Friday, 30 November 2018
"Teaching, Screening and Writing about Cinema in the Age of #metoo"
One of the best articles I've read this year. A must.
Wednesday, 28 November 2018
Graphic Novel Review - 'Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story' by Debbie Tung
A lovely, quiet thing.
I relate to a lot of Debbie Tung's experiences in her comic about her years at college, getting a job, and getting married. I think any introvert can.
'Quiet Girl in a Noisy World' is very funny, cute, insightful, and just a little bit harrowing in how much truth it contains. It is about living your life doing what you want, and taking the chance to achieve it. A lot of us are braver than we think.
This autobiographical comic, centering around one ordinary person, can help more people like Debbie.
Debbie is quiet, shy, a massive bookworm, likes tea, prefers to be alone, prefers to work alone, feels lonely and under pressure when at parties and other social gatherings, tends to overthink and say the wrong things, worries what others think of her, even though she knows she shouldn't, and is British - like me! Right now I'm only jealous that she managed to find and marry a man she loves, an extrovert who understands her socially-awkward brain that isn't unusual at all.
The magical, personal black, white and grey watercolour art to go with such a book fits it tenderly.
'Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story' - because you are not alone.
Debbie Tung teaches us that even the quietest person, never seeking attention or the spotlight, is special in this world; they can make an impact on other people's lives. Everybody has worries, doubts, crises, and insecurities, and they express or hide them in different ways. Acting social shouldn't be forced upon anybody.
No human is alone. Seek love and understanding and support, and love yourself.
Final Score: 4/5
I relate to a lot of Debbie Tung's experiences in her comic about her years at college, getting a job, and getting married. I think any introvert can.
'Quiet Girl in a Noisy World' is very funny, cute, insightful, and just a little bit harrowing in how much truth it contains. It is about living your life doing what you want, and taking the chance to achieve it. A lot of us are braver than we think.
This autobiographical comic, centering around one ordinary person, can help more people like Debbie.
Debbie is quiet, shy, a massive bookworm, likes tea, prefers to be alone, prefers to work alone, feels lonely and under pressure when at parties and other social gatherings, tends to overthink and say the wrong things, worries what others think of her, even though she knows she shouldn't, and is British - like me! Right now I'm only jealous that she managed to find and marry a man she loves, an extrovert who understands her socially-awkward brain that isn't unusual at all.
The magical, personal black, white and grey watercolour art to go with such a book fits it tenderly.
'Quiet Girl in a Noisy World: An Introvert's Story' - because you are not alone.
Debbie Tung teaches us that even the quietest person, never seeking attention or the spotlight, is special in this world; they can make an impact on other people's lives. Everybody has worries, doubts, crises, and insecurities, and they express or hide them in different ways. Acting social shouldn't be forced upon anybody.
No human is alone. Seek love and understanding and support, and love yourself.
Final Score: 4/5
Saturday, 24 November 2018
Non-Fiction Book Review - 'Bygone Badass Broads: 52 Forgotten Women Who Changed the World' by Mackenzi Lee (Writer), Petra Eriksson (Illustrator)
There are as many bloody incredible women in history as there are men. That is fact.
From the blurb:
'Based on the popular Twitter series of the same name, 'Bygone Badass Broads' features 52 remarkable and forgotten trailblazing women from all over the world.'
'Bygone Badass Broads' contains the bios of yet more women I wish I'd heard of earlier, and am beyond angry that they are not being talked about and taught in schools, not even in universities with history majors.
Mackenzie Lee, of 'The Gentleman's Guide' and 'The Lady's Guide' fame, is clearly passionate about her work. This history project is certainly one of the funnier, more entertaining modern books about ignored and forgotten landmark historical females. Lee is hilarious and clever.
'Bygone Badass Broads' is of the millennial pop culture and internet generation (references to pop culture are galore throughout), but it comes across as refreshing and understanding instead of pandering, and it is nonetheless informative, well researched, and vital.
Lovely, colourful portraits done by Petra Eriksson as well.
My favourites out of the 52 badass broads included are:
Arawelo, queen of Somalia and the matriarchy.
Mochizuki Chiyome, the 16th century widow who trained other widows and orphans to become ninjas.
Ana Lezama de Urinza and Eustaquia de Sonza, Peruvian vigilantes and lovers (I'll never get tired of their story).
Margaret Cavendish, the Englishwoman who wrote the first science fiction novel, and who was apparently one of the first pop culture and cosplay geeks (I could tell that Lee had tremendous fun writing about her).
King Christina of Sweden of the 17th century (hot damn!).
Julie d'Aubigny, aka La Maupin, of 17th-18th century France (double hot damn! A bisexual, nun-seducing, rabble-rousing, crossdressing, thieving, dueling, sword swinging, opera singing, shouty, and all-around flashy Frenchwoman! Where the hell is she in films?!).
Anne Lister of 18th-19th century England, the first overt modern lesbian (she even married a woman, if not officially).
Friederike "Marm" Mandelbaum of the 19th century US, criminal mastermind and businesswoman who would have made any Godfather kneel before her.
US former slave Stagecoach Mary Fields of the 18th-19th century, a fearless woman with multiple careers in her resume who literally shot a guy in the arse.
The massively successful, 19th century US, mixed race spy team Mary Bowser and Bet Van Lew, honoured by the president.
19th-20th century US doctor Clelia Duel Mosher, who was the first to take women's health seriously and into consideration, not to mention the first to even acknowledge that women can enjoy sex as much as men (a sex positive icon, and a wonderful, nice person).
Edith Garrud of 19th-20th century England, the Jujitsu suffragette (literally, she was a suffragette who did martial arts and taught other suffragettes martial arts, though she was still white).
Alice Ball of 19th-20th century America, a black chemist who practically cured leprosy.
Dorothy Arzner, one of the first female Hollywood directors, who helped launch many stars' careers, including Kathleen Hepburn, Joan Crawford, Lucile Ball, and Francis Ford Coppola, and she was a lesbian (she romanced many women, including Billie Burke of 'The Wizard of Oz' fame).
Nwanyeruwa, the Nigerian marcher of black women's rights in the 20th century during the Great Depression.
Mariya Oktyabrskaya, a war widow who destroyed Nazis in her own tank called Fighting Girlfriend.
Irena Sendler, the rescuer of Jewish children in Poland during the second world war, who escaped a firing squad and lived to be ninety-eight- a true hero and ally.
Ursula Nordstrom, the publisher of "good books for bad children", and one of the originators of HarperCollins, who didn't believe in censoring anything from children, and believed in telling them the truth about the world (she helped out Maurice Sendak a lot).
Elvira de la Fuente Chaudoir, a Peruvian bisexual playgirl, gambler, drinker, and MI6 spy, and a loud, boisterous, unstoppable force of nature - now why hasn't there been a Hollywood film about HER yet?!
Fanny Blankers-Koen of the Netherlands, the fastest woman athlete in history.
Kumander Liwayway (Commander Dawn), real name Remedios Gomez-Paraiso, of the Philippines, a rich, primadonna mayor's daughter who lead the Huk Rebellion in her signature red lipstick - a battling badass unafraid to express her femininity, and to show how it is not a weakness.
Angela Morley, transgender music conductor and composer of many famous film and TV scores ('Dallas', 'Wonder Woman', etc), including collaborating with John Williams on Darth Vader's Imperial March theme.
And last but absolutely not least, the Mirabal sisters, Patria, Dede, Minerva and Maria Teresa, of the Dominican Republic, who stood up to tyranny, dictatorship and extreme government abuse of power. Their legacy and sacrifice shall not be forgotten.
Heroes, every one.
I also learned from this book that lesbianism in the 17th century onward wasn't taken seriously in society, unless one of the women involved was wearing men's clothing, then it becomes a scandal. That is all kinds of messed up.
So entertaining! Each women's story is as exciting and invigorating as any Hollywood blockbuster. Whoever the fuck said that women didn't do much in the past can go straight to hell.
The only thing I find worth criticizing in 'Bygone Badass Broads' is how Lee talks about Angela Morley's transgender identity. She reveals her deadname, and implies that her transition was a choice. It is rather uncomfortable to read about, and in a book otherwise so woke and aware culturally of issues such as race, sex and sexuality, enthusiastically so.
But other than that, 'Bygone Badass Broads: 52 Forgotten Women Who Changed the World' - highly recommended.
Final Score: 5/5
From the blurb:
'Based on the popular Twitter series of the same name, 'Bygone Badass Broads' features 52 remarkable and forgotten trailblazing women from all over the world.'
'Bygone Badass Broads' contains the bios of yet more women I wish I'd heard of earlier, and am beyond angry that they are not being talked about and taught in schools, not even in universities with history majors.
Mackenzie Lee, of 'The Gentleman's Guide' and 'The Lady's Guide' fame, is clearly passionate about her work. This history project is certainly one of the funnier, more entertaining modern books about ignored and forgotten landmark historical females. Lee is hilarious and clever.
'Bygone Badass Broads' is of the millennial pop culture and internet generation (references to pop culture are galore throughout), but it comes across as refreshing and understanding instead of pandering, and it is nonetheless informative, well researched, and vital.
Lovely, colourful portraits done by Petra Eriksson as well.
My favourites out of the 52 badass broads included are:
Arawelo, queen of Somalia and the matriarchy.
Mochizuki Chiyome, the 16th century widow who trained other widows and orphans to become ninjas.
Ana Lezama de Urinza and Eustaquia de Sonza, Peruvian vigilantes and lovers (I'll never get tired of their story).
Margaret Cavendish, the Englishwoman who wrote the first science fiction novel, and who was apparently one of the first pop culture and cosplay geeks (I could tell that Lee had tremendous fun writing about her).
King Christina of Sweden of the 17th century (hot damn!).
Julie d'Aubigny, aka La Maupin, of 17th-18th century France (double hot damn! A bisexual, nun-seducing, rabble-rousing, crossdressing, thieving, dueling, sword swinging, opera singing, shouty, and all-around flashy Frenchwoman! Where the hell is she in films?!).
Anne Lister of 18th-19th century England, the first overt modern lesbian (she even married a woman, if not officially).
Friederike "Marm" Mandelbaum of the 19th century US, criminal mastermind and businesswoman who would have made any Godfather kneel before her.
US former slave Stagecoach Mary Fields of the 18th-19th century, a fearless woman with multiple careers in her resume who literally shot a guy in the arse.
The massively successful, 19th century US, mixed race spy team Mary Bowser and Bet Van Lew, honoured by the president.
19th-20th century US doctor Clelia Duel Mosher, who was the first to take women's health seriously and into consideration, not to mention the first to even acknowledge that women can enjoy sex as much as men (a sex positive icon, and a wonderful, nice person).
Edith Garrud of 19th-20th century England, the Jujitsu suffragette (literally, she was a suffragette who did martial arts and taught other suffragettes martial arts, though she was still white).
Alice Ball of 19th-20th century America, a black chemist who practically cured leprosy.
Dorothy Arzner, one of the first female Hollywood directors, who helped launch many stars' careers, including Kathleen Hepburn, Joan Crawford, Lucile Ball, and Francis Ford Coppola, and she was a lesbian (she romanced many women, including Billie Burke of 'The Wizard of Oz' fame).
Nwanyeruwa, the Nigerian marcher of black women's rights in the 20th century during the Great Depression.
Mariya Oktyabrskaya, a war widow who destroyed Nazis in her own tank called Fighting Girlfriend.
Irena Sendler, the rescuer of Jewish children in Poland during the second world war, who escaped a firing squad and lived to be ninety-eight- a true hero and ally.
Ursula Nordstrom, the publisher of "good books for bad children", and one of the originators of HarperCollins, who didn't believe in censoring anything from children, and believed in telling them the truth about the world (she helped out Maurice Sendak a lot).
Elvira de la Fuente Chaudoir, a Peruvian bisexual playgirl, gambler, drinker, and MI6 spy, and a loud, boisterous, unstoppable force of nature - now why hasn't there been a Hollywood film about HER yet?!
Fanny Blankers-Koen of the Netherlands, the fastest woman athlete in history.
Kumander Liwayway (Commander Dawn), real name Remedios Gomez-Paraiso, of the Philippines, a rich, primadonna mayor's daughter who lead the Huk Rebellion in her signature red lipstick - a battling badass unafraid to express her femininity, and to show how it is not a weakness.
Angela Morley, transgender music conductor and composer of many famous film and TV scores ('Dallas', 'Wonder Woman', etc), including collaborating with John Williams on Darth Vader's Imperial March theme.
And last but absolutely not least, the Mirabal sisters, Patria, Dede, Minerva and Maria Teresa, of the Dominican Republic, who stood up to tyranny, dictatorship and extreme government abuse of power. Their legacy and sacrifice shall not be forgotten.
Heroes, every one.
I also learned from this book that lesbianism in the 17th century onward wasn't taken seriously in society, unless one of the women involved was wearing men's clothing, then it becomes a scandal. That is all kinds of messed up.
So entertaining! Each women's story is as exciting and invigorating as any Hollywood blockbuster. Whoever the fuck said that women didn't do much in the past can go straight to hell.
The only thing I find worth criticizing in 'Bygone Badass Broads' is how Lee talks about Angela Morley's transgender identity. She reveals her deadname, and implies that her transition was a choice. It is rather uncomfortable to read about, and in a book otherwise so woke and aware culturally of issues such as race, sex and sexuality, enthusiastically so.
But other than that, 'Bygone Badass Broads: 52 Forgotten Women Who Changed the World' - highly recommended.
Final Score: 5/5
Book Review - 'The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy' by Mackenzie Lee
Well, this... didn't quite live up to my astronomical expectations. I mean, I wrote a parody song expressing my excitement towards its very existence. I never do anything like that. Ever. But damn did I enjoy 'The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy'. After waiting ridiculously for over a year, I get wonderful female characters and relationships as a reward, as well as adventure and intrigue.
Felicity Montague is sure to become an icon, if I have my way. Not just for strong women, or historical fiction heroines - there are enough of those already, whose depictions are highly debatable at best - but for asexual protagonists. Asexual female protagonists. Imagine, a heroine not interested in romance! Because it is made pretty clear in this book that that is Felicity's LBGTQA identity, though she doesn't have a word for it yet. She kissed a man. She kissed a girl and liked it, but not enough to desire more. And that's that.
Felicity was incredibly tough, smart and fearless in 'The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue', but in 'The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy', she is insatiable. The reader will not get enough of this whirlwind of an 18th century girl. Once we are allowed inside her fascinating head, we find that, with all her determination, she still has doubts and flaws; frustrations at the unfairness of a male-dominated world, but wondering whether it would be easier, safer, to simply give up her independence and dreams, which are deliberately rendered impossible by the patriarchy.
Was it right to escape a marriage proposal from a baker? Felicity has worked with him for about a year to make ends meet amid all her rejections from science administrations and universities, and she has a sweet tooth for puff pastries (a nice, powdery touch to her character there). But the baker is a textbook Nice Guy, wanting Felicity all to himself and wanting to suppress her ambitions, which he thinks are a phase she'll eventually outgrow, because silly smallbrained womanly whims amirite?, so she'll stay with him as a reclusive housewife and bearer of his babies.
Never fear, however. Experiencing stress and doubts, especially throughout the ghastly obstacles she has to endure, is human, not weak. To combat low self esteem, Felicity writes down reasons for why she should become a doctor and an equal to men; for why she should be here (be HER); for why she matters; for why women matter, as if that should be up for debate. A lot of marginalized persons can relate to this.
As tough in the face of adversity and blood and guts as she is, Felicity is not a machine. Neither is she some hard, coldblooded action woman. She's a thinker, a strategist, and a healer, not a warrior.
Either way, Felicity doesn't give up. In a world where she is forced to pick and choose which men she can trust in order to receive even a smidgen of recognition, still with no respect, she will come to realise the importance of women supporting other women.
And not just white women.
Here lies the dawn of intersectional feminism.
But more on that in a bit. One final say on Felicity, who I could go on forever about, she is so amazing:
In her own swashbuckling adventure, young Felicity Montague gets to know other girls, and their own individual strengths, challenging her notions of what makes a woman "strong". Felicity grows and develops, from a quiet girl whose aristocratic parents at best tolerate her existence, to a passionate, unstoppable budding scientist and doctor wanting to know everything despite constant rejection and scorn from male higher-ups, to a lass owning her life away from the impossible hurdles of the patriarchal system. As a better person aware of what privileges she has as a white woman in European society. As part of a trio of girl friends, each as determined and unfaltering in their passions as she is.
Each are funny in different ways, as well.
For there are two other women in 'The Lady's Guide' who form the "pirate group" advertised. Not as much as I was expecting, but they are remarkable and unforgettable presences in their own right. I won't spoil much about the rest of the book, but I want to put the spotlight on as many women characters as I can.
There is the Muslim sapphic pirate princess Sim. Representation of this kind doesn't exist even nowadays, so to see it in a historical novel is... not a novelty. It is yet another smack and f&*%^&! you to the patriarchy, white supremacy and colonialism. Unprivileged, and in the shadow of her father and succeeding younger brothers, Sim wears her scars, her knives, her tattoo, and her hijab, with pride.
On the other side of the spectrum is Johanna Hoffman, Felicity's childhood friend whom she had a falling out with years ago. Johanna is what you might expect of a rich aristocratic Georgian lady, and she is the most feminine of the group, but that does not make her the weak link, oh no. She takes crap from no one, and is smarter and more reactive and productive than she lets on. Her mother, Sybille Glass, was a scientist who fought tooth and nail for recognition for all her hard work, and who met a tragic end. Rosy Johanna doesn't find dresses cumbersome (corsets can go to hell, though), and she is not afraid to get her hands dirty. She can be very kind and forgiving, at least compared to the aloofness of Felicity and Sim. She is more forward, open and confident, and less sarcastic and biting, than the other two girls. Johanna's growing relationship with Felicity is lovely, natural and powerful; a mark and grace of female friendships. Trust and respect develop when it comes to Sim. Johanna's close bond with her giant, slobbering dog Max is also adorable and believable.
Additional highlights: One of the first scenes involves Felicity making her case towards an all-male administrative board of directors to allow her admittance for education in medicine. Her mentioning menstruation practically causes pandemonium. Sadly the men's reaction would be unchanged today. A darkly funny yet blood-boiling scene.
And one of the last scenes, at the "action-packed" climax, involves no violence. Matters are resolved peacefully, but not perfectly diplomatically, and it is badass.
Monty and Percy make extended cameos too. They are as lovey and bursting with innuendos as ever. They're funny and sweet. I love that Percy's epilepsy is not forgotten about or reduced to a footnote in a book where he isn't a lead character. He fully supports Felicity in her endeavors, and is very kind to her, in what little page time he appears. Monty gets kicked in the balls (not by who you think) for good measure.
A solid cast of humans, humour as sharp and brilliant as in the first book, addictive, masterful writing in a novel that can be finished in two days, and lessons in how bloody fantastic women are, 'The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy' is a modern treat set in an age of scientific discovery and awakening.
It could have been better, I thought: it's not as exciting as the previous book in the series; I would have liked to have seen more female characters; and Felicity is far too lenient towards the Nice Guy baker, and she does become somewhat of a damsel in distress later on in the third act. But brain beats brawn everytime.
'The Lady's Guide' - destined to become a classic, alongside 'The Gentleman's Guide'.
Thanks, Mackenzie Lee, for making the long, agonizing wait worth it.
Final Score: 4/5
Here is said embarrassing parody song that I wrote over a year ago. Enjoy!:
=cue 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' song=
What's this?
What's this?
An answer to my prayers?
What's this?
A sequel with more layers?
'The Gentleman's Guide' was such a ride
Then I heard 'The Lady's Guide' and I cried
Is this a joke? This isn't funny!
Wait next year to take my money!?
What's this?
It's a companion piece that I would not dare dream
Early news of petticoats I already see a ruffled gleam
Gay Victorians were not to end at 'Vice and Virtue'
Now comes a solo adventure starring Felicity Montague
She of science sails with 'Petticoats and Piracy'
Can one book contain her scrumptiously hard and smart personality???
What's this?
What's this?
Felicity joins a girl gang?
What's this?
Feminism beginning with a bang?
Travelling and sailing as first mate
Such swashbuckling excitement, cannot wait
I feel my anticipation flying much too high
Pirates, science, pre-suffragettes, oh my!
It's full of queens! It's full of queens!
Hope and glory for youthful teens
Felicity cut down the Gentleman
Next she'll outwit Nice Guys with her mighty pen
Patriarchy fear the asexual female protagonist
Darling, this charted sequel shan't be missed
From lead to gold on my paper heart it overflows with bliss!
WHAT. IS. THIS????????????????????????
I couldn't express my feelings any other way, badly or not.
Felicity Montague is sure to become an icon, if I have my way. Not just for strong women, or historical fiction heroines - there are enough of those already, whose depictions are highly debatable at best - but for asexual protagonists. Asexual female protagonists. Imagine, a heroine not interested in romance! Because it is made pretty clear in this book that that is Felicity's LBGTQA identity, though she doesn't have a word for it yet. She kissed a man. She kissed a girl and liked it, but not enough to desire more. And that's that.
Felicity was incredibly tough, smart and fearless in 'The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue', but in 'The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy', she is insatiable. The reader will not get enough of this whirlwind of an 18th century girl. Once we are allowed inside her fascinating head, we find that, with all her determination, she still has doubts and flaws; frustrations at the unfairness of a male-dominated world, but wondering whether it would be easier, safer, to simply give up her independence and dreams, which are deliberately rendered impossible by the patriarchy.
Was it right to escape a marriage proposal from a baker? Felicity has worked with him for about a year to make ends meet amid all her rejections from science administrations and universities, and she has a sweet tooth for puff pastries (a nice, powdery touch to her character there). But the baker is a textbook Nice Guy, wanting Felicity all to himself and wanting to suppress her ambitions, which he thinks are a phase she'll eventually outgrow, because silly smallbrained womanly whims amirite?, so she'll stay with him as a reclusive housewife and bearer of his babies.
Never fear, however. Experiencing stress and doubts, especially throughout the ghastly obstacles she has to endure, is human, not weak. To combat low self esteem, Felicity writes down reasons for why she should become a doctor and an equal to men; for why she should be here (be HER); for why she matters; for why women matter, as if that should be up for debate. A lot of marginalized persons can relate to this.
As tough in the face of adversity and blood and guts as she is, Felicity is not a machine. Neither is she some hard, coldblooded action woman. She's a thinker, a strategist, and a healer, not a warrior.
Either way, Felicity doesn't give up. In a world where she is forced to pick and choose which men she can trust in order to receive even a smidgen of recognition, still with no respect, she will come to realise the importance of women supporting other women.
And not just white women.
Here lies the dawn of intersectional feminism.
But more on that in a bit. One final say on Felicity, who I could go on forever about, she is so amazing:
In her own swashbuckling adventure, young Felicity Montague gets to know other girls, and their own individual strengths, challenging her notions of what makes a woman "strong". Felicity grows and develops, from a quiet girl whose aristocratic parents at best tolerate her existence, to a passionate, unstoppable budding scientist and doctor wanting to know everything despite constant rejection and scorn from male higher-ups, to a lass owning her life away from the impossible hurdles of the patriarchal system. As a better person aware of what privileges she has as a white woman in European society. As part of a trio of girl friends, each as determined and unfaltering in their passions as she is.
Each are funny in different ways, as well.
For there are two other women in 'The Lady's Guide' who form the "pirate group" advertised. Not as much as I was expecting, but they are remarkable and unforgettable presences in their own right. I won't spoil much about the rest of the book, but I want to put the spotlight on as many women characters as I can.
There is the Muslim sapphic pirate princess Sim. Representation of this kind doesn't exist even nowadays, so to see it in a historical novel is... not a novelty. It is yet another smack and f&*%^&! you to the patriarchy, white supremacy and colonialism. Unprivileged, and in the shadow of her father and succeeding younger brothers, Sim wears her scars, her knives, her tattoo, and her hijab, with pride.
On the other side of the spectrum is Johanna Hoffman, Felicity's childhood friend whom she had a falling out with years ago. Johanna is what you might expect of a rich aristocratic Georgian lady, and she is the most feminine of the group, but that does not make her the weak link, oh no. She takes crap from no one, and is smarter and more reactive and productive than she lets on. Her mother, Sybille Glass, was a scientist who fought tooth and nail for recognition for all her hard work, and who met a tragic end. Rosy Johanna doesn't find dresses cumbersome (corsets can go to hell, though), and she is not afraid to get her hands dirty. She can be very kind and forgiving, at least compared to the aloofness of Felicity and Sim. She is more forward, open and confident, and less sarcastic and biting, than the other two girls. Johanna's growing relationship with Felicity is lovely, natural and powerful; a mark and grace of female friendships. Trust and respect develop when it comes to Sim. Johanna's close bond with her giant, slobbering dog Max is also adorable and believable.
Additional highlights: One of the first scenes involves Felicity making her case towards an all-male administrative board of directors to allow her admittance for education in medicine. Her mentioning menstruation practically causes pandemonium. Sadly the men's reaction would be unchanged today. A darkly funny yet blood-boiling scene.
And one of the last scenes, at the "action-packed" climax, involves no violence. Matters are resolved peacefully, but not perfectly diplomatically, and it is badass.
Monty and Percy make extended cameos too. They are as lovey and bursting with innuendos as ever. They're funny and sweet. I love that Percy's epilepsy is not forgotten about or reduced to a footnote in a book where he isn't a lead character. He fully supports Felicity in her endeavors, and is very kind to her, in what little page time he appears. Monty gets kicked in the balls (not by who you think) for good measure.
A solid cast of humans, humour as sharp and brilliant as in the first book, addictive, masterful writing in a novel that can be finished in two days, and lessons in how bloody fantastic women are, 'The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy' is a modern treat set in an age of scientific discovery and awakening.
It could have been better, I thought: it's not as exciting as the previous book in the series; I would have liked to have seen more female characters; and Felicity is far too lenient towards the Nice Guy baker, and she does become somewhat of a damsel in distress later on in the third act. But brain beats brawn everytime.
'The Lady's Guide' - destined to become a classic, alongside 'The Gentleman's Guide'.
Thanks, Mackenzie Lee, for making the long, agonizing wait worth it.
Final Score: 4/5
Here is said embarrassing parody song that I wrote over a year ago. Enjoy!:
=cue 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' song=
What's this?
What's this?
An answer to my prayers?
What's this?
A sequel with more layers?
'The Gentleman's Guide' was such a ride
Then I heard 'The Lady's Guide' and I cried
Is this a joke? This isn't funny!
Wait next year to take my money!?
What's this?
It's a companion piece that I would not dare dream
Early news of petticoats I already see a ruffled gleam
Gay Victorians were not to end at 'Vice and Virtue'
Now comes a solo adventure starring Felicity Montague
She of science sails with 'Petticoats and Piracy'
Can one book contain her scrumptiously hard and smart personality???
What's this?
What's this?
Felicity joins a girl gang?
What's this?
Feminism beginning with a bang?
Travelling and sailing as first mate
Such swashbuckling excitement, cannot wait
I feel my anticipation flying much too high
Pirates, science, pre-suffragettes, oh my!
It's full of queens! It's full of queens!
Hope and glory for youthful teens
Felicity cut down the Gentleman
Next she'll outwit Nice Guys with her mighty pen
Patriarchy fear the asexual female protagonist
Darling, this charted sequel shan't be missed
From lead to gold on my paper heart it overflows with bliss!
WHAT. IS. THIS????????????????????????
I couldn't express my feelings any other way, badly or not.
Thursday, 22 November 2018
From this moment forth, I have decided that I no longer have any favourite reviewers, critics, entertainers, etc - on TV or online or otherwise. We live in a world full of different, contrary opinions, so at war with each other, its escalation is ludicrous and sometimes dangerous. As I fully mature into adulthood, and distance myself from social media and toxic political talk, I have learned to trust in only one opinion - my own. Really, time away from the internet - from any social/online networks - is a stress reliever.
And that's not just the introvert in me talking.
I can respect others' opinions, or just ignore (i.e. blacklist) them if I seriously disagree with them, because I know that no matter what I say they will not change their minds. And in a way that's a good thing; let us all think for ourselves. Calm down. Step back and breathe in peace and quiet with your own thoughts once in a while. No one person views the same things identically. That is what makes humans so amazing.
I will like what I like and not let others tell me I'm wrong to like them, and I'll dislike what I dislike. I won't care so much about what others think, and I'll try not to feel personally attacked by them. On the flip side of the coin, I won't hold as paragons people whose worldview and intellect I generally agree with and am in tune with.
The only person on the planet that I 100% agree with on everything is myself.
There are issues, topics, subjects, etc to be passionate about and care for, but remember to live too.
Don't care about what others think - live your own life! Do what YOU think is best.
I will not be recommending critics anymore. Ignore critic recommendations entirely.
Trust in yourself. Your opinion, your mind, matters.
And that's not just the introvert in me talking.
I can respect others' opinions, or just ignore (i.e. blacklist) them if I seriously disagree with them, because I know that no matter what I say they will not change their minds. And in a way that's a good thing; let us all think for ourselves. Calm down. Step back and breathe in peace and quiet with your own thoughts once in a while. No one person views the same things identically. That is what makes humans so amazing.
I will like what I like and not let others tell me I'm wrong to like them, and I'll dislike what I dislike. I won't care so much about what others think, and I'll try not to feel personally attacked by them. On the flip side of the coin, I won't hold as paragons people whose worldview and intellect I generally agree with and am in tune with.
The only person on the planet that I 100% agree with on everything is myself.
There are issues, topics, subjects, etc to be passionate about and care for, but remember to live too.
Don't care about what others think - live your own life! Do what YOU think is best.
I will not be recommending critics anymore. Ignore critic recommendations entirely.
Trust in yourself. Your opinion, your mind, matters.
Sunday, 18 November 2018
Other Shirts (Purple)
Well, one a hooded fleece/corset. Both are like really loose-fitting corsets, actually :)
Pink and purple Gothic, dark and light embrace; that's my style!
Saturday, 17 November 2018
Book Review - 'Hetty Feather' by Jacqueline Wilson
2023 REREAD: Not so good and enjoyable to me this time, I'm afraid.
It's official: I have outgrown and am letting go of Jacqueline Wilson books for good.
The ableism in 'Hetty Feather', even for historical fiction, is absolutely appalling. There's the very naughty and violent foster brother Saul, who has a limp and uses a crutch/cane and acts like he uses his disability as an excuse to be bad, to avoid punishment, and to get attention - and then he dies and is quickly forgotten about; then there's the foster sister Martha, who is near-sighted and portrayed as plain and stupid, and who is also forgotten about. Lots of characters who are seemingly, consistently important to Hetty are forgotten about by the end of this book.
Being disabled in any way in 'Hetty Feather' is very clearly viewed as something to be pitied - no child with a disability, or serious health issue, is a real, lasting character, if they don't die first, that is. One random child is even nicknamed Stutter, and Mad and Slow are other names.
There's also the typical fatphobia in females and internalised misogyny - with the overblown favouritism and romanticisation of male characters - I've sadly come to expect in Wilson's children's books. Though at least 'Hetty Feather' is nowhere near as bad as the toxic hellfire of literature that is 'Opal Plumstead'. Also, the knowledge of where this story will go in the stupid, ridiculous and contrived sequels further deterred my enjoyment.
And did a professional adult woman, Sarah Smith, who the reader is supposed to like, seriously use the term "white slave trade" in this story, as part of a BS fabrication? With no other reference to slavery whatsoever in a book set in Victorian times?!
I'm quite embarrassed by my original review now.
Oh well. I'm free now. Goodbye, Hetty Feather. Goodbye, Jacqueline Wilson.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
I had no expectations going into this one. It was the last of the five Jacqueline Wilson books from recent years (well, in the last ten years or more) I'd read in a week, and it is historical fiction: after the utter travesty that was 'Queenie', I was tired out, and not looking forward to 'Hetty Feather', despite hearing almost universal praise about it.
Then, the more I read it, the further I fell. In love. I almost didn't want it to end, yet I read it in a day and a quarter.
'Hetty Feather' has got to be one of the most compulsory, addictive books I've ever read, but most especially for a historical fiction novel for children. It is never boring, never dragging, never meandering - Wilson writes on-point, as she usually does. It is realistic fiction that is also magical.
Dare I say that this might be Jacqueline Wilson's most well-written book to date? She's been hit-and-miss for me, but 'Hetty Feather''s praise is deserved.
I won't reveal much about the plot, but the best way to describe 'Hetty Feather' is that it is for children who are too young to read 'Jane Eyre' or any other classic - it is a great primer for those slower-paced but no less lyrical treasure tomes.
Hetty Feather, the foundling, the orphan, the little redheaded, high-spirited dreamer herself, is a wonderful heroine. She's genuinely strong, smart, brave and assertive for a girl so young (the first book of her adventures chronicles the first ten years of her life), and for her time, 19th century England. She's very impulsive and inquisitive. She asks lots of questions that adults don't want to answer, she does what she wants, doesn't care what others think of her, she's quick-tempered and throws a lot of tantrums, and she cries; but most of the time she's justified in her feelings and actions, given her poor circumstances where she doesn't have a permanent home. She probably never will.
For the most part, Hetty is also generous, sensitive and caring for other people's feelings, but she makes mistakes as well. She is neither arrogant nor incessantly whiny, thank god. And, still going by Wilson's trademark, she likes drawing and making up stories, both in her head and to whoever will listen to her.
As a foundling child in Victorian times, with no family, and no foster family to take care of her for more than five years, Hetty is given no prospects in life, other than a future as a servant once she turns fourteen.
But her dreams! She wants to join the circus! She sneaks into a circus at the age of five, with her foster brother and "sweetheart", Jem, and she convinces herself that a beautiful performing lady there is her real mother - a fantasy she clings onto desperately, once the foundling hospital forces her back...
Coldness, darkness, loss, loneliness and drudgery are Hetty's life now. There are bright spots that she makes herself, and she befriends other girls and servants, but she wants freedom. She wants to create her own path, not the monotonous one laid out for her since birth (props for her being called out for innocently insulting servants and their "low class" lifestyle). Does she want to be part of the circus folk? An explorer? A rich woman's lady-in-waiting? A teacher? A writer? A flower girl on the streets?
The possibilities are surprisingly numerous for a girl in the 19th century, but not all of them are good and prosperous, or attainable...
Hetty Feather is one of Jacqueline Wilson's best heroines. I disagree with some reviewers who describe her as Tracy Beaker in the Victorian era - she's much kinder, and more likeable and considerate than that.
Ironically, 'Hetty Feather' might be Wilson's most feminist novel for kids ever. There is no romance, not at this stage anyway, and Hetty's childhood fancies are treated as just that; they are fleeting once reality comes crashing in. She has many female friends and companions - she saves them and they save her on various occasions, like from abduction by a rich, dodgy man preying on urchin girls. The book brings up social and political issues, such as the disgrace and shame brought down upon unmarried women who have children, and why they often have no choice but to give them up, for their safety and welfare. The extreme difficulties women faced in those times are not ignored, nor are they sugarcoated. Another foster brother, fellow foundling Gideon, likes to dance, and he doesn't want to grow up to be a soldier. But the foster father says that boys don't dance. He clearly wants to keep doing it anyway, in spite of his extremely shy and timid nature in contrast to Hetty's fiery personality.
Hetty stamps on traditional gender roles with glee. She's like Pippi Longstocking in her fearlessness. Heck, she even pilfers and wears boys' clothes in order to sneak into the boys' ward of the foundling hospital to see poor Gideon, more than once! Without being caught! How refreshing, and inspiring to children.
I whisked through this magical, un-mundane novel, centering on a fantastic young heroine, like I was in a trance. Flaws include a rather abrupt and too-good-to-be-true ending, setting up for sequels, and a few forgotten characters that are important to Hetty, but again, sequels.
Well, anyone reading 'Hetty Feather' would want the titular girl to be happy, regardless of absolute realism. Issues such as classism, alcoholism, child abuse, abusive households, and abject poverty are highlighted, and prostitution on the streets is implied.
And, quite amazingly, the British Royal Family is not hero-worshipped in this book. Hetty doesn't care for Queen Victoria one fig. In fact, here is a fantastic quote that says it all:
'We even prayed for Queen Victoria in chapel on Sunday, which seemed to me a little bizarre. Why should all us foundlings, born in shame and destined to live our lives as servants, pray for such a fabulously rich and fortunate old woman who owned whole continents? She should surely be on her padded knees, praying for God's mercy for us.' - page 294
I told you Hetty was sharp. What an understanding, alert soul she is.
So, 'Hetty Feather' = junior 'Jane Eyre'. Read it, recommend it to others, whatever their age. It might be my new favourite Jacqueline Wilson book, but will I read the sequels and spinoffs? I've been disappointed by sequels too many times in the past, so maybe not. But you never know.
Hetty, or whoever she decides to call herself in the future, will have a home - in my heart, and the hearts of other readers.
Final Score: 4/5
It's official: I have outgrown and am letting go of Jacqueline Wilson books for good.
The ableism in 'Hetty Feather', even for historical fiction, is absolutely appalling. There's the very naughty and violent foster brother Saul, who has a limp and uses a crutch/cane and acts like he uses his disability as an excuse to be bad, to avoid punishment, and to get attention - and then he dies and is quickly forgotten about; then there's the foster sister Martha, who is near-sighted and portrayed as plain and stupid, and who is also forgotten about. Lots of characters who are seemingly, consistently important to Hetty are forgotten about by the end of this book.
Being disabled in any way in 'Hetty Feather' is very clearly viewed as something to be pitied - no child with a disability, or serious health issue, is a real, lasting character, if they don't die first, that is. One random child is even nicknamed Stutter, and Mad and Slow are other names.
There's also the typical fatphobia in females and internalised misogyny - with the overblown favouritism and romanticisation of male characters - I've sadly come to expect in Wilson's children's books. Though at least 'Hetty Feather' is nowhere near as bad as the toxic hellfire of literature that is 'Opal Plumstead'. Also, the knowledge of where this story will go in the stupid, ridiculous and contrived sequels further deterred my enjoyment.
And did a professional adult woman, Sarah Smith, who the reader is supposed to like, seriously use the term "white slave trade" in this story, as part of a BS fabrication? With no other reference to slavery whatsoever in a book set in Victorian times?!
I'm quite embarrassed by my original review now.
Oh well. I'm free now. Goodbye, Hetty Feather. Goodbye, Jacqueline Wilson.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
I had no expectations going into this one. It was the last of the five Jacqueline Wilson books from recent years (well, in the last ten years or more) I'd read in a week, and it is historical fiction: after the utter travesty that was 'Queenie', I was tired out, and not looking forward to 'Hetty Feather', despite hearing almost universal praise about it.
Then, the more I read it, the further I fell. In love. I almost didn't want it to end, yet I read it in a day and a quarter.
'Hetty Feather' has got to be one of the most compulsory, addictive books I've ever read, but most especially for a historical fiction novel for children. It is never boring, never dragging, never meandering - Wilson writes on-point, as she usually does. It is realistic fiction that is also magical.
Dare I say that this might be Jacqueline Wilson's most well-written book to date? She's been hit-and-miss for me, but 'Hetty Feather''s praise is deserved.
I won't reveal much about the plot, but the best way to describe 'Hetty Feather' is that it is for children who are too young to read 'Jane Eyre' or any other classic - it is a great primer for those slower-paced but no less lyrical treasure tomes.
Hetty Feather, the foundling, the orphan, the little redheaded, high-spirited dreamer herself, is a wonderful heroine. She's genuinely strong, smart, brave and assertive for a girl so young (the first book of her adventures chronicles the first ten years of her life), and for her time, 19th century England. She's very impulsive and inquisitive. She asks lots of questions that adults don't want to answer, she does what she wants, doesn't care what others think of her, she's quick-tempered and throws a lot of tantrums, and she cries; but most of the time she's justified in her feelings and actions, given her poor circumstances where she doesn't have a permanent home. She probably never will.
For the most part, Hetty is also generous, sensitive and caring for other people's feelings, but she makes mistakes as well. She is neither arrogant nor incessantly whiny, thank god. And, still going by Wilson's trademark, she likes drawing and making up stories, both in her head and to whoever will listen to her.
As a foundling child in Victorian times, with no family, and no foster family to take care of her for more than five years, Hetty is given no prospects in life, other than a future as a servant once she turns fourteen.
But her dreams! She wants to join the circus! She sneaks into a circus at the age of five, with her foster brother and "sweetheart", Jem, and she convinces herself that a beautiful performing lady there is her real mother - a fantasy she clings onto desperately, once the foundling hospital forces her back...
Coldness, darkness, loss, loneliness and drudgery are Hetty's life now. There are bright spots that she makes herself, and she befriends other girls and servants, but she wants freedom. She wants to create her own path, not the monotonous one laid out for her since birth (props for her being called out for innocently insulting servants and their "low class" lifestyle). Does she want to be part of the circus folk? An explorer? A rich woman's lady-in-waiting? A teacher? A writer? A flower girl on the streets?
The possibilities are surprisingly numerous for a girl in the 19th century, but not all of them are good and prosperous, or attainable...
Hetty Feather is one of Jacqueline Wilson's best heroines. I disagree with some reviewers who describe her as Tracy Beaker in the Victorian era - she's much kinder, and more likeable and considerate than that.
Ironically, 'Hetty Feather' might be Wilson's most feminist novel for kids ever. There is no romance, not at this stage anyway, and Hetty's childhood fancies are treated as just that; they are fleeting once reality comes crashing in. She has many female friends and companions - she saves them and they save her on various occasions, like from abduction by a rich, dodgy man preying on urchin girls. The book brings up social and political issues, such as the disgrace and shame brought down upon unmarried women who have children, and why they often have no choice but to give them up, for their safety and welfare. The extreme difficulties women faced in those times are not ignored, nor are they sugarcoated. Another foster brother, fellow foundling Gideon, likes to dance, and he doesn't want to grow up to be a soldier. But the foster father says that boys don't dance. He clearly wants to keep doing it anyway, in spite of his extremely shy and timid nature in contrast to Hetty's fiery personality.
Hetty stamps on traditional gender roles with glee. She's like Pippi Longstocking in her fearlessness. Heck, she even pilfers and wears boys' clothes in order to sneak into the boys' ward of the foundling hospital to see poor Gideon, more than once! Without being caught! How refreshing, and inspiring to children.
I whisked through this magical, un-mundane novel, centering on a fantastic young heroine, like I was in a trance. Flaws include a rather abrupt and too-good-to-be-true ending, setting up for sequels, and a few forgotten characters that are important to Hetty, but again, sequels.
Well, anyone reading 'Hetty Feather' would want the titular girl to be happy, regardless of absolute realism. Issues such as classism, alcoholism, child abuse, abusive households, and abject poverty are highlighted, and prostitution on the streets is implied.
And, quite amazingly, the British Royal Family is not hero-worshipped in this book. Hetty doesn't care for Queen Victoria one fig. In fact, here is a fantastic quote that says it all:
'We even prayed for Queen Victoria in chapel on Sunday, which seemed to me a little bizarre. Why should all us foundlings, born in shame and destined to live our lives as servants, pray for such a fabulously rich and fortunate old woman who owned whole continents? She should surely be on her padded knees, praying for God's mercy for us.' - page 294
I told you Hetty was sharp. What an understanding, alert soul she is.
So, 'Hetty Feather' = junior 'Jane Eyre'. Read it, recommend it to others, whatever their age. It might be my new favourite Jacqueline Wilson book, but will I read the sequels and spinoffs? I've been disappointed by sequels too many times in the past, so maybe not. But you never know.
Hetty, or whoever she decides to call herself in the future, will have a home - in my heart, and the hearts of other readers.
Final Score: 4/5
Book Review - 'Rent a Bridesmaid' by Jacqueline Wilson
2023 EDIT: Part of my 2023 clear-up, of books I no longer like, or am no longer interested in, or remember well as standing out, or find as special anymore, or I otherwise will not miss.
[In this case, it is me letting go of all of Jacqueline Wilson's books; ultimately decided after rereading 'Hetty Feather'. A lot of them have not aged well, in my opinion, or are just baffling, shocking. I cannot abide the author's child abuse-excusing, fatphobic, internalised misogyny-filled, and sometimes ableist books for children. There are often other other problematic tropes and clichés, too. It doesn't matter if they're childhood favourites, or are "cute and harmless". If I can let go of 'Harry Potter', then I can do the same for these books, no problem. Goodbye, Jacqueline Wilson.]
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
I've read five of the "newer" Jacqueline Wilson books this week (they are quick reads for kids), with another one planned soon, and 'Rent a Bridesmaid' is a story I especially like and adore. It's cute, pink, girly, frothy and sweet - just what I hoped for.
With a great, plausible premise for modern England - a little girl working as a "bridesmaid-for-hire" for various weddings (well, three at the moment) - and lovely, believable, and relatable and flawed characters and scenarios, 'Rent a Bridesmaid' is delicious fun.
Nine-year-old Matilda "Tilly" Andrews is given her new best friend's bridesmaid's dress as a present, a raspberry-coloured, cakey delight of a dress, that the friend, Matty, hated wearing. But Tilly loves it so much that she wants a chance to wear it for a wedding immediately. But no one she knows is getting married yet, least of all her dad and her estranged mum, and she'll soon outgrow the dress, and then it will be too late. So she and Matty come up with an ad for a shop window that says she'll rent herself as a bridesmaid to anyone's wedding, free of charge even.
Little Tilly meets some lovely people this way, and forms new connections with others, including a closer bond with her wonderful but nervous and standoffish dad.
'Rent a Bridesmaid', like nearly all of Wilson's books, is like a soap opera for children, and I mean that as a positive. It is a positive and charming girls' book that deals with serious issues that any child, including myself as one, can instantly relate to. Such as separated parents, dealing with disappointment, anxiety and expressing anger, letting children draw and imagine whatever they want without so much fuss from well-meaning but misguided adults, rocky and changing friendships, supportive school teachers (as they need to be), and love overcoming any prejudices.
The first wedding Tilly attends is that of an elderly couple, the sweetest, kindest people you could meet, and the second wedding is for a gay couple, also fantastic people. Such sincere and important messages for children are presented, and it is probably the best depiction of queer people that Wilson has ever written (she's made some serious muckups in her past books so that isn't saying much, but still, credit where it's due: at least the gay men here are not one-note tokens with gay as their only characteristic, and they are happy. Still waiting for at least one canon LBGTQ female now, Wilson).
I could relate to Tilly on a lot of accounts from when I was a child; I like her not just because of her name. Let her draw dinosaurs and monsters! Let her play "Warrior Princesses" with her friend Matty. Let her express herself. I think that her dad's and her teacher's concerns over her "violent" imagination has less to do with them thinking that this is how she copes with her mum leaving her, than it is about plain old sexism. Tilly was even sent to a clinic at one point in the past, where she met an anorexic girl. She likes "girly" things as well.
She's just herself. Suppressing her creativity is unhealthy. It will only make her worse. Let this child be.
Despite this drawback on his part, I love Tilly's dad, who tries hard despite working so much. He worries about her, but he'd do anything for her, and he even saves her from drowning in a pool (Wilson's protagonists, as well as a tendency to draw, also seem to be very timid swimmers for some reason). Tilly also starts off having a nanny figure, before being practically adopted by Matty's family, and it is in this instance where perhaps the funniest line I've ever read in a Jacqueline Wilson book comes:
“Dad said Aunty Sue was a godsend. If that was so, I wasn’t surprised. God was probably happy to have got rid of her.”
That is hilarious.
'Rent a Bridesmaid' also includes cameos from another Jacqueline Wilson book, 'The Worst Thing About my Sister', which I haven't read.
There are references to 'Inside Out' and 'Frozen'. 2016 publication!
One more side note: Wilson's books contain A LOT of descriptions about food and what the child characters are eating, so it's usually sweet things. And this book is about weddings. And baking. I tend to read these books before and after I've eaten, so I'm already full up by the time these huge food portions show up in the story. It is thanks to this that, ironically, I may have lost my appetite as of this moment. Or at least my sweet tooth.
Do I hear wedding bells? What about friendship bells? Daddy bells? 'Rent a Bridesmaid' is a touching, heartfelt, big strawberry-cake-with-icing treat. It's a cute and updated version of Wilson's stories for young girls, containing realistic events and characters, and modern social morals.
Final Score: 4/5
[In this case, it is me letting go of all of Jacqueline Wilson's books; ultimately decided after rereading 'Hetty Feather'. A lot of them have not aged well, in my opinion, or are just baffling, shocking. I cannot abide the author's child abuse-excusing, fatphobic, internalised misogyny-filled, and sometimes ableist books for children. There are often other other problematic tropes and clichés, too. It doesn't matter if they're childhood favourites, or are "cute and harmless". If I can let go of 'Harry Potter', then I can do the same for these books, no problem. Goodbye, Jacqueline Wilson.]
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
I've read five of the "newer" Jacqueline Wilson books this week (they are quick reads for kids), with another one planned soon, and 'Rent a Bridesmaid' is a story I especially like and adore. It's cute, pink, girly, frothy and sweet - just what I hoped for.
With a great, plausible premise for modern England - a little girl working as a "bridesmaid-for-hire" for various weddings (well, three at the moment) - and lovely, believable, and relatable and flawed characters and scenarios, 'Rent a Bridesmaid' is delicious fun.
Nine-year-old Matilda "Tilly" Andrews is given her new best friend's bridesmaid's dress as a present, a raspberry-coloured, cakey delight of a dress, that the friend, Matty, hated wearing. But Tilly loves it so much that she wants a chance to wear it for a wedding immediately. But no one she knows is getting married yet, least of all her dad and her estranged mum, and she'll soon outgrow the dress, and then it will be too late. So she and Matty come up with an ad for a shop window that says she'll rent herself as a bridesmaid to anyone's wedding, free of charge even.
Little Tilly meets some lovely people this way, and forms new connections with others, including a closer bond with her wonderful but nervous and standoffish dad.
'Rent a Bridesmaid', like nearly all of Wilson's books, is like a soap opera for children, and I mean that as a positive. It is a positive and charming girls' book that deals with serious issues that any child, including myself as one, can instantly relate to. Such as separated parents, dealing with disappointment, anxiety and expressing anger, letting children draw and imagine whatever they want without so much fuss from well-meaning but misguided adults, rocky and changing friendships, supportive school teachers (as they need to be), and love overcoming any prejudices.
The first wedding Tilly attends is that of an elderly couple, the sweetest, kindest people you could meet, and the second wedding is for a gay couple, also fantastic people. Such sincere and important messages for children are presented, and it is probably the best depiction of queer people that Wilson has ever written (she's made some serious muckups in her past books so that isn't saying much, but still, credit where it's due: at least the gay men here are not one-note tokens with gay as their only characteristic, and they are happy. Still waiting for at least one canon LBGTQ female now, Wilson).
I could relate to Tilly on a lot of accounts from when I was a child; I like her not just because of her name. Let her draw dinosaurs and monsters! Let her play "Warrior Princesses" with her friend Matty. Let her express herself. I think that her dad's and her teacher's concerns over her "violent" imagination has less to do with them thinking that this is how she copes with her mum leaving her, than it is about plain old sexism. Tilly was even sent to a clinic at one point in the past, where she met an anorexic girl. She likes "girly" things as well.
She's just herself. Suppressing her creativity is unhealthy. It will only make her worse. Let this child be.
Despite this drawback on his part, I love Tilly's dad, who tries hard despite working so much. He worries about her, but he'd do anything for her, and he even saves her from drowning in a pool (Wilson's protagonists, as well as a tendency to draw, also seem to be very timid swimmers for some reason). Tilly also starts off having a nanny figure, before being practically adopted by Matty's family, and it is in this instance where perhaps the funniest line I've ever read in a Jacqueline Wilson book comes:
“Dad said Aunty Sue was a godsend. If that was so, I wasn’t surprised. God was probably happy to have got rid of her.”
That is hilarious.
'Rent a Bridesmaid' also includes cameos from another Jacqueline Wilson book, 'The Worst Thing About my Sister', which I haven't read.
There are references to 'Inside Out' and 'Frozen'. 2016 publication!
One more side note: Wilson's books contain A LOT of descriptions about food and what the child characters are eating, so it's usually sweet things. And this book is about weddings. And baking. I tend to read these books before and after I've eaten, so I'm already full up by the time these huge food portions show up in the story. It is thanks to this that, ironically, I may have lost my appetite as of this moment. Or at least my sweet tooth.
Do I hear wedding bells? What about friendship bells? Daddy bells? 'Rent a Bridesmaid' is a touching, heartfelt, big strawberry-cake-with-icing treat. It's a cute and updated version of Wilson's stories for young girls, containing realistic events and characters, and modern social morals.
Final Score: 4/5
A White Christmas mall procession
They come earlier and earlier each year, more impatient to see Santa :)
Wednesday, 14 November 2018
Tuesday, 13 November 2018
More Yugioh! Cards
Added girl-themed cards.
Together with my Dark Magician Girl cards, I now have 37 cards in my deck.
( Still don't know how to play :D )
My favourites here are Vision Hero Witch Raider, Lunalight Crimson Fox, Spiritual Beast Tamer Winda, the three Amazonesses, and Kuribon! :)
Sunday, 11 November 2018
Non-Fiction Book Review - 'History vs Women: The Defiant Lives that They Don't Want You to Know' by Anita Sarkeesian, Ebony Adams
2023 EDIT: Part of my 2023 clear-up, of books I no longer like, or am no longer interested in, or remember well as standing out, or find as special anymore, or I otherwise will not miss.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
Another exceptional book about forgotten and erased women in history to come out recently. Most needed and appreciated.
I especially loved learning about the Sikh hero Mai Bhago; the 19th-20th century transgender brothel madam Lucy Hicks Anderson; Mother of the Children and education and Al-Qarawiyin Fatima al-Fihri; the 18th century Qing Dynasty poet and astronomer Wang Zhenyi; the black human computer to help launch men into space Annie Easley; the ruthless and terrible Spanish queen Isabel I; the Cantonese pirate queen and the most successful pirate of all time Ching Shih; the "Godmother" and American mobster and drug queen Griselda Blanco; early 20th century filmmaker Lois Weber; African-American artist Elizabeth Catlett; the unmatched badass 13th century Mongolian princess Khutulun; the oh-hell-yes 17th century Potosi vigilante partners and lovers Ana de Urinza and Eustaquia de Sonza; early 20th century undefeated wrestler and bodybuilder Kati Sandwina (a real life Wonder Woman); and the baseball player Jackie Mitchell, who struck out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Of course she was discredited for it and called a fraud because she was a girl.
Yes, the 'Relentless Amazons' section is a damn exciting, inspirational and liberating read.
To hell with what is considered "feminine" and "masculine". Admire (or just pay attention to) a woman's actions and words, not her looks.
Films need to be made about these historical heroines, scholars, leaders, giantesses and villainesses. Seriously, get on with it now, Hollywood, or preferable anyone else. No excuses.
Featuring very nice sketched portraits to go with the abridged versions of their stories, and some brilliant quotes and feminist commentary, 'History vs Women: The Defiant Lives that They Don't Want You to Know' comes recommended by me. It can be read in one cosy afternoon. Huge props for the recommendation of Jason Porath's 'Rejected Princesses' in the acknowledgements as well!
The authors admit in the afterword that they wanted to include more amazing women in 'History vs Women', and be as diverse as possible, which wasn't easy due to deadlines and the scant research they could find on these complex women's lives, not just their achievements. So maybe there will be a volume 2, if this book is successful enough. I hope it will be.
Everybody, girls, boys, young, old, anyone and anyone outside of the binary, should be reading books like this, for the sake of the human race.
You can learn so much about women if you only listen to them and pay attention. We'd be nothing without them; without their "rebelling" and fight to be seen as equals to men. No one can keep any girl down. They're people, not to be placed in any box. Not to be limited and made small and submissive by men.
History and liberation for women across generations! Progress, freedom and respect for women!
Final Score: 5/5
Final Score: 3.5/5
Original Review:
Another exceptional book about forgotten and erased women in history to come out recently. Most needed and appreciated.
I especially loved learning about the Sikh hero Mai Bhago; the 19th-20th century transgender brothel madam Lucy Hicks Anderson; Mother of the Children and education and Al-Qarawiyin Fatima al-Fihri; the 18th century Qing Dynasty poet and astronomer Wang Zhenyi; the black human computer to help launch men into space Annie Easley; the ruthless and terrible Spanish queen Isabel I; the Cantonese pirate queen and the most successful pirate of all time Ching Shih; the "Godmother" and American mobster and drug queen Griselda Blanco; early 20th century filmmaker Lois Weber; African-American artist Elizabeth Catlett; the unmatched badass 13th century Mongolian princess Khutulun; the oh-hell-yes 17th century Potosi vigilante partners and lovers Ana de Urinza and Eustaquia de Sonza; early 20th century undefeated wrestler and bodybuilder Kati Sandwina (a real life Wonder Woman); and the baseball player Jackie Mitchell, who struck out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Of course she was discredited for it and called a fraud because she was a girl.
Yes, the 'Relentless Amazons' section is a damn exciting, inspirational and liberating read.
To hell with what is considered "feminine" and "masculine". Admire (or just pay attention to) a woman's actions and words, not her looks.
Films need to be made about these historical heroines, scholars, leaders, giantesses and villainesses. Seriously, get on with it now, Hollywood, or preferable anyone else. No excuses.
Featuring very nice sketched portraits to go with the abridged versions of their stories, and some brilliant quotes and feminist commentary, 'History vs Women: The Defiant Lives that They Don't Want You to Know' comes recommended by me. It can be read in one cosy afternoon. Huge props for the recommendation of Jason Porath's 'Rejected Princesses' in the acknowledgements as well!
The authors admit in the afterword that they wanted to include more amazing women in 'History vs Women', and be as diverse as possible, which wasn't easy due to deadlines and the scant research they could find on these complex women's lives, not just their achievements. So maybe there will be a volume 2, if this book is successful enough. I hope it will be.
Everybody, girls, boys, young, old, anyone and anyone outside of the binary, should be reading books like this, for the sake of the human race.
You can learn so much about women if you only listen to them and pay attention. We'd be nothing without them; without their "rebelling" and fight to be seen as equals to men. No one can keep any girl down. They're people, not to be placed in any box. Not to be limited and made small and submissive by men.
History and liberation for women across generations! Progress, freedom and respect for women!
Final Score: 5/5
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