there is no str.isspecial()

[Skaperen]

Are you concerned what Python considers a special character, or what unicode (specifically utf-8) considers special?

what Python considers a special character.  if they just let it be up to unicode then, fine.  i wish they would, at least, have proper tests for them, as a convenience.  if they provide one class, then IMHO they should provide all classes, so there isn't a mix of sources.