Our Favourite Media of February 2019

[helloladies]

Each month, we look back over the media we loved in the previous month, from books to film to video games and more.

KJ

Witchmark by C. L. Polk — I'd been hearing lots of good things about Witchmark, and then renay interviewed C. L. Polk for Fangirl Happy Hour, and it vaulted up my TBR. Great call: I loved so much about this book! So much crunchy worldbuilding about what a society built on magic might look like, especially when some mages have more power than others, and a compelling story about family, and a tasty sort-of forbidden romance, and a mystery that kept me guessing. Super glad that this book is a Nebula finalist, and super excited to read the upcoming sequel!

Susan

Gris — Gris is a beautifully weird little platformer about grief, with a gorgeous watercolour style and a surrealist feel. I really enjoyed the way that it used the steady unfolding of game mechanics and new abilities to represent recovery, and the way that the landscape changes around you to represent the protagonist's changing mental state. (I talked about it a little more over here!)

Katamari Damacy Reroll — I don't know what it says about me that my power fantasy is apparently "roll entire countries into a ball and fling them into space," but rolling entire countries into a ball and flinging them into space is so soothing! It's silly and brightly coloured and revolves around cleaning up after your disaster dad (but THIS TIME without the "dodge your dad punching you!" game over minigame that the Vita version had, which I am eternally grateful for!), and figuring out the most efficient way to roll up your katamari by the time limit is so satisfying.

Les Misérables — I took my mum to see Les Misérables when it was on tour, and it was amazing! I'd listened to the soundtrack before, and I got a crash course in the fandom from clairerousseau and buckbeakbabie, but I'd never seen a real production of it! The cast and the sets were incredible, I still want to yell "YOU ARE SIXTEEN AND NEVER EVEN SPOKE TO EACH OTHER" at Marius and Cosette, and the music was even better in person! It was so good, and I did immediately get out of it and shriek for fic recs, so I think it went well! (Yes my mum had a good time too.)