Bizenghast while Lalibela, a holy town in northern Ethiopia, inspired Bali Lali's. Another minor character, Dr. Morstan, takes his name from Mary Morstan, Dr. Watson’s wife. "марионетка", the Russian word for marionette, inspired the name of the antagonist Maphohetka. LeGrow comments that the series "is about life, death and fabulous outfits (not in that order)" and notes that there are "a lot of religious themes" present. The town of Bizenghast "represents a world cut off from that sort of constant access [of technology]." The series was initially written to span about fourteen volumes and be divided into three seasons: the first
Lao She Literary Award and is one of the four major literary awards in China (the Mao Dun Prize for Literature, Lu Xun Literary Prize, and the Cao Yu Prize for Playwriting (曹禺戏剧文学奖). Lao She Literary Award The Lao She Literary Award ("Lao She wenxue jiang" 老舍文学奖) is named after the Chinese patriot and novelist Lao She, whose work and activism made him one of the most influential figures in 20th-century Chinese literature. The award is awarded to a Beijing writer every two to three years, recognising literary excellence in novels, novellas, drama, film, television, and radio. It is sponsored by the Lao She