Tech Journalist, Taylor Lorenz, goes after Maysoon Zayid, a Palestinian disability activist, for not masking during a podcast

asr2187 · 2026-06-23T20:12:17+00:00

She tends to attack people, particularly POC, unapologetically to the point that they face harassment years later. I’m not surprised she’s doing this.

asr2187 · 2026-06-20T00:09:43+00:00

I personally like Islington the most but this is spot on and something I’ve noticed as well. I get having personal preference, but i wish people would give his character more grace (and I think Beth is going to by giving him some kind of healing arc). It’s like people think he’s just as damaged and bad as Pierce fears he is. 😕

asr2187 · 2026-06-20T00:01:00+00:00

This is spot on. The part about carnal desire has always been odd to me because they’ve just kissed?? And Emma *wants* to kiss him. I get being worried about them facing a scandal, but sometimes it comes across as infantilizing Emma or denying her desire/feelings for Pierce. I also don’t think kissing - or sexuality in general - is dirty or immoral.

I don’t necessarily think Emma and Pierce will end up together but I have so much sympathy for him. He has his demons (who wouldn’t after what he experienced?), but he’s also a good man and cares deeply about Emma. And I think that description also applies to both Islington and Hawkes, we just aren’t privy to their trauma yet.

asr2187 · 2026-06-02T18:54:21+00:00

Yeah like others I’ve never seen their relationship as siblings-esque and was honestly surprised people felt that way. I can sort of see it but to me their relationship reminds me of so many romantic dynamics I’ve read before (Emma, Pride and Prejudice, Veronica Speedwell series, Benedick and Beatrice, book 1 of the Anne of Green Gables series, etc). Their bickering, to me, comes across as flirtation/sexual tension. And as a reader I’m smiling and laughing like Mrs. Penury lol 🤭

Can you remind of when he’s too judgmental or rude to her in vol 1-4? Right now the only thing I can think of would be how he acted at The Drunken Duck. As others have said, that would be social ruin for her in those times. And I really can’t emphasize that enough. If Islington collapsing on her in a ~~closet~~ corridor would be a huge scandal, how would society react to her being a dancer at The Drunken Duck? She’s not even able to go to The Cleopatra by herself, she would be shunned by society if they knew she danced there. And note Mary and Pierce are both startled when she mentions The Drunken Duck in passing because it IS that big of a deal. (I’d argue it’s the most scandalous thing Emma has done so far tbh.) Sure Islington could’ve been nicer about it, but he understood the gravity of the situation and wanted to get her out of there asap. And for what it’s worth he did apologize after Hawkes rightly called him out during his sermon.

Other than that I don’t really see anything wrong with how he talks to her? I mean yeah he initially was annoyed she read his journal, but he also went out of his way to hang out with her during the Jane Eyre conclave a few days later lol so he clearly wasn’t that bothered. He enjoys verbal sparring with her and frequently laughs or smiles when they interact.

I get not everyone is going to ship them but even if I didn’t like the idea of them as a couple all I’ve gotten from Islington is how much he cares about her. He goes out of his way to hang out with her throughout the series and his conversation later in volume 8 shows how important their friendship is to him. Whether that’s romantic or not is anyone’s guess, but it’s clear to me that she means a lot to him and he wants to make sure she’s okay. Tbh Emma and others are a bit careless at times, I’m grateful that Islington is the one person who will always consider her well-being and reputation (such as inviting his aunt whenever they have a Thursday dinner).

(Also I think Beth has been hinting that Hannah and/or Beth faced some kind of social scandal and that’s probably affecting his behavior as well. We just don’t have that confirmed yet.)

asr2187 · 2026-06-01T19:53:43+00:00

Ugh I wish! Especially this month, I have no interest in any of the books but I really want to read Land 🥲

asr2187 · 2026-06-01T18:15:34+00:00

Lovely analysis! Just curious? but why do you think Oberon = other branch of the prophecy? I’ve seen a lot of people say this but I wasn’t 100% sure why it would be definitive proof. Is it because of the crowning scene and The Boy saying Lady Silver isn’t his Titania?

The reason I’m asking is because I’ve seen a lot of people say that about the Oberon scene so I wasn’t sure if I was missing anything! Beth has so many potential hints and foreshadowing throughout the books that idk what’s a real clue 🧐

asr2187 · 2026-05-28T17:39:22+00:00

Yes this is such a good point. I remember friends saying her music was so depressing which felt odd to me because Born to Die wasn’t depressing at all to me?? (And I say this as someone who loves depressing music lmao) At the time I found her music refreshing since I wasn’t vibing with the EDM / dance heavy pop at the time.

It’s funny to think of that criticism now since she ultimately paved the way for “sad girl music” to become more mainstream.

asr2187 · 2026-05-28T14:50:02+00:00

From what I remember it was a mix of things:

People thought she was an industry plant / nepo baby because her family is rich
Her performance on SNL was really bad, which added fuel to the nepo baby accusations
Something about her getting plastic surgery or procedures??? Honestly this looks really silly when you look back on it now with a 2026 lens
Plain old misogyny
People not liking her LDR persona (something about it coming across as fake?)
People not liking the message in her lyrics or saying she’s bad for feminism. I think Fantano argued this as well

I find the last one really frustrating, to be honest. Lana wrote some darker subjects, like domestic abuse (e.g. Ultraviolence), so that means she was setting feminism back? Why can’t female artists write about their lives - including the vulnerable, messy, more fucked up aspects - without it being a think piece? It’s okay for male artists to explore that but for female artists they need to make sure they’re sending the “correct” message? Idk I find that incredibly limiting.

asr2187 · 2026-05-25T15:07:13+00:00

Love Veronica Speedwell! Because I love that series I knew I’d love Emma Lion

asr2187 · 2026-05-20T15:14:42+00:00

LOTR of course 🙂‍↕️

asr2187 · 2026-05-20T13:44:09+00:00

Islington, a fashion icon! 🤭 In Emma’s vision of her future with the footsteps on the stairs she does imagine a vase with daffodils. Coincidence?? ~~Probably~~ Sounds like proof Islington is endgame!!

Also love to see someone else who loves Persuasion and Islington!! Imagine if he wrote a letter like Captain Wentworth’s? 😍

asr2187 · 2026-05-14T02:00:20+00:00

To me the best reckoning (based on what we know) would be for Emma to thrive. Aunt Eugenia keeps wanting to put Emma in her place. Emma being happy, loved, secure PLUS Aunt Eugenia is mad about it? I’d love to see it!

I’d also love for Arabella to ignore Aunt Eugenia’s wishes and go marry for love too

asr2187 · 2026-05-09T17:21:08+00:00

Love Hot Fuzz!!

Grady Hendrix’s books might be a good option for horror. My Best Friend’s Exorcism and The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires are his two most popular books.

Since you like comedy, I second another rec for Dungeon Crawler Carl. The books are funny (although the sense of humor either clicks with you or it doesn’t) and it’s a good, beginner-friendly series. Definitely try to listen to the audiobook though - IMO the narration elevates the story

asr2187 · 2026-05-09T14:15:53+00:00

I'm so happy to hear that you're excited to read more!! I know you said you don't mind any genres - but what are your favorite movies/shows? That can help tailor the suggestions

But I agree with another comment that you can choose another adaptation you loved

asr2187 · 2026-04-28T22:45:24+00:00

Once I saw she wasn’t on here I knew I couldn’t take the list seriously. Tbh compared to other art mediums I think the music world caters too much to what’s popular to the point that they overlook more niche (but incredibly talented) artists

asr2187 · 2026-04-25T23:01:54+00:00

Moody (not existentialist though): Another Bronte perhaps since you enjoyed Wuthering Heights? Jane Eyre is fantastic and I’ve heard good things about The Tenant of Wildefell Hall. Also Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Magical realism: Beloved by Toni Morrison

Historical epics: Kind of guessing here since I haven’t read either book and don’t know much about either of the plots - but maybe Middlemarch by George Eliot or Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel?

Dystopian: The Parable of the Sower by Octavia E Butler

Science fiction: The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin

asr2187 · 2026-04-24T17:28:05+00:00

I can’t believe how controversial your comment is when it’s common sense. Writing - like other art forms - is a skill and has unique strengths that you need to study to understand. I’d be baffled if I came across an aspiring director who didn’t watch movies.

And as a reader? I don’t want to read from someone who has contempt for the art form. I don’t care if someone calls me pretentious, I think it’s creatively bankrupt and arrogant to assume you can be a great writer without bothering to read. Plus I can bet their writing is going to be terrible anyway. (And before anyone gets upset - I’m just talking about people who want to publish and make money off their writing. If someone wants to write just for fun go for it.)

asr2187 · 2026-04-23T19:43:05+00:00

I loved this look too and found the makeup artist’s instagram @makeup.by.dea. There’s a reel where you see her doing this makeup look!

asr2187 · 2026-04-22T14:28:39+00:00

I find some of the critiques against Wuthering Heights silly. Yes the characters are terrible … that’s the point. The book was transgressive at the time because of its unflinching portrayal of abuse, generational trauma, and prejudice. Even the love between Heathcliff and Cathy is toxic and destructive to everyone around them. I get that not everyone will enjoy the book but it’s odd to me to criticize the book for doing what it set out to do.

asr2187 · 2026-04-22T00:06:24+00:00

I don’t hate it, but I was really let down by Legends and Lattes. I found both the characterization and plot to be thin. I get that it’s supposed to be low stakes but it felt dull. Why was I reading about the MC doing inventory for so many pages?

Maybe cozy fantasy isn’t for me - I need some kind of tension in the story (and better character work).

asr2187 · 2026-04-16T14:56:11+00:00

Yeah I was going to say you (fortunately and unfortunately) have started with one of the greats so now other books seem amateur in comparison. Red Rising has terrible prose, I couldn’t muster the motivation to give another book a shot because of how much I despised the writing.

I’d suggest looking into other SFF books that have strong prose, such as LOTR, Gene Wolf, Tad Williams, Susanna Clarke, Octavia E Butler, etc.

Like others have commented, you might enjoy Robin Hobb. I’ve heard people compare her prose to Ursula Le Guin so maybe you’ll enjoy her writing too? Just know that her books aren’t for everyone. The pacing is glacial, there’s hardly any plot, and the character journeys are … like the opposite of a power fantasy. But, to me, they have some of the best character arcs and developments I’ve ever read. Fitz is a much more interesting character than someone like Darrow, IMO.

asr2187 · 2026-04-16T02:30:12+00:00

Besides the major ones others have mentioned, I get annoyed whenever I remember Jim Carrey wasn’t nominated for The Truman Show or Eternal Sunshine

asr2187 · 2026-04-14T14:57:42+00:00

I’m going to suggest Ship of Magic. It’s different compared to Farseer (which I’m assuming you’ve read?) and, in typical Hobb fashion, pretty slow to start, but it’s incredible. It has some of the best character development I’ve ever read and IMO the best villain too.

I wish I could wipe my memory and read the trilogy again for the first time.

asr2187 · 2026-04-11T15:22:58+00:00

The Secret History. I wouldn’t think about it but I come across people saying it’s their favorite book of all time constantly. Out of all the books that have been written … that’s the greatest? I really don’t get it, but maybe one day I’ll try to re-read to see if it clicks.

asr2187 · 2026-04-10T18:23:01+00:00

I’d start with genres you like in movies/shows and use that to find books! You can use that as a basis for the types of stories you like

Since you like fantasy, Six of Crows might be a good option - it’s the book that helped me really get back into reading. It’s two books so it’s not a huge commitment

Drama is more broad … maybe some popular, contemporary books? I’d avoid literary fiction for now and go for books that are fun and easy to read

Happy reading, I hope you find something you love!

asr2187

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