leigh bardugoβs depiction of an abuse survivor is so brilliantly tasteful.
after getting out of an abusive situation, there can be this constant push and pull between βi deserved itβ and βi will be more than they ever thought i could beβ that is absolutely exhausting, and it is telegraphed so beautifully in wylanβs chapters.
abuse wears you down and destroys your confidence, but it also proves how strong you are for surviving that. wylan proved time and time again that he was strong and fierce but also so kind and gentle, and even years of abuse couldnβt take that. we are who we are at our core, and nothing can take that, not even the worst people.
leigh bardugo never babied wylan, never wrote him as weak or less than. his abuse did not demean him, and it did not define him. but it also was not brushed off.
abuse, psychological AND physical, affects you in ways you donβt expect until you go through it. to see a character go through that and be written so beautifully is an incredible thing. representation is important, and itβs a hell of lot less scary to talk about your own stories when you can relate it to a damn good book.