Character Development

Standing While Falling. Top Story - January 2026.
Quotation from Friedrich Nietzsche "He who wrestles long with monsters should beware lest he himself become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you. Man is not destroyed by suffering, but by the meaning he makes of it."
By LUCCIAN LAYTH28 days ago in Critique
The Lost City of Z
The Lost City of Z by David Grann Growing up I thought I wanted to be an archaeologist. Now that I’m a ripe 32, I realize what I really wanted to be was an adventurer–someone who dug deep into the dark and emerged with treasures unseen for millennia.
By Matthew J. Fromm28 days ago in Critique
Words of Radiance
Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson And so we come to the yearly ovation for Mr. Sanderson. The man is a genius, his lecture series is one of the most important resources ever developed for writers, and I’m yet to pick up a Sando that’s scored below a 70. I have critiques that we’ll come to, but suffice to say I am a big supporter of Sanderson.
By Matthew J. Fromm29 days ago in Critique
Casino Royale
Casino Royale by Ian Fleming Hmm. Hmmmmm. In the 73 years since first publication, James Bond has wormed his way into the zeitgeist as a sex symbol, womanizer, undeniable Secret Agent with a license to kill.
By Matthew J. Frommabout a month ago in Critique
The Blade Itself
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie Every once in a while, I pick up a book that reminds me fundamentally why I enjoy reading—a book that turns my brain off and sweeps me away to some far flung world that I can sit at any quiet moment and. . . disappear into.
By Matthew J. Frommabout a month ago in Critique
The Butcher of the Forest
The Butcher of the Forest by Premee Mohamed I loved Becky Chambers’s A Psalm for the Wild-Built. It was a nice warm hug of a book that explored finding meaning in life, our relationship with nature, and how to come to terms with not knowing where a path may lead. I gave it an 89/100.
By Matthew J. Frommabout a month ago in Critique
The Last Train to Nowhere
The diesel coughed, a wet, rattling sound that tasted of rust and stale piss. Leo wiped his hand on his jeans, the fabric gritty under his palm. Cold seeped through the thin floorboards of the decrepit car, straight up his bones. Mick was pacing, a human metronome of nerves, his worn sneakers scuffing the filthy linoleum. Every beat of his foot, every twitch of his head, grated on Leo's last nerve. They'd been cooped up for hours already, waiting on a siding outside some forgotten industrial park, the air thick with the smell of old oil and unspoken fear. The duffel bag, fat with the take, lay between them, an ugly, irresistible promise. Elena sat across from Leo, still as a statue, just her eyes moving, tracking Mick's frantic circles, then flicking to Leo, then to the bag. She didn't say much, never had. That was fine. Talk just stirred up dust, and they had enough dust already.
By HAADIabout a month ago in Critique
H/Jack
Introduction I will be honest, when I saw this advertised on Apple TV the only things that grabbed me were the fact Idris Elba was in it and the title "H/Jack". I have watched a lot of excellent stuff on the channel, most recently "Slow Horses" and "Down Cemetery Road", both absolute must-watch, and "Murderbot" was brilliant.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred about a month ago in Critique
Munchausen syndrome in the digital age. Content Warning.
By Business Fher Thanks to unexpected plot twists in movies like Run or series like The Act, many of us have heard of Munchausen syndrome. Although its origin is still unknown, this condition is considered a form of child abuse: the caregiver (in most cases, the mother) invents false symptoms or even induces real ones to make it appear as if their child is ill. This pattern creates a physical, psychological, and emotional dependency, as the child constantly needs the care of their abuser. At a social level, the perpetrator is often perceived as an example of strength and sacrifice, which sometimes translates into community recognition and even financial assistance.
By Business Fherabout a month ago in Critique
Stranger Things Season 5, Episode 4— Review & Analysis
Episode 4 is one of the most psychological episodes of the season. Every character is fighting not only monsters, but also their own fears, memories, and inner worlds. Through Will and Max especially, the show explores a powerful theme:
By Ceyda Uztosun2 months ago in Critique
Stranger Things Season 5, Episode 3— Review & Analysis
Episode 3 builds the emotional core of the season. The show focuses on vulnerable children, parents carrying old guilt, and the thin line between what is seen and what is hidden. This episode develops both the characters and the growing danger in a very balanced way.
By Ceyda Uztosun2 months ago in Critique
Sparking Cognitive Ignition
In the United States of America, and probably elsewhere in the world, the first and foremost lessons we received in our youth indoctrination centers were to sit down! … be quiet! … follow instructions! … and most important, do not question!
By We the PPUL2 months ago in Critique