Sorry it’s literally just because I’m Japanese but I get so worked up over the fact that RR decided to make Shane specifically Japanese-Canadian and then never talked about anything specific to the Japanese diaspora in a post-WW2 context. Like I’m crazy. I know. I know I’m being crazy it’s literally a smut novel but that shit matters!!! The type of desperate assimilation and disillusionment of North and South America-based Japanese immigrants that occurred during and after WW2 cannot be overstated. None of my cousins or even aunts and uncles can speak Japanese— and this isn’t a mistake, but a defense mechanism. Being Japanese was synonymous with “the enemy,” being a spy or traitor, so people were forced to become as American or Canadian as possible, anything to distance from their heritage. What’s crazy is so much of Shane’s mindset makes sense from this assimilationist perspective!! And RR just doesn’t have a significant awareness of any of this so she doesn’t utilize it at all

thinking about the kidnapping threats thing again. i think like two months into them having a Relationship shane texts ilya something along the lines of 'oh btw i have a new stalker so watch out when you're coming into the house, the police aren't sure what his patterns are yet' and goes to practice meanwhile ilya is sitting on the plane staring at his phone in Concern. hello??? hollander?????