Film Review: Jurassic World

Jurassic World: Not a world run  by girls.

I feel like it's important that I get two things straight right off the bat here.

1. I did not hate Jurassic World

2. I actually really like Claire's character.

Yet, both of the above factors were disappointing.

Now, I could go on and on about why the film in general wasn't amazing, but happily I had fairly low expectations. That meant that I could enjoy it on a more simple level, without getting worked up over the dumb stuff.

Still, as I watched there were odd moments that made me roll my eyes or sigh loudly and I suddenly realised that this film would make a great review for this blog (what? It has nothing to do with the fact that I haven't finished my current read yet. How dare you!).

You see, I suspect the makers of Jurassic World feel as though they did a great job of making a 'feminist enough' film. In my opinion, they failed. This list (to follow) is the only way I can get across all the little moments that irritated me.

1. Women Need Family. This was a theme that ran throughout the film - Claire being painted as wrong for not having a family mindset. Now, don't get me wrong - she SHOULD know her nephews ages. But it was so over the top. She appeared fairly close with her sister, so I simply don't believe she wouldn't at least know their ages. The film went to such lengths to show her as a workaholic, but it just didn't gel for me. And then at the end Claire is looking at her sisters family and clearly longing for it. I couldn't help but see this as the film saying that Claire needed to love work less and love family more - which is just suuuch an original narrative for a female character.

2. Owen the alpha male. I love Chris Pratt as much as the next girl, and Owen in general was cool enough. But wow at the literal presentation of him as the alpha male. I hated how he immediately made sexual jokes at Claire's expense. I hated that the film had her pull open her shirt??? to represent that she was tough enough to him. I HATED that even when Claire was given her badass moment , the nephews completely undid all that by insisting that they wanted to be with Owen, and by looking upon Owen as the undeniable hero. Oh, and when Claire saves Owens life? He kisses her, there and then even though it's really inappropriate. Because she just PROVED HERSELF WORTHY. It was all just so...obvious and sad.

3. Claire the token strong female character. Claire had two moments in the film where she was allowed to be the hero.  The first mentioned above with the kiss, and the second towards the end. I actually have no issue with the running in heels, as half the internet seems to. I don't think it matters if I'm honest.  What bothers me is that this is what film makers seem to believe is enough. Reinforce all the usual shit, but throw in 'strong' scenes and people will be happy. Nope.

4. Claire the token strong female character: Part II. Yes, part two. Because she really is the token. As far as I can recall, there were four female characters in the film - TOTAL. And Claire was the only one that was in anyway fleshed out. In contrast? I can think of at least eight SIGNIFICANT male characters off the top of my head, let alone the insignificant ones. Let's see, we have the mother who's just there to reinforce that Claire needs to get on the family train. We have the assistant scientist who's barely noticeable until one moment (which I admittedly enjoyed) where she turns down Jake Johnson's character. And then there's Katie McGrath's character who is quite literally useless, and gets pretty much the only graphic death in the whole film.

I didn't expect Jurassic World to be a feminist film, nor was I demanding it. I suspect some people would think I'm nitpicking, but coming off the back of Max Max: Fury Road (HOLY FILM, BATMAN), Jurassic World's representation of women is incredibly lazy. Sadly, I also think it's fairly normal. Unless we fight for it, this is standard Hollywood fare.

What did everybody else think of the film? Am I being too harsh? Is this as much as we can expect?

Put it this way - if representation in the new Star Wars film is this bad, I'll probably cry. Happily, I don't think it will be going down the same boring road.

Review: Queen of the Tearling/Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen

Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
Publisher: Harper
Release Date: July 8th, 2014
My Goodreads Rating: 3/5

An untested young princess must claim her throne, learn to become a queen, and combat a malevolent sorceress in an epic battle between light and darkness in this spectacular debut—the first novel in a trilogy. Young Kelsea Raleigh was raised in hiding after the death of her mother, Queen Elyssa, far from the intrigues of the royal Keep and in the care of two devoted servants who pledged their lives to protect her. Growing up in a cottage deep in the woods, Kelsea knows little of her kingdom's haunted past . . . or that its fate will soon rest in her hands. Long ago, Kelsea's forefathers sailed away from a decaying world to establish a new land free of modern technology. Three hundred years later, this feudal society has divided into three fearful nations who pay duties to a fourth: the powerful Mortmesne, ruled by the cunning Red Queen. Now, on Kelsea's nineteenth birthday, the tattered remnants of the Queen's Guard—loyal soldiers who protect the throne—have appeared to escort the princess on a perilous journey to the capital to ascend to her rightful place as the new Queen of the Tearling. Though born of royal blood and in possession of the Tear sapphire, a jewel of immense power and magic, Kelsea has never felt more uncertain of her ability to rule. But the shocking evil she discovers in the heart of her realm will precipitate an act of immense daring, throwing the entire kingdom into turmoil—and unleashing the Red Queen's vengeance. A cabal of enemies with an array of deadly weapons, from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic, plots to destroy her. But Kelsea is growing in strength and stealth, her steely resolve earning her loyal allies, including the Queen's Guard, led by the enigmatic Lazarus, and the intriguing outlaw known simply as "the Fetch." Kelsea's quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun. Riddled with mysteries, betrayals, and treacherous battles, Kelsea's journey is a trial by fire that will either forge a legend . . . or destroy her.

Invasion of the Tearling by Erika Johansen
Publisher: Harper
Release Date: June 9th, 20145
My Goodreads Rating: 4/5
Trigger Warnings: Rape, Self Harm

With each passing day, Kelsea Glynn is growing into her new responsibilities as Queen of the Tearling. By stopping the shipments of slaves to the neighboring kingdom of Mortmesne, she crossed the Red Queen, a brutal ruler whose power derives from dark magic, who is sending her fearsome army into the Tearling to take what is hers. And nothing can stop the invasion. But as the Mort army draws ever closer, Kelsea develops a mysterious connection to a time before the Crossing, and she finds herself relying on a strange and possibly dangerous ally: a woman named Lily, fighting for her life in a world where being female can feel like a crime. The fate of the Tearling —and that of Kelsea’s own soul—may rest with Lily and her story, but Kelsea may not have enough time to find out.

Originally, I was going to review these two books separately. However, my thoughts on them are so closely intertwined that it makes sense to do a joint review. I'll do my best to avoid spoilers, but some small details will likely slip through. That said, most people seem to have heard a lot about Queen of the Tearling already, so you may know the details about that book already!

So yes - Queen of the Tearling. I went in to reading it with muted expectations. It had been recommended to me as a feminist book, but I had also seen a ton of reviews slating it.

I actually really enjoyed it, but it felt a little bit like a guilty pleasure and that was down to two reasons. The first being the world building. I won't go into a huge amount of detail here, but beyond the immediate location of our characters there is this whole THING that just made me scratch my head. And there were no answers towards the end of the book to alleviate any concerns readers might have that this books premise was an absolute joke.

The second issue I had is much more closely related to the theme of this blog - it didn't feel all that feminist to me at all. Kelsea was 'strong' yes, but it didn't feel believable. Every thing just fell in to place for her. She was often reckless, but never faced consequences. There were times when I thought she was wrong, but the author made sure she was always right. She was also OBSESSED with outer beauty. Props to the author for wanting her MC to be 'plain' but did her plain looks constantly have to be held up against the beauty of others? And she just seemed to either feel uncomfortable around other women, or outright hate them. There's one line, which I'm sure has been gone over a ton of times by now, where Kelsea outright thinks the following (paraphrasing): 'the only thing worse than...was a woman who thought she was beautiful when she was not.'

UGH. Right? UGH.

Yet, I still enjoyed the read. Any high fantasy (sort of) world that taps on my favourite themes (stoic defender, mysterious rogue, queen becoming a legend and saving her people - to name a few) will be a fun read.

I went into Invasion of the Tearling expecting to have fun, and that was all. But I LOVED it.

I don't think it's a flawless book, by any stretch, but I had a good time. And it addressed my two big issues with the first book.

The world building, while still a bit shaky, was really fleshed out. We finally get some answers about the Crossing and just what the hell is going on in this new world. I doubt it will make everyone happy, but I applaud the ambition of it. It's certainly nothing like what I've read before.

And then we have the feminist aspect, and things were much improved here.

The one sticking issue I do still have is the obsession with Kelsea's prettiness - she actually 'becomes' beautiful in this book. I'm hoping she'll revert back to her plain self eventually, but it's a shame that this gets so much emphasis.

Also - her necklaces seem to be little more than an easy out for the author at all times. I hope they end up with some proper explanation.


But the good stuff?

Invasion made it clear to me that actually, Kelsea can make the wrong choices and she can be pulled up on those choices. In fact, I'm not sure that Kelsea is meant to be all that likable which, ironically, makes me like her infinitely more. She gets pretty dark in this book actually, and there's some self harm involved in her arc which might trigger some people. Ultimately, she's a good person at heart, but she's flawed. And I'm cool with that.

Kelsea is paralleled with the villian in this book, and it works pretty well. On top of that, the villain becomes a much more 3D character. Nothing about the Red Queens story is all that groundbreaking, but it's still good that she isn't just cackling away in her evil tower with her evil ways for no reason.

The romance is not your standard romance. Kelsea still pines for somebody that I genuinely don't think she will ever have. My sort of crack ship sort of becomes canon, and I have high hopes for it...but also, it's really NOT your standard romance at all. And I like that!

We also meet a new protagonist - Lily. I'm not sure that I really loved Lily, but I did enjoy getting answers and seeing into that world. And yeah...Lily's world is suuuuuper sexist. Her husband is abusive, and there are some pretty horrible abuse scenes within her parts. But it was really satisfying seeing her get out of that and start to find herself again.

Queen of the Tearling was definitely flawed, but I still think people should give Invasion a chance. I think that it is sometimes a bit too blunt and obvious in its attempts at representing feminism - and it occasionally veers towards a sort of feminism that doesn't really add up to its definition in my eyes - but it's a really ambitious attempt.

If anything, you'll have lots to talk about!

Review: The Awesome by Eva Darrows

The Awesome by Eva Darrows
Publisher: Ravenstone
Release Date: May 6th 2015
My Goodreads Rating: 4/5

Seventeen-year-old Maggie Cunningham is tough, smart, and sassy. She's also not like other girls her age, but then, who would be when the family business is monster hunting? Combat boots, ratty hooded sweatshirts, and hair worn short so nothing with claws can get a grip, Maggie's concerns in life slant more toward survival than fashion or boys. Which presents a problem when Maggie's mother informs Maggie that she can't get her journeyman's license for hunting until she loses her virginity. Something about virgin blood turning vampires into pointy rage monsters. Blood and gore and insides being on the outside and all that. Maggie's battled ghosts and goblins and her fair share of house brownies, but finding herself a boy - fitting in with her peers - proves a much more daunting task than any monster hunt. Did you know normal girls don't stuff their bras with holy water balloons? Nor do they carry wooden stakes in their waistbands. And they care about things like "matching" and "footwear." Of course, they also can't clean a gun blindfolded, shoot a crossbow, or exorcise ghosts from a house. Which means they're lame and Maggie's not. Because Maggie's awesome. The Awesome, in fact. Just ask her. She'd be more than happy to tell you. After she finds herself a date.

Alright guys, I have to say it.

The Awesome is actually awesome.

And it is super, super feminist - which makes it even MORE awesome.

It's not a perfect book. The plot itself is paper thin, and sometimes the narrative style goes a little bit too overboard. But it's a hella lot of fun, and certain aspects of this book just NAILED IT. And I think I can hit on every point that excited me by summing up a few key relationships.

Maggie and Janice (aka her mum)

This relationship is really the heart of the book and it's amazing. There are mum/daughter fights, there are 'omg mum you are so embarrassing' moments in there. But the absolute best part of this relationship? They are each others world. The love between them felt so real and so palpable.

And of course, I cannot talk about this relationship without talking about how sex positive it was. These two talk about sex a lot. Janice is open about sex for herself, but also for her daughter. At the end of the day, as long as Maggie is being responsible and isn't letting herself get pushed around - sex is cool! Why can't every book send this message?

Maggie and Julie (and Lauren)

Maggie has two girl friends in this book and I adored both relationships. Her friendship with Lauren develops really sweetly, and I loved it. But the most important of the two, in terms of the feminist message being sent, was Maggie's friendship with Julie.

Maggie is definitely a bit of a 'tomboy'. She's 'not like other girls' and she's okay with that. At no point does Maggie look down on Julie or her other friends for being more traditionally feminine. And likewise, while Julie acknowledges that Maggie is totally weird, it's never in a judgemental fashion.

This friendship is never front and centre, but I thought it was portrayed really well. I actually appreciated that a big deal wasn't made out of them being friends. It is what it is, and it shouldn't be considered strange.


Maggie and Ian

If you told me I would ship a guy that drunkenly called the female protagonist his ex-girlfriends name, right before passing out on top of her naked, with said female protagonist - I'd have called you a right plonker.

But I did ship it. It wasn't a 'OMG I AM GOING TO DIE' kind of ship, but it felt hella real. I genuinely think that young girls everywhere would benefit if more YA ships were like this one.

Their first meeting isn't anything special, it is in fact the opposite. Their next few conversations are bumbling and awkward. But they are always honest with each other, which is obviously important. And then they sleep together and it's kind of magical because it's NOT magical. It's full of fumbling and confusion and embarrassment on Maggie's part. And that's what sex is, especially the first time.

Seriously - give this book to every young teen in the world. Not just the girls either.


Maggie and Jeff (and kind of Lauren)

The reason I enjoyed this relationship so much was because it taught Maggie to get over her prejudice. Now, it doesn't reflect exactly on the real world because Jeff is a vampire and they don't- actually - exist. However, learning not to judge because of supernatural species can also be applied to learning not to judge due to class/race etc.

There's a really cool message in this book. It's basically that anybody can be awesome if you give them the change.


Quick note to add as well. We have one gay and one lesbian couple within the text. Neither pairings are featured prominently, which is a shame, but they are also treated as any other couples would be.

Overall, this isn't the best book in the world. But if you want a quick, fun, feminist read - pick this one!

Review: Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff

Kinslayer by Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Tor UK
Release Date: September 12th 2013
My Goodreads rating: 5/5

A SHATTERED EMPIRE
The mad Shōgun Yoritomo has been assassinated by the Stormdancer Yukiko, and the threat of civil war looms over the Shima Imperium. The Lotus Guild conspires to renew the nation’s broken dynasty and crush the growing rebellion simultaneously – by endorsing a new Shōgun who desires nothing more than to see Yukiko dead.
A DARK LEGACY
Yukiko and the mighty thunder tiger Buruu have been cast in the role of heroes by the Kagé rebellion. But Yukiko herself is blinded by rage over her father’s death, and her ability to hear the thoughts of beasts is swelling beyond her power to control. Along with Buruu, Yukiko’s anchor is Kin, the rebel Guildsman who helped her escape from Yoritomo’s clutches. But Kin has his own secrets, and is haunted by visions of a future he’d rather die than see realized.
A GATHERING STORM
Kagé assassins lurk within the Shōgun’s palace, plotting to end the new dynasty before it begins. A waif from Kigen’s gutters begins a friendship that could undo the entire empire. A new enemy gathers its strength, readying to push the fracturing Shima imperium into a war it cannot hope to survive. And across raging oceans, amongst islands of black glass, Yukiko and Buruu will face foes no katana or talon can defeat.
The ghosts of a blood-stained past.

With my first review, I debuted the list. With this review I am debuting the 'I'm not very well so please forgive me' review. Let's see how it goes. 

Kinslayer is the second book in a trilogy, so if you haven't read Stormdancer yet - GO DO IT NOW.

Done? Ok.

I can't really start anywhere else than with Yukiko, our heroine. She remains a superstar, but my absolute favourite part of Yukiko's arc in this book was how it really wasn't at all central to the plot. That might sound strange, and of course her stuff was still important, but Kristoff allowed so many other characters to take central stage in this one. This allowed Yukiko to meet some new characters and to introduce new aspects of the world and the story, whilst keeping the plot moving along.

And the majority of those other characters? WERE AWESOME LADIES. 

Yukiko is a brilliant female lead. She's tough, but she's still a girl. She's not all that girly herself, but she has no issue with others being so. She falls in love and she has sex, which is always good - right? I loved her in Stormdancer, and I loved her here. Yet there weren't really any other girls in Stormdancer. I mean...they existed, but they either came into the book quite late, or they were mostly just background characters. And then it seemed as though half of them died and we'd still just have Yukiko. That is not the case in Kinslayer AT ALL. There is a great variety of girls this time around and I loved it. We have Kaori, the warrior. Yukiko, the hero. Aisha, the noble. Ayane, the Guildswoman. Hana, the SPOILERS. And Michi, the assassin. We even meet a female Arashitora!

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT HANA AND MICHI. Well, actually I won't because they are too awesome to spoil. But wow, did I love them. My brain is foggy and my eyes are blurry and I worry that I'm not getting my point across. LOTS OF GIRLS. MUCH VARIETY. HUGE FANTASTICNESS.

The plot of Kinslayer is quite slow until the final third where it continuously punches you in the face (seriously). The POV jumps around quite a lot too, but I never minded! Because there were awesome characters all over the place. There were great male characters too, but really the girls steal the show.

We also get our first snippet of LGBTQ representation in this book (I don't think there was any in Stormdancer?) with a gay couple. I appreciated how Kristoff didn't introduce them with any great fanfare. They are just together, they're adorable, and that's that. Yoshi was definitely the more interesting of the two and then...well, SPOILERS, but it was always lovely seeing them interact. We also get a brief insight into how the society here looks upon gay relationships. The impression I got was that if you're nobility or upper class it's a no, otherwise nobody really minds much? I'd definitely like to get a further insight into this!

I will just quickly talk about the setting of this series. It's a steampunk fantasy world based heavily upon feudal Japan. Now, before I ever started the series I had seen a few reviews stating how this series is cultural appropriation. I'm simply not qualified to make a judgement on that. I know a few things about feudal Japan, but only in a basic sense. Therefore it MIGHT offend you and maybe check out a few other reviews first? I can't personally see any reason for it though. 

The Gaijin, often mentioned in Stormdancer, are presented as the equivalent of the Western world, and they actually come into play in this book! I'm really looking forward to seeing that aspect of the series develop. I suspect that the final book in the series shall tackle prejudice in a move overt sense than the first two. 

Overall, Kinslayer is a fantasy novel very much focused on overturning a corrupt Empire.It does not necessarily tackle issues we are familiar with overtly, but they are in there. I can see no reason why somebody looking for fair representation with regards to gender would not enjoy this series. And I think other issues of representation will be sneaking into play in the final book. I cannot wait to read it!

Review: Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta

Publisher: Knopf Books

Release Date: May 9th, 2006

My Goodreads rating: 5/5

Francesca is stuck at St. Sebastian’s, a boys' school that pretends it's coed by giving the girls their own bathroom. Her only female companions are an ultra-feminist, a rumored slut, and an impossibly dorky accordion player. The boys are no better, from Thomas, who specializes in musical burping, to Will, the perpetually frowning, smug moron that Francesca can't seem to stop thinking about. Then there's Francesca's mother, who always thinks she knows what's best for Francesca—until she is suddenly stricken with acute depression, leaving Francesca lost, alone, and without an inkling of who she really is. Simultaneously humorous, poignant, and impossible to put down, this is the story of a girl who must summon the strength to save her family, her social life and—hardest of all—herself.

I did not plan for Saving Francesca to be my first review here at Feminists Talk Books, but I am so glad it is. It's pretty damn perfect to get me going.

I've met Marchetta before, over in Lumatere, and I've met her female characters. I never doubted that her contemporary ladies would be any less vibrant, complex and distinct. That said, I was not prepared for the amount of awesome that I discovered within this book.

It's my first review and I'm already going to break out A LIST. I love lists. Get used to it.

1. PERFECT FOR TEENS EVERYWHERE

It really struck me while reading this how HELPFUL this would have been for me as a teenager. Don't get me wrong - I'm 25 and I loved it, and I'm sure I would have loved it if I was 45 - but one of the running plot points is Frankie realising which people are her real friends.

Your teen years are transformative and full of discovery, even if they feel a bit mundane day-to-day. You discover a lot about yourself, the world around you, and what you want from it. And your body is changing, in so many ways. It's tough to handle all of that, and sometimes you just want to fit in somewhere. You almost just want to be average.

When I started secondary school I went from a very small primary school to something much bigger. In primary school I had been known and quite popular, but I shot down to being an unknown. I was actually very lucky to make some genuine friends off the bat, but I also desperately wanted to be in the top dog group because that was what I was used too. So I became friends with the cool kids, and it was the exact same sort of situation that you see between Frankie and Michaela in Saving Francesca (though I was younger when it happened to me).I put up with so much crap, and I made excuses for the friends that weren't really friends. I also hid certain aspects of my personality from them because I knew they'd mock me.

This book tackles that sort of situation, which I suspect is fairly common in high school, and it is perfect. The book shows very clearly that it is better to be yourself, rather than to fit yourself to some sort of mould. True friends accept you for who you are, and the other people are not worth.

I think this is such an important message for all kids, but particularly young girls. I'm already planning on handing my future children a copy of Saving Francesca when they start secondary school.

2. GIRLS BEING FRIENDS WITH GIRLS

I'll talk about the boys in a moment, but the four girls at the heart of this book are just wonderful. Marchetta shows the relationship between them unfold so naturally. It's fun because they're 'technically' friends at the start, but the reader gets to watch them ACTUALLY become friends.

We have Tara who instantly won my heart. Right from the get go she is introduced as a feminist that is fighting for all the girls at Sebastian's. She gets all the standard insults thrown her way, namely being called a lesbian - as if it's an insult. But she lets nothing faze her.

Siobhan is the 'slut' and pretty much any time a character gets called a slut, I know I'll end up loving them. She is NOT ashamed and nor should she be.

Justine is the gentle and sensitive soul of the group, and I think she's kind of the glue that pulled them together in the first place. Her sweetness is never too much, and always heart warming.

And then we have Frankie. Being in Frankie's head early on can be somewhat frustrating, simply because it's easy to SEE the truth of her situation as a reader. But I found her journey, and her slow evolution into HERSELF an absolute joy to watch.

I could read these four girls interact forever.

3. ST SEBASTIAN'S

Our setting for a large chunk of this book is the school which was, until recently, an all boys school. The large majority of students there are boys, and the inclusion of girls has definitely not been a flawless transition.

The sexist environment is entirely convincing because it is NOT over the top. I really appreciated that. A lot of the issues the girls face don't come from any particularly vindictive place - it's ignorance more than anything else. Its unequal representation, its teenage boys with hormones suddenly having to share their space with girls.

Marchetta manages to use Sebastian's to highlight a number of issues, without ever being too heavy handed.

And let's talk about the boys as well! Namely - Jimmy and Thomas. Both of them are introduced as little more than delinquents. But - like Frankie - they seem to be concealing their true selves more than anything else. Seeing the pair of them gravitate towards our lovely ladies was really rewarding.

4. THE ROMANCE

The romance is great BECAUSE it's not the be all, end all in the book. It develops nice and slowly. It starts with them not really liking each other, but not in an over the top way, but after a few cute moments I was totally on board.

The best thing about the ship was how it was resolved. I know there is another book with these characters, so who knows what happens there, but I loved how it ended here. It was cute, but it was also two teenagers thinking rationally and being emotionally on point? Thank you, Marchetta.

5. MIA'S DEPRESSION

Frankie’s mother is suffering from depression. Now, I’ve been lucky enough to not have depression touch my life, and so I don’t have any experience with it. But as far as I could tell, Marchetta treated the subject with an incredible amount of respect. She managed to make the situation heart breaking in one moment, and then heart-warming in the next. The way Mia’s sickness affected each member of her family, and the way this effect developed over time, felt incredibly authentic to me. The latter moments between Frankie and her dad made me sob. But what was particularly poignant for me was how Mia’s depression is with us from the first page, but so is her presence as an incredible woman. Marchetta never lets us forget how fantastic Mia is, and how much she is the glue that holds her family together. I adore Mia so damn much, and so does the narrative. I think that’s really important.

6. FORZA ITALIA

Saving Francesca does not tackle race (though I didn't spot anything offensive in there) but I really appreciated the Italian of it all. I am intrigued as to how much I enjoyed this aspect of the book because it resonates with my own life, as opposed to it simply being adorable and very well done.

Frankie's Italian roots are ever present, whilst never being a plot point. I really liked that. All the little details were spot on, from the espresso and gelato, to the tutto posto. The overbearing nonna's were almost hysterically perfect, and the importance of family in Italian culture shone through. I particularly loved Frankie's relationship with her brother, Luca.

One thing I would have liked to see a little more of was the group of students that immediately accepted Frankie because she was one of them, somebody with a mixed background. I really liked that whole idea, and the characters we met seemed cool. But it was fairly brief.

TO SUM UP: Saving Francesca does not tackle every issue under the sun, but it is a fantastic read from a feminist perspective. It's two biggest selling points are the importance of friendship between girls, but also the treatment of Mia's depression. Recommended for everyone, tbqh.

Welcome, and be ignorant!

Oh no, it's my turn!

So, Jessica did a wonderful job of introducing you to the blog yesterday. I'll no doubt go off on a tangent about something random and you'll all be like whaaa...

Anyway, you can find a brief and probably terrible description of me on the about us page. To sum my presence on this blog up, it's likely that I will be reading and reviewing a TON of fantasy books. Fantasy fiction is basically my blood. That said, I like dipping into all sorts and my first review is likely to be Saving Francesca, by Melina Marchetta. Spoiler: IT'S AWESOME. Oh, and I also look forward to using this gif whenever I can...

Anyhow, onwards!

I actually wrote a first draft for my intro post just under a year ago, which is pretty wild. (Yes, this blog has been in the works for a while). I opened it up again today, and it has completely validated one of my most steadfast beliefs because my views since then have already shifted a little.

We are all ignorant.

I think people are scared of that word. I think people are instantly put on the defensive when they hear it, and I get that. But think about it! Do you know everything about everything? Nope. And if you do, please pour me a glass of whatever it is you're drinking. Even the most intelligent, well researched people in the world will be ignorant of certain subjects.

And that's okay! As long as we are all willing to learn.

If you had approached me three or four years ago and asked me if I was a feminist, I would probably have squirmed a bit and then said no. But I wasn't all that different back then. I believed in equality, and was very much a champion of the phrases, YOU GO GIRL/GIRLS ARE THE BEST. My lack of identification as a feminist was because I was ignorant of what being a feminist actually means.

Over the past few years, my ignorance has been ground away. Now, I can stand tall and shout I AM A FEMINIST.

Now you're probably wondering why I'm harping on about ignorance when this is supposed to be a book blog, but it really all comes back to what I hope this blog can foster and nurture; discussion.

I hope that many different types of people will read this blog. Feminists, but also people that maybe don't have all that much experience with what feminism actually is. Hell, even if you hate feminism and the title of this blog makes your skin blister...as long as you're not rude (at which point you shall be ejected from cyberspace by my grumpy face) then join the discussion!

Perhaps I will claim a book is anti-feminist and you will heartily disagree. PLEASE DO. Perhaps the opposite will happen, and you will be able to change my opinion entirely.

Discussion, calm and rational, is so important to ridding ourselves of ignorance. And the discussion does not, in fact will not, simply tackle gender, but also race and sexuality. We must all fight for equality in all forms, after all. Perhaps a book blog doesn't seem like much of a warrior, but we all help in our own little ways.

We all want diverse books after all. So let's talk about it and make ourselves heard.