I refuse to acknolwedge target demographics as an excuse.
Tamora Pierce had the same target demographic, and she did just fine for herself.
mw_u2 , I completely blame you for this.
1. Fabulous, we're treated to a first-person narrative by a girl of unidentified age of diminutive height. I'll bear with it.
2. YOU CAN'T DARN A WOVEN GARMENT, ONLY A KNITTED ONE.
3. How come the protagonists of EVERY book I've read since I've come home have "bad [or at least mysterious] blood" on the mother's side?
4. Hey, at least it starts fast. Although having the protagonist in braids, shrouded in a blanket, running around yelling "Papa! Papa!" and not knowing how to read makes me think she's around eight.
5. HOW OLD IS SHE??? Because I'd just decided she was about twelve, and then she said she would be of marrying age in a few weeks. Either this is a sick country or a poorly-defined character.
6. Wait a second. Arrows "changed warfare," so they were outlawed? Why not....just make your own arrows? And apparently all other countries went along with this?? And skipping ahead in the novel, it seems as if they're just sort of discouraged, but used anyway, and where do they get the fucking wood?? Don't they have to wait for it to agree to fall off a branch or something?
7. Okay, her battle strategy is "sneak in and add pepper to their food" when fighting the Royal Army. Is she stupid, misinformed, or just six years old?
8. She seems to be implying that generals don't fight on the front lines because they're cowards. I really want to introduce her to Kellen now. At least he learned what the fuck he was talking about before he started embarrassing everyone.
9. Awww, their battle is cute! Apparently it was "Short," and they managed to just trick the enemy into being imprisoned in their own dungeon. Isn't it nice when no blood has to be shed in war?
10. ....never going to stop laughing at "Castle Munth."
11. Seriously, why even HAVE a Code of War if it's that easy to break?
12. So, why are traps against animals outlawed? Along with wood, are they only allowed to eat animals who volunteer for the job? And since they don't have arrows, do they have to chase all their prey down or something? Or are they all vegetarians?
13. If she doesn't realize that the Marquis of Shevaraeth is essentially The Scarlet Pimpernel soon, I'm going to cut a bitch.
14. Seriously, he's on your side. Get a clue.
15. Man, she's being tracked by the most competent soldier-flunkies in any fantasy book I've ever read!
16. SERIOUSLY HE'S OBVIOUSLY ON YOUR SIDE.
17. Wow, she spends a lot of this novel being unconscious.
18. Okay, good, they've TOLD her that he's on her side. Maybe now she'll believe it.
19. Nope. Grrrrrrrr.
20. And then----wait, what?
PART OF A SERIES???
I really need to find this shit out before I borrow books. And the library's closed until Tuesday.
Jess? Can you just tell me what happens in the second one? Then again, only tell me if Mel stops being an idiot and maybe gets together with Shevaraeth. Otherwise, I'm writing her off as a lost cause.
ETA: By the way, the book is "Crown Duel," by ...someone Smith. I don't know, it's all the way over there on the couch.
mw_u2 , I completely blame you for this.
1. Fabulous, we're treated to a first-person narrative by a girl of unidentified age of diminutive height. I'll bear with it.
2. YOU CAN'T DARN A WOVEN GARMENT, ONLY A KNITTED ONE.
3. How come the protagonists of EVERY book I've read since I've come home have "bad [or at least mysterious] blood" on the mother's side?
4. Hey, at least it starts fast. Although having the protagonist in braids, shrouded in a blanket, running around yelling "Papa! Papa!" and not knowing how to read makes me think she's around eight.
5. HOW OLD IS SHE??? Because I'd just decided she was about twelve, and then she said she would be of marrying age in a few weeks. Either this is a sick country or a poorly-defined character.
6. Wait a second. Arrows "changed warfare," so they were outlawed? Why not....just make your own arrows? And apparently all other countries went along with this?? And skipping ahead in the novel, it seems as if they're just sort of discouraged, but used anyway, and where do they get the fucking wood?? Don't they have to wait for it to agree to fall off a branch or something?
7. Okay, her battle strategy is "sneak in and add pepper to their food" when fighting the Royal Army. Is she stupid, misinformed, or just six years old?
8. She seems to be implying that generals don't fight on the front lines because they're cowards. I really want to introduce her to Kellen now. At least he learned what the fuck he was talking about before he started embarrassing everyone.
9. Awww, their battle is cute! Apparently it was "Short," and they managed to just trick the enemy into being imprisoned in their own dungeon. Isn't it nice when no blood has to be shed in war?
10. ....never going to stop laughing at "Castle Munth."
11. Seriously, why even HAVE a Code of War if it's that easy to break?
12. So, why are traps against animals outlawed? Along with wood, are they only allowed to eat animals who volunteer for the job? And since they don't have arrows, do they have to chase all their prey down or something? Or are they all vegetarians?
13. If she doesn't realize that the Marquis of Shevaraeth is essentially The Scarlet Pimpernel soon, I'm going to cut a bitch.
14. Seriously, he's on your side. Get a clue.
15. Man, she's being tracked by the most competent soldier-flunkies in any fantasy book I've ever read!
16. SERIOUSLY HE'S OBVIOUSLY ON YOUR SIDE.
17. Wow, she spends a lot of this novel being unconscious.
18. Okay, good, they've TOLD her that he's on her side. Maybe now she'll believe it.
19. Nope. Grrrrrrrr.
20. And then----wait, what?
PART OF A SERIES???
I really need to find this shit out before I borrow books. And the library's closed until Tuesday.
Jess? Can you just tell me what happens in the second one? Then again, only tell me if Mel stops being an idiot and maybe gets together with Shevaraeth. Otherwise, I'm writing her off as a lost cause.
ETA: By the way, the book is "Crown Duel," by ...someone Smith. I don't know, it's all the way over there on the couch.