Thank you so much for this comment!
Your read on Nour as the black sheep who gets it because they’re kind of on outside looking in is exactly right. And what S decides to do about their education will depend on a lot of choices throughout the story, you’ll be able to influence them one way or the other.
You’re spot on about tradition too: how do we keep what nourishes us and let go of what suffocates us? Like you said, you can’t do it alone.
I really appreciate you understanding why I locked parts of the MC’s identity—sometimes constraints do make stories stronger.
Sending solidarity on the panic attack recognition—that’s such a hard realization. 💜
(And yes, you’ll definitely find out how MC died!)