Ellis > Recent Status Updates

Really ought to have “queer theory” or “queer studies” in the title, which otherwise is misleading.

Audiobook reader’s choice of who does and doesn’t get (british and irish-esque) accents is really throwing me off. Also I’m two hours in and struggling to care about the characters lol

G.R.O.S.S., apparently. Don’t think I’ve read a single “she” since starting. Also Bigwig is just about the only rabbit I can immediately recognize; everyone else it’s like, “Hmmm, that’s either Pipkin or Fiver” or “That could be anyone from Hazel to Dandelion.” Not useful for someone who’s never read the novel.

"What makes a country "rich" or "poor," "developed" or "third world"?" I ask the author. He shrugs and doesn't address it. GPD, I would guess. The US is listed as a rich/developed country, yet the wealth disparity here is *massive.* Idk, honestly, if I'll be able to stomach finishing this book, altho I do support open borders.

Ugh, I hate the trope of book/movie 1 ending and two people are deeply in love, then book/movie 2 begins and they've had a massive and ugly falling-out. Particularly when it's queer characters, I want to see them happy and thriving together.

Y'all this book is a *dumpster fire* of wyte liberals being oblivious to some of the real issues driving climate change. Glad I and my love of nature, etc. launched $30 into the toilet for this one lol. Maybe it will get better? [grimace emoji]

When you're on a journey of healing, growth, and understanding (religious) trauma, and you end up starting three audiobooks in a row that are all triggering lol. This book is very repetitive, and I'm struggling thru the author's anecdotes of positive church experiences.

This book is so boring and dry 😭

Been wanting to read this for awhile but approaching it with some caution since I know van der Kolk was accused of creating a hostile workplace a few years ago. So far...yikes. He's almost crass when talking about trauma triggers, and knowing this is a book for trauma survivors, he seriously couldn't find better ways to phrase things than he does (esp about Tom's Vietnam experiences). Unsure how far I'll read.

This book is so obnoxious and idk why I’m still reading it. Very white cis gay liberal man pov telling us to bridge the gap and understand BOTH sides when one side is actively working to eradicate queer folks from the country. Also the book needs better proofreading lol

Not me tearing up when a Deaf character is introduced

It's easier to run listening to a book I'm already familiar with, and yes I know Rowling is problematic and so are some (many) elements in these books. I also am struggling to escape the grip of nostalgia. I just keep crawling back, like Prof Quirrel to the unicorn blood. Slurp

Love the intentionality behind every name

When you want to just want to devour a book but also need to make space for yourself to process and reflect and decompress.

When you read a book solely on recommendation and sans reading the back cover copy, you just know it’s fantasy. And the whole book is an enemies-forced-to-marry plot and you’re ready to claw your eyes out. Also it’s based on late 18th/early 19th century France, and you’re not a fan of France 😬

Reading about how parents and the medical community have treated intersex persons is sickening. Learning so much, and interested to note the rabbinic tradition that viewed the first human as androgynous until Eve was created, an act which separated out/defined the two common sexes.

Reflecting back on my K-12 education and realizing . . . Were all my teachers white? I’m struggling to think of any teacher I had who was a person of color. Yikes 😬

Zero grace or understanding toward intersex people ("tragic developmental anomaly") and very complementarian. Feels like a rather dismissive and poorly researched work so far.

Voldy monologued for like three hours and explained every little detail to Harry and the Death Eaters just to make sure everyone was on the same page. It’s true; he does care about other people’s educations.

Ron is a butthole, but even worse, the house elves are portrayed in a really racist light (and almost all wizards are okay with their enslavement! And Hermione's SPEW is looked down on by everyone!). Stuff I didn't pick up on as a kid. The chapter when the trio visit the Hogwarts kitchen was really uncomfortable to listen to because HoUsE eLvEs LiKe BeInG eNsLaVeD 😳 How was this not challenged by an editor?

Modesty based on character and not flaunting one’s wealth or power 🤯 ie not defined by “showing too much skin” or “causing a brother to stumble.”

Finished the chapter on Eve, the first mother, called Adam until after the Fall—her name signifies the fracture of male/female relationships and the resulting hierarchy due to sin. Adam, man and woman, were created to be partners in God’s creation.

Learning a lot of British slang. And also relating a lot to the situations and thought-processes of Temple. A book for awkward and anxious people indeed. But quite funny, too.