Queen of Attolia Comic

[lizzyazula.livejournal.com]

Someone ("checkers"?) recommended this site to me because they saw a comic I made about Attolia and Gen. I'm really happy this place exists, because other than the people I've forced to read the book, no one else I know reads them. I'll just put the comic here then, I hope it gives everyone a laugh...

http://bookblogwannabes.blogspot.com/2009/11/queen-of-attolia-comic.html

Comments

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

Haha! So glad Checkers found you, and that you decided to come over here! If you love these books and are making all your friends read them, then you are in the right place.

Also, your userpic makes me laugh.

Welcome!

[thnidu.livejournal.com]

(Giggle!)

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Oh yay, my stalking worked! LOVE the circles for hands and the lack of mouths. this made me laugh very, very much. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.

[shadowgirlvg.livejournal.com]

Ha! That's hilarious! I esspecially love the panal where they're both looking at the new stump with the sad faces. Good job simplfying such a complex plot.

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

I was going to say that this comic is sick and wrong yet hilarious, and then I remembered it is CANON.

Essay Question: How has much has Gen/Irene warped your concept of what goes into a great romance? Please answer in 5000 words or less.

Hee.

[crazededdisian.livejournal.com]

Only five thousand?

[thelasteddis.livejournal.com]

I don't have time to write a new one on this subject, but I have one prepared on why Attolia/Eugenides isn't masochistic. Want it?

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

Ooh! I'd love to see that! Post! Post!

[thelasteddis.livejournal.com]

Here it is!

The thing that made it easier for me to love Irene, despite the hand-chopping-off, was what I like to call the Darth Vader Effect. You’ll see why I call it this soon. The trick is, Gen didn’t love the woman who cut off his hand… he loved the woman who had been pushed aside. To help her country, Irene had to become completely ruthless, isolated, and calculating. Although it had terrible repercussions, I think this was the only way for her to keep her country out of the control of the barons – I doubt she could have been a successful queen if she kept any shred of trust. I wouldn’t say she was selfless (“and I have watched them hang, to keep this country safe and mine” -Irene); she saw herself as the best ruler, and wanted to keep power out of the hands of others.

Now Gen, being as awesome as he is, figured this out. Not right away, of course, but slowly. From the first time he saw her, Gen sympathized with Irene (“he had never seen anything so beautiful, or so sad” -narration), but this was a more childlike love… he loved her because she seemed lonely, like he was, and because she was beautiful. In my view of the QT timeline, in that scene Irene was either betrothed or about to be… meaning she hid Irene most of the time, and played the shadow princess.

For the next few years, Gen continued to watch Irene, as she slowly became Attolia… maybe he tried to explain away some of the more terrible things she did (“he even lies to himself” -Helen), but he couldn’t have with all the things he heard. He was confused that the girl he loved had supposedly become a monster. I guess the best word to use is the one Gen uses himself: he was “fascinated with her” (-Gen). He had seen the part of Irene that was lonely, but now he knew that she was also a ruthless queen. That’s why he didn’t want to serve her when he was given the chance in The Thief.

There’s a character limit – I’ll continue in the next comment.

[thelasteddis.livejournal.com]

That meeting was a very important point for both Gen and Irene. Irene was meeting someone she saw as an enemy, but you’ll notice she remembers him differently than most people would remember someone they hate. She remembers his smile, and admires (even if she disguises it) that he was able to get the better of her (“inclined her head in acceptance of a point scored” -narration). Gen has seen for himself what Irene has become, and wants to find out once and for all who she is.
Now there’s the gap in between TT and QoA. We don’t know for sure how long it lasts (I think about a year: “four times in the last year she knew he had moved through one of her strongholds” -narration). During this time, Gen does some research, and sneaks into Irene’s palace at least three times. On the forth, Irene catches him. You know the result.
After reading through the chapters about Gen’s imprisonment in Attolia, a reader can guess what Gen decided after all his stalker-esque research. He’s realized there is a part of her that is still human, and not a queen, although she sees it as her weakness and tries to get rid of it. Honestly, I expect Gen admired that, at some level… we know that he would do anything to help his country, and Irene had made the ultimate sacrifice to help hers. On an even more personal level, he’s realized he’s in love with her. Not just the “calf love” he felt for her years ago, but real love. He knows she will never again be the girl who danced under the orange trees. But also, he knows that Irene hides behind the queen more each day – by this point, Irene is so wrapped up in the protection of her throne and herself that she commits the crime that changes both her and Gen forever: she cuts off Gen’s hand. No matter where you stand in the Great Age Debate, Gen can’t be older than eighteen. Personally, I think early sixteen – but whatever age, Irene knows she has gone too far.
So overall, I’d say a lot of Gen’s depression was grief for Irene – even directly after the hand-chopping, he wasn’t angry with her… he was sad for her. This brings me to the different interpretation of the “oxe harbrea” quote. The obvious one, which I’m sure is relevant, is that he’s calling to the Eddisian gods for help… but there is another. Irene uses Hephestia as a symbol of her rule, so I expect he also is talking to her. “Wisdom and love” (although, as we’ve been told, a rather ruthless love) sum up Irene (if occasionally not Attolia) pretty well.

*bows* that is my essay.

[(Anonymous)]

*applause*
well done!
I'm sending this to my sister right away! Crediting you of course!

Kelly

[(Anonymous)]

*applause*

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

*applauds* Very well reasoned and stated! I agree.

[lizzyazula.livejournal.com]

Nicely Done. I love it!

[(Anonymous)]

yes post it!! I've been trying to convince my sister of it! :X
Missy

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

Awww, it's adorable! I love their expressions! How can they be so expressive without mouths? Very good!

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

And did you all like my dreadful lie comment about not being a weird stalker? :)

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

YES! I saw that! LOL

[crazededdisian.livejournal.com]

Hi Azula! (Or is it Lizzy?) It was very nice meeting you in the chat and I am very glad you decided to join. I apologize for confusing you about the anonymous posting business. I really thought that- and- *blush...* Oh well. Your comic is SO FUNNY! It's amazing what can be done in math class! Anyway, I'm glad you're here!


(Don't eat the cookies!)

~CE

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

What do you mean, don't eat the cookies?

*offers cookies to everyone*

I'll have you know Megan ate my cookies and didn't turn into a griffin or dragon or go sparkly.

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

*eyes offered cookies*

Yes, well she's Megan

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

*points to icon*

Yeah, I'd have the comm howling for my blood.

[crazededdisian.livejournal.com]

Fine, eat the cookies. (Don't they smell GOOD)

[emerald-happy.livejournal.com]

That is cute. I have some stick people comics I did but haven't got round to scanning them yet.

Also they're mostly crackfic

[gamwyn.livejournal.com]

I looove it. :-) :-)

[sgwordy.livejournal.com]

Oh good times! Thanks for linking it over and joining.

(two cheers for crazy stalking:)