dickstailcoat

[dickstailcoat]

*in bed*

Lilly: “Goodnight.”

Rikkard: “It’s morning, Lillian.”

Lilly: “Yeah but we had a good night.”

[dickstailcoat]

Adding a comment - I think its important to remember girls are fed the idea that they must be strong but still submit to men when they're young. Lilly is super strong at first but eventually submits to Rikkard, even in book 1. As we grow up hopefully we begin to reject this expectation more and I should hope we are strong enough to call out all men - authors or not ;) - when they express and encourage this.

It is one thing for it to be an active choice by the character or as a woman but Lilly doesn't choose this, she doesn't choose to axe her personality halfway through book 1 - the author does. And when it is removed we see she is...kind of nothing without it. There is more to women than just meeting or rejecting expectations, being against inequality, and our bodies. We have hobbies and interests too and things we genuinely care about.

So, I’m finally near the end again of SNS 1 (who needs sleep anyways) and I already have thoughts when comparing it to later stories he has written, be it in the SNS series or entirely new ones. I’ll provide a more thorough in-depth analysis once my notes are organized and I don’t have to deal with my day-job, but here’s a huge observation that I already see in book 1:

Rob is way in over his head.

From the get-go, we see a feminist character who is not as inclusive as many readers would like to think or feel. Repeatedly, she body shames herself, as if this is all women think about when considering their appearances, and judges other women for their ideals. She defies expectations of women, yet bows down to a man, ignoring that strong pillar of her personality. She preaches inclusivity yet shuns other women in the story who are bound by society and literally have no choice. There is something strange about her, as if she is a hero, but not one who knows the depths of the problems she faces, or the consequences of what her actions might bring.

In layman’s terms: throughout the story, there is just something off.

Eventually, the plot dwindles into some far-off abyss (let’s be honest, since book 2, the plot has gone south), and we get a more and more superficial character who appears to be all over the place in her ideals and morale, and less and less a strong woman. As a consequence, we see that core pillar of her personality, being a feminist, disappear.

This is when as the reader, if you take a critical eye to it, you realize what that ‘something’ is. She reminds you of your brother, father, uncle, grandfather, boyfriend, husband, and male friend. She knows the issues exist, she sees them, she can critically assess them, she even constantly makes light of them, but she doesn’t truly experience them fully as all women do.

Now, I’m a clown myself who often tries to make light of situations; however, I know even I will break sometimes because being a woman sometimes really sucks. I know Lilly hasn’t experienced sexual assault like have, but she has experienced restrictions and worry over what will happen to her if she doesn’t conform to the expectations. I’m living in an very open society, and I still feel anxious, nervous, and upset over that. I still sometimes feel sad because there will always be a man saying I can’t. This happens to her too – repeatedly – and she barely bats an eye. But, she is a female character, so why doesn’t she?

The reason for this is simple: Rob is a man, and can never fully comprehend the true worries, fears, and issues women faced now, let alone then when they were much more severe.

As you read on, you begin to wonder as a reader: whose voice is this? Is it the author’s or Lilly’s? It is normal for an author to put a little bit of themselves in a character, sometimes even more so! But there is a problem when it is a man doing it to a female character. We start to see the mix of ideals and experiences; we start to see the boundary where a male writer cannot grasp what women go through on a day-to-day basis.

That would be fine initially, perhaps, for any new author. Why should we limit artistic expression? But it starts to blur into the reader’s perspective as to whether Rob himself feels this way. Because in this story, it is one single ‘joke’, and is never dealt with - not once - properly. We don’t know for an absolute fact if he himself feels this way, he’s never made it clear! But it starts to look worse and worse as the stories go on and women are less and less powerful except when they are needed to bring the reader back in from the lost plot, as if to say “Hey look! I do care sometimes!”

The result is an author writing about inclusivity, but instead, it comes across as discriminative. We have a single flat tone, as if someone is pressing a C note throughout the story, and never progressing. I don’t know about you guys, but if Taylor Swift played one single note for her entire career, none of us would be listening. It stays there the entire time, a ruler-straighter tonality of constant comedy, turning and warping the inclusivity into cheap plot devices, and mental walls for the readers that he has to shakily try to break every so often.

With that in mind, after a few books the author’s ‘colours’ start to show if this continues.

I started this series way back in the age of the dinosaurs, and adored it. I still do! I have nothing against the stories themselves or characters, I love me a good Victorian romance, but my goodness – the way the subject matter is dealt with is practically insulting of late!

I decided to go back to SNS 1, and look at it critically, as if I’m back in uni trying to dissect Shakespeare. Worryingly, it’s already visible in book 1, and is excused repeatedly with commentary by the author using what I like to call ‘false empathy’.  An Instagram commenter recently mentioned that A/Ns are unprofessional, and I agree, I think they’re dangerous. It is better to be upfront in the Prelude or Foreword, or shameless about the fact that you don’t care (G.R Martin, anyone?) because this starts to add the author’s view. With Rob constantly trying to excuse things, it makes everyone question things more and more – although perhaps in light of recent events, this is a good thing.

The fact of the matter is, at the end of the day, “This was how it was in the time” is not an excuse to have the main female character constantly beat her appearance and dismiss other female characters whilst her own personality is diminished. It tricks readers into thinking a male author cares - but does he? Can he? Will he ever truly understand?

Probably not, it’s impossible.

However, this doesn’t mean he needs to stop, and that I despise his stories (okay, maybe a little bit 😉). It means he needs to change. It can’t be ‘this is what happened and this is how it was’. It needs to be this is how it was, this is what happened, this is how it felt, and this is it’s impact. It means he needs to read a book on feminism and issues women experience. It means he needs to ask women to gain a view as to how these things actually feel, and to gain insight into how it’s not something to make a 24/7 joke out of for multiple years. He needs to read up on how those who do not fit the particular ���box’ of discrimination he is dealing with tend to not like it when you constantly make fun of it tactlessly. There are ways to go about it, you can be funny and deal with serious issues.

Instead, Rob has chosen (and I mean chosen, the OG fandom has been trying for years to message and help this get fixed) to continue on this flatlining path where the star of our story is turned into a joke and a male stereotype of women. It is a shame, because Lilly is pretty damn cool, but he conveniently plucks that core principle out of her as the books go on, until she is eventually a husk whose only purpose is to be funny.  

In case you guys ever wondered why the OG fandom stopped reading, stopped being active on the content, and why we only post memes and have turned these two into a running joke, but still keep original Lilly in our quotes, this is why.

[dickstailcoat]

Back to being a clown for the Dickydongle ship:

He’s that Dick (yeah)

Been that Dick, still that Dick (ah)

Will forever be that Dick (forever be that Dick)

Yeah (ayy, ha)

.

He’s as old as Mona Lisa, behead a man make him pieces

Had to kill some dudes who pissed him off then ate pizza (yeah)

He like me not exclusive, I don’t shop I’m locked in a house

Keeps me here in a cute af blouse

Bad Dick, still talking cash shit

Keeps me ready light a candle keep it steady

I will never cheat that would be defeat

Dick, he’s my trash, I’m the maid, yeh he bagged me, ah

.

I’m a savage (yeah)

Classy, bougie, ratchet (yeah)

Sassy, moody, nasty (hey, hey, yeah)

Acting stupid, what’s happening? Dick (whoa, whoa)

What’s happening? Dick (whoa, whoa)

I’m a savage, yeah

Classy, bougie, ratchet, yeah

Sassy, moody, nasty, huh

Acting stupid, what’s happening? Dick

What’s happening? (Ayy, ah)

[dickstailcoat]

So, I’m finally near the end again of SNS 1 (who needs sleep anyways) and I already have thoughts when comparing it to later stories he has written, be it in the SNS series or entirely new ones. I’ll provide a more thorough in-depth analysis once my notes are organized and I don’t have to deal with my day-job, but here’s a huge observation that I already see in book 1:

Rob is way in over his head.

From the get-go, we see a feminist character who is not as inclusive as many readers would like to think or feel. Repeatedly, she body shames herself, as if this is all women think about when considering their appearances, and judges other women for their ideals. She defies expectations of women, yet bows down to a man, ignoring that strong pillar of her personality. She preaches inclusivity yet shuns other women in the story who are bound by society and literally have no choice. There is something strange about her, as if she is a hero, but not one who knows the depths of the problems she faces, or the consequences of what her actions might bring.

In layman’s terms: throughout the story, there is just something off.

Eventually, the plot dwindles into some far-off abyss (let’s be honest, since book 2, the plot has gone south), and we get a more and more superficial character who appears to be all over the place in her ideals and morale, and less and less a strong woman. As a consequence, we see that core pillar of her personality, being a feminist, disappear.

This is when as the reader, if you take a critical eye to it, you realize what that ‘something’ is. She reminds you of your brother, father, uncle, grandfather, boyfriend, husband, and male friend. She knows the issues exist, she sees them, she can critically assess them, she even constantly makes light of them, but she doesn’t truly experience them fully as all women do.

Now, I’m a clown myself who often tries to make light of situations; however, I know even I will break sometimes because being a woman sometimes really sucks. I know Lilly hasn’t experienced sexual assault like many have, but she has experienced restrictions and worry over what will happen to her if she doesn’t conform to the expectations. I’m living in an very open society, and I still feel anxious, nervous, and upset over that. I still sometimes feel sad because there will always be a man saying I can’t. This happens to her too – repeatedly – and she barely bats an eye. But, she is a female character, so why doesn’t she?

The reason for this is simple: Rob is a man, and can never fully comprehend the true worries, fears, and issues women faced now, let alone then when they were much more severe.

As you read on, you begin to wonder as a reader: whose voice is this? Is it the author’s or Lilly’s? It is normal for an author to put a little bit of themselves in a character, sometimes even more so! But there is a problem when it is a man doing it to a female character. We start to see the mix of ideals and experiences; we start to see the boundary where a male writer cannot grasp what women go through on a day-to-day basis.

That would be fine initially, perhaps, for any new author. Why should we limit artistic expression? But it starts to blur into the reader’s perspective as to whether Rob himself feels this way. Because in this story, it is one single ‘joke’, and is never dealt with - not once - properly. We don’t know for an absolute fact if he himself feels this way, he’s never made it clear! But it starts to look worse and worse as the stories go on and women are less and less powerful except when they are needed to bring the reader back in from the lost plot, as if to say “Hey look! I do care sometimes!”

The result is an author writing about inclusivity, but instead, it comes across as discriminative. We have a single flat tone, as if someone is pressing a C note throughout the story, and never progressing. I don’t know about you guys, but if Taylor Swift played one single note for her entire career, none of us would be listening. It stays there the entire time, a ruler-straighter tonality of constant comedy, turning and warping the inclusivity into cheap plot devices, and mental walls for the readers that he has to shakily try to break every so often.

With that in mind, after a few books the author’s ‘colours’ start to show if this continues.

I started this series way back in the age of the dinosaurs, and adored it. I still do! I have nothing against the stories themselves or characters, I love me a good Victorian romance, but my goodness – the way the subject matter is dealt with is practically insulting of late!

I decided to go back to SNS 1, and look at it critically, as if I’m back in uni trying to dissect Shakespeare. Worryingly, it’s already visible in book 1, and is excused repeatedly with commentary by the author using what I like to call ‘false empathy’.  An Instagram commenter recently mentioned that A/Ns are unprofessional, and I agree, I think they’re dangerous. It is better to be upfront in the Prelude or Foreword, or shameless about the fact that you don’t care (G.R Martin, anyone?) because this starts to add the author’s view. With Rob constantly trying to excuse things, it makes everyone question things more and more – although perhaps in light of recent events, this is a good thing.

The fact of the matter is, at the end of the day, “This was how it was in the time” is not an excuse to have the main female character constantly beat her appearance and dismiss other female characters whilst her own personality is diminished. It tricks readers into thinking a male author cares - but does he? Can he? Will he ever truly understand?

Probably not, it’s impossible.

However, this doesn’t mean he needs to stop, and that I despise his stories (okay, maybe a little bit 😉). It means he needs to change. It can’t be ‘this is what happened and this is how it was’. It needs to be this is how it was, this is what happened, this is how it felt, and this is it’s impact. It means he needs to read a book on feminism and issues women experience. It means he needs to ask women to gain a view as to how these things actually feel, and to gain insight into how it’s not something to make a 24/7 joke out of for multiple years. He needs to read up on how those who do not fit the particular ‘box’ of discrimination he is dealing with tend to not like it when you constantly make fun of it tactlessly. There are ways to go about it, you can be funny and deal with serious issues.

Instead, Rob has chosen (and I mean chosen, the OG fandom has been trying for years to message and help this get fixed) to continue on this flatlining path where the star of our story is turned into a joke and a male stereotype of women. It is a shame, because Lilly is pretty damn cool, but he conveniently plucks that core principle out of her as the books go on, until she is eventually a husk whose only purpose is to be funny.  

In case you guys ever wondered why the OG fandom stopped reading, stopped being active on the content, and why we only post memes and have turned these two into a running joke, but still keep original Lilly in our quotes, this is why.

[dickstailcoat]

Knowledge is power is time is money. What would Ambrose say to technology, do you think?

Brain is too small to grasp the concept I reckon

[dickstailcoat]

lilly: i said i wanted mcdonald’s!

rikkard: and i bought you mcdonald’s!

lilly: i meant the food, not the whole company!

[dickstailcoat]

Click here to easily access all my s&s artwork and questionnaire:

https://damselunderstresss.tumblr.com/post/633640694041444352/list-of-links-to-ss-things-ive-done

[dickstailcoat]

Lilly: [Hugs Rikkard]

Rikkard: What are you doing? What is this?

Lilly: Affection

Rikkard: Disgusting.

Rikkard: Do it again.

[dickstailcoat]

Ambrose be like:

[dickstailcoat]

rikkard: you bored?

lilly: yeah

rikkard: want to start a fight for no reason?

lilly: i thought you’d never ask

[dickstailcoat]

Active Storm and Silence Fan Accounts~

Tumblr and Instagram:

@the-stormandsilence and the_stormandsilence

@storms-ships-and-ifrits and storms-ships-and-ifrits

@lambroseforlife and lambroseforlife

@incorrectstormandsilencequotes and incorrect_sns

@smeekaquaaking and Smeekaquaaking

@dickstailcoat and Dickstailcoat

@stormiesandsilences and storm_and_silenceofficial

@dogleashed and on_behalf_of_lord_dalgliesh

@damselunderstresss and Damselunderstresss

Instagrams only:

shittingonsilence

Lillian_the_ifrit

lillian_sahiba

stormandsilenceseries

Lady_adaria

_storm_and_silence_

Tumblrs:

@rikkardambrose

@fiery-ifrit

@emobrose

@stormandsalt2

@lillylintonambrose

@ambrosefu-ker

@rachelinton

@lillylintonthiccerthanasnicker

For some reason I can’t tag this account?

@captaincartersepicwaistcoat

Honourary tumblr mentions

@theupcomingstorm19

@greeneyesivashkov

TIKTOKS:

@rachelinton is lillianlintonambrose

SUBREDDITS:

r/StormandSilence

[dickstailcoat]

I think its more than that too. I feel like there needs to be more research and context before you throw it out there and be like "well there you go, historical representation and accuracy". There is so much more to it than just that.

I would love to hear some thoughts from fans in the fandom who are POC. Maybe I am thinking about it wrong, but it would be great to see another side. I feel for me personally I would want to research thoroughly and consult people first before just chucking it haphazard in a story.

Also I just...I live near where he is, I know what small town white dudes be like and this sort of thinking and when they do it not once, not twice, but multiple times in the same series? Sus.

I have thought about this a lot since the announcement and sneak of Rob’s authors note, and after seeing comments on Radish, I want to write a bit more about it.

For those of you that haven’t read it, in New Storm Rising, Rob uses the ‘n’ word as a slur. In his author’s note, he claims it is for ‘historical accuracy’, and dissolves the need for ‘political correctness’. 

At first I thought I needed to be careful about approaching this and maybe even ‘avoid’ the subject. I’m white, I’m privileged, do I even have a say? And I think if I don’t say it, then all the other idiots on Radish who use their white privilege to justify his actions gives him and them more power. And…no, I don’t sit well with that at all.

Here’s the thing guys, that ‘historical accuracy’ argument only flies when the entire series is 100% accurate. And I mean one hundred fucking percent. But this series? It is is filled with inaccuracies. If we are going to claim historical accuracy, we need to have more strict societal boundaries for women, we need to have religious MCs, we need chaperones, proper attire, proper language. Characters such as Patsy would have been severely mistreated, let alone Lilly! Karim wouldn’t be some comical ‘side character’, and Rikkard would be bound to his duties as a Marquess whether he liked it or not, family and love be damned.

This is a story written in 2020, where it has been made very clear that in historical writings, there is no need to use such slurs to get the point across - especially if you are white. There is literally no right, at all, for us to ever use it, from singing (use brother/dude/man instead ffs) to fictional writing. You can simply ‘omit’ it. It’s not hard, it doesn’t change the story or the inaccuracy, and I dare say doing otherwise exploits POC through white privilege, which, in case you didn’t get the memo, is NEVER okay. We have no right guys, sorry to break this very obvious fact to you, but that’s just it, we have tainted quite explicitly with blood and violence, the ‘n’ word, and it will never be up to us or some white dude author to use it. 

As for choosing historical accuracy over political correctness, be mindful of current times, be mindful of the fact that this is still a very real and modern problem every single day for millions of people. By dismissing political correctness, who are we helping? We have a responsibility now to recognise that we have no stand or authority in determining representation of POC.

[dickstailcoat]

I have thought about this a lot since the announcement and sneak of Rob’s authors note, and after seeing comments on Radish, I want to write a bit more about it.

For those of you that haven’t read it, in New Storm Rising, Rob uses the ‘n’ word as a slur. In his author’s note, he claims it is for ‘historical accuracy’, and dissolves the need for ‘political correctness’. 

At first I thought I needed to be careful about approaching this and maybe even ‘avoid’ the subject. I’m white, I’m privileged, do I even have a say? And I think if I don’t say it, then all the other idiots on Radish who use their white privilege to justify his actions gives him and them more power. And…no, I don’t sit well with that at all.

Here’s the thing guys, that ‘historical accuracy’ argument only flies when the entire series is 100% accurate. And I mean one hundred fucking percent. But this series? It is is filled with inaccuracies. If we are going to claim historical accuracy, we need to have more strict societal boundaries for women, we need to have religious MCs, we need chaperones, proper attire, proper language. Characters such as Patsy would have been severely mistreated, let alone Lilly! Karim wouldn’t be some comical ‘side character’, and Rikkard would be bound to his duties as a Marquess whether he liked it or not, family and love be damned.

This is a story written in 2020, where it has been made very clear that in historical writings, there is no need to use such slurs to get the point across - especially if you are white. There is literally no right, at all, for us to ever use it, from singing (use brother/dude/man instead ffs) to fictional writing. You can simply ‘omit’ it. It’s not hard, it doesn’t change the story or the inaccuracy, and I dare say doing otherwise exploits POC through white privilege, which, in case you didn’t get the memo, is NEVER okay. We have no right guys, sorry to break this very obvious fact to you, but that’s just it, we have tainted quite explicitly with blood and violence, the ‘n’ word, and it will never be up to us or some white dude author to use it. 

As for choosing historical accuracy over political correctness, be mindful of current times, be mindful of the fact that this is still a very real and modern problem every single day for millions of people. By dismissing political correctness, who are we helping? We have a responsibility now to recognise that we have no stand or authority in determining representation of POC.

[dickstailcoat]

Me: Gosh this year can't get any worse - at least Christmas will be good!

Rob:

Me: :)

[dickstailcoat]

Poetry.

ehem 

@rikkardambrose Dis 1 4 u 

Freak like me~~

You want a good boi that does mad things to you~

You never been with no one as shady as me~

Spice up your life, come get a freak

Freak like me~~

Tied Dick down to my mattress

Tease him just enough to hate me hate me~

Tied it tight enough, he can’t break free break free~

Keep him waiting ‘til he try try~

This can go one of two ways

Even if we flip a coin, you’ll always be my slave ooh~ooh~ooh

Call me “daddy” give you a nickname ah~

I ain’t afraid if you call me a pain no I ain’t afraid I like pain~

Yo yo yo yo ah~

He wanted Lilly he wanna be selfish

He wanted three rounds, Karim b had to come help him

Look I know his position

Try to squeeze in Carter’s D too though

Beat on it, beat, beat on it, mercy like a black belt give

I’m daddy dongle the grand master, say daddy you want it faster

That bish you fuckin’ wit I know with Adaira she gon’ practice

So bring her along after I’ll teach her how to smash ya

When you make a lil mess on it I’ll tell you to clean ur act up

Freak like me~~

You want a good boi that does mad things to you~

You never been with no one as shady as me~

Spice up your life, come get a freak

[dickstailcoat]

Rate mr Ambrose’s underpants

On a scale of 0 to 10 I’m going to go with a -∞ don’t even go there

[dickstailcoat]

means Ambrose can get rekked

ima steal his bish and spend his money on glitter

tailcoat has ascended and is now a man

master has become servant

yeetus Ambrosus

@rikkardambrose I'm your daddy now.