Emma Barry

Markwayne is certainly...well, he doesn't seem as if he'll be a great manager. lol

[Exit Murderer.]

(yes, she's going onto another government job, and that sucks. and this doesn't address the structural issues at DHS. but take the win for the day, I say. we get so few of them.)

It couldn't have happened to a nicer walking affront to human rights. Let's do Bondi and Hegseth next.

Yay!!

this is WILDLY insightful, and I would guess that it explains at least some of what we're seeing. I need to think about it more (I just got in from work, and my brain is Jell-O), but I absolutely think you're onto something.

It wasn't me. Was it this piece? bsky.app/profile/oliv...

How very dare she!! Lol

Yes, this too. I tend to think our books tend to be too simple about their politics and often use politics not to explore characterization or to fuel conflict but as shorthand for morality (who should we care about, who deserves an HEA, etc.)

I absolutely think this could be the case. But of course romance sublimates that (not that I want it on the page!).

Yup!!

and in fairness, some of that might be backlash to subgenres such as dark romance in which--IMHO--the characters *are* often irredeemably flawed. I don't know! much to consider, lol.

so while lack of editing or the difficulties of capturing the human condition are part of it, we do seem to be living in a moment where at least some readers don't have patience for flawed characters.

same.

I do think some of this is an attempt to meet the market. I saw a review the other day on Instagram the other day where the reviewer said they wanted one protag to "die in a fire" and not get an HEA because of his actions. and it was basically just regular flaws (not like being a Nazi).

(and the single POV books I've read recently seem to pair a realistic, flawed protag with a too perfect LI, which is just obnoxious.)

oh, I totally agree! but I do feel as if many new books I pick up either have flawless protags or the flaws are the equivalent of saying "I just work too hard" in a job interview when asked about your greatest flaw.

the protagonists need to be likable but flawed (and not necessarily in a quirky way) and need to love each other *because of* their imperfections.

the melting letters thing!!!! totally.

that is the sloppiest slop that has ever slopped.

completely reasonable.

that's absolutely crushing!

as it should!

that is such a perfect example of how they torched their brand with their core demographic. it's honestly shocking.

YUP. I used to go out of my way to shop at Target (Walmart is closer), and the only time I've been to Target since their shenanigans is when someone gave my husband a gift card and we needed to use it.

he could certainly do an entire album about bog mummies akin to Heaney's poems on the same subject, and it would be amazing.

In class today, I argued that Seamus Heaney's "Punishment" sounds like a Hozier song, and I absolutely stand by that.

truer words have never been spoken. I have no idea what reading I'm on of You, Me, & the Conspiracy, but it simply must be close to #30.

this feels like an acknowledgement of their power.

I wish I knew the answer for sure, but I hope this helps!

Here's volume 5 of the 1854 reprint. I can't seem to find the first edition online, but you might be craftier/more persistent than me www.gutenberg.org/files/16609/...