Bonjour, mes amis!
So, an update on what’s been going on in my world.
It’s been a weird start to 2021. I think I’m just burned out by doing so much last year – school, assignments, trying to write, worrying about the state of the world, to name a few. I was sucked into the black hole that was US politics and only managed to breathe a little easier after November. I started school again in January, but this qualification is a teaching one and is so not itching my creative muse at all. Plus, it’s online so it’s way too easy to procrastinate (this is my biggest flaw!). And I’m just really, really tired of the world in general.
Photoshoot for Harpers. Bazaar, China. LOOK AT THE PRETTEH
So, there I was, plodding along. Then I got sucked into the Untamed universe (merci, Party Like 1660 !) and I. AM. OFFICIALLY. OBSESSED. I love everything about this series. What is it? It’s a 50-episode Tencent production, developed from a BL (boy love) web novel The Grand Master of Demonic Cultivation by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu but due to China’s strict censorship laws, there can be no obvious depiction of boy-on-boy romance. This didn’t stop the clever scriptwriters and director AT ALL. In fact, the romantic development, angst and love-and-loss of our two main boys is the whole point of the series. (It also adds extra excitement that the two leading actors Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo appear to be having a clandestine romance off-screen – yes, I have researched this EXTENSIVELY thanks to YouTube and the many behind-the-scenes clips 🙂 It’s currently streaming on Netflix.
So. What am I working on now?
- Some residency applications in my area
- Unexciting school work -____-
- Writing parts 2 and 3 of the Confessions of Monsieur E. I love these characters so much and returning to 17th century France is my happy place.
- Inspired by The Untamed, I’m now plotting an epic Fantasy Warrior Boys fic, bursting with good/evil, redemption, revenge, spells and magic, sword fights, an epic quest, boy flirting, angst and hot smexy scenes. My didi is helping me with story and plot details and it’s daunting and scary but I’m SO PUMPED FOR THIS STORY.
- Fan art. Lots and lots of fan art. Here’s a few. THEY ARE SO PRETTEH. You can also see them on my Insta and also over on my Pinterest board.
Bonjour, Jules !
2021 by Jules seems quite attractive, despite all this pandemic madness in the world and your little disappointment with the school. Not one, but two new parts of the Confessions of Monsieur E. sounds fantastic :). Secretly, I hope that the main character will land in Saint-Cloud during one of his adventures or at least meet Monsieur & the Chevalier de Lorraine or some other famous figures from their circle. I would be delighted!
As for your new obsession (The Untamed), I’m sure all the new projects related to it will bring you lots of fun and pleasure. For me, the boys both in the series and in private seem to be like creatures from another planet. It is just impossible that the real men can have such flawless skin, hair, silhouette :). Also, I was curious if Xiao Zhan & Wang Yibo were/are a couple in real world, but I see this is their little secret (I believe in your searching skills though ;-)). Anyway, I will be waiting for your Chinese novel
Btw, you mentioned that ‘didi’ helps you with the plots. I think you meant ‘little brother’ (dd in Chinese slang, if I’m not wrong). If it is not a secret, did you mean Aurora or your real brother?
I hope we won’t wait until next year for the new post here . Be safe and creative!
P. S. Your fanarts are AMAZING!
Bonjour Tess! Yes, Monsieur E will most def. get to Saint-Cloud at some stage. (I’ve outlined about eight stories so far!).
All The Untamed boys are GORGEOUS and I cannot stop watching them XD YiZhan is real!!! They bought houses next to each other, so this is the dead giveaway, plus lots of body language, subtext in their interviews and the fact they literally cannot take their eyes off each other whenever they’re in public (and behind the scenes!).
And oui, didi is Aurora :))). We are currently on the 2nd full watch of the entire series and I’m writing recaps, so that will be up as soon as I can finish them. They obvs won’t be as in-depth as the Versailles ones.
It will be a really big temptation to watch “The Untamed” when your recaps come out :))
I’m so late to every party and this is no exception but I just discovered Versaille and then your recap and have now been drowning for days in your amazing recaps as well as Philippe/Chevalier love and just finished your recap of Season 2 before I even finished Season 2. I found your review half way through Season 1 ended up rewatching and then reading your reviews and couldn’t stop and now I’m all over the place but plan on rewatching a million times I’m sure before I’m fully satiated in the end but was so sad to see reviews for Season 3 ended at episode 2. I know you are busy and moved on to other obsessions (I’m obviously now curious about Untamed especially being Chinese myself and drawn to dramas from my own culture) but hope one day you’ll return to finish Versaille too. I am going to watch Season 3 without spoilers now without your hand to guide but will miss all the wonderful insight and thoughts you brought to the viewings.
Hi Jasmine! Better late than never 🙂 I sometimes think about finishing the Versailles reviews but every time I read my last one, I get in a rage again 😡 Maybe one day….
I thoroughly urge you to watch The Untamed! My first lot of recaps are here. You really have to watch it over and over to get all the little nuances and bits you miss on the first watch, which was why I started writing the recaps instead of trying to rely on my memory! I was like this with a recent watch of Hwarang, a gorgeous K-drama with all the pretteh boys, including V from BTS and Minho from SHINee (be still my fangirl heart lol). <333