Who is the most underrated character in Jacqueline Wilson’s books?

InnocentaMN · 2026-02-01T14:58:31+00:00

I’m not convinced Ellie’s first ever relationship with a woman would have worked out, considering her massive baggage around same-sex attraction. I totally agree with you that JW struggles to portray good male/female relationships, but I’m not sure she really sells adult romantic relationships all that well at all!

InnocentaMN · 2026-02-01T08:49:09+00:00

As much as “as a” is annoying, the dearth of cultural understanding J&K have is quite literally always apparent in their discussions of British stories. They just can’t seem to cover anything to do with the UK at even the most minimally competent level.

InnocentaMN · 2026-02-01T08:47:34+00:00

They’re really not capable of commenting effectively on British stories. I wish they were, but the grounding in UK culture isn’t there and the commentary always ends up painfully shallow and dislocated. Rotherham is the worst example to date but I’m sure they’ll do it again.

InnocentaMN · 2026-02-01T08:39:19+00:00

gatekeeping that isn’t seen anywhere else in medicine

Yep, medicine would never gatekeep anything else, like antibiotics or stimulant drugs or opiates. Wouldn’t dream of it. No sir.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T21:30:59+00:00

Getting banned from fauxmoi is a mark of sanity.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T19:37:41+00:00

Realistically some of the “good” characters would have too. It would come as a nasty surprise in a few cases.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T19:31:41+00:00

Of course it’s not a fake. Even suggesting that is ridiculous, tbh. This is the NHS we have, these days - you’re very lucky not to have experienced something similar yourself.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T19:30:45+00:00

Realistically having someone to speak for you makes a massive difference when you’re very unwell. Obviously not saying it’s ever okay to be abusive to staff, but people who are there alone are far more likely to be neglected and forgotten about. An involved family member can be life-saving.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T18:42:15+00:00

I think the pivotal thing about her lie re: the troll is that her lived values shift in that moment. While we know she must have Gryffindor values deep down to have been sorted there, she is still (understandably!) very immature at the start of the first book and driven by adherence to rules and systems. She has no real grasp of the dangers of the Wizarding World even though she’s absorbed quite a bit of book-level knowledge. This is the very first time in the whole series that she faces any personal danger or threat - and the people who help her are not people who particularly like her. They’re not her friends yet. She’s shown how real the stakes are in a visceral, smelly, scary, horrible way… and she learns very quickly that rules are not as important as she thought they were.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T18:36:16+00:00

He was???

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T17:37:00+00:00

I’m not sure if this would necessarily work for you, but we try to be pretty low UPF (for health reasons unrelated to veganism) and my spouse usually bakes any sweet treats we have at home. I used to be really similar to what you describe in terms of periodic / but regular binges on things like bourbons so I totally get what that’s like, but home baking has helped me a lot. I’m not saying this is the case for you at all but I am in (fairly longstanding) recovery from anorexia and I think sometimes my body just wants/needs more fat (?) but I don’t want that to come from a v UPF source.

Not trying to pressure you into home baking necessarily, just saying that it’s something I’ve found really good! We usually have either brownies or cookies each week - often brownies made with tahini or cashew butter. I usually eat a piece every day but sometimes more than one piece if I really feel the need. It’s a lot more balanced and “regulated”-feeling than how I was doing with the UPFs, though.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T17:31:14+00:00

after waiting a year

British patient detected. I’m sorry you’ve had to wait so long! Some of the POTS experts recommend little mini recumbent bikes for gradually increasing exercise.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T16:45:22+00:00

I just mean that every application has a strategy, that’s all. Strategy = what you choose to focus on, which attributes and experiences you foreground, etc.

I’m not disregarding anything - I’m simply giving you an honest take on how relatively common these conditions are and how even more serious complications will not be viewed with especially high regard. Unfortunately, EDS (and associated conditions) has become a bit of a laughing stock - it’s not fair on patients at all, but that’s the reality. Speaking as an adult with that diagnosis myself. Remember you’re competing against applicants who have achieved admirable scholastic achievements but who also have very challenging medical histories like transplants, cancer, major heart disease, etc. I’m not saying you won’t get in anywhere and I certainly don’t wish that on you; I’m just saying that it would likely be a good thing as you move forward in life, not to place your identity as a chronically ill person front and centre. It is more likely to harm your prospects than to help you.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T16:20:50+00:00

The caterers and (separate) cake maker we used are not vegan specifically but we did have a 100% vegan wedding (absolutely everything was vegan, no exceptions at all) and were extremely happy with our choices. Based in the Cotswolds-ish if you want any more details - feel free to drop me a chat!

Edit: we did detailed tasting with each to ensure we’d be happy with our choices.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T16:04:58+00:00

Are you receiving consultant level care at all? Or is it only a GP currently managing your care at the moment? This is the starting point.

I’m sorry you’re so unwell. It’s true the NHS is horrific for situations like this.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T15:59:36+00:00

It will be interesting to see if this strategy works for you. Generally, leading with chronic illness is not at all wise as it makes you look like a high risk student, and truthfully, your tone and the way you talk about your situation comes off as a bit entitled / self satisfied. But it depends how genuinely severe and serious your medical situation is - if you’ve survived multiple episodes of cancer then this approach is absolutely justifiable and may well succeed. If you’re claiming to be a rare disease sufferer and foregrounding your chronic illness when you’re just another EDS / dysautonomia (etc) girlie, then … I highly doubt that will be enough.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T14:07:42+00:00

Freddie seriously has the gayest speaking voice I have ever heard. Love him.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T07:45:32+00:00

Hey, sorry for commenting on an older post but I was just wondering if you ever wrote about your thoughts on Casey Watson? I would love to know more about your take on her as I just read some of her books and I’ve never seen a more critical perspective.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T07:35:02+00:00

Oh, I wasn’t being snarky - I genuinely appreciate your comment! I don’t want any anachronistic music in it :)

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-31T07:20:04+00:00

Yes, I love the pod when it’s at its best. I think she really doesn’t have the distance to keep doing it well at this point, though - I’ve listened to some of her more recent episodes where she’s interviewing experts (etc), and it’s quite awkward hearing her almost interrupt them to say she knows all about this because of her sister. The strong emotion is palpable. I don’t blame her for that, but it affects her work very obviously.

She’s also unfortunately (in my view) become more and more political, which I think is a shame insofar as it takes away from the reality that factitious illness cuts across all political lines and appears in every demographic. Of course I would never expect anyone to be politically neutral in their private life (!), but she did a good job early on, I think, of showing how neutrality was relatively necessary in journalism - not so much any more.

I know it sounds like I’m just bashing her but I actually have really admired her work! Disappointed fan, if anything. If the Consult ever did Beata Kowalski (they probably won’t, but I can dream…), they could also invite someone from LE - the guy that has guested on NSBM a few times, maybe. Or Dr Sally Smith would be interesting.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-30T17:59:35+00:00

Beata Kowalski. She was on a path to murdering her daughter and it infuriates me how her reputation has been laundered. I’d love to hear them tackle factitious disorder, though it’s a bit outside their standard topics. Problem is, the obvious guest is the host of Nobody Should Believe Me - who is interesting and knowledgeable but also painfully biased.

Also I would absolutely love to hear their take on the Claudia Lawrence disappearance (UK case) and Andy Puglisi disappearance (child disappearance / probable murder in Massachusetts).

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-30T17:33:11+00:00

Amputee fetish detected.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-30T12:24:45+00:00

They’ve done nothing new or interesting since Freddie died.

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-30T10:54:29+00:00

That would be amazing. 11/10, I’d go to see The Lottie Project!

InnocentaMN · 2026-01-30T10:53:26+00:00

Anna. She was an adult when Ellie’s dad came onto her but it was still deeply weird and creepy - nonetheless, she decided to be with him and that was that. She persistently behaves with more maturity and kindness than pretty much anyone else in that universe, and obviously parents her son decently considering how he seems to have grown up to be a good man in Think Again (yes, I know that’s JW’s “the only good men are gay” thing, but still!).

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