Just read The Strange Case of Harley and Harleen and my god I needed a little bit of positive plurality in my life this week.
The way Pam and Harl's relationship adapts to accept the Harley/Harleen split makes my heart swell.
The way Pam sees the difference between her girlfriends.
And assures her that she accepts and loves all sides of her.
And does what she can to accommodate Harleen's memory holes.
The core relationship of this book is just so sweet and positive in accepting things as they are without judgment or pushing. Just acceptance and love.
And after finding that in our own life, I know what a powerfully positive thing it can be.
But the Harley/Harleen relationship is well handled too. There's friction and denial at the start but the two develop and trust one another by the end and Harley takes a seat as my favorite kind of character, the morally ambiguous protector.
I love the way Harley's protectiveness of Harleen is depicted and how she tries so hard to keep her from interacting with the criminal underworld of Gotham.
It's just saccharine and kind.
Highly recommend the book to anyone who just wants soft and kind plurality vibes. Heaven knows the majority of the fiction involving split personalities are flooded with angst and darkness and though this book contains a few dark plot beats like DV it never feels painful or sorrow inducing.
I'm so happy I read it.
