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A review by pnw_afox
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce
2.0
I picked up this title because of the controversy of it being selected for and then being removed from Bitch Media's "100 Young Adult Books for the Feminist Reader." You can find the original Bitch Media posting here.
The comments about Sisters Red is fairly close to the top of comment list. Look for the title "As a huge fan of YA and" if you care to revisit the debate.
Here's what I think:
It is nice to have a story about the bond of sisters. Especially those who might have been torn apart by tragedy and consequences but aren't.
It is great to have physically inclined, active female protagonists who can also use their brains to achieve their goals.
It is accurate to represent the sisters as very different individuals with different drives and needs (and flaws), as that is how people are in real life.
It isn't so appealing to have a love triangle set up.
It isn't fun to read repetitive phrases and character motivation. (I felt hit over the head with the characters thoughts and emotions at times. I think one time I sighed aloud and exclaimed "I already know this about you!" while reading on the train.)
It seems strange to have the boy "save" both characters -- on physically and one emotionally -- in something being held up as feminist.
Would I have but this on the Bitch Media list. I'm not sure. While it hits some high notes with the sisters' relationship issues, it falls flat for me on actual empowerment.
The comments about Sisters Red is fairly close to the top of comment list. Look for the title "As a huge fan of YA and" if you care to revisit the debate.
Here's what I think:
It is nice to have a story about the bond of sisters. Especially those who might have been torn apart by tragedy and consequences but aren't.
It is great to have physically inclined, active female protagonists who can also use their brains to achieve their goals.
It is accurate to represent the sisters as very different individuals with different drives and needs (and flaws), as that is how people are in real life.
It isn't so appealing to have a love triangle set up.
It isn't fun to read repetitive phrases and character motivation. (I felt hit over the head with the characters thoughts and emotions at times. I think one time I sighed aloud and exclaimed "I already know this about you!" while reading on the train.)
It seems strange to have the boy "save" both characters -- on physically and one emotionally -- in something being held up as feminist.
Would I have but this on the Bitch Media list. I'm not sure. While it hits some high notes with the sisters' relationship issues, it falls flat for me on actual empowerment.