Please Remember That Almost Everyone Around You Is Traumatized. I Didn’t Understand This When I Was

hello!! do you have any book recs for historical fiction/ non- fiction or something similar to the palace of illusions? thank you!!

A short list because I'm not well:

Song of Draupadi by Ira Mukhoty

Indian mythology retelling

Mahabharat from Draupadi's POV

Descriptive prose and lush worldbuilding

Everything Mukhoty writes about Indian women is readable

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

Egyptian history retelling

Nefertiti's reign from her sister's POV

Morally grey central characters

The writing style is so descriptive and nice

She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker Chan

Queer Chinese history + fantasy retelling

Breathtaking, immersive worldbuilding

Wlw and mlm hostility; two evil non binary leads

Mulan but with a sapphic romance

The Forest of Enchantments by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Indian mythology retelling

Ramayan from Sita's POV

Exploration of duty vs desire

Not as good as The Palace of Illusions, but still worth a read

The Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri

Indian inspired fantasy

Sapphic romance between central characters

Cool magical systems

Morally grey female lead

Circe by Madeline Miller

Greek mythology retelling

Morally grey female lead, lyrical prose

Same author as The Song of Achilles

I have heard divisive stuff about it tbh

Sati Series by Koral Dasgupta

Indian mythology retelling

Feminist historization of female figures from Indian myth

Includes Ahalya and Kunti so far

I hope you find something to your liking from this list!

Kofi: papenathys

do you ever get slightly annoyed with a character choosing to be the better person. like i know it's probably more benefitial to you and everyone around you bestie but i feel like if you went a little apeshit in response to what some people did to you it'd be justified ❤️

"A child born from a loveless union is such a disaster! Thrown between parents who don't celebrate togetherness, the child suffers a lack of emotional identity and a sense of belonging. I, as a result of neither passion nor compulsion, was perhaps a bigger castaway."

~Koral Dasgupta, Ahalya

no, YOU’RE looking at him respectfully. i’m objectifying him to filth we’re built different

and maybe i am a little bit in love with all of my friends. how could i not be when they place their whole heart in my hands and trust me to carry it safely home? lazy days spent in comfortable silence, tearful nights spent giving each other a reason to live. the exhilaration of learning your little quirks melting into a future where i know you better than the lines on my open palms. mutual understanding to be forever gentle with one another. inside jokes that follow me long after you've gone, reminding me to slow down and laugh a little more. your eyes are the lens through which i can see the world with love. your embrace is the shelter under which i find strength to continue on.

anyways junhui looks so good in the mv teaser oml ,, those glasses,, yes sir

The Untamed and its pretty snow scenes.

Douluo Continent ep 1 Introducing Tang San

“I just casually threw out a nail, the creature moved too fast and ran into it by itself.” “Why do you carry nails around with you?” “My dad is a blacksmith.”

he really went (｡ŏ_ŏ)

Episode 3

This fool. This idiot. This absolute buffoon. He has no idea what’s about to hit him. Savour this peace while you can, Lan Wangji. 9/10

Jiang clan shenanigans (Shenanijiangs) and Wei Wuxian daring to speak in his presence drag the ambient peace down. Is it fair that someone can be So Attractive and also So Annoying? It is Not Fair. 7.5/10

Breaking the rules is against the rules. The eyebrow slant is growing Dangerous. 4/10

The consternation is Real. Wei Wuxian has been told that breaking the rules is forbidden but he continues to break the rules??? How could anyone feel peaceful in a situation like this? Lan Wangji’s brow threatens to furrow. 3/10

On the surface you may think you see a man who is Completely Peaceful. Do Not Let Him Fool You! That little step back tells you everything you need to know. 3/10

Lan Xichen is a Gift and a Balm in these troubled times. Peacefulness regained, restored. All is right with the world. 8.5/10

Betrayal. Lan Xichen is a Betrayer. Let us speak no more of this. Flee into the night. 2.5/10