Considering the number of idiotic people in the world, this realization pretty much blows. Considering the fact that if life weren't singular I would have no friends and nobody to cook food for me, my outlook on this whole thing becomes, well...less bad.
I just finished reading Rob Thurman's latest book, Chimera. Holy fucking Zeus was it incredible. To quote the back cover:
"From Rob Thurman, national bestselling author of the Cal Leandros novels, comes a sci-fi thriller that questions what makes us human, what makes us unique...
...and what makes us kill."
Totally cheesy? Yes. But does it describe the novel? Absolutely. Sufficiently? Hardly. This novel completely captivated me. Hell, I haven't been able to think of anything but it for the past five days. I mean, it's really absorbed my every thought. I haven't thought this much about the underlying meanings in a text since I read Nightlife over a year (OMG, almost TWO) ago. No matter how much I love the Leandros brothers (they will always be the first, the last, and the everything in my idyllic literary universe, the end all be all...I mean, the first is really the best here), Stefan and Misha have just, ugh, OMG, sucked me in. Basic premise of the story: Brotherhood. I guess more specifically, what makes us siblings, the things which are bigger than blood. Because I mean, when it comes down to it, is blood what really keeps us tied to our family no matter what? I don't really think so. I think it's the absolute knowledge that that person will be there for you always and you owe them the same. And I don't really know where that stems from, considering the fact that it's not like we give birth to our siblings so I don't know how you can just have a connection that strong. And I know it's not the same with all siblings, but this is a theme I hugely identify with. I'm the older sibling to my twin sisters, and I would protect them, be it killing for them or dying for them, regardless of the consequences on myself. Even if it sent me to rot in hell I would do it. Because they are more important to me than my next breath. And I have no fucking idea why, they just are. I protect them and they protect me, tooth and nail. Literally, the foam sword fights, the chocolate chip cookie dough fests, late night movies, and dinners at our favorite Mexican restaurant, I mean damn. In the latest Leandros installment (Roadkill), Cal says that if he believed in one thing in his whole life, it was that he would have found a way to his brother, even if it meant being the Devil's chihuahua and gnawing on Niko's ankle, he would have found him. And I feel the same way. But it does make me wonder, can I feel this way about anyone else other than my sisters? I mean, it probably won't be the same, I doubt the flavors of the feelings will be the same but still. I mean, I guess this is actually probably just another reason I don't want kids; I already have two younger siblings to take care of, to protect, and corny as it sounds I gotta raise them right. Hell, I've been a third pseudo-parent since their birth. But of course, as with most big siblings, it's always a pseudo-parent, because you're more than a parent (well, probably not more, but similar yet different?? if that makes any sense); you're the person that your kid sisters look up to, the one who is always, always, there, their best friend, and their closest confidant. That's such a huge responsibility, emotionally especially. And it's so damned important. I think that we humans must have multiple hearts, scientists be damned. Because I don't understand how I can love anyone more than I can love my sisters, hell, I can't, but I know that I can maybe love them just as much. If I ever believed in that tacky concept of fate, it would be in our capacity to find others and choose to compulsorily cherish them. Funny how that works huh? We choose to loose our freedom to the lives of others.
I know, this isn't very insightful or in-depth, you know my policy, and to be honest, this went in a totally different direction than I originally planned (much like this sentence acquired many more commas than expected...), but I can't really answer the questions this book raises, I just know the what and not the why. And you know, for now, that's okay with me. Just go read the book people.
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