Where the Dark Stands Still

I saw Where the Dark Stands Still by A. B. Poranek at the library and knew that I had to read it. The premise is a fairy tale that reminded me of Naomi Novik's Uprooted, and the whole book is inspired by of Polish/Slavic mythology; all things that I quite enjoy. 

In Where the Dark Stands Still, Liska was born with magic, but taught by everyone in her village that magic is evil, and so she does her best to hide it. Unfortunately she cannot always control it. So in desperation, she braves the Driada, the demon woods near her village, in an attempt to find the legendary fern flower. If she can find it on midsummer's eve, the flower can grant her a wish. And the only thing that she wants is to be free of her magic once and for all. Unfortunately she is discovered by the Leszy, the demon guardian of the Driada. He makes her a deal: serve him for a year, then he will let her have the flower. But she never dreamed that part of the deal involved Liska actually learning to control her sinful magic!

So yes, at this point, the story is very similar to Uprooted: a magical girl having to serve a magical being on her own, and a malevolent wood overshadowing everything. I admit that I was a bit annoyed at how similar they were; I also didn't think Where the Dark Stands Still was going to be very good because it was falling into some of the YA paranormal romance tropes (obviously they ended up falling in love - that you could see coming from a mile away). But as the book progressed, and Liska unravels more and more of the mysteries surrounding the Leszy, I was hooked.

I also really liked the characters. Liska is an interesting heroine, struggling with some very real trauma from her past. But through it all she keeps trying to find a way forward, trying to right the wrongs around her, even when that means needing to use the very powers she wants nothing to do with. The house spirit, Jaga, is awesome. She's basically a cat who you can bribe with jam. The house itself is a fun character; while it doesn't talk, some of the ways it makes itself known (I particularly liked when it unfurled a scroll to "stick its tongue out" at the Leszy). Maksio is another character who doesn't really speak, but can convey his thoughts so well through body language especially when he first comes to live with Liska and the Leszy. 

The book also takes some very unexpected turns. Finding out just what Maksio is was unexpected. Finding out how the Leszy got his power, and what he has to do to maintain it was pretty shocking. And everything that Liska and the Leszy do in an attempt to get the Leszy out of the bargain he made long ago was quite the ride. The ending, while not expected from a YA book, was also really fitting; after everything the Leszy had done, both good and evil, it made sense that he didn't live. I'm not going to lie, I cried at the end.

All in all, I really enjoyed Where the Dark Stands Still. I hope to see more from Poranek one day!

Seeking Serenity: The 10 New Rules for Health and Happiness in the Age of Anxiety

I've been pretty stressed over the last year or so, so I decided to give Amanda Enayati's book Seeking Serenity: The 10 New Rules for Health and Happiness in the Age of Anxiety a try. I was expecting a book about reducing stress, but that's not really what Seeking Serenity is about. Instead, the book is aimed more at changing your outlook on stress: stress can be a big motivator, helping you get things done, learn, and grow; it isn't the big bad force we all think it is (though Enayati does concede that chronic stress is still bad for you).

After the introduction, Seeking Serenity breaks its ten rules down into four areas of life: your world (rules 1-4, Be Resilient, Belong, Be Creative, and Be Free), your mind (Be Happy, Be Giving, Be Kind), your body (Be Healthy, Be Uncluttered), and world, mind, and body (Be Present). None of these rules are really groundbreaking; we are social beings who get a lot out of helping others and having purpose, so many of the rules are either around that, or about clearing yourself of clutter. But the book was a good reminder to work on what is important, rather than chasing material things.

I quite liked her afterword, too. In it, Enayati tells of preparing a speech for a day of climate action, where she was struck by the similarity between environmental sustainability and personal stress: our everyday habits and practices can make our individual lives more sustainable, much like how our individual actions can make our home more sustainable for all. It is a great parallel, and a really interesting thought for her to leave her readers with as they finish the book.

While it is, understandably, not the easiest read (I found the book needed to be read in smaller digestible chunks), Seeking Serenity is a good read, especially for anyone who is struggling with feeling overwhelmed and stressed in their daily life. While the advice isn't really new, Enayati provides some new perspectives that will help you consider stress in new ways. I highly recommend it.

Characters from The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Book Series

When I was reading The Dark Crystal: Age f Resistance book series, I found the characters were really overwhelming. Lots of characters are introduced by name and it's hard to tell who is who (and who is important to the narrative vs one-off mentions). Plus many characters that you meet in one book may reappear in a later book. So I created a list of all the characters from the book. I wanted to share it in case it helps someone else who reads these books!

Jump to:

Book 1
Book 2
Book 3
Book 4

Book 1: Shadows of the Dark Crystal

Drenchen Clan

• Laesid - maudra
• Bellanji - Laesid's husband
• Naia - Laesid's daughter. Hero/POV character of Book 1 and 4
• Neech - Naia's muski
  
• Eliona - Laesid's second daughter
• Pemma - Laesid's youngest daughter
• Gurjin - Laesid's son, Naia's twin

Vapra Clan

• Tavra - a Vapran soldier
• Mayrin - all-Maudra 
• Mira - Rian's friend from the castle.

Spriton Clan

• Mera - maudra of Sami Thicket
• Kylan - songteller 

Skeksis (from all four books)

• skekOk - Scrollkeeper
• skekLach - Census Taker
• skekSil - Chamberlain
• skekSo - Emperor
• skek-Mal - Hunter
• skekTek - Scientist
• skekUng - General
• skekGra - Conquerer
• skekLi - Satirist
• skekSa - Mariner (female)
  
• skekZok - Ritual Master

Other

• Jarra-Jen - Gelfling hero of legend
• Olyeka-Staba - the Cradle Tree of the Dark Wood
• Smerth-Staba - the great tree in Sog
• urVa - the Archer
• Rian - Stonewood Gelfling. Branded a traitor along with Gurjin

Book 2: Song of the Dark Crystal

Stonewood Clan

• Mythra - Rian's sister
• 
  Fara - maudra
• Shoni - Rian's mother
• Timtri - Rian's little brother
  

Grottan Clan

• Argot - maudra
• Amri - their guide

Others 

• Gyr - songteller of legend
• urLii - in the tomb of relics (Storyteller)
• Krychk - spider

Book 3: Tides of the Dark Crystal 

Sifa Clan

• Onica - far dreamer
  
• Ethri - maudra ("Gem-eyed Ethri")
• Captain Staya
• Tae - Onica's friend
• Captain Medso
  

Vapra

• Seladon - Tavra's older sister
• Brea - Tavra's younger sister
  

Dousan Clan

• Periss - a thief
• Seethi - maudra
• Sandmaster Erimon - Periss's brother

Note: the 12 Dousan groups are divided into "xerics"

Other 

• Oszah-Staba - the Wellspring
• urSan - the Swimmer (female)

Book 4: Flame of the Dark Crystal

Mystics

• urTih - Alchemist
  
• urZah - Ritual Guardian (connected to skekZok)
• urSu - Mystic Master (connected to skekSo)
• urSol - Chanter
  

Others

• Lun - Spriton guard (boy)
• Gereni - Spriton guard (girl)
• Chapyora - Laeid's muski
• Kipper - a Drenchen guard
• Deet - Grottan girl who came with Rian to Stone-in-the-Wood
  

Flames of the Dark Crystal

Wow, I really did fly through The Dark Crystal: the Age of Resistance series!  I had to buy Flames of the Dark Crystal, the final book, on my Kindle because I couldn't wait to read it!

Flames of the Dark Crystal once again returns to Naia's point of view. Three of the seven flames of resistance have already been lit; now Naia and company just need to light the Stonewood, Grottan, Drenchen, and Spriton flames. After escaping SkekSa's ship, the Gelfling decide to split up, with Tavra (still controlling Tae's body because the Sifan was quite badly hurt in the fight against SkekSa at the end of Tides of the Dark Crystal) and Onica agreeing to go light the Stonewood and Grottan flames, while Naia, Gurjin,  Kylan, and Amri going south to light the Spriton and Drenchen flames. (Amri was given the choice of whether to go with Tavra and Onica to light his home flame, but chose instead to continue with Naia). Returning to Sami Thicket, Naia and company discover that the Spriton and Drenchen are on the verge of war between their clans, as the Drenchen want to march on the Skeksis at the castle but the Spriton under their maudra want to remain loyal to the Skeksis in an attempt to save their clan from the Skeksis' wrath. 

Naia also knows that getting the Spriton maudra to agree to light the flames of resistance will be tough. Maudra Mera made it clear from the original book that she was doing only what she thought was best for her clan. Even with Kylan's help, the group knows changing her mind won't be easy. Plus Naia's mother is pretty strong-willed, ready to go up against the Skeksis with only her clan. So getting her to back down and find another way won't be easy either. 

Knowing that the Mystics are linked to the Skeksis also makes Naia question whether violence is the answer, as killing a Skeksis means an innocent urRu will perish as well.

But in the middle of everything, Naia and company receive news that the Stonewood clan has been shattered by the Skeksis. Their maudra, Fara, tried to lead the clan against the Skeksis and was horribly beaten, and their home, Stone-in-the-Wood, was destroyed. 

After successfully stopping a war between the clans, losing her mother in a fight against SkekSa in the Swamp of Sog (though they succeeded in trapping skekSa rather than killing her), and lighting their two fires (plus knowing that the Grottan fire was also lit), the Drenchen and Spritons set out for Stone-in-the-Wood to help the remaining ragtag Stonewood Gelfling light the final fire. Unfortunately when they succeed in lighting it, they discover the Skeksis emperor, skekSo, can also speak through the crystal to the Gelfling rebellion. When the Gelfling do not give in to his demand that they stop this rebellion, he takes his Skeksis to forcibly crush the Gelfling in Stone-in-the-Wood. What follows is the epic battle for the spirit of the Gelfling rebellion!

As you can probably tell from my synopsis, like Tides of the Dark Crystal, a lot happens in Flames of the Dark Crystal.  The book is very fast-paced, which at times was detrimental because it made the story feel rushed. It was okay for the ending, but before that, everything felt a lot like Tides of the Dark Crystal: convenient and rushed. Like right off the bat, when Gurjin is magically there with Naia on skekSa's ship to rescue everyone else who was captive. He gave an explanation for being there, but it didn't really make sense. How was he even on the ship? I honestly thought he was going to be evil or something, but nope, he honestly just was there and tagged along with the group for the rest of the book.

I was also sad that we were back with Naia. I know it made sense with the narrative to be back under her pov, but she bothered me a lot, especially after being with Kylan and Amri during the last few books. I think I was really worried about how much she was doubting everything after the rescue of the group from skekSa - she felt alone, like people were moving away from her, and even like her brother had taken her healing powers. After everything she had gone through with these people to this point, those fears seemed silly. It made way more sense to be worried about the impossible task Thra and Aughra had given her, rather than the bonds she had with her friends.

I did like how things were handled when her mother died though. Having lost a parent myself, I both empathized with Naia and thought that sequence was well done. That was really brave of her to be able to put aside her grief and lead the Drenchen to Stone-in-the-Wood just after her mother died as well.

I also was glad that Naia and Amri got closer in this book. When I first started reading the series, I thought her and Kylan would end up a couple, but as the story unfolded, it seemed more likely that it would be Amri she ended up with, and I was glad.

The Garthim never do make an appearance in this series, which honestly was probably for the best. The series is about the Gelfling ultimately uniting to resist the Skeksis and take back their world; had the Garthim entered the narrative, even at the end, it would have drastically changed things.

So overall, I enjoyed reading The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance book series. I'm glad to have read it, and I am looking forward to watching the show!

Tides of the Dark Crystal

I practically flew through Tides of the Dark Crystal, the third book in J.M. Lee's Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance series. This time around we're following Amri, a Grottan Gelfling who joined Naia and Kylan in the second book. Amri is excited to see the daylighter world, though he is not sure of himself and his place within it. 

The group's adventures take them on a whirlwind tour of the land. Arriving on Ha'rar's doorstep, Tavra instructed them to meet with a Sifa Far-Dreamer, Onica, first so they could get the lay of the land.  While consulting with her, they discovered that Rian was nearby and needed their help - he was caught by the Skeksis! Naia, Amri, and Tavra succeed in saving him. In the middle of their rescue, Aughra created a dream space and tasked Naia and company with lighting the seven flames of Gelfling rebellion; Rian was given another task, and so he went his own way once again.

Naia, Kylan, Amri, Tavra, and Onica make their way first to where the Sifa are gathering, then to the Crystal Sea for the Dousa before ultimately making their way back to Ha'rar after they discover the Vapra fire wasn't lit as promised. There they need to find a way to inspire the Vapra after their leader, the All-Maudra Mayrin, was killed and the new All-Maudra, Tavra's sister, bends the knee to the Skeksis and dooms all the Gelfling to servitude and worse.

I didn't like Tides of the Dark Crystal as much as Song of the Dark Crystal. For one thing, it felt like our Gelfling heroes got around to the three clans really easily and conveniently, and succeeded really quickly with everyone. Everything felt a little too convenient. Yes, some of the things they had to do were difficult. But they kind of just succeeded immediately everytime - there never seemed to be any real setbacks.

The other issue was Amri. I liked him as a character, but a lot of his story felt like it was treading the same spaces Kylan's did - he felt like he didn't belong and was struggling to find his place in both the group and the more larger world around him. 

That being said, the ending was still pretty crazy, and Tides of the Dark Crysal left me wanting more; I can't wait to see how the whole story ends in the final book!

Song of the Dark Crystal

Song of the Dark Crystal, the second book in J.M. Lee's The Dark Crystal: The Age of Resistance series, picks up right where Shadows of the Dark Crystal leaves off. Naia and Kylan have made it to Stone-in-the-Wood and make contact with Rian. Rian is determined to make it to Ha'rar on his own. While Naia and Kylan at first want to join him, they instead decide that they should go their own way in search of a means of transmitting a warning to all of the Gelfling about what the Skeksis are doing. And so they begin their trek east, seeking help from Aughra. On their way, they encounter some friends they thought lost to skekMal. Their joy is short lived though, when one of them seems hellbent on catching up with Rian to the exclusion of all else. 

I really liked Song of the Dark Crystal. The story is told from Kylan's point of view this time, so it was fun to see how he thought as opposed to how Naia thought in the last one. A lot of interesting things happen on their journey as well: we get to meet some really unique Gelfling, and see some very different creatures from what we've seen before in The Dark Crystal. While I had my suspicions of Tavra really early on, I was not expecting her story to unfold the way it did. 

I also really liked seeing some of the different Gelfling vliyaya, or magic/mystic arts. As this story centered around Kylan, we got to see what the Spriton Gelfling was able to do (helped in no small part by the wisdom of one of the urRu, who got Kylan to change his perspective when he said: "The only thing you could do...or a thing only you could do?")  It also give a glimpse of what's to come for the Gelfling (hint, hint). I really enjoyed reading this book, and can't wait to see where the story leads next!

Shadows of the Dark Crystal

I was really excited to find three of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance books (I was hoping it was a trilogy, but there's a fourth book I'll have to track down at some point). I participated in The Dark Crystal Author Quest, which was the contest they had to find someone to write this story, and was very excited to see what the end result was. Plus I love the world of the Dark Crystal, and was excited to spend more time there. :)

Shadows of the Dark Crystal is the story of Naia, a Gelfling from the Swamp of Sog. When her twin brother is accused of high treason and vanishes, she sets out to find him and learn the truth. 

I wasn't sure what to think of Naia at the beginning of the story. She was clearly competent - she's in training to become the next Maudra of her clan. But she's also a bit headstrong and treated like a child by many of the other characters (possibly because her wings haven't bloomed yet? I'm not sure). But I really liked her as the story continued. 

I also really liked Kylan. He is a song teller, and not at all what you would expect from the warrior Spriton clan. But he is resourceful and kind, and his skills are a good contrast to Naia's.

When I wrote my story submission, I envisioned this era of the Skeksis much differently from how they are portrayed in Shadows of the Dark Crystal. So one of my complaints about the book stems from that - the Skeksis are portrayed so similarly to how they appear in the movie, that it's hard to imagine the Gelfling believing the Skeksis were ever good. They're like cartoon villains, which I found rather unfortunate - they didn't even try to really pretend that they weren't when directly accused of their crimes (and did very little to hide it - the castle was basically empty of others by the time Naia makes her way there).

My other big complaint is the number of names and characters the book throws at you in the first chapter. You only really need to know a couple of them, but it was hard to keep track of who is who; I had fo start a character list to keep everyone straight at the beginning.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed Shadows of the Dark Crystal. It was fun to see different aspects of Thra and how they're all connected. It was also fun to see how different all the Gelfling clans are that Naia encountered. I'm excited to start book 2, Song of the Dark Crystal, to see what happens to Naia and Kylan next!