Each chapter comes with the temperature of the day described, and it would appear (obviously I could look it up, but I don't want to ruin the surprise--and nothing's worse than trying to force the work, as you read it, into how you pictured it from the summary) to be about a werewolf and a human. Don't quote me on that. I'm, like, ten pages in.
One question--why is it that, in paranormal romances, the young woman involved (that's another thing--they're often heteronormative) is often the human, and the young man is often the one with powers/gross manifestations of being non-human? When YA female characters have special powers, they add to her appeal--make her more powerful, but certainly, also, more dignified. I've yet to see a female protag that, you know, oozes alien goo.
I imagine it's based on a deep assumption that female readers want to be able to identify, on some level, with the women in the story--and that it's somewhat difficult if they're, well, supernaturally gross. (Unless they had supernatural make-up...ooh, now what would that involve?) I don't think it's just the age level--I've yet to see sticky/slimy/yucky older female protagonists, too. But perhaps I am forgetting them.
Hypotheses, anyone?
Or supernatural make-up you'd invent for your characters?
14 comments:
I've heard good things about this book, another on my TBR list. It's funny you asked this question, as I've asked it myself the past week or so. But there are books out there, paranormal YA, with teen girls not human. Okay, maybe they don't have slime or goo or anything of that nature, but Rachel K. Vincent has two series, one with a she-cat, the other with a banshee (or bin sidhe, though I'm sure I spelled that incorrectly).
And what about Buffy? Sure, she isn't a vampire (but she kills them with bad assness!), or dripping with goo, or shape shifting, or howling at the moon, but she has those semi super human powers that keeps her a step above human. Then again, maybe that's too subtle a level of non-normalcy you're thinking of.
But the female protag oozing goo brings a vivid image of Sigourney Weaver. And Alien did well. Too bad it wasn't a book.
I haven't read this one, but it's on my list to read. I did read Lament though. I've heard they're making Shiver into a movie.
But I totally agree. We need more books where the female protagonist has got super cool powers.
I really want to read "shiver" I've heard it's beautifully written. And one of my favorite novels ever has a heroine that has strong supernatural abilities (sunshine by robin mckinley)
i really really really didn't like Shiver. I almost put it down several times, and only kept reading because i conned myself into buying the book after being conned into buying the hype. i almost hated the main character (Grace) sometimes because she was rude and coarse and i didn't see any justification for her snottiness. yea her parents were absentee parents, but these days, what parents are 100%? everything else in her life was fine. she had no excuse to be a jerk.
it also took me like 75 pages to figure out why the hell an adolescent girl had an almost sick sort of obsession with wolves :SPOILER ALERT: because she has no idea that the wolves are werewolves, and she just has this strange almost sexually charged fascination with them that really made me queasy. it seemed to me that the author was trying to make her female protagonist "strong" by making her rude and cold and sterile, devoid of emotion or interest in creative thought. her cold demeanor was juxtaposed with her finesse for cooking (SERIOUSLY?? WHAT KIND OF HIGH SCHOOL KID STAYS HOME AND MAKES QUICHE? FOR FUN? WITH OTHER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS??) and lollygagging about with her wolf boyfriend (cough, excuse me, Soulmate. Pardon my inability to jump from 'hello, how are you' to 'would you like to sleep in my bed and fall in love with me for no reason except that we have an Unexplainable Attraction To One Another, even though we have Nothing In Common'), having no life except to :SPOILER ALERT: bring a werewolf (she's never ever met in human form before, never mind the fact that they are dangerously lethal) into her bed and not mind at ALL that he used to check her out butt-nekkid as a wolf. don't worry, :SPOILER ALERT: the premarital sex comes later, after she's had a couple of nonsensical and poorly fabricated Deep Conversations with her wolf/man/soulmate/bed-friend/quiche-cooker/poetry-fiend.
The whole book was weak and plotless.
Several times I found myself banging the book on my head, begging it to MOVE MOVE MOVE and get along with the story already. NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. oh, but they eventually fixed his (already inherently stupid and weakly supported) problem :SPOILER ALERT: with meningitis? REALLY? Really Maggie Stiefvater??? and then just when you think things Might Actually Go Somewhere -- BAM. The book ends. Time for another FOUR sequels, perhaps????
ALSO: Sam (the wolf-man) was a total and complete WUSS. He likes to cry and read Rilke in GERMAN and he's apparently a genius Out Of A Box (if you read the book, you'll know what I mean) who comes up with the CHEESIEST song lyrics every time Grace does, well, nothing memorable, but somehow seems ravishing to him and his non-beastly/self-contained/sexually-repressed/i-don't-want-to-be-a-monster (Sound familiar, anyone?)/i'm-so-EMO ways, and loves Grace even though she's entirely unlikeable and prone to bouts of bitchiness. (maybe she rubbed off on me. sorry for ranting, BUT) this book was awful.
it was painful to read. Painful. i will not ever recommend it. i will never read the sequels (because im sure they are planned) Twilight was a million times better than this book. Ten million times better. and that says A LOT.
ugh. ugh. ugh.
Hey Anon,
I'll read and let you know if I agree! Like I said, only a tiny bit in. :)
All best,
Gatekeeper
Just to answer your question, Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston reverses the roles, it's a human boy and the girl has the powers. Check it out, it's lovely (all about fae, and New York and central park . . . and there's also a sense of humour which I find rare in these books).
I'm very intrigued by the concept of supernatural make-up. There is the obvious - x-ray eyeshadow, lipstick that changes your breath to blow fire or ice. Secret cloaking lotion (no shimmers please). A serum that creates an invisible, rock-hard shield around your body. And let's not even start on the powers of persuasion individual perfume scents might conjure...
I think both go to attractiveness. I think the idea of a guy who transforms into a big strong wolf isn't unattractive, generally speaking. Like Edward the vampire isn't really unattractive to women in general. (Myself not included - I can't get down with vampires).
When women transform in literature or are otherworldly, I think it generally makes them more attractive, too - like Ladyhawke (wow - dating myself!).
To go further, I think you need to talk about what makes the opposite sex attractive to each other, and sure, there are lots of stereotypes and generalities involved there. But, overall, I think paranormals just follow that principle.
My female protagonists always have supernatural powers of some sort. They may not know it right away, but they do.
SHIVER is on my list to read soon. Please keep us posted on what you think of it.
Karen’s Blog
I loved Shiver, LOL! Loved it a lot. It definitely had it's faults (which Anon touched on), but I love love and I felt it had a beautiful love story. I absolutely adored the ending...sigh. Maybe I'll go read it again...
um, because if I accidentally ended up with powers... I'd totally wanna be HAWT. :)
and so that's how we write our girls :)
Hiya,
Stumbled upon your blog whist doing a Google blog search on rejection.
There's a new book out with a female protagonist with powers. It's called The Seven Rays and it's by Jessica Bendinger (usually a screenwriter, most famously of "Bring it On"). It's not perfect, but it's interesting. We meet our heroine on the cusp of discovering her abilities.
Keep up the good blogging!
My novel that was picked up by Lyrical Press, has a paranormal female as well as male as the two main characters.
It's there...just not widespread. YET.
I agree with every single thing Anon 1 said (some were so true that they made me laugh out loud ;D ), but I still ended up really liking the book. So... I dunno. Maybe I'm blinded by a gorgeous cover or I can look over some faults and convince myself of a good story. So yeah... I dunno why I still enjoyed it even when I had quite a few problems with it...
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