Yeah, I'm not sure I disagree with you! I like those aspects a lot, but I don't know if they're making a large point that hasn't already been made at the beginning. It's not something I'd die to defend, but I can't help but like them either.

Yeah, on the first read through I agreed with you, but I ended up loving both the Mereen material and the Dorne stuff (and Brienne's wandering around Westeros, hearing about history). Of course, that's a "to each their own" kind of thing. But I do think Martin is interested in the idea of narrative, and he started…

I'm not sure the books lost their way as much as, to borrow the phrase from Martin and Tolkien, "the story grew in the telling." ADWD got too long to publish the two climactic battles at Winterfell and Mereen, leaving the fourth and fifth books feeling like they went nowhere (when in reality, they serve the same…

Same grade he gave to Winter Soldier.

That's funny you should ask—I just finished a five year grad program, and I'm celebrating by making a list of novels to read! It's been awhile since I got to read consistently, and at the moment I've only had time for short stories.

He came up with the story by telling it to his daughters. I tend to think of those epigraphs (right word!) as a baby's first intro to philosophy and its intersection with literature—gotta start somewhere!

Of course it was intended as a children's book! He came up with it as a bedtime story for his daughters!

Insane to me that everyone says this isn't a book for children. I first read this when I was eight years old, and read that copy until it fell to pieces, and promptly bought another copy. It's a wonderful epic. Kids can handle this shit.

In the book, they free a couple female hutch rabbits before they head to Efrafa. It's the proportionality thing—one or two does won't make for a thriving warren.

It's available to buy now.

The particular thing that impressed me was that he began with the exact location he was heading to. It showed a great deal of insight. I hope that guy is doing well.

From the other side of this:

Yeah, I'd say I agree with you on all points here. A big difference to me is how much the story focuses on the romance as the A plot, and how that ends up being influencing the trope. TWD is an "everybody dies all the time" show, and the romance is very removed from that. And BTVS, I think, does the trope well in that…

Yeah, there's a lot to unpack here, but I think you're right to restrict the conversation to the aesthetic level. And for me, I'll say this: the trope stuff that The 100 and other shows indulge in bothers me more on the artistic level than on the moral level. I do feel the need to defend the fans who take this stuff…

Yes, I think there's probably a lot more I agree with in what you've just written than in the majority of the fan reactions. And I'll readily admit that I am creating my own argument about what should be addressed (ie, the structural politics behind their actions, rather than the intent), and ignoring aspects of the…

A clarification on intent: I do think it matters in the context of individual interactions. I don't think it matters whatsoever in art, and it certainly doesn't matter when it comes to dealing with group interactions, especially hierarchical interactions. Power dynamics in large groups of people eliminate the soothing…

Sorry for replying twice, but I actually think it bears saying:

I mean, sure. But also, if you're a closeted queer girl in rural Alabama, and your only feeling of connection to your authentic self is through a television show (and its accompanying fans, because honestly, the fandom ITSELF is the reason so many girls get into certain pop culture: they meet people with similar…

Another major problem: that they understood "Bury Your Gays" was a trope and thought their writing was good enough to sidestep the backlash.

ok you're obviously not in a legal profession. cool.