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The Penelopiad
The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus | Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood returns with a shrewd, funny, and insightful retelling of the myth of Odysseus from the point of view of Penelope. Describing her own remarkable vision, the author writes in the foreword, Ive chosen to give the telling of the story to Penelope and to the twelve hanged maids. The maids form a chanting and singing Chorus, which focuses on two questions that must pose themselves after any close reading of the Odyssey: What led to the hanging of the maids, and what was Penelope really up to? The story as told in the Odyssey doesnt hold water: there are too many inconsistencies. Ive always been haunted by the hanged maids and, in The Penelopiad, so is Penelope herself. One of the high points of literary fiction in 2005, this critically acclaimed story found a vast audience and is finally available in paperback.
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Chelseabillups30

Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can't go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does.

25 likes1 stack add
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RedCurly
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Pickpick

I really love Margaret Atwood books. It was a very short story about Penelopeia, wife of Odesseus. She tells her side of the of well known story. It could have been a very long book about Greek women's life and status and all of the history but it was good as it was.

Ps. This book was very very expensive, however it is very short. I don't know what is going on in other countries but here books getting incredible pricy.

IuliaC I've noticed too that books are getting more and more expensive. The cost of living is rising and we're losing purchasing power 12mo
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rabbitprincess
Pickpick

Finally managed to read this after reading Claire North's Ithaca. I liked The Penelopiad slightly better, because Penelope herself tells the story, rather than Hera, and the telling is much more economical. Adding the 12 hanged maids as the Chorus is also a good addition.

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BriannaT
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Pickpick

I was super excited to find this book at a farmer‘s market - it‘s a Canadian first edition print! I love a good myth retelling, especially from a woman‘s point of view. In particular, Atwood focuses on not only Penelope, but her 12 maids that Odysseus killed. These women who were nameless, innocent, and get glossed over. I‘m satisfied with their ending in this book, and there were some powerful quotes too.

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BriannaT
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My trip to Canada is almost done and I wanted to take a picture of all the books I bought this past week! Also I‘m sharing a hotel room with my mom so I had to take this picture while she was in the bathroom so she was not fully aware of the number of books I got. Yes I‘m 27 and I shouldn‘t care, but here I am.

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AFrostCauseReads
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Pickpick

This is everything I hoped it would be. I‘m always floored by Atwood‘s beautiful words and creativity, so her taking on a Greek myth was gorgeously done. She definitely did her research and seamlessly incorporated ancient storytelling techniques while updating a few.

This is the story of Penelope, from her perspective, from birth to afterlife. It focuses on the ending of the Odyssey, Odysseus, and the injustice of the hanged maids.

AFrostCauseReads @TheAromaofBooks this was my double spin pick for January! 2y
TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!!!! 2y
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SolaRaynor
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“If you can't go around an obstacle, go around it. Water does.“ Margaret Atwood, “The Penelopiad“.

tokorowilliamwallace Hiking? Where's this? 2y
SolaRaynor @tokorowilliamwallace Mirabeau Point, Spokane Valley, Washington. I took this picture in late September of this year :) 2y
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Tianarose
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What a productive start to the year! 23 down and two on the go

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Read-y_Picker
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Hi #LMPBC #GROUPX11 ! I‘ve narrowed down some choices for round 11. The tagged book is included in my list also, in case we want to read that and also one of @TheKidUpstairs amazing choices 😊. Be honest with your thoughts!

See All 14 Comments
DinoMom Oh man, great choices again. I have already the Christopher Moore one. So I would prefer not that one, but would reread to make notes if everyone else is routing for that one! @Read-y_Picker 3y
BookishTrish I‘ve read The Penelopiad... I think the others look really interesting particularly Serpent and The Emperor of Paris. 3y
BookishTrish ...oooh and the Bookstore one looks good too 3y
Read-y_Picker @BookishTrish Oops, hand't seen your reply on the other post. No worries, I'll just have to read The Penelopiad myself... 😢 I'm just so excited for BOOOOOOKSSSSS! 3y
TheKidUpstairs I'm good with any of these. Full disclosure, I've read Emperor of Paris but it was a long time ago and I remember LOVING it, so I'd be happy to reread I'd that's the choice 3y
DinoMom Did you receive the book ? I sent it 2 weeks ago? 3y
Read-y_Picker @DinoMom @TheKidUpstairs @BookishTrish Hey group x! Sorry for being mia for a while. Had to take a hard step away from socials. Megan I checked your tracking and your box is in your town finally. You should get it any day. I‘m hanging on the your round 10 pick for a bit though, if that‘s ok. Sharon I did receive your package, thank you so much for the goodies! I‘ll be hitting that this weekend. Hope everyone is well! 3y
TheKidUpstairs @Read-y_Picker yay! Glad to hear from you 😄 I hope everything's okay. And yes, feel free to hang on to the round ten pick as long as you need! 3y
Read-y_Picker @TheKidUpstairs thank you! I just checked again and Postes Canada left you a ticket to pick up! 3y
BookishTrish Glad you‘re okay all! 3y
28 likes14 comments
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TCLinrow
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Pickpick

This was a brutally honest, feminist retelling of the Odyssey. It didn't hide from the darkness of the story, it called the bluffs of the hero worship and idolising of the main male characters and showed us a glimpse of what they got up to in the shadows. Excellently crafted and researched, I just wish there had been more of it.

#TBRChallenge #AudioBook #ABookThats

rwmg I loved it and would just to like to add it is also very funny 3y
TCLinrow @rwmg it most certainly was! I loved the way the relationship between Helen and Penelope was played out 😊 3y
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Revenge4bess
Pickpick

What do you think about this? Having trouble keeping the plot straight.

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ElleMNOpe
Mehso-so

An intelligent & witty feminist retelling of the Odyssey. Clever & quick read. Portrays Penelope in a different light, making her sassy & smart, but trapped in the misogynistic confines of ancient Greek society. Counter's Penelope's view with that of the twelve maids, making it clear that the story depends on the narrator. Atwood's manipulation of this tale is fantastic & I adore her writing. She is able to spin a fantastic tale.

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Allylu
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Started this audiobook on my walk today - it was raining! I am loving it! The narrator is great. Of course, I never read The Iliad or The Odyssey, so some of those references may be lost on me. But the hanging maids and their songs are hilarious and Penelope is very clever, as she says, and funny. I hope I don‘t offend anyone by getting my giggles on. I‘m only on chapter 6 or 7, so things might change. It was raining & I didn‘t have an umbrella.

NeedsMoreBooks This is one of my favorite retellings ❤️ Hope you enjoy it! 4y
Allylu I am really enjoying it! 💕📚 4y
Allylu I have finished it! It was part of my #BookSpinBonanza list - I forget what number. This audiobook was very entertaining! I loved it! @TheAromaofBooks 💕📚🎶 4y
TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Glad you enjoyed your pick!!! 4y
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hissingpotatoes
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Bailedbailed

0/5⭐ This rambling of a book has no right to model its name off of epic poetry like the Iliad.

It masquerades misogyny as feminism (Penelope CONSTANTLY slut-shames Helen and describes herself as a not-like-the-other-girls proper woman and wife).

Somehow Penelope is aware enough of the modern world to understand electricity but not museums, which have existed far longer?!?!

What a disappointment.

ManyWordsLater I guess I won‘t be reading this one anytime soon. 4y
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NeedsMoreBooks
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#7days7books Day 4 was a difficult choice between this and The Handmaid‘s Tale. Books that changed me or left a lasting impact on me @canbku @BookwormAHN @behudd @CocaNicola and @viirastus would you like to play? Thank you for the tag @MoonWitch94 @JaclynW @Jas16 and @SquidgetsRoom

BookwormAHN Thanks for the tag 😺 4y
Cupcake12 Thank you for the tag earlier xx 4y
JaclynW I haven't read this book, but I've read The Handmaid's Tale and loved it. 4y
NeedsMoreBooks @BookwormAHN and @Cupcake12 you are most welcome! 💖💖 @JaclynW it is a novella from Penelope‘s perspective, Odysseus‘s wife. 4y
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Cinfhen
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Mehso-so

I was looking forward to a good re-telling of Odysseus‘s story. I wanted to hear from Penelope, his long suffering wife but what I got was a whiny witless heroine, a bratty son and one hell of a scumbag husband. Margaret Atwood has 2 styles of writing; superb or subpar. This just didn‘t work for me. Thanks so much for sending it my way @Kalalalatja I wish I would have had a different reaction.

Moray_Reads I felt much the same about this one 4y
Cinfhen Thanks for backing me up @Moray_Reads I was really underwhelmed ☹️ 4y
Kalalalatja I enjoyed it, but it isn‘t my favourite Atwood. She really is a hit or miss author! 4y
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quietlycuriouskate I hated this book! 😣 4y
Cinfhen It‘s odd, she‘s so inconsistent for me @Kalalalatja 4y
Cinfhen I didn‘t HATE this book but I was debating hitting that PAN tab @kathedron (edited) 4y
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KathrynElise
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Lexie thought that Atwood‘s tribute to the Odyssey was purrfect 🐱📖

#margaretatwood #purrfect

Meaw_catlady 🖤🖤😻😻 4y
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GatheringBooks
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Tamra
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I read these three contemporary interpretations of Greek mythology this year and loved them as well! I am so glad I was “forced” by my antiquities course to step outside my comfort zone last year and read mythology because I would have never have guessed I‘d find it entertaining and intriguing. 😁 Then I wouldn‘t have had the pleasure of reading these beauties either.

AvidReader25 The Song of Achilles is wonderful! 4y
Lucy_Anywhere I loved The Song of Achilles! 4y
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SheilaChew
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Pickpick

I did it! Finished my reading goal for 2019! Snapped a pic of the lovely bookshelves at a nearby coffee shop earlier this week.
Another excellent work by Atwood . She doesn‘t disappoint!

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Kalalalatja
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Pickpick

Ever wondered what Penelope did all those years Odysseus was out adventuring, waring, tricking and exploring? This book gives Penelope‘s point of view, from being married off, always being in the shadow of her cousin, being disregarded, left behind and left to fend for herself in a world where a woman‘s word doesn‘t count for much. And in typical Atwood style, this is feminist, strong and a new take on a classic tale, and it was great!

jillrhudy Love!!! 😍 4y
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kspenmoll
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Lindy That cover art looks like it's by Tamara de Lempicka. 5y
Melissa_J Wow! That one is so much different from my edition of the book. 5y
Librarybelle Such a pretty edition! 5y
See All 7 Comments
kspenmoll @Lindy It is by Tamara de Lempicka! 5y
Lindy @kspenmoll Her paintings are distinctive. 😊 5y
batsy Cool cover 💖 5y
kspenmoll @Librarybelle @Melissa_J @batsy I found it on the shelves at Barnes & Noble UConn. Loved it! 5y
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kspenmoll
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Spent some time with hubby in UConn‘s B & N, whiling away the time until my son‘s class tonight ended. Love this mural that adorns a wall. Also picked up tagged book on their 50% off table. #artandbooks #TheOdyssey #Penelope

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BekksReadsBooks
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LaraS

The gods often mumble.

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ImperfectCJ
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Mehso-so

Finished while cooking split pea soup. This, along with Madeline Miller's Circe, was a valuable addition to my reading of The Odyssey, but it didn't really grab me. The link between the slain maids and the maidens of Artemis is intriguing, but it seems underdeveloped and academic. And while I'm not sure I fault Penelope for being snarky, I would hope that a few thousand years would provide equanimity of a sort.

jchawkins To be fair, a lot of Margaret Atwood's writing comes off as academic. 5y
ImperfectCJ @jchawkins Good point. But this did seem a little more like "isn't this a cool idea?" without really being tied into the story well. I expect more subtlety and finesse from Ms Atwood. 5y
jchawkins Fair. This is one by her that I haven't read...I should give it a go. Have you seen her course on MasterClass? It's marvelous! 5y
ImperfectCJ @jchawkins I've never been sure whether the MasterClasses were worth it or a gimmick. Sounds like hers, at least, is the real deal. Thanks for the recommendation! Have you read her retelling of The Tempest from the Hogarth Shakespeare series? Not all of them work for me, but I love that one. 5y
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ImperfectCJ
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Fighting a virus is a good excuse for an impromptu readathon. Although I suppose Atwood's Maddaddam trilogy would be more apt.

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ThisIsLilli
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Pickpick

The Odyssey retold from the viewpoint of Penelope - what more could you ask for?! This is a first-person account which succeeds in retelling a well-worn myth in such a way that it is still both absorbing and intriguing. For someone who studied Classics and loves myth retellings, this was a fantastic read.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#thepenelopiad #margaretatwood #myth #theodyssey #retelling #firstperson #fivestars

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GatheringBooks
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#QuotsyMay19 Day 30: #Water. While I own a copy of this novel (along with may other Atwood titles), still have not read this yet.

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Tamra
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Pickpick

Another 5⭐️! What a clever & inventive feminist story that breathes life into Penelope, past and present. The humor too! The passage quoted above is a “video clip” from a modern day court hearing wherein Odysseus is having to defend himself against charges of murder. That last paragraph 😂😂😆

julesG Now I need to read this book! Thanks for the review. 5y
Tamra @julesG I loved it and it‘s a quick read that you don‘t want to stop! Enjoy! 5y
julesG Forgot to stack it. So thanks very much for your reply to my comment. 5y
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Tamra
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“A stick used to beat other women with.”

Oh Penelope! 😫

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Chrissyreadit
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2. The picture of Shiva from your trip to India is incredibly perfect! And the magnet! I love the Celtic bookmarks and that you sent items from multiple mythologies. I‘m going to frame the card!!!! And the Egyptian papyrus!!!! #mythsandlegendsswap

MeganAnn Love the different mythology artwork! 💙💙💙 5y
56 likes1 comment
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rwmg
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Birdsong28
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Thank @Oryx for the lovely present.😘 It's not long arrived (5.30 pm) 📚📖

Oryx You're welcome! Hope you having a good day ❤️ 5y
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LoverofLit
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Pickpick

This short read was absolutely charming and took me less than a day to read. Other reviewers lamented the fact that this book was only 192 pages but I enjoyed the dark humor and storyline told from the wife of Odysseus as he sails away to the Trojan War and then goes galivanting around, sleeping with goddesses while she waits for him. Good for her for the choices she made and finally getting to tell her story! #ReadingWomenChallenge Myth Retelling

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rwmg
Pickpick

Atwood's Penelope is a very funny character. If your mother is a Naiad, your father tried to drown you as a baby, Helen of Troy is your cousin (so you're always going to come off second best in the boyfriend/husband stakes), and your husband disappears for 20 years, really a sense of humour is your only possible way of staying sane.

Full of things you want to read out to anyone who will sit still long enough 👇

rwmg but the danger is you might end up reading out the whole book. 5y
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rwmg
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rwmg
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rwmg
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rwmg
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rwmg
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Expandingbookshelf
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“Water does not resist. Water flows. When you plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can‘t go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does.”

Tamra Lovely! 5y
Tamra Have you read the Watson translation yet? You know, because I hadn‘t read the Odyssey until last year, I hadn‘t paid any attention to this Atwood novel. Will definitely pick it up, so thank you for posting! 5y
Expandingbookshelf @Tamra I did and I loved it! It‘s such an interesting translation 5y
Tamra @Expandingbookshelf I will pick it up too then. 👍🏾 5y
9 likes4 comments
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ludodominici
Il canto di Penelope | Margaret Atwood
Mehso-so

Non il migliore della Atwood secondo me. Avevo già letto L‘altra Grace e il Racconto dell‘Ancella e questo libricino non regge purtroppo il confronto. La scrittrice ci ha abituate a donne molto sfaccettate, complesse, fragili e forti; in questo romanzo invece ci presenta una donna passivamente forte, schiacciata dagli uomini. Non mi è piaciuto affatto, nonostante io ami moto la figura di Odisseo e tutte le vicende legate a Iliade e Odissea

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StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego
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I'm excited for the Myths & Legends Swap, and remembered I had this book! I really need to read The Odyssey.

#ReadTheNorth #CanadianAuthors #FemaleAuthors

Alanyaaass I had to read the odyssey for uni and ngl it was a wild ride 😂😂 it was fun though 5y
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Astroneman
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Mehso-so

Un unusual voice, Penelope, tells us about Ulysses and Telemaco, about her real life and something about Helena...

#book #litsy #litsybook #bookly #goodreads #booklover #margaretatwood #thepenelopiad #Ulysses #toread #readingchallenge #readingchallenge2019 #Odissea #Omero

readordierachel That cover is beautiful! 5y
28 likes1 stack add1 comment
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ViaggiatricePigra
Il canto di Penelope | Margaret Atwood
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Pickpick
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MirrorMask
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“Water does not resist. Water flows. When you #plunge your hand into it, all you feel is a caress. Water is not a solid wall, it will not stop you. But water always goes where it wants to go, and nothing in the end can stand against it. Water is patient. Dripping water wears away a stone. Remember that, my child. Remember you are half water. If you can't go through an obstacle, go around it. Water does.”

#QuotsyJan19 @TK-421

Reggie Nice!!! 5y
TK-421 ❤️ 5y
76 likes2 comments