reading this book is like coming home
Jun. 27th, 2009 06:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jade_sabreOH MY GOD
IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR SINCE I READ THE QUEEN OF ATTOLIA
no wonder this reread feels so good. especially after Nobody's Princess because I am suddenly sick of reading about chicks who sneak out and learn how to fight and do "manly" things because "girls are just as good as boys at manly things and who says they're manly anyway" I mean not that I disagree with that sentiment but it's all well and good for Helen that she gets to sneak out and learn this stuff but you know what think of all the other women who couldn't. (Also I think,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
philia_fan, I finally understand what you mean by "why does this book have a sequel that makes me like it less" syndrome.)
One of the cool things about Attolia is that while she can embroider up a storm, she's also a really competent leader. These other books seem to dismiss the other women doing all the embroidering because it's so boring and all they ever do is gossip. Well, Attolia not only embroider, but also spied and prepared her husband's poison. And yes, she envied Eddis the lack of velvets and the running and playing with her cousins, and yes, she was unhappy, but she still ended up holding onto her country and having a ton of power and staying on the playing field until she finally found someone with whom she could share her burden, without becoming any less of what she was.
One of the things I liked a lot about Crown Duel was the fact that the women had all sorts of secret codes and undercurrents of intrigue that were all communicated through things like fans. I think sometimes in an author's haste to provide a really strong female character, she ignores all the wonderful chances for subtlety that were, in fact, what most women had to deal in.
Also, this time around? The parallels of Gen's and Attolia's insomnia. Will be trying to form some sort of thoughts about this.
TIME FOR NOTORIOUS
IT HAS BEEN OVER A YEAR SINCE I READ THE QUEEN OF ATTOLIA
no wonder this reread feels so good. especially after Nobody's Princess because I am suddenly sick of reading about chicks who sneak out and learn how to fight and do "manly" things because "girls are just as good as boys at manly things and who says they're manly anyway" I mean not that I disagree with that sentiment but it's all well and good for Helen that she gets to sneak out and learn this stuff but you know what think of all the other women who couldn't. (Also I think,
philia_fan, I finally understand what you mean by "why does this book have a sequel that makes me like it less" syndrome.) One of the cool things about Attolia is that while she can embroider up a storm, she's also a really competent leader. These other books seem to dismiss the other women doing all the embroidering because it's so boring and all they ever do is gossip. Well, Attolia not only embroider, but also spied and prepared her husband's poison. And yes, she envied Eddis the lack of velvets and the running and playing with her cousins, and yes, she was unhappy, but she still ended up holding onto her country and having a ton of power and staying on the playing field until she finally found someone with whom she could share her burden, without becoming any less of what she was.
One of the things I liked a lot about Crown Duel was the fact that the women had all sorts of secret codes and undercurrents of intrigue that were all communicated through things like fans. I think sometimes in an author's haste to provide a really strong female character, she ignores all the wonderful chances for subtlety that were, in fact, what most women had to deal in.
Also, this time around? The parallels of Gen's and Attolia's insomnia. Will be trying to form some sort of thoughts about this.
TIME FOR NOTORIOUS
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
<------ woman who grabbed sword, saved world, was miserable, found man, was happy. Moral of story?
Date: 2009-06-28 05:15 am (UTC)also, HOLY SHIT YOU'RE IN CHINA SO I CAN'T TELL YOU "OMG GO GET THESE BOOKS RIGHT NOW WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR."
So the answer to your not-question is, um, HELL YEAH.
I was just thinking about that!
(i.e., I was reading a smutty Kakasaku fic where he was Hokage and she was Secretary Holding Hokage's Life Together.)Like on the one hand, you want the woman to get the recognition for all her hard work, but on the other hand, if he's incredibly dependent on her, does she really need top billing? Because she already has a ton of control. But what's standing between her and the top position? Why doesn't she just take it? Is there a reason she doesn't? Is it some sort of lingering patriarchal whatever, or is it just a "I don't want it"? But what's bringing that on? Is this about to veer into gender role territory, which makes a lot of people queasy?...one of the books I just finished recently had a whole little rant about feminism that has had me pondering all this, so uh, this little matter is just icing on the cake.
but seriously: why does the secretary choose to stay the secretary? are women just happier running everything from behind the scenes, or do we just think we are?