I think the FL deserves credit for what she been through, and I think the story needs to work on making her more fearful, cuz she’s hella fearless for someone who was captured by another man originally (maybe symbolism for shit fathers who possess their daughters idk but interesting thought). I think it’s easy to say she’s dumb, but we ourselves should think and digest a bit more. Because unlike other stories, I think the little mermaid stories are important for bringing awareness for naive little girls (it’s one of my sad favorite stories as someone who have interacted with shitty men growing up). It’s a story that can give chance to people who are in such shit positions to get out and run before they can. To people experiencing as so, I truly wish to see you thrive and survive.
I think everyone calling the FL dumb is like how people blame DV personnel for being in their situation.
It’s more of a dimensional thought than black and white (like people can only be good or bad). Cuz people cannot be only good or bad, it’s easy to decide that way but no. You can see her good qualities, and that she is really lovely on her own. Ignorance is her flaw, but she can be brilliant.
Preach. Yes I like the symbolism in the story. Shes not human and shes still learning about the culture.
I think maybe you guys need to rethink this story instead of straight up low-rating it?
You guys can dislike the premises of how this story is set up, but I like to believe this is the reality of what the little mermaid should be like (unlike the Disney’s happy ending version). I think it captures the naive parts of a girl navigating “the human world” (like how a little girl navigated adulthood) and falls for a man letting go all parts that make her, her. He pretty much controls her every being, allowing himself to possess to just the specs of her hair. Her not being able to go home can symbolize when a man monopolizes even parts that is HOME to HER.
The man she falls for is a tragedy set up on himself. He isn’t perfect, and you can see that the chances of this type of emotional leeching to regulate by the mL for his traumas is a way to humanize him but depicts the types of people girls will naively meet. He is a shit person because of his actions as a result of a trauma but he wasn’t originally shitty - still does not excuse his actions.
I want to see more angst with the fact that she is confused with his emotions, and more tense scenes with her trying to navigate that. Cuz right now, it seems she “handles it” well due to being naive. Her ignorance gives her bliss, but if this story is well written enough, it will be a sin where because she doesn’t understand what’s going on and spirals to a scary ending.
I don’t expect a happy ending, though it would be nice to see one for the little mermaid herself. For the mL, it would be refreshing to see a writer reject him and make the little mermaid’s boy toy let go of his traumas but faces continuous consequences for mistreating the fL- at least they never get together ever. (That would be new for me and would make this even better personally)
Though my comments are speculations and hopeful predictions, I think this story sets up a nice premise, does a very blunt job on the reality of little girls navigating new worlds including risks of loving shit men. This is unlike other stories who accept abusive men and miniscules their actions. This story brings it all out. Like they said, “Take it or Leave it cuz we ain’t sugarcoating.” I think the low ratings are for readers who want to read sunshine’s and rainbows, at least take this as a story with symbolisms??