Scan barcode
roxanamalinachirila's review
4.0
As with any collection, "Fandom, the Next Generation" has some essays that are interesting or intriguing, and others that are less so. Which is which, though, depends on the reader.
The main theme of the book refers to generations of fans (what else?). Depending on the author, the generations might refer to fans' actual ages, such as in the case of Star Wars fandom, where old fans are likely to have seen the original trilogy first, around the time it was released; or it might refer to the version of the story fans encountered first. Whichever is chosen, however, tends to make sense for that particular fandom.
Maybe it's because I'm more of a monograph person, I feel like this collection is an introduction to larger topics more than anything else. There are many interesting topics mentioned, but perhaps because of that (and because each essay is assigned a limited number of pages) the breadth here is much larger than the depth.
Still, I found it interesting to read about Tolkien fandom and Sherlockians through the ages, as those particular essays focused on large-scale transitions from perhaps more literary and text-focused fandoms to more creative, transformative fandoms.
Another interesting essay was on Turkey's Türkan Şoray - an actress who started her career in 1960 and gained a very large following in the 60's and 70's, still being known, respected and loved today, even if she's no longer active as an actor. While the manifestations of her fans are mostly to be expected (collecting memorabilia, meeting her in person), the description of a very personal relationship with her that some fans have, seeing her as part of the family, or as an ideal woman to aspire to, are sometimes almost endearing, and at other times almost like a mania.
Something else that caught my eye was an exploration of the failure of the "Jem and the Holograms" movie (I don't think I even remember the cartoon) and of betraying fan expectations while missing the point of the original series. It's interesting.
I felt that the Star Wars essay gave a bit too much credit to the corporate overlords producing the lastest trilogy, choosing to cast into a nostalgic light what is essentially the ripping off of the whole Episode IV plot to create "The Force Awakens" (I will never get over the disappointment that history is repeating itself a bit too much and nobody in-universe seemed aware of it, along with other continuity issues). But it does say that an appeal to nostalgia and a rehashing of old stories and ideas has been with the series from the very beginning, which was interesting.
I was mostly disappointed by the Backstreet Boys essay; I feel like the author didn't have a lot to say about BSB fandom in the Netherlands, and there was more that could have been explored (e.g. did the women interviewed try to pass on their fandom?). As it is, it's mostly telling us that girls were listening to BSB, felt the music was relevant to their lives, still feel the fandom for the band, are a bit embarrassed about it, but finally have the means to attend concerts and events. Which is well and good if you're not familiar with the phenomenon, but if you are, there's nothing here that I wouldn't have assumed if asked what I think BSB fandom is like.
I'd like to thank the University of Iowa Press and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It's neat to see fandom studies growing as a field.
The main theme of the book refers to generations of fans (what else?). Depending on the author, the generations might refer to fans' actual ages, such as in the case of Star Wars fandom, where old fans are likely to have seen the original trilogy first, around the time it was released; or it might refer to the version of the story fans encountered first. Whichever is chosen, however, tends to make sense for that particular fandom.
Maybe it's because I'm more of a monograph person, I feel like this collection is an introduction to larger topics more than anything else. There are many interesting topics mentioned, but perhaps because of that (and because each essay is assigned a limited number of pages) the breadth here is much larger than the depth.
Still, I found it interesting to read about Tolkien fandom and Sherlockians through the ages, as those particular essays focused on large-scale transitions from perhaps more literary and text-focused fandoms to more creative, transformative fandoms.
Another interesting essay was on Turkey's Türkan Şoray - an actress who started her career in 1960 and gained a very large following in the 60's and 70's, still being known, respected and loved today, even if she's no longer active as an actor. While the manifestations of her fans are mostly to be expected (collecting memorabilia, meeting her in person), the description of a very personal relationship with her that some fans have, seeing her as part of the family, or as an ideal woman to aspire to, are sometimes almost endearing, and at other times almost like a mania.
Something else that caught my eye was an exploration of the failure of the "Jem and the Holograms" movie (I don't think I even remember the cartoon) and of betraying fan expectations while missing the point of the original series. It's interesting.
I felt that the Star Wars essay gave a bit too much credit to the corporate overlords producing the lastest trilogy, choosing to cast into a nostalgic light what is essentially the ripping off of the whole Episode IV plot to create "The Force Awakens" (I will never get over the disappointment that history is repeating itself a bit too much and nobody in-universe seemed aware of it, along with other continuity issues). But it does say that an appeal to nostalgia and a rehashing of old stories and ideas has been with the series from the very beginning, which was interesting.
I was mostly disappointed by the Backstreet Boys essay; I feel like the author didn't have a lot to say about BSB fandom in the Netherlands, and there was more that could have been explored (e.g. did the women interviewed try to pass on their fandom?). As it is, it's mostly telling us that girls were listening to BSB, felt the music was relevant to their lives, still feel the fandom for the band, are a bit embarrassed about it, but finally have the means to attend concerts and events. Which is well and good if you're not familiar with the phenomenon, but if you are, there's nothing here that I wouldn't have assumed if asked what I think BSB fandom is like.
I'd like to thank the University of Iowa Press and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. It's neat to see fandom studies growing as a field.
iindra's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
Having been involved in fandom for most of my life, I was excited to pick up this book and learn more about fan studies. Overall, the analysis of different generations interacting with a text or as a community intrigued me, especially what defines ownership/seniority in a fandom and how fan works transform the meaning of a text. I haven't read about this topic before but after finishing Fandom, The Next Generation I began looking into some of the writers' other essays.
While I was especially drawn to essays about texts I'm more familiar with (ex. Jane Austen and Tolkien), I was surprised at how compelling some of the others in Parts II and III were as well. Part I, unfortunately, didn't keep me hooked, but that didn't take away from my overall enjoyment. Fandom, the Next Generation is perfect for devoted or even casual fans interested in social studies and community interactions.
While I was especially drawn to essays about texts I'm more familiar with (ex. Jane Austen and Tolkien), I was surprised at how compelling some of the others in Parts II and III were as well. Part I, unfortunately, didn't keep me hooked, but that didn't take away from my overall enjoyment. Fandom, the Next Generation is perfect for devoted or even casual fans interested in social studies and community interactions.
More...