I WTFed at that too when I read it. Both because she said "African-American" (I think that's the ONLY place in the books that description is used for Cassie) and because she was implying that it's some deep flaw that Jake would have to "overlook."
Cassie did seem to be a bit insecure sometimes over whether Jake liked her based on superficial factors, like when she was fretting about what he would think about her in a bathing suit, but I don't think this is something she would wonder about. If this was earlier in the series I'd have thought it was a poorly written attempt to throw in physical descriptions, but this is Megamorphs 4 for crap's sake.
Other than this glitch, I seriously thought the series did a pretty good job pretty much making race a so-what subject unless it was relevant (like how Cassie got treated by the Princeton student in Megamorphs 3). When stuff like this happens it's all the more glaring because the author is usually pretty good at it. I'd blame a ghostwriter but I thought all the Megamorphs were written
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This does sound really bad - like, horrible. It made me kind of go O_O too... But I can see where KAA was going with it, even if it's written like that. I can't really explain/justify it, but I can see where she was going with it. I'm really surprised that an editor didn't take it out, though.
I always read that passage as I believe it was "intended" to sound- sweet, caring, basically Rachel telling Cassie that Jake just doesn't *care* about someone's race- white/black/whatever, that he cares about *her*- Cassie, the person
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I basically agree with this whole comment. Anecdotally, at that age and still sometimes now, I definitely think things like this. But what about the fact that we're not the same race? Etc., etc. I think it's a realistic thing to be brought up, though it is a bit jarring considering how rarely race is really mentioned in the series in general.
Of course you're right that the soul of Rachel's statement was a very good message. The problem comes from the phrasing, really--the idea that Cassie, as the minority, would worry whether she is acceptable to him (you know, not just as a person, but specifically based on her race), while you see no balancing insecurity on Jake's part (no worrying whether Cassie or her family will accept him even though he's white ever pops up
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While I agree the phrasing could have been better, overall, I still don't mind the message. You're right though, maybe the best way to show Jake didn't have any issue with Cassie physically is just have "actions speak louder than words" and plain show it throughout the series. Maybe the publishers wanted a more overt explanation. Maybe KA was being too subtle and they wanted the message slapped really hard in the series so there'd be no "missing it". Remember, it's not just ghost writers that can derail a series, the publishers have their hands all in it too. If the publisher says "Make sure Jake is *really* cool with Cassie, you know, because they're an inter-racial couple and all", maybe this was just KA's way to (perhaps, clumsily) ensure that the message was put out there
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1) That is in an alternate universe the Crayak made. 2) I think it is a very real concern, whether we like it or not, to consider if someone cares about dating outside of their race. I also don't think Rachel was really going for the "not seeing race," I think it's more "Jake cares about you because you're you" and that it isn't a trait he would single out, that it isn't something matters to him in the slightest, and that he likes everything about her. I think it's just Rachel's way of saying it, well, bluntly, and Rachel is the sort of character that says things the first way the thought forms in her mouth most of the time.
Isn't this the book where they talk about Jews and such too? Or maybe that's a different alternate-universe book. I just remember reading whatever book that was and being weirded out because it wasn't clear that they were in an alternate universe until later.
No, that's Elfangor's Secret. This is the alternate universe where they don't become Animorphs and stuff doesn't go well, but it still is an AU from the moment Crayak changes the timeline.
Comments 54
Cassie did seem to be a bit insecure sometimes over whether Jake liked her based on superficial factors, like when she was fretting about what he would think about her in a bathing suit, but I don't think this is something she would wonder about. If this was earlier in the series I'd have thought it was a poorly written attempt to throw in physical descriptions, but this is Megamorphs 4 for crap's sake.
Other than this glitch, I seriously thought the series did a pretty good job pretty much making race a so-what subject unless it was relevant (like how Cassie got treated by the Princeton student in Megamorphs 3). When stuff like this happens it's all the more glaring because the author is usually pretty good at it. I'd blame a ghostwriter but I thought all the Megamorphs were written ( ... )
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2) I think it is a very real concern, whether we like it or not, to consider if someone cares about dating outside of their race. I also don't think Rachel was really going for the "not seeing race," I think it's more "Jake cares about you because you're you" and that it isn't a trait he would single out, that it isn't something matters to him in the slightest, and that he likes everything about her. I think it's just Rachel's way of saying it, well, bluntly, and Rachel is the sort of character that says things the first way the thought forms in her mouth most of the time.
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