Cassian Lee is a junior majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Lewis University. He’s an avid reader of all things Greek Mythology, especially Rick Riordan and C.S. Lewis. He is working on a mythology-based novel, but he also enjoys writing poetry and fanfiction. In his free time, he plays the bass clarinet and fences sabre.
Who are you and what is your role in the Jet Fuel Review?
I am Cassian Lee, and I am a poetry editor and assistant layout editor.
What book might we find on your nightstand right now?
Any volume of Lore Olympus by Rachel Smythe
If you had the chance to co-write with one author, who would you choose? Why?
I would desperately like to collaborate with Orson Scott Card; he’s very intricate with his world-building and plots, which inspires my writing.
Describe your perfect reading atmosphere.
I must have enough lights; I am an old man in a twenty-year-old body. Keeping with that, I would like some blankets and minimal noise.
What might your personal library look like?
Aside from Greek Mythology, I would want it to be full of poetry, classic authors like Oscar Wilde and F. Scott Fitzgerald, and modern, queer authors like A. B. Rutledge and Andrew Joseph White.
If you could “re-make” a poorly written movie that was based on a book, what movie would it be?
Percy Jackson. Hands down, no questions asked. Ever since I saw the movies, I would step up on my soapbox to anyone who would listen. Those movies anger me to this day, to such a degree that I am scared to watch the TV series. (Artemis Foul is a close second, but I have only seen the horrible, horrible commercials).
What piece of literature can you reread over and over again?
Every author or book I have listed in this, I have read time and time again. My all-time favourite, though, would be The Princess Bride by William Goldman. Magic, danger, true love, sword fights… it’s everything I could want from a book. If I wasn’t terribly smitten with Orson Scott Card’s writing, I would want to co-write with William Goldman. The Princess Bride is a work of art.
Give us a quote from your favorite (or any) book/movie.
It’s so hard to pick a favourite book because I’ll say it’s The Great Gatsby, or The Princess Bride, or Percy Jackson; but there is one book that has definitively changed my life, one book where very word in that book has altered my point of view and what it means to be human, so much so that it is very hard to find a quote. Looking through the Goodreads list, I found the quote that, without fail, I find myself always repeating: “what is bad for the heart is good for art. The terrible irony of our lives as artists.”
― Jandy Nelson, I’ll Give You the Sun
If you were invited to have coffee with any fictional character, who would you most like to meet? Why?
I would like to meet Vivian from Miles Away from You by A. B. Rutledge. Vivian is a transgirl who ran away from a transphobic home, a sentiment I had often in my high school years. Despite this, she started and maintained an indie ‘zine and was in a loving relationship. Vivian’s story opened my eyes to that the fact I am asexual, and I can live joyfully as myself. Her representation is the world to me.
Share your top five favorite pieces of writing (anything included, be it movies, books, etc.).
Other than the books stated above, I love
5 The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical by Joe Tracz. This has a special place in my heart because while I am the super-obsessed fanboy with the books, I got the opportunity to play Luke Castellan in the performance at my high school. The musical keeps the spirit of the book and has some catchy tunes.
4 Les Miserables by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil. This musical is a staple in my household. I have seen it live over five times, both in Chicago and in local high schools. The combination of lyrics and music is so tactfully done; it’s a joy to listen to and watch.
3 Proud: My Fight for an Unlikely American Dream by Ibtihaj Muhammad with Lori Tharps. I fence sabre, so my parents bought me this book for Christmas. I am so inspired by Muhammad and how much she has accomplished, and I love the depiction of my sport in literature.
2 “The Walrus and the Carpenter” by Lewis Carroll. I couldn’t say I love poetry without having a poem as one of my top five. It might be a cliche poem, but it’s famous for a reason! The rhythms and rhymes are gorgeous.
1 The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. This play also has a special place in my heart because I was able to play Jack Worthing at my high school. Aside from that, I love the intricate plot, the witty banter, and old-fashioned dialogue