Anything, everything and most things.

I normally use this sideblog as an archive for reblogging fanart that I don't feel like tagging or don't need my real life sister/mutual seeing, but I have to put this rant that's been brewing in my mind for years somewhere.

Not that this series has a huge audience anyway, but I honestly believe that if it weren't so grossly misrepresented then it would be more popular.

I own the series on Kindle, but the first time I saw it in a bookstore after reading, it was on the "erotica" shelf, which is so disturbing. So much (understandable, but misguided) criticism comes from people who DNF'd before reading the second book. You then also have people who promote the books as nothing but dark romance/smut (though this is not an attack at people who enjoy romantasy/erotica) which implies that Pacat romanticizes disturbing themes like enslavement and child sexual abuse, which they notably do not. Readers desensitized by genres dominated by romanticized rape/captive narratives who then pick up this series misrepresent it. This means that the series is not reflected at all by the fact that it is largely characterized by political intrigue and large-scale exploration of systemic and individualized abuse and exploitation.

I get that it's hard to parse a lot of this out until you've finished the series, but the gradual build up of narrative is exactly the point. By the end I thought it was some of the best handling of sexual abuse and exploitation as experienced/processed by victims and seen by others that I've ever seen in media. Pacat addresses terrible and uncomfortable themes in the series, and I don't fault anyone who isn't able to stomach them, but the branding of Captive Prince as smut or erotica is truly criminal and has led to so much bad press and willful misinterpretation. I think the unclear publisher branding/synopsis contributes to this too. So many people who would otherwise have avoided the series walk in having no understanding of the content warnings.

For a series that can be so well-defined by its ability to examine themes of sexual abuse and human exploitation/enslavement in a world culturally dominated by that abuse/exploitation with such extensive understanding, it is not given nearly enough attention for that. And because people don't know that, Pacat gets attacked for "romanticizing" enslavement/rape and no one reads the series.

'After a long moment Laurent said, with painful honesty, "I...find it difficult to let go of control." "No kidding," said Damen.'

and

'I lack," said Laurent, "the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with," you could see him pushing the words out, "a lover." "You lack the easy mannerisms that are usually shared with anyone," said Damen.'

like my guy, you are so blunt

kings rising, chapter 11

damen:

Which reminded me of this:

Will's 'sick and twisted' desires, as observed in the final chapter of Dark Heir:

james

his friends to not hate him

others' trust in him

to have people on his side

to have somebody that worries/cares abt him

all of the above, all while knowing of his true identity