WELCOME TO LUDIA

Join us to explore the magical land of art and entertainment, Ludia!

This week’s quadrant is LUDIA, land of art and beauty, that values celebration, passion, and entertainment! Scroll down to for a glimpse of Ludia’s colourful landscape and stellar talent as well as an interview with the author, Astrid Scholte!

 

Ludia: The pleasure quadrant that values frivolity, music, art, and entertainment.
Proverb: Life is for the revellers with open eyes and open hearts.

Willkommen! Bienvenus! Welcome to Ludia!
I’m Queen Stessa, ruler of the best quadrant, which I’m sure you’ll agree! You’ll never be bored in Ludia, there’s always a party or celebration. Any day, or night. You’ll never want to leave.
The best way to travel Ludia is on foot, that way you won’t miss any of the street art curling across the stone walls and up the sides of our townhouse buildings. In fact, each façade is painted in a different colour, creating a kaleidoscopic effect.
If trees and flowers are more your thing, I’m afraid you’re out of luck. Our land is mostly made of stone, and the soil is so acidic, nothing will grow. But don’t worry, we make up for the lack of natural resources with all the entertainment you could ever want. Plays, art museums, literature festivals, and live concerts. Whatever your passion, Ludia will provide.
Some people might argue the lack of flora and fauna makes Ludia stark and ugly, but I dare you to walk down Ludia’s famous flower boulevard and deem it so. Flowers—all imported from the island of Archia, of course—are strung in loops between buildings. At night, these flowers bloom into stars, with small lights embedded in the center of each bud.

I do hope you have the most wonderful time in Ludia!

May the queens forever rule the day. Together, yet apart.

Queen Stessa






Bookish: Quadara is split into four regions, each with a distinct way of life. How did the society you live in today help to shape the societies you created in the novel?
Astrid Scholte: For Ludia, I thought about all the things we do in life for enjoyment—art, literature, music, and celebrations—and wondered what a society would be like that only concerned itself with those things.

Bookish: If you had to choose to live in one of the four regions, which would it be? Which would you never want to live in?
AS: I’d want to live in Ludia. It encompasses all the things I love: literature, art, music, entertainment, and much more! I’d love to roam the colorful streets and winding canals, eat the fluffy pastries (they would have to be gluten-free!) and revel in the constant party atmosphere. I’m a big kid at heart, so anything that captures my imagination is where I’d want to be.

Bookish: Many Bookish readers are also book club members! If book clubs were to read this book, what are two discussion questions you’d want them to talk about?
AS: First: What would you do if you uncovered important information about a crime, but in using it, you might incriminate yourself? Would you take the risk to do what’s right? Or protect yourself?
Second: If you were a queen of a nation, what parts of society and culture would you do your utmost to protect? What do you value the most in your life?