(noun) a durable plain-woven usually cotton fabric for use in clothing, curtains, building, and industry / (noun) a theater drop that appears opaque when a scene in front is lighted and transparent or translucent when a scene in back is lighted / (noun) something likened to a theater scrim
She was sharp enough to erect a critical scrim between the reader and her often ridiculous, often unscrupulous protagonists, but warm enough to make the youthful fantasy relatable