tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post2461515377057593709..comments2024-03-28T03:06:23.447-04:00Comments on Romance Novels for Feminists: The Good, the Bad, and the IdeologicalJackie C. Hornehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04146684628443152376noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-10484010045035904182014-03-12T10:30:01.156-04:002014-03-12T10:30:01.156-04:00Hi, Sonomalass.
Thanks for adding your thoughts t...Hi, Sonomalass.<br /><br />Thanks for adding your thoughts to this discussion. No, Pace's book was not the first POC romance I've read, although I can see how it might sound like that from reading this blog post alone. I've discussed other POC romance (primarily written for Young Adults) on the blog before, and have been actively working to read POC romance written for adults since a reader challenged the lack of POC books on the blog a few months ago.<br /><br />I've been reading quite a few POC romances of late, and writing about them on Goodreads: Farah Rochon's A LITTLE BIT NAUGHTY; Beverly Jenkins' PRISONER OF LOVE; Shelly Laurenston's PACK CHALLENGE; Michelle Alert's A PROMISE WORTH MAKING; Camille Leon's HEAVEN; Eden Davis's DARE TO BE TEMPTED; Robin Covington's PLAYING THE PART; Brenda Jackson's A BROTHER'S HONOR, to name the most recent. Some struck me as feminist, but either underdeveloped or not well written; others hit the sweet spot writing-wise, but didn't seem all that feminist. If you've read any of them, would you argue differently?<br /><br />The challenge for me has been finding novels about POC that are well-written AND which are overtly or implicitly feminist. The latter can be difficult for ALL of romance, no matter the race of the characters or the race of the author, given how many anti-feminist tropes there are in the genre. That's why I was excited to read Pace, and Camille Leon -- they both seem quite invested in feminist ideas. But on the level of writing, their work doesn't match the expectations I've been taught to bring to bear on a text.<br /><br />Thus my question: can/should I expand the pool by looking at books that don't meet my "good writing" standards? To what extent are my "good writing" standards based on racist assumptions? These are the questions I'm challenging myself to think deeply about. Do you think there is a way to do so without making racist assumptions about POC writers in the process?<br /><br />Thanks for your recommendations. I'll be sure to pick up a copy of I'LL CATCH YOU and SHARING SPACES. And I'm looking forward to reading Beverly Jenkins's DESTINY'S EMBRACE, which I have on order. <br /><br />And thanks for your willingness to engage on the blog. I appreciate it.Jackie C. Hornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04146684628443152376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-79359524511511096722014-03-12T10:04:57.036-04:002014-03-12T10:04:57.036-04:00Meoskop:
Thanks for chiming in here. I'm tryi...Meoskop:<br /><br />Thanks for chiming in here. I'm trying to think about this issue in a way that doesn't fall into the trap of "subpar writing is the only way to meet diverse characters. One must lower one's expectations for books working outside the white upper class line." Can I think about the ways in which books written from outside the white upper class line are likely to be different, are likely to challenge expectations, in ways that I as a white upper class reader have been taught to think are "lesser," but may be less about hierarchical standards and more about difference? What standards have I internalized are worth keeping, no matter what the subject matter, and which ones should I call into question? Is there any way to ask these questions without coming off sounding like I'm dissing books by POC? Not my intent, but I know that intent isn't everything -- impact matters just as much.<br /><br />Which Pepper Pace book are you/your group planning to read? I'd love to hear your take on it.Jackie C. Hornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04146684628443152376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-21953167308553541612014-03-11T13:51:26.829-04:002014-03-11T13:51:26.829-04:00I think it's interesting that instead of focus...I think it's interesting that instead of focusing on the experience of reading (your first, right?) POC romance, you focus on the writing/editing quality issue here. I'd suggest picking up a book that you know is well edited so that you can have one experience without the other. Not that books by authors of color or featuring characters of color are all the same experience, by any means!<br /><br />Farrah Rochon's RITA nominated <em>I'll Catch You</em>, almost anything by Beverley Jenkins, or a number of other traditionally published books might suit your writing style taste better. I recently enjoyed Nina Perez's <em>Sharing Space</em>, which is an interracial romance. I'm sure there were some other suggestions when you posted about this last year.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-75317760249783642592014-03-11T10:39:15.484-04:002014-03-11T10:39:15.484-04:00I have issues with the framing of the question in ...I have issues with the framing of the question in the final paragraph. There's an implicit suggestion that subpar writing is the only way to meet diverse characters. One must lower one's expectations for books working outside the white upper class line. This is obviously untrue. <br /><br />As well, the combination of "should I review books with subpar editing" with "I decided to try featuring non-white romance" is a common trap blogs run into. It's the burden of representing one's entire race transferred onto the genre.<br /><br /><br />The false question of "should I read books I feel are substandard because they have POC characters?" Is one that deserves unpacking and examining. While I haven't read this author we do have one of her books in the review line and I am curious to see how the reading experiences match up. Meoskopnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-18009002309398883102014-03-10T18:12:00.684-04:002014-03-10T18:12:00.684-04:00Thanks, everyone, for sharing your thoughts on the...Thanks, everyone, for sharing your thoughts on the importance of writing vs. the importance of ideology. Interesting range of opinions here...Jackie C. Hornehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04146684628443152376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-8178878618134045032014-03-09T04:33:17.501-04:002014-03-09T04:33:17.501-04:00I read fiction for pleasure, and I simply do not e...I read fiction for pleasure, and I simply do not enjoy reading bad writing. Characters and story are of course crucial, but they cannot trump bad writing, for me. Knowing that the book presented a character from an under-represented group may well make me more likely to purchase it but it won't make me forgive or ignore bad writing. And I don't think it should; that's akin to positive discrimination which I've always found difficult. So thank you for an honest review which did what I think a review should do: assess a book on its merits *as a book*.Helenahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01553503435833467369noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-87326719768810029342014-03-08T07:36:02.953-05:002014-03-08T07:36:02.953-05:00Great post! I've read a few books over the yea...Great post! I've read a few books over the years that kinda sucked, either because the writing was crummy or the message was "WTF?" (or both) because the story compelled me to find out what was going on (you know, stalkery doms and wishy washy virgins, stuff like that). This sounds like something I might read, too, for the same reasons. And I'd wish the whole time that I wasn't so attracted to train wrecks (and weekend marathons of Hoarders: Buried Alive). <br />And then kick myself because I could be spending that time writing my own stuff, which might, hopefully, be better. <br />I certainly do read things based on reviews...peer pressure and public opinion are both positive and negative, and I'm a "go with the flow" kind of girl. Sometimes I buy something BECAUSE of the questionable review, sometimes I avoid it...and sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised, and sometimes...<br />Anyway, maybe I'll wait until this one's had some professional editing! Teri Anne Stanleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15500524348027951939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-81770998884750704612014-03-07T19:58:07.184-05:002014-03-07T19:58:07.184-05:00It depends on how bad the writing is versus how co...It depends on how bad the writing is versus how compelling the story or the characters are. The worse the writing, the more compelling the story or characters have to be to offset it. Every post devoted to a book that is badly written is one less post that can be devoted to a book that isn't. But some books are worth highlighting despite their flaws. <br /><br />While notions of what is good and bad in writing can and have been used in ways that exclude and stifle certain voices and storylines, taking the position that it doesn't matter is tantamount to saying that we can't expect as much from writers of color and unconventional storylines as we do of other writers. That seems condescending and demeaning. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-80070800306870442222014-03-07T16:18:07.133-05:002014-03-07T16:18:07.133-05:00If a book is not well written, I get out of it, I ...If a book is not well written, I get out of it, I can't help it. No matter how interesting the story or the characters. We foreigners, have another complaint: translations. When something is badly translated I get very angry, because I feel cheated. <br />And about your second question, yes, I'd be interested in reading reviews of such books. Those stories book would get my attention. And it would be very sad if I get angry afterwards because it's badly written.<br />Could it be that language is more important to me than ideology? I don't know.Bonahttp://romanticanorosa.blogspot.com.es/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-630346294397505634.post-17706433809732914082014-03-07T13:49:23.267-05:002014-03-07T13:49:23.267-05:00Unfortunately, I'm like you. I really, reall...Unfortunately, I'm like you. I really, really want to read this, but I suspect the issues with the writing would drive me crazy. Even the couple of sentences on the cover sound awkward. Rosariohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13015659149421085931noreply@blogger.com