#find out she's mute they'll come after this child is deeply deeply disturbing and i'm glad that stroud really isn't

[thebirdandhersong]

There's a lot that can be analysed in The Outlaws Scarlett & Browne about eugenics, actually

#and the treatment of the Other as well #not done the book yet so i don't know what the tainted actually ARE or how they came to be but on the human front #the idea of anyone having physical or mental disabilities or 'imperfections' (and those with speech impediments etc) #being not only cast out of society but also more likely to be hunted down and killed is horrifying. like. this is a society. this is a post #apocalyptic futuristic britain where it is so TERRIFYING to live in the 'civilised areas' BECAUSE they literally get rid of anything #and anyone that looks or acts or is in some way shape or form different #this is very interesting worldbuilding because it all stems from fear of the supernatural(?) beasts that the humans are afraid of #and the fear of anything that isn't 'perfectly' human #idk if jonathan stroud is trying to say something particular in this area but it strikes me as a rather interesting story to tell in our ti #time #the people who are different and 'less' human (i.e. albert and ettie) are shown to be just as precious and nuanced and worthy of love #as the townspeople #on that note the idea that joe is trying to protect his toddler granddaughter because when the townspeople #find out she's mute they'll come after this child is deeply deeply disturbing and i'm glad that stroud really isn't #afraid to show his young readers the depth of how disturbing this kind of thinking is #reading adventures