A Romance For Women Who Want to Date Manbabies | After Part 2

[@joshdaily4950]

"She's almost used up her skank quota for the week" -The girl who cheated on her boyfriend time and time again, FULLY AWARE that what she was doing was wrong

[@kinglewis6553]

Even planning and justifying it beforehand

[@vocalcalibration8033]

I was thinking just that.

[@sillyd0g]

the amount of slut shaming tessa does over the course of the book while actively, willingly cheating on her boyfriend is fucking baffling. it makes me wonder if todd herself is at all capable of self-reflection because her self insert character sure isn't

[@alexjewett7455]

But those times were all with the same guy, which somehow makes it not as bad... apparently.

[@romanov3937]

Her moral compass is a damn roller coaster.

[@KM-hv1jg]

Remember, friends: “I can fix him” only applies if he is a cat and you are a veterinarian.

[@MatthewTheEmperor]

Or if he's a patient and you're a doctor...

[@xorvictia]

Inverting the analogy, I think the notion of having a boyfriend and instead of being like “I can fix him”, being “I can get him fixed” is _hilarious_ tho

[@MatthewTheEmperor]

@@xorvictia It is very amusing yes.

[@bradymenting5120]

also if you're an engineer and have no qualms with lobotomies and mechanical augmentation

[@samgills5703]

​@@xorvictianl

[@charliemclean6382]

how the hell is this even less emotionally healthy than "my parents sold me to One Direction"

[@Xehanort10]

Why a supposed Harry Styles fan would want him to be an abusive controlling asshole is what I'm wondering.

[@mrcephalopod]

Possibly the absurdity "parents selling me" thing provides a level of emotional detachment that makes any toxicity hit less hard than it would in a more realistic book like after. Possibly a lot of "my parents sold me" stories are escapism, with the parental relationship being the abusive one that the love interest(s) are good and healthy in comparison to (despite the sometimes-child sex trafficking). Possibly the reason that those fics weren't what Todd was looking for in fancfiction is that they just weren't emotionally unhealthy enough for her

[@helena_8478]

Probably because even in those stories parent selling their child is seen as bad.

[@abhainn35]

I read the original "Sold to One Direction" fanfic and it's because it's so ridiculous in both plot and writing that you can't take it seriously. The protaginst is also an idiot like Tessa, but more in a ditzy Mary Sue kind of way instead of being toxic. She literally starts a chapter listing facts about unicorns. I'm going to copy and paste a paragraph so you see how unrealistic it is (censoring so I don't get my comment deleted): I was put, not thrown into the back of a van. "What will I be doing? Am I going to be a pleasure slave or a slave?" I was so scared they were going to say the first one. "No, your just going to be our maid, we have plenty of pleasure slaves.", Louis answered with a wink. "Awe, I thought she was our new pleasure slave." Harry whined. With After, it's more realistic and grounded setting. The scariest villains are the most realistic ones because you could encounter them (for some reason, Hazbin Hotel is the first thing that comes to mind. Valentino and Alastor are both evil, but Valentino is an abusive and expoltive boyfriend/boss while Alastor is a power-crazy murderous cannibal. There's a reason the fandom loves Alastor but hates Val). Which is more likely to happen? A famous boy band turns you into their slave or you end up in an abusive college relationship? It's also why like another comment says, this book is worse than anything in the Twilight pipeline. When you're reading a book about dating a highschool vampire, a billionaire, or getting kidnapped by a mafia boss, it's easy to suspend your disbelief because it could never happen. Hardin's manipulation, temper tantrums, lack of empathy, and Tessa's feelings of "well I can fix him, he's just broken" are much more similar to real abuse cases than the other books. Not saying those aren't bad, they are and shouldn't be replicated or seen as examples, but they read as fiction. That's why After is worse.

[@ashura3223]

I am scared to ask if this fic actually exists or not what the hell

[@miadaorerk1681]

"Hardin we had chicken for dinner why does your breath smell like tuna" bro you cant keep getting away with this 😭

[@KrimsonRogue]

Bwahahaha! >:D

[@purplecobra52]

​@@KrimsonRogueWow is right 👍

[@CodytheVictorian]

A lot of modern romances mistake “bad boy” with “bad person”, there is a difference.

[@nnnnmhughuuhhjiijj9457]

I don't think 'bad boys' exist in real life, but I get your point.

[@CodytheVictorian]

@@nnnnmhughuuhhjiijj9457 I mean, I was referring to a character archetype.

[@js66613]

No offense, but in any romance I've ever read the "bad boy" was so deeply intwined with "bad person" that you couldn't really separate them. I mean, it's called "bad boy", because the "boy" is "bad". The only thing I can't really reconcile is the idea that anything involving a bad boy in a non-platonic relationship with the MC is romantic, or is a romance. It's more like a psychological thriller someone mislabeled. And it's always been about bad people getting together.

[@littlearies3862]

Fr. A "bad boy" is a guy who rolls his eyes, is mildly rude when annoyed, and maybe smoke or something. Someone who probably wears leather jackets, maybe rides motorcycles, and is a flirt. I miss the days I could find "bad boy" romances where the love interest isn't abusive and a bad person. 😅

[@CodytheVictorian]

@@littlearies3862 Yeah, that captures it a bad boy is supposed to be someone whose a little rough around the edges but still fundamentally good.

[@olivers_playlists7343]

Remember kids, good books aren't always popular, and popular books aren't always good.

[@gracekim1998]

A code to live by 😊

[@Hello-hello-hello456]

Word!

[@Wade.Stikmann]

I'm going to paint this on my wall

[@SaffronicSaffron]

I hate that tho😭😒

[@gracekim1998]

@@SaffronicSaffron because it’s true? Or you’re in denial?

[@cuppajoewithjoe2148]

You know what?! I'm gonna write that fanfiction! Noah's gonna get a wonderful loving gf and get over Tessa. #justice4Noah

[@delphinelavendermorgan4627]

Let us know when its ready to be read and where you post it

[@potatopotato3284]

Keep us updated

[@navnher1135]

Wattpad just because thats where the main story came from? Will the story be called justice4noah? The people need to know! But also, please dont try to mimic the style of the original story, usually thats best.. but in this case id rather not

[@Juanito_Pecados]

I would actually read that mate, good luck

[@cereal_arson3437]

Oh my god please do. This poor guy deserves so much more

[@SuperSara924]

“Hardin is a vibrator with a bad attitude” you know what from now that’s the only way I’ll describe his character

[@gracekim1998]

That’s a great adjective 😂

[@rosenoel]

Don't insult vibrators. Ladies can make use of vibrators.

[@josephpercy8772]

​@@rosenoel 💀💀💀💀

[@Lucifersfursona]

Even a vibe with a bad attitude can give more immersion and enjoyment (and conversation) than We Have British At Home Hard On

[@lvndr9838]

​@@Lucifersfursona *harry styles at home

[@alyssamay9237]

After: Garbage, burn it Storytime with Tuck: Brilliant, fantastic, engaging, definition of perfection

[@totallynotacommunistspy]

I would watch a 72 hour Storytime with Tuck

[@georgeweaver9665]

Not to mention “the main male protagonist” of the latter is actually extremely adorable and lovable…basically the complete polar opposite with the former.

[@thelastknight6519]

can you tell me where to find storytime with tuck

[@alyssamay9237]

​@@thelastknight65191:25:28 Enjoy!

[@resentfulshrimp8044]

"she likes the metal scent of his blood". EVERYONE'S BLOOD SMELLS LIKE METAL. TODD. IT HAS IRON IN IT.

[@RaccKing21]

The smell we associate with metal isn't actually the smell of metal, but the smell of a compound that is produced when our skin oils come in contact with a metal, most often iron. AFAIK, it's suspected it was an evolutionary adaptation so that we could more easily notice that we are bleeding. This has been blood facts.

[@MatthewTheEmperor]

@@RaccKing21 Thank you for the blood facts!

[@Koki-dc1lp]

@@RaccKing21very nice blood facts!

[@Slick-Salamander]

Wait, my blood is supposed to have Iron in it?!

[@MatthewTheEmperor]

@@Slick-Salamander Yes... Does yours not?

[@themanbehindthecurtains]

"i will RUIN HER" girl why aren't you getting a restraining order.

[@georgeweaver9665]

Too dumb and enabling for something like that to even cross her mind…🤪

[@Gotham_Outlaw]

Dude, even his fur baby knows a bad book when she sees one

[@HaliaStone]

Now that’s what I’d call an emotional support animal

[@XDDCCOUUTT]

It makes any pet sad!

[@Crested_Hadrosaur]

On the other hand Im sure it will make excellent kitty litter.

[@sniperdreem1914]

He raising them right

[@gracekim1998]

@@HaliaStone indeed. Patch is my emotional support too 😊

[@tuckershuff1441]

Dude Noah is the most unfairly treated third-wheel in any romance story I've ever seen. He's strung along and mistreated horribly by his girlfriend, against whom he committed hardly any infractions. If Todd wanted him to be the Billy Zane in Titanic of this plot, she failed miserably. Dude has to be completely traumatized by the end.

[@eamonndeane587]

I almost wish that Noah would shout "My FIANCE!!!!" right in Tessa's Face.

[@tuckershuff1441]

@@eamonndeane587 If Noah went after both of them with a pistol at the end this book's third act would be a lot more interesting.

[@abhainn35]

@@tuckershuff1441 Noah and Hardin having an overly dramaric Western pistol battle while Tessa is just like "what" is a hilarious mental image. Thank you.

[@tuckershuff1441]

@@abhainn35 That's good, but I prefer a Hamilton-Esque ten-paces-fire situation.

[@abhainn35]

@@tuckershuff1441 Never seen Hamiliton, but I'll take your word on it.

[@SamTravia]

If I had a nickel for every time KrimsonRogue reviewed a book including a selfish protagonist named Theresa, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice.

[@palinurus]

The clearest evidence that Todd has never read (or maybe just never understood) Pride & Prejudice is the "no means yes" kiss scene. In my humble opinion, one of Mr. Darcy's best features is his respect of Elisabeth's boundaries. He proposes to her, and when she says no, he listens. She falls in love with him as more things come out about his character later- as he, without any ulterior motive, works to undo the damage he's done to her family. When they eventually run into each other again, now both in love, he makes it clear that if she doesn't want him around, she'll never have to see him again. He doesn't want to pressure her, make her uncomfortable, or ever insinuate that she doesn't know what she wants. Hardin, on the other hand, starts the scene with a Darcy-style disclaimer ("tell me you don't want this and I'll go"), but when Tess says no, *he doesn't listen.* Congratulations Todd, you have utterly failed Pride & Prejudice 101

[@greywalker505]

Fellow Darcy STAN, I salute you.

[@MrsBlack88]

“One word on this will silence me forever.“ Imagine Hardin following this logic

[@isobelduncan]

When an amateur writer references a classic book title, it's really just them jumping up and down going "Look at me! I'm smart! I'm literate!"

[@axolotlfairy2473]

"the reason they can't stay away from each other is....idunno, when they were both kids, they swallowed MAGNETS" the delivery on that killed me oh my god

[@KM-hv1jg]

Finally, a soulmates AU I can get behind!

[@bleakautomaton4808]

Someone who writes romance, get on this.

[@Xehanort10]

Then Magneto from X-Men turns up and murders them with his powers.

[@darthbane97]

@@Xehanort10 the good time line

[@desi1790]

I snorted lol

[@hankdedalus]

This book can be summed up as "Doormat bellend and manbaby fight over their feels and nothing else."

[@KrimsonRogue]

Can confirm.

[@mandragorius9637]

Come on man, don't do noah dirty like that. He didnt do anything. He just got cheated on

[@pusheenqueen519]

666th like!

[@Barakon]

Isn’t that just Every one of these corporate highjacking of fan fiction turned hollywoo propaganda franchises?

[@georgeweaver9665]

@@mandragorius9637 I think “bellend doormat” refers to Tessa instead of Noah.

[@sammyi2505]

This book makes it impressively clear to me that Tessa has no real friends because a *true* friend would have smacked her upside the head for thinking Hardin can be redeemed after half of the shit he's pulled.

[@marctaco2624]

It is flagrantly clear that Tessa has had no human connections at all outside of her mother and Noah prior to going to this college.

[@peterwindhorst5775]

@@marctaco2624 here is a bet that the Mother set the Noah and Tessia up together - it was an arranged marriage.

[@marctaco2624]

@@peterwindhorst5775 I got that impression too

[@ammyterasu2318]

They would also sit tessa down for about an hour with a powerpoint presentation on why the actual fuck hardin is a psychopath and someone that can't be trusted even if he got electrocuted everytime he was by definition a creep. but knowing tessa she probably would still get together with him even that happened. NOT EVEN GOD CAN STOP A DOORMAT

[@joshuawindsor-knox3626]

No a true friend would do that after a tenth of what he's pulled, a fifth at most.

[@isobelduncan]

"I've hurt you so many times, and I know I'm bad for you but *if you give me one more chance* I'll change!" That is a classic abuser line.

[@aleph7056]

"Come on, give me another second 'one more chance'. Please..."

[@eyesofthecervino3366]

Isn't the fact that they're coming after you, knowing full well they're bad for you but still putting their own feelings first instead of taking responsibility for their behaviour and taking steps to work on themselves . . . isn't that automatically evidence that they haven't changed, that they'll still disregard your well-being and try to make you responsible for their bad behavior?

[@vocalcalibration8033]

​@@eyesofthecervino3366Yes. That's why it's a classic abuser line.

[@greywalker505]

It’s *the* classic abuser line, up there with, “Why did you make me do that?”

[@lovefromwonderland]

Tessa saying that Hardin does love her “in his own twisted way” literally reminds me of Harley trying to convince herself that the Joker loves her back when they were still together. If your relationship reminds me of the Joker and Harley Quinn… 🤦🏾‍♀️

[@nevermoreraven3340]

It is never a good thing if your romance comes across as Harley and joker. I got that same feeling from that like. GURL WHAT?!

[@MRMcLean98]

Even that's a disservice to Harley and Joker :P

[@kaitlynboss3497]

Too many people unironically think they’re a good couple tho.

[@kaitlynboss3497]

@@MRMcLean98at least they had romantic chemistry.

[@marymccann3500]

The whole point of harley and the joker (at least later on) is that she deserves better, gets away from him, and spends the rest of her days with her loving supportive ecoterrorist girlfriend. This reads like a comic that doesn't understand that fact.

[@mothgrave]

For someone who supposedly doesn't drink, Hardin sure does come home drunk a lot.

[@rizkyanandita8227]

He didn't drink it. He inject it straight into his veins.

[@georgeweaver9665]

Surprised he’s not even suffering from at least a decent majority of the exceptionally nasty side effects from all that excessive amount of alcohol in his overall system, let alone already dead from the poisoning that inevitably comes with it.

[@moonchild977]

not to spoil this garbage, but lol in the last book, Todd tries to say this is *not* unhealthy, and that people just give up too easily on each other, and if you just keep insisting on the bad boy who treats you badly, they will turn around eventually. I’m not joking. as someone who’s first relationship was abusive and awful, it made me wanna scream, because this idea of “I can fix him” is very appealing to young people, and a dangerous mentality to have

[@marctaco2624]

I can fix and polish a bear trap, It doesn’t feel any better when It goes off.

[@navnher1135]

@@marctaco2624 ye you can also roll literal poop in glitter, it'll look prettier, but at the end of the day it's still just sparkly shit no one really wants to be near

[@KairiMorin]

This series is actually nightmare fuel.

[@flowersandcheesecake1710]

@@KairiMorinI honestly don’t know what’s a worse situation to be in this or Ana’s situation in 50 shades of gray……

[@gracekim1998]

I’m sorry, this author is so delusional Sara😣 hopefully we can find a way to make sure everyone is aware that what Anna’s relationship with ‘Harold’ (I’m not doing the weird name anymore) is toxic (much like sam and Freddie from ICarly. 😅

[@GriffinPilgrim]

The sheer number of books is jawdropping to me. Did she say SEVEN books? Tolkien created an entire rich and varied world in 5 books, this hack needed 7 for this abusive dreck? Also so damn sick of people in any context claiming realism by having their characters all be monsters. Real people are flawed, most real people aren't THIS.

[@crowdemon_archives]

Yea, monstrous people exist, but having this many monstrous people together seem a little ridiculous lol

[@gracekim1998]

@@crowdemon_archives exactly

[@1Thunderfire]

Tolkien really wrote more than 5 books but I definitely get your point.

[@JaynaeMarieXIV]

You and me both. It's like writers who work hard on their craft, have to ask "Who do we have to hump to get a publisher to read 5 pages around here?" She and Tolkien are not even in the same universe when it comes to literature.

[@GriffinPilgrim]

@@1Thunderfire He wrote 5 Middle Earth books and then his son started publishing his notes and calling them books. Unless you meant his non Middle Earth stuff in which case I withdraw my comment and instead say I was only referring to Middle Earth, my point being Tolkien created a world in those five books and in 7 books she couldn't make one relationship look appealing.

[@ashblossomandjoyoussprung.9917]

This story sounds like it would make a lot more sense if Hardin's dad was interested in young girls, particularly the ones Hardin dates. It would explain why Hardin hates his dad, why he's so possessive of Tessa yet doesn't want to be in a relationship with her. It would also explain why he doesn't want to introduce Tessa to his father, but also why he can't tell her the reason because "My Dad slept with my girlfriend in high school," is something you'd probably never bring up for a number of reasons. It would also explain why he's so inexplicably nice to her, to the point where he pulls strings to get her the cushiest job possible with the easiest interview in the world, and why Hardin's mom is so supportive of the relationship. Perhaps, she thinks that Hardin needs to 'get the girl' this time because he's 'owed' a girlfriend after his dad took his girlfriend from him. Plus, it would make sense that he would treat women the way he does after seeing his mom forgive his dad after what he did to Hardin's high school sweetheart. Like, seeing the woman who will probably shape your idea of what women are like essentially say: "Oh, dear, it's fine that you made a mistake and slept with your son's underage girlfriend, I forgive you," would mess up a lot of guys.

[@panicatthefallout7710]

That would require forethought and planning on characteristics ahead of time.

[@stardoogalaxie9314]

That would be insane and also very cool as a story

[@joannamarieart]

That sounds like an incredibly intriguing story!

[@d.lan3y]

that would be a much more interesting and complete explanation, which is why anna todd would never do it

[@ladyofrandom8616]

Man, now I want to read this one

[@VoidstriderLucatiel]

11:03 "I'm sorry. Do you want me to take it back?" asks the waitress. "Yes. She does." Hardin answers for me, standing up from his seat, and squaring up with the waitress. The restaurant goes painfully silent, all except for the softly, ominously sounding rumbling of the air conditioning. The air around us is thick, like gelatin, Everyone in the restaurant is visibly scared of Hardin. Except... For the waitress. We had found the enemy stand user.

[@lazyassassin267]

*Vento d'oro intensfies*

[@TheDapperDragon]

I just can't belive this woman straight up tried to make a meme touching. I know it wasn't a meme at the time, but holy god.

[@KM-hv1jg]

“[SUNSET GRILL!] Roast this manchild!”

[@greywalker505]

@@KM-hv1jg “Okay, Masta! Let’s kill da hoe! BEEEETCH!!” (Referring to Hardin here.)

[@tonichan89]

I almost thought this was quoted from the book but if it was, that waitress would wither under Hardins *piercing glare* or whatever, cus he's just sooo intimidating y'know.

[@PlokHR]

Tuck is such a hero for keeping his humans safe

[@hannahluden2245]

That whole section was, without a doubt, the best part of the whole video

[@luciferspasta]

imagine getting a fanfic written about you and your character is the worst person imaginable 😭 like damn

[@TheDapperDragon]

I dunno, Tessa is making him work for that title

[@blubberingbuffoons]

harry styles gets night terrors from this fanfic

[@corahtheskeleton8062]

I mean, fun fact, Harry Styles has Anna Todd blocked on social media *No reason to wonder why, right?*

[@naan000]

is it any wonder that Harry Styles has Anna Todd blocked on social media

[@scoutg1271]

years ago it was a thing in the 1D fandom to say he had a restraining order on her, not sure if this is true or not but if i were him i'd do the same lmao 🤭

[@remiliascarletmybeloved]

I feel like if “After” remained a niche-ish wattpad fanfic, it would be just okay, but the fact that it managed to get published and has been made into a franchise is the real kicker

[@saintdude6032]

What's funny is that after was/is a Wattpad fanfic

[@remiliascarletmybeloved]

@@saintdude6032 i know, thats why I made the comparison. The best takeaway from it is if this shit can get a published hardback version anything I could make has a pretty decent chance

[@talynhastime9343]

Publishing things like this gives it a certain level of legitimacy that something written as a hobby online doesn’t have, the biggest reason being that no professional editors are involved. If I’m buying a book, I’m expecting the book to have editors and tons of sticky notes and red ink going “wtf is this?”. Full offense, but amateur writing doesn’t become less amateur because it’s officially published, and I would argue that published fiction has more weight to it because of the logic of “why would people waste money publishing absolute shit?”. Truth is, lots of books are crap, but books still have that sense of prestige that people want to attain. Not to mention things can be forgiven and ignored if it’s a story written by a hobbyist. But if I’m paying any amount of money, I want it to be good.

[@Zorovee]

@@remiliascarletmybeloved The thing is, quality isnt what's measured when publishers decide what to pick up, it's traction/attention. This shithole of a story got a LOT of updates veeery frequently, which tricked the algorithm into boosting it up to the front page. If you can write out the entirety of a series first, *then* publish it with like, a chapter a day, then maybe you can gain traction yourself.

[@letmeoutthebin8283]

The fact this is absolutely true and absolutely means there is a large audience who love these books causes me unimaginable amounts of anguish 💀

[@TravisBroski]

Noah literally had no point of being in this story other than being a punching bag. Besides making Tessa look like a horrible cheat, he didn't push any character or background out of Tessa nor added anything to the story from his actions. She could've easily popped into this new university without a relationship considering that she was a virgin anyways and she had no friends from home at all. Plus it'd make a slight bit more sense if Hardin was her first boyfriend and she had yet to know what the hell a GOOD, HEALTHY, LOVING relationship was like.

[@maiar2239]

Fr, it would make much more sense if it had been as you say!

[@FauxGemini]

Total agree! While I don't think either Twilight or 50 Shades are good books, or love stories, at least their characters being virgins and having never dated and etc fits with who they are and how they are presented. Tessa being a sheltered, extremely awkward shut-in who is taught to stay away from men but who also has a committed boyfriend of two years who adores her and was voted Homecoming King just... makes zero sense to me.

[@annesilva3542]

The only reason why he exists it’s because you have to remember this is a one direction fanfic so of course all the boys have to be in the story, and Noah is Niall. My take is Todd doesn’t like him very much

[@anastasiaafanasieva2126]

'After' reads like a plot of an artsy psychological horror movie where the MC meets some strange person, ruins all her relationships and disolves into madness

[@gemstone4264]

I would love to see this book re-cut into a horror/thriller. I think it might be half decent, then.

[@insulttothehumanrace3807]

The way Tessa and Hardon play out in this book reminds me a lot less of Elizabeth/Darcy and more of Lydia/Wickham. Y'know, the couple formed of a naive girl and a manipulative scum? The couple explicitly stated to be a bad ending in Pride and Prejudice? That's how bad ya done goofed, Todd.

[@blubberingbuffoons]

much better story

[@sillyd0g]

​@@insulttothehumanrace3807 except lydia is at least a more understandable and pitiable character on account of being a swoony boy-obsessed 15 year old whose naivety was taken advantage of by an older man. tessa is just a bland nothing of a character who inexplicably falls for classmate roughly the same age as her who displays zero positive attributes aside from being hot, who she then willingly cheats on her committed boyfriend with multiple times, and at no point are we told what it is about hardin besides his looks and his general rebellious vibe that she's so enamored with. lydia and wickham end up together because he's charming and handsome and can lie convincingly, and she's a naive moony-eyed teenage girl who spends all her time daydreaming about being swept off her feet by the exact type of man wickham pretends to be. tessa and hardin are together because that's what the narrative calls for and no other reason.

[@insulttothehumanrace3807]

@@sillyd0g Oh, undeniably, Lydia is better written and more understandable than Tessa. Not to mention Mrs. Bennet driving the girls to get married would further push Lydia into a guy's arms without thinking more about what he's really like, whereas Tessa's mom really not giving more reason to prefer someone like Hardin. I was just pointing out that Tessa and Hardin are less like Elizabeth/Darcy - a relationship that starts out pretty rough but develops into healthy and proper love - and more like Lydia/Wickham, a relationship that ends very badly, since Todd clearly wanted us to draw parallels to P&P. Also as I have pointed out in a couple other threads, Darcy had friends and his estate's servants saying nice things about him to help bring Elizabeth around, but pretty much nobody in After has anything nice to say about Hardin, so it's just more confusing.

[@the_kashka]

"I was worthless, just like he said." After this one, I'm genuinely worried about the author and her relationships...

[@marctaco2624]

With everything else covered here, I think she only knows this kind of relationship.

[@arminarlert6011]

Anna Todd and Colleen Hoover would be besties

[@DestinyKiller]

@@arminarlert6011 and have lunch with EL James

[@Ichneumonxx]

The quick shots from her interviews are massive red flags. The girl needs help, not publishing deals...

[@Onewingerdraven]

@@Ichneumonxx she seems pretty toxic herself tbh.

[@yikaii]

The pain this man goes through to give us all this content

[@TheStormWolf10]

He’s a hero, nuff said

[@KrimsonRogue]

I tried wiping your pfp away three times before I realized it wasn't an actual hair on my screen. You're not getting into Heaven.

[@thehickcritic]

@@KrimsonRogue Tough, but fair.

[@potatoflow536]

@@KrimsonRogue dark mode baybeeee

[@Wendy_O._Koopa]

I wanna know when we started calling icons "Picture For Proof"? For one thing, it doesn't actually prove anything. I mean, _I_ am the very cromulent Princess Gwendoline Orlean Koopa of the Super Mario series, but any other idiot could download a picture of me and imatoot me exarktly.

[@inexorable100]

"I don't know what Hardin was trying to accomplish by outing himself as the campus bicycle..." I'm screaming👋🏼😭

[@mateorondon5291]

Hardin: Gets Tessa to leave her boyfriend to be with him, literally telling her she makes him want to date where he's previously sworn off it. Also Hardin, literally less that a day later: "You thought you were my girlfriend?!" while outraged that she called him out for kissing and having another girl give him a lap dance IN FRONT OF HER.

[@sillyd0g]

THAT DROVE ME INSANE. its like todd doesn't go back and read what she wrote yesterday to make sure her characters' actions are consistent. either that or she's fine with her characters looking like actual fucking crazy people as long as it means she can cram as much drama as possible into her story

[@LuciLooHoo]

The fact Todd was like "lmfao I dunno why they're dating I've been trying to figure that out for 7 books 🤪🤪" is hilarious because girl you're the one WRITING the book??? Someone call a wellness check because oh my god it was like reliving my own toxic relationship and it's appalling that she tries justifying all of it. Especially in the last book. Chick needs therapy.

[@royalhydra9790]

In a comment from the first video, it's stated that, Todd said Harden is more based on her, and Tessa, on her husband. Todd is likely not the one who needs the wellness check as much as her husband

[@user-hanging-at-the-hanged-man]

@@royalhydra9790WHAT?!? That poor guy 😨

[@lucyla9947]

If you the writer have no justification for why two characters are dating then they shouldn't be dating. Somehow Todd hasn't figured this out yet.

[@gokuxsephiroth4505]

Todd: "Lmao, I don't think three steps ahead of myself when I'm writing! That's what pantsers do, right?" Person: Uh, usually they edit after... Todd: "AFTER, THAT'S A PERFECT NAME - PUBLISH IT RIGHT NOW LMAO"

[@8BLOO8]

It would be nice to see a book with a really toxic relationship where one person slowly realizes it’s bad and leaves their ass

[@BestBetterBestest]

Every Harley Quinn novel

[@bridgetmadden5716]

Like if fifty shades never got a sequal

[@advictoriams]

Literally in the process of writing something along those lines.

[@bridgetmadden5716]

@@advictoriams cool, let us know how it goes

[@CodytheVictorian]

Not books, but the movies Fear and Heathers hit those notes

[@marielemonnier1036]

As someone who's done 15+ years of volunteering with teenagers, I'm shivering with horror at the thought that some teenage girl could read this and think this is how romantic relationships are supposed to go.

[@bird2793]

I'm an RA...I saw this whole series in one of my resident's room

[@happyjellycatsquid]

As a teen, a bunch of my girlfriends read these books with the reverence some people read the Bible. So here’s that.

[@stephr2980]

I teach in secondary school. Some 14 yos were reading this and adamant it was the height of romance. :'( there's so much normalisation of unacceptable social behaviours it's depressing and scary, and far beyond what a mere language teacher can combat.

[@catspawgardner3213]

Todd should've taken into consideration that her readers are tweens & teens & they're going to think Harden & Tessa's relationship is ok but really it's not, it's not only toxic but dangerous. What was she thinking? How could her editor have allowed this awful book to be published? Maybe Todd was thinking it's the parents job to teach their kids right from wrong.

[@laughingseagull000]

@@catspawgardner3213I mean, it is the parents’ job. Not that she should have published this book in any form.

[@antascless1490]

*Pulls Krimson into the hug* There's not enough comments praising Krimson for opening up about his trauma and sharing it in a productive way. Nevermind, getting through this godawful triggering book. Thank you

[@KrimsonRogue]

*Hugs back* Thanks!

[@tinyteacupzz]

Halfway through this video I realized Tessa and Hardin's parents are in the perfect position for a "the love interests are actually siblings/half siblings and they don't know that" plot twist and I physically had to pause the video for five minutes because of how much I hope it isn't what happens

[@kinglewis6553]

Thanks I was hoping that was the case. I dislike both of them and this happening would be just desserts.

[@greywalker505]

Hate to break it to you, but that's been done by Colleen Hoover (sort of) in “Ugly Love” with step-siblings. And it was done *horribly.*

[@tonichan89]

Don't worry, they aren't related! They have a happy ending where they are married with kids 🤡 YYYAAAAAAAY

[@corvinredacted]

The passive language that Tessa uses to describe her behavior drives me nuts. Her life has "become" a soap opera, as if she had nothing to do with it. Over and over she consciously makes atrocious decisions, only to whine 'Why meeeeee?' when things go wrong. I hate her so much.

[@NewGuy2534]

The After “Just One More Chance” Drinking game. Rules are as follows: 1: Take a drink for every time Harden ask for “One more Chance” 2: Try not to die.

[@tVt2000]

Am I allowed to change the drink with each occurrence or would I have to stick to one

[@marctaco2624]

@@tVt2000 either way you’ll be dead by the mid-point.

[@dt6119]

*sigh* I'll get the donor organs prepped...

[@lavinialadlass9432]

Two drinks for every time, hard and break something.

[@davidmauriciogutierrezespi5244]

3: Have someone sober so they can call emergencies when one falls for alcohol poisoning

[@Teckman8]

I swear that this "love story" has more conflict between the interests than a battlefield.

[@marctaco2624]

Soldiers on a battlefield at least have a goal.

[@alexjewett7455]

A battlefield also has less casualties.

[@theantithesis1]

Love is a cattlefield.

[@sirosagaming8228]

Moo

[@insulttothehumanrace3807]

@@theantithesis1 Looks idyllic and fun from afar, but then you get close to it and it just disappoints and smells weird. Still worth it for the milk, though.

[@ithseem]

After: This one does not spark joy Storytime with Tuck: This one sparks joy

[@laliclaudesol2350]

So Wuthering Heights is my favourite period novel and I'd like to share my take on the ""romance"" (aka abusive relationship that destroys multiple lives) between Catherine and Heathcliff. Major spoilers ahead! 🍃 For starters, Tessa and Hardin have NOTHING against what Catherine and Heathcliff have. Granted, Catherine and Heathcliff are not healthy *at all* and the author, the characters and the reader knows that. We, as readers, see Catherine genuinely bond with Heathcliff as children, they grow up together, wild and free, and think themselves happy in their mischief. Heathcliff is an adopted son, rejected by almost everyone (except Catherine) and Catherine herself is quite a black sheep of her family, untamed and unladylike. So they bond and they become inseparable. But that's when a certain circumstance forces Catherine to leave Heathcliff's company for a long time, and when they see each other again they have both changed. Catherine doesn't want to go running in the barren moors, and Heathcliff has grown estranged and antisocial towards absolutely everyone in his friend's absence. He now feels humiliated by Catherine's newly found mannerisms, and disdains her visibly. From now on, they become extremely destructive to each other, and their relationship is *very* strongly linked to jealousy, manipulation, pettiness, anger and spite. They are both driven mad by the other's sick games, to the point Catherine dies in her petty delirium and Heathcliff almost bashes his head in on a tree as he learns of her death, begging her ghost to haunt him and even digging up her corpse to be with her (wtf man). He later on becomes insane himself and dies a lonely, dramatic and miserable death. I can't stress this enough: Catherine and Heathcliff's relationship destroys lives and poisons an entire generation. Their feelings are portrayed as too raw, too violent, too intense, too possessive. But not in the "You, reader, should want this, this is the ideal romance". No. No! It is very clear that Brontë writes this relationship as a "These two were close once, but now they are so far gone they will be the death of one another, and everyone knows that". And even when you know how deeply unhealthy and flawed Catherine and Heathcliff are, you still understand that they claim to LOVE each other because they were raised together in a dire environment as children, frequently mistreated and abused. So they clang to each other. And when Catherine "changes", they keep clinging to each other but in the most spiteful, manipulative way. You do understand how close they were once, but that is never portrayed in a cutesy, endearing way. Hell, Heathcliff is one of the villains (if not THE villain) in the novel! How is this a relationship we as readers should look up to? Even the other characters see how destructive Catherine and Heathcliff are! Back to Tessa and Hardin. What is exactly the reason they "love" each other? Why are they together in the first place? Tessa is meek, tame, submissive (even though she tries to stand up for herself a few times, she's still a doormat in the end) while Catherine Earnshaw was pure fire, pride, passion and stubbornness - you could see why they thought Heathcliff and her were meant for each other, because they were *equals* once, they always are equally wild and strong willed, and had known each other for so many years. Hardin? Just a bratty lil b*tch who thinks himself a wolf but is actually a tattooed chihuahua. Heathcliff would eat him alive and then complain that he had no flavour at all. It just angers me so much how some of my favourite books (P&P and WH in this case) are just misunderstood by authors like Todd and Meyer. They don't get the point of the plots, and it comes off as them just name dropping to sound smart, while drawing nonexistent parallels. It's so annoying. Sorry for the long comment, I love these book reviews and I do recommend Wuthering Heights to anyone who is into tragic, dramatic period stories. Also, I very much appreciated the Puppy Break. Tuck is such a sweetheart! 💕

[@NaurNaur99]

I absolutely LOVE this comment and I agree. these authors name drop these kind of books to sound smart because these books “changed a generation” but it’s like they didn’t even actually read it instead read a couple spark notes and thought they understood the whole plot and characters instantly and tried to copy it. it gets on my nerves to no end 😅😅

[@MatthewTheEmperor]

"Heathcliff would eat him alive then complain that he had no flavor at all." Other than that line being metal as shit I'm going to use that from now on...

[@Terryterryterryterryterry]

I never liked Wuthering Heights. Mainly because I could see that it was a horrible "pairing" and would only see people romanticizing it, like in Twilight. So I was like, wtf? And disgusted by it. But knowing that people actually know it's fucked up, then I don't have anything against the book itself. It's just people romanticizing what the main characters had that turned me away from it.

[@gokuxsephiroth4505]

Tbh, I don't think you have to worry. Todd doesn't have the vernacular of someone who reads the classics, so even if she insists she loves Pride and Prejudice and Wuthering Heights, I wouldn't believe her. She's so easy to disprove about what she claims about them that I'd consider it on par with a child claiming they don't like a food they've never tried.

[@aliceinanderland]

Someone on tiktok said something that really made sense to me. They said that younger people mistake fear for excitement. They think the adrenaline they get in the presence of someone dangerous is attraction, not realising their body is telling them the opposite. That's why these kinds of 'romances' are so popular and why people eat this shit up, because we're all broken and confused and don't know what love even is.

[@georgeweaver9665]

Well, certainly not everyone, just many of those out there who are literally stupid and outright reckless enough to willingly put themselves in those types of predicaments.

[@tinyteacupzz]

This would make this story more like a horror story, which I absolutely could get behind and lowkey wanna hear an adaptation of it which treats the book as such

[@ChronicaErys]

@@tinyteacupzz if only these writers tried writting in different genres, they would be more successful for the right reasons

[@natkatmac]

It's confusing fear for excitement and a lack of boundaries for commitment. Been there, don't that, thank God restraining orders are a thing.

[@rosamy2017]

@@georgeweaver9665 no it’s not that. It’s from being raised by emotionally abusive parents who are sometimes emotionally available and sometimes not. The kind of love you’re accustomed to is intertwined with anxiety, and you expect to have to calm your partner and accept undue responsibility. The attraction IS there, but where others are put off by the anxiety and unpredictability, traumatized people see it as a sign that the feelings are meaningful.

[@ShayLaLaLooHoo]

I said it before and I'll say it again: Tessa and Landon would get together if this were a good book. Imagine: Tessa realizes she doesn't like Noah and breaks up with him. In the confusion of her self-discovery and freedom, she gets involved with Hardin...which, of course, crashes and burns. At the end, she realizes that Landon treated her with dignity and respect. Tessa asks if he was nice because he’s interested in her, but Landon (who’d be understandably wary of getting involved with her) asks if they could work on their friendship. She's crushed, but she agrees, knowing she's not in a good place for anything serious. In time, their feelings grow, and they get together. Tessa still gets the plot of this book (with less cheating,) but she gets character development and a different ending.

[@aperson4607]

I would actually read that!

[@MamaMOB]

Write it and I’ll give you $20.

[@ShayLaLaLooHoo]

@@MamaMOB 😬 ooh... I want to focus on my own stories... but I also need money as much as the next aspiring author...

[@Hello-hello-hello456]

That is a healthy relationship right there.

[@EmillyOrr]

@@Hello-hello-hello456 There's a content creator, mostly does shorts, goes by TheSpeechProf, I think. He was replying to one of the Alpha douchebros, who was droning on about friendzoning. His reply was: the first time he met his future wife, his first thought was, 'That's the woman I'm going to marry.' He talked with her, learned she had a boyfriend, and...dropped all romance off the table. Concentrated on being her friend, because they'd discovered they had similar interests. He dated others, she dated others, they were friends. At some point, they both ended up free, and he decided to ask her out. If it never went anywhere, that was fine, because--they'd *still* be friends. How that short ended? By him telling the manosphere magnate that if he was upset over being "friendzoned", then he'd never been her friend in the first place. He feels--and I think rightfully so--that he didn't twist her arm to marry him. They got married *because* they'd been friends. Because he'd respected her no. I agree, this review makes me think either all relationships Todd's been in have been abusive, or that Todd's never actually BEEN in any, because she doesn't seem to understand that respect for each other's boundary points is a healthy thing.

[@blucheavy3282]

jesus christ noah deserves so much better than someone who has cheated on him numerous times, breaks every promise he asks, and then ditches him for someone with the emotional maturity of a four year old

[@Onewingerdraven]

Shut up, she's the author's self insert and also very shy/clumsy/needy so she's perfect, thee hee hee

[@blucheavy3282]

@@Onewingerdraven if she’s the author’s self insert, i can only imagine how horrible of a person she is to be in a relationship with

[@darkpixel1128]

@@blucheavy3282 _i know_ , could you imagine being the kind of person who thinks this stuff is ok let alone endearing?

[@ingloriousMachina]

@@blucheavy3282 And she's an ADULT, bro- What if Hardin was the self insert all along?

[@blucheavy3282]

@@ingloriousMachina honestly any of these characters would be a concerning self insert. you either have woman protagonist i forgot the name of already being a double faced doormat jackass, hardin being the worst generally, or noah being cucked on

[@cereal_arson3437]

Help I can’t imagine being in the same house as Krimson while he’s filming these You’re just sitting there, doing something, and you just hear a muffled “I… I *Love you*!” Through the wall 💀

[@cereal_arson3437]

This isn’t anything against the reading, by the way, this video is great and I love Krimson’s content explicitly for this reason. The dedication is admirable :D

[@KrimsonRogue]

Lol, the wifey said that whenever she hears me screaming at a book, she just turns the TV volume up.

[@Nixahma]

@@KrimsonRogue She's developing a tolerance to the cringe (that is the book).

[@DarkVideogamer]

Tessa getting the job super easily could have been an interesting start to show how the nepotism that got her the job is a major double-edged sword. Sure she's got arguably a dream job but everyone doubts her skill due to how she got the job, maybe its harder than she expected, maybe her employment ends up being dangled over Hardin and his dad so the ceo can get his way on certain things. Like Tessa could end up just being a pawn in a game that she wasn't aware was there originally.

[@tabithadickson36]

Thats kinda similar to a story point in one of my favourite series sekaiichi hatsukoi the protagonist ritsu left his job at his dads publishing company due to overhearing colleagues talk about how easy he has it due to it being his dads company and that triggers the job move which starts the whole romance

[@friendofdragons763]

I love the whiny voice you use for Hardin. It's so fitting. He is an absolute manbaby.

[@catspaw3092]

His dad should just pack him up & send him back to his mum he shouldn't have to deal with a bratty emo kid who throws a tantrum.

[@georgeweaver9665]

@@catspaw3092 obviously NUMEROUS tantrums, not just “a” single one.

[@catspaw3092]

@@georgeweaver9665 Agreed plus Tessa needs to get therapy herself so she can build her self confidence & avoid guys like Harden. She can have anything she wants but is letting Harden drag her down with him & she needs to tell her mom to piss off. The author can't write to save her life she, James & Meyers needs a crash course at what makes a relationship work.

[@georgeweaver9665]

@@catspaw3092 yeah, you’re absolutely right! 👍

[@nikokida7878]

The author being like “yeah, of course the relationship is SUPPOSED to be toxic, duh” is so infuriating to me for some reason. Like, you know she realizes she fucked up, but then she just tries to gaslight everyone into thinking it was deliberate.

[@fortunatecookie]

And then later she tried to take it back and argue that people should stick it out for relationships like this

[@brunoayala5925]

"i was just pretending to be retarded :D"

[@Aster_Iris]

The worst part is that she claims that the message of this book is "forgiveness" when forgiving someone who was awful to you doesn't mean that you should continue to date them. It just further spreads this mentality I see everywhere where everyone conflates forgiveness with trust when forgiveness is actually letting go of hatred and moving on with your life. You don't hate the person who hurt you anymore and will treat them with kindness if you see them again, but you're not gonna let them back into your life the same way if you saw a feral dog you'd do what you can to help it if it's injured or sick (like call a vet or rescue organization if it's a situation outside of your ability) but you're not letting it inside your house and you're certainly not adopting it because you know it's dangerous and will bite people i.e. you (not the best analogy but it'll have to do for now).

[@insulttothehumanrace3807]

@@Aster_Iris I mean, comparing Hardin to a feral dog isn't exactly an unfair comparison...

[@joshdaily4950]

"It's unhealthy, that's literally the point. She brings out the best in Hardin." If the "best" is unhealthy, then that's not a good relationship

[@DriftPiss9000]

the art in that graphic novel feels like something out of wikihow. Weird because the artist (outside of the graphic novel) is pretty good.

[@marctaco2624]

The book broke them.

[@cuppajoewithjoe2148]

They knew what story they were adapting and knew it wasn't worth their full effort.

[@alexjewett7455]

They probably took one look at the script and decided, "yeah, I'm not bringing my a game to this."

[@Duhgel]

As an artist, can confirm, I draw so much worse for shit idc about

[@spiderlily723]

@@Duhgel Then maybe you should work on growing a spine, so you learn to refuse work instead of trying to scam people from lower quality work or stop commisions if you can't be bothered. :)

[@jaday7282]

Harden is the guy you hear about in the most recent true crime documentary about the horrific murder of a girlfriend by a sadistic, narcissistic, horrendous excuse of a human being. The documentary starts and you hear about all the things he did (as discussed in the "novel") and you scream at your TV, "HOW COULD YOU NOT SEE THIS!"

[@georgeweaver9665]

Yep, that’s exactly what would happen if reality legitimately ensued!👍

[@cazadorcrazy9194]

When I heard that Hardin was keeping sheets with whatever-her-name-is' blood on them, I thought he was going to get framed for her murder.

[@Stargazer_Ley]

That would have been interesting. Like maybe he gets pulled over and is drunk or something and the cops search his car and see the blood and just like assume he killed someone. Idk. Sounds better that what was actually written. :/

[@insulttothehumanrace3807]

I just thought the mother was going to find them and use that as evidence that Theresa is too far gone and cuts her off for good. You both had way better ideas, though. Shame that wasn't what happened.

[@LooneyLei]

If that was what happened, I couldn’t even begin to image the reactions of the poor cops after they realize the real reason behind the sheets

[@Xehanort10]

To be fair Hardin being jailed because the police think he killed Tessa would be hilarious karma.

[@DarwinRoger893]

He gets arrested one night, the police interrogate him only to find out about the bet thingy, causing them to get horrified by that. Hardin doesn't return to college for the next semester after that.

[@prettyevil6662000]

This is probably going to sound absolutely pathetic, but I think this book helped me escape my last relationship before it turned anymore abusive than it already was. I do not have a good basis for what healthy relationships should look like so I get lovebombed easily into things I really shouldn't. But it took only a month to realize this last one was deeply problematic because my last ex behaved exactly like Hardin and in book form I was able to immediately identify this was childish and nonsense. It was the moment he was tossing a chair and she was whispering a meek apology to other customers and I'd just had to apologize to people for his behavior IRL that I realized my ex was Hardin and despite all his insistence, I was not just too stupid to handle a relationship. He was just a manchild and he wanted me to be his mommy that he could throw tantrums at and get consoled by afterward. Maybe this book should be marketed as a thriller domestic abuse novel instead - one of those PSA, it's not just physical abuse that is abuse type things. It definitely has all the beats of an emotionally abusive relationship down pat. It's so concerning how many girls and women are trained to think this is romantic. Edit: Just got to the end. I'm sorry you also dated 'Hardin'. No one deserves it.

[@why-by5sc]

i hope ur doin better now

[@melinaalba63]

I'm already out of my last relationship but seeing this makes me think of him constantly because with everything Hardin does I think to myself "pretty much like my ex". It's funny and horrible at the same time

[@georgeweaver9665]

Hey, don’t be too hard on yourself like that. Everyone is different. I’m really glad that you genuinely found a way out of a toxic relationship, (even if it was with the purely unintentional help of a book like this.)

[@insulttothehumanrace3807]

That's very good for you, and I hope you're doing better for yourself. Honestly, the closest to "pathetic" any of this gets is Anna Todd thinking she wrote a genuinely romantic story, when she really wrote the perfect warning signs for people like you to get away from these types of dudes.

[@alexjewett7455]

Proof that even complete and utter garbage does occasionally have some value.

[@upgradeninja7350]

I haven't finished the review yet (I'm at 46:15) but It feels like Tessa views Noah less like a person she cares about with his own agency and more like an object of last resort. She constantly cheats on him and breaks promise after promise and still expects him to stay just in case she likes him again instead of moving on and not emotionally abusing him by cheating. And the book expects us to take her excuses for cheating and still see her as a good person like no. I feel like Tessa would also be the type to have a meltdown if Noah or Hardin cheated on her even after what she's done yet still justify her own cheating.

[@flowersandcheesecake1710]

Tess doesn’t like Noah at all not even a little as a person she never felt guilty about cheating at any point of the story, activity cheats on multiple occasions , and even when she knows something bad will happen when she verbally breaks up with Noah (aka her mom getting pissy) she doesn’t sacrifice that much for the guy she knew since childhood that’s has his pestering flaws but is a good person and Tessa had been nothing but high quality garbage to him #JusticeForNoah But yeah screw Tessa and Hardin and this book series deserve to be in a trash can in the firey flames of the inferno

[@upgradeninja7350]

@@flowersandcheesecake1710 yeah and the story still portrays her as nice. Also I'm about an hour and twenty in and I was right about her getting upset over others cheating with Hardin and Molly. Even though her cheating was way more severe with her having s*x with Hardin after Noah gave her so many more chances then she deserved.

[@Burner-B]

She is at least a sociopath. Possibly a psychopath. Likely narcissistic, certainly with a humiliation and.... 'Non-consensual sexual activity' fetish. So I doubt she views anyone as a person

[@ladyvictoria820]

Spoilers for series, but she DOES throw a massive tantrum when she suspects that Hardin is cheating on her.

[@upgradeninja7350]

@@ladyvictoria820 I looked at other reviews so I know and it hilarious she actually cheated had no remorse or pay back yet starts losing it at the mere prospect of getting cheated on lol

[@sorcerersapprentice]

10:04 Fun fact: Apparently Anna Todd hates ketchup irl. Okay, I get adding random little details to characters to bring them to life more, even small quirks that you or your loved ones have irl. Hell, I do the same when writing my own characters. Adding something that specific to Tessa's character and calling out to it does no favours to make her seem less of a self insert for the author...which is super creepy given the fact that Harry Styles was a fucking minor when she wrote this. Same goes for Tessa's internship, which seems like wish fulfillment for the author.

[@Onewingerdraven]

And chris chan hates pickles.

[@maideninorange240]

For so many years, I didn't know why it was the After series that drove me up a wall where dreck like Twilight, 50 Shades, and 365 Days couldn't. And you finally hit the nail on the head why: because the After series is too grounded in reality. At least with the other main examples of toxic relationships, they were all so clearly fantastical that, while still obviously toxic and damaging to the people in them, there's still a sense that this isn't real. No matter how much they upset you, there's still the notion of this not being real that lets you separate yourself from the book's nonsense. The After series doesn't have that. Everything that happens in it feels disturbingly grounded in reality. Like this could happen to you or someone you know (and maybe already has). This would be fine if I was supposed to be creeped out, but I'm not. I'm supposed to be rooting for this relationship. I'm supposed to want these two to be together. And as a member of the target audience, that is what I find most disturbing about them. In all the years of watching you tear atrocious books apart, I don't think I could ever say one was *dangerous* before. But this series is absolutely dangerous, with it's toxic messages to both men and women alike, and it's glorifications of trauma and abuse. And I feel it is that notion, that disturbing reality, that makes this book frankly *uncomfortable* to listen to. A lot of those passages really creeped me out, and now I understand why. I am so, so sorry to hear that you went through such a horrible relationship. This book must've been so painful to read with this in mind. This book may not be the worst book you ever read objectively, but it certainly must be up there in terms of how much it pissed you off. I know it is the worst one for me at least. I am so, so thankful that my first exposure to After was through watching people like you tear it apart, even years later. Granted, this book's emotional melodrama would've made this a painful read for me nevertheless, but at least this way I go in knowing *why* a lot of it made me so uncomfortable. It is books like this that make me thankful for turning out to be aromantic in the end (and for just being too much of a video game nerd to even bother with things like Wattpad lol), and it is books like this that act as the antithesis to everything I stand for. This is easily the worst book I've ever had the misfortune to learn about, and no I haven't forgotten about Empress Theresa (which was at least more funny bad than infuriating). The only thing it is good for is working as a good manuel on how NOT to write healthy relationships if your only good option was the bargain bin. And to end things on a lighter note, good luck on your next project Krim! I missed most of the buzz around it, but from the sounds of things...you'll need it! Hopefully it will be much more fun to break about than After lol.

[@xLiLlyx98]

I agree with everything you said about After, and my thought was always that there are no vampires in this world and not that many mafia bosses looking to kidnap you (as far as I know) but you could go to the gas station around the corner and run into a Hardin, and I've seen a lot of people around me struggle with toxic people and hoping they could fix them by just pouring more and more energy into them... And it's terrifying. So, yeah. Give me vampires that are out of the loop socially but at least care for their love interest in a genuine way over this trash fire. And yeah, I agree - fuck the entirety of Wattpad 😀

[@insulttothehumanrace3807]

Funny you bring up Empress Theresa, because that problem kind of exists there too. One of the most frustrating parts of that book is when Theresa goes to Paris, and just acts like a snobby brat the whole time she's there. That annoyed many people, even more so than the mountains of gold or the nuclear bomb execution or the explanation of HAL... because it hits closer to home. Those three things I mentioned -- heck, at least half the book -- are so detached from any semblance of reality that it's difficult to take it seriously. But that Paris trip... there are people like that, and we probably know one or two of them. And Theresa is supposed to be the one the audience wants to succeed.

[@TheTestoyer]

@@insulttothehumanrace3807 / she's also supposed to be this never wrong/ always right person so her shit talking Paris...which any of her distastes are just the author's obviously

[@P.eac.h]

I 100% agree. I'd also add that what makes After so awful is how the author genuinly believes that Hardin would 100% be a good partner to have. The author has stated publicly that she believes you can "fix" people like Hardin. That people give up on their partners too quickly because if you keep trying you will fix your abusive partner. I'm not into the whole "if you read something with bad stuff in it you support said bad stuff" but by supporting After (buying movie tickets + the book) you are giving money to someone who has told people to stay with their abusive partners because they can fix them if they try and continuing to give her money to spread that message.

[@WarmLusamine]

@@TheTestoyer Book: is written by a supposed diehard Christian. Author: is a supposed diehard Christian *_ALSO BOOK & AUTHOR:_* mocks the Notre Dame cathedral

[@Xehanort10]

2:44:38 Tessa's mother being portrayed as a snobby, controlling religious fanatic is how all parents in bad romances are treated. Their justifiable concern for their sons or daughters is painted as cruelly trying to stop "true love" even though the teen or early 20 something protagonists don't know that finding someone hot and wanting to shag them isn't love.

[@greywalker505]

It's ridiculous. Charlie from “Twilight” is an especially tragic example. Poor schmuck just wants to do the best he can for his daughter, and he’s pretty damn justified in not liking Edward, but he’s treated like an overbearing prude.

[@Poisonouscosmic]

The clip of Harley Quinn at 44:34 honestly fits the video perfectly considering the episode that part comes from, "Mad Love", is entirely about her domestically abusive relationship with The Joker and is a significantly superior showing of the Cycle of Abuse in comparison to the After series. I mean, he literally shoves her off the table immediately after she says the "Rev up your Harley." line, and moments later tries to dissolve her face with acid. And that's just one scene and it's not even the worst he did in that one episode *alone*

[@desi1790]

God why do people ship them so hard

[@Xehanort10]

@@desi1790 I blame the first Suicide Squad film. In every continuity before that Joker and Harley's relationship was shown and acknowledged as abusive with Batman trying to get through to Harley that Joker's just using her. But Suicide Squad portrays it as loving even though Joker electrocutes her and gets her to jump into the same chemicals he fell into.

[@ScarletSilverIron]

​@@desi1790because there are versions of them that are in a healthy relationship?

[@Phantomphan613]

​@@ScarletSilverIron in what universe?

[@thefruitsong]

Honestly. The moment where they are destroying the computer could have been a big character development moment for Hardin. Seeing Tessa become destructive could have been a wake up call for Hardin where he realizes that he's continuing the cycle of abuse and twisting someone he (allegedly) cares about into a monster like him. (I'm aware it's a constant fuck up, but I'm just saying) Imagine if that was Hardin's moment where he realizes that he wants to be better. And actually acts on it, becoming a better man to match the goodness in Tessa rather than be the anchor that drags her down. Maybe they start taking him to those places you break plates and hammer walls and shit, possibly push him into actual talk therapy. He realizes that people are changing around him, and he needs to heal before he torpedos himself into a place he can't return. Of course this would only work if there hadn't been a fight every three pages and Hardin's nature had been dialed way the fuck back.

[@KM-hv1jg]

I thought that was how the scene was going to be at first. Shame it didn’t.

[@B_Squar3d]

My idea for an "After" rewrite would either do this, but have Tessa be too far gone and try to help her but ultimately fail, so he's stuck with the knowledge that he ruined someone good and decent. He doesn't get a love. Tessa's gone. Noah's fucked. No happy endings. Real tragedy. But the fun version is to go full Titanic. Hardin and Tessa remain the same for the first half of the book. Basically all of Act I and like half of Act II. Then for the rest of the book Noah gets a gun and starts shooting at them. Which, given it's an American school, is just another Tuesday and fully believable. Noah just fuckin' snapping because of all the abuse. And we watch him try to hide the bodies and stuff.

[@thefruitsong]

@@B_Squar3d "And then, there was a school shooting!"

[@xLiLlyx98]

@@thefruitsong wasn't that a plot point in one of the books Onision has written ...

[@WarmLusamine]

All but one of onion boys books involved a school shooting.

[@Selene_Rosara]

The first "real relationship" I ever had as an "adult", I was 19 so barely a formed potato but legally an adult, was just as toxic and abusive as this relationship has been written. The parallels were mind boggling to me although I didn't cheat on my high school boyfriend. Anna Todd might be under the misguided impression that the abuse makes the story quirky or relatable but having lived it, gotta call bullshit on that one. It was hell. Being in that relationship was one of the worst things I have ever lived through. I barely survived. One of the only "upsides" of that relationship was my ex was so abusive and toxic that I pretty much got a crash course on a lot of red flags in the span of two years. It's not cute, it's not quirky, she doesn't bring out his good side, or whatever excuse Anna Todd wants to use. It was horrible, I hated it, I don't tell anyone about it anymore because I never want to visit that portion of my life again. If someone told me tomorrow that my ex was dead, I would buy new shoes to go ruin because I was dancing on his grave. Tl;dr: Fuck this book. 😂

[@xLiLlyx98]

Just good on you for being out of there, that must have been tough as well and I hope you're doing great now!

[@Selene_Rosara]

@@xLiLlyx98 I'm doing much better now, thank you. 🖤🖤

[@xLiLlyx98]

@@Selene_Rosara glad to hear that! 🖤

[@bleakautomaton4808]

Even with the bad stereotypes about parental issues, if like me you grew up with an emotionally abusive step dad and would gladly spit on his grave and would make fun of him being sterile - it's just dandy to feel the way you do with your situation. Crap books romanticizing abuse and, in my case, stories praising 'just make up they are family' are terrible.

[@karlispovisils5297]

Masochistic Tango series books best to worst (so far): 14. Modelland 13. Star Wars: Aftermath 12. Trigger Warning 11. The Mister 10. Handbook for Mortals 9. Twilight: Midnight Sun 8. 365 Days 7. Ready Player Two 6. Stones to Abigail 5. After 4. This is Why I Hate You 3. Reaper's Creek 2. Empress Theresa 1. 64 Squares I didn't think it would be possible for one of Onion Boy's books to be surpassed but here we are. Stones to Abigail is poorly planned with many dumb characters. The characters in After seem even worse and the plot makes even less sense. I'm debating putting it below This is Why I Hate You, but that book's climax seems too problematic to not be at its place and I think the plot makes about as much sense as After's. I could be talked into ranking it lower though.

[@TheEldritchGod]

This is why I hate you killed the MC. That bumps it below After.

[@crowthewicked8344]

@@TheEldritchGod Yeah, at least it gave a satisfying ending.

[@asioflammeus4846]

In my own ranking, I actually consider After to be even worse than Empress Theresa. While Empress Theresa is objectively a worse written book in virtually everything, it is very niche and too detached from reality to have much impact beyond “wow, this sucks”. After on the other hand is an extremely popular novel that portrays a rather realistic depiction of abuse as healthy and plays into the extremely dangerous “I can fix him” belief. I think it’s fully possible that some of the young women who’ve read it were influenced to believe that type of treatment is okay. Empress Theresa is absurd and laughable, After is actively dangerous.

[@karlispovisils5297]

@@asioflammeus4846 I can understand that. I personally prefer ranking these books outside of their impact on the world, just the content from the front cover to the back.

[@LooneyLei]

Was Modelland a “so bad it’s good” type of book? Tbh it did gave me nonsensical Alice in Wonderland or ENA vibes

[@elnacho657]

Just let Todd spend a weekend with Onision and see how her books will change genres from romance to psychological thriller

[@REDACTEDbox]

she’s a grown ass adult, i doubt 🧅would let that happen

[@tinpenguin13]

As much as I love your bad book reviews, I'm glad you're pulling the plug on this series, because it never gets better. Just toxicity and more toxicity. And as someone else who survived an abusive relationship, honestly just the lovely glimpses we get of your current relationship are inspiring, bc it shows that we CAN find our way back from terrible situations. I hate the After series so much, but I'm so glad you were able to turn this review into an illuminating and hopeful message.

[@GrifoStelle]

I'm with you and rogue. I heard out the first part waiting for things to go surreal. It's just too relatable.

[@ErinPrimette]

Mewtwo, despite being the world's strongest Pokemon, would definitely work on his own problems and anyone who's lucky to earn his trust can offer some extra emotional support where needed.

[@RinLockhart]

Mewtwo is so cool.

[@Pandachu123]

Oh, agreed. He also knows when he's in the wrong.

[@KM-hv1jg]

“I see now that the circumstances of one's birth is irrelevent,it is what you do with the gift of life that determines who you are.” Abraham “Mewtwo” Lincoln

[@TheGardiner]

I’m assuming this comes up in the video, I have not gotten to it yet. I’m intrigued to see the context.

[@ErinPrimette]

@@TheGardiner ...I'm actually confused about what you mean.

[@clpearson991]

I'd like to see a story where our lead breaks up with her boyfriend because she realizes she's not interested anymore and then doesn't immediately jump a toxic jerk. You don't have to break up with someone only because you met someone (worse). You can break up and be fine alone. Need more of that in entertainment.

[@mandragorius9637]

True i guess But... you know im afraid you woudnt have a story Its a genre thing Imagine you read a barely above young adult love story and then she breaks up with her Highschool sweetheart followed by 3 chapters of first recovering from the break-up, then finding new friends at collage, doing generic activities one might try. Aaaaand then downloading tinder and starting to date To be honest i would read that maybe... it feels grounded somewhat, but this is... not the target demographic for these this kind of books

[@JekyViews]

@@mandragorius9637 - just have her travel with a friend, and write about them learning about different cultures and stuff? Maybe volunteering somewhere? A friend of mine went to Rwanda and helped build a schoolhouse in a village. Life doesn’t have to be mundane just because there’s no current romance. :) Granted, it would be a different genre than YA romance, but it could be a good story nonetheless.

[@mandragorius9637]

@@JekyViews true that, but that is kind of my point The genre demands it I would probably still read it if there where a few chapters of character growth Then again I wouldn't read YA romance anyways unless friends recommend it

[@CodytheVictorian]

That’s a fine narrative but not for a romance story, this one’s a tire fire but a romance needs a romance

[@clpearson991]

@@mandragorius9637 Maybe we just shouldn't have such a romance genre for preteens/teens. Or at least stop glorifying leaving the "safe" boyfriend for the toxic, abusive bad boy that you can **totally fix(/s)**.

[@Dr3Mc3Ninja]

47:26 I genuinely think you need red, triangular sticky tabs for these books. Mark down all the red flags that the brain-dead protagonists ignores, or acknowledges but then immediately disregards it.

[@KrimsonRogue]

Damn, I should've thought of that. That would've been good to point out.

[@potatopotato3284]

True

[@gaslightgatekeepgirlboss6321]

Am i the only one here who thinks that Hardin's backstory with his mother being "attacked" doesn't... make much sense? Like it doesn't correlate to how he acts at all? When writing traumatized characters, you'd expect their behavior to reflect on what they've experienced and Hardin's just doesn't-- AT ALL. For an example sake let's take a girl who only ever lived in the mountains with her parents who she loved and the only people she ever knew. One day they get killed right infront of her and she gets kidnapped. A boy saves her from the kidnappers and his family takes her in and treats her like their own. One day his family gets killed too so they're whats left. She acts extremely over protective over the boy and refuses to let him out of her sight, to the point where it may classify as an obsession. This is because her trauma over losing people she loves is causing her to fear losing him too, the boy who saved her and leaving her alone. The boy doesn't LIKE the fact that she is over protective over him as he sees it as her looking down on his own inabilities. This causes a rift in the dynamic between them where its overcome with an arc of her having to show she protects him out of genuine care and him having to realize this and her having to choose to trust him to make his own choices. That's directly correlating to the backstory. The girl's actions are directly caused by her trauma and the trauma is the direct source of conflict between her and the boy. That is a cohesive narrative. In After it's weird because Hardin displays a lot of shitty behavior that has nothing to do with how his mom was attacked by men. In real life ofc trauma manifests differently but since After is a fictional book it should follow a narrative flow that, idk, makes sense? He sees men that clearly treated his mother like property used to get back at his father. These men don't respect women even in the most basic of level. This traumatized Hardin so much, understandably, but how does this correlate to how he treats Tessa when he doesn't have any solid connection to these men so it couldn't have been learned behavior or something? His backstory just doesn't add much to his character besides shock trauma, and its so weird to me. I've been trying to look for ways to make it make sense in a narrative but i can't?

[@Xehanort10]

It's because Anna Todd only wrote that in as a lazy justification for what a shithead Hardin is. A tragic backstory done right explains a character's actions without justifying them but Todd portrayed it as if his mother's rape made Hardin an asshole and justifies it when it doesn't.

[@georgeweaver9665]

🙄Yeah…Anne Todd definitely did NOT properly think things like this through at all, did she?

[@emiliavachon]

You’re so right, there’s no correlation whatsoever. Unrelated but I kept grinning as my AOT spider senses totally clocked ur second paragraph 😁

[@Wraithspartan]

Based on what you're saying, Hardin sees his mother take up with men who act like dbags to her and is traumatized by this, so he... treats women in the same way as the guys he vilifies? Do I have that correct?

[@naan000]

I'm currently studying for -procrastinating- my english lit exam, but this comment is actually helping me with my revision

[@MadDemon64]

After is what happens when you see the relationship between The Joker and Harley Quinn as a goal.

[@nnnnmhughuuhhjiijj9457]

And yet, they still have more chemistry... Seriously, how do you mess up a 'romance' this badly.

[@ScarletSilverIron]

Harley was just as bad.

[@Neopologist]

The ending not only is ruined by the fact there's multiple sequels.... but also by the fact that in one of the sequels he confesses to doing THE EXACT SAME THING, BUT WORSE, namely RECORDING THE ACT

[@Vampgurl202]

At least twice more, between Natalie and Dan's sister

[@ChrisHarperBooks]

Nicholas Sparks has never been a favorite of mine. However I nearly died laughing when she classified his books as nothing more than happy romances. Especially the "happy" part.

[@mnschoen]

TBF she doesn't appear to have read any of the books she mentions and salivates over. She just knows they're "smart" books and popular authors, so she mentions them. You know, she's VERY well-read, she read a thing that's on the school curriculum for many many many many high schools. Did you guys know about The Great Gatsby? She's so well-read, I really admire her literary knowledge.

[@DrZuluGaming]

Wasn't The Notebook his most popular work, ends on a tragedy?

[@ShayLaLaLooHoo]

The most superior take on the "men place bets on a woman" trope is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Also, a similar, PG-rated version of this happened to me in eighth grade, but it was a prank rather than a bet. I went to a really small private school, (like, everyone knew _everyone_ in their grade,) and I had always been an ugly duckling (undiagnosed autism, woohoo!) A seventh grader was following me around and pestering me to go on a date, and "friends" came up to congratulate him even though I said no. One of my _actual_ friends told me what was up when he learned that I didn't know it was a prank, and he said that "most of the grade was in on it." Two of the four people who thought up the prank had been my friends last year (like, I was writing them as characters in my stories!) This stuff is traumatizing.

[@VincentMariethe4th]

I used to date a guy who was pretty needy & codependent & it was friggin exhausting. Yet he wasn't NEARLY as awful as Hardin. I REALLY can't understand how this is an appealing fantasy in any way possible. Re the traumatic backstory, what pisses me off the most about it is not only everything you discussed, but this is something that happens to his MOTHER. But we're never gonna hear how SHE, the literal victim, has had to cope with that trauma, it's all about the pissant manbaby's pain. On the plus-side, your furbabies are adorable, & your cat's purring is very comforting.

[@alexwyatt2911]

I’m glad you’ve moved on from that needy/codependent/exhausting partner; I’m wondering why Krimson couldn’t see that he was being needy/codependent/exhausting with his ex-gf. First, from everything I know about Krimson, he seems like a kind, thoughtful person. Second, I fully acknowledge that I know a very limited amount of info about both him and his previous relationship. I also know that using a partner as a way to cope with job stress is not healthy or a fair expectation. It’s one thing to ask a partner for insight and emotional support in preparation for a presentation or navigating an interpersonal conflict with a colleague. It’s another thing to expect your partner to be a daily stress ball. Dumping all his stress on his ex-gf made him feel better but it made her feel worse; that’s why she withdrew. She stated her boundaries-leave work at work-and he bounced, which he has every right to do. However, drawing that boundary doesn’t mean she was toxic or unsupportive. Again, there’s obviously a much larger story and more to it than just this; I’m just surprised that Krimson doesn’t see that he was asking for a very needy/codependent/exhausting thing. Listening to someone bitch and complain every day (or a couple times a week) sounds so unpleasant and exhausting.

[@keignar851]

@@alexwyatt2911 What're you on about? Krimson's IRL relationships? About the book?

[@alexwyatt2911]

@@keignar851 The former

[@keignar851]

@@alexwyatt2911 seems like a weird thing to point about someone on an online forum but that might be me(genuinely). Though it feels like a nonsense argument since you can theoretically have bad traits and stoll be able to recognise them as bad in a narrative, whether or not self aware of your own.

[@alexwyatt2911]

@@keignar851 Why is that a weird thing to point out? Krimson was talking about this subject matter in the video. I was commenting on his video content-that’s the entire point of the comment section. Importantly, I also pointed out that we all don’t know the larger story (or many details); my underlying point was that I wouldn’t categorize a person as “toxic” or “unsupportive” for the sole reason that they’re unwilling to be an emotional punching bag.

[@diandramorar4412]

AS SOMEONE WHO READ WUTHERING HEIGHTS- i have a confession i discovered that book through After. And again as p&p, Todd doesn’t know what she was talking about. This book is about generational trauma. It’s about how the actions of one generation affects the other and they are obligated to repair otherwise they would have been repeat the same pattern. Wuthering heights is not a love story, it’s a tragedy. About a boy who was abused and who became the abuser. Catherine and Heathcliff had chemistry yes, BUT IF THEY COULD BE TOGETHER IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HELL REGARDLESS.

[@cozyemeralds]

THANK YOU OMG I WAS SCREAMING WHEN THAT CAME UP. I just think Todd has never read classic literature in her life and if she did, she barely passed her English courses.

[@kittysakuraba1656]

Having been a victim of emotional abuse/manipulation, I can sympathize and it’s why I’m planning to avoid After, 365 Days and Fifty Shades… But holy shi-. Are you okay after reading this and retelling that thing with your ex? I hope you’re in a better relationship now.. if not PLEASE run away. I know it can skew your perspective of relationships in the future. I actually started to cry hearing your story and I was about to beg you to not continue with this, so I was relieved to know you’re not continue with it. 😭😭 Although on a brighter thing, I love listening to you talk about books. Also please never put yourself through something triggering (in the sense of something that negatively influences your mental health) just to appease your fans. Your mental/emotional/physical well-being is more important than views

[@KrimsonRogue]

Thanks, but I'm in a much better relationship now. We're engaged. :D And while the book was very distressing, I've been through worse than what it can provide or remind me of. Besides, I think I was able to use the book's evil for good when I related my own cautionary story.

[@gracekim1998]

@@KrimsonRogue hmm 🤔 I think I get what you mean 😅

[@searching4stars250]

@@KrimsonRogue Congratulations 🎊 👏

[@Onewingerdraven]

@kittysakuraba1656 I hope you're healing. Take care.

[@aaclovern9804]

After: glorification of abusive relationship Latest JCS video: reality of abusive relationship

[@hippiegamer112]

Lol, I have that video pulled up right now. More people need to see the reality of these awful situations, not this glorified garbage from a writer who clearly needs to see a therapist.

[@riley2120]

What video are you referring to?

[@naarelservs9713]

@@riley2120 I believe it's "Yeardley's ex boyfriend", the newest one

[@laurahertzman943]

Since when did it become "cool" to glorify abusive relationships? Don't any of these women (I refuse to call them authors) know that there is such a thing as EMOTIONAL and VERBAL abuse? Not just physical??? Anyone who thinks this is romance needs psychological help.

[@Horvath_Gabor]

I'm fairly sure that's a trope as old as time, we just see it more nowadays because Twilight opened the flood gates and created an entire generation of female writers who are iterating on the possessive, unhealthy relationship between Edward and Bella by making it more and more extreme over time.

[@TheArmyOfOne100]

Might as well get every woman on earth psychological help then.

[@mandragorius9637]

Even before twilight funnily enough the entire vampire genre is filled with that But makes sense somewhat A older/old man with incredible power over you and could to terrible things to you with little to no consequences if he does is being romanticised... I wonder if there are historical parallels to actual live

[@Horvath_Gabor]

@@mandragorius9637 Well, considering that until the suffrage movement, the average woman was pretty much controlled by older men who held power over them and could do terrible things without consequences (read: their fathers and their husbands), and this used to be the status quo for literally thousands of years, I wouldn't be surprised if that caused a lasting cultural meme slash repressed fetish to form, and it finding an outlet in this particular genre.

[@mandragorius9637]

@@Horvath_Gabor yeah, that was the joke^^

[@johntaylor7029]

I got you Krimson. One fan fic, just for you. It's a first draft, be nice. (Working Title: The Dummy) Noah clutched the wheel of his car as he sightlessly hurtled down the road. Her words echo in his mind, the look on her face as she looked at Hardin burned into his memory. A horn blares and Noah is pulled back into reality; headlights blind him as his car veers across lanes. Instinctively he wrenches on the steering wheel, throwing the car almost onto the highways shoulder. His hands shake, every mile it's harder to focus. More horns seem to scream accusingly at him, and yet they do nothing to drown her words out. He sees an exit and pulls off the high way; letting the road take him anywhere. A part of him wishes to turn around, to save her, to save what they built. He grits his teeth, and clutches the wheel. His path winds through dark country roads, and small town avenues, into quiet, dark emptiness. Soft jazz music play via Spotify on his phone, a recording of Louis Armstrong's The Dummy begins. Listening to the sibilant brass and gravelly voice, Noah begins to tap his fingers along with the music. When Louis belts out that he could assemble a 'dummy' from random trash, and still get more loving, Noah breaks. New tears pour as he laughs, Tessa had always taken his love and his support, what had she given him? Lies, deceit, disrespect and running to some idiot who openly scorned her. "Dummy" he says, an apt replacement for the words Noah longed to use. The gas light blinks on and Noah pulls into a station. He breathes the night air in deep, the tears still going. Mindless he cleans the windows as the car refuels. "You ok?" Drawls a soft voice. "Yes!" Noah flinches, responding before he turns around to see who spoke. Green eyes beneath blonde hair stare curiously, at him; a hand extended as though checking his wellbeing. "I'm fine, I just got soap in my eye-" his breath shudders, and he shrugs "I just broke up with my first girlfriend, she'd been cheating on me, she and her lover had an honest to God argument in front of me about thier relationship. I just left, ended up here." "Well sh*t, I'd say you need a drink, you 21?" Offers Green eyes. "18," Noah says "Well, I gave up a modeling career to go on a field study to rural Brazil, my professor bungled the whole thing, invalidating the findings, so I wasted three months in the jungle looking at rare cases of disease while my fiance caught the very common chalmydia bug from some random girl he met two weeks in." She speaks quickly, seemingly relieved to vent this string of bad luck. She smiles tiredly, extends a hand "Names Vanessa" "Noah" he takes her hand and shakes. "Looks like we've both had a hard time Noah." He nods. A conversation blooms between the two strangers; the unfamiliarity a safety. They vent thier concerns with out fear or inhibition. Tears flow, and hugs are given. Numbers are exchanged and the two strangers go their ways, feeling less lonely. Over the coming months texts are sent as Noah graduates and Vanessa returns to her under grad programs, the two friends grow closer, and texting turns to calls. Long chats go into the night, that vulnerability of thier first conversation a foundation for trust and respect. She recommends he come to her university; he works harder than he ever has to ensure he is accepted. Vanessa smiles as she helps him unload his car into his new apartment, laughing at some dumb joke. When he is unpacked, she says she needs to go, he thanks her and they embrace. The scent of her perfume is full, like flowers and chocolate; it intoxicates him. Her body is warm agaisnt his. But more than that, he feels safe, he has shared so much with her, he could give any piece of himself and knows she would take care, and embrace it. He sighs and the hug goes on, she makes a happy noise and leans against him. "I'm glad you are here" He smiles like an idiot "No place I'd rather be, we need to hang out before our work loads get out of hand" She nods "Definitely" The embrace eventually ends. But far too soon. The semester goes on. They study together, and hang out; both avoiding parties and focusing on their studies. The classes are difficult, but in each other they fund strength, support. They often give long good bye hugs, which turn to kisses, hand holding and so much more. Hanging out becomes dates and so much more. Soon, they rarely go long with out seeing each other. Plans for the weekend become plans for the year, the decade, for their lives. One day, as finals approached, they sat on the couch as they studied hectically. His phone rings, he answers and flinches. He hangs up with-out saying a word. "Who was it, what's wrong?" She asks. "Just some dummy, she got a new number it seems" he shrugs, pulling Vanessa closer to him. "Oh, her" she scoffs "Well, I still think I should thank that dummy, she drove you to me." "I drove myself that night!" He chuckles "Don't give her any credit" "Her loss" Vanessa leans against him "our gain." "Dummy" Noah grins as he declines another call, before blocking the new number.

[@anamariaramirez9341]

This is awesome! 😎🤩👏👏👏

[@lucca7566]

You better continue this my friend, just this tiny piece is better than anything Todd has ever written

[@insulttothehumanrace3807]

This was... actually pretty good. Thanks for writing this.

[@ladyblubel]

I’m always interested in these stories written by people that haven’t gone to college and see how they describe going to college. Every time Anna Todd describes something related to the school that Tessa and Hardin go to, it completely feels like high school, which kind of helps with the immature feel of the pair of them

[@ghouling1111]

Anyone else think of the scene in Titanic where Rose's fiance Caledon throws the table and screams at Rose, when Hardin kicked the chair in the froozen yogurt place? Rose was so shook up, I normal response! Tess just accepts this as normal way to behave? If he will do that in public, no way in hell he isn't going to do worse to her in private. Abusers start with throwing things and breaking things around their victims before they start hitting their victims as a way to test the waters on how much they can get away with.

[@tamararambo3079]

That scene from Titanic exposed how Cal is very controlling he is in private. It made sense not to expose his true colors in public, otherwise his reputation would've been tarnish. And Rose's reaction to Cal's controlling made sense, she went from being sassy to being terrified to him.

[@ghouling1111]

@@tamararambo3079 how is that relevant to my comment?

[@tamararambo3079]

@@ghouling1111 It indicates the reason Rose desires to break free from Cal, unlike Tessa.

[@edgarallenhoe3518]

The thing about the Truth or Dare scenes is that you could very easily substitute them with Never Have I Ever, which is way more believable at a college party.

[@lyokianhitchhiker]

How so? Is truth or dare more a middle/high school party thing?

[@edgarallenhoe3518]

@@lyokianhitchhiker yes

[@lyokianhitchhiker]

@@edgarallenhoe3518 Never understood why.

[@elliotchapman7261]

A new Krimson episode? This is the best Christmas present I could have asked for

[@PatheticJedi]

I knew guys like Hardin. I dated one. I was about Tessa's age, I was a bit of a sheltered and awkward kid, and the amount of things you described from the book as just being bizarre and completely toxic resonated a little too hard. It was a very bad relationship, and I do not recall it fondly *ever.* And seeing basically the exact same relationship depicted in a way that's meant to be "romantic" and "realistic" to girls who are around that age makes me pretty damn upset. I'm surprised you still have your copy intact, because my response would have been to throw it through a window. Also, side note, I was introduced to this channel today by these two videos being recommended to me by KZbin, and you have been a great addition to a day of unpacking and sundry-shopping for my new apartment. I'm convinced I found a gem here.

[@KrimsonRogue]

I wouldn't blame you for trashing your copy of this book. I'm keeping mine around only for archival purposes in case I need to reference it later. Still, I'm glad you were able to get out of your old relationship. I hope you're in a much better one now. Oh, and welcome to the channel! :D

[@PatheticJedi]

@@KrimsonRogue I'm not in a new relationship, actually, but a much better place in my life. From that old relationship (and for anyone getting out of a relationship like it) I learned how to be happier by myself. I'm happier relying on healthy friends and healthy family members for support. I really respected that you were honest about your experience with it, it's not easy to do that, and I'm glad you're in a much better place too. And thank you for welcoming me! I especially love your dives into psychology.

[@becuaseimbored3481]

10:40 Honesty, this seems like white knight behavior. It's very clear that tessa is embarrassed by this, but Hardin ignores her wishes to not make a scene. It reads as a grandiose gesture that's more for him than her because "he knows what's best for her." If he really cared than he would've taken the hint. It probably wouldn't come across this way if she reluctantly nodded instead of insisting she didn't want the new burger and him going "yEaH sHe dOeS"

[@matthewbusch6525]

1:59:47 I wish the mom had instead of saying the opening legs part and said this "But worst of all the poor boy was shattered, I know you are using this chance to run wild but "character name here" you should know your actions affect those around you" She then raises her hair showing where brandons mother had flew into a rage and ripped out her earing. "Sweetie I'm worried you aren't thinking long term, and why have you been dodging my calls?" I think that would add a while a more sympathetic angle to the mother gives the main character a more tangible cost to her decisions.

[@MononymousM]

Hang on, Brandon? Are you referring to Hardin? And if so, I'm afraid I'm still not following who and what this scene is specifically altering in regards to what it's trying to convey in the places it obviously diverges from the original passage and brings it back to planet earth in believable motive for the mum's distress. I'm probably going to feel silly at how obvious it is when I do see what you were trying to imply happened with the bruising and implication of very different off camera scenes that match the new message she's delivering that's framing her initial disapproval and distress as 'very firm but misunderstood expression of upset that actually reflects a realistically imperfect but loving mother who is beside herself with worry for very good reason out of fear for her daughter's wellbeing, from well... y'know - 'character shaped cartoonishly evil wrecking ball of suspension of disbelief, that Cruella deVil would criticise as "a bit much"'; but if it's not too much hassle would you mind explaining a bit further what's implied to have happened and where the new communication from the mother-but-realistic-adjacent in this scene is directed and/or to what effect within the story?

[@bobbiwithani7396]

I'm absolutely loving the snotty childish voice u gave Harden. I like that u do voices. It inspired me to do it myself when reading. Its extremely fun!

[@royallynick]

Love the inclusion of puppy. He looks like a little goober. Also very happy you're in a better place now. I understand how being in an abusive relationship feels and its not easy to walk away and recover from. Sending all my warm wishes for the holiday season

[@Lovettfourscore]

BAD NEWS EVERYONE. I just went and saw Blue Beetle(10/10) and before it started it showed a teaser to another after movie. There was about 30 people in a room that could hold 40 and I swear I heard 55 groans

[@guilhermesantos8728]

I was more surprised to find out there are now three movies

[@Lovettfourscore]

​@guilhermesantos8728 I'm more surprised that DC finally made a good movie after The Batman

[@guilhermesantos8728]

@@Lovettfourscore HA, true too!

[@mariavalie8434]

Anna Todd's whole statement at 1:21:00 is such a cop out. I call BULLSHIT. Her saying that the Tessa's and Hardin's relationship being toxic is the whole point is such a crappy cop-out. Because Tessa doesn't bring the best in Hardin. Any moments of "goodness" Hardin may have or show lasts for five seconds, and then he's off throwing another temper tantrum soon afterwards for another stupidly childish reason. If Anna Todd actually believes her own statement in this interview, then she's an even worse writer than I originally thought. Because none of what she says is ever shown or explained in the series. Hardin and Tessa go about their relationship with little to no consequences. Their "suffering" doesn't add anything to their story at all, because they make up without ever talking through any of their issues. And their issues are swept under the rug and forgotten about. I'm going to be honest, I don't actually believe Anna Todd believes what she is saying here herself, at all. I think she's pulling bullshit out of thin air to try and justify her book to her critics in order to get them off her back, because she has not other method of explaining away her romanticization of such a disgustingly toxic relationship. And in doing so, she can continue to promote her novel under the romance genre.

[@mladenkulic446]

I would also compare the twist of After to 10 Things I Hate About You. The audience knows from the begining of the movie Patrick's intentions with Kat. But unlike Hardin who is just angry baby, Patrick at least changes as the movie goes on and genuinely starts to have feelings for Kat. Which becomes heartbreaking when Kat finds out he dated her for money.

[@priyashab2214]

The twist actually majorly reminds me of She's All That where I'd argue the same as you- the mc shows evident growth and change, something Hardin never does

[@MononymousM]

@@priyashab2214 it genuinely took reading your reply twice to realise it *wasn't* She's All That being described in the original comment, and also that I was 100% like 'oh yeah, I know the one!' and being confidently wrong *the whole way up to that moment* without a single thought that it was the exact movie you just accidentally called me out on confusing it with that I was indeed actually thinking of, and also the reason I'd got to the end of reading his comment, your reply and then had the compulsion to re-read what you wrote instead of moving on. Yet at no stage did I consciously register that I even made a mistake until I read the exact description of what I was imagining for the second time and my brain caught up and processed what I'd just imbibed twice without comprehending had caught my attention because the effect of it was like you breaking the forth wall of my mind to call me out, yes me specifically, through the screen, on my exact thoughts before I figured out they existed externally to my reverie and Required Attention, ahem. Or, it was like you saying "...and then MononymousM realised she was dreaming and suddenly awoke in class", as though I were a student daydreaming without realising it and vaguely noticing the teacher, you, said something twice and people were laughing before noticing in the same absent way; 'huh, I'm in this description haha weird coincide- oh wait shit no that's actually me!' and snap back to the entire class looking at me, having suddenly realised the punchline was that I got caught drifting so hard the whole class had stopped to watch the embarrassed reaction they knew would be arriving shortly in a single big sheepish jolt after it became clear I *still* had zero awareness despite being the only one left out of the loop for waaayyy past any period of plausible deniability to claim I'd actually been listening at all😅

[@faithinthereins1222]

I’d like to think that when Tessa says “I’m helping you” and throws the monitor it was more of a last ditch attempt to get him to stop. Just distracting him from his emotions long enough to get him to realize that what he is doing is ridiculous. Kinda like when a baby is crying so you fake whine at them and they get sidetracked by confusion instead of crying. Then again, I have a hard time believing Tessa is smart enough to think of that

[@justsaying8041]

As someone who was also in an abusive relationship I can really understand your frustration with the book. The cycle of abuse, such as him getting angry, begging for forgiveness, doing a nice thing and then back to abuse, blaming his outbursts on her, and her feeling of constantly walking on eggshells and blaming herself for his outburst if it "ruins" their good moments are too close to the reality of what true abuse is like without ever acknowledging it. It's too real, it doesn't have any of the supernatural or way over the top moments ,good and bad, like in twilight or 50 shades and not as obvious as what society shows as terrible like 365. It is a "love story" that we are supposed to want to see successed but the truth is it is way to close to what most real world abusive relationships are like and her returning to fix him and not give up easily on him, something Todd said about her later books about how people give up too easily, just encourages people to continue to put up with the cycle. I would argue that this book does more to glorify abuse then any other story because it is supposed to be a good thing we route for and is not even painted as other as something bad when other characters see it happening besides the abusive mom which was not even for the true abusive nature of it, which credit to the other books is something done in them by other characters at least once, the character in this book actually think it is a good thing because she is "helping" him. I hate it and I'm glad you where able to find a better relationship and show others just how bad this type of relationship is, and how it does get better.

[@RagingSpartan24]

Really think noah should of been the mc in this story. He is way more of a likable and sympathetic character than the real mc and that way he might of actually ended up happy in the end.

[@everlastingdragon4520]

Some of Tessa's mother's behavior goes straight into parody territory. Also, if you look at the timeline of Pride and Prejudice and prior events, you'll see that only two months before the start of the book, his sister was almost ruined. Of course he'd be so foul-tempered, especially in the beginning.

[@maxxayarami5402]

That twist has made me the angriest I've ever been from a book I've never read! Something similar happened to my little sister (She was also in college), and it pains me to remember how upset she was and how badly I wanted to hurt the guys who bet on her! I just used a punching bag so she didn't have to see her brother go to jail because that wouldn't have helped. I'm rambling, but I hate that this book exists! Also, your videos are great. Keep up the excellent work helping me and others learn what not to do when writing!

[@EmillyOrr]

Dog break: absolutely needed. Also absolutely adorable.

[@kikusama]

The story should be about Noah and how he dodged a bullet . . . and meets someone sane, and treats him well. Then he tries to help his ex get out of her abusive relationship. . . because he's a good person.

[@penichilling]

Boiling down Catherine and Heathcliff not being together to Catherine being “stubborn” makes me question if Anna Todd paid attention in high school Literature class.

[@nyx6903]

I've just realized her name is Theresa and that makes me think about the disaster that was Empress Theresa... The flashbacks are terrifying. And I can't tell which is the lesser evil.

[@kirataylor5199]

Oml 😭😂