Bisexual
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Official Queen of Fan Clans
Name Colour
ʀᴀɪɴʟᴇᴀғ 🍁
Official ThunderClan & ElmClan Leader
Easing back in
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Post by ʀᴀɪɴʟᴇᴀғ 🍁 on Jan 6, 2022 13:21:34 GMT -5
So, a while back I committed to the idea of rereading the series. (Main Arcs) Right now, I'm on OOTS. I've reread TPB, TNP, and POT. I'm saving DOTC for last right now because a majority of the books were checked out at my library. The intention of this reread was to try and see if my opinion would change on some characters.
With that, I feel that I was somewhat surprised with the results. While I'm currently going through OOTS, Leafpool is floating on neutral. She would have been in like if the Erins didn't ruin her with Crowfeather. It seemed the second she got her name, her character was different.
My reread has also pushed Brambleclaw/star into a deep dark corner of me wanting the character gone. Like forever. He was nice in TPB, but his attitude in TNP just rubbed me wrong when I tried to like him. It's sad because I was hoping to like Goldenflower's kits but I just can't bring myself to. It's humorous, as I love Golden but I dislike Sasha. Yet I also hate Bramble, dislike Tawny, but like/love Hawk and Moth.
Right now, I'm slogging through OOTS. I just find Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Dovewing to be incredibly obnoxious to read about. They don't really hold my attention and it's sad because in POT, Lionblaze was fairly decent in the first few books. I will say that the writing was better than I remembered in POT, though. I think it'll remain third on my list for now in terms of arcs.
Has anyone else done a reread? If so, what has changed with yours?
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Post by *•.¸♡𝘥𝘢𝘸𝘯𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦♡¸.•* on Jan 6, 2022 13:27:36 GMT -5
I've never done a reread, but I agree with you on Bramblestar. I actually zoomed through OoTS somehow, reading it in a week, despite finding that arc... not so great.
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Bisexual
#ffc5c5
Official Queen of Fan Clans
Name Colour
ʀᴀɪɴʟᴇᴀғ 🍁
Official ThunderClan & ElmClan Leader
Easing back in
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Post by ʀᴀɪɴʟᴇᴀғ 🍁 on Jan 6, 2022 13:37:46 GMT -5
I've never done a reread, but I agree with you on Bramblestar. I actually zoomed through OoTS somehow, reading it in a week, despite finding that arc... not so great. They just left on the journey and I just am not looking forward to reading this mess if I'm honest.
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Post by *•.¸♡𝘥𝘢𝘸𝘯𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘦♡¸.•* on Jan 6, 2022 13:41:19 GMT -5
I've never done a reread, but I agree with you on Bramblestar. I actually zoomed through OoTS somehow, reading it in a week, despite finding that arc... not so great. They just left on the journey and I just am not looking forward to reading this mess if I'm honest. I'm assuming it's the trip to the Tribe in Sign of the Moon? Yeah I didn't like that book
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Post by tema on Jan 6, 2022 13:41:23 GMT -5
When I do rereads, it's mostly just the SEs because of pacing. Rereading Yelliwfang's Secret let me have a bit of fun with Raggedstar. I don't know why, but on the first read at a certain point I started seeing him as "the kind of guy who peaked in high school and never got over it," which made his earlier stuff funny in a dark way.
Rereading Spottedleaf's Heart and Crookedstar's Promise after Bluestar's Prophecy made me appreciate Thistleclaw's downfall more. His... uhm... "actions" in the latter were still implemented poorly, but at least piecing that he was groomed by Mapleshade made him grooming another cat at least somewhat understandable. Somewhat. A little. But with regards to Promise, it made his appearance a bit more impactful as a warning to what Crookedstar could have become.
I reread Graystripe's Vow and appreciated the setup a lot more. I appreciated how they made their obvious narrative goal of 'get Graystripe in the old territories without any other ThunderClan cats' into a natural progression instead of doing something like copping out with a prophecy. That book also made a reread of The Last Hope interesting in regards to Thornclaw's involvement in the Dark Forest. It always seemed like a mystery, no I wonder if the Dark Forest spirits used ThunderClan's apparent nepotism to lure him.
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Aroace
#ffa100
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𝕱𝖑𝖚𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖋𝖆𝖑𝖑
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Taking a break from the forums because my cat died. Will probably be back mid to late October.
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Post by 𝕱𝖑𝖚𝖙𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖋𝖆𝖑𝖑 on Jan 6, 2022 16:41:24 GMT -5
I have decided in 2020 upon my return to the series to try re-reading the Warriors books once a year. I did my first re-read (and first time ever read of DotC and AVoS) then and have also done so in 2021. My next one starts in April of this year since that is the month in which I officially returned to my childhood comfort cats. It usually takes me from April to late September/early October reading six of the arcs (don't have TBC yet since I'm waiting for the box set). I'm just going to be including some of my perceptions of the first four original arcs since those are to ones who still get discussed and read a lot. TPB and TNP: TPB
FireSand As a child, I did not like FireSand and preferred FireSpotted or FireCinder because of how their interactions started out as her bullying him and then liking him one book later after he saved her. As an adult, re-reading their romance has made me feel neutral on it now. They are certainly healthy and communicate but I still cannot bring myself to ship them. My fondness for FireSpotted has vanished but FireCinder is still what I would have liked to see happening instead.
GraySilver I thought it was tragic as a child but disliked the reckless behaviour of both Graystripe and Silverstream nonetheless. This has not changed as an adult and makes the second book especially hard to get through. Graystripe was a horrible friend to Fireheart in that book who was just trying to look out for him and even covered for him despite getting treated badly for it. Silverstream's death was just as sad as I remembered though but Graystripe's Clan hopping later on, while understandable from his character motivation, was annoying to read about.
Leopardstar and Blackstar I hated these two as a child for their involvement in Stonefur's death and them not getting punished for it properly. But upon my first initial re-read I convinced myself to be neutral on them now for a while until realizing that it was a stupid decision and thus having returned to at least still disliking them now.
Tigerstar's death and Scourge As a child, I was surprised and terrified by this scene and Scourge's introduction but still had my edgy fangirl phase of this tiny terror regardless. Upon re-reading, I'm still just as baffled at how brutal (and deserved) Tigerstar's death truly was but now sometimes wish the writing team had gone with their original idea of letting Firestar do the honors. A classic and iconic moment nonetheless though.
TNP
Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight As a child, I adored Bramblepaw when he was first introduced alongside his sister Tawnypaw in the first arc. When I first started reading the second one there was definitely something different about him as Brambleclaw even compared to how he was in Firestar's Quest as a still new warrior. I still loved his character though and could relate and sympathize with his struggles in regards to having a father who was not truly there or really cared. I thought Squirrelpaw was annoying at first but quickly came to love her as well and see myself in her impulsive and expressive attitude. I also loved their initial dynamic of him being annoyed with her and her thinking he was an overly serious grump who simply refused to lighten up. It felt like a sibling relationship where the older one is bossy and annoyed but still looks out for the younger one while the younger one makes fun of the older one's seriousness but still looks up to them.
But then, they just had to be implied at being more than that, more than friends and my child self could then not help seeing my parents relationship dynamic in theirs, especially how their playful banter suddenly read more and more like heated arguments. Or how they talked over each other, around and about each other or not properly even with each other sometimes. I just felt so sad to see this happening and still wished upon my re-read that things had turned out way differently in terms of alternative ships and dynamics. In regards to Bramblestar as a character, I personally don't think that he was abusive to Squirrelflight as a warrior but definitely as a leader (especially in Squirrelflight's Hope). That being said, I fully acknowledge however, that he was incredibly harsh and even cruel at times towards her in the latter half of TNP.
And that his storyline of training in the Dark Forest despite rejecting his father in the previous arc and getting the deputy position the way he did should have been written differently. How about giving Tawnypelt the first role instead seeing as she actually joined her father in TPB and also named one of her kits after Tigerstar. It would have made more sense, in my opinion. As for Brambleclaw becoming deputy, it would have been better suited for his previous characterization in TPB if he had just been a hardworking warrior not even expecting to become deputy instead of expecting to get the position and actively seeking out the spot. Then again, I also wanted him to receive the warrior name Brambleflower in honor of his awesome mother Goldenflower instead of Brambleclaw after his murderous father Tigerstar. So there's that.
In conclusion to this matter, I understand the majority of people these days being angry at what a mess Brambleclaw's character has become, how he canonically treats cats around him, wishing he would just die already or even be gone from the series altogether. But cannot bring myself to hate him due to my personal attachment to what his character could have been after TPB in contrast to who he became in canon. It breaks my heart and makes me furious but sadly not really for the reasons most other fans are mad at him and the writers. He deserved to get written much better than he actually was in the end.
Leafpool and Crowfeather I thought Leafpool and her PoV was rather boring as a child but she certainly got more interesting when the forest began to get destroyed by the twolegs and then when she had her brief romance with Crowfeather. Although the latter was not to my liking because I always, even back then, thought him and Squirrelflight would have been way more believable and engaging than what happened in canon. This has not changed one bit upon my re-reads as an adult but I still wanted to mention it. I really like both of them as individual characters though and absolutely adore their kits.
PoT and OotS: PoT
The Original Three I loved them as a child when reading the third arc for the first time and this has not changed as I re-read this arc as an adult. They are all amazing. I did however dislike Hollyleaf's downfall back then but not anymore.
Sol I thought he was a cool villain as a child for some reason but this has changed around completely as an adult and I cannot stand his spineless self who somehow manages to talk himself into other cats heads and out of trouble so easily.
The Fire Scene I hated this scene as a child because of how much pain it caused the Three and initially disliked Squirrelflight and Leafpool for lying to everyone like that. As an adult, I obviously realize that they never meant to hurt anyone with it but the Three and Brambleclaw still had their right to be upset at them for it. Ashfur's overdramatic performance was great though and I could appreciate the insanity despite hating how he technically got away with this crime (and the foxtrapped Firestar situation) for a long time afterwards by still getting permission to join StarClan after Hollyleaf murdered him.
OotS
The Breakup As a child, I did not think much about either role Brambleclaw and Squirrelflight had in relation to other characters and each other during the fourth arc. As an adult, I re-read this arc and after watching a certain video, at first agreed with the claim of Silent Treatment which Brambleclaw apparently used on Squirrelflight during their time as ex-mates that is still being discussed by the fandom to this day. But upon thinking about it further for almost a year, I no longer think it to be true. Or the other, newer claim that he was Stonewalling her which I've even seen being misused as a term by fans accusing him of "building a wall around her and preventing her from talking to others" which is firstly not true and secondly not what this word actually means. As for Silent Treatment, they were broken up, he still talked to her on a professional level just not a personal one and did not use his deputy position to make life hard for her. She was sent on patrols by him, even leading a few herself and he also went on a few with her himself as well. Yes, he was not particularly friendly towards her during this time and rather cold. But then again, why should he be? She lied to him about their kits and he still felt hurt and angry with her about it. That was just as much his right as it is to the Original Three.
TigerDove I disliked this development as a child while reading the arc and outright despise it as an adult upon having to re-read it. Dovewing deserved better than to only be used by the authors as the center of (love) drama for which she is sadly still most known for instead of her slightly underdeveloped role as part of the Three which was still enjoyable for me to read about on the occasions where she was not thinking about Tigerheart or Bumblestripe.
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