Sydney Squires > Recent Status Updates

giving a 10-year-old Moby Dick to learn about the human condition and the kid loves it? … plot hole.

Finally on track with the daily entries! Going to be weird going from 5+ per day to catch up to just 1 per day.

been a while since I’ve read a book where two characters have made such a catastrophically bad decision. literally smh over here.

I love how Jake is the only character in this book who speaks any Spanish or French. Like what are the rest of the expats even doing, haven’t they all been there for like months??

Man I hope this impromptu fishing trip in Spain doesn’t surface any underlying tensions and resentment in this group!! Boy oh boy

lil high school Sydney annotated the copy I’m reading now and by “annotated” I mean “looked up all the words she didn’t know” and by that I mean high school Sydney painstakingly wrote “alcoholic beverage” in the margins of almost other page in this book.

Jane Austen really is the origin of that “men 24 hours before they break up with you” meme because what do you mean Churchill is eng*****?! Since October?!?
I already knew the plot of this book but I am so mad at Frank Churchill. Literally disproportionally indignant. I hope this gossiping high society hamlet never gives him a moment’s peace again!!

Knightley is SUCH a gossip dude lmao I’ve never met a character more invested in the drama.

I don’t know how to express this but Elizabeth Bennett would have solved the plot of Emma within 20 minutes.

My favorite morally gray protagonist? Emma Woodhouse.

Mr Knightley is SUCH a gossip lmao he’s literally always got the scoop

Emma: do you know who your parents are
Harriet: no I was raised as a ward
Emma:
Harriet:
Emma: well if *I* were a bastard orphan I would have figured out who my parents were by now

This guy does not care that I didn’t go to med school 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

Everyone in high school complained about how boring this book is. Reader, it is literally 88 pages in length. Methinks the high schoolers were fine.

Bro I would not be able to cope with being described by this journalist. 😭

I don’t quite know how to articulate this because yes, bullies exist … but not everyone is a vicious bully. I wish that sometimes YA books could depict people as carelessly hurtful, or apathetic, or inept, or anything but viciously toxic.

Like there’s no way that such a high % of the high school cares about these MCs at all, let alone loathes them actively!! Give the haters some decorum!!!

Defense attorney: My client is a scoundrel, and a thief, and bad-tempered, and rash, and often drunk, threatens everyone who crosses him, and has never turned down a chance to fight.
The judge: … But….?
Defense: That’s all, actually.

Militia: We’ve got some questions for you. **rolls for perception
Dimitri: yeah, AMA. I’m an open book. **rolls a Nat 1 on Persuasion, Charisma, and Intelligence*

I can’t talk right now babe they’re discussing which color this recently dead monk’s skeleton will turn if he’s a righteous man

Ivan explaining why he’s an atheist: it seems like organized religion exists to gain wealth and power; even if Christ returned I don’t know if the church would accept him.
Father Zossima explaining why he’s Christian: when I was in the military I challenged a man to a duel because he’d proposed to a woman I loved. His shot barely missed my head, then I threw my pistol into the bushes and joined the church.

You gotta love Robin because 4 different characters have tried to explain the magic system to him, and his response each time has basically been, “Yeah I’m not listening to all of that. But I’m happy for you. Or sorry that happened.”

When the book about how women’s crafts, traditions, and intellectual work have been undervalued throughout history forces me to confront my own internalized misogyny:

Alyosha, preparing to fight a child: hell yeah may the best man win
Alyosha, preparing to speak to one (1) woman: when will death come for me

This is turning into my messy reality TV show that I turn on. With a side of depression and Russian takes on Christianity and morality.

Odysseus is the pinnacle of “women love me fish fear me” if you know what I mean

Avg Russian father-son conversation:
“Did you know my son (the one with a spending problem) abandoned his fiancée? Her father died of shock. And his new girl sleeps around!”
“Bro I know you were flirting with my girlfriend and trying to convince her to throw me in debtor’s prison.”
“I could take you in a duel.”
“She made fun of your lack of game.”
“If you weren’t my son I’d kill you.”

aaahhhh my Libby hold expired!

Book club is in t-minus 52 hours.

There’s twists and turns and then there’s “the entire premise of this book changes twice a chapter”

Catherine would have loved TikTok, true crime podcasts, girl dinners/girl math, and red flag guy and honestly? I think that’s kind of beautiful.