portrait of a SICK and TWISTED blogger.

You're ok! Happy to see you around and I hope that I answered your question. Feel free to come back and chat about your thoughts or questions on or off anon.

I'm curious about what you've seen that led to you asking me this question? I have an answer but I always like to know the context. I'll take any opportunity to ramble on about Capella nonetheless.

To answer it briefly, the most clear example of her racism would be against Artemy when she says that to everyone he's just an "unlikable savage with backwards ideas," using that point as a way to manipulate him into believing he has no future outside of her [Capella's] plans. I think it captures the irony of her position as the one who is ostensibly supporting the Kin, because she has Artemy as her hero and Taya on her side, and is apparently one who is much more humane than her father and even her brother. Also through Taya we learn that she told her to step aside and not bother the other Mistresses, and Artemy's tone in response is a little reserved and defeated when Taya tells him things "will be better" in my opinion.

As for misogyny, I actually think she possesses a clear analysis of how women are targeted to the Bachelor early when the witch hunts for the shabnak are happening. I think that the whole dichotomy of Mistresses/Rulers is a bit misogynistic because of it disguising the material conditions of the Mistresses, which is that all material power and influence still is in the hands of their husbands and that marital relationship, despite the idea that the husbands are supposedly their actors. However, even though this is a game and exists in the realm of fantasy where the Mistresses' powers are legitimized, they are ironized too by the game itself; Saburov's last conversation with Clara comes to mind (which is another very interesting discussion). So Capella then expanding that by promising that her female Bound will be Mistresses and then setting them up with their male peers in such a way becomes problematic as a method to empower them/the society they represent, the latter of which is something I think she genuinely believes is good.

That's what makes her so fascinating honestly; I can't hate her for any of this, because I think her intentions are good and she's so mature and intelligent, especially considering the adults we deal with, and yet her understanding is nowhere near complete. I don't think she's consciously doing any of these things to be malicious or controlling, or racist and misogynistic. She's very human in that regard.