It Is Recommendsday, My Dudes #10 · 7:59pm May 26th, 2021
Most of you have already figured out by now my selections for any given blog have a theme. It's usually pretty loose ("Both these stories involve Rarity" or "Both are comedies"), though some are more in-depth (future sets include "Both stories are written in reverse chronological order" and "These two authors hate each other".) But if you had to ask me what one of the themes would be, I would not have originally picked todays: "Stories that are part of a series about griffons that act as windows into real-world cultures." And yet, here we are.
Our first is the pair of What Is To Be Done and Sonder by Mykola.
A newer author, Mykola really stands out with these two by giving the griffons a very non-standard take: layering them with Eastern European cultural elements. Sonder, in particular, uses Gallus as a window into the Byelorussian political unrest and protests.
As a result, the stories give a very different flavor than is usually associated with the griffon culture and it gives us as readers some insight into cultures and societies that are (far too often) portrayed in stereotypes and filtered through four layers of media outlets. It helps that they're well-written and you can feel the heart that's gone into the words. The subjects are close to the author and it helps the rest of us grasp at it, as well.
Our other selection is Pamasak-Butas and Langit at Lupa by Comma Typer.
Originally part of Admiral Biscuit's Labor Day Challenge, it tells the story of a griffon street food vendor in Manila. First from the perspective of one of his customers, then following the griffon (Garlan) more closely and exploring the life of an Equestrial ex-pat. (There's a third - Buko Pie - that's a sort-of addition to the sequence, at least spiritually.)
Well written as always, it has that Admiral Biscuit-esque vibe of looking into perfectly normal daily life and embracing the subject. It's slice of life in pure form, giving extra in that it's providing a look into a life that the average (North American/Western European) reader doesn't normally have. The characters are remarkably human (even the ones that aren't human) and relatable as they struggle through their lives.
New or catching up? Try Recommendsday: The Index for your story needs!
