tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post4844487501027551977..comments2024-01-02T09:18:23.893-05:00Comments on Written World: More Dresden Files PostingRagnellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00373059673228550524noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post-9267775372143709122007-04-07T18:00:00.000-04:002007-04-07T18:00:00.000-04:00Hmmm. There's an essay in here somewhere. On cha...Hmmm. There's an essay in here somewhere. On chauvinism and feminism as invoked by male authors in a female dominated sub-genre. (Quick other than Butcher name another male writer in the Dark Fantasy/Modern Horror/Etc sub-genre)...LurkerWithouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03540770911478925992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post-91762580191619211352007-04-07T09:06:00.000-04:002007-04-07T09:06:00.000-04:00Hi Ragnell,The problem I have is when a sexist att...Hi Ragnell,<BR/><I>The problem I have is when a sexist attitude is expressed ("Hell hath no fury...") and then holds true in the narrative.</I><BR/><BR/>Exactly! Particularly when it's not only a sexist attitude, but really, the silliest stereotype in the world. Yes, "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," but hell hath no fury like a man scorned, or a father, a business associate, a mother, etc. And to make it the backbone of an entire movie, which could have been *good* but instead really *wasn't*, just breaks my heart.<BR/><BR/><I>Its overwhelming at first because the books are written in first-person from Harry's perspective, and he has seriously idiotic opinions about women early on. As the books progress, these opinions drop off because these opinions keep being proven false. I think its a sign Harry is growing that the attitude surfaces less and less. </I><BR/><BR/>Or when it does surface, Harry smacks himself and says, "well, remember when that didn't turn out so well for you?" which is Just Smart in a million different ways.<BR/><BR/><I>Certainly, all of the characters in the book series grow and change like real people and when Butcher gets a chance to flesh out a minor character (like housewife Charity, or the background mortician Butters) he can really surprise you (Charity went from unnoticeable to extremely kickass in a single chapter, for example).</I><BR/><BR/>I *adore* Charity, and Michael as well, because both defy the common stereotypes and/or assumptions we expect. The last scene of Proven Guilty with Michael and Harry, for example? Absolutely perfect.<BR/><BR/><I>Anyway, in the Dresden Files, Harry's chauvinism is characterization and doesn't hold true to the plot. I can understand why a lot of people would like to spare themselves the reading anyway, but I actually like to see a stupid character learn his lessons in a story. Its fantasy, after all.</I><BR/><BR/>Another reason I keep reading is that every book is different. The problem I've begun to have with the Stephanie Plum books, and the problem I did have with the Anita Blake series, is that every book became exactly the same, formulaic to the Nth degree. Sometimes people want formula, and that's fine--who am I to judge?--but it's not something I want with any regularity, you know? Each of the Dresden Files is completely different, and not just plot-wise. Each is structured differently, contains different, major characters, and sometimes ends well, and sometimes, not so much.<BR/><BR/>Huzzah, Friend! Feminist Dresden Fans Unite, Indeed! :)<BR/>Ciao,<BR/>AmyAmy Readshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02571924705714110971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post-52014484943696195892007-04-07T03:24:00.000-04:002007-04-07T03:24:00.000-04:00Betacandy -- That clarifies so much.Betacandy -- That clarifies so much.Ragnellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00373059673228550524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16538843.post-54494922881069941362007-04-07T02:48:00.000-04:002007-04-07T02:48:00.000-04:00On a side note, Evanovich's books weren't all writ...On a side note, Evanovich's books weren't all written by the same person. There was an expose about it a while back - apparently when authors need a break, publishers commonly find ghost writers to continue their series.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com