I LOVED LOVED Dead Until Dark. I loved it so much that I just finished the second book in the series and plan on reading the rest!
I think its really interesting how each vampire book we've read has had a different spin on vampires and I really liked this particular story line. Sookie is a great leading female character. She is obviously weak at times; she cries a lot through the first book, but she really comes into her own by accepting her "disability" and using it to her advantage to survive the attack of a rapist/murderer and to catch him. Sookie cries a looot, which at first kind of bugged me but then I realized that if my world was crashing down around me I'd probably be crying all the time too.
I like the way she handles her relationship with Bill, because she is opinionated and not nearly as pathetic as Bella seems to be. I actually found myself rooting for her to form a relationship with Sam, and not Bill, which I thought was funny because usually I would be all for the vampire relationship. In Twilight I was always "team Edward" not "team Jacob" but with Sookie I think she would fit better with Sam. Maybe its the fact that Bill isnt drooled over so much through the entire novel and his faults are shown more so than Edwards. The tension between Sookie and Sam is unbelievable, and Im sure its even better in the show, True Blood.
One criticism is that I thought they jumped over the death of Sookie's grandmother's death too easily. This woman was the only family she and her brother had left and I thought it was odd that Sookie immediately moved into her room and began sleeping with Bill in it. Maybe it was her way to feel like she was moving on or her way to stay connected with her grandma; either way it was kind of weird. Also, is Bubba supposed to be Elvis? Or am I totally missing something and he's someone else??
One thing I found interesting about Bill and Sookie's relationship is that he doesnt like to watch her eat, and especially hates when she eats garlic (which is so very cliche vampire), when in Fledgling, Shori really enjoyed watching her symbionts eat and described what they were eating in great detail. I also thought it was interesting how a lot of the cliche vampire myths- sunlight, sleeping in coffins, silver bullets- were used in the novel, while in the others only one or two myths were involved or they were changed in some way (Edward sparkling).
Throughout the books we've been reading its also becoming apparent that if you want to get with a vampire you have to have special powers. Edward can't read Bella's mind, Sookie can read minds, and Anita is an animator. Apparently there's no hope for the rest of us.
As I said before, I lovee this series. Im really glad we were assigned this novel and especially that we were assigned it last because I plan on reading the rest of the series now!
Peace, Love & Vampires
-kgirl
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Anita Blake
As much as I wanted to, I really couldn't get into the Anita Blake series. I enjoyed the overall idea of the series and love Anita's character but I had trouble reading it in graphic novel form, most likely because I've never read anything as a graphic novel before.
Anita is one kick ass vampire slayer. I really like how tough and witty she is, she's a very strong female influence throughout the two volumes. On the flip side I like that she does show weaknesses (especially through her girly love of penguins) because it automatically made her more relatable. I also liked that even though she is strong and full of "sex appeal" on the outside, she is really very modest with herself, something that makes her a great role model.
I had quite a few problems with the graphic novel form however. For starters it was really hard to follow what was going on most of the time. I think a lot of the time important parts were left out from the novel and that made some of the plot really confusing. Also just the way it was set up made it sometimes hard to figure out which box I was supposed to read next. Another problem with the graphic novel form was that a lot of the time the images really differed from what the text was saying. The facial expressions on the characters didn't always match what they were supposed to be feeling-a lot of the time Anita looked scared or worried when she was supposed to be in control and kicking ass. Also, the images made Anita look like a sex pot, with her big boobs red lipstick and tight clothes. That image doesn't reflect the modest woman that Anita is supposed to be.
Overall, I like Anita Blake, just not graphic novels. I liked that I had a chance to read a graphic novel because I never have, but I found theyre not for me. Im sure I would love the series much more in an actual novel form.
Peace, Love & Vampires
kgirl
Anita is one kick ass vampire slayer. I really like how tough and witty she is, she's a very strong female influence throughout the two volumes. On the flip side I like that she does show weaknesses (especially through her girly love of penguins) because it automatically made her more relatable. I also liked that even though she is strong and full of "sex appeal" on the outside, she is really very modest with herself, something that makes her a great role model.
I had quite a few problems with the graphic novel form however. For starters it was really hard to follow what was going on most of the time. I think a lot of the time important parts were left out from the novel and that made some of the plot really confusing. Also just the way it was set up made it sometimes hard to figure out which box I was supposed to read next. Another problem with the graphic novel form was that a lot of the time the images really differed from what the text was saying. The facial expressions on the characters didn't always match what they were supposed to be feeling-a lot of the time Anita looked scared or worried when she was supposed to be in control and kicking ass. Also, the images made Anita look like a sex pot, with her big boobs red lipstick and tight clothes. That image doesn't reflect the modest woman that Anita is supposed to be.
Overall, I like Anita Blake, just not graphic novels. I liked that I had a chance to read a graphic novel because I never have, but I found theyre not for me. Im sure I would love the series much more in an actual novel form.
Peace, Love & Vampires
kgirl
Monday, August 9, 2010
Fledgling
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Fledgling. While at first I was entirely caught off guard by the image of a 10-year-old girl climbing onto a 23-year-old man's lap and kissing him (among other things), especially because she had no idea who she was, what she was, or how old she was, I found that after realizing she is actually a 53-year-old Ina it didn't bother me throughout the book any more. Granted it was sometimes difficult to imagine the body of a little girl bossing around all of her adult symbionts and coming up with plans that end up saving the lives of many, it was easy to look beyond that image and understand that despite her height, Shori could handle herself.
I really liked that Butler gave Shori amnesia. Obviously it helped with the plot, but at the same time it helped me relate to her. I was discovering who and what she was while she was discovering it for herself. Shori's amnesia seemed like a weakness altogether, but it allowed the strength of her character to really shine. Shori is the definition of a strong female. Even with being vitally injured, having lost all of her family and symbionts, and her memories of those people and of who she is, she was able to rebuild. She had no idea why she needed Wright or Theodora the way she did but through the little knowledge she acquired on her own and from her father, she was able to protect her symbionts, warn other Ina of the danger while also saving them from it, and avenge the murder of her families.
Butler was able to use something fiction--vampires--to really emphasize the stereotypes of gender, age, race and sexuality that are a part of our society today, and to banish them, through the way that the Ina society does in the book. Simply the fact that Shori was black, and part-human, was the main conflict in the novel, and that racism among the Ina community was banished through the Council of Judgement. Gender roles were challenged in the way that the Ina community was very much a matriarchy. The open sexuality of the Ina with their male and female symbionts pushed the barriers of sexuality that are in our society today.
The only big criticism I had of the book was the ending--it ended way too soon! I wanted to see how Shori and her symbionts created their own home, and how they went on with their lives after the Council of Judgement. I also didn't like how long the council lasted without any real action until the very end when Russell tried to jump Shori. Other than the lackluster ending however, Fledgling was an awesome read, and Im glad I got to read a different type of vampire literature.
Peace, Love & Vampires
-kgirl
I really liked that Butler gave Shori amnesia. Obviously it helped with the plot, but at the same time it helped me relate to her. I was discovering who and what she was while she was discovering it for herself. Shori's amnesia seemed like a weakness altogether, but it allowed the strength of her character to really shine. Shori is the definition of a strong female. Even with being vitally injured, having lost all of her family and symbionts, and her memories of those people and of who she is, she was able to rebuild. She had no idea why she needed Wright or Theodora the way she did but through the little knowledge she acquired on her own and from her father, she was able to protect her symbionts, warn other Ina of the danger while also saving them from it, and avenge the murder of her families.
Butler was able to use something fiction--vampires--to really emphasize the stereotypes of gender, age, race and sexuality that are a part of our society today, and to banish them, through the way that the Ina society does in the book. Simply the fact that Shori was black, and part-human, was the main conflict in the novel, and that racism among the Ina community was banished through the Council of Judgement. Gender roles were challenged in the way that the Ina community was very much a matriarchy. The open sexuality of the Ina with their male and female symbionts pushed the barriers of sexuality that are in our society today.
The only big criticism I had of the book was the ending--it ended way too soon! I wanted to see how Shori and her symbionts created their own home, and how they went on with their lives after the Council of Judgement. I also didn't like how long the council lasted without any real action until the very end when Russell tried to jump Shori. Other than the lackluster ending however, Fledgling was an awesome read, and Im glad I got to read a different type of vampire literature.
Peace, Love & Vampires
-kgirl
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Lusting for Freedom-Rebecca Walker
In class today we read "Lusting for Freedom" by Rebecca Walker. The entire essay was really interesting, but below are the quotes that I found most intriguing, honest, and real, and my thoughts on each of them.
“Sex can also be power because knowledge is power, and because yeah, as a girl, you can make it do different things; I can give it to you and I can take it away. This sex is me, you can say. It is mine, take it. Take me. Please keep me”
I thought this quote was interesting because knowledge is power, and through sex we gain knowledge of ourselves, of our sexuality, our bodies and desires, as well as about our partners. And as a girl, sex is a powerful tool. Sex is “me,” in a way that says if I give you this part of me, I can also take it back. But it also says, “I want you to have me—please keep me.”
“And like women all over the world, I had mastered the art of transforming myself into what I thought each man would fall in love with.”
This quote really stood out, because it is something that young women deal with every day. Young women are already insecure as they are discovering their own sexuality and wanting to be accepted and loved by men. They try to change themselves into the person they think men want, the person that that individual man would be able to fall in love with. This leads to women who are only trying to please men, instead of those who are seeking pleasure for themselves.
“The impulse that told me that I deserve to live free of shame, that my body is not my enemy and that pleasure is my friend and my right.”
This quote addresses a lot of the stigma that comes with women and sex. Women who enjoy sex and are discovering their sexuality through sex are shamed in our society-- called sluts and whores. Through religion we are taught that sex prior to marriage is wrong- that sex is no more than an act between a man and wife that is used to procreate and bond. And those women who engage in the act before they are married are sinning. This leaves self-discovery unattended to. We are taught that our bodies are to be covered, and our desires and urges are normal, but should be ignored. In society pleasure for women is not a right but a privilege. While I don’t necessarily support those who “sleep around”—I believe that sex is a very intimate and personal act, one that should be respected and shared with someone you love—I don’t look down upon those who do. Sex and pleasure are rights that everyone should have, and they should be free to participate in them however they please. While sex should be liberated from "procreation" it should also be liberated from "fucking"--just 'doing it' to 'get some.' It is and encompasses so much more than both of these things, and young women--as well as young men-- need to know that.
“Without being able to respond to and honor the desires of our bodies and our selves, we become cut off from our instincts for pleasure, dissatisfied living under rules and thoughts that are not our own. When we deny ourselves safe and shameless exploration and access to reliable information, we damage our ability to even know what sexual pleasure feels or looks like.”
This quote caught my attention because I agree with it completely. When we believe that sex is a shameful act and we go about it unsafely—without protection—we are denying ourselves the ability to learn what sexual pleasure feels or looks like. We are truly being “cut off from our instincts for pleasure” when we can’t decide for ourselves what sex and sexuality should be. It is ‘dissatisfying’ to live with someone else’s rules, with someone else’s perception of sex, pleasure and the roles these play in discovering sexuality. We are individuals, and each of our perceptions of these things should mirror that fact.
“The question is not whether young women are going to have sex, for this is far beyond any parental or societal control. The question is rather, what do young women need to make sex a dynamic, affirming, safe and pleasurable part of our lives?”
I liked this quote because it was almost funny at first. Young women are going to have sex. Sure we can have the threat of sin or pregnancy or disease in front of us, but sex is still going to happen. Because of this, the next question needs to be seriously thought about—how can we make sex a dynamic, safe, affirming and pleasurable part of our lives? This, not how to stop young women from having sex, is the important question that needs to be answered.
And last but only because it came last in the essay, this quote caught my young-Catholic-girl-self's attention:
"We are growing, thinking, inquisitive, self-possessed beings who need information about sex and access to birth control and abortion."
I fully agree with this statement until the very last word. Sex is an important part of a young girls life. We deserve the information that it would take for us to engage in this act safely, honestly, and fully. HOWEVER--abortion is a not a right anyone has. It is wrong, and I do not agree with it, under any circumstance. We, as young women have the right to pleasure, to sex, and to discovering ourselves and our sexuality. But with this right also comes responsibility. We DO NOT have the right to take another human beings life, especially one that we created ourselves.
In relation to Fledgling:
This essay compares to Fledgling in a lot of ways. For starters, Rebecca is simply trying to communicate the need for pleasure in our lives--something the Ina can't live without through their symbionts. Also, Rebecca was eleven when she first had sex, and Shori looks to be about eleven when she joins Wright, a 23-year-old construction worker. In the case of Shori, this seemed wrong and hard to read, but with Rebecca's testimony, we learn that sex IS happening among people that young, and society simply put the stigma on it. Rebecca also goes on to discuss how sex is looked at in society, not as a right that we have but only as an act in marriage to procreate. In Fledgling, sex among the Ina community is looked at as a way to fully connect with your symbionts, and simply for pleasure. In this way, the Ina community's view on sex is exactly the view that Rebecca believes our society should have today.
Peace, Love & Vampires
-kgirl
“Sex can also be power because knowledge is power, and because yeah, as a girl, you can make it do different things; I can give it to you and I can take it away. This sex is me, you can say. It is mine, take it. Take me. Please keep me”
I thought this quote was interesting because knowledge is power, and through sex we gain knowledge of ourselves, of our sexuality, our bodies and desires, as well as about our partners. And as a girl, sex is a powerful tool. Sex is “me,” in a way that says if I give you this part of me, I can also take it back. But it also says, “I want you to have me—please keep me.”
“And like women all over the world, I had mastered the art of transforming myself into what I thought each man would fall in love with.”
This quote really stood out, because it is something that young women deal with every day. Young women are already insecure as they are discovering their own sexuality and wanting to be accepted and loved by men. They try to change themselves into the person they think men want, the person that that individual man would be able to fall in love with. This leads to women who are only trying to please men, instead of those who are seeking pleasure for themselves.
“The impulse that told me that I deserve to live free of shame, that my body is not my enemy and that pleasure is my friend and my right.”
This quote addresses a lot of the stigma that comes with women and sex. Women who enjoy sex and are discovering their sexuality through sex are shamed in our society-- called sluts and whores. Through religion we are taught that sex prior to marriage is wrong- that sex is no more than an act between a man and wife that is used to procreate and bond. And those women who engage in the act before they are married are sinning. This leaves self-discovery unattended to. We are taught that our bodies are to be covered, and our desires and urges are normal, but should be ignored. In society pleasure for women is not a right but a privilege. While I don’t necessarily support those who “sleep around”—I believe that sex is a very intimate and personal act, one that should be respected and shared with someone you love—I don’t look down upon those who do. Sex and pleasure are rights that everyone should have, and they should be free to participate in them however they please. While sex should be liberated from "procreation" it should also be liberated from "fucking"--just 'doing it' to 'get some.' It is and encompasses so much more than both of these things, and young women--as well as young men-- need to know that.
“Without being able to respond to and honor the desires of our bodies and our selves, we become cut off from our instincts for pleasure, dissatisfied living under rules and thoughts that are not our own. When we deny ourselves safe and shameless exploration and access to reliable information, we damage our ability to even know what sexual pleasure feels or looks like.”
This quote caught my attention because I agree with it completely. When we believe that sex is a shameful act and we go about it unsafely—without protection—we are denying ourselves the ability to learn what sexual pleasure feels or looks like. We are truly being “cut off from our instincts for pleasure” when we can’t decide for ourselves what sex and sexuality should be. It is ‘dissatisfying’ to live with someone else’s rules, with someone else’s perception of sex, pleasure and the roles these play in discovering sexuality. We are individuals, and each of our perceptions of these things should mirror that fact.
“The question is not whether young women are going to have sex, for this is far beyond any parental or societal control. The question is rather, what do young women need to make sex a dynamic, affirming, safe and pleasurable part of our lives?”
I liked this quote because it was almost funny at first. Young women are going to have sex. Sure we can have the threat of sin or pregnancy or disease in front of us, but sex is still going to happen. Because of this, the next question needs to be seriously thought about—how can we make sex a dynamic, safe, affirming and pleasurable part of our lives? This, not how to stop young women from having sex, is the important question that needs to be answered.
And last but only because it came last in the essay, this quote caught my young-Catholic-girl-self's attention:
"We are growing, thinking, inquisitive, self-possessed beings who need information about sex and access to birth control and abortion."
I fully agree with this statement until the very last word. Sex is an important part of a young girls life. We deserve the information that it would take for us to engage in this act safely, honestly, and fully. HOWEVER--abortion is a not a right anyone has. It is wrong, and I do not agree with it, under any circumstance. We, as young women have the right to pleasure, to sex, and to discovering ourselves and our sexuality. But with this right also comes responsibility. We DO NOT have the right to take another human beings life, especially one that we created ourselves.
In relation to Fledgling:
This essay compares to Fledgling in a lot of ways. For starters, Rebecca is simply trying to communicate the need for pleasure in our lives--something the Ina can't live without through their symbionts. Also, Rebecca was eleven when she first had sex, and Shori looks to be about eleven when she joins Wright, a 23-year-old construction worker. In the case of Shori, this seemed wrong and hard to read, but with Rebecca's testimony, we learn that sex IS happening among people that young, and society simply put the stigma on it. Rebecca also goes on to discuss how sex is looked at in society, not as a right that we have but only as an act in marriage to procreate. In Fledgling, sex among the Ina community is looked at as a way to fully connect with your symbionts, and simply for pleasure. In this way, the Ina community's view on sex is exactly the view that Rebecca believes our society should have today.
Peace, Love & Vampires
-kgirl
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Still a Twihard
As I said in my last post, I am a huge Twilight fan. I've read all of the books more than once and fell into the world of vamps and love each time. This time however, I read the book with a "feminine lens."
While I still love the story, Edward, and Bella, it surprised me how dangerously flawed the story is when it comes to gender roles and stereotypes. When looking at it through a feminist perspective, the fact that Bella is always listening to Edward, always cooking for Charlie and hardly ever standing up for herself is sending the wrong message to young girls; that women "belong in the kitchen" and should always follow orders. The plot really plays off of Bella's insecurities, making her lack of passion for anything other than Edward seem slightly pathetic. The way Bella's peers are described is very stereotypical, with the jocks, boy-crazy girls and awkward chess players. While this does make these characters easily identifiable, Meyer is also selling them short, creating characters without real personalities, simply stereotypes.
Bella is undoubtedly a passive, self-conscious, ordinary young girl, but these characteristics are what make Bella so relatable to young women today. Granted, at times she is whiney and almost all she does is think/miss/want Edward; but haven't we all been there? Aren't we all a little whiney? And if I was the object of Edward's affection, I'd think about him all the time too. The fact that this beautiful, "angel-like," strong, and sensitive-while-also-dangerous "bad boy" loves Bella and only Bella, will do anything to protect her, and is constantly thinking about her and her best interests, is enough to make any romantic swoon. Edward is her knight in shining armor. Maybe he is a tad on the over-protective side. But when you fall in love with something so "breakable" it would be hard not to be. (note Edward's lion and lamb comparison)
I agree that Bella's character is way under-developed in this first novel, but after reading the series Bella's personality does shine through. She is stubborn and resilient, clumsy and accident prone. She does stand up to Edward, and she really comes out of her awkward shell (spoiler-alert) when she becomes a vampire. She states that she has never connected to other people in her world, and that it is almost like she was "born" to be a vampire. Yes, I realize this is kind of a cop-out, letting girls think that they have no hope in ever fitting in unless they can somehow become a vampire, but I think it's really about finding yourself, the you that you are comfortable and happy with.
I understand the criticisms that people have with Twilight, and I admit that gender stereotypes are overly emphasized, but I just can't not love it. Meyer's epic love story makes the Twilight saga impossible to put down, even the third time around.
Peace, Love & Vampires
-Kgirl
While I still love the story, Edward, and Bella, it surprised me how dangerously flawed the story is when it comes to gender roles and stereotypes. When looking at it through a feminist perspective, the fact that Bella is always listening to Edward, always cooking for Charlie and hardly ever standing up for herself is sending the wrong message to young girls; that women "belong in the kitchen" and should always follow orders. The plot really plays off of Bella's insecurities, making her lack of passion for anything other than Edward seem slightly pathetic. The way Bella's peers are described is very stereotypical, with the jocks, boy-crazy girls and awkward chess players. While this does make these characters easily identifiable, Meyer is also selling them short, creating characters without real personalities, simply stereotypes.
Bella is undoubtedly a passive, self-conscious, ordinary young girl, but these characteristics are what make Bella so relatable to young women today. Granted, at times she is whiney and almost all she does is think/miss/want Edward; but haven't we all been there? Aren't we all a little whiney? And if I was the object of Edward's affection, I'd think about him all the time too. The fact that this beautiful, "angel-like," strong, and sensitive-while-also-dangerous "bad boy" loves Bella and only Bella, will do anything to protect her, and is constantly thinking about her and her best interests, is enough to make any romantic swoon. Edward is her knight in shining armor. Maybe he is a tad on the over-protective side. But when you fall in love with something so "breakable" it would be hard not to be. (note Edward's lion and lamb comparison)
I agree that Bella's character is way under-developed in this first novel, but after reading the series Bella's personality does shine through. She is stubborn and resilient, clumsy and accident prone. She does stand up to Edward, and she really comes out of her awkward shell (spoiler-alert) when she becomes a vampire. She states that she has never connected to other people in her world, and that it is almost like she was "born" to be a vampire. Yes, I realize this is kind of a cop-out, letting girls think that they have no hope in ever fitting in unless they can somehow become a vampire, but I think it's really about finding yourself, the you that you are comfortable and happy with.
I understand the criticisms that people have with Twilight, and I admit that gender stereotypes are overly emphasized, but I just can't not love it. Meyer's epic love story makes the Twilight saga impossible to put down, even the third time around.
Peace, Love & Vampires
-Kgirl
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Edward Cullen-Marry Me?
My name is Kristen and I am a junior studying Magazine/Public Relations Journalism at Ohio University. After graduation I plan on attending the Publishing Institute at the University of Denver in Colorado and pursuing a career in book publishing. I have loved to read to since I was a little girl; for me it has always been a way to escape into someone else's reality, whether it be fantasy fiction (yes I've read every Harry Potter book), chick-lit (serious Nicholas Sparks fan) or mainstream fiction, I've found a serious addiction and love in them all.
I'm writing this blog for my junior composition class, Women and Writing-Desiring Bodies: Vampires. I will be critiquing and reviewing the books that we read throughout the quarter. When I read the book list and theme for this class, I got sooo excited. While English has always been one of my favorite subjects, I can't imagine a more interesting class topic. And so far, I've be proven right. Our class discussions have been incredibly interesting so far, and as I'm also interested in writing my own novels, the writing exercises we'll be doing will be so helpful.
I just became a major Twilight fan last summer. Throughout the craze that came from the first movie, I refused to fall into the Twilight-trap. A friend finally convinced me to try it, and I ended up reading all four books in a week. I then proceeded to watch the movies and fall even more ridiculously and shamefully in love with Edward Cullen (I know, pathetic right?). Something about the sexy vampires that I adored, vulnerable young girl who I could relate to and seriously forbidden love story that every hopeless romantic dreams of, drew me in and I was hooked. Im excited to be able to blog about my reaction to the book (although you can already tell its going to be a rave review), but Im also excited that Ive been introduced to new vampire fiction, and will have the opportunity to write about it!
Peace, Love & Vampires
-Kgirl
I'm writing this blog for my junior composition class, Women and Writing-Desiring Bodies: Vampires. I will be critiquing and reviewing the books that we read throughout the quarter. When I read the book list and theme for this class, I got sooo excited. While English has always been one of my favorite subjects, I can't imagine a more interesting class topic. And so far, I've be proven right. Our class discussions have been incredibly interesting so far, and as I'm also interested in writing my own novels, the writing exercises we'll be doing will be so helpful.
I just became a major Twilight fan last summer. Throughout the craze that came from the first movie, I refused to fall into the Twilight-trap. A friend finally convinced me to try it, and I ended up reading all four books in a week. I then proceeded to watch the movies and fall even more ridiculously and shamefully in love with Edward Cullen (I know, pathetic right?). Something about the sexy vampires that I adored, vulnerable young girl who I could relate to and seriously forbidden love story that every hopeless romantic dreams of, drew me in and I was hooked. Im excited to be able to blog about my reaction to the book (although you can already tell its going to be a rave review), but Im also excited that Ive been introduced to new vampire fiction, and will have the opportunity to write about it!
Peace, Love & Vampires
-Kgirl
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