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A review by kelamity_reads
The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas
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.