Ugh, that sounds awful! I can't imagine not being able to hang clothes outdoors.
Is it a loophole or awkward pacing or odd characterization because of the intended audience or because of the writer?
It's a combination of a lot of different things which, looking back, I can see are due to inexperience (Carmody began writing this series when she was a teenager in high school, although it wasn't published until her adulthood). There's a lot of infodumping, and she saddled herself with complicated worldbuilding and a very large cast of characters, which then became unwieldy as the story grew. There are also a lot of convenient plot devices which seem just to ensure that specific characters are in specific places at the right time to witness crucial pieces of information.
It was a very important series for me at the time, and I still love it dearly, and seeing the flaws more clearly doesn't take away from that. Stories are what they are for you at the times you need them.
no subject
Is it a loophole or awkward pacing or odd characterization because of the intended audience or because of the writer?
It's a combination of a lot of different things which, looking back, I can see are due to inexperience (Carmody began writing this series when she was a teenager in high school, although it wasn't published until her adulthood). There's a lot of infodumping, and she saddled herself with complicated worldbuilding and a very large cast of characters, which then became unwieldy as the story grew. There are also a lot of convenient plot devices which seem just to ensure that specific characters are in specific places at the right time to witness crucial pieces of information.
It was a very important series for me at the time, and I still love it dearly, and seeing the flaws more clearly doesn't take away from that. Stories are what they are for you at the times you need them.