Thank you so much to Ashleigh for commissioning this episode!
These chapters contain a lot of forward movement in terms of the Ichani and of course, Stara. The Ichani are finally getting their support from their King, and the Kyralian magicians are getting the picture, slowly but surely, that there are going to be way more Sachakan magicians than they had anticipated.
Stara, on her end, is married to a dude who has absolutely no interest in having sex with her. Since the whole reason she agreed to this marriage (not that she had much choice) was to bear her father an heir and ensure the safety of her brother's wife, this isn't the best news.
Thanks so much for listening, and I will see you soon with a new episode!

Thank you so much to Megan for this commission, I appreciate yoooouuu!
This episode is really an exercise in acute anxiety, and unlike the episodes previous which have ALSO dealt in wild escapades that are cringey and make me wince...this one doesn't end in a fashion that seems positive. It baffles me that there's another episode after this, because I truly can't imagine how Rebecca comes back from this.
Thank you all so much for listening, and I will see you soon with a new episode!

First of all, enormous thanks to Yama for commissioning this episode. I'm so annoyed because I scheduled for Hootsuite to share the link to the Crowdcast automatically, the way I do with every show, and for some reason they encountered an error and that link never went up. So Owen and I were really surprised that there was nobody in the audience for the Crowdcast, and it turns out that's why. Boooooo, and I'm so sorry to Yama that she missed chatting with us.

Thank you to Kyle for commissioning this episode!
These chapters are really interesting, which is surprising considering that they're mostly about people defending their theses in front of the Emperor. It doesn't sound too riveting in theory, but I found it to be compelling, not only because of the nature of the arguments themselves but also because of the background of the rituals and all of the intrigue in the court.
And then there's the looks back at the ways that Mimi (now Zomi) was educated, and the way her mind works. I'm dying to know what her thesis is.
Thanks so much to all of you for listening, and I will see you soon!

Thank you to Ashleigh for commissioning this episode!
In these chapters, we finally get to meet Stara's brother, and find out that he's done some growing up since the last time she talked to him. It turns out that he actually loves his wife, and she's in danger because she's barren and their father would be totally down to kill her and make room for a fresh new wife. The only way she will be safe is if Stara gets married and gives her father heirs...although since she plans on killing her husband during sex, she better get it right the first time!
Then there's the amazing moment with the magicians where they manage to combine their magic and overcome the Ichani. It turns out that this is just a perfect excuse for Takado to amp things up, though, and they begin to wreak more havoc than ever.
Thanks so much for listening, and I will see you soon with a new episode!

Thank you to Nicole for commissioning this episode!
This episode of The Magicians is a bit of a bummer in a number of ways. First, of course, there's the incredibly disturbing storyline with Julia's pregnancy and the fact that this thing (at least I think it's the thing) is keeping her from aborting it. That whole storyline is fucking horrifying.
Then, of course, there's the grieving that poor Quentyn is going through. I am not a Quentyn fan, but his grief is real and it's terrible to see him try and work through it with this girl who is also going through hell. And don't even get me started on what the fuck is going on with Elliot.
Thanks so much for listening, and I will see you soon with a new episode!

Thank you to Abbey for commissioning this episode!
These chapters find me a little more patient with Sameth and Lirael than before, if only because they're both facing some serious shit now. Sameth especially is really fucking going through it, being followed by gore crows and dead hands so that he can't sleep and can't drop his guard for a second.
Then there's what is going on with Lirael, which at first seems to be going pretty well since the despicable dog is back, and she's seemingly beginning to accept the fact that her mission isn't some excuse to kick her out the door. But then she goes into death...and I'm not too thrilled with how that seems to be going.
Thank you so much for listening, and i will see you soon with a new episode!

Thank you very much to Melanie for commissioning this episode, and this entire book!
This final chapter is really surprising. Looking back now, I realize that I'm really thrown off by the fact that Geralt doesn't turn up in the final chapters, and that everything focuses on Ciri. I don't have a problem with it, but it's definitely a departure from what I was expecting.
Ciri takes her life into her own hands, for the first time ever, and joins up with a gang who is pretty much bloodthirsty and cruel just for the sake of it. I can't help but wonder if Ciri's heart is really in it, no matter how much she might like her friends.
Thanks so much for listening, and I will see you soon with a new episode!

Thank you so much to the late Jason Brough for commissioning this episode. This is the last of his commissions, but his involvement with UNspoiled will always be remembered and appreciated.
These chapters are really fucking agonizing, but also really truly...cathartic? Is that the right word? I'm delighted for things to end with Nassun the way they do, which is to say that she's sick of other people voting on whether she's a fucking human being who deserves protection and life. It's a nice moment that I feel like we could use in our nation's capital right now.
Man, this book is intense. Thanks for listening!

Thank you to Rachel for commissioning this episode!
This episode of Veronica Mars is centered on a subject that is tough for a lot of us, which is rape, and specifically the rape of young women on college campuses. Often, colleges do not penalize fraternities that engage in the kind of behavior that is depicted in this episode, so it's nice that we get to indulge in a fantasy where shitty people and abuses are actually punished.
It's super weird that Graff is back, and I don't really know whether I believe that he's changed for the better, but apparently he's not the rapist. We finish the episode still not sure who the culprit is, and I'm kind of banking on it being Michael Cera. We shall see!
Thanks so much for listening, and I will see you soon with a new episode!