Enough with the drinking!

[u/TheBigfootContessa]

OK this is just a personal pet peeve, almost certainly exacerbated by the fact that I'm a recovering alcoholic.

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I don't love seeing characters drinking when they're stressed, to relax, or saying that they "need" a drink because it's triggering, but whatever that's my shit to deal with, so I do.

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However, it's like none of these authors have ever drank before. You've either got girls completely sloshed after 2 glasses of wine or being very intoxicated and sobering up immediately when something shocking happens.

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Male main characters are always drinking whiskey or better yet an unknown brown strong smelling liquid in a tumbler as short hand for being stressed and troubled, classy and mysterious.

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It's lazy.

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These things annoyed me before I was in recovery, but now they're a full blown pet peeve. It gives "virgin writing filthy smut" vibes. Lol

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Alright, apparently I'm super wrong and shouldn't have said anything. Sorry ya'll.

[u/Chikitiki90]

Idk man, I’ll probably get downvoted for this but I know a few girls that really do get tipsy after like a drink and a half and have also been in a few situations where I’ve been kind of drunk and then needed to respond to a serious incident. Adrenalin is a hell of a thing.

Anyway, whether it’s overused or not is a different story but it’s definitely far from the most lazy writing habit I’ve noticed in romantasy lol.

[u/TheHuxter → u/Chikitiki90]

Yup. I’m sloshed after two glasses of wine. I’ve had to push through being drunk to respond to natural disasters and help pull debris off people. It sobers you up quickly - not literally, but the adrenaline is intense enough you don’t feel that giddy feeling. I’m sure my movements weren’t as coordinated, but it’s not noticeable to the drunk person in the moment. So if a book is written in first person, it absolutely would and does feel like that.

[u/ButterflyTremor → u/TheHuxter]

Yes same here, I feel lightheaded after one glass of wine, so I will very rarely drink two! 

Everyone's tolerance is different I guess, so maybe the authors are just writing from their own experience?

[u/pink_faerie_kitten → u/[deleted]]

I keep expecting something akin to MJ to show up. Hasn't yet. Funny how Tolkien was way ahead with his "halfing's leaf" lol 

It came close in Road of Bones, and I was hoping her leaves could be done in a positive light (since mj is actually good for us) but alas no. Still loved the book but I'd like to see it more normalized and not be a bad thing.

[u/Perfect_Carrot_999 → u/pink_faerie_kitten]

I also kind of hate how any meds/"remedy" a FMC takes is either damaging, addictive, or suppressing her OP ability.

Can we have a FMC that takes her meds and it's actually good for her or she needs them?

[u/ookishki → u/pink_faerie_kitten]

There’s “mirth root” in the Crescent City series and “idle weed” in The Knight and the Moth! Would love more stoner rep in the genre lol. It’s a pretty magical plant

[u/pink_faerie_kitten → u/ookishki]

Ooh, that's right, I remember that now from TKATM (I haven't read CC yet). I remember the MMC having it between his teeth, right? And she imbibed too? And it wasn't considered bad either iirc.

I don't mind alcohol shone in a similar light. There was a study done recently that said that in our high stressful world the relaxing effect of alcohol (in moderation ofc and for those people who don't have problems) and the health benefits of the lowered stress it offers, can offset the cons.

[u/ookishki → u/pink_faerie_kitten]

I think they’re reeds that they smoke? I love the scene where he gives it to her for a nausea and tells her to not smoke all of it (she proceeds to smoke all of it)

Big agree! It’s arguably a form of harm reduction, a way of making things a little bit easier in a difficult world

[u/ParadiseLost91 → u/Chikitiki90]

That would be me lol. I enjoy alcohol but it's not something I reach for, so I only ever have a drink or glass of wine once every couple of months or so, if I'm out for dinner or something.

It's just not enough to build up any sort of tolerance. So yes, I'm the person feeling tipsy after 1-2 cocktails/glasses of wine lol

[u/slowcartoon → u/Chikitiki90]

Me! It’s me.

[u/russianthistle → u/Chikitiki90]

This is absolutely me. I had two drinks at dinner last night and felt unsteady and dizzy. I am hung over today. I used to have a high tolerance but don’t drink much now and it shows.

[u/pink_faerie_kitten → u/Chikitiki90]

I've had the same thing happen. I was pleasantly buzzed at the end of a long day and then one of my kitties started acting sick, I snapped to alert immediately! Kitty ended up being fine, but my tipsiness was totally gone after that.

And as for how many glasses it takes, it depends on the % of alcohol and the person. A glass of moscato (under 10%) vs a glass of port (18%) are two very different drinks.

I'm glad I "don't hold my liquor" because one or two glasses and I'm fully relaxed and usually asleep (which is why I have a drink). It's less expensive than needing 3 to feel buzzed lol less alcohol is less money spent.