So Taemin had another comeback, and I'm still obsessed with it. This one is a continuation of sort of his last comeback, continuing the slightly dangerous and extremely beautiful aesthetic,
Unlike Criminal, however, this MV felt a lot less opulent and a lot colder, Taemin a much more imposing figure. This is further exacerbated by the very dark tone of the music– I found myself a little bit scared of who Taemin was in this MV, in the best possible way.
Of course, after doing the Criminal list, I knew I had to do the same for this MV, so without and further ado, here's a list of five books that remind me of Taemin's Idea MV.
1. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
The Bear and the Nightingale is the first book in the adult fantasy series The Winternight Trilogy. The story follows Vasilisa, a young girl raised on fairy tales and who carefully respects and loves the old spirits that guard her home and family. However, when her mother dies, her father remarries a woman with fierce Christian devotion, who forbids the family from following the old traditions. Only Vasya can see the trouble this will create for her family and their people. As people's distrust and fear grows, Vasya must contend with both the anger from those around her who see her as the source of their troubles, and the spirits and demons that wander near her home– especially the frost demon, Morozko.
This book is an amazingly engaging and well written adult fantasy novel, using elements of traditional Russian fairy tales and religion in an extremely satisfying and intriguing way. The story is wonderfully paced and easy to devour, and leaves me with a deep chill that I have no business feeling, considering I live in California.
I felt this book matched Idea because of how much Taemin reminds of figures like Morozko. He seems powerful and all knowing, a benevolent demon or little god. He's equal parts terrifying and intriguing, and the MV makes me feel chilled and cold in the same way this book does. Plus, that bit in the first chorus where's doing terrifyingly difficult choreo in a forest? The blue silk outfit? Yeah, that's a frost demon.
2. Miranda In Milan by Katharine Ducket
Miranda in Milan is a fantasy novella written as a continuation of William Shakespeare's The Tempest. When she's returned to Milan, Miranda is swept into a world she doesn't understand, surrounded on all sides by threats. Her mother is spoken of in hushed whispers and evidence of Prosero's dark arts once again has started permeating her home. Alongside Dorothea, her only friend in Milan, she starts unraveling the secrets surrounding her father, her mother, and her own experiences.
This novella is wholly unsettling, in an amazing way. As someone who adores Shakespeare, it was the same sense of foreboding and uncertainty that was brought on when I read The Tempest, and I welcomes it. As the story progressed, and Prospero's presence made itself more and more known, it felt almost like psychological horror, the fear and mistrust in even her own memories contributing to the sense of being trapped. If you enjoy Shakespeare or even are just familiar with The Tempest and want a story that will make you feel this unsettled, I definitely recommend this novella. For extra incentive, the story centers an f/f relationship and is willing to speak about themes of colonialism built up by the framing of The Tempest.
I felt this novella fit with this MV because of the same feeling of Taemin as this terrifying, otherworldly creature, magical and unsettling. Taemin felt cold in this MV, and it made feel the same kind of uncertain and disoriented. While I do not think I could ever, ever see Taemin as horrific and terrifying the way Prospero is in this book, Taemin cuts a very imposing figure in this MV, and I felt it was close enough aligned that I could put this book here.
3. Ever by Gail Carson Levine
Now taking what might seem like a sharp let turn from terrifying, unsettling Shakespeare, here's middle grade fantasy novel that's a retelling of the Eros and Psyche myth. Kezi, after making a reckless choice to save her family, is slated to die very soon, sacrificed to her god. However, she meets Olus, the god of wind and loneliness, and the two fall in love, prompting a race for Kezi to become a mortal hero and ascend to the rank of god in order to safe her life. Kezi battles the tests of the Akkan gods, hoping to prove herself worthy of being amongst them.
This book is not one of Levine's best loved books, but it's one of my favorites, the haunting mythological feeling permeating the story and Levine's signature strangeness made me fall in love with it when I'd first read it. Rereading it now, much older, I find I still adore it, the same feelings easily recaptured in a reread.
This book makes it onto this list because of that feeling of mythology and gods in this book. Taemin stands as a lonely figure, powerful and intriguing and a little bit scary. Gail Carson Levine's books had always left me a little bit unsettled and very happy, and that feeling is what makes me match this book with this MV.
4. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein
I will admit, this is a choice that might make sense only in my own head, but it fits so well for me that I really just have to include it. Code Name Verity is set during World War II, following the British spy "Verity" who was captured after her plane crashed in Germany. The book is presented as a firsthand written account as she details her confession, explaining her friendship with a pilot named Maddie and how she got to be where she was. The story talks about friendship and love and loyalty as Verity carefully trades secrets in order to barter for her life.
I adore historical fiction, and this book hit the exact spot when I first read it. It's some of the most fantastically written unreliable narrator I've ever read, the relationships felt tangible and warm, and the stakes of everything were so apparent throughout the story. The cover boasts that it's "fiendishly plotted mind-game of a novel" and I'm inclined to agree.
I associate it with cold and fear, and love even despite that. The feeling this book gave me, of being on the edge of my seat, seeing danger just around the corner or over my shoulder was the same feeling I got from the Idea MV. This is a book you could listen to the Act 2 album while reading and I think it would capture the atmosphere perfectly.
5. The Silvered Serpents by Roshani Chokshi
This is the only book on this list I haven't finished yet, but I am currently reading it, and it's almost spooky how well I feel it lines up with the feeling Idea gives me. This book is the sequel to the absolutely brilliant book The Gilded Wolves, following Séverin and his friends as they cope with the events of the first book while pursuing a dangerous new lead. This book follows them from Paris to Russia, where deadly secrets and a string of murders send them down paths they never imagined.
This book follows Séverin after his severe loss and heartbreak from the first book. He is willing to do anything to keep his friends safe, even if it means pushing them away. His grief also leads him to start spiraling towards much darker things. The way I see Séverin in this book matches the feeling I got from Taemin's persona in the MV, someone very outwardly cold and terrifying, who's thinks they're doing the right thing but might not be. The aesthetic of the MV also matches the feeling I get from this book, which feels much more like cold, expensive silk, while the first book (which I mentioned matched Taemin's Criminal MV for me) felt like heavy, luxurious velvet.
I might come back and edit this post once I finish the book, to see if Séverin's growth on this book matches what I feel from this MV. But for now, I'm going to put Taemin's Act 2 album on shuffle and work on devouring this amazing story.
So that's my list of books that remind me of Taemin's Idea MV! This post is very late, mostly because I got caught up with school, but hopefully someone will still be interested in reading it! Here's the link to the MV so you can go watch the music video is you're intrigued and haven't heard it yet!
Let me know if you agree with my choices or if there's another book you feel fits this aesthetic! Thank you so much for reading!