Don’t forget the main plot was a damning satire of the brokenness and inherent racism of the American justice and prison systems! Louis Sachar does not fuck about

It always fuck me up that older people don’t understand how this story is as essential to most american children as Gone with the Wind or Mary Poppins was.

unironically, this is one of the best books/movies for young people that exists

Kissing Kate Did Nothing Wrong

And the technical writing of Holes is perfect. Like, it’s one of the most technically-perfect books ever written. Basically any plotting or pacing or characterization issue you’re having, read Holes and really study how Sachar did it. THE LIZARDS! THE LIZARDS.

the twisty prophecies! the lizards! the lipstick! the humor! this book doesn’t play. a true classic.

and! in a twist, it’s actually the most accurate depiction of archaeology across pretty much all media!

And also the indestructibility of that woman's ankles

literally teor picking up thimble in the prologue and thimble picking up teor in the convergence i am unwell

"It doesn't help your credibility to exaggerate, most employers wouldn't literally work you to death" like, I used to work in distribution. If booking a truck driver for back to back shifts until they fall asleep at the wheel, crash, and die counts as being worked to death, I have personally met employers who've worked employees to death and gotten away with a slap on the wrist. It may not be universal, but it's a hell of a lot more common than a lot of us would prefer to think.

Every single labor protection is written in the blood of those who were literally worked to death, and business owners and profiteers would claw those protections back with glee if they could. They will squeeze every red cent from your body if they are allowed, and write off your death for an insurance payout that they'll try to pocket for themselves while hiring your replacement for half the pay they gave to you.

[recommending something i sincerely love] ok so the thing about it is it kinda sucks

it is SUCH a druid flex for Thaisha to call down lightning to strike right next to her when she's got a METAL staff and METAL beads in her hair and a METAL spine like that lightning is fully 100% concierge on tap on call on demand direct delivery to your FACE if you keep pissing her off even if you're under a forest of church steeples and weather vanes

This is also why herding breeds are often very intelligent and trainable, because we made them to work with us, while livestock guardian dogs most often do not make good pets for most modern lifestyles - we bred them to work independently, away from people, and make their own decisions without human input.