The Decoy Princess Duo

Happy September people! So I may not be at Hogwarts getting sorted into a house (way past my time unfortunately), but I still have another review to share with you. Dawn Cook, also known as Kim Harrison, wrote The Decoy Princess and Princess at Sea. Although an enjoyable read, both books had a couple of things missing…

Firstly, the whole premise of the book is that there are people called Players who basically control their countries behind their monarchs – kind of like a power-behind-the-throne set-up. However, Cook does not quite explain this well enough. Simply mentioning this kind of power dynamic just wasn’t enough for me. I wanted details and illustrated situations to show me how these Players managed to control entire courts and countries without anyone realizing it. Yes, she does explain how they get extra-human powers and sixth senses through the build up of tolerance to a certain kind of animal poison, but those powers did not fully explain their ability to secretly rule and manipulate everyone around them. Furthermore, the heroine (Tess) receives training from her mentor (Kavenlow), but it all happens ‘off stage.’ As a major premise of both novels, I really felt like I needed more to work with in order to fully suspend my disbelief.

Secondly, both romances that Tess experiences are similarly flat. I simply did not believe the chemistry between Tess and Duncan, her card shark and accidental sidekick. It felt like Cook was expecting the reader to just accept that they had chemistry without really giving us convincing episodes of growing attraction. Yes, there are moments when Tess very blatantly is physically attracted to Duncan, but even she admits that she is inexperienced in this arena. In contrast, I think Cook developed the chemistry between Tess and Jeck (the Misdev captain and secret Player) much more thoroughly. They are thrown into highly emotional and stressful situations together and slowly learn how to interact successfully. The second novel ends in a pseudo-cliffhanger that left their romance half-baked though. Kavenlow, obviously a third party in this relationship, tells both Tess and the reader that Jeck is in love with her but that’s all we get. The book ends. And that’s it. Come on! Their romance was just starting to pick up when she decides to cut it off? That’s simply unfair.

So while I enjoyed both of these books, I ultimately wouldn’t recommend them. I was left dissatisfied by the ending, both plot-wise and romance-wise. Moreover, Tess as a heroine was simply not strong enough to pull of the kind of stunts that the plot required of her for me.

 

What did you guys think? Were you as dissatisfied as I was?

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Divergent Duties

So although there are only two of the three books published to date, I decided to forge ahead and read Veronica Roth’s Divergent Trilogy. The first two books, Divergent and Insurgent respectively, introduce us to a dystopian world of strict classifications, duty lines, and distinctions. While this world may not be the most realistic (no one is going to sit there and say “wow, this is really where our world is going to be in 50 years!”), Roth created an alternate reality that is both spooky and fun. Overall, I give the two books 3.5 stars. Maybe 3.75…

I can’t help but admit myself disappointed by these covers. I read both of them on my Kindle, so I didn’t see them until now…maybe a good thing?

Ok, let’s start with the spooky. First off, Roth makes it very clear that our heroine, Beatrice Prior turned Tris, is very very different. She does not fit in with her classmates, her community as a whole, or even her immediate family. Her closest relationship, which is with her older brother, is quite sad. All he does is show her up on being ‘the best’ in their community. And apparently, this separation from other individuals is typical of their faction, Abnegation (aka the act of denying oneself some rights, conveniences, etc. à more simply put, the act of being completely and utterly selfless). I know that heroes/heroines of dystopian novels are usually separated from most intimate relationships and interactions, but something about Roth’s descriptions makes Beatrice’s isolation all the more disturbing. She’s 16 years old and her entire world tells her that her very personality and way of thinking is wrong. Talk about screwing with some important development years.

Secondly, Roth’s construction of this dystopian world highlights contemporary issues of xenophobia. The entire society is set in future Chicago that is completely divided into different factions (Abnegation, Dauntless, Candor, Erudite, Amity, and factionless). It was interesting, though perhaps not all together convincing, to see Roth conceptualize a futuristic society that continually emphasizes categories, separations, and differences. She’s not exactly giving our world much hope here, is she?

But let’s jump to the fun parts now…both of the novels have loads of action, both the “on-screen” and “off-screen” types, if you know what I mean. Obviously, there’s a lot of fighting, both physical and verbal. When Beatrice chooses Dauntless over Abnegation at ‘The Choosing Ceremony,’ she has to change her entire outlook on life and embrace a part of her personality that she was forced to suppress previously. In this new faction, traits such as courage, fearlessness, and physical prowess are admired – so our characters’ pastimes include getting tattoos, learning how to fight and shoot guns, zip lining from ridiculously high places, and jumping on and off of moving trains. Basically, I would describe the Dauntless as a mix between a group of adrenaline junkies and a bloodthirsty gang. Although is bothered me that Beatrice, now called Tris, blindly accepted most of their truly idiotic behavior, it was fun to see her join in on the craziness.

As a whole, I would have to say that I have mixed feelings about these books. I’ll read the third just because I feel like I have to, but Roth left some major holes in her world building and her plot. I can look past the flaws in world building, but I happen to be really good at suspending my disbelief. However, there were some plot points that just left the reader confused and/or frustrated. And while I enjoyed Beatrice’s character for the majority of both books, she does get just downright annoying sometimes.

Ok, so I know I’ve left you guys with a less than clear review here. Let me try to clarify for you…I enjoyed my read a lot, but probably only because I was on vacation. I recommend it if you are looking for an easy, entertaining read and if you are willing to suspend your disbelief and just go with it.

Does that make more sense? Have I convinced you??

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Two Very Different Female Faces

Here’s an image from the TV Show “Legend of the Seeker,” which is based off of Goodkind’s series. Although decidedly different from the series, the show also portrays Kahlan (left) and Cara (right) as self-empowered individuals.

So fun fact about me – one of my favorite authors of all time is Terry Goodkind. And, one of my favorite series of all time is his “Sword of Truth” series. It has 12 absolutely incredible novels in it, all of which can stand on their own as compelling narratives but that come together to create an enthralling world filled with realistic characters. I hate to sound like a paid advertisement, but there’s a reason why, to date, Wizard’s First Rule (the first book in the series) is still the highest paid fantasy book from a first-time author.
This summer, I decided that I missed my “Sword of Truth” obsession and that I needed to reread the series. I have just finished the fifth book, Soul of the Fire – I am soaking the books up like it’s my job, spotting things and making connections that I wasn’t able to the first time over. And reading the books all over again has led me to some thoughts about the characters Goodkind created, especially the female ones…

Unlike most fantasy novels, the “Sword of Truth” series really has two protagonists, one of which is female. Thus, Richard Cypher/Rahl shares the spotlight with the Mother Confessor herself, Kahlan Amnell. Interestingly, Kahlan really almost provides the series with two different characters. As an individual, Kahlan is an intellectual and sophisticated woman who has had a privileged but hard life. She understands her professional role but still yearns for a more normal life. This side of Kahlan more adheres to female stereotypes – despite her professional ‘success,’ Kahlan more than anything wishes she could have the ‘normal’ life of falling in love and having a family. However, this more feminine sentimentality is balanced out by Kahlan’s other side…As the Mother Confessor, Kahlan is the epitome of female empowerment. She is unfazed by anything or anyone and she is the pinnacle of power in her world. Literally, her decisions and her rule outweigh any king’s, queen’s, or council’s. However, this side of Kahlan too contains an inherent contradiction. In order to maintain her power and influence, Kahlan puts on her “Confessor face,” in which she basically shuts down all of her emotions – this gives Kahlan a robotic, almost de-feminized aspect. On the other hand, Kahlan as a Confessor has her power because her touch is feared by all. By her touch, Kahlan can wipe out a person’s personality and individuality and replace their selfhood with unwavering and obsessive love for her. These two things, touch and love, seem decidedly feminine in that they are associated with maternity and female sexuality. Not to mention the fact that Kahlan’s official title is MotherConfessor – she is the symbolic mother of everyone in the

Midlands. In this way, Kahlan represents the contradictions inherent within everyone, but especially a female protagonist in a fantasy novel. She continuously battles her individual desires for love and motherhood with her professional duties and responsibilities. She is not some lovesick butcher’s daughter or some emotionally impoverished prostitute. She is a successful and courageous woman who provides the fantasy genre with an important model of realistic female empowerment.

Kahlan and Richard as illustrated of the cover of “Stone of Tears” by Terry Goodkind.

In contrast to Kahlan Amnell, Cara is not exactly a well-rounded female figure. Tortured as a child as training to become a Mord Sith, Cara is introduced as someone whose femininity was used against them – Mord Sith are women who were chosen as children because they were the most pure and the most innocent. The implication here is that the purest and most innocent aspects of femininity can be turned into weapons of mass torture and domination – not exactly the most stellar recommendation for female virtue. However, Cara (and the other Mord Sith) do exhibit an unusual aspect of female power – that is, female physicalpower. Cara is trained in combat but, with her Agiel (which is just a leather rod imbued with magic to give both the holder and the victim pain), she does not even need convention weapons. Cara can and does overcome multiple burly men at the same time with just her body. And although you might think that the Agiel gives her an unfair advantage, you have to realize that the second Cara touches her Agiel, it gives her the same excruciating and debilitating pain that it inflicts upon others. So, Cara is able to defeat soldiers and mercenaries and wizards while feeling continuous pain that literally drives men to their knees. Talk about role reversals. However, despite her physical prowess, Cara is emotionally crippled. As Mord Sith, she has been trained to forsake all emotional displays – everything from fear to love to hatred to pleasure. Only after Richard inherits D’Haran rule are Cara and the other Mord Sith allowed to be human, never-mind ‘feminine.’ But even still, it takes personal and directed attention from Richard to get Cara to slowly become more than an effective torture machine. Richard’s influence, although not coddling or condescending, does take on an almost patriarchal quality. He feels responsible for these women and wants to enable them to lead more normal lives. Importantly, Cara does not allow this. She obeys Richard’s commands when she feels like it – ultimately, she decides when and how she wants to act. So, as Cara becomes more and more human and less and less robotic, she actually acquires more power. On top of her physical power, Cara also gains emotional and personal power in her ability to choose and make her own decisions. So, I won’t ruin the series for you guys, but suffice to say that as the series progresses, Cara specifically demonstrates the progression from torture machine to human and from limited power to overall self-empowerment.

An illustration of Cara that was used on the cover of “Temple of the Winds” by Terry Goodkind. Here’s a quote from her…”If you get yourself killed trying to rule the world, I will personally break every bone in your body.”

Through these two main characters, Goodkind provides the fantasy genre with rare female figures – both battle inherent contradictions, but neither is truly ruled by the men in their lives and in their worlds. By reverting feminine stereotypes of weakness and submissiveness, Kahlan and Cara challenge not only Richard, but the reader as well. We, as readers, are forced to look at their counterparts in the fantasy genre and are ultimately left dissatisfied. As a female reader and a female fantasy fan, I can personally account for this dissatisfaction. I can’t even tell you how many fantasy novels I have read with these weak, pathetic female ‘heroines’ that bring nothing to the table but a tepid romance subplot. Finally, I have found two main characters, who just happen to be female, that actually progress the fantasy genre rather than just continuing its potential character stagnation.

What do you guys think? Am I being too hard on the fantasy genre? And do you agree with my analysis of Kahlan and Cara’s characters? Or are they not as progressive as I see them?

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awesome quote

A child who can love the oddities of a fantasy book cannot possibly be xenophobic as an adult. What is a different color, a different culture, a different tongue for a child who has already mastered Elvish, respected Puddleglums, or fallen under the spell of dark-skinned Ged? — Jane Yolen

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Twilight – More Incest Than Romance

Here’s a clip from the movie that I think demonstrates Edward’s paternalism – he’s patting her on the head!

After writing my thoughts on Fifty Shades of Grey, I started thinking about how E.L. James initially wrote it as a Twilight fan-fic. I hadn’t read the first novel in Stephenie Meyer’s series in years and decided to take another go at it. I noticed some things this time around that I definitely did NOT catch back in my tweenage years.

What struck me the most while reading it now was how creepy the relationship between Bella and Edward actually is. Yes, I can see why it has become such a phenomenon – it is clearly a love story that overcomes all odds. But beyond that, Meyer endeavored to create the perfect boyfriend in the form of Edward and, my question is, why does she portray “the perfect boyfriend” as a semi-pedophilic stalker? Sure, Edward is a vampire so he’s instantly glorified in his stoic mysteriousness, but that does not change the fact that he is so much older and more experienced than Bella – he constantly takes advantage of and condescends down to her because of her unquestionable naïveté! This creates an imbalance in their relationship that, in actuality, gives Edward the role of father more than boyfriend…

Meyer reinforces throughout Twilight that Bella is effectually parentless – her mom lives on the other side of the country and Bella takes care of her dad more than he takes care of her. Thus, Edward takes on the role of Bella’s father as both teacher and protector. He is the one who introduces Bella to new worldviews and experiences. He is the one who, let’s be blunt, stalks her in order to make sure she’s safe. Throughout the first book and the entire series, Edward obsesses over Bella’s safety – he’s really the one with the proverbial shotgun on the porch, not Charlie. He goes to such extreme extents to ensure she’s safe that it even makes Bella uncomfortable at times! Sure, she’s relieved when he saves her from the thugs in the back alley, but she does question why he was there and how he knew where she was. Edward’s vampire ability to read minds only helps him “protect” Bella all the more effectively – in my opinion, this seems like it would be more stifling than reassuring. Through Edward’s obsession as her protector, Bella really loses all personal freedom not only in their relationship, but also in her entire life.

What I find the creepiest of all, though, is Edward’s paternal reluctance to have sex with Bella. Ok, I get it – he’s afraid he’s going to hurt her or eat her alive, but that doesn’t explain his stubborn inability to even talk about sex with Bella. In Twilight, Bella is the one who pushes for sex but, in the only conversation that they actually have about it, they don’t even mention sex! They dance around the word itself, making the conversation feel more like an awkward “birds and the bees” type of talk than a conversation about mutual sexual attraction. Even more, Edward doesn’t really listen to Bella at all – he just resolutely sticks to his own decision on the subject and refuses to even consider Bella’s wants and needs. Does that really sound like a conversation held among equals? I didn’t think so…It gets worse though! During this rather uncomfortable conversation, Edward physically treats Bella like a child – while she expresses her sexual frustrations, all Edward does is pat her on the head. Because, you know, that’s neither paternal nor condescending, right?

Ultimately, I find Meyer’s portrayal of Edward and Bella’s relationship problematic at best. I obviously thought Edward’s paternalism the most disturbing, as it suggests an aspect of incest that I don’t think belongs to “the perfect boyfriend,” but there’s more to it. Even Bella’s extreme dependence and obsession with Edward is disturbing. I can see why Twilight is considered the quintessential love story in today’s pop culture but, after re-reading it, I honestly wish it wasn’t. I also am not sure what I think about the movies – while I don’t think the pedophilic/paternal/incestual aspects of the relationship are on the forefront in the films, I can’t help but feeling that they can’t (and perhaps even don’t want to) escape Meyer’s original vision of Edward as “the perfect boyfriend” completely.

What do you guys think? Am I reading too much into this? Or is the relationship really more creepy and off-putting than it is romantic?

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Not only a background image…

Here’s the background image to Churning Pages – I took it myself and included some of my very favorite reading elements. Firstly, there are books – what a shocker! These are some of the favorites that I have and will read over and over again. Secondly, there is tea – if tea is involved, then I am instantly comfortable and in the mindset to read. And thirdly, there is the perfect quality of light that only happens mid-afternoon – I love to read at this time because it means that I have a whole lot of reading time left to go!

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