Young Adult Fiction and Romance talk
its just as well I didn't do much, I got up out of bed and immediately fell sideways as my world tilted. I'm still light-headed even after eating, light exercise (30 minute walk) and taking my vitamin. Damn stupid weather I think my blood pressure is being whacked around again.
So because I wanted to stay still I read a bunch of posts about Young Adult Romance in today's culture.
Oh this will be fun let me tell you. You know why I love pop culture meta-essays sooo much? Because I can understand the stuff being tossed around for the most part.
[in which a girl reads]: Why ya romance needs to change
this is what started my read-a-thon of posts. It talks about how current bestselling YA books (such as Twilight, Hush Hush and Swoon are all perpetuating the Stalker Boy is My True Love Formula. Admittedly this isn't a new formula, but thanks to Twlight's Edward and Bella its suddenly all the rage.
bookshop : Bad Romance (or, YA and Rape Culture)
I'd actually recommend looking over the journal in general, there are a number of meta essays of interesting note-worthiness. Anyhow Aja uses Hush, Hush by bec_fitzpatrick as her example. I haven't read Hush, Hush, the premise didn't really appeal to me (though I do like the cover a lot), but practically all my bookblogger friends did read it (to varying feelings). She has quotes, scenes and a lot of breakdown.
University of Fantasy: Hush, Hush: the designated love interest and gender relations in YA
If possible this blogger delves even further into why Patch and Nora is not a functional romance. Added bonus for recc'ing Graceling by Kristin Cashore as a good alternative to how a romance should play out.
all 3 posts sort of feed into each other to varying degrees and as far as I could see there haven't been any trolls so let's leave it that way mmm kay?
I would argue I think that the case of Evernight is a little trickier since the first half of the book we are led astray by a pertinent fact about our narrator which is not revealed until the halfway point and then its also revealed that her parents kept her in a perfect bubble and that her family life is unusual in the society they belong to (to say the least).
Also I don't think its fair to compare Pride and Prejudice or books of that time period to books now. Austen wrote the books as reflections of her society and social norms--Darcy being judgmental, rude, arrogant and dismissing Lizzie is pretty much how he was expected to act towards someone of lower standing financially, socially and connection wise. Add to it her family was monstrous, or at least her mother and younger sister were, its not really surprising that his rational self would entirely reject the notion of forming an alliance with Lizzie. his rational self was screaming 'Fortune hunter! social climber! SHREW!' while his emotional self, which he closed off from influencing him as much as possible, was drawn to her.
So no I don't think that its fair to lump them in with Edward/Bella or Patch/Nora. Darcy doesn't force himself on Lizzie--due to the nature of the Bingley/Jane situation they end up together often but he doesn't stalk her, and Lizzie gives him whatfor when he tries to tell her what to do. when he proposes marriage, the first time, and is thwarted he goes away--instead of trying to force her to acknowledge things--and returns a more humble man for it. He doesn't lie to her, doesn't try to kidnap her or lead her astray.
Anyhow that's just my two cents. I'm off to read one of 5 books I've been looking forward to...
Lexie
So because I wanted to stay still I read a bunch of posts about Young Adult Romance in today's culture.
Oh this will be fun let me tell you. You know why I love pop culture meta-essays sooo much? Because I can understand the stuff being tossed around for the most part.
[in which a girl reads]: Why ya romance needs to change
this is what started my read-a-thon of posts. It talks about how current bestselling YA books (such as Twilight, Hush Hush and Swoon are all perpetuating the Stalker Boy is My True Love Formula. Admittedly this isn't a new formula, but thanks to Twlight's Edward and Bella its suddenly all the rage.
bookshop : Bad Romance (or, YA and Rape Culture)
I'd actually recommend looking over the journal in general, there are a number of meta essays of interesting note-worthiness. Anyhow Aja uses Hush, Hush by bec_fitzpatrick as her example. I haven't read Hush, Hush, the premise didn't really appeal to me (though I do like the cover a lot), but practically all my bookblogger friends did read it (to varying feelings). She has quotes, scenes and a lot of breakdown.
University of Fantasy: Hush, Hush: the designated love interest and gender relations in YA
If possible this blogger delves even further into why Patch and Nora is not a functional romance. Added bonus for recc'ing Graceling by Kristin Cashore as a good alternative to how a romance should play out.
all 3 posts sort of feed into each other to varying degrees and as far as I could see there haven't been any trolls so let's leave it that way mmm kay?
I would argue I think that the case of Evernight is a little trickier since the first half of the book we are led astray by a pertinent fact about our narrator which is not revealed until the halfway point and then its also revealed that her parents kept her in a perfect bubble and that her family life is unusual in the society they belong to (to say the least).
Also I don't think its fair to compare Pride and Prejudice or books of that time period to books now. Austen wrote the books as reflections of her society and social norms--Darcy being judgmental, rude, arrogant and dismissing Lizzie is pretty much how he was expected to act towards someone of lower standing financially, socially and connection wise. Add to it her family was monstrous, or at least her mother and younger sister were, its not really surprising that his rational self would entirely reject the notion of forming an alliance with Lizzie. his rational self was screaming 'Fortune hunter! social climber! SHREW!' while his emotional self, which he closed off from influencing him as much as possible, was drawn to her.
So no I don't think that its fair to lump them in with Edward/Bella or Patch/Nora. Darcy doesn't force himself on Lizzie--due to the nature of the Bingley/Jane situation they end up together often but he doesn't stalk her, and Lizzie gives him whatfor when he tries to tell her what to do. when he proposes marriage, the first time, and is thwarted he goes away--instead of trying to force her to acknowledge things--and returns a more humble man for it. He doesn't lie to her, doesn't try to kidnap her or lead her astray.
Anyhow that's just my two cents. I'm off to read one of 5 books I've been looking forward to...
Lexie