Okay I just need to note this down so I remember to talk about it when I write the video essay.
I'm still loving the Slough House books; I'm still loving Spook Street. BUT. The passive misogyny/objectification of women in these books is like crunching on a grain of sand in an otherwise amazing salad.
It's not omnipresent, but it's a pattern. Every time it happens it's like hitting a mental speed bump or hearing the low battery sound a fire alarm makes. The individual instances are not horrible, but in aggregate they make me cringe.
To be clear, I'm fine with the characters themselves being misogynistic. There's several characters where it totally makes sense (Judd, Roddy, Duffy, Frank, Whelan, even Lamb sometimes). I actually like it when Diana and Catherine are blunt about their experiences in a male dominated workplace and their awareness of how they and the women around them look. It adds texture to the characters.
But I don't want to know how hot Herron does or doesn't find each of his female characters! I don't for a second think Emma Flyte would care about ruining her coat or getting her hair wet: she was a fucking cop and is the head of the Dogs. I don't think Sam Chapman would eye up Shirley with everything else that was going on beforehand.
Can we objectify some of the men please? As a treat? River and Spider were obvious candidates, but Marcus and Min were right there! Hot dad opportunity missed. Hell even Lamb and Chapman for all I care, just give me something to balance this out.
Idk rant over let me know if you have opinions on this and if I'm just being a sensitive baby about it.
