Yesterday I read an online article from the Toronto Sun newspaper that was
apparently written by an Amy Clarke, a lecturer at the University of California where she teaches science fiction literature. I didn't know
such college existed. Where these courses when I was in college!! Someone
was holding out on me somewhere. !!
The article mentions such modern female heroes as Belle of Twilight series, Zoey of the House
of Night series and Calliope who is Death's Daughter and Ever of the Immortals series and that not only are these books obsessed over by teenagers, but also their older sisters and mothers. OK, I raise my hand I am reading these books too. Sigh, can't help it. I got hooked into them and find them usually delightful couch potato fair. I've read three of the Twilight
series, and am half way through the fourth one. I got distracted from the fourth book in the Twilight series by getting started on reading the first book of the House of Night series, decidedly directed towards teenagers, and am now into the second one. The Immortals series I have started yet but have on ordered and also the one about Calliope... And then this past week or so my youngest daughter introduced me to Dead Until Dawn and Sookie Stackhouse... Alas I couldn't continue it because she had to return to Virgina and the book belonged to her mother-in-law and other female members of the family. But yes, I have that on order too.
I am getting small chuckle out of finding out that her church going in-laws are deep into reading this series. Oh my, talk about sex scenes.... I wonder if their church pastor knows what goes between church attendances... LOL It is this Sookie first book that I was introduced to the term 'fangbanger'.. That is a good one. Clarke says in the article: "There's dreaming being with a vampire or werewolfe, but there's always the danger of crossing over. I think it's a post-feminist way of taking on power." That would be an interesting power to possess. And yes, that could be a way of controlling what is unfair in your life. This is dark escapism with a flair.
P.C. Cast author of the House of Night series says: "The genere's popularity is bigger than just the books. With women this is reflecting a shift in our society. I've seen a big shift in my classrooms (She was an English teacher in a high school), with women standing up and demanding respect. That is in every woman, whether 16, 26, 56. "
I throughly enjoyed reading this article and here is the link if you wish to delve deeper into it:
At the end of the article there are links to various websites about these books. You might want to check them.
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