reading this book is like coming home

[jade_sabre]

OH 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, 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

Comments

[rashaka.livejournal.com]

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.

I hate that stereotype by now. I think I didn't care so much in books, but fanfic has utterly ruined it for me. I can't take any ATLA fic seriously that has either Mai or Katara being compared to shallow, conniving, vain society bitches. Like I'm supposed to believe that a group of 12 women, even rich women, are ALL shallow, vain, and money-grubbing husband hunters? Who will all absolutely despise the new princess out of jealousy? Bahhh.

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.

Books and fics that do this often impress me. I feel like the conventions of historical fantasy fiction, particularly with royalty or noble class, have these preconceived patterns that focus on shallow stereotypes, particularly ones that contrast one woman against a group of others (often the male's love interest.) This is why I have this intense interest (as yet undeveloped) in the Joo Dee group in Ba Sing Se, in ATLA. I mean, BSS is such a male city, from the king to Long Feng to the Dai Li, that I just wonder what all the women are up to.


I've only read QoA, not the third book. But I loved Attolia as a character for the reasons you describe here. I particularly loved how there's hints throughout both books that the women have things in common, yet live different lives, but they're able to come together as female rulers--very different types of rulers from very different nations--who can be allies, maybe someday friends. And when they join up, they're so professional. They talk about their kingdoms and their troops and their jobs and they worry about holding vs. sharing power and they're not made into stereotypes of young girls.

And they can do that while one is an unconventional "rough" person and one a traditionally female "pretty" person...yet both are so much more.