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bookishgoblin's review against another edition
5.0
This was a brilliant non fiction read, even as a mixed race reader myself it was brilliant to get a chance to reflect on some of my favourite and least favourite black characters and why I loved them and why I didn’t. The chapter on Gwen in BBCs Merlin especially gave words to a lot of voiceless feelings I’ve been having since the show aired. It also helped me assess my own writing. This book should be a must read for any speculative fiction writer
fjsteele's review
5.0
First, I cheated slightly and didn't read the chapters about texts I don't know--Merlin and The Vampire Diaries--but this book is brilliant--beautifully written and researched and innovative in approach. Also, not just for educators but for literary critics, creative writers, sociologists, and scholars of the publishing industry. Thanks, Emily Meixner, for loaning it to me.
kelamity_reads's review
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.0
The main premise - how BIPOC are underrepresented and portrayed in fantasy - is an important and undeniable issue, and I found the initial discussion on this very thought-provoking and enlightening.
That said, I struggled with many other aspects of the book. It didn't feel like the arguments were backed up with strong evidence or examples. In fact, a lot of the time, it felt like a single comment by a fan or observer acted as the entire basis for the author's argument. This made what is otherwise an important subject feel weak and less relevant than it is.
Also, a LOT of the author's thoughts and opinions felt heavily influenced by their own personal experience with Harry Potter fanfic and, what it seemed like to me, trying to justify their plagiarism of another author's work.
The overall writing was sometimes repetitive and often felt like it lacked the nuances you would expect from an academic piece.
That said, I struggled with many other aspects of the book. It didn't feel like the arguments were backed up with strong evidence or examples. In fact, a lot of the time, it felt like a single comment by a fan or observer acted as the entire basis for the author's argument. This made what is otherwise an important subject feel weak and less relevant than it is.
Also, a LOT of the author's thoughts and opinions felt heavily influenced by their own personal experience with Harry Potter fanfic and, what it seemed like to me, trying to justify their plagiarism of another author's work.
The overall writing was sometimes repetitive and often felt like it lacked the nuances you would expect from an academic piece.
stw07's review against another edition
3.75
The main thesis of this is solid, and a really interesting way to analyze fiction that rings true in a ton of instances. The overall message is one that anyone analyzing literature should consider.
But as a book, the writing style didn’t really work for me. It felt more like a research paper than a book for most of it… and I felt the last bit where the author kind of defends herself from an old Harry Potter fandom scandal a bit out of place… the commentary about JK Rowling also did not age well.
But as a book, the writing style didn’t really work for me. It felt more like a research paper than a book for most of it… and I felt the last bit where the author kind of defends herself from an old Harry Potter fandom scandal a bit out of place… the commentary about JK Rowling also did not age well.
moxiegirlzriot's review
4.0
When educating myself about issues as important as race (sexuality, gender and more), I know I am learning the most important things when the learning makes me uncomfortable with my own unrealized prejudices. "The Dark Fantastic" isn't only an advocate for more literature told from BIPOC perspectives, but a critique on the characters that already exist and how we have treated them. How they are "othered" from the moment of their conception as black. And how that "othering" goes nearly unnoticed by many of us. A necessary read for those who are still working to educate themselves, and who believe that, "ultimately, emancipating the dark fantastic requires decolonizing our fantasies and our dreams. It means liberating magic itself. For resolving the crisis of race in our storied imagination has the potential to make our world anew."
profeshbooknerd's review
5.0
White people: If you are doing anti-racist work, participate in fandom, work with kids-YA in an educational or library setting, and/or if you just enjoy any of the media covered in this title, this is mandatory reading.
spookystaircase's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
theheartisanarrow's review
4.5
4.5*/ you can tell the immense amount of passion and expertise ebony elizabeth thomas brings to the table when discussing the dark fantastic as a phenomenon as well as its traces in series such as the hunger games, bbc's merlin, hp and the vampire diaries. (those chapters can be read without having read/watched the works in question, but do read better if you have.)
a must read if you're a fan of any of these and/or an avid writer or consumer of speculative fiction, 'the dark fantastic' is interesting, informative, well-balanced between academic text and personal anecdotes and includes fandom as a significant factor in the equation, which i feel like not enough researchers do. (in fact i feel the only reason it took me a wholeass year to get through was bc i originally planned to use it for uni.)
if i were to nitpick i'd say you can tell that this is a few years old now, as the lin-manuel miranda and jkr references made me cringe a bit, but that also means i would be interested to hear the author's perspective on race in media and fandoms post 2020 black lives matter, her updated views on jkr/the hp franchise as well as some media that's come out since including their reception and online discussion (rings of power, percy jackson, the list goes on)
a must read if you're a fan of any of these and/or an avid writer or consumer of speculative fiction, 'the dark fantastic' is interesting, informative, well-balanced between academic text and personal anecdotes and includes fandom as a significant factor in the equation, which i feel like not enough researchers do. (in fact i feel the only reason it took me a wholeass year to get through was bc i originally planned to use it for uni.)
if i were to nitpick i'd say you can tell that this is a few years old now, as the lin-manuel miranda and jkr references made me cringe a bit, but that also means i would be interested to hear the author's perspective on race in media and fandoms post 2020 black lives matter, her updated views on jkr/the hp franchise as well as some media that's come out since including their reception and online discussion (rings of power, percy jackson, the list goes on)