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A review by haveyoumetlisa
The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games by Ebony Elizabeth Thomas
4.0
At the beginning of this book, Ebony Elizabeth Thomas disclaims to the reader that this book is the *start* of the conversation about race and fiction (specifically "speculative fiction" as this book refers to it). When viewed through that lens, this book is fantastic. It is by no means complete, but it doesn't claim to be.
I do wish that Thomas had split the last chapter into 2 or even 3 chapters, because while the cover promises talk of Harry Potter, she spends hardly any time talking about Harry Potter text, and more time talking about her own experiences within the fandom and fanfiction. She also spends a good portion of the chapter summarizing her points and looking briefly forward to other areas of study, which would have been better served as a conclusion or afterward, than by mashing it in with the other discussions going on.
I am more convinced than ever for the need of black main characters in popular media, and for better treatment of the ones currently in existence. Thomas breaks down this treatment to the "cycle of dark fantastic", and shows the pattern of treatment of black characters repeats itself over and over again.
In general, this book is well thought out, and well reasoned, and thought provoking. Well worth the read for anyone interested in some introduction to race critical theory, or those who care specifically about race and young adult media.
I do wish that Thomas had split the last chapter into 2 or even 3 chapters, because while the cover promises talk of Harry Potter, she spends hardly any time talking about Harry Potter text, and more time talking about her own experiences within the fandom and fanfiction. She also spends a good portion of the chapter summarizing her points and looking briefly forward to other areas of study, which would have been better served as a conclusion or afterward, than by mashing it in with the other discussions going on.
I am more convinced than ever for the need of black main characters in popular media, and for better treatment of the ones currently in existence. Thomas breaks down this treatment to the "cycle of dark fantastic", and shows the pattern of treatment of black characters repeats itself over and over again.
In general, this book is well thought out, and well reasoned, and thought provoking. Well worth the read for anyone interested in some introduction to race critical theory, or those who care specifically about race and young adult media.