Some notes I made while reading DWJ's "Fire and Hemlock"

[x_los]

- "allegro vivace is a tempo that is very fast, faster than allegro by a noticeable amount" do you feel like these MEAN much for the book?

 

- “It was intended simply as a soothing daydream, to bury the strange, pointless worry that seemed to be growing in her. But suddenly, out of it leaped a white flash of conviction. It was just like the way those four—or more—figures used to leap into being behind the fire in that photograph. Polly glanced up at it, almost expecting to see them again.”

 

huh so it's almost like--a functional description of memories of childhood sure, as well as the fantasy, but also like a paranoid conviction you might have if you're going through kind of a breakdown

 

- god I wonder if this textually influences things like RTD's Turn Left, it REALLY has that mechanic of temporal displacement and it's 1985 so there's time for that to radiate (this was clearly HUGELY influential for Ocean at the End of the Lane)

 

- Ah, the DWJ fatphobia. Did you think you might miss it? no no, dnw! it's here!! Couldn't end ch 1 without a little touch!

 

- “Hold your collar! Hold your collar till you see a four-legged animal!” after seeing a hearse; I wonder if that's a kid's charm or just random play?

 

- If this poor chubby girl bites it from the first go with the faeries, I am gonna exhume Diana and slap her.

 

- Also so far I love that the grandma is a parental figure who is chill. "a shortbread way about her dry and crumbly with a hidden taste coming out afterwards"

 

- What the fuck why hasn’t polly’s mom washed her hair in like WEEKS??? I am freaked out by this and she has nits???? I know the divorce is distracting but!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

- Omg the mom chucking her to the dad wtf is ivy’s damage

 

- Nut cutlet

 

- “When Polly went to be interviewed with Granny at one of the offices, she heard a man in a side room say, “Oh, my God, it’s Mrs. Whittacker! I don’t care what she wants—just give it her!” This is the One

 

- Everyone Hates Seb. What IS seb’s deal what does it mean he loves her like other people bear a grudge? I feel like I could have done with a lot more of him to get into whatever the fuck was up. It IS kind of sad and interesting if he's been INTO Poly since ten and faked coming back into her life, and she's never been very clear on her own feelings AND also never loved him back

 

- Mari and I disagree a bit on whether Seb or his father is given to the tithe. I think it might have been supposed to be Seb, now or eventually, but is now certainly his father.