HadenXCharm > Recent Status Updates

Camazotz is supposed to represent Soviet Russia but it's literally just a mirror of America, even more so now. The grey rectangular houses all with the same front yard? It's a modern-day HOA, complete with 'millenial greige.' The US that Meg leaves at the start of the book isn't materially distinct from Camazotz. That's why she's being bullied; she doesn't 'conform'.

Holy shit, Violet is a fucking bitch. Why is her withholding Sloane's dead brother's letters played as some kind of 'badass' 'I see why Xaden fell for you' moment? She is genuinely evil and a blazing hypocrite. Isn't withholding information about HER 'dead' brother the entire reason she's mad at Xaden in this one? Literally fuck her.

Navarre is burning through military members so quickly that they have to pull third year academy students to the front, but they treat these recruits like an infinite resource, wasting half of them at the Parapet before they're even taught anything. None of their decisions about how this academy (or their actual military) is structured makes any sense.

"Your dad couldn't have cheated on your mom, your mom is HOT! You're so lucky, my mom is such an uggo!" I can't do it. I can't do it! This book is fucking insufferable.

Charles Wallace (and this book's deliberately nonsensical dialogue) is even more insufferable than I remember.

This competition doesn't really make sense on its face. The fact that Arris's parents had a successful marriage without the murder proves that the murder isn't necessary to rule the kingdom. So why are they going on with offering their son as a some sacrificial lamb?...

Holy shit, what the fuck

The underlying commentary on age gaps and the inherent gulf of confidence and experience between a 21 year old and a 40 year old is still really fresh and relevant. The narrator is going mad because she feels her inadequacy and childishness by comparison so keenly.

Valancourt, you cad! Emily was suffering all of that BS, yet faithfully waiting for you, while you were enjoying the french cushy party scene but couldn't last more than a month before f-ing your way through two widows and presumably some parisian prostitutes as well? You were the one who asked her to promise to wait for you and you couldn't hack it. SMH.