I think you’re putting to much weight into the notion that he “got” the girl in the end. They kiss and say they love each other 30 seconds after meeting IRL for the first time. They could easily have broken up the next day. I wouldn’t get too bent out of shape over it.

I agree it’s a common romantic fantasy to think the hero can win the object of their desire against obstacles and rejections. This story could have been fine without it, but I also think it was fine with it.

But I think that forgiveness is natural too. There are tons of kids acting creepy, clingy, stalker-y right now, and the objects of their attentions are looking past that in the hope there’s real value in the dork. Sometimes they’re right; sometimes not. It’s natural.

I don’t know about them all getting shut down. I’ve seen some pretty creepy behavior get a pass because the person was charming. It’s not as easy as saying, “no one should ever act like this, ever.” It’s immature human nature to do stuff like this. Many grow out of it. Many do not. I’m in favor of everyone growing out…

Someone should petition Cline to let them write a book from Art3mis’ perspective. I’d read that.

Since you aren’t going to read it, I’ll spoil it for you: Art3mis ends up in a 4-way tie for richest, most powerful person in the world. She’s gonna be fine with, or without, an 18-year-old kid sending her stalky emails.

I don’t excuse it as much as admit it’s natural. Immature people act that way. Hopefully they grow up and realize it’s a stupid way to act. Some do. Some don’t.

I’ve seen many people get “rewarded” for worse. I don’t find it unrealistic. It’s certainly not as unrealistic as becoming the most powerful person in the world.

Well, it kinda was fan service. The whole plot can be summed up in answering the question, “what if knowing 80s trivia became the most important thing in the world?” If that premises intrigues you, you may like the story.

I don’t think we are making it acceptable. There are degrees of “gets the girl,” and this story stops before their relationship gains any depth. It’s entirely possible they breakup soon after the story ends.

You don’t think some people accept these juvenile advances and look past them? My experience is different. I’ve found it’s quite common.

He also became the richest/ most powerful man on the planet, but getting the girl made it too unrealistic for you?

It had a different effect on me. I cringed at those parts because I have been that clingy idiot, over-pursuing a girl. I imagine the author has too, and like the rest of the book, he used that to show part of his past through the story. I also imagine if you ever asked Cline about it, he’d probably admit he acted that…

No.

She released the video. Stink raised. Anything more and she could look like an opportunist. She did just the right amount here.

Utah law used to allow Police to draw blood from an unconscious patient, but the officer was unaware of the change. He compounded that by being unwilling to listen to the hospital staff’s explanation.

You sure are being hard on a character that’s an 18-year-old kid with no meaningful experience with a girl before. Yes, he was a stupid, geeky kid who had no clue how to act around the opposite sex. Yes, he was unsophisticated, clingy, and weird. But who WASN’T like that in their first relationship?

Wow. That guy needs to lose his job. What was he thinking?

Friendship is magic.

Demonstrating that human decency and basic human respect has a place is always valuable. We all benefit from showing each other basic respect.