Magic & Corsets

I am nearly finished with the final novel in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray. They are fascinating, easy to read, and a definite step up from a lot of the other Young Adult / Teen lit. that is available today.

My one complaint with the series is the fact that so much is told, not shown. Libba Bray stated in an interview I read recently that she is a trained playwright, and she was a theater major in college. I think this shows up quite often in her work, as we are taken time and time again to a magic world, The Realms, and I still have not established a clear mental image of what it is like there. I read time and time again that it is more beautiful than I can imagine, a green meadow where their footsteps create bright red flowers; the trees droop with the weight of heavy fruit, but like the pomegranate trees in Hades' lair, it is temptation only to keep you anchored in that world.

I spent quite a bit of time studying Persephone's tale as I wrote about Demeter in grad. school, and what I find most interesting about Bray's temptation fruit is that it is not necessarily a fruit of any kind of knowledge. It also does not seem to be symbolic of any particular growth, development, or choice. It's delightful, it appears to be delicious, it's definitely ripe - so its purpose is to lure you and keep you, though the rules of the novel state one cannot be kept in the Realms. It's an odd comparison, one that could not be more purposeful, and yet I think it was a careless choice. Symbolic for the purpose of symbolism.

Aside from this, my time spent on Victorian Literature (specifically on the world of the Victorian female) has created in me a love for this series of books. Bray has done her research on the life and times of Victorian teen-aged girls from every station. Their issues develop as the books do, so that we are not only faced with situations such as interracial love interests, inter-class mingling, and being cast out of the "In" crowd, but so much more. Bray touches on cutting, weight issues, various abuses, dating, and she has a very special way of making all of these conditions time appropriate, yet easy to relate to for any girl. I was most impressed with how she wrote about a character who was being forced into marriage. The story is nothing new (see Titanic, etc.), but Bray writes it in a way that is fresh, with a new understanding and perspective.

Most appreciated of all, though, is the natural maturation and evolution of Gemma, Felicity, and Ann. In the first novel they are fifteen and sixteen, still in finishing school, still acting girlishly whenever possible, but being forced into the mold of 'woman' and 'lady'. They are being prepared for what their lives will hold. Two of them look forward to coming out seasons, making good marriages, and one feels the pressure of being penniless and orphaned with no choices. By the third book, their experiences have altered them greatly, and they are much older in action and thought. I appreciate this - it shows a respect for teenagers that I think is lacking in many of the most popular YA books available (ahem, TWILIGHT).

All in all, I enjoyed these books, read them very quickly, and will probably read more of Bray's work. She's creative and smart, and her writing shows it.

The Progress of My Newest Start

Good Morning!

It's been a couple months, time that I've given myself to see if I'm going to be true to my word. So far I've done very well with my resolution, always keeping the future in mind. That is my update (because I don't want to get into numbers and things).

I spent some time reading old blog entries and I really do miss school. It kept my brain active. So I am going to try to do more scholastic reading and writing, as well as the normal everyday update stuff.

Normal, Everyday Update Stuff -

Ben and I are doing very well. We have found a home for most of our amazing and wonderful wedding gifts, and we have almost all of our pictures from the photographer and our friends! I should have blogged more throughout the wedding process, explaining in detail things that I would've appreciated knowing. For example, women are still each other's number one enemy. For whatever reason, bringing up a wedding means women will tell you their divorce horror stories. They will glare at you as you register for the same dishes they registered for, and yes, if their cute nametag says BRIDE at the Expo, watch out. PS. If anyone is wearing a tiara and veil prior to the actual day of the wedding, move out the way. That's all I'm saying.

Reading -

I am currently reading Libba Bray's A Great and Terrible Beauty. I recognize that should I ever get my writing going, it will no doubt be for Young Adults, so I am reading more recognized YA stuff these days. That category offers me the most irritation, while at the same time the most possibility. It's one of those things - if you don't like what's out there, why just sit around and complain about it? A critic should at least attempt to correct what she finds so odious out in the world.

Anyway, the book is actually quite interesting, even if I feel it is a Supernatural Victorian Female version of Dead Poets' Society. I see on IMDB that it is already going to be a movie. No cast announced. God save us from Emma Watson, PLEASE.

I went to see The Ghostwriter with Ben and we ended the night deciding that we will join Netflix again, and we will begin a routine of renting films we can discuss on a deeper level. He was struck by my excitement about one of the scenes in Ghostwriter (it very clearly mirrored another Polanski film, Chinatown), and we decided to start film analysis. We tried with books but our tastes are so different... I'm still trying to read his recommendation.