#either way this is being posted here instead of in my actual csm blog because eh i dont really feel like putting this low effort thing there

[coffinsister]

"Makima doesn't get to feel repentance because she's the source of all the pain"

I think this kind of argument just plainly fails to see the whole "The Control Devil just wants equal relationships with the people around her, and she innately cannot have them."

The pain in the first part of CSM comes from this cycle in which one is completely isolated and differentiated from society to the point where you can't even be considered a full human person

And how individuals stuck in this cycle will go and do completely insane things for the sake of fulfilling that innate need

It is not specially Makima's fault that her inherent conditions make it impossible for her to generate equal and true relationships naturally the way other beings can

And it is literally shown in-canon that the Control Devil can totally achieve feeling equal to others just by being raised differently

It's the cold and corporative society Makima was raised in that exacerbated her acts, the core of the pain is not her when she's just another pawn on it.

Who's desperate for a chaos that can break away from her control and cut through her chains.

[ghostsapphic]

FANG Liveblog:

Prior to this rewatch I’ve had a very love/hate relationship with this book. On one hand, this is the first book where we really get to see Max and Fang as a couple. I’ve probably reread this book a million times because of them.

On the other, this book has major issues. There are a lot of plot contrivances, the flock’s dynamic really takes a turn for the worst, and I’m now even gonna mention the mess that is Dylan.

Why is Fang wearing a leather jacket now? We’ve never seen him wear one before and now it seems so.....off?

Do the flock really have it better than starving refugees? I guess they have their periodic moments of happiness and at this point in time they often have a lot of food to eat but realistically these guys should not be functioning. The trauma they went through during their childhoods should have made living in the real world essentially impossible for them, and yet we never get to see anyone deal with their trauma.

Jesus fucking christ Angel, casually telling someone that they’re gonna die is NOT OKAY!

Also, I think we’re supposed to think Max is overreacting and being irrational when she hears that Fang is going to die based off of Nudge’s reaction alone, but shouldn’t EVERYONE in the flock be upset if ANYONE in the flock is going to die? The way the flock operates in this book is fucking surreal.

Wait doesn’t this plotline go from Fang being supposed to die to him being literally immortal?

Ugh I hate Dylan. He had a lot of potential but he just became a jerk as the books progressed (though I think in the last one he was okay).

I’ve really been missing the flock’s Colorado house (even though we’ve only had a couple chapters there).

This has been bothering me for a while, but how did the flock ever get food pre-The Angel Experiment? I would assume that Jeb left a lot of money for the flock to use if it supported them for two years, either that or they stole food all the time. I’m also wondering what it was like when they first went shopping. They probably hadn’t been around normal humans before then so I could imagine it being very scary.

Has there really only been two dream sequences in this series so far? Cause if so then they both fucking sucked.

It’s no secret that the only members of the flock who matter at this point are Max, Fang, and Angel, and as a result it feels very jarring when Iggy reveals that he wants to see. I feel oddly detached from his character at this point, especially considering that this reveal doesn’t really change the plot of this book or his own character development.

The jump from where Angel was in MAX to where she is here is astoundingly huge. In the last book Angel only disobeyed Max’s orders a few times and was generally irresponsible. In FANG she’s actively working against the flock by working with Dr. Gunter-Hagen and trying to kick Max out. HOW DID THIS EVEN HAPPEN?

This part of the book should be a hotspot for domestic flock bliss but instead all we get is Max being bossy and Angel annoying the shit out of me.

Honestly I can completely understand why the rest of the flock feels like they’re sixth wheeling Max and Fang at this point.

Wait, ANGEL STILL HAS CELESTE?

The fact that Max got everyone FREAKING TATTOOS for their birthdays is amazingly beautiful to me.

Everyone acts like Jeb has been flip-flopping from the good to the bad side for a long time but he really hasn’t been on the bad side since book 3 (at least that’s what they think).

What even is Dylan’s characterization? I can’t get a hold on his personality for the life of me.

WHAT IS WITH MAX’S HAIR SUDDENLY BEING STREAKED WITH RED? I’ve been trying to ignore the hair continuity problems up to this point but this is just pathetic.

Do the flock really not have home insurance? You’d think that the fact that their house was built by the CSM would mean that they had the foresight to know that their house would be attacked pretty frequently.

Angel and the rest of the flock kicking Max out makes no sense. This situation is nowhere as extreme as everyone is making it out to be.

“Everyone’s overreacting, even you” IN WHAT WORLD HAS MAX BEEN OVERREACTING TO GETTING KICKED OUT OF THE FLOCK? yeah sure she hasn’t been the most responsible lately but there is no overreaction going on here (from her side at least).

I like the fact that Fang left with Max, both because it’s cute, and because Fang is just as responsible for the house getting attacked as Max is.

Who is Angel’s Voice supposed to be? Her entire character is one of the biggest mysteries of the Maximum Ride-verse.

How did I not remember Angel wanting the flock to become celebrities? Oh yeah, BECAUSE THAT PLOT POINT FUCKING SUCKED!

Was there even any follow up to the forced mutations that the flock got?

I’m actually very relieved I haven’t heard of Fang’s blog in a while.

I really need to take time to put my finger on why specifically the flock’s dynamic is so fucked up at this point. Everything they do is super strange and their reactions to everything around them seems so subdued.

The fact that Fang used to tell Max fart jokes at The School should not be making me cry right now.

What was even the point of Dylan’s suicide attempt?

How can a dog who can’t talk consent to a marriage anyway?

WHY THE HELL WAS ANGEL ALLOWED BACK INTO THE FLOCK AFTER ALMOST GETTING FANG KILLED? MAX REALLY NEEDS TO DEAL WITH THAT GIRL.

Oh dear god not the other epilogue.

“You’re the best warrior I know, the bester leader. You’re the most comforting mom we’ve ever had. You’re the biggest goofball, the worst driver, and a truly lousy cook. You’ve kept us safe and provided for us, in good times and bad. You’re my best friend, my first and only love, and the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen, with wings or without” fuck now I’m crying.

Though tbh Fang calling Max “sweetie” and “my love” seem really out of character.

Also his reasons for leaving the flock seem really contrived. The flock has been ignoring what authority figures have told them for years, so they’re not gonna start now.

But still, this is one of the most heartbreaking moments in the entire series. It still hurts just as much as it did the first time I read this series, even though I know they’re gonna end up together anyway.

I’m gonna go listen to sad Britney Spears songs for the next hour to deal with my emotions.

I’m too sad to comment on any of the stuff post other epilogue. I might do that in my next post.

Fuck these books ruined me. I blame them for all of my personal issues nowadays.