'm not exaggerating. Stouffer just keeps going on about how the Muggles respect Rah and love him and call him George. Two Muggles named Pick and Puck actually tell Rah he's "done it again" and that it makes them want to cry, they're so happy and Rah replies that the praise makes him "humbled". Sweet freaking Jesus, this is stupid! Stouffer, I don't care about Rah! He's a freaking Marty Stu and is annoying and I find myself sympathizing more with Zyn!
Speaking of Zyn, we're told that all of Rah's accomplishments are making him more and more jealous. No, we're not at all shown this, we just get an infodump in a paragraph. I personally don't blame the kid, given how goody-goody Rah is and how everyone just acts like the sun is now coming out of his butt. Given how much Stouffer talks about the Muggles praising Rah, honestly? If I had to listen to someone being complimented and praised and chatted up so much, especially if that person were my brother, I'd be danged jealous and angry too. We're then told how Zyn becomes "resentful and nasty" and loses his self-esteem and confidence because of all of this. And folks, I really think Stouffer dedicated more description to how the mill works than to Zyn's descent into misery.
Oh, and this isn't typical suethor writing! Apparently Zyn is now so wretched that he physically changes to look uglier! Seriously!
"His beautiful smile turned into a frown. His golden strawberry-blonde hair looked dirty and unkempt. His clothing hung in tatters from his thinning body. Zyn's wit was replace by constant sarcasm. He didn't have a kind word for anyone, or any thing. He slept most of the day and no longer helped with the work. He simply refused to participate in any activity of any kind"
ZeldaQueen: Like I said, given how utterly annoying the Muggles and Rah are? I feel sorry for Zyn.
And how does Rah feel about the fact that his brother, who he is apparently closer to than anyone else and cares greatly about, is clearly showing signs of depression and ill health, to the point at which it is visibly affecting him? He's "frustrated" and finds his inability to solve the problem "disappointing". Huh. Kind of mild for a kid whose brother is spiraling into madness, wouldn't you say, Stouffer?
Rah goes to Golda about his worries and she tells him - oh this is beautiful! She tells him that Rah shouldn't worry about his brother's problems because "[e]very problem [Zyn] has right now belongs only to him". Yes Golda, never mind the fact that it's freaking clear as water that Zyn's problem is jealousy and giving him a little more attention would probably help out a lot more! Never mind that it could probably help the situation if Rah, say, had a talk with Zyn about how being the center of attention wasn't so great, or maybe that Zyn himself made some great contributions to the Muggles. Nope, there's just nothing Rah can do about it because Zyn is Evil and Rah is Good and must just angst over it.
And Zyn is making plans to "destroy" Rah. Wait, what?!?
"'There just isn't enough room here for both of us, and I can take care of that,' Zyne mumbled angrily to himself."
ZeldaQueen: I'm sorry Stouffer, but that is not believable. If a guy starts thinking about killing his brother, there's some sort of mental issues going on here. This is just way deeper than jealousy. I mean, I'm sure you're trying to make it like Cain and Abel, but in that at least, it was jealousy over God Almighty's favor which is, you must admit, a good deal more serious than the favor of a bunch of three-foot high nitwits.
But the chapter ends there, so we'll pick up on this idiocy next time around.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Onward to: Chapter Ten: The Manchineet Tree
Back to: Chapter Eight: Doctor! Doctor!
Back to: Table of Contents
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter Nine: An Attitude
We're told how, ever since they were infants, Rah and Zyn had been taught from the Ancient Book of Tales and given a first-rate education. Given how factually accurate the rest of this book's been, I find that quite laughable. Apparently Rah is just so saintly and goodhearted that he is able to analyze the irrigation systems of the Muggles and build a "three-story, iron-stone Mill House". No, we're not told how he got the materials or labor or skills to build something that could handle water distribution or food processing. What, you wanted explanation? Silly you.
Anyway, we get a lot of very pointless details about the mill and how it was built and I honestly don't care about the frigging thing. It doesn't play any part to the story besides showing how Rah is kind and generous (which we already know) and clever. We're then told a bunch of garbage about how the system was seemingly simple but the Muggles saw that it was really very complex and hail Rah as a genius. No, hand to God, I'm not exaggerating. Stouffer just keeps going on about how the Muggles respect Rah and love him and call him George. Two Muggles named Pick and Puck actually tell Rah he's "done it again" and that it makes them want to cry, they're so happy and Rah replies that the praise makes him "humbled". Sweet freaking Jesus, this is stupid! Stouffer, I don't care about Rah! He's a freaking Marty Stu and is annoying and I find myself sympathizing more with Zyn!
Speaking of Zyn, we're told that all of Rah's accomplishments are making him more and more jealous. No, we're not at all shown this, we just get an infodump in a paragraph. I personally don't blame the kid, given how goody-goody Rah is and how everyone just acts like the sun is now coming out of his butt. Given how much Stouffer talks about the Muggles praising Rah, honestly? If I had to listen to someone being complimented and praised and chatted up so much, especially if that person were my brother, I'd be danged jealous and angry too. We're then told how Zyn becomes "resentful and nasty" and loses his self-esteem and confidence because of all of this. And folks, I really think Stouffer dedicated more description to how the mill works than to Zyn's descent into misery.
Oh, and this isn't typical suethor writing! Apparently Zyn is now so wretched that he physically changes to look uglier! Seriously!
"His beautiful smile turned into a frown. His golden strawberry-blonde hair looked dirty and unkempt. His clothing hung in tatters from his thinning body. Zyn's wit was replace by constant sarcasm. He didn't have a kind word for anyone, or any thing. He slept most of the day and no longer helped with the work. He simply refused to participate in any activity of any kind"
ZeldaQueen: Like I said, given how utterly annoying the Muggles and Rah are? I feel sorry for Zyn.
And how does Rah feel about the fact that his brother, who he is apparently closer to than anyone else and cares greatly about, is clearly showing signs of depression and ill health, to the point at which it is visibly affecting him? He's "frustrated" and finds his inability to solve the problem "disappointing". Huh. Kind of mild for a kid whose brother is spiraling into madness, wouldn't you say, Stouffer?
Rah goes to Golda about his worries and she tells him - oh this is beautiful! She tells him that Rah shouldn't worry about his brother's problems because "[e]very problem [Zyn] has right now belongs only to him". Yes Golda, never mind the fact that it's freaking clear as water that Zyn's problem is jealousy and giving him a little more attention would probably help out a lot more! Never mind that it could probably help the situation if Rah, say, had a talk with Zyn about how being the center of attention wasn't so great, or maybe that Zyn himself made some great contributions to the Muggles. Nope, there's just nothing Rah can do about it because Zyn is Evil and Rah is Good and must just angst over it.
And Zyn is making plans to "destroy" Rah. Wait, what?!?
"'There just isn't enough room here for both of us, and I can take care of that,' Zyne mumbled angrily to himself."
ZeldaQueen: I'm sorry Stouffer, but that is not believable. If a guy starts thinking about killing his brother, there's some sort of mental issues going on here. This is just way deeper than jealousy. I mean, I'm sure you're trying to make it like Cain and Abel, but in that at least, it was jealousy over God Almighty's favor which is, you must admit, a good deal more serious than the favor of a bunch of three-foot high nitwits.
But the chapter ends there, so we'll pick up on this idiocy next time around.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Onward to: Chapter Ten: The Manchineet Tree
Back to: Chapter Eight: Doctor! Doctor!
Back to: Table of Contents
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2010-05-30 08:01 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-05-30 08:37 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-05-30 02:13 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-01-04 06:32 pm (UTC)ZodZyn!(no subject)
Date: 2010-05-31 09:42 pm (UTC)And Rah and Zyn are supposedly close? Let me tell you something, if *my* brother began to drastically lose weight, became depressed and angry all the time, and started looking like a mess, I sure as heck wouldn't just be "disappointed," I'd be seriously concerned. I'd try to talk to him and help him out as much as I could and try to get our parents involved as well. If he refused to talk to me and tell me what was wrong, yes, I would feel frustrated, but I wouldn't stop worrying about him! I wouldn't just ignore him and treat him as if he were going through a silly phase.
And the way that Golda just blows off Zyn's problems really ticks me off. If Zyn were my brother and she had said that to me, I'd be very upset with her. How does Rah react to her idiotic advice? Because if he just agrees with her without any protest or defense of Zyn, then I'm sorry, he is *not* the perfect saint that everybody's making him out to be and he's *not* close to Zyn if he doesn't even bother to help his brother.
And why did Stouffer have to make Zyn sound like a cheesy villain by the end of it?
(no subject)
Date: 2010-06-01 01:13 am (UTC)Because Stouffer's a hack writer who can't go beyond conventions?
I'm still rather insulted that she thought that Harry Potter was stolen from this tripe. Yes, because Harry would just ignore his friends being dangerously ill or upset and not do a SINGLE THING TO HELP THEM!
(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-30 05:02 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-12-31 01:50 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2011-04-27 03:42 pm (UTC)*pause*
The praise makes him "humbled".
...why you stuck-up, sanctimonious, over-glorified little bastard. Do you have any idea how your attitude - yes, your attitude, not Zyn's, and I don't care who the chapter title technically refers to - is simply screaming "Beat me up, please!"? Do you? Of course you don't. You are also a near-emotionless creep. Which is even worse, in a sense, than being completely emotionless, since now we know that the things you do feel go no deeper than your skin.
Oh, and Golda? For a supposedly maternal character who raised both boys as her own children, you are being a colossal bitch, just with that one line. Zyn is displaying signs of acute depression, and that right there is your solution. Congratulations. You ought to be ashamed of yourself
"'There just isn't enough room here for both of us, and I can take care of that,' Zyn mumbled angrily to himself."
Y'know, I looked at the next chapter, and, taken separately, the above line could be interpreted as Zyn wanting to move away from the Muggle village, where his brother lives. I suppose Stouffer just forgot that little bit about destroying Rah. Because it's seriously not kosher to say that, as a consequence of sibling rivalry. (Unless the kid wants to passive-agressively demolish his brother's standing with the Muggles, which I am all for. Muaha.)
(no subject)
Date: 2011-11-25 01:42 am (UTC)Right, because sarcasm isn't a form of wit.
And what wit, for that matter? We've never seen Zyn exhibiting any form of wit. SHOW US THESE THINGS.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-11-25 05:04 pm (UTC)