This is actually really interesting story telling but it does drag on a lot. I love how the characters have separate drives. It honestly has me rooting for all the characters to fulfill their dreams and get what they need. We're almost never told who a character is but show through their actions which is the kind of nuance I eat up. Also there isn't really a linear storyline kinda like how living goes. Characters repeat their past often trying to avoid it and it's really beautiful. When the characters are acting out their flaws they avoid the tropes well by sticking to their characters.
Also it does a really wonderful job showing the stigma in the queer community with being in the closet. Especially with showing both sides. The struggle that is being in a relationship with someone who isn't ready to let others know and the struggles of keeping up a relationship in the shadows without treating it as if it's forbidden. It also doesn't fetishize the "forbidden" aspect of the relationship, but instead shows the reality of it. The shame isn't sexy it's suffocating and all encompassing. The idea that you could lose your family because of who you love is an experience that is extremely isolating.
Also I high-key feel bad for and relate to the MC's Ex. Like I haven't dated someone who isn't out but quite a lot of my friends aren't out and they've told me about their fears of losing the connections they had to their families. Which always felt foreign to me as a person who grew up in a liberal home, because they literally don't care as long as I'm not breaking laws, self harming or being abused. Honestly younger me was very much similar to the MC's ex, like "How scary could a classical Lit Professor be?" Levels of not understanding why my friends weren't out. I only really started to get it after the heartstopper actor situation and being in the closet as a trans person at work. But I think I feel bad for the MC's Ex because he wasn't enough for him. ┗( T﹏T )┛
Anyway I'm completely ok. I just think this writing is actually really interesting.
This is actually really interesting story telling but it does drag on a lot. I love how the characters have separate drives. It honestly has me rooting for all the characters to fulfill their dreams and get what they need. We're almost never told who a character is but show through their actions which is the kind of nuance I eat up. Also there isn't really a linear storyline kinda like how living goes. Characters repeat their past often trying to avoid it and it's really beautiful. When the characters are acting out their flaws they avoid the tropes well by sticking to their characters.
Also it does a really wonderful job showing the stigma in the queer community with being in the closet. Especially with showing both sides. The struggle that is being in a relationship with someone who isn't ready to let others know and the struggles of keeping up a relationship in the shadows without treating it as if it's forbidden. It also doesn't fetishize the "forbidden" aspect of the relationship, but instead shows the reality of it. The shame isn't sexy it's suffocating and all encompassing. The idea that you could lose your family because of who you love is an experience that is extremely isolating.
Also I high-key feel bad for and relate to the MC's Ex. Like I haven't dated someone who isn't out but quite a lot of my friends aren't out and they've told me about their fears of losing the connections they had to their families. Which always felt foreign to me as a person who grew up in a liberal home, because they literally don't care as long as I'm not breaking laws, self harming or being abused. Honestly younger me was very much similar to the MC's ex, like "How scary could a classical Lit Professor be?" Levels of not understanding why my friends weren't out. I only really started to get it after the heartstopper actor situation and being in the closet as a trans person at work. But I think I feel bad for the MC's Ex because he wasn't enough for him. ┗( T﹏T )┛
Anyway I'm completely ok. I just think this writing is actually really interesting.