Kaley
This book was straight forward and easy to digest but I only found bits and pieces of it useful. I mostly skipped around to sections I needed to define more in my life, but I felt as though half the advice could only be applied if I were building my house from scratch so it wasn’t very practical in that sense. I wish it had more about the declutterring aspect and what to keep and discard, as I feel the book skimmed over that part quickly and is what I needed the most. Probably just not the right book for me!
Ohhhh nooo…. Icky icky icky. I hate the dubious consent and lack of proper communication between two obviously troubled people. I know it’s supposed to be the trope fantasy of “big brute who’s obsessed and only kind to a delicate flower” but the lack of proper consent in this trope has never failed to ick me out terribly. Maxi always concedes to Riftan’s requests because she feels like she has to without full understanding on what she is agreeing to. Just because she feels okay about it later doesn’t mean it’s okay?? Of course Maxi is going to accept less than the bare minimum, she has been terribly abused her whole life.
Like how is there more chemistry between Maxi and the sorcerer?? He actually got to know her personality and treats her like a human being instead of an object. Literally all Riftan does is treat her like a sexual object and accepts any suggestion of the word “okay” as enthusiastic consent. News flash, it isn’t!! He never bothers to understand her at a deeper level and it’s supposed to be romantic because he is toxically obsessive over her? Yuckkkkk
Art? Beautiful. No complaints.
Sorry but I have to have a half hearted laugh at the one review bashing this comic for being non-Christian. I think it is just realistic and paints a positive light on the religion. And at the end of the day, it never claimed to be a Christian book, it’s a coming of age story using youth group as a means to get its message across.
This book is about learning acceptance of those all around you who live differently and have different values. It shows to love, be yourself, and be open minded. I think it’s sweet and well written.
And to touch on the religious aspect, I think it shows a delightful side of Christianity. I relate to Kay heavily as someone who grew up going to church as an obligation to family rather than something I wanted to do. Like her, I was a pessimistic teen who saw the whole thing as forced and ridiculous. In the story, it’s only when the very loving and caring community that the church possesses keeps opening up to her, that she is able to open herself up to the idea of the religion. Not a full conversion or anything, it’s realistic, but she doesn’t view it as something negative by the end. I feel like it’s really up to interpretation whether or not she decided to convert since it’s not conclusive, as she says she’s not ready right now.
At the end of the day, that’s really what Christ’s mission is at the end of the day- or should be. Show the love and joy God brings them, let others see that, and accept it for themselves. Everyone has their own journey and it felt nice to not have anything in this story feel forced down your throat- that’s the last thing any teen wants to feel like. They know religious propaganda when they read it.
I sense some sort of message in here about insecurities and how death doesn’t solve your problem with them because you can’t escape yourself. And your insecurity can become all consuming until you learn to embrace it. Then when you do, you’ll be able to see how everyone else is destroying themselves because of their own lack of introspection. but idk! Am I even cooking with this or am I thinking too deeply? The world may never know.
