Every time I say I hate something and someone says “hate is such a strong word”, I respond with, “I despise it with every fiber of my being.” I like yours for books though. Will definitely use it to describe books and comics I hate.
Depends on the type of assassination you are going to attempt but in most regards a good looking person will have more freedom of movement and less suspicion due to the halo effect bias. The more well guarded a person is the more successful a very attractive person would be as they could attract the attention of the target and have them instigate the closeness needed to pull it off. It is also more likely they could seduce someone to get access to a vital area of the location they want to assassinate the person in. Also, if attractiveness would somehow be a detriment to the attempt it is much easier to turn a beautiful looking person into an average or less schlub with some disguise work than it is to take an average schlub and make them a 9/10 in the looks department.
@@adarian You make a fair point, it also depends on what side of the average scale they reach. When they are average but attractive it can be fairly easy to boost them up with make-up. But if they're barely average you usually have your work cut out for you.
@@toshomni9478 It's a disturbing book in a number of other ways but no, actually. There's no sex between adult men and teen girls in that book. The teen girl protagonist doesn't want to have sex with any older men, either. There is adult-teen sex but it's actually an older woman with teen boys and presented as coercive and wrong by the author. That female character is a villain in the story. The sex is mostly teens with teens and adults with adults. The relationships and sex between the teens are just...not handled in a healthy way.
@@carlajenkins1990 Well, no. She was rescued in some way actually. When she got to her new home she didn't have to do anything to have food and a roof above her head while before that she was a stripper so she could make money and pay the rent etc
I'm so in the mood for a rant by Merphy. We haven't had a proper rant in a while, I'm ready for it! Also, Jay Kristoff, dude, as someone with suicidal thoughts every now and again myself, I can tell you that suicide is not beautiful and it's not a good metaphor. Please stop using it as this romanticised trope!
@@audreym3908 no there are several manga that I've read (although I honestly JUST started looking into them) that didn't really have anything sexual at all in them. Right now im reading full metal alchemist and it seems fine
@@kirbybradshaw8920 yeah, but I meant harem ones... or the love triangle or the very nope anime kind. Also FMA is really good. Mostly the brotherhood is very faithful to the manga I heard, but the original adds to some aspects from the manga. Which ever you watch after the manag is your choice.
@@audreym3908 im sorry i dont know what harem is lol. But I've never watched any of the FMA shows. I just read the first bind up of the original. I think it was 1-2-3
Does silverware smile mean he had shiny matching teeth? Or does he mean that he had sharp pointy teeth because now I am picturing a set of teeth like Jaws from James Bond.
A few years ago, I started (emphasis on started - it didn't take long to quit) a book that, in its first paragraph, compared the sound of an ax hitting wood to the sound of a skull being smashed in. Not the other way around, mind - the author felt the need to describe the sound of an ax hitting wood (a sound with which a good chunk of readers (including me) would already be familiar) by comparing it to the sound of a skull grotesquely fracturing (one that the vast majority of people have never heard and will never hear). Another definite case of "your simile sucks, man"...which is part of why I got no further than the *second* paragraph. At least that book had the excuse of obviously being self-published...
@@logicisuseful I'm sure the author assumed that readers attracted to his book would be more familiar with the sound of a skull being smashed in rather than that of an ax hitting wood. Another great example of "your similie sucks man" is Fifty Shades of Grey series. I haven't read the books but the few lines that have since been talked about are enough to support my decision of not ever reading it. Gems include "His voice is warm and husky like dark melted chocolate fudge caramel... or something." and "Desire explodes like the Fourth of July throughout my body."
"As beautiful as a fresh suicide." What? I just... WHAT?! I deal with suicidal ideation frequently, and have lost people I care about to it; that mess flat out ain't pretty. It's not cool, not pleasant, and DEFINITELY not beautiful. This guy needs to fix his writing style desperately.
when @MerphyNapier mentioned that line I thought that it might have been an insult that the guy was actually ugly, rather than really beautiful. For example, if you were writing a western, you could describe an ugly cowboy by saying, 'He was as good looking as fresh cow dung'. Which of course is the opposite of calling someone good looking as the thing that the looks are being compared to isn't good looking at all.
I'm late but I want to add context. Even if I think it is creepy and weird and I out of place, it's good to give people more information about it, so people can make a fair judgement. In the world of the book, the assasins not only kill to get something out of it, and (at least regarding the information we know from this book ) not all of them are sadists. There is, so to speak, a goddess of death/murder. Deaths are seen as a tribute to the goddess, a way to honor her. So for the believers deaths are "good". This is (I hope) not the perception of normal people of the book, nor the author. The morality of at least a big part of this things is also questioned in the book. And after clearing this out, I personally don't recommend this book
I know, right? I am in several readers' groups on social media, and I see this kind of thing requested a lot: "Please recommend me a good romance where the boy is a jerk but she can't resist him", "I prefer romance where the man is cruel to the girl", "Know any romance books where he forces her and it's super hot". I don't get it. I mean, I guess to each their own, people's emotional needs can be all sorts of weird, it's probably even therapeutic in its way for some readers, but I'm continuing to be shocked how widespread this kind of preference is.
I would genuinely love to know why. Maybe because Twilight (ugh) and 50 Shades of Gray (UGH) were so popular, and other writers just want to get money that way? Also, there were plenty of books before these two notorious books that depicted terrible relationship dynamics. And I genuinely don't know why they're popular.
@Chanel Wafuana I know of series with a lot of rape and it shows how the victims respond. One of them takes revenge... both satisfying and disturbing to read. Also both male to female and male to male rape. I love that nothing gets romanticized in the demon cycle by Peter V Brett. Fits with the basic themes as well. It deals a lot with fear and it's very satisfying how the abusive (emotional and sexual) gets punished. So I guess this is a rec for people who want it not to romanticized? It's not a perfect series though. The ending had some loose ends that feel strange and I don't like one of the couples.
I guess this was a rhetorical question, just couldn't help giving this answer, ghehe No, actually. There's a biological reason for that. Negative emotions leave a bigger impact than positive ones so we can protect ourselves to the best of our abilities against it happening again. That saying that you need 10 positive experiences to compensate a strongly negative one is maybe a bit exaggerated, but in essence, it's true. This is probably also why PTSD is such a hard thing to treat and why traumatic experiences leave behavioural effects for a long time if not the rest of one's life. Sorry if I got to serious, I love neuroscience and psychology.
@@blessedtobealive I wish I could've done a psych course in secondary school... Sounds like it would've been interesting, I came across this in articles about PTSD and war, regular, not scientific. Medical things of basically any theme intrigue me. Psych belongs in there too :D
Not really for me actually. To be honest there's not much that I hate, I'm just cynical about it at most, perhaps analyzing the bad, but the overal feeling of hate and annoyance all just feel like a big fuzzy mess. Can't really pinpoint a thing in it. Whereas with the things I loved, which aren't that many of as well, I remember each moment very vividly. I can think of at least 6 moments in One Piece for example that made me jump up with my mind blown, 4 moments where I cried, dozens of moments where I laughed out loud, etc. One moment in HxH made me throw the pillows in my room and that was about 5 years ago. I even remember my amazement at seeing the LotR troll in Moria in the cinema at 5 years old, or the ents marching for that matter, or Rohan appearing over the hill at Minas Tirith. Nothing I disliked comes close in height to those experiences. My depression that I did have felt more like a limbo, no deep downs really, just a stale mist of emptiness, which feels awful yeah, but wasn't condensed into one moment.
@@Aramythr makes sense, I think. It wasn't extreme fear, danger, disgust, or dislike/ hate. I stand with you on the depression thing too. At a certain point you grow apathetic. My period of prolonged anxiety was way worse that the depressions I've had. This psych is very interesting to me and it makes a lot of sense. Did you ever want to feel like you did during your depression again? Do you make efforts to not feel that way again? And if you (still) do, are you efforts for acceptance/ contentment/ happiness the same?
Books really should have content warnings! YA, middlegrade and adult really isn't enough! Especially since many adults don't want to read about ex. gore, assault and rape, romanticized suicide and all of that!
So true! I picked up a random book by Nicole Chase at the bookstore last year and the description was well written then I was shocked with the detailed adult themes 😳😳😳 this was a YA book
Like another poster said, sometimes there are trigger warnings on the copyright page. Which I think is where they should stay. Sometimes those trigger warnings could be spoilers.
As someone who has dealt with clinical depression for sixteen years and have on several occasions been talked down from suicide despise anything that romanticizes suicide.
I really hope you are in better place and getting whatever help you need now. But ya. I lost a parent and a cousin to suicide so the idea that someone would romanticize it is sickening.
When Merphy said that she hates books with romanticized abusive relationships, all I could think was, shouldn’t everyone? It is genuinely sad that it is not common to call out abusive relationships in books. We need to change that.
Call out the publishers for saying YES to that crap! If you take money out of the publisher's pocket, that takes food out of their mouths. I have to wonder about publishers that allow that stuff. REPEATEDLY. WRONG.
as long as it stays in fiction it's fine, when you start censoring stuff you end up establishing a precedent to potentially then widen the scope of censorship itself, and imho that's more dangerous than some trashy books
Or you could just...not read those books? It sucks and it's not for me, but we shouldn't censor books like that. People deserve the freedom to make that decision for themselves, and people deserve to tell the stories they want to tell.
When you see Merphy's title and check the timestamps cos you're scared a book you like might be on here XD In all seriousness though, I don't know why but I love ranty videos
Also something about Nevernight: I personally find it really weird how sexualised Mias character was in general, especially considering that she's 16 and that this book was written by an adult. And there's not even a reason for her to be 16 and not 18 or 20? Underage explicit sex scenes just shouldn't be a thing.
Romanticizing sexual assault/rape : Level 1 : When dimple met rishi Level 25 : Gone With The Wind Level 50 : The Sheik Level 75 : The Duke and I Level 100 : 365 Days
When Dimple has sexual assault?! I have seen zero reviews mention it! People at most said 'it didn't focus enough on her own goals' as a negative. why was no one talking about the assault?! 😳
@@avsambart Not sexual assault per se, but consent problems. Dimple tries to kiss and touch Rishi in a way that is clearly wrong, you know without his permission and too forceful with him constantly screaming that he doesn't wanna do it now and it is supposed to be romantic when it isn't. But trust me, I think kissing and touching someone without their permission does count as sexual assault, or at the very least harrasement. That's why it is level 1.
When both Cindy AND Merphy go on a rant about Nevernight, you know it's bad. Also, if you need to rant, rant, we all need to get that out of our system sometime
Okay, the thing about that “magical hotness upgrade” from Nevernight is that, on paper, it has the potential to be... well I hesitate to say “cool,” but it could’ve been less bothersome. Perhaps this magic doesn’t actually change how you look, but rather how people perceive you. Perhaps NOTHING about how you look is changed, and it’s merely a confidence boost. Maybe a magical placebo of some sort that makes you THINK you’re hotter than you actually are, but really just makes you more confident in yourself. But no, Jay Kristoff apparently just wants to be horny and weird about it and make it about boobs. Sure.
"she's smart until she isn't, and then she's really freaking dumb" - that...is the story of my life. I wouldn't want to read a character like that, but damn. I feel so exposed. (Specifically just that statement, not that story.)
Oh I actually really liked how much that story talked about how damaging it was to not tell young ladies about sex - I think it can be read as a critique of keeping grown ass adults innocent of all sexual knowledge (and also I'm pretty sure the main character is younger than 22; it was her first season, so like late teens or 20-21 at oldest.)
Merphy, may I say that I'm so happy for you, becoming an adoptive parent. That's amazing, I really hope the process goes smoothly for you. I just love that there's some lucky kid out there, who's gonna get you for a mum, and a childhood full of books.
Kinda related to the first one. Terry Pratchett has a really funny section at the beginning of his book Pyramids which explores the almost self-defeating nature of assassin schools. Would recommend anyone read the first part of that book even if they don't plan to read the whole thing. Anyway great video as always Merph :)
I'm feeling bad. I read Duke and I years ago and while I didn't adore it, found it readable. And I'm realising now that I never once thought what she did to her husband was rape. And it 💯 is. And I know that's because it was presented as female on male. I am not at all someone who thinks male rape/assault can't exist, but I'm obviously much slower to identify it when it's presented as "okay" and it's female on male. I need to work on that. 😣
I'd like to add something to the criticism of Nevernight that bothered me much more than most of the things Merph points out (especially since I feel that stuff like the weird prose and the magical boobjob are there to set a theme or a tone - and despite being annoying I think they sort of achieve that purpose). What gets on my nerves way more is the main characters inconsistency. She flips between cold and caring, between clever and dumb, between proactive and reactive - and this happens mostly at random - not as a growth process.
Rants are cathartic! Don’t feel bad about it! Lol honestly I want to know exactly what’s wrong with a book because then it tells me exactly why I don’t want to read it! Lol
I am glad that you mentioned what you did about these books, especially the Bridgerton. I was thinking about reading that series and would have found it a waste of time and more to check it out of my library to give it a go. Please do not worry. Everyone needs a good rant every now and again. We love your personality and that is why we watch your videos. We want to know what you think. Please keep making good videos and we will keep coming back.
You know, I LOVE the Bridgeton series, I’ve read all the books and I just love it. HOWEVER, we’re on the same page when it comes to the first one (the Duke and I). The lack of communication between Simon and Daphne is excruciating. And all the sex stuff that goes on between them? Not ok. Not ok at all.
TBH, I thought Merphy was going to say she regretted donating that to the library where it might fall into the hands of further innocent or unwary readers.
@Katleen Brashier Yes!!! I understand that many people are averse to sex scenes in books, but I think they have their place, and can be done well. But authors need to treat their characters with respect, and if you’re going to portray stuff such as sexual assault, then you need to take it seriously and not romanticize it
Don't feel bad about going negative on this one Merphy. The reasons you gave were all extremely valid, especially the romantisizing of abuse and suicide
I despise the Throne of Glass series. I got halfway through the second book and I just could not continue. The main character is just so poorly written. Close second is ACOTAR and another book called Taken I think? which romantised a guy who stalked this girl since she was 10 years old, kidnapped her when she was 17 and when her family find her again, she like, gives him a kiss on the cheek and feels bad that he's going to prison? and she actually maybe has feelings for him? whatttt???
TOG actually gets better and you kind of understand the way celaena is written I also despised her at first lol. It’s not a really good series but I’d just finish the rest online😅
Brittany Yost I mean it’s definitely geared towards a younger audience so that might be it, I also had to drag through the first two books and didn’t really like celaena at first.
@@ria3828 Yeah, I mean I completely understand writing for your audience and that there are some series that pick up, but the DNF point for me is that, her reputation was built up SO MUCH in the first book as this legendary assassin, and yet, she can't bring herself to kill noblemen but will go on a rampage and kill nameless innocent people the moment her lover is kidnapped? Like...what?
Gonna have to disagree on ACoTaR. I read both that and ToG, and I think that Maas improved dramatically over the course of her career. She's no Sanderson in the worldbuilding or character department, but she's getting better. I hate reading sex scenes, but my sister who doesn't get into books often wanted me to read those series to discuss with her
@@MazrimTaim I will concede and say that ACoTaR is nowhere near as bad as ToG. In fact I found the first book to be similar to Holly Black's Modern Fae series (just in terms of character's personality and in some instance plot), which I did enjoy. I definitely agree there is a big improvement between ToG and ACoTaR, which is something I didn't take into account. There is so much more I could say about it, but I'll just finish off saying that they'd both be better books without the sex scenes!
Love Letters to the Dead was such a rip-off of Perks of Being a Wallflower, Fangirl and anything John Green has ever written. Also the characters were so BLAND. I couldn't finish that book.
The teenage girl from Nevernight who used magic to make herself hot reminds me of a DC Comics character named Arisia. She was an underage teenage alien girl who used her magic ring(Green Lantern ring) to physically age her body into adulthood (and become hot) because she had a crush on an adult coworker (Green Lantern Hal Jordan).
Im rewatching this video since bridgerton came out on Netflix and finally someones talking about the fact that the main character commits s*xual assault and the story treats it like she was in the right!
I didn’t read the bridgerton book but i watched the show. I didn’t like how they handled their communication or lack there off the entire time but the scene where she doesn’t let him pull out was just disturbing jfc. I feel like society/ other shit has made people think that relationship like that are okay and somehow PEOPLE STILL LOOK UP TO THEM? Like fine love the book but don’t make a relationship like your hope... Get better idols omg
CW: Sexual assault I thought this was just going to be a rant where someone was being totally unreasonable...nope. Romanticised suicide and sexual assault...just was not expecting that LOL! One of my favourite books growing up was called Easy Connections, I read it for the first time when I was TEN (I stole it off my cousin to read after he said I couldn’t read it, because I was that kind of rebel lol!). But yeah...the premise is that a rock star rapes a girl and gets her pregnant. Everyone in her life then victim blames her and pushes her to marry her rapist. The book ends with her agreeing to marry him after he told the whole world some romanticised version where he loved her and wanted to marry her and she didn’t want to marry him and had the entire world and his fans turn against her. I loved that book for YEARS. Only about three years ago did I read it again and realise how awful it was! 🙈
I love that you can tell The Storied Life must be set in the US when having to sell someone valuable and important to get life saving surgery is a plot point
So since this our topic today...here we go for me: Mortal instruments....Now guys! I know I know how can I write that but....well..I did and I can't help what I'm feeling. So first I'm not a big fan of insta love and I just generally don't enjoy when the Romance takes over and plays a big role in the story. Now if you love it, Great!!! Good for you, but well...i don't. Then there are the characters who just.....( nervous chuckle).
I totally agree! But it is annoying how nobody ever talks about the complete misuse and terribly explained magic system *incoming rant* why are there more than a 100 marks but we only ever see the one with the eye, and every time clary makes a new rune it is just use as a plot device and never seen again. There are apparently no limit to how many runes they can use and they never use any they just fight like they always are... sorry I just need someone to talk about this
I'd say Cassandra Clare is pretty polarizing these days. She still has a lot of fans but there are also plenty of people who feel the same way you do! As for me, I can't say I HATED the Mortal Instruments but 5-7 years later I struggle to remember literally anything about it...
I’m a Shadowhunters fan and I really hated The Mortal Instruments because of the reasons you described: namely the toxic, instalove romance and the problematic characters. I agree the rune system is pretty vague too but I argue the world is expanded upon much more in the superior later instalments.
@@stacymartin8128 it's true that the world gets expanded in the later installments but that's no necessarily good since to me the characters are all just the same but with different names and slightly different romantic dynamics. Tbh at this point the only books I really like are the Bane Chronicles and the Shadowhunter Academy (the rest is just a side story to me). I feel like even when she expanded the world it was still a disservice, like the fairy world in which after a whole trilogy of books surrounding it we just know that they like to party and drug people
@@davidchehab3450 LOL yeah cassie literally uses like the same character archetypes and gives them different names but 90% of her characters are exactly the same. does not help that she writes about the same 5 families because all other shadowhunter families are irrelevant to the world or something and i guess personalities are inherited which is why everyone is the same
I legitimately don't understand how people like Nevernight. It's not just the cringey dialogue or the assassin premise. The writing is just so, so awful and pretentious.
I had never heard of Paper Princess, and that book sounds twisted. It sounds depraved. I'm no moralistic prude, but how can a publisher be okay with that kind of content being endorsed by the narrative?!
First of all, I'm worried about all these authors, omg. Also, when you were talking about the date-rape drugging, it was like, "and then she was horny!" And I'm just over here like, "that's not how rohypnol works???" Like, jfc. Rant about these sorts of books all you want. Don't feel bad.
When you said "As beautiful as a fresh suicide" I dropped my burrito (don't worry not on the floor) and ruined its wrap 😔. That caught me off guard, a psychopath think a fresh suicide body is beautiful! Not a normal person
I love the rants! I think it was a rant video that made me subscribe back in the days haha Edit: I was wondering why no mention of Anna and the French Kiss, then I saw the end
So here's my list in no particular order: The lunar chronicles by marissa meyer The mortal instruments by cassandra clare Shatter me by tahereh mafi red queen by victoria aveyard
Yeah lol I think I’m the only one on this earth who doesn’t like the lunar chronicles 😆 I just got very bored of the plot and irritated at the characters and idk why but i couldn’t care less about it. Its not bad to like ranting level (like the others on the list). I think I disliked it more because everyone hyped it up so much and i guess i was just disappointed.
One of the things I love so much about your channel is the level of honesty and authenticity. You celebrate so many books passionately that it's nice to see a video where you discuss books you don't like and why in such an authentic way. Bless you Merphy xoxo.
Nevernight is part of that class of fiction where the premise starts with "it's about a school for" and my eyes immediately glaze over. It's basically shorthand for "nothing anyone does matters for 90% of the story" as far as I'm concerned.
My list: 1: the name of the wind. When I dislike a book i can almost always at least understand why others like it, its just not for me. The name of the wind is the only book that I don't like which simply boils down to "I dont get it". I get the plot, I get the characters, I got the world building, I don't get why people like it. Blows my mind. I must be missing something but i'm over trying to figure it out. It just isn't for me.
Yeah, that's honestly how I feel about it, too. I just don't understand what people see in the book, but there are so many people raving about it I just think "Is there something I'm missing?" 🤔
I forced myself to read that whole mammoth book on the assumption there would eventually be a scene that would explain why people like it so much and I would finally get it. I never got it.
Dream Master 2.0 such a mood killer. A coworker recommended the series and I have (had?) it on my reading list. But when 2 of the 3 book tubers I follow both dislike it for basically the same reason (prose, footnotes) gives me pause.
I said, "what," so many times during this video. Also... I'm okay with burning books I positively despise. Heresy I know, but there are plenty of other copies... It feels to therapeutic and cleansing.
Built your own book pyre if you want to :D. I don't get why people care so much, it sounds a bit like that discussion about keeping books pristine that was going on years ago. My inner lover of big campfires thinks it sounds appealing. Unless the books have stuff in them that is toxic for the environment...
@@lenakataeva7525 I don't see how one is better or worse than the other... If I hate it enough to want not more trace to remain, then why not? It's a personal thing.
@@thomaskittock2866 but what about ecology? Trees were cut down to made that books and burning it for nothing is such a waste when it could be recycled.
@@lenakataeva7525 I live in the woods, and trees either fall or are cut down occasionally. We burn them. I've felt compelled to replant primarily in my literal neck of the woods, but otherwise... I still don't have an issue with it.
I love your videos and can safely say that our opinions on novels are extremely similar. I’ve never read any of the four mentioned here, but I know I’m going to avoid them now!! You’re such a sweetheart. It’s totally okay to be salty once in a while! 😉😂
My aunt adopted 3 kids who were siblings in under a year. I think it’s important to remember that not every experience is like your own when it comes to that. It definitely depends on where you live and whatnot.
I don't know if Merphy has read this yet since I'm fairly new to her channel but I'm currently reading His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman for the sheer obsession of the HBO Series and its so soooo Goooddd I hope you get to read it/discuss it in one of your future videos ❤️
Ouch. You're really rubbing my nose in how my taste has changed over the years. I did somewhat enjoy Paper princess when I read it years ago. Listening to your comments, I'm not sure I would manage to finish it today.
God i hate it when book romanticize suicide😤 as someone who had dealt with suicidal thoughts, i can tell you, it isn't cute, it isn't beautiful, and it isn't funny. It sucks P.S. i just wanted to add for anyone struggling- it's not something to be ashamed of. Please seek help. It gets better
What I also disliked about Nevernight was how ilogical the characters and their relationships and their decisions were. The main character's behaviour often didn't make sense for the place or for her intentions or the kind of person she seems at the beginning. Also, she wants to be an assasin, but also to keep her humanity, but when convenient, she has no problem with uselesly killing someone... I don't know how the author thought he would pull off this deeply humane assasin. Can I also mention the cringy sex scenes? Worse I've read so far.
NoNo I Think the author’s intention was to not make her a stereotypical “strong female character “ maybe his results aren’t the best, but at least he tried to represent a girl with more emotional depth, more successful writers don’t even bother
@@miriammonopoli4089 I agree with you about the intention. This is probably what he wanted to do. Unfortunately it felt like he only tried to tick a box rather than really think carefully about how to give her emotional depth. He took this good intention and treated it superficially. None of the characters seemed really thought through to me. This is what bothered me.
NoNo I’m sorry about that, I really hope you won’t waste time on things you don’t like anymore , I would reccomend “Ninth House” by Leigh Bardugo has a very good character portrayal , at least for the protagonist, it’s not a grimdark/gritty fantasy like Nevernight, but more of Urban Fantasy/mistery with a soft magic system .
I love your rare rant videos because you’re normally so kind; it’s like watching a unicorn kick a puppy. Thank you for your criticisms on AJ F - I could not put my finger on what I didn’t like about it and you nailed it. This is a self serving opinion as I semi frequently post rant reviews but I truly believe critiquing things is a form of love. When we criticize, it challenges others to empathize with another and also will either help strengthen their love of said thing being critiqued or to help them realize issues with said thing. So often, seeing people criticize things I love helps me formulate my own opinions and challenges my world view - which is a positive thing. And let’s be honest, if more people challenged world views regularly, our entire planet would be better for it. In short, I love you Merphy 🤎
Hate is such a harsh word though.... "would burn them and laugh hysterically while they turn into ashes" seems more accurate 🤓
Certainly sounds a lot more maniacal, though 😈.
You can be my inspiration....
Every time I say I hate something and someone says “hate is such a strong word”, I respond with, “I despise it with every fiber of my being.” I like yours for books though. Will definitely use it to describe books and comics I hate.
😂 I think that is actually even more harsh
It is WRONG to Destroy Literature!!!! It's Soooo fun to Read!!!!
I don't understand the need to make assassins hot... like, wouldn't it be better to have an assassin who looks super plain with a forgettable face?
Exactly!
Depends on the type of assassination you are going to attempt but in most regards a good looking person will have more freedom of movement and less suspicion due to the halo effect bias. The more well guarded a person is the more successful a very attractive person would be as they could attract the attention of the target and have them instigate the closeness needed to pull it off. It is also more likely they could seduce someone to get access to a vital area of the location they want to assassinate the person in. Also, if attractiveness would somehow be a detriment to the attempt it is much easier to turn a beautiful looking person into an average or less schlub with some disguise work than it is to take an average schlub and make them a 9/10 in the looks department.
Plain people are more forgettable. They would probably make better spies too.
@@adarian You make a fair point, it also depends on what side of the average scale they reach. When they are average but attractive it can be fairly easy to boost them up with make-up. But if they're barely average you usually have your work cut out for you.
*This person shouldn't be left alive.... He is dangerous... He knows too much*
"Silverware smile" just made me imagine someone with forks for teeth
Like... do they have a bunch of missing teeth replaced with metal replicas?
That's exactly what I thought of. A mouthful of silverware in some weird Lewis Carroll approximation of whimsy
Omg hahaha
Tessa Young
"As I put the fork into my mouth, the metal reminded me of Hardin's lipring."
Does that spark people's attention?
I thought braces
This video put a tupperware smile across my face.
this comment Rubbermaid me smile
I have a kitchenaid grin 😀
I'll turn your Tupperware smile into a keyboard frown
@@aansherina4536 Oh such cutlery.
That's good - I'm stealing that phrase for when I finally write that world-beating novel about my life
Paper Princess sounds incredibly disturbing from every perspective.
I haven't read it but there also seems to be a lot of much older men having sex with teenage girls. A real dumpster fire of a book.
@@toshomni9478 It's a disturbing book in a number of other ways but no, actually. There's no sex between adult men and teen girls in that book. The teen girl protagonist doesn't want to have sex with any older men, either. There is adult-teen sex but it's actually an older woman with teen boys and presented as coercive and wrong by the author. That female character is a villain in the story. The sex is mostly teens with teens and adults with adults. The relationships and sex between the teens are just...not handled in a healthy way.
Why Princess? She wasn't rescued from a bad situation into a better one. "To do it on a pole, or not a pole. That is the only question."
@@carlajenkins1990 Well, no. She was rescued in some way actually. When she got to her new home she didn't have to do anything to have food and a roof above her head while before that she was a stripper so she could make money and pay the rent etc
I’ve read way more disturbing and realistic books that were written way better.
I'm so in the mood for a rant by Merphy. We haven't had a proper rant in a while, I'm ready for it! Also, Jay Kristoff, dude, as someone with suicidal thoughts every now and again myself, I can tell you that suicide is not beautiful and it's not a good metaphor. Please stop using it as this romanticised trope!
I hope you're doing well today Lotte, I'm happy you're here ❤️
@@merphynapier42 Thanks! ❤️
@@starlesscitiess Thank you! ❤️
I hope you make it through ❤️ it's not easy but stay strong, my friend 💪❤️
I am so so happy that you are still here! You are so strong! 💙❤💜
So basically sexual assault/oversexualizing teenagers = trash can of a book. I like your standards lady 😂 but really, agreed with all of the things
Yup. Not even oversexualizing. Adult authors sexualizing teenagers at all is disgusting
So most harem anime/manga
@@audreym3908 no there are several manga that I've read (although I honestly JUST started looking into them) that didn't really have anything sexual at all in them. Right now im reading full metal alchemist and it seems fine
@@kirbybradshaw8920 yeah, but I meant harem ones... or the love triangle or the very nope anime kind. Also FMA is really good. Mostly the brotherhood is very faithful to the manga I heard, but the original adds to some aspects from the manga. Which ever you watch after the manag is your choice.
@@audreym3908 im sorry i dont know what harem is lol. But I've never watched any of the FMA shows. I just read the first bind up of the original. I think it was 1-2-3
Does silverware smile mean he had shiny matching teeth? Or does he mean that he had sharp pointy teeth because now I am picturing a set of teeth like Jaws from James Bond.
I picture him smiling and there being a bunch on spoons shoved up there
Maybe he has a mouthful of shiny sliver crowns?
@@merphynapier42 his mouth is literally just a kitchen drawer filled with small, medium and large spoons
He has braces?
I picture a smile so bright and shiny that you can almost see your reflection...
Merphy : *doesn't talk about Dimple and Rishi*
Me : *impossible*
I enjoyed extra spicy Merphy. Sometimes you just need to rant.
YES!
Lmao I came to the comments to say “ranting Merphy is my favorite Merphy” but I like extra spicy Merphy better.
Alex P sSsSssSssssSsssssSsS
"I don't know Jay Kristoff's life but if you've ever seen a fresh suicide, your simile sucks man" died laughing.
I guess as long as you're _freshly_ dead you might still be able to be a Kristoff metaphor for beauty.
@@Philistine47 yes, exactly. It has to be freshly dead.
A few years ago, I started (emphasis on started - it didn't take long to quit) a book that, in its first paragraph, compared the sound of an ax hitting wood to the sound of a skull being smashed in. Not the other way around, mind - the author felt the need to describe the sound of an ax hitting wood (a sound with which a good chunk of readers (including me) would already be familiar) by comparing it to the sound of a skull grotesquely fracturing (one that the vast majority of people have never heard and will never hear). Another definite case of "your simile sucks, man"...which is part of why I got no further than the *second* paragraph. At least that book had the excuse of obviously being self-published...
@@logicisuseful I'm sure the author assumed that readers attracted to his book would be more familiar with the sound of a skull being smashed in rather than that of an ax hitting wood.
Another great example of "your similie sucks man" is Fifty Shades of Grey series. I haven't read the books but the few lines that have since been talked about are enough to support my decision of not ever reading it. Gems include "His voice is warm and husky like dark melted chocolate fudge caramel... or something." and "Desire explodes like the Fourth of July throughout my body."
Beauty doesn't mean pretty, it means moving. Suicide is sad and ugly but the motions u feel hurt Soo much the moment becomes life changing
"Like I've said before, it's incredibly repetitive" is such a meta critique I laughed out loud.
"As beautiful as a fresh suicide." What? I just... WHAT?! I deal with suicidal ideation frequently, and have lost people I care about to it; that mess flat out ain't pretty. It's not cool, not pleasant, and DEFINITELY not beautiful. This guy needs to fix his writing style desperately.
He has, thankfully. The whole third book has a meta subplot mocking the first two.
Also, what editor was actually fine with this?
when @MerphyNapier mentioned that line I thought that it might have been an insult that the guy was actually ugly, rather than really beautiful. For example, if you were writing a western, you could describe an ugly cowboy by saying, 'He was as good looking as fresh cow dung'. Which of course is the opposite of calling someone good looking as the thing that the looks are being compared to isn't good looking at all.
@MrThorsStone / Mr. Jay Kristoff ($1.00 dollar, that’s not his real name), he just needs to STOP WRITING, altogether...please, just STOP.
I'm late but I want to add context. Even if I think it is creepy and weird and I out of place, it's good to give people more information about it, so people can make a fair judgement.
In the world of the book, the assasins not only kill to get something out of it, and (at least regarding the information we know from this book ) not all of them are sadists. There is, so to speak, a goddess of death/murder. Deaths are seen as a tribute to the goddess, a way to honor her. So for the believers deaths are "good". This is (I hope) not the perception of normal people of the book, nor the author.
The morality of at least a big part of this things is also questioned in the book.
And after clearing this out, I personally don't recommend this book
Why, in 2020, are authors still romanticizing sexual assault? I guess it's because some readers like that? But why, readers??? 😓
I know, right?
I am in several readers' groups on social media, and I see this kind of thing requested a lot: "Please recommend me a good romance where the boy is a jerk but she can't resist him", "I prefer romance where the man is cruel to the girl", "Know any romance books where he forces her and it's super hot". I don't get it. I mean, I guess to each their own, people's emotional needs can be all sorts of weird, it's probably even therapeutic in its way for some readers, but I'm continuing to be shocked how widespread this kind of preference is.
good question...
But I'd expand to treating all kinds of abuse improperly (because I've seen it with domestic and emotional stuff too).
I would genuinely love to know why. Maybe because Twilight (ugh) and 50 Shades of Gray (UGH) were so popular, and other writers just want to get money that way? Also, there were plenty of books before these two notorious books that depicted terrible relationship dynamics. And I genuinely don't know why they're popular.
@Chanel Wafuana I know of series with a lot of rape and it shows how the victims respond. One of them takes revenge... both satisfying and disturbing to read.
Also both male to female and male to male rape.
I love that nothing gets romanticized in the demon cycle by Peter V Brett.
Fits with the basic themes as well. It deals a lot with fear and it's very satisfying how the abusive (emotional and sexual) gets punished.
So I guess this is a rec for people who want it not to romanticized?
It's not a perfect series though. The ending had some loose ends that feel strange and I don't like one of the couples.
Not even just authors, it can be found throughout society in movies and pornography and the like, it's messed up.
Isn't it weird that sometimes we remember the things we hate more vividly than the things we love ?
I guess this was a rhetorical question, just couldn't help giving this answer, ghehe
No, actually. There's a biological reason for that. Negative emotions leave a bigger impact than positive ones so we can protect ourselves to the best of our abilities against it happening again. That saying that you need 10 positive experiences to compensate a strongly negative one is maybe a bit exaggerated, but in essence, it's true.
This is probably also why PTSD is such a hard thing to treat and why traumatic experiences leave behavioural effects for a long time if not the rest of one's life.
Sorry if I got to serious, I love neuroscience and psychology.
@@ammalyrical5646 lol I remember going over this in psych yr 12
@@blessedtobealive I wish I could've done a psych course in secondary school...
Sounds like it would've been interesting, I came across this in articles about PTSD and war, regular, not scientific.
Medical things of basically any theme intrigue me. Psych belongs in there too :D
Not really for me actually. To be honest there's not much that I hate, I'm just cynical about it at most, perhaps analyzing the bad, but the overal feeling of hate and annoyance all just feel like a big fuzzy mess. Can't really pinpoint a thing in it. Whereas with the things I loved, which aren't that many of as well, I remember each moment very vividly. I can think of at least 6 moments in One Piece for example that made me jump up with my mind blown, 4 moments where I cried, dozens of moments where I laughed out loud, etc. One moment in HxH made me throw the pillows in my room and that was about 5 years ago. I even remember my amazement at seeing the LotR troll in Moria in the cinema at 5 years old, or the ents marching for that matter, or Rohan appearing over the hill at Minas Tirith.
Nothing I disliked comes close in height to those experiences.
My depression that I did have felt more like a limbo, no deep downs really, just a stale mist of emptiness, which feels awful yeah, but wasn't condensed into one moment.
@@Aramythr makes sense, I think. It wasn't extreme fear, danger, disgust, or dislike/ hate. I stand with you on the depression thing too. At a certain point you grow apathetic. My period of prolonged anxiety was way worse that the depressions I've had.
This psych is very interesting to me and it makes a lot of sense. Did you ever want to feel like you did during your depression again? Do you make efforts to not feel that way again? And if you (still) do, are you efforts for acceptance/ contentment/ happiness the same?
Books really should have content warnings! YA, middlegrade and adult really isn't enough! Especially since many adults don't want to read about ex. gore, assault and rape, romanticized suicide and all of that!
So true! I picked up a random book by Nicole Chase at the bookstore last year and the description was well written then I was shocked with the detailed adult themes 😳😳😳 this was a YA book
Books sometimes have trigger warnings on the copyright page
1000% this! One of the reasons why I have such a hard time branching out and reading new books is because you never know what you are getting into.
Or you could just look at other reviews to see if there is any problematic stuff. You, know research the book on Common Sense Media or something.
Like another poster said, sometimes there are trigger warnings on the copyright page. Which I think is where they should stay. Sometimes those trigger warnings could be spoilers.
As someone who has dealt with clinical depression for sixteen years and have on several occasions been talked down from suicide despise anything that romanticizes suicide.
Prayers sent your way! :)
Sending you lots of love!💕
I really hope you are in better place and getting whatever help you need now.
But ya. I lost a parent and a cousin to suicide so the idea that someone would romanticize it is sickening.
When Merphy said that she hates books with romanticized abusive relationships, all I could think was, shouldn’t everyone? It is genuinely sad that it is not common to call out abusive relationships in books. We need to change that.
Call out the publishers for saying YES to that crap! If you take money out of the publisher's pocket, that takes food out of their mouths. I have to wonder about publishers that allow that stuff. REPEATEDLY. WRONG.
as long as it stays in fiction it's fine, when you start censoring stuff you end up establishing a precedent to potentially then widen the scope of censorship itself, and imho that's more dangerous than some trashy books
Or you could just...not read those books? It sucks and it's not for me, but we shouldn't censor books like that. People deserve the freedom to make that decision for themselves, and people deserve to tell the stories they want to tell.
Jess M I agree with this. If they didn’t sell, they wouldn’t be published. Somehow readers want to read this stuff
yeah i was literally like "wait is this really a hot take? hold the f-"
Maybe, just maybe, his teeth had long fallen out and, in a move of despair, he’d replaced them all with silverware?
I think it's that thing they do in animation where they want to show something in shiny so they animate a glint star on it but with teeth?
Jay Kristoff sounds like the world's most ultimate emo from the wqy you describe his writing 😭🤣
Lookie With Lukie the fact that he’s an old man writing those things about a. Teen makes me uncomfortable
Well, then you’ve probably never heard of „My immortal”
Worse, he’s a major edge lord.
This book sounds like an amine/Manga but as a book. Bc the boob thing ect
When you see Merphy's title and check the timestamps cos you're scared a book you like might be on here XD
In all seriousness though, I don't know why but I love ranty videos
I love Merphy's ranty videos because her 'swears' are hilariously harmless. Dead gum it! Pardon!
I felt this. Luckily, i haven’t read any of these books haha
@@emsalarslan2098 Me neither, and there was at least one book I was genuinely scared she'd include, so I'm glad I was proven wrong lol
Also something about Nevernight: I personally find it really weird how sexualised Mias character was in general, especially considering that she's 16 and that this book was written by an adult. And there's not even a reason for her to be 16 and not 18 or 20? Underage explicit sex scenes just shouldn't be a thing.
Romanticizing sexual assault/rape :
Level 1 : When dimple met rishi
Level 25 : Gone With The Wind
Level 50 : The Sheik
Level 75 : The Duke and I
Level 100 : 365 Days
When Dimple Met Rishi made me so mad too. I haven't read the others thankfully ..
When Dimple has sexual assault?! I have seen zero reviews mention it! People at most said 'it didn't focus enough on her own goals' as a negative. why was no one talking about the assault?! 😳
Somewhere Between the Duke and I and 365 days, comes "The very well known And Hated book and Movie trilogy" 😁 The Fifty Shades Trilogy.
@@avsambart Not sexual assault per se, but consent problems. Dimple tries to kiss and touch Rishi in a way that is clearly wrong, you know without his permission and too forceful with him constantly screaming that he doesn't wanna do it now and it is supposed to be romantic when it isn't. But trust me, I think kissing and touching someone without their permission does count as sexual assault, or at the very least harrasement. That's why it is level 1.
Oh, god 365 days; just hearing about the movie makes me scared to touch the book.
When both Cindy AND Merphy go on a rant about Nevernight, you know it's bad. Also, if you need to rant, rant, we all need to get that out of our system sometime
Okay, the thing about that “magical hotness upgrade” from Nevernight is that, on paper, it has the potential to be... well I hesitate to say “cool,” but it could’ve been less bothersome. Perhaps this magic doesn’t actually change how you look, but rather how people perceive you. Perhaps NOTHING about how you look is changed, and it’s merely a confidence boost. Maybe a magical placebo of some sort that makes you THINK you’re hotter than you actually are, but really just makes you more confident in yourself. But no, Jay Kristoff apparently just wants to be horny and weird about it and make it about boobs. Sure.
Sounds like an anime "plot" to me.
What makes it worse is that he’s talking about literal teenagers.
"she's smart until she isn't, and then she's really freaking dumb" - that...is the story of my life. I wouldn't want to read a character like that, but damn. I feel so exposed. (Specifically just that statement, not that story.)
Oh I actually really liked how much that story talked about how damaging it was to not tell young ladies about sex - I think it can be read as a critique of keeping grown ass adults innocent of all sexual knowledge (and also I'm pretty sure the main character is younger than 22; it was her first season, so like late teens or 20-21 at oldest.)
So Merphy's ranting about problematic stuff in books, and UA-cam throws me an ad for "After" the movie. Damn, do I feel like ranting now.
This video is definitely Not long enough.
Merphy: I feel like ranting today
Me: Ooh, this is gonna be juicy
Merphy, may I say that I'm so happy for you, becoming an adoptive parent. That's amazing, I really hope the process goes smoothly for you.
I just love that there's some lucky kid out there, who's gonna get you for a mum, and a childhood full of books.
"Popular books that I hate"
*_Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has entered the chat_*
That book is popular?
i dont think anyone likes that one
I hate the whole Harry Potter series.
@@Liya653 why?
@@katarinateofanov It's just so boring ig I read the first book and I don't understand why it's so hyped.
“__________ with a silverware smile” should be a meme.
It just makes me picture a silver spoon wedged between someones cheeks, forcing them to smile.
The vicious dog with a frothing mouth and a silverware smile.
@@MagusMarquillin do that.... Plz do that....
@@piyushnagawat24 I'm not into silverware smiles - unless it's hanging from my nose.
Silverware with a silverware smile... 👁👅👁
Kinda related to the first one. Terry Pratchett has a really funny section at the beginning of his book Pyramids which explores the almost self-defeating nature of assassin schools. Would recommend anyone read the first part of that book even if they don't plan to read the whole thing.
Anyway great video as always Merph :)
He also has some great assassin stuff in the hog father. Terry Pratchett is the best.
I'm feeling bad. I read Duke and I years ago and while I didn't adore it, found it readable. And I'm realising now that I never once thought what she did to her husband was rape. And it 💯 is. And I know that's because it was presented as female on male. I am not at all someone who thinks male rape/assault can't exist, but I'm obviously much slower to identify it when it's presented as "okay" and it's female on male. I need to work on that. 😣
I'd like to add something to the criticism of Nevernight that bothered me much more than most of the things Merph points out (especially since I feel that stuff like the weird prose and the magical boobjob are there to set a theme or a tone - and despite being annoying I think they sort of achieve that purpose). What gets on my nerves way more is the main characters inconsistency. She flips between cold and caring, between clever and dumb, between proactive and reactive - and this happens mostly at random - not as a growth process.
Jay Kristoff and the “silverware smile on his Tupperware face” will never not make me furious.
What ??? WhaT?? dose that mean
*W h a t*
Merphy: I'm in the process of adoption
me: when will she stop being just the absolute best?
Rants are cathartic! Don’t feel bad about it! Lol honestly I want to know exactly what’s wrong with a book because then it tells me exactly why I don’t want to read it! Lol
I am glad that you mentioned what you did about these books, especially the Bridgerton. I was thinking about reading that series and would have found it a waste of time and more to check it out of my library to give it a go.
Please do not worry. Everyone needs a good rant every now and again. We love your personality and that is why we watch your videos. We want to know what you think.
Please keep making good videos and we will keep coming back.
You know, I LOVE the Bridgeton series, I’ve read all the books and I just love it. HOWEVER, we’re on the same page when it comes to the first one (the Duke and I). The lack of communication between Simon and Daphne is excruciating. And all the sex stuff that goes on between them? Not ok. Not ok at all.
"She's smart until she isn't... And then she's really freaking dumb." 🤣🤣
The rant about Duke and I ..... I laughed so much, I snorted!
(the bit about ripping the pages out / taking to the library was genius)
TBH, I thought Merphy was going to say she regretted donating that to the library where it might fall into the hands of further innocent or unwary readers.
I nearly drowned. (I was drinking coffee) Thank God it wasn't hot!
Basically, Merphy to authors: "Go to horny jail!" *bonk*
No, horny is fine. It's gettin' down without getting full consent that makes Merphy see red.
@Katleen Brashier Yes!!! I understand that many people are averse to sex scenes in books, but I think they have their place, and can be done well. But authors need to treat their characters with respect, and if you’re going to portray stuff such as sexual assault, then you need to take it seriously and not romanticize it
When Merphy says "daggum", you know it's pretty daggum serious.
Yosemite Sam would be proud.
Thank you so much for the content warnings. I don't need them but I really appreciate them for the people who do
Don't feel bad about going negative on this one Merphy. The reasons you gave were all extremely valid, especially the romantisizing of abuse and suicide
Paper Princess, Or: "Don't Tell CPS the Mom is Dead"
"Because assasins cant have flat chests"🤣 salty merphy
I despise the Throne of Glass series. I got halfway through the second book and I just could not continue. The main character is just so poorly written. Close second is ACOTAR and another book called Taken I think? which romantised a guy who stalked this girl since she was 10 years old, kidnapped her when she was 17 and when her family find her again, she like, gives him a kiss on the cheek and feels bad that he's going to prison? and she actually maybe has feelings for him? whatttt???
TOG actually gets better and you kind of understand the way celaena is written I also despised her at first lol. It’s not a really good series but I’d just finish the rest online😅
Brittany Yost I mean it’s definitely geared towards a younger audience so that might be it, I also had to drag through the first two books and didn’t really like celaena at first.
@@ria3828 Yeah, I mean I completely understand writing for your audience and that there are some series that pick up, but the DNF point for me is that, her reputation was built up SO MUCH in the first book as this legendary assassin, and yet, she can't bring herself to kill noblemen but will go on a rampage and kill nameless innocent people the moment her lover is kidnapped? Like...what?
Gonna have to disagree on ACoTaR. I read both that and ToG, and I think that Maas improved dramatically over the course of her career. She's no Sanderson in the worldbuilding or character department, but she's getting better.
I hate reading sex scenes, but my sister who doesn't get into books often wanted me to read those series to discuss with her
@@MazrimTaim I will concede and say that ACoTaR is nowhere near as bad as ToG. In fact I found the first book to be similar to Holly Black's Modern Fae series (just in terms of character's personality and in some instance plot), which I did enjoy. I definitely agree there is a big improvement between ToG and ACoTaR, which is something I didn't take into account. There is so much more I could say about it, but I'll just finish off saying that they'd both be better books without the sex scenes!
"Beautiful as a fresh suicide" sounds like a backhanded compliment. Also, I love mean Merphy 😂
It could have worked like that from the right character. When it is the narrator saying it though...
"Your simile sucks man" - favorite merphy line of the week
But what does it suck like??? 😂
Shouldn't that be Your simile, like sucks, man
Watching this vid on 2x speed hits different when Merphy is talking about AJ Fikry 😂😂
I always watch her videos on 2x and I was laughing so hard at that part!
"This book is terrible!"
**gives it to the library so as many people read it as possible**
Who else has never heard a single word about any of these books
Me
Annnd, me. ( My quick assumption is, because these books are THAT HORRIBLE..)
I've heard Nevernight mentioned in another video from another channel, but that's the only thing.
Me
So basically Jay Kristof is an edgelord,
Maybe "silverware smile" was like the character "Jaws" in the James Bond movie "Moonraker?" Where his teeth were literally metal?
I love how she ranted out all my thoughts on Bridgerton way before the show! When I read it.... THANKYOU
The worst books I’ve ever read have been the Hush Hush saga, ACOTAR, What light by the author of 13RW and Love letters to the dead
Haechan at 2:36 Ridin’ MV you just... you just named three of my favourite books
Haechan at 2:36 Ridin’ MV omg I’ve never liked ACOTAR not Hush Hush neither. Horrible
Love Letters to the Dead was such a rip-off of Perks of Being a Wallflower, Fangirl and anything John Green has ever written. Also the characters were so BLAND. I couldn't finish that book.
Oh gosh, Love Letters to the Dead is on my TBR. Can I ask why you didn’t like it?
Your username 😂😂😂😂 I love it
The teenage girl from Nevernight who used magic to make herself hot reminds me of a DC Comics character named Arisia. She was an underage teenage alien girl who used her magic ring(Green Lantern ring) to physically age her body into adulthood (and become hot) because she had a crush on an adult coworker (Green Lantern Hal Jordan).
Im rewatching this video since bridgerton came out on Netflix and finally someones talking about the fact that the main character commits s*xual assault and the story treats it like she was in the right!
I forgot how much I like ranting Merphy 😂
It's actually Merphy...
Abey Bekalu autocorrects lol 😝
I need more rant videos. This was EXTREMELY fun and I didn't even read any of the books that were mentioned. LOL
As much as I love watching you being calm and collected normally, I also love watching you rant like this.
I could never read Nevernight after hearing about these stomach-turning metaphors.
15:45 "There were two things I hated about this book and they were the two main characters." I actually laughed out loud at that 🤣
I didn’t read the bridgerton book but i watched the show. I didn’t like how they handled their communication or lack there off the entire time but the scene where she doesn’t let him pull out was just disturbing jfc. I feel like society/ other shit has made people think that relationship like that are okay and somehow PEOPLE STILL LOOK UP TO THEM? Like fine love the book but don’t make a relationship like your hope... Get better idols omg
CW: Sexual assault
I thought this was just going to be a rant where someone was being totally unreasonable...nope. Romanticised suicide and sexual assault...just was not expecting that LOL!
One of my favourite books growing up was called Easy Connections, I read it for the first time when I was TEN (I stole it off my cousin to read after he said I couldn’t read it, because I was that kind of rebel lol!).
But yeah...the premise is that a rock star rapes a girl and gets her pregnant. Everyone in her life then victim blames her and pushes her to marry her rapist. The book ends with her agreeing to marry him after he told the whole world some romanticised version where he loved her and wanted to marry her and she didn’t want to marry him and had the entire world and his fans turn against her.
I loved that book for YEARS. Only about three years ago did I read it again and realise how awful it was! 🙈
You ever watch a Pepe La Pew cartoon as an adult? So rapey lol.
I love that you can tell The Storied Life must be set in the US when having to sell someone valuable and important to get life saving surgery is a plot point
Yeah, in my country this would never happen.
Wait you're adopting?? That's so cool! Whenever I get married, I definitely want to adopt. It's just such a good cause!
I like to imagine “silverware smile” guy has a grill
So since this our topic today...here we go for me:
Mortal instruments....Now guys! I know I know how can I write that but....well..I did and I can't help what I'm feeling. So first I'm not a big fan of insta love and I just generally don't enjoy when the Romance takes over and plays a big role in the story. Now if you love it, Great!!! Good for you, but well...i don't. Then there are the characters who just.....( nervous chuckle).
I totally agree! But it is annoying how nobody ever talks about the complete misuse and terribly explained magic system *incoming rant* why are there more than a 100 marks but we only ever see the one with the eye, and every time clary makes a new rune it is just use as a plot device and never seen again. There are apparently no limit to how many runes they can use and they never use any they just fight like they always are... sorry I just need someone to talk about this
I'd say Cassandra Clare is pretty polarizing these days. She still has a lot of fans but there are also plenty of people who feel the same way you do! As for me, I can't say I HATED the Mortal Instruments but 5-7 years later I struggle to remember literally anything about it...
I’m a Shadowhunters fan and I really hated The Mortal Instruments because of the reasons you described: namely the toxic, instalove romance and the problematic characters. I agree the rune system is pretty vague too but I argue the world is expanded upon much more in the superior later instalments.
@@stacymartin8128 it's true that the world gets expanded in the later installments but that's no necessarily good since to me the characters are all just the same but with different names and slightly different romantic dynamics. Tbh at this point the only books I really like are the Bane Chronicles and the Shadowhunter Academy (the rest is just a side story to me). I feel like even when she expanded the world it was still a disservice, like the fairy world in which after a whole trilogy of books surrounding it we just know that they like to party and drug people
@@davidchehab3450 LOL yeah cassie literally uses like the same character archetypes and gives them different names but 90% of her characters are exactly the same. does not help that she writes about the same 5 families because all other shadowhunter families are irrelevant to the world or something and i guess personalities are inherited which is why everyone is the same
😂 This is the earliest I've ever been for any of ur videos I love them so much and ur videos help me through so much and yes. We loveee rants ❤️
The earliest I have been is 2 min
I want “your simile sucks man” on a T shirt
I legitimately don't understand how people like Nevernight. It's not just the cringey dialogue or the assassin premise. The writing is just so, so awful and pretentious.
This is great, Merphy rants are the best - honestly wanted the video to be longer!
I had never heard of Paper Princess, and that book sounds twisted. It sounds depraved. I'm no moralistic prude, but how can a publisher be okay with that kind of content being endorsed by the narrative?!
First of all, I'm worried about all these authors, omg. Also, when you were talking about the date-rape drugging, it was like, "and then she was horny!" And I'm just over here like, "that's not how rohypnol works???"
Like, jfc. Rant about these sorts of books all you want. Don't feel bad.
When you said "As beautiful as a fresh suicide" I dropped my burrito (don't worry not on the floor) and ruined its wrap 😔. That caught me off guard, a psychopath think a fresh suicide body is beautiful! Not a normal person
I love the rants!
I think it was a rant video that made me subscribe back in the days haha
Edit: I was wondering why no mention of Anna and the French Kiss, then I saw the end
Mean Merphy... You should make special series or even another channel for your "Evil Twin Sister".
1:46
*laughs in cindy*
So here's my list in no particular order:
The lunar chronicles by marissa meyer
The mortal instruments by cassandra clare
Shatter me by tahereh mafi
red queen by victoria aveyard
Should I stop reading the lunar chronicles?
@@yoav1306 don't 😁 I liked it personally...you never know what you personally will like :)
I think the other books on that list suck but I liked the Lunar Chronicles
@@charlotterouge8107 yeha..you also never know what you will relate to in a series or a book that others don't 😄
Yeah lol I think I’m the only one on this earth who doesn’t like the lunar chronicles 😆 I just got very bored of the plot and irritated at the characters and idk why but i couldn’t care less about it. Its not bad to like ranting level (like the others on the list). I think I disliked it more because everyone hyped it up so much and i guess i was just disappointed.
One of the things I love so much about your channel is the level of honesty and authenticity. You celebrate so many books passionately that it's nice to see a video where you discuss books you don't like and why in such an authentic way. Bless you Merphy xoxo.
Love these types of videos. You get so passionate that I'm drawn in and just want you to keep going. It feels like I'm listening to a good friend.
Nevernight is part of that class of fiction where the premise starts with "it's about a school for" and my eyes immediately glaze over. It's basically shorthand for "nothing anyone does matters for 90% of the story" as far as I'm concerned.
My list:
1: the name of the wind.
When I dislike a book i can almost always at least understand why others like it, its just not for me. The name of the wind is the only book that I don't like which simply boils down to "I dont get it".
I get the plot, I get the characters, I got the world building, I don't get why people like it. Blows my mind. I must be missing something but i'm over trying to figure it out. It just isn't for me.
Yeah, that's honestly how I feel about it, too. I just don't understand what people see in the book, but there are so many people raving about it I just think "Is there something I'm missing?" 🤔
I forced myself to read that whole mammoth book on the assumption there would eventually be a scene that would explain why people like it so much and I would finally get it. I never got it.
I really wish you had a playlist on your channel of all your ranty videos like this. Sometimes, this is exactly what I need.
helllllo spartan spiel
Don't ever apologise for the rants Merphy, I live for them. I especially love the sigh with a pause. It really gets me.
Daniel also hates NeverNight XD
Dream Master 2.0 such a mood killer. A coworker recommended the series and I have (had?) it on my reading list. But when 2 of the 3 book tubers I follow both dislike it for basically the same reason (prose, footnotes) gives me pause.
I said, "what," so many times during this video.
Also... I'm okay with burning books I positively despise. Heresy I know, but there are plenty of other copies... It feels to therapeutic and cleansing.
Built your own book pyre if you want to :D. I don't get why people care so much, it sounds a bit like that discussion about keeping books pristine that was going on years ago. My inner lover of big campfires thinks it sounds appealing.
Unless the books have stuff in them that is toxic for the environment...
Why burn unlikable books when you can take them to be recycled
@@lenakataeva7525 I don't see how one is better or worse than the other... If I hate it enough to want not more trace to remain, then why not? It's a personal thing.
@@thomaskittock2866 but what about ecology? Trees were cut down to made that books and burning it for nothing is such a waste when it could be recycled.
@@lenakataeva7525 I live in the woods, and trees either fall or are cut down occasionally. We burn them. I've felt compelled to replant primarily in my literal neck of the woods, but otherwise... I still don't have an issue with it.
I love your videos and can safely say that our opinions on novels are extremely similar. I’ve never read any of the four mentioned here, but I know I’m going to avoid them now!! You’re such a sweetheart. It’s totally okay to be salty once in a while! 😉😂
My aunt adopted 3 kids who were siblings in under a year. I think it’s important to remember that not every experience is like your own when it comes to that. It definitely depends on where you live and whatnot.
I don't know if Merphy has read this yet since I'm fairly new to her channel but I'm currently reading His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman for the sheer obsession of the HBO Series and its so soooo Goooddd I hope you get to read it/discuss it in one of your future videos ❤️
No, she's not read it
Just heard the news about Chadwick Boseman. So sad :(
Same here man
I know right. But please don’t mention it now. Many people are trying to find an escape including me.
Me too :(
Damn
I cried real tears for like 20 minutes
I love how considerate you are with the spoiler and content warnings, its so wholesome, we stan
Ouch. You're really rubbing my nose in how my taste has changed over the years. I did somewhat enjoy Paper princess when I read it years ago. Listening to your comments, I'm not sure I would manage to finish it today.
God i hate it when book romanticize suicide😤 as someone who had dealt with suicidal thoughts, i can tell you, it isn't cute, it isn't beautiful, and it isn't funny. It sucks
P.S. i just wanted to add for anyone struggling- it's not something to be ashamed of. Please seek help. It gets better
Prayers sent your way! :)
What I also disliked about Nevernight was how ilogical the characters and their relationships and their decisions were. The main character's behaviour often didn't make sense for the place or for her intentions or the kind of person she seems at the beginning.
Also, she wants to be an assasin, but also to keep her humanity, but when convenient, she has no problem with uselesly killing someone... I don't know how the author thought he would pull off this deeply humane assasin.
Can I also mention the cringy sex scenes? Worse I've read so far.
NoNo I Think the author’s intention was to not make her a stereotypical “strong female character “ maybe his results aren’t the best, but at least he tried to represent a girl with more emotional depth, more successful writers don’t even bother
@@miriammonopoli4089 I agree with you about the intention. This is probably what he wanted to do. Unfortunately it felt like he only tried to tick a box rather than really think carefully about how to give her emotional depth. He took this good intention and treated it superficially. None of the characters seemed really thought through to me. This is what bothered me.
NoNo I’m sorry about that, I really hope you won’t waste time on things you don’t like anymore , I would reccomend “Ninth House” by Leigh Bardugo has a very good character portrayal , at least for the protagonist, it’s not a grimdark/gritty fantasy like Nevernight, but more of Urban Fantasy/mistery with a soft magic system .
Thank you for the recommendation! I heard from several others that they enjoyed Ninth House. I'll definitely put it on my list
I love watching your reviews. You always bring such a great energy, that silverware smile just brightens my day.
I love your rare rant videos because you’re normally so kind; it’s like watching a unicorn kick a puppy.
Thank you for your criticisms on AJ F - I could not put my finger on what I didn’t like about it and you nailed it.
This is a self serving opinion as I semi frequently post rant reviews but I truly believe critiquing things is a form of love. When we criticize, it challenges others to empathize with another and also will either help strengthen their love of said thing being critiqued or to help them realize issues with said thing. So often, seeing people criticize things I love helps me formulate my own opinions and challenges my world view - which is a positive thing. And let’s be honest, if more people challenged world views regularly, our entire planet would be better for it.
In short, I love you Merphy 🤎