Michael > Recent Status Updates

We witness no development once again. Any change is skipped over via a time jump in which we are simply told what has happened. Relationships dry as hell. New characters are introduced but they’re literally just NPCs there re-emphasize how much Aram feels awkward and unlovable rather than be meaningful relationships

So masking is now being presented as a sign of strength and endurance. Wtf. That shit just makes your mental health worse bro. And they aren’t even easing Aram into SHIT 😭

The fuck you mean Aram was tortured and starved for four years straight and it didn’t break him? Also, why are they making this malnourishment, torture victim walk miles for some clothes a shoes right after he stands for the first time?

I feel there is no unique soul in these pages

I’ve had plain white bread more interesting than this. Everyone has like half a brain

Just going thru the motions right now. This book is a textbook example of telling instead of showing. They’re apparently all best friends now. All the development and misery over the years is just not touched upon.

How is Markus just gonna believe Aram is dead just like THAT. Then the next chapter is just a four year time skip, and he immediately finds out he’s alive?! Sergan and a student who just barely graduated??? 🤮 Dude, Markus’ impulsiveness is RIDICULOUS; has he changed at all?? And Poda is the smartest now I guess cause they said so 😐 And the students dgaf that Aram is Auld??? Did the school do anything?

I’m just here to catalog my reading history and give an occasionally opinion when I can’t hold it in.

The “Fear is you enemy. Do not surrender to it,” quote is just a cheaper version of “Fear is the mind killer,” quote from Dune. Also, the two instances of someone pulling a bucket up from a well use almost identical wording. The prose is so dry. Feel like the dad is supposed to be a character who haunts the narrative but it ain’t working. The immediate extreme black n white morality is annoying me.

Why the hell would the Exilari give it a day before threatening to just end the plan if teaching Adam. That’s literally barely 24 hours what the hell. Also, the autism coding isn’t harmful per se, but it feels so *basic* — like just naming off common behaviors and then Aram feeling shame about it.