Events
ThoughtBubble
14 Nov 2026 – 15 Nov 2026
Harrogate Convention Centre
Manchester Megacon
31 Jul 2027 – 1 Aug 2027
Manchester Central
She won't admit what it is, or what it's becoming. Too difficult. Maybe talking about Sid would help. I mean, she has four fine examples in her family--though we don't know how Florrie really feels about her husband. Maybe her parents don't have the best relationship?
I'm glad that she at least realizes she misses him...
I'm hoping all of the Barbers are gloriously happy and that Harry's reluctance on this front is an extension of the expectations she's been saddled with from society her entire life based on her gender. You know, like how us "tom girls" hated pink not because we actually hated pink but because we were expected to only want pink.
I don't think all of the Barbers are gloriously happy, though. I find Nicola's mother's "I'm happy you have such a good friend" to be quite an awful thing. :/
Like, imposing romantic relationships on your children and ignoring their real romantic feelings are two sides of the same coin, I believe.
And yeah, the thought "Mother wants I'd drop all what I wish to do, become 'a proper girl', get a husband and children" can make anyone not-so-eager about that stuff.
I completely blocked out when we actually met the parents oh god, okay yes. You're right.
> Maybe her parents don't have the best relationship?
Well, I don't think her mother's admonitions "Stop dressing like a gentleman and find yourself one" was really helping Harry's personal life. (Their mother's attitude to Nicola's orientation didn't help either, I suppose.)
Also, Florrie's bio said she got married for money. And really, she was hipped on the idea to find a husband for Harry (and picked up Sid for that purpose) from ch. 1, what can Harry tell her about that?
Actually liking someone that a family member has been trying to set you up with for a long time must be the most annoying thing. Like I really want to not like them just to spite you, but argh!
There’s a sketch of Mrs de Montfort in the back of ‘Sleight of Hand’ holding a pistol and looking slightly manic. I suspect she shot her husband and had him buried in the cellar.
Edit: Not at the back of the book. Must be in the extra pdf of sketches.
I'm thinking that happy couples only seem like a possible template for your own relationships if you have quite a bit in common with the happy couple. Beyond that, simply being as strong and independent as Harry is must make it challenging to think of being vulnerable with someone.
My now-wife and I did the long distance thing for ~8 months, and this hits me really hard.
I was going to pun around with how Harriet would eventually get to the root of this final planted doubt that stems from her worries, but I felt I would just be beating around the bush with that joke and rather leaf it out
Bad jokes aside, I can understand Harriet's hesitation. Facing big bads is one thing, feelings and emotions... yeah, those can be so much scarier T_T
Monsters you can beat and make go away. Feelings attack you from the INSIDE :P
Good for you, Harry. This is hard, but you can do it!
I like Nyree calling her Licorice after the way her spirit smells/tastes ("From you, I get... charcoal, and... licorice.")
Though just by looking at Harry, you'd think it was ginger! I'll just show myself out now.
I also miss Parsley and definitely no one else! When will you stop drawing silly wizard comics and give us "The Adventures of Chompy Cat" like you know we all truly crave?
My first reaction on reading Kate's comment was "Wait, so does that mean Parsley is a male cat?" I'd been thinking of Parsley as female (for no particular reason).
Haha, I've been wondering the whole time! I did notice no pronouns were ever employed in reference to Parsley. I am happy that's been cleared up at last!
the part of me rooting for character development: Yes! Come to terms with your attachments to other people and become a better, happier person for it!
the part of me rooting for relatability: No! Never admit you have feelings! Repress everything!
Just let your inner shipper be the tie-breaker :P
Next page: "Did I say 'him?' I meant it, as in, the place Widdershins. That's what I'm missing. Definitely not Sid."
Best come out with your true feelings now, Harry, before that black lotus opens and Sid emerges from within, just like in a Hindu frieze...
Harry: Why do the petals look like they're cheering and waving?
Nyree: They represent the fans and shippers, moving in harmonious adulation and celebration!
Harry: ... X-S
>:=)>
Okay, how hilarious would it be if he did appear in the lotus though? He's about to tell his parents the truth and then vanishes and emerges in a mysterious forces and he's just like "oh thank god"
Don't understand. What else do you do but run away from inconvenient feelings if you can't bury them safely away?
She'd shoot them, but Nyaree took her gun.
I love the gentle contrast between cultures here. I think a lot of mainstream Americans and British would sympathize with Harry. And I think if Nyree understood the reinforcement between Harry's emotions and Harry's culture, she might not be quite so flippant.
Unless she's challenging Harry on purpose, knowing Harry will rise to the challenge. But we saw this before with the gun. Nyree was like, "You and your gun culture!" rather than "Guns don't work as well here as they do over there."
I really think that Harry's (British) family were more pushy about that subject than Nyree is. Florrie the most, ofc, but some of others, too, in ch. 6. (And I don't mean it in good way.)
Have you met Harry's parents? If anything, her repression is a form of rebellion against her upbringing.
We haven't met Harry's parents, though. We've met her paternal grandparents.
I've got the second panel as Nyree giving the flower into Harry's hands before I realise it's an illusion.
I think it's Harry yanking her hand away from Nyree on "Don't care for that implication."
Aaaaaaand here we are.
[SCREAM/SQUEES INTERNALLY AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA]
Hmm, would a scream/squee be a Squeam? I think that word might already be taken.
"she probably just means parsley"
Not to be that guy, but should that be Gren?
gren isn't a he
facepalm My bad for forgetting that
To be fair, there is a great deal of floof obscuring things.
(tiny squee)
Hmmm. When did she ever meet Parsley? The plot thickens...!
Well they are neighbours :)
Poor Harriet. That truly hurt, didn't it, truth to be pressed out between closed teeth!
Oooh, licorice? Don't mind if I do.
"Who?"
"Well you see, I have this dog..."
Of course the dog is female (not that Nyree knows that).
In that last panel Nyree's going "damn it, she's not single."
Why wouldn't it be Parsley? He's a very friendly lion, if not particularly brave.