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starryorbit12's review against another edition
There was a lot of the "not like others girls" tripe that I was willing to oush past because this was published in 2009, but then we got the line, "The kind of face some half-breeds get stuck with if they don't draw the pretty card" in reference to a newly introduced half-Asian character.
Now, I couldn't believe that was meant to be take the way it seem. Dru then looks for signs of the "Real World" on Graves, this books term for the supernatural part of the universe. So, I hoped that may be it came off worse that the author meant by virtue of referring to potentially being half supernatural and the author just not realizing the implications.
Nope.
A few lines later we get, "At least he hadn't drawn the really slit-eyes card a lot of half-breeds have to play, where they look like they're squinting to beat Clint Eastwood the whole time." And, I skimmed the rest of th chapter. There is also, "And, half-breed kids get some kind of extra help there from genetics, too." This is in reference to Graves having nice eyelashes. So, no, she was actually referring to his race not anything paranormal.
What the absolute fuck.
Who in the right mind thinks it is appropriate to refer to biracial people as "half-breeds?" And, says that it's great that his eyes aren't more almond-shape because those ethnic features would make him look squinty-eyed? Like, she actually dared to straight up say such a foul stereotype.
Also, I have to say that ethnic features because this character is just "half-Asian" like that is supposed to narrow it down. Except, it obviously does to an other that thinks of Asians as monolith of otherness to be used to spice up her characters. She quite literally describes Graves features as something to grow into that will draw girls to him when he gets older. Which is so grossly fetishizing when you considering that in line with eye comment.
Basically, she wants something exotic to her, but not to exotic. So, Graves can only be half-asian and not have too many Asian features.
Like, aside from thinking calling a biracial person a "half-breed" which is gross as is. The first 20 pages are so steeped in beign racism, where author clearly thinks these are appropriate thoughts and beliefs. Frankly, I am shocked anyone would let this be published let alone any of the 4 and 5 stars reviews.
There is no excuse. The 2000's where rife with a lot of internalized misogyny from a culture that placed impossible standards of girls they marketed towards while simultaneously ridiculing. They wanted the consumption of teens girls that helped line companies pockets, while at the same time the media teen girls loved was also considered low brow and mocked.
So, the "not like others girls" trope was everywhere as a result of the insecurities that companies cultivated and exploited for a quick buck. It's annoying, but all its worth is knocking the rating down.
Racism, on the other hand, is never okay and 2009 was not so long ago to say that author did jot know better or this was okay then. I guarantee you no one from the groups that have been marginalized ever thought this kind of writing about them was okay. They just had to grin and bear it because when their voices where being drowned out by the offense people take to when you call them out on internal biases.
There sre too many books in this world to waste your time on this one.
Now, I couldn't believe that was meant to be take the way it seem. Dru then looks for signs of the "Real World" on Graves, this books term for the supernatural part of the universe. So, I hoped that may be it came off worse that the author meant by virtue of referring to potentially being half supernatural and the author just not realizing the implications.
Nope.
A few lines later we get, "At least he hadn't drawn the really slit-eyes card a lot of half-breeds have to play, where they look like they're squinting to beat Clint Eastwood the whole time." And, I skimmed the rest of th chapter. There is also, "And, half-breed kids get some kind of extra help there from genetics, too." This is in reference to Graves having nice eyelashes. So, no, she was actually referring to his race not anything paranormal.
What the absolute fuck.
Who in the right mind thinks it is appropriate to refer to biracial people as "half-breeds?" And, says that it's great that his eyes aren't more almond-shape because those ethnic features would make him look squinty-eyed? Like, she actually dared to straight up say such a foul stereotype.
Also, I have to say that ethnic features because this character is just "half-Asian" like that is supposed to narrow it down. Except, it obviously does to an other that thinks of Asians as monolith of otherness to be used to spice up her characters. She quite literally describes Graves features as something to grow into that will draw girls to him when he gets older. Which is so grossly fetishizing when you considering that in line with eye comment.
Basically, she wants something exotic to her, but not to exotic. So, Graves can only be half-asian and not have too many Asian features.
Like, aside from thinking calling a biracial person a "half-breed" which is gross as is. The first 20 pages are so steeped in beign racism, where author clearly thinks these are appropriate thoughts and beliefs. Frankly, I am shocked anyone would let this be published let alone any of the 4 and 5 stars reviews.
There is no excuse. The 2000's where rife with a lot of internalized misogyny from a culture that placed impossible standards of girls they marketed towards while simultaneously ridiculing. They wanted the consumption of teens girls that helped line companies pockets, while at the same time the media teen girls loved was also considered low brow and mocked.
So, the "not like others girls" trope was everywhere as a result of the insecurities that companies cultivated and exploited for a quick buck. It's annoying, but all its worth is knocking the rating down.
Racism, on the other hand, is never okay and 2009 was not so long ago to say that author did jot know better or this was okay then. I guarantee you no one from the groups that have been marginalized ever thought this kind of writing about them was okay. They just had to grin and bear it because when their voices where being drowned out by the offense people take to when you call them out on internal biases.
There sre too many books in this world to waste your time on this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Minor: Misogyny
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