Kotlc Analysis - Blog Posts

I imagine child abuse is treated like grief is in the Lost Cities. We as humans are aware that some parents abuse their children, and that, although our systems are flawed, we need to help kids get out of the bad situation. We humans are also accustomed to grief as a part of life, and have researched and come up with ways to help others and ourselves cope.

The Lost Cities...don't have much experience in those aspects.

There's a bunch of reasons elves might not pick up on signs of abuse, similar to how humans might not. But the number one difference is that elven denial runs SO DEEP throughout their society. They deny the existence of rebellion, discrimination, social shaming, and more on the basis of "our world is so perfect and not at all like those humans!"

With that, Keefe is practically stuck. Running away to another elf will get him sent back home, whether by the elf he ran to (think perhaps Alden "no reason to worry" Vacker) or by Council interference (like if he ran to Sophie; she'd fight tooth and nail for him, but the Council is has more power than her, both in manpower (goblins) and political power). And goodness knows the Council won't do anything about it. They didn't do shit for the Song twins OR Keefe. So Keefe is between a rock and a hard place.

Elves aren't better than humans. Elves are deeply, truly, alarmingly HUMAN. They just refuse to acknowledge it.

okay but can't keefe just move out now. now that it's all done and gone and his dad no longer has any leverage on him. and "keefe was the kind of guy who was always willing to take the hit if he thought it would help a friend" . . . sure. let's put it that way. mhm