Beyond Heaving Bosoms: Or All You Need to Know to Understand SSHG

[harmony_bites]

I'm not a fan of the romance aisle, so it took a while before I realized that a lot of what disturbed and annoyed me in SSHG fanfic came from that genre. It's not that I don't like love stories, but I prefer romance embedded in suspense, mystery, literary and historic fiction, science-fiction, fantasy. I prefer my heroines able, brainy and not

Comments

[tudorpot]

There is a LJ feed for SmartBitches- http://syndicated.livejournal.com/smtbtchstshybks/profile

[harmony_bites]

Ah, thank thee. I make occasional trips there, but that's certainly one possibility. The book is a blast!

[scatteredlogic]

Seems poor Severus and Hermione were made to be poured into the mold (if you clean up Severus and dumb down Hermione).

Oh, geez, yes, and they have been poured into that mold over and over and over. Add in a large dose of the abuse and comeuppance, an even larger dollop of bdsm and you'd have the makings of a fandom hit on your hands. ;)

[harmony_bites]

Oh, geez, yes, and they have been poured into that mold over and over and over. Add in a large dose of the abuse and comeuppance, an even larger dollop of bdsm and you'd have the makings of a fandom hit on your hands. ;)

I know. *whimpers* Add a lot of suckup, and post early and often, and you're well on your way to ship stardom, even if not endurable BNF-hood!

But I fell in love with ship because of stories that didn't fit that mold.

[christinex1001]

It's amazing how much play that clip from Downfall has gotten. I saw a YouTube video with it a while back that has Hitler freaking out because Microsoft banned his Xbox online account.

I love the Smart Bitches. Their site is one of my regular daily stops. One of the gals on my f-list was actually an illustrator for the SBTB book (which I haven't bought yet 'cause I suck).

It's funny, because while I enjoy writing romance, I never read much of it. Lately I've done sort of what you're doing -- I tried reading some more recent romance to see what was out there in the market. So far I'm not terribly impressed, although I have enjoyed the Jenny Crusie books I read. I highly recommend Welcome to Temptation if you want to try a fun contemporary.

Personally, I've never understood the point of dumbing down a character like Hermione just so she can fit into a standard "Old Skool" trope. Why write about a character if you're going to change one of the major facets of her personality?

Le sigh.

[harmony_bites]

I went looking very deliberately for romance recommendations online and in print and compiled a list, took a whole bunch up to the Barnes and Noble Cafe and started sampling. That would be a post of it's own. About the only survivors that didn't make me gag were Georgette Heyer, Nora Roberts/JD Robb--and Jennifer Crusie. Crusie was my favorite, I think because her heroes don't fit into the usual Alpha Male mode and because she has a lot of redeeming wit and humor. But in the end Crusie and Roberts weren't keepers--they didn't make it onto my precious shelf space like classic and contemporary lit, good mysteries, fantasy and science fiction.

But my favorite "romances" aren't found on the romance aisle. Books like Pride and Prejudice, Persuasion, Room with a View, Rebecca, and fantasies by Jacqueline Carey, Elisabeth Bishop, Kelley Armstrong, Charlene Harris, etc.

Personally, I've never understood the point of dumbing down a character like Hermione just so she can fit into a standard "Old Skool" trope. Why write about a character if

[deeble]

There really is a fair amount of Hermione-hate in the 'ship. I got an alarming number of "what the heck is her problem" comments from people reading "What E'er Therein is Promised," as if she didn't have a right to be thoroughly pissed off at what Snape was doing to her.

I don't like "category romance" books either, and you've hit on the major reason why. Pride and Prejudice is infinitely more feminist.

[harmony_bites]

I got an alarming number of "what the heck is her problem" comments from people reading "What E'er Therein is Promised," as if she didn't have a right to be thoroughly pissed off at what Snape was doing to her.

I saw those reviews. There are similar ones on Wonderfulchild's Walk Through Fire.

Its bewildering to me. I've had some friends posit that its because those fans identify so with Snape that if he gets a paper cut, they bleed--they can't see how Hermione can't want him and be sooooooooo mean to him. The Heaving Bosoms book had an interesting discussion of whether readers identify more with the heroine as a "placeholder" for them or the hero as the beloved. And said that women might be even more critical if they see the heroine as themselves--because if she acts in a way they wouldn't they feel betrayed. Which might explain several fandom hissy fits I've witnessed.

I don't like "category romance" books either, and you've hit on the major reason why. Pride and Prejudice is infinitely more feminist.Infinitely. And on the other

[shellsnapeluver]

This is very interesting! I shall look for the book. Thanks!

[harmony_bites]

You're welcome. I don't think I conveyed above how fun the book was to read. I often smiled and occasionally giggled.

[silburygirl]

I think I sprained something giggling at that vid.

And I love the Smart Bitches-I read their site, even though I don't read romance.

[harmony_bites]

Me too! You should read the book--really should. It's *cough* illuminating. You'll never look at SSHG the same way again...

[silburygirl]

I will look it up!