Podcast Summary

Podcast: LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City
Episode: HOSABE / Episode 26: Buttata Dentata
Hosts: Natalie Jean & Jackie Zebrowski
Date: December 2, 2025

Overview

This episode of "LPN Deep Dives: Crescent City" features hosts Natalie Jean and Jackie Zebrowski as they serve up their signature witty, irreverent, and deeply engaged breakdown of Sarah J. Maas' "Crescent City" series, focusing on the events in Chapters 49-51. The discussion is full of banter, pop culture references, and diverging rabbit holes, but it also delivers sharp insights into character motivations, power plays, and the morally gray choices at the heart of the novel.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Snake Woman Bit and The Nature of Announcing Trouble

• Segment [02:52 - 07:00]:
  Natalie and Jackie riff about the concept of a "snake woman" announcing bad news, contrasting it with the idea of "the good news monkey." This quickly spins into humorous territory—pirates, orphan tropes, and ragamuffin history.
  • Quote: "I actually think I prefer bad news coming from a snake woman." – Jackie [02:55]
  • They joke about masks, body horror, and the social utility of announcing your own dubious intentions.
  • Memorable tangent: The creepy overlap between pirates and orphans.

2. Ragamuffin Day, Orphans, and Cultural Cannibalism

• [05:11 - 06:27]
  • The hosts recall "ragamuffin day," a predecessor to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade where children dressed as beggars, touching briefly (and darkly) on child hardship and cultural attitudes:
  • Quote: "Sad Halloween where you're trick or treating to stay alive." – Natalie [06:12]
  • Connects to orphan tropes in fantasy, setting groundwork for Emile’s situation.

3. Masks, Body Horror, and Beauty – Satirical Dig at Kris Jenner

• [07:00 - 10:00]
  • They talk face masks, aging, and the construction of identity — lampooning celebrity facelifts.
  • Quote: "It looks scary. It looks like uncanny valley." – Natalie [07:50]

4. Bryce Quinlan: Queen of Lying and Secrets

• [10:23 - 12:04]
  The conversation pivots to Bryce, the protagonist, known for her secrecy and manipulation to protect those she loves.
  • Quote: "Natalie, you know who’s really good at lying? Because she does it all the time? Bryce Quinlan." – Jackie [10:23]
  • Hunt’s increasing frustration is addressed: Bryce’s independent actions strain their partnership.

5. Return to Plot: Submarine Adventure Hangover, Four New Roommates, and Fey Boys

• [12:04 - 13:44]
  • Recap of the immediate aftermath: Ruhn (prince of the Fae) returning home to find his apartment overtaken by three sprites and Ariadne, the dragon, in various states of undress.
  • Quote: "So they now have four new feminine roommates." – Natalie [12:57]
  • Comic beat: The dragon refusing clothes, "She lived inside of a ring!"

6. Morally Gray Choices, Nepo Babies, and Pump-and-Dump Breastfeeding

• [13:44 - 16:03]
  • Fun detours about privilege and the meaning of 'pump and dump,' leading into darkly humorous body horror jokes.
  • Quote: "If it’s chewable, you’re right; I’ll get the teeth out of my asshole then." – Jackie [14:44]

7. Buttata Dentata — Title Reference and Body Horror

• [16:09 - 17:11]
  • Play on “vagina dentata” (teeth where you don’t want them): a metaphor for hidden danger, which becomes a running joke (“Buttata Dentata”).
  • Quote: "What? Like vagina dentata, which is what they call the teeth in that one movie." – Jackie [16:13]

8. Bryce’s Catastrophic Decision-Making: The Hunt Confrontation

• [18:21 - 20:15]
  • Hunt confronts Bryce about her secret deal with the Viper Queen in the search for Emile, revealing her actions led to the Queen killing humans and veneer.
  • Quote: "That was a stupid fucking thing to do." – Hunt (read by Natalie) [20:04]
  • They agree her willingness to go it alone is both her strength and her achilles heel.

9. The Viper Queen’s Lair: Ostentatious Evil, Tacky Glamour

• [21:48 - 23:29]
  • Description of the Queen’s lair as “velvety, special, trashy, hopefully fancy office."
  • Quote: "I do hope it’s like, very tacky, like there’s big columns like in the Sopranos bedroom." – Jackie [21:52]

10. Meeting Emile, The Non-Thunderbird Twist

• [23:41 - 34:45]
  • They finally meet Emile, the supposed Thunderbird weapon, who is revealed to be a normal (albeit traumatized) kid with no powers. This key twist undercuts much of the previous drama:
    • Quote: "Emile doesn’t have any powers, Hunt." – Natalie as Bryce [33:59]
  • The show questions the ethics of all sides treating Emile as an object or “bioweapon.”
  • Quote: "He has inherent value to all those who love him." – Natalie [35:08]

11. Bryce’s Bargain, Adoption, and Agency Debate

• [35:55 - 53:44]
  • Bryce reveals her plan to adopt Emile into the Quinlan-Salago family without consulting him or Hunt.
  • Quote: "Wouldn’t it have been great if the child also could have met these people first … And it’s just like … I know she’s like, and I did it, and you’re part of my family now" – Jackie [51:13-51:36]
  • They discuss issues of autonomy, boundaries, and emotional fallout for both Emile and Hunt.
  • Pop-culture comparisons (Jim and Pam from The Office, Christmas car commercials) punctuate the critique.

12. Sprites, Dragons, and the Price of Freedom

• [55:28 - 59:25]
  • Cut to Ruhn’s house: the sprites are moved to hear of Lehabah’s sacrifice; the dragon (Ariadne) is coveted as a priceless “asset.”
  • Key Moment: Ariadne's line: “I am far too expensive for even a rich prince.” [59:22]

13. Jesiba, Alliances, and Owing Favors

• [62:33 - 64:06]
  • Bryce calls Jesiba for help buying the ring/freeing Ariadne, racking up more debts.
  • Quote: "Get in line, Bryce said, and hung up. It’s kind of crazy how much Jesiba does help them." – Jackie [63:39-63:48]

14. Dragon Fire: A Weapon Against Princes of Hell

• [65:17 - 65:45]
  • Jesiba delivers materials on dragon fire, foreshadowing it as a potential weapon in the war.
  • Quote: "Dragon fire is one of the few substances proven to harm the Princes of Heaven." – Narrative [65:17]

15. Hunt’s Brooding, Celestina, and the Hind’s Mind Games

• [66:09 - 72:59]
  • Hunt reflects on the strain in his relationship with Bryce and the necessity of partnership and trust.
  • He meets with Celestina who congratulates him on his change in mating scent (awkward!) and gets new assignments.
  • Hunt confronts the Hind, who dodges and deflects, sending him to witness the grisly aftermath of the harpy’s “message.”

16. Blood Eagle Atrocity – Power Plays Escalate

• [72:59 - 75:56]
  • Detailed discussion of the Norse “Blood Eagle” execution displayed on rebels—an act designed to terrorize and send a message to all, including Hunt.

17. Threats, Guilt, and the Shadow of Violence

• [76:24 - 76:58]
  • Discussion about public fear of Hunt and the moral ambiguity of the city’s “protectors.”
  • Comic banter about Henry and Ellen DeGeneres’ infamous pranks.

18. Rune and the Arrival of Hypaxia

• [77:17 - 78:14]
  • Rune, still hiding from mounting side-quests and criminal entanglements, gets a surprise visit from Hypaxia, throwing another chess piece onto the board.

19. Recap of the Board

• [78:14 - 79:03]
  • Lightning round summary from Jackie and Natalie of all the dominoes now set up: Emile’s fate, sprite and dragon twists, Hunt’s precarious role, and the looming threat of violence, with Hypaxia’s reappearance promising more drama.

20. Dudes Grappling With Erotica – Bonus Reading

• [79:19 - 85:57]
  • Ross Bryant and Ed Larson dramatically read a steamy gym scene from the book, blending humor and genuine appreciation for Maas’s spicy prose.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• "I actually think I prefer bad news coming from a snake woman." – Jackie [02:55]
• "What kind of mask would you want to put on that you would never take off? Would it be snake woman?" – Natalie [07:09]
• "Women all lie. That's what I've learned. The snake taught me.” – Natalie [09:54]
• "That was a stupid fucking thing to do." – (Hunt, read by Natalie) [20:04]
• "Wouldn’t it have been great if the child could have … met these people first?" – Jackie [51:13]
• "Dragon fire is one of the few substances proven to harm the Princes of Heaven." – Narrative [65:17]
• "She is far too expensive for even a rich prince.” – Dragon/Ariadne [59:22]
• "You gotta delegate." – Jackie [21:12]
• "Shut up, piggy." – Jackie [29:53] (comic aside)

Memorable Moments

• Jackie’s extended riff as a British orphan/Emile, blending comedy with dark social commentary.
• Sidebars on body horror, snacks-as-love languages, and “pump and dump” breastfeeding.
• The "buttata dentata" joke as an irreverent metaphor for hidden threats.
• Dynamic discussion of Bryce’s leadership flaws––her good intentions constantly undermined by her refusal to collaborate or consult.

Flow & Tone

The tone is snarky, fast-paced, and full of quick wit and sibling-style bickering. The hosts maintain a balance of deep-dive literary analysis and pop-culture-infused tangents, ensuring the episode is accessible and entertaining both for Crescent City fans and casual listeners. They do not shy away from critiquing character choices, often highlighting both emotional and ethical impacts. Their recurring use of voices/accents and meta-commentary adds extra layers of engagement.

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:52] – Start of core episode / Snake woman bit
• [10:23] – Bryce as master of secrets; lying in Crescent City
• [12:04] – Ruhn and the new roommates, sprites & dragon
• [18:21] – Hunt confronts Bryce about Viper Queen
• [23:41] – Emile’s reveal (no powers), adoption plan set in motion
• [35:55] – Bryce’s secret plan for Emile, Hunt’s reaction
• [55:28] – Reunion at Ruhn’s place, sprites, and dragon
• [62:33] – Bryce calls Jesiba for help, more deals/favors
• [65:17] – Discovery about dragon fire as a weapon
• [66:09] – Hunt’s brooding, partnership rifts, Celestina
• [72:59] – Blood Eagle atrocity, violence escalation
• [77:17] – Hypaxia's return
• [79:19] – Dudes Grappling With Erotica: book passage dramatized

For Next Week

Read up through chapter 54. More drama, magic, and sexytimes to come.

This summary offers a compact but rich guide to this episode, highlighting its major beats, insights, and the hosts' infectious energy. Perfect for anyone who wants the essence and flavor of the podcast without sitting through ads, tangents, and all 85 minutes!