AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH OH MY GOD THATS SUCH A LONG AND THROUGHOUT REVIEW SDFGNSKDJGNSDKFJGN i dont even know what to say,,, you summed uts really well in the first paragraph!! i wouldn't say it better myself :')
sjgdkdkgfdkjhg thank you for your kind words about the artwork. I especially love the GUI yarrow made!! they're really talented!! (and i love the mood of vashti bunyan too aughgghgh)
EZEKIEL REALLY IS A BALL OF SUNSHINE AAAAAAAUGHGHGHGHGHGHG SOIGJSEOIJIOSJROSIEJRIOS and i'm glad that even if the jester is one of the antagonists (or the main antagonist) in the routes they don't feel completely evil. that was exactly what i was going for an i'm really proud it showed!! (AND THANKS FOR MENTIONING DULARI'S PARENTS !!!!!!!!!! THEYRE TRYING THEIR BEST :sob: )
"The characters, despite their differences, are all wonderful and likeable in their own ways (well, except Saruva)." DFIUGDGUIDSHIGUDHG YEAH LMAO
I really think it's beautiful how you described dulari's anxieties as "adult troubles" (with the quotation marks). Because as much as it really is part of her coming of age journey, it wouldn't be the first thing you think when you speak about adult troubles (i believe people would think of more practical things...? as in getting financial independence etc, but here it is about emotional maturity, emotional independence from one's desire to please or to fulfill general expectations).
"At the end, it really feels like Saruva's toxic, solitary obsession is pitted against the understanding love between Dulari and Ezekiel/Leon." *loud sobs crying*
this commentary on him is really interesting. one thing that i realized as i replayed his scene in the garden was how he looks 'in love' with vedanshi (dulari's mother) but how he quickly turns against her when she breaks up with him. all that talk earlier was a facade -- in the end, all he wanted was the attention, unwilling to actually sacrifice himself "for love" or to understand her feelings of guilt (since he doesnt feel any of it in the slightest). saruva is happy when he suggests karkarus (dulari's father) is jealous of them. he tries to make vedanshi feel guilty when she wants to break up with him, mentioning his late spouse as a 'barrier' that he finally overcame. nothing matters to him if it doesn't serve him. he's egoistic that way. (insane...)
"It's a powerful statement about growing up, and a lesson that is useful to many - that growing up is about accepting harsh realities, showing gratitude for your blessings, and spreading good in the world however you can, even if you know that the world won't change so easily." YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THAT'S EXACLTY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU SUMMED IT SO WELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11 AUGHGHG
the secret route really does wrap up all other routes pretty well. dulari goes through fun times, melancholic times, and after making peace with herself, she can finally reach her hand to help others feel the same. it's not to personal gain -- since she doesn't gain anything -- and not because of a duty -- since no one tells her to do it -- but because she's simply like that. She couldn't have it any other way. She just can't make herself go around life without caring, and while this made her overthink many things through the routes, it's the thing that makes her reach out to iris and even remember their name and who they were.
i think most of the time we are taught either to accept reality as it is and let it be or to get angry at everything that is wrong. I think both instances are incomplete. the first one makes you numb, the second one burns you out and in the end both make you blind. you really don't need to pick only one -- you can be both. and to me, that's when real maturity comes in -- when you still have that discomfort with injustice, but you fight it softly, with the weapons you have, anywhere you find the opportunity. it's not about hating yourself for having privileges, nor feeling superior for that. not about being blind for injustice, nor getting angry at everything and everyone for it. it's 'do what you can' -- but do to it, you have to be in peace with yourself and your own vision of the world, i guess.
thanks again for the review!! <33 i'm really glad you liked!!