Context is dance lessons. See https://lgbtqia.space/@h3mmy/115579536249551191 for an earlier portion of the scene.

> “You told me you have to pass as a man,” Iscend whispered. “I am your woman. Be the man.”
> “How?”
> “Answer the questions I’m asking you. Look. Look how I withdraw. Look at this, the coverage of throat and chest. Look at the way I step, here, to part the legs, and here across, to close them. Look how I turn from your body, to hide it from my sight. I am indifferent to you, I am denying your power. Deny my denial. Take what you want.”

#BookQuotes #TheTyrantBaruCormorant #SethDickinson

#CW Negligible spoilers for "The Tyrant Baru Cormorant"

> ...“He was unhappy with me.”
> “Because you weren’t like a Stakhieczi woman?”
> “I wouldn’t stay in the space he made for me. As the wise ones say: the man who tries to hold water ends up with soggy pants.”
> Barhu narrowed her eyes. “Did you just make that up?”
> “I would never invent scripture.”

#BookQuotes #TheTyrantBaruCormorant #SethDickinson

#CW Negligible spoilers for The Tyrant Baru Cormorant

Barhu is anxious about a dance, and a very apt volunteer excellently teaches the principles involved.

> “In combat, as in dance, I am trained to interpret the body. You will lead. I will follow.”
>
> “I don’t think I know how to lead.…”
>
> “Pretend that you are leading the way across rough terrain, and that I am the terrain. I will present the choices, and you will simply choose the way.”
>
> That exquisite shiver touched Barhu again, at the suggestion, in the metaphor, of trespass on sacred Imperial ground. “Follow on, then.”

It's a rather excellent analogy in my opinion. For any kind of dance, or dynamic interaction between people. I just liked it.

#TheTyrantBaruCormorant #SethDickinson #BookQuotes

This is the start of one of my favorite parts of the book.

For most of her life Barhu has been questing to destroy the Empire of Falcrest from within. She's on her way to an encampment on her travels, where it's rumored some of her home tribe might be being held. There's a short detour where one of her traveling companions, a Falcresti operative, has been trying to seduce her. During this... interaction, everyone is surprised to suddenly have her mother show up, and one of her dads (she has two).

> Barhu cut her hand on a stone as she ran to her mother’s voice. Blood ran down her fingers; blood pulled her forward. She saw Pinion’s dark thundercloud face in the clearing ahead. Her cry of joy nailed Pinion to the spot: still expressionless as Barhu came into her arms, halfway knocked her over, clung to her, saying, in Urunoki,
> “Mother! Mother!”
> “Baru,” her mother said, “your hands smell like pussy.”
> “Oh, gods!” Barhu fumbled in the pine cones, trying to scour her hands. Sticky pine pitch everywhere, of course—
> “The pitch doesn’t come off,” her mother said, watching her. “Be careful, now, you’ve cut yourself—you’ll get dirt in there— What did you do to your fingers? Where have you put your two fingers, Baru?”
> “I can’t believe you said that!” Barhu cried. > “Why would you say that first?”

... Shortly after

> “It’s very rude to get cunt on your mother,” Pinion said. Then she began to laugh. “Solit! Solit, come down! We caught our daughter fingering some falca girl in the woods! She’s so embarrassed!”

I was highly entertained and really the whole story here is extremely rewarding and the dynamic with her familial tribe is so wholesome I cried.

#BookQuotes #TheTyrantBaruCormorant #SethDickinson

I'm going to resume tooting various quotes from this book. I got to finally chat about the story with a friend and I feel like it's more complete now.

I'll leave this one completely out of context. I found it hilarious.

> ...You got hopelessly drunk and slept with me!” Shao blinked at her, mockingly astonished. “ Healthy people don’t do things like that.”

#Bookstodon #SethDickinson #TheTyrantBaruCormorant #BookQuotes

Name removed from beginning of quote to avoid spoilers. Snippet from #TheTyrantBaruCormorant by #SethDickinson

> ...rolled on her back and stretched. She was one golden-brown coil of power from toe to fingertip; she was a catamount. Baru, intellectually calibrated and mentally awakened to the highest planes of aesthetic and philosophical appreciation, stared at her tits.

#Quotes #Bookstodon

From #TheTyrantBaruCormorant by #SethDickinson

Cosgrad was very confused about the concept of a non-binary identity and has just been lightly teased about believing Tau-Indi had both sets of genitals

> Cosgrad scowled stiffly. “I thought there must be a way for the parents to know if their child was a laman.”
> “Why would the parents need to know? I’ve heard from griots that some people are born that way, and it is a wonder and a difficulty. But genitals have nothing to do with choosing to be a laman.”
> “What are lamen for, then?”
> “Now? In these enlightened days? Whatever trim moves us toward.”
> “Just like anyone else,” Abdumasi interrupted. “I mean, what are you for? What about me? What are men for, really? Why don’t people with wombs just pop babies out all on their own, and live in big termite mounds? Wouldn’t that be a lot easier?”

#Quotes #Bookstodon

#TauIndiBosoka is one of my favorite characters. They are absolutely delightful, super wholesome, and anyone who wishes them harm will draw my ire.

A couple of weeks or so ago, I finished the currently published pieces of the Masquerade series (The Traitor/Monster/Tyrant Baru Cormorant). Highly recommend. I know some folks have complaints about the second and third installments, and did not finish them. However, I disagree and recommend reading through the series back to back to ensure all the context is fresh. The puzzle pieces fit together much more nicely that way. I was able to piece together most of the plan and the author left in extra clues that seemed intentional. The additional clues references key moments from earlier books so having context was definitely useful.

I'm currently making my way through The Bone Season series (Samantha Shannon) and will be picking up The Mask Falling later this weekend. Also on my list of recommendations, but definitely aim for the author's preferred text editions if possible. She revised the books in preparation for the latest installment (The Dark Mirror) and things have been adjusted a bit.

#Books #Bookstodon #SamanthaShannon #SethDickinson #MasqueradeSeries #TheBoneSeason

I meant to write up some posts today, but instead I spent most of my spare time buried in a book. Now that I've finished it I need to force myself to wait to start the sequel so I can do other things tomorrow.

For the curious, the book was "The Traitor Baru Cormorant" by Seth Dickinson (The Masquerade - Part 1)

A study in Imperialism, colonization, assimilation, and one baby gays journey to figure out the levers of power, and maybe someday have her home back. There's cloak and dagger tactics and a lot of economic maneuvering for political power. I can't say much more without spoilers, but feel free to ask questions in a reply.

I also have Samantha Shannon's "The Bone Season" in my upcoming queue. And I've been doing some light re-reading of the Angels Trilogy by Rafael Nicolas to better discuss it with friends that have finally gotten around to reading this absolute gem of a series.

#BookRecommendations #Bookstodon #SethDickinson