WelcomingRapier t1_irtbpjt wrote on October 10, 2022 at 9:48 PM

The cringiness of r/menwritingwomen definitely cuts back. He also improves quite a lot as a writer, but never becomes someone that you could say is a skilled wordsmith. I find his storytelling very readable though, despite their flaws, which is ultimately all most readers really want.

ThatNewSockFeel t1_irtjpkq wrote on October 10, 2022 at 10:48 PM

Yeah, he never does quite lose all of the neckbeardy cringe moments, but they become a little less over the top as the books go on.

WelcomingRapier t1_irtl6uj wrote on October 10, 2022 at 10:59 PM

The only thing I can recall off-hand is the cringy sexualization comments about his apprentice. I still feel a little dirty when that comes up every so often in the later books. I try to keep it in context, but it's tough.

ThatNewSockFeel t1_irtmmo0 wrote on October 10, 2022 at 11:10 PM

There's some of that throughout many of the books. Harry never met a woman he didn't like to ogle and describe in intimate, awkward detail. Nor does he ever miss a chance to go all "M'lady" when the opportunity arises. The Molly stuff is definitely the most cringe and, quite frankly, pretty gross though.

DoctorWaluigiTime t1_irtnzty wrote on October 10, 2022 at 11:21 PM

I honestly don't get this critique, since what few times it's mentioned it's always done as "this is bad and you should feel bad if you take it that way."

Heck, >!when Molly does become his apprentice the literal first thing he does is dump icewater over her and makes it a clear that he's not putting up with this student-teacher romance BS so don't even try the flirty-flirt nonsense.!<

Been a few years since reading the series proper but Dresden never comes off as "tongue hanging out and awooga horns play whenever he sees a woman" beyond the first couple books.

Contentiblereddit t1_irv1b2z wrote on October 11, 2022 at 6:49 AM

You mean after he >!let's her strip totally nude, confirms her body piercings, and get on her knees in front of him? There was absolutely no way he could have shut that down sooner?!<

DoctorWaluigiTime t1_irvgqff wrote on October 11, 2022 at 10:37 AM

Correct. In the circumstances it was the only way to get it out of her system, as it were.

There's also just the general issue of it being first person narration, where the only way we're getting any description of anything is via the main character's PoV.

Contentiblereddit t1_irvhowa wrote on October 11, 2022 at 10:49 AM

That's absolutely BS. If you can't think of a way to >!shut down a vulnerable teenage girl you might as well have been grooming before she gets naked, then you didn't want to shut it down.!<

fliponymousredux t1_irwlaj9 wrote on October 11, 2022 at 4:11 PM

He needed her to be absolutely certain she'd taken her absolutely best shot, no wiggle room, no "maybe if I'd tried harder". If he'd shut it down sooner she'd think she might still somehow have a chance.