been stewing on an analytical approach to fiction which I call "is this book afraid of me?" and in order to answer this question you determine how hard the book is trying to make sure you don't come after the writer on twitter
the fucked-up part is that I specifically notice this in like, BIPOC or queer romances because their authors a) are more likely to be harassed online b) tend to care about writing inclusive and intersectional books more, both of which are totally valid reasons, but unfortunately a book that is scared to be misunderstood is also scared to challenge the reader or allow for too much nuance or grey areas or character flaws and I am sorry to say that it often makes for less compelling stories because it means shying away from ambiguities and complexities in an effort to reassure me, the reader, that everyone here is a Good Person engaging in Healthy Behaviours and Relationships
