status: made my Twitter account public, so anyone can view my updates
watched last night: Starship Troopers II
currently reading: Prom Dates from Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore
just read: Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

I've avoided reading Mercy Thompson series for a while because of the controversial ending to Iron Kissed that many have talked about.

I'm currently kicking myself for being so stupid. The controversial part was very credible, and it showed and highlighted something that is often very real and yet ignored by many people — consequences of rape and how people react to it. I've seen some cases where the victim is blamed for asking for it. The victim was either too stupid or dressed too sexy or whatever. And I'm sure such judgment also makes the victim question if she somehow deserved to be raped. I was relieved and happy that the pack stood behind Mercy and made sure she understood that it was not her fault. Furthermore, they helped her heal by letting her know that she's a valuable member of the pack no matter what.

As I closed the book, I was awed by the acceptance of the werewolves around her and the sensitivity with which Briggs handled the rape and the character arc. Because in a way Mercy really needed to see that she wasn't alone and that the pack wouldn't desert her. I felt that in many ways she felt a great deal of insecurity about her place in the world. She seemed to believe that the werewolves only accepted her because of Bran, not because they liked her. The book's climax and the resolution addressed her issues and I can't think of any other way Briggs could've done it without gutting Mercy's character arc.