{"id":12051,"date":"2019-08-18T20:31:08","date_gmt":"2019-08-19T00:31:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/?p=12051"},"modified":"2024-06-12T17:24:33","modified_gmt":"2024-06-12T21:24:33","slug":"the-mystery-of-the-curiosities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/12051","title":{"rendered":"The Mystery of the Curiosities"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Mystery of the Curiosities<\/a><\/em> (2017) C.S. Poe<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Sebastian and Calvin are making their relationship work. It’s hard for Calvin whose family won’t speak with him now, which is exacerbating the PTSD he won’t admit he has, but Sebastian is doing his best to make Calvin feel loved.<\/p>\n

And Calvin does his best to deal with Sebastian’s weaknesses in a way his ex never did.<\/p>\n

I liked old black-and-white movies. They were easier to watch, what with never being overwhelmed by the mess of tones and colors blending into one another that represented modern cinema.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I do like how the problems Sebastian has with his vision are brought up in unexpected ways.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese aren\u2019t the same colors, are they?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cUh, I guess not.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat color?\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cBrick color.\u201d <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re fucking hysterical,\u201d I said. <\/p>\n

Max shrugged. \u201cWhat\u2019s it matter? They\u2019re like a reddish color. Some are a bit darker, a not really purple. It\u2019s hard to say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut definitely not matching,\u201d I concluded. <\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d Max said, shaking his head. \u201cDoes that mean something?\u201d <\/p>\n

I turned to stare at the pile again. \u201cI don\u2019t know. Maybe. They\u2019re old.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So what do I like about this story? I like Max, and how he initially is willing to help Sebastian, and the realizes mysteries aren’t as fun as he’s expected.<\/p>\n

I really like how Sebastian is patient with Calvin, and tries to support him and tries gently to push him to talk to someone about his PTSD. Yes, Calvin’s reluctance to talk is difficult, but it also feels incredibly true. I particularly appreciate that the PTSD is clearly presented as something that is not going to magically get better–yes Sebastian and his father want Calvin to get a dog, but they both see that as a starting point to his recovery, not a solution.<\/p>\n

There’s a scene where Sebastian is initially jealous when he thinks Calvin has been talking to someone else about his past and problems, but immediately realizes how irrational the stupid that is.<\/p>\n

That’s something else important that I don’t think gets enough recognition–that we all get irrational thoughts and feelings, and that’s okay as long as we recognize them for what they are.<\/p>\n

One problem I did have was that Sebastian KEEPS DOING STUPID STUFF. He’s told “Don’t do A” so he immediately runs out and does A. Which sometimes triggers Calvin. Which really bugs me. Sebastian KNOWS he is making bad decisions, but keeps making them. I suppose that could just be a personality quirk, but it really bothered me when those decisions kept upsetting Calvin.<\/p>\n

And I suppose that is Sebastian’s shtick.<\/p>\n

I dropped my haphazardly packed bag onto the couch and then kicked off my shoes. I changed into my regular glasses and went across the room to open the fridge. \u201cFull bar. We can get drunk and make some bad decisions later.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

So it’s another good entry into the series.<\/p>\n

Publisher: DSP Publications
\nRating: 7.5\/10<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Mystery of the Curiosities (2017) C.S. Poe Sebastian and Calvin are making their relationship work. It’s hard for Calvin whose family won’t speak with him now, which is exacerbating the PTSD he won’t admit he has, but Sebastian is doing his best to make Calvin feel loved. And Calvin does his best to deal […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[194,207,8,42,148,26,56],"tags":[50,180,544,212,473],"class_list":["post-12051","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-7-5-10","category-mental-health-rep","category-mystery","category-police","category-queer","category-romance","category-sexual-content","tag-boinking","tag-c-s-poe","tag-mm","tag-ptsd","tag-snow-winter"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/piQkW-38n","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14065,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/14065","url_meta":{"origin":12051,"position":0},"title":"The Mystery of the Curiosities","author":"Michelle","date":"March 7, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The Mystery of the Curiosities (2017) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter) Sebastian and Calvin are settling into their relationship. Calvin came out for Sebastian--and his family didn't take it well. But the two are doing their best to make the relationship work. Except that someone throws a brick through the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Mystery of the Curiosities","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/The-Mystery-of-the-Curiosities.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14195,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/14195","url_meta":{"origin":12051,"position":1},"title":"Interlude: Snow & Winter Collection Volume One","author":"Michelle","date":"April 12, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Interlude: Snow & Winter Collection Volume One (2021) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter) This is what it says on the tin: A collection of Snow and Winter short stories. Dopamine: Take Only as Directed Lunch Date Credit Scores and Cohabitation The Ghost of Durango Interpersonal Relationship Studies on the Way\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"Interlude Snow & Winter Collection Volume One","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Interlude-Snow-Winter-Collection-Volume-One.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":19501,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/19501","url_meta":{"origin":12051,"position":2},"title":"The Mystery of the Spirits","author":"Michelle","date":"January 2, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"The Mystery of the Spirits (2021) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter) This is the fifth Snow & Winter mystery. Sebastian and Calvin are happily married, and Sebastian has managed to avoid getting involved in murders--until now. \u201cWe should get one of those OSHA scoreboards for the shop. You know, for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Mystery of the Spirits","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/The-Mystery-of-the-Spirits.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14073,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/14073","url_meta":{"origin":12051,"position":3},"title":"The Mystery of the Bones","author":"Michelle","date":"March 9, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The Mystery of the Bones (2019) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter) Sebastian is mostly recovered from the events of the previous book. \u201cLife isn\u2019t all about money, Seb.\u201d \u201cYou can say that. You don\u2019t have a hospital bill the length of a CVS receipt.\u201d Physically, if not financially, anyway. But\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Mystery of the Bones","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/The-Mystery-of-the-Bones-683x1024.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":12087,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/12087","url_meta":{"origin":12051,"position":4},"title":"The Mystery of the Moving Image","author":"Michelle","date":"September 15, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"The Mystery of the Moving Image (2018) C.S. Poe After having been burned out of his apartment, Sebastian and Calvin are moving into a new place--together. And Sebastian is done with mysteries and putting himself in danger. Or he thinks he is, until a Thomas Edison Kinetoscope shows up at\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mental Health Rep"","block_context":{"text":"Mental Health Rep","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/mental-health-rep"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/The-Mystery-of-the-Moving-Image.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":14067,"url":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/14067","url_meta":{"origin":12051,"position":5},"title":"The Mystery of the Moving Image","author":"Michelle","date":"March 7, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The Mystery of the Moving Image (2018) C.S. Poe (Snow & Winter) A lot has happened to Sebastian and Calvin, so they are ready for some calm and quiet. Of course they don't get it. Someone sends Sebastian an old Kinetoscope--and some never-before-seen reels for it. \u201cHundred-twenty-year-old movie,\u201d Max said\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "8.5\/10"","block_context":{"text":"8.5\/10","link":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/archives\/category\/8-5-10"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Mystery of the Moving Image","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/The-Mystery-of-the-Moving-Image.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12051","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12051"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12051\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12051"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12051"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/klishis.com\/reading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12051"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}