I actually enjoy the chance to have exactly this sort of discussion ;)honeylocusttreeOctober 7 2012, 01:03:52 UTC
Hah, well you know it's in my nature to have unpopular opinions. I'm always happy to share them because, well, mostly people don't do that sort of thing in order not to create controversy. But I make posts like this because they generate discussion, and they can be an opportunity to learn. I always get a broader perspective. So...on that note:
What exactly is your definition of "family saga"?
That's like one of those stories about generations doing...whatever it is they do. Like it starts with a couple and then their kids and then their kids after that. A lot of them seem to be 'moved to America' stories. There are a lot of those, and frankly I don't get the appeal. I mean if they were generations of like, assassins or ninjas or something I might read it, but it tends to be more mundane stuff. People love that stuff (judging by how many are out there) and I just. Don't. Get it.
I like stories where there is action, and things blow up, etc. It's pretty simple stuff, really. SPN is a good example--I enjoy the fight scenes and wish we had more. I like observing the fight choreography. Two of my favorite movies are Hot Fuzz and Kung Fu Hustle--silly action/comedy films. When i watched Spider-man II (with Tobey MacGuire) I was annoyed by the romance subplot and felt there wasn't enough violence. Part of the reason I enjoyed Avengers so much is because there was no romantic subplot thrown in. I hate Moulin Rouge. I hate romantic comedies as a general rule. My interests cleave very closely to things that have been traditionally regarded as unfeminine. I've been meaning to see The Raid for a while now, and that's just a nonstop bloodbath.
What it sounds to me like you're saying is that you're not a fan of literary fiction in general, which is fine, as you're entitled to your opinion -- but you're couching it in unbelievably sexist terms.
That's certainly fair, and the fact is I don't actually know where that comes from--why don't I read female writers? But I don't quite know the answer to that, which is part of what prompted me to make this post. I have mixed feelings about literature in general, as I like a good read, but don't like the principles informing a lot of the ideas of what makes a 'great novel'--I want a story first and foremost, and not to be told 'read this because it's great literature' (I've been scarred by HS English argh argh argh). So I'm a big Terry Pratchett fan, but there are a ton of great novelists I've never read. And probably won't. For whatever reason. I enjoy Umberto Eco, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and people like that. I can't think of a female author I've read that I liked that much. I rifle back through my memory and there just...isn't anybody there. There's just a big empty space--with the exception of science fiction writers. (sorry, I literally had to split this in 2 parts)
Re: I actually enjoy the chance to have exactly this sort of discussion ;)claudiapriscusOctober 7 2012, 02:29:32 UTC
Oh my goodness, I have more recommendations for you. Okay. so originally I was going to append this to my last comment, because I remembered Briar Rose by Jane Yolen that you might like, which isn't exactly magical realism, but is a story about a woman surviving the holocaust framed through the fairy tale she tells her grandchildren (and through which she made sense of what she experienced). But the comment about explosions and action/comedy has inspired me to push my current favorite author (for the sheer fun): Karen Chance, who writes books that are basically urban fantasy action comedies with a hefty dose of history fangirling. (I like history fangirling.)
Re: I actually enjoy the chance to have exactly this sort of discussion ;)honeylocusttreeOctober 7 2012, 02:43:15 UTC
I used to love Jane Yolen, though I haven't read her in years. But i respected the gravity of her writing. That could be interesting! (I was a big reader on all Holocaust and Hiroshima fiction when I was a kid.)
And everything is better with explosions. Everything.
Re: I actually enjoy the chance to have exactly this sort of discussion ;)claudiapriscusOctober 7 2012, 03:10:20 UTC
Honestly, her writing style frequently is, "hmm, so my characters are being chased by two antagonistic groups through a casino, and now the two groups are fighting each other in addition to trying to kill the characters, and their battle accidentally disturbed the zombie floor show act, and zombie elvis is now trying to gnaw on the unsuspecting norms, and now there are the Graeae wading into the mess and happily joining the slaughter...hmm, this is getting too dull. You know what this scene needs? Some explosions. And some unexpected time travel."
What exactly is your definition of "family saga"?
That's like one of those stories about generations doing...whatever it is they do. Like it starts with a couple and then their kids and then their kids after that. A lot of them seem to be 'moved to America' stories. There are a lot of those, and frankly I don't get the appeal. I mean if they were generations of like, assassins or ninjas or something I might read it, but it tends to be more mundane stuff. People love that stuff (judging by how many are out there) and I just. Don't. Get it.
I like stories where there is action, and things blow up, etc. It's pretty simple stuff, really. SPN is a good example--I enjoy the fight scenes and wish we had more. I like observing the fight choreography. Two of my favorite movies are Hot Fuzz and Kung Fu Hustle--silly action/comedy films. When i watched Spider-man II (with Tobey MacGuire) I was annoyed by the romance subplot and felt there wasn't enough violence. Part of the reason I enjoyed Avengers so much is because there was no romantic subplot thrown in. I hate Moulin Rouge. I hate romantic comedies as a general rule. My interests cleave very closely to things that have been traditionally regarded as unfeminine. I've been meaning to see The Raid for a while now, and that's just a nonstop bloodbath.
What it sounds to me like you're saying is that you're not a fan of literary fiction in general, which is fine, as you're entitled to your opinion -- but you're couching it in unbelievably sexist terms.
That's certainly fair, and the fact is I don't actually know where that comes from--why don't I read female writers? But I don't quite know the answer to that, which is part of what prompted me to make this post. I have mixed feelings about literature in general, as I like a good read, but don't like the principles informing a lot of the ideas of what makes a 'great novel'--I want a story first and foremost, and not to be told 'read this because it's great literature' (I've been scarred by HS English argh argh argh). So I'm a big Terry Pratchett fan, but there are a ton of great novelists I've never read. And probably won't. For whatever reason. I enjoy Umberto Eco, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and people like that. I can't think of a female author I've read that I liked that much. I rifle back through my memory and there just...isn't anybody there. There's just a big empty space--with the exception of science fiction writers.
(sorry, I literally had to split this in 2 parts)
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And everything is better with explosions. Everything.
*notes Chance*
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Clearly I should've been reading this ages ago.
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