I feel people often did not respect bl as more than erotica, thus every other aspect aside of the main couple's romantic & sexual dynamic ended up seen as fuzzy background. This especially true with this story.
The main couple (and other side character) tell a story about justice and class struggle. Both Ian and Raymond faced injustice by their higher class counterpart. Their respective history lead them to two very different way in facing their struggle. In a pursuit of peace Ian cut himself short and withold pursuit for revenge. In a pursuit for revenge Raymond deny himself of any kind of peace. In the end any of their goal couldn't be reach unless they revolt and fight to the very class system that allow injustice imposed upon their live.
The fact that they started as dysfunctional male couple, while serve as important catalyst, is not the main theme of the story. But to some people all the complexities get simplified to "raymond manipulative asshole ian poor bby that need no man". Like, no bby, Ian and Raymond deserve each other's love. It's lowkey insulting, the writer draw complex characters and give special attention regarding the court, revolution and class divide all for it just to not be taken into account for in reading the characters motives and action.
I feel people often did not respect bl as more than erotica, thus every other aspect aside of the main couple's romantic & sexual dynamic ended up seen as fuzzy background. This especially true with this story.
The main couple (and other side character) tell a story about justice and class struggle. Both Ian and Raymond faced injustice by their higher class counterpart. Their respective history lead them to two very different way in facing their struggle. In a pursuit of peace Ian cut himself short and withold pursuit for revenge. In a pursuit for revenge Raymond deny himself of any kind of peace. In the end any of their goal couldn't be reach unless they revolt and fight to the very class system that allow injustice imposed upon their live.
The fact that they started as dysfunctional male couple, while serve as important catalyst, is not the main theme of the story. But to some people all the complexities get simplified to "raymond manipulative asshole ian poor bby that need no man". Like, no bby, Ian and Raymond deserve each other's love. It's lowkey insulting, the writer draw complex characters and give special attention regarding the court, revolution and class divide all for it just to not be taken into account for in reading the characters motives and action.