A word, a look, will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never.

For Darkness Shows The Stars is a sci-fi YA retelling of Persuasion, and in one sense it’s really good – I finished it in about two days – the characters are likable and the reasons why they made the choices they did are very understandable, as is their estrangement.

HOWEVER, there is this really uncomfortable pro-slavery subtext that I found pretty disturbing. Basically, the world-building sets up different castes of people, one caste of which is mentally disabled and used as the labor force, and one which is in power. Basically, the author legitimized a lot of the lies told about black people during slavery (dumber than white people, unable to be trusted to care for their children, that they like/feel loyalty to their masters) and made them literally true.

I think the author would be appalled to hear this, since a lot of the story is about breaking down this abusive power structure, but, basically, the basic world-building made me really, really uncomfortable.

But this novel did make me pick up the original Persuasion, so I'm reading that.

In other news, I'm in the middle of The Screaming Staircase, by Jonathan Stroud (children fighting ghosts!) and I have a good feeling about that.

Also, reading Wednesday needs to be Reading 'Some Other Day' because I can never actually manage to post a reading update on Wednesday.

(no subject)

Okay, I need to modify my recommendation of Peaky Blinders. There is a scene in the third episode(main character puts a female character in a position where she's likely to be raped for his economic advantage and then his conscience doesn't allow him to go through with it)which made me feel the need to throw up a warning flag to any of my flist who might be considering watching the show.

Tick-Tock, The Arena's A Clock

I am excited!

Go Now, Unleash Hell

Okay, I actually really like Wonder Woman's costume redesign for this movie. Yes, she's not wearing any pants, but her costume still looks really functional, it's clearly referencing her original outfit without being like OH MY GOD, PATRIOTISM, she has the nice bare shoulders/bracers combination which always looks fierce as fuck, and there is NO CLEAVAGE. Thumbs up in my book.

Good Job, Fandom!

I'm appreciating the sudden upswell of Darcy/Steve fics. Keep up the good work.



I'm also loving all the trope-type character posts (Natasha Romanoff, Raleigh Beckett, to give a few examples).