fiction
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The market in the last several years (ever since the 2010s, really), has become oversaturated with surface-level tales of shock-value atrocities and aesthetically packaged suffering. Nobody is willing to dig into a deeper discussion on the repercussions of trauma and abuse; but they’re more than eager to coat deep and troubling topics in a rose-tinted…
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“Are you ready?” If there was ever a pair of eyes she could face with the truth, they’d be his. Ivy searched them for a moment, sifting through the memories in those soft blue irises. Then she reached for Kaiden’s hands, drawing on the warmth that closed around her fingers. A small smile twitched her…
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I’m a sucker for a good prophecy. The trope of the Chosen One may be clichéd; but I’ll never get tired of a melodramatic tale of a fated hero versus an insurmountable evil. But that doesn’t mean all prophecies are created equal. Take the one from Harry Potter, for example. “The one with the power…
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In today’s installment of “how did the patriarchy screw up the media?,” we’re going to talk about the infamous “not like other girls” trend. Some may be under the impression that this movement was the result of “angry feminists” who sought to desecrate the sacred concept of femininity. But in reality, it was just another…
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For a moment, my presence towers over the room, unable to be smothered. They’re not all staring at you— I prepare a disarming grin. No matter how many times my arrival heralds wide eyes, hushed whispers, and coyly disguised smiles, I’ll show up. “It’s been so long,” I announce into the silence that’s temporarily taken…
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I’d pay money to see a skit between these two. An esteemed, powerful, and yet still humanly humble wizard—versus a guy whose solution to everything was “make the orphan do it.” This is just a little idea I had a bit ago on the subject. * * * G: So y’all got an evil wizard?…
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First person and third person limited are the choices of trend nowadays. When you open a book, chances are you’ll either see a narration from one single person’s point of view, with little insight given elsewhere; or the entire narrative told from behind the MC’s eyes. But it’s also possible to handle more than one…
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They didn’t want me here, but tough shit. I’m an adult. And I’m not here for them, anyway—I’m here for Max. The room is packed, with good reason. I linger near the back, concealed by the distraction of the trial. Today, a new defendant sits behind the table. Her eyes are sharp, and her brow…
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Spider-Man: Far From Home is a failure of a good superhero, Spider-Man, or movie in general. It does no justice to the character of Spider-Man, belittling him and erasing his identity in favor of molding a replacement Tony Stark. It similarly damages and pushes aside the character of Fury solely for an irrelevant twist. The…
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Tropes can vary wildly—from soft and cuddly interactions like “grumpy x sunshine,” to the infamous “enemies to lovers,” where authors will tout all sorts of disturbed interactions we’re supposed to find “appealing” or “romantic.” MCs can be “cinnamon rolls,” or “unhinged and morally gray.” Romance can be sweet to “dark”—like your favorite brew of coffee.…
