the book ups the uncomfortable-ness and creepiness i think but in a way that feels intentional by the author. it’s by no means supposed to be a cutesy love story. i can recommend lola sebastian’s youtube video on it, if you’re after a more in-depth analysis of the book and movie and the background to the production of the movie
Ruby Granger #28 What a depacle!
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This reaction video is taking forever. Maybe she's waiting for thread #29 to start with a blank slate.
Noel Fielding did it better, hee hee!
Ruby says she dreams of being an author, to the extent that she'll do anything to achieve it, but does absolutely nothing to participate in the writing community. Most aspiring children's/YA authors network online, read each other's books and get to know each other. Because if you do get a publishing deal, you basically become colleagues! It's a lonely job. You need to find fellow writers for support. If she does get published she's making it so much harder for herself in the long run. There will be so much she doesn't know, advice she'll miss out from that you can't get from an agent, it'll be so stressful.
also, the average author earns £10k a year, there's no job security and in children's publishing there's an expectation to publish a book a year. But so far all we see from her content is, once again, toxic romanticisation and little sense of the reality of publishing. It really isn't that glamourous. I've got author friends and they're always stressed out and it's even worse at the moment
also, the average author earns £10k a year, there's no job security and in children's publishing there's an expectation to publish a book a year. But so far all we see from her content is, once again, toxic romanticisation and little sense of the reality of publishing. It really isn't that glamourous. I've got author friends and they're always stressed out and it's even worse at the moment
I wonder if Ruby is aware that the author has been problematic in the past. It was a big thing on book twitter last year where people found Bridget Collins had been engaging with transphobic tweets. As far as I’m aware she didn’t say anything herself, but it’s still extremely harmful behaviour and so a lot of people ended up putting her on their author blacklist because of it. A shame because I really enjoyed The Binding and was looking forward to reading her newest release at the time but considering how many books there are in this world I’d rather read from authors who aren’t TERFs.her pretentious post about The Binding
Considering Ruby is no stranger to the world of ‘bookish’ social media I’m curious as to whether she’s simply unaware of this, completely forgotten all about it or is just choosing to ignore it. She follows a few bookstagram related hashtags and accounts and I know a lot of people were talking about it at the time. Whilst your average Tom fool or Harry who reads for fun would probably be unaware of it, I feel like when you have such a large platform and influence then you should be a little mindful of what/who you sing your praises about and now she is (most likely) a FARST CLASS English Literature graduate, it’s not a reach to say that she’s probably used to Google searching authors. Maybe I’m reaching idk, because from what I can remember the book itself wasn’t problematic (as far as I can remember). But to dedicate a glowing post to her book without even acknowledging the controversy, especially when it was spoken about a lot at the time, probably wasn’t the best thing to do
This discussion pops up from time to time on this thread usually regarding JK Rowling and honestly, I think this is a chronically online take.
I googled this controversy and it seems the author has liked a few tweets about the importance of acknowledging the existence of biological sex, it didn’t make news headlines (or spark outrage anywhere else other than twitter) and Ruby doesn’t even use twitter anyway. So personally I don’t really think I could criticize her for not knowing or caring about a few mildly controversial liked tweets before she reviewed the book.
It was definitely spoken about on instagram (at the time, anyway) as that's how I found out about it, I don't really use twitter regularly. Obviously not so much now because it was a while ago and probably also the fact that liking tweets is definitely less severe than the actions of (like you say) JK Rowling, although still questionable. I wasn't necessarily criticising her for
fully appreciate people are entitled to read and review what they want but I don't really think it's 'chronically online' if someone makes a personal decision to not support an author that has previously exhibited 'harmful' behaviour (however they subjectively define it)They were fleeting moments
No of course, I understand that people might have been upset by it, especially if they’re trans rights activists and were big fans of this author, to learn that she didn’t agree with their views would obviously be a bit of a blow.It was definitely spoken about on instagram (at the time, anyway) as that's how I found out about it, I don't really use twitter regularly. Obviously not so much now because it was a while ago and probably also the fact that liking tweets is definitely less severe than the actions of (like you say) JK Rowling, although still questionable. I wasn't necessarily criticising her forreviewing the bookgiving a plot summary and describing the writing as beautiful and cosy, it's mainly because because I was an active follower of 'bookstagram' at the time Collins was liking the tweets/the discussion was popular, everyone was pissed and so that was my experience of it, rather than hearing about it a year later on a gossip forum
By ‘chronically online’, I didn’t mean you choosing to not support the author, it was more that it seemed you were suggesting that Ruby shouldn’t support her either bc of these liked tweets, when in reality they’re not particularly controversial or openly anti trans. But if you weren’t suggesting that then it doesn’t matter haha
The written intention would drive things even more so for sure. There's more room for a viewer to ascribe their own meaning to film scenes running without commentary.
I'm relieved it is not intended as "a cutesy love story". The characters are far apart in age and experience to the point of it potentially being toxic.
Once I've read the book (all of it, not "the final few pages"
) I will check that analysis video.Thank you for giving more context to CNBYN and the YT rec
Oh no, that's not what I was suggesting at all! My initial post was mainly me thinking out loud as to whether she would have been aware, although it happened a while ago there are probably a fair few of her fans that may be hurt about the fact she's promoting the book/author which is why I said it might not have been the best thing for her to do. But I totally agree that you can't criticise someone for something they aren't aware of, which is very likely given that it didn't make major headlines or gain any real traction beyond book twitter/bookstagram like you said!
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The sheer privilege of this caption. Ruby is in a position where she CAN literally take a year off to write. She doesn’t have to think about rent, bills, getting a job… or writing a book that will secure a publishing deal purely on merit (even her agent is pushing her influencer status).
News flash, Ruby, some people do NOT have the luxury of making time for the thing they love each day, because they actually have to adult!
I also felt this was a pretty bad example for the premise of her post, as she is doing it “all of the time”, so this was hardly the best example to pick for the premise of her post, which is about making time each day, however small, for something you love…
The sheer privilege of this caption. Ruby is in a position where she CAN literally take a year off to write. She doesn’t have to think about rent, bills, getting a job… or writing a book that will secure a publishing deal purely on merit (even her agent is pushing her influencer status).
News flash, Ruby, some people do NOT have the luxury of making time for the thing they love each day, because they actually have to adult!
I also felt this was a pretty bad example for the premise of her post, as she is doing it “all of the time”, so this was hardly the best example to pick for the premise of her post, which is about making time each day, however small, for something you love…
Definitely a reach imo. I looked up the tweets you’re talking about and all they say is that sex exists and that women are human. Not exactly a marginal view and I can’t imagine many people were offended by her liking them.
I know a lot of young people in the (often toxic) book ‘community’ on Twitter, insta and book TikTok look to authors and books as a moral compass, and seem to get great pleasure out of harassing authors who don’t hold particular points of view, but Ruby doesn’t appear to engage with these communities. You can’t expect a person to care or know about the actions and opinions of every author they read. The average person does not do that, nor does the average person have an “author blacklist”.
That is always my thing. I am writing a book. My husband and I live in a situation at the moment that allows me to stay home and do only that (and household things,) and I am immensely privileged to be able to do this. I could not in my wildest, even most narcissistic fantasies imagine being in such a position, bragging on it and them condemning all others who "do not make time" to indulge their passion like I do--in an infinity pool of free time.
The problem I feel with Ruby is--and it has always been this, imo--that she shies away from revealing most cracks in the veneer, grey days of poor mental health, or acknowledgements that life is still worth persevering through even if one recognizes that it is not always beautiful or easy or comfortable. And I know she MUST encounter days/times/periods like this. It would be so humanizing for and beneficial for her viewers to see how even a (supposedly) A-type person deals earnestly with real struggles, rather than regurgitating lame Pinterest hustle culture-esque ideals that you only need to find the time to indulge your fancy, and surely it's not eaten up by coping with the toil of your circumstance.
or shes got a 2:1 and is busy disputing it
wow she read that? I read it and really didn't like it. I found the young lad in it very stalkery. Couldn;t get with why we were supposed to be on the side of his really odd obsessive stalker behaviour.
I think it’s this - the smile in the photo the other day looked forced. I know all Ruby’s smiles look forced, but stillor shes got a 2:1 and is busy disputing it
Thanks for this . I have heard a lot of Booktubers etc say Bridget Collins is problematic , cancelled and wont even say her name or say things like I loved nearly all the stories in this collection but I wont read or promotes hers in it. I could never pin down exactly what she was meant to have done. The same Booktubers rave over Susan Hill and her tweets are massively unpleasant . They also continually fawn over Akwake Emezi who has some very problematic behaviour including attacking goodreads users who give her negative reviews...
I'm new to working full-time/adulting (thanks, pandemic). And I barely have time to eat, shower, browse on my phone for an hour or two before I'm exhausted and have to go to bed because I work the next day.
I'm always feeling like i should do an hour or two of hobbies/work (writing, reading, learning languages) after I get home; and part of it is society, and me being a perfectionist. But it's also content like hers. Even though I know she's a fraud, her fraudulent productivity is the one I dream of, since I've lost so much time to mental illnesses.
It's really hard to deprogram yourself from hustle culture, even though I know most productivity influencers are faking it or lead very privileged lifestyles, and aren't working a regular office job.
this is spot on. She is extremely lucky in that she gets paid to do her hobbies. It doesn't suck the life and soul out of her like any regular 9-5 would which is why she has the time and motivation to do other things. She also doesn't have the financial responsibilities we do so she actually gets to see her own money. If I was filming day in the life videos and had a financial incentive to complete my degree (eg sponsored content) I'm sure that would motivate me as well.
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