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nuevecuervos 's review for:
Engaging the Enemy
by Elizabeth Moon
ok. hoo boy. The hubs and I spent some 45 minutes discussing this book last night and I feel like I worked through most of my thoughts on the subject, and it boiled down to: I am 100% on board with overlooking contrived situations in scifi in service of a fun story, but when something finally breaks my brain, I can't let go of it, and then all of the contrivances are suddenly thrown into stark relief, and omfg, this book is just one "that never happened" after another. I really want to like this series more than I do, and that's also adding to my issues here. But hear me out.
First, Stella v. Ky: I said it in an update, and I will say it again: their conflict is *peak* WASP bullshit. I buy Stella being scared and even a little resentful, and I absolutely buy that Stella as a gorgeous woman knows how to trade on that. The scene however where Stella starts talking about how Ky's always been plain as a post, and her mother was always trying to get her to look nicer and more like Stella but she'll never get there because Ky is just not pretty and Ky has always resented that? She really got into that-- that wasn't a lie, Moon's really out there holding up soap opera tropes of why and how women should resent and compete with each other. It's gross, frankly. Apart from that, Stella, a previously capable, sneaky, and smart woman suddenly has her personality radically altered with little excuse or explanation (I see the argument of "i was traumatized by the Osman fight", but it's not at all developed), and then the fight is literally over with.
Next, The bureaucracies of the galaxy v. Ky: I get that Ky is supposed to feel like a pariah, and that ACAB, and that governments are crooked and incompetent but there are *entirely* stupid situations one after another that occur every time Ky shows up on a station. Case in point: Or when Ky rolls up to a planet and is almost immediately attacked, but then three stations later is wandering around without an escort because it's convenient?
Third, v. Ky:
Fourth, v. Ky: I can't be assed to pull the book out to spell the woman's name correctly, but how do you introduce another ostensibly strong, female character fifty pages from the end of the book just to prove that
Fifth, Gracie v. Vatta assassins: Gracie is 100% badass and hands down my favorite side character. Then,
Finally, the readers v. repeated information: so much repeated information. This book could be subtitled "or how many times Ky (and Stella) can tell the same story in different ways." Girl, we know-- we were there too. Also, if I want to do trade in their galaxy, I will know exactly how and what to trade. Thanks?
At any rate, I stand by my assessment of this entire series as a single book that needed to be edited to about 50% of its content, and read through by several coincidence betas and at least one for 'is the misogyny coming from inside the house?'.
Footnote: And omfg could the women stop being obsessed with who the other might or might not be fucking? Rafe is *not* a magical penis man. Stop giving him that power.
First, Stella v. Ky: I said it in an update, and I will say it again: their conflict is *peak* WASP bullshit. I buy Stella being scared and even a little resentful, and I absolutely buy that Stella as a gorgeous woman knows how to trade on that. The scene however where Stella starts talking about how Ky's always been plain as a post, and her mother was always trying to get her to look nicer and more like Stella but she'll never get there because Ky is just not pretty and Ky has always resented that? She really got into that-- that wasn't a lie, Moon's really out there holding up soap opera tropes of why and how women should resent and compete with each other. It's gross, frankly. Apart from that, Stella, a previously capable, sneaky, and smart woman suddenly has her personality radically altered with little excuse or explanation (I see the argument of "i was traumatized by the Osman fight", but it's not at all developed), and then the fight is literally over with
Spoiler
a split-second revelation that they're not actually related in the way they thought and Ky offers her undying support anyway, which I mean, is the right thing to do, but now it's like OH OK THEN. sighNext, The bureaucracies of the galaxy v. Ky: I get that Ky is supposed to feel like a pariah, and that ACAB, and that governments are crooked and incompetent but there are *entirely* stupid situations one after another that occur every time Ky shows up on a station. Case in point:
Spoiler
The fight on the planet in the supermarket where the cops are ready to string up her crewmen for killing locals, and all it takes is a review of the security camera footage, which you'd think would have happened first. Or when Ky's trying to get the other captains to join her and the station loses its damn mind and throws her out.... because that's a measured response. Or from the last book, Jim saving a dog, and having the station police lose their mind about contraband animals-- dude, video, or DNA. It is a situation that is *easily* straightened out but I guess it's more fun to have the cops be willfully stupid about it. or. or...Third,
Spoiler
FuhrmanSpoiler
When Fuhrman accuses her of not being who she says she is, what the absolute fuck does he think he's gonna gain other than exposing his own connection to Osman? How does he think he's gonna win that fight? If he's been a wily actor for years, what makes him suddenly a very stupid villain?Fourth,
Spoiler
Peterson (sp?)Spoiler
Ky's got the skills necessary to command a fleet, and use that new, ostensibly capable and skilled character an unlikable harridan who can't even save her own skin when it comes to it? More peak pitting of women against each other in tired, tropey ways. As a side note on the small cult of privateers that follow her, the Spaniard (let's all take a moment to roll eyes at the obvious ethnicity there) with his cultural inability to respect women as commanders? ladksjgh askgjhsdgkjdg. so. goddamn. tired.Fifth, Gracie v. Vatta assassins: Gracie is 100% badass and hands down my favorite side character. Then,
Spoiler
she sleeps in conveniently on the day her family gets attacked, again ostensibly by professionals who manage to miss... let me check my notes-- slow moving children on ponies, but hit the ponies and then hit her to the point where she loses her arm at the elbow and has to be rescued by McRobert. HAND. FACE.Finally, the readers v. repeated information: so much repeated information. This book could be subtitled "or how many times Ky (and Stella) can tell the same story in different ways." Girl, we know-- we were there too. Also, if I want to do trade in their galaxy, I will know exactly how and what to trade. Thanks?
At any rate, I stand by my assessment of this entire series as a single book that needed to be edited to about 50% of its content, and read through by several coincidence betas and at least one for 'is the misogyny coming from inside the house?'.
Footnote: And omfg could the women stop being obsessed with who the other might or might not be fucking? Rafe is *not* a magical penis man. Stop giving him that power.