#From a ds9 spinoff- ds9 which often grapples with people who have done really bad things and still shows them as people

[bijoumikhawal]

putting on my commie hat a moment. Aside from Garak's character feeling off I don't like UMC's books because the politics are so. Urgh. Yeah let's throw in a mention of Berlin during the Wall as a resonance to Cardassia because we're Americans and we don't get that west Berlin was like. Cartoonishly bad. And East Berlin was actually not that terrible! Even before you start playing comparisons.

Random references to France that would be appropriate if you discussed France's role as one of the worst colonizing forces of the modern era. Like. Andy referenced Paris first but it is tied to the Indigenous themes because Garak- in the guise of a human- walks around Paris with the body of a mixed French and North African man. The implication of colonialism is INCREDIBLY direct if you understand anything about France beyond 8th grade history class, and the ambiguity stringly implying Garak is only experiencing this a quasi-divine state of lucid dreaming is another call back to his ongoing struggle with Hebitian identity, which is significant part of that same short story! A Hebitian priestess tells Garak "you are one of us wether you admit it or not and we can help you, but youll be punished just the same if you refuse by other Cardassians". A Hebitian man talks indirectly with Garak about how Hebitians were enslaved to help Cardassia create its beautiful government buildings. Did you know some think the Eiffel Tower is made of Algerian iron?

Like I've bitched before that she completely drops the major themes of ASIT (which she's writing in continuity with) about Garak being of Hebitian descent but the rest of it isn't good either