I love Jane Austen but S&S just does not do it for me...this doesn't feel like romance. It feels like a bunch of people settling. 

Absolute gut punch of a novel!! :D

Davidtake accountability for your actions challenge (IMPOSSIBLE!!)

This felt..... disappointing. I think my first mistake was going into this thinking it would be scholarly or at least founded in a researched discussion of the topic. Instead, it's is a memoir with a few pithy sayings about the topic of Bad Men and their art. I also... genuinely hated the conclusion this book draws or at least my interpretation of it. Basically, "actually it doesn't matter because you are small part of a big machine and your actions have little impact on these men. Consume it because it makes you happy/adds som thing to your life:)". It feels nihilist. The same sort of thinking of the people that say, "oh there's no ethical consumption under capitalism" to justify their consumption of fast fashion. True, there is no *perfect* consumption, but there is certainly *better*. Isn't that worth searching for?

I *really* liked this. In general I love weird and wacky stories about annoying, dislikeable, or otherwise unhinged women. This novel is a reversal of the popular tripe of a younger, often naive, woman becoming entangled with an older woman. Reading this, I often forgot that Greta was much older than Big Swiss. Her inner dialogue and actions are that of a significantly younger woman. I think it shows that trauma stunts you, especially if you never deal with it. You are forever trapped at the age and mindset in which it occurred, even as you swear you're over it. 

I enjoyed the writing in this books. It becomes clear pretty quickly that magic is just another word for generational trauma (imo at least) and how it bonds the women throughout a family, particularly in response to male violence. It's dark and heavy but manages to end on a hopeful note. I docked points because I felt it was v predictable and didn't really do anything 'new' 

We love a lesbian story that doesn't end in death, suicide, or getting married to a man. Weirdly, I kept thinking of The Well of Loneliness while reading this, mainly seeing this book as a foil of it. I like how this book also comments on marriage and divorce, specifically custody 

 I imagine parts of this tale would be confusing for people that are not familiar with medieval chivalry. (Hint: very different than what we imagine as chivalrous). Also, also, I just LOVE the bros kissing bros. Added to the list of medieval literature involving two dudes kissing (see also Bisclavret)

Can't lie, the first few chapters didn't hit for me and it was kind of a slog....but chapters 6-9 were so so impactful and so relevant to today

Child murder: a brief introduction. This was a great saga, brutal, and at times hilarious. There were some points, names and references that were v confusing to me, might be easier to understand if you have more of a background in norse myth 

I was initially turned off from reading this because of the direct, sometimes stunted style. Reading the translator notes helped and this whole collection is so wonderful. Some of my favorites:

We know this much/Death is an evil;/we have the gods'/ word for it;they too/would die if death/were a good thing

You may forget but/Let me tell you this: someone in/some future time will think of us
Literally me, Miss Sappho. In the year 2023🖤

Also her poems about virginity were super interesting