Anxiety has been kicking my ass lately, so this is going to be a shorter piece. Finished Circe and I just want to reiterate that it’s a great book with some wonderful writing. This particular section hit me hard because it’s such a well done bit of description—something that I struggle with. Which is why writers that make it look effortless make me so mad, something I hope to remedy by stealing the tricks used here for my own work.

Her face was gray and pitiless, as if cut from living rock, and from her back dark wings lifted, jointed like a vulture’s. A forked tongue flicked from her lips. On her head snakes writhed, green and thin as worms, weaving living ribbons through her hair.

Like the other descriptions of immortal beings in the book, the images used here are incredibly specific and well thought out. Likening her wings to that of a vulture puts the image of a scavenger, or omen of death, into your mind. Describing her face “as if cut from living rock” makes her feel hard and immovable, but doesn’t make her feel stiff or lifeless. In fact, the description almost makes feel so animated that she could just walk off the page and rip your head off. From her flicking tongue to her “weaving living ribbons” there isn’t a part of her that isn’t in motion. The result is one of the most vivid and beautiful character descriptions I’ve seen in prose, and for a character that only makes one appearance.

What Else?

Big thing that has been helping my mood is binging the hell out of Doom Patrol, one of the most unapologetically weird stories I’ve seen in forever. Despite how dark the story can get, I find it so easy to binge and so easy to lose myself in without feeling emotionally drained.