"Especially Heinous: 272 Views of Law & Order SVU" is a novella written by Carmen Maria Machado in 2013. This weird tale unfolds through 272 capsule synopses, each encapsulating a distinct perspective from the initial 12 seasons of the police procedural series, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Originally featured in The American Reader in May 2013, the novella is also included in Machado's 2017 short story compilation, Her Body and Other Parties.

"Law and Order: SVU" is renowned for its unflinching portrayal of heinous crimes, particularly those of a sexual nature. The series focuses on the Special Victims Unit, a team of dedicated detectives who navigate the intricacies of sexual assault and abuse cases. The exploration of power dynamics and the abuse of authority is a central theme that echoes throughout the series.

Similarly, Carmen Maria Machado's Her Body and Other Parties dissects power imbalances in various forms. Through a series of surreal and haunting tales, Machado explores the ways in which power is wielded, misused, and resisted, often using the female body as a focal point for her narratives. 

The stories challenge societal norms, inviting readers to reconsider their understanding of power and its implications. Despite the bizarre nature of "Especially Heinous" and how it deviates somewhat from the actual SVU, the story fits perfectly with the other stories.

In both the TV series and the short story collection, vulnerability takes center stage. "Law and Order: SVU" portrays the raw and often harrowing experiences of victims as they navigate the criminal justice system. The show humanizes survivors and highlights the strength required to overcome trauma.

Machado's Her Body and Other Parties similarly places vulnerability at its core. Her narratives delve into the emotional and physical vulnerabilities of characters, challenging traditional notions of strength and weakness. Machado's stories often blur the lines between reality and fantasy, creating a space where vulnerability is not a flaw but a powerful force in its own right.

While "Law and Order: SVU" primarily follows law enforcement officials in their pursuit of justice, Machado's stories offer a more nuanced exploration of the concept. Justice, in "Her Body and Other Stories," is not always served through traditional means. Machado prompts readers to question societal norms and consider alternative forms of justice that may involve personal growth, self-acceptance, and the reclamation of one's agency.

"Law and Order: SVU" and Her Body and Other Parties may exist in different realms of storytelling, but their thematic resonance is undeniable. 

Both works challenge audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about power, vulnerability, and justice. Whether through the screen or the written word, these narratives serve as poignant reminders of the importance of empathy, understanding, and the ongoing pursuit of a more just and equitable society.

You can read the story here:

https://theamericanreader.com/especially-heinous-272-views-of-law-order-svu/

When Women Were Dragons is so very good!!!

 

I have so much to say about it, but need to wait until I get my thoughts in order and will be returning to this post soon.

And, also, about this:

Seeing Barry Gibb on the Kennedy Center Honors tonight reminded me of how much the Bee Gees have meant to me for the last 45 plus years.

I still listen to all their albums (ESP is my absolute favorite!) and have such fond memories of their music and my mom loves the Bee Gees as well and did when I was a kid so that means a lot to me even now.

We compared notes after watching it tonight and I thought: I miss how it was between us when I was younger. 

My parents are different now then when I was a kid and their being huge Trump supporters and anti-gay drives a huge wedge between us, even with the silence I so carefully keep with both topics.

I grasp for any thing we have in common.

They were and are good parents and I just always have to remember that.

My cat threw up this morning and I can't stop worrying. He almost never throws up. I think in the 7 1/2 years I've known him he's only thrown up four times. 

When he does throws up, I really worry because it's not like him to do so.

I know it's wrong and selfish, but I've never ever wanted to get myself attached to beings or people because with great attachment comes great pain. I have loved every moment of my time with my kitty cat, so I never once will ever regret getting him.

But caring about someone or some being comes with such cost because when you worry about them it consumes your entire soul.

I'm trying to stay up as late as I can so I can keep an eye on him. I don't know how moms of humans get through each day when there's so much to worry about.

What John Schneider tweeted the other day was absolutely, positively despicable. I've never been a fan of his because I always thought the _Dukes of Hazzard_ was a nasty show, because it was based on "good ole boy"/ Confederacy roots and colossally stupid. I can't say I was surprised by what he said, but I was still very much appalled.

Some people are saying that he was intoxicated when he wrote it, but I say that is no excuse. Being intoxicated doesn't make you say things you don't normally believe, being intoxicated makes you say things you normally hold back.

I've been intoxicated before, and I've been tempted to write or say things that I wouldn't normally say. One reason I've never drank around people I like is because I've never wanted to tell them how I feel.

Fully disclosing things has never made me comfortable. Even if what I think or feel is not negative or evil, just the thought of not having control over what comes out of my mouth makes me so wary and wrecked.

Emotionally, all I have going for me is that I've never said things to someone that I feel I should've taken back. I have said stupid things and I have said silly things and I have said things that I wish I never said, but I'm pretty sure I've never said anything that I wouldn't want printed on the front of a newspaper or on social media.

I'm actually kind of tipsy right now as I write this, so this might be gone by this time tomorrow night🤦‍♀️

I am so very grateful to my cat. He is my best friend, my roommate and a wonderful companion, but I know (despite not wanting to be) that I am an overprotective cat mom and I struggle with how not to be and yet still be a force of good for him.

Here is some helpful information I found on either helicopter pet parents or codependency with pets:

https://pawp.com/9-signs-youre-a-pet-helicopter-parent/#:~:text=If%20you%20constantly%20monitor%20your,be%20a%20pet%20helicopter%20parent.&text=Although%20we'd%20all%20love,that's%20simply%20not%20the%20case.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/signs-codependent-cat-202417871.html

I have never dressed my cat and myself up in matchin outfits nor have I thrown my cat a birthday party, but I have done many of the other things listed.  

 

I haven't felt this strongly about a Stephen King book in years! There are so many great things going with it that I don't know where to start or how to stop my review: Holly Gibney is oddly endearing and one of the best characters to grace a novel in a long, long time. I only hope that there are more Holly stories to be told. 

Rodney and Emily Harris, with their extremely distorted and damaging belief systems, are far more scary and disturbing than any a supernatural force could be and that includes Pennywise. 0_0 I could totally picture the couple being played by John Lithgow and Jessica Lange, if this is ever optioned for streaming or the movies.

 When I was in high school, a boy who sat near me sneered once thst I would end up a cat lady one day.

It turns out that he was right, but for that I’m very glad because my cat gives me a companionship that I never once dreamed I would find during the loneliest times of my life.