Episode 3 of The Stories That Shape Us takes us to the mesmerizing world of toxic fictional relationships.

Why do we find ourselves rooting for couples we know are bad for each other? What makes these stories so captivating? And what do they reveal about desire, human nature, and the culture we live in?

Tune in now to explore why we just can’t quit the allure of toxic relationships in fiction, and what it says about us as a society.

For a list of all resources, books, and film mentioned, see the full show notes on Substack.

Subscribe to Prose and Ponder, the companion newsletter for even deeper explorations into literature and film, complete with curated recommendations. Plus, subscribers get early access to future episodes!

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lorenmadden.substack.com