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: 4/5
Original Review:
"At a time when we are too often being reminded of what divides us, there is common ground to be found when we share out stories." (Emma Watson)
"Turn feelings into thoughts into actions."
These are only a couple of the many, many inspirational quotes offered in this book.
'Feminists Don't Wear Pink (and other lies)' is a collection of essays by women from all walks of life, talking about their experiences with feminism and what that word means to them, how it shapes them, and how it affects their view of the world around them.
From famous actresses (Saoirse Ronan, Evanna Lynch, Keira Knightley, Karen Gillan, Jodie Whittaker, Gemma Arterton, etc), comediennes, writers, authors (including Helen Fielding), club leaders, entrepreneurs, bloggers, to activists from around the globe: Scarlett Curtis has put together a book of education, awareness, activism, of varying life experiences and diversity of women, and of hope.
Motherhood, FGM, abortion, periods, the tampon tax, the wage gap, sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic abuse, workplace abuse, online abuse, racism, transphobia, intersectional feminism, "bad" feminism, the first, second, third and fourth waves of feminism, the suffragettes, #MeToo, reproductive health, self-esteem issues, self-image and body issues, the vulva - it's nearly all here. Being discussed very personally by African women, lesbian and other LBGTQ women, trans women, disabled women, young women, older women, Muslim women, Asian women, poverty-stricken women... straight white middle-class women too, but everybody is welcome here. Some of them are aware of what privilege is granted them by society.
A special highlight is deserved to the essay, 'Tell Him', by Jameela Jamil, which teaches us how to raise feminist sons. Put simply: "All you have to do is tell him the truth." (Plus: "God, we must be pretty amazing to have overcome all of this shit. Tell him.") It is a fantastic, important, essential piece of writing.
More and more people are waking up (woke-in up?) and becoming enlightened on what feminism actually means now more than ever before. Currently a lot of people identify as feminists as a result. In their own individual way, they are united in the common goal of dismantling the global, systematic prison that is the patriarchy, in which we are all the inmates, whether we are aware of it or not.
Gender equality equals freedom for all.
And look at the pink! It is okay to like pink. Everybody should like whatever they want.
A few problems I have with the book are how it is presented in some parts; like some sections (Epiphany, Anger, Joy, Action, and so on) are too similar to one another, based on the subject matter of an essay placed in one. A scant number of essays I found to be a bit confusing and not edited well, especially at the beginning. And due to my general disinterest in poetry, I neither enjoy nor fully understand the Poetry Break section.
Women are strong. Amazingly strong. They are life givers. They are life feeders. They are multitaskers. They are fierce. They are brave. They are smart. They are leaders. They are unstoppable. They are complex. They are sisters. They are together. They have survived centuries of oppression, discrimination, violence, and fear by insecure and loud men.
So can we. Let us carry on their hard work just to be seen as equals, treated with respect in every way. For our movement, our drive, our fire, our gulp of air and thirst for justice - our salvation and freedom - isn't done. Feminism is neither antiquated nor does it ever go into hibernation.
'Feminists Don't Wear Pink (and other lies)' gives us diverse voices speaking from 2018/19 on topics that still desperately need to be put to right in order for women and men to survive - for future generations that will benefit tremendously from gender equality - and that is enough to recommend it.
Further reading is spotlighted ('Women Who Run With the Wolves'! OMG!), and as well as being educational, it will make you a good listener and supporter of women, who are, whaddayano, complex and human. The pink guide book is so accessible, innovative, investing, and written in a friendly manner, like those in a group or podcast, that its 360 pages can be read in a day.
Also, at the time of writing this, I am having a heavy period. I feel no shame and embarrassment in saying that, and neither should anyone else.
"I believe in giving girls a chance to activate their potential without fear." (Chimwemwe Chiweza)
"Whether you are quietly active or loudly roaring, you are an ally." (Angela Yee)
"I want it to be illegal to discriminate, and legislation to be put in place that makes it pointless to discriminate." (Jodie Whittaker's mum)
"We women and girls need to work together, pursue our dreams and shine until our light cannot be ignored." (Maryam and Nivaal Rehman)
Final Score: 4/5
Thursday, 28 February 2019
Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Graphic Novel Review - 'The Life of Captain Marvel (#1-5)' by Margaret Stohl (Writer), Carlos Pacheco (Artist), Marguerite Sauvage (Artist)
I've read some bad 'Captain Marvel' comics, but 'The Life of Captain Marvel' is the first to be rated one star by me. Because it pissed me off that much.
These recent Marvel comics to feature Carol Danvers have been part of a cycle of disappointments and disasters, barely avoiding a black hole, and I feel I can't remain silent about it. After Margaret Stohl's disappointing 'The Mighty Captain Marvel, Vol. 1: Alien Nation' from two years previously, I thought I would not be hyped by a new Carol story again. But then I was willing to give Ms. Stohl another chance when I heard about 'The Life of Captain Marvel', which was meant to take Earth's mightiest hero back to her roots, and show her regain her lost confidence, strength and glorious passion and asskicking that had made her so popular with comic book readers to begin with.
And to its credit, it does start out quite promising. Carol Danvers, haunted by painful memories during a fight on Father's Day, flies back to the South, to the hometown of her childhood, where she is desperately trying to come to terms with the abuse inflicted on herself and her two brothers by her alcoholic father, now deceased and unable to answer her many questions on why he did what he did. Her mother, who also appears to be as much of a victim of unfortunate circumstances at the hands of Joseph Danvers, isn't giving Carol satisfactory answers. (Her brothers are older than her here, instead of younger, like in previous canon, but whatever.) She wants to understand her father, while simultaneously hating him for the suffering he caused her and the rest of her family. Now those issues will never be fully resolved.
A realistic exploration of family issues (and how there is no family that doesn't have them, or doesn't have things they don't want to talk about); a great opportunity for character development and rising from the ashes; rising from latent, long-term PTSD; reaching for the sky and doing better than the grounds you were born in; and a growing mother-and-daughter bond in light of childhood domestic abuse at the father's hands, now finally being discussed. It's brilliant stuff, if treated with the care and respect that it warrants, and it is just what Carol needs. It's a perfect opportunity for Marvel to finally rescue and redeem her character; to bring her back to her old lovable and charming self, only now she's more experienced, nuanced, and FREE internally as an adult woman, and as the greatest superhero on earth.
Then it all went to shit.
'The Life of Captain Marvel' isn't merely a bad comic. It may have ruined Captain Marvel herself for good. It ruins everything about her, and I am not exaggerating. Doesn't anyone at Marvel know what they're doing anymore? Do they care?
What destroys Carol Danvers and everything that makes her her is a major spoiler reveal, so be warned. Not that I would ever recommend that anyone read this, it's just that it's really, really, really bad. Like inmates running the asylum bad.
Okay, here it is. You ready?:
Spoiler:
So it turns out that Carol's mother is Kree! This means that Carol was born half-Kree! Her brothers are her half-brothers from her father's side (not that this is acknowledged once, what great writing). The Psyche Magnetron explosion that gave her her Kree powers actually only triggered them in her genes - which have always been Kree! Her meeting Mar-Vell was a bloody big coincidence!
This is as bad as making Wonder Woman a daughter of Zeus: you cannot retcon the origin story of a major superhero THAT IS DECADES OLD and expect everyone to be okay with it. I honestly thought that that plot twist was a sick joke.
It's not.
Carol's mother, Marie, or Mari-Ell, is an important Kree captain who was sent to earth on a mission that is never made clear, where she fell in love with widower Joseph Danvers (no further explanation given) and had a daughter with him. She wanted a life away from war, to raise a loving family, all along. Joseph knew that Marie was Kree and loved her all the same, but stress and wanting a normal, safe life for Carol drove him over the edge, causing him to take out his frustrations on his sons.
What cliched bullshit. But worse is the unfortunate implication that the reason Marie didn't protect her (step)sons, and seemed to care for Carol more than them, is because she's her biological child. The high-ranking-warrior-turned-housewife did nothing and let the abuse continue, because she was too aware of how stressed her husband, whom she gave up her whole alien life for, really was. Children had to suffer at the hands of a grown man who chose to have an alien warrior for a wife, and who knew what having a kid with her would entail. No thought of talking out their worries and problems, oh no.
What wonderful people. No wonder Carol's life is so messed up, at least according to this comic.
Speaking of, back to Captain Marvel:
Her strength and independence - it's because she's always been Kree! Her spirit and never giving in to limitations and expectations - Kree side! Her desire to go into space and do great things - all from Kree mum's side! Everything about Carol Danvers - everything we've known about Earth's mightiest hero - is because she's half-Kree from birth! Her humanity never meant shit! She's always been special not by her own efforts and merits, but because of alien genetics! Humans have never been capable of being anything like her. No one is an alien like her, so they should never try. Sucks to be them!
Just... why can't coincidences happen anymore? Whatever happened to the underdog story, and its appeal? What about the hero's journey? The unlikely hero? Why do heroes now have to be special from birth? Due to a prophecy or genetics or some shit that doesn't require them to have to work hard at being a hero? Why the sudden aversion to heroes triumphing against the odds and everything stacked against them, and thus their achievements contain much more gravitas and are all the more spectacular? It's an inspiration story. Anyone in real life is capable of doing something heroic if they try hard enough - and in real life the best heroes are those who come from underprivileged backgrounds. They are the poor, the worthless, the underestimated, the unlikely in society. They are the ones who help make change happen, and make the world a better place for others like them; taking power away from the privileged, the 1%, one step at a time.
This is why I stand by my belief that Rey from the new 'Star Wars' films coming from nothing and being related to no one important, is a good thing. Not only does this make her stand out from the laziness of the prophecy hero archetype that has plagued sci-fi and fantasy films over the years, but it is awe-inspiring to see a hero - a female hero at that - who was born into the poorest of circumstances, but still rises to be powerful regardless. Rey is special because of HER and what she does, what she goes through to become heroic, by her choice, not because of anyone else.
Anyone can be a hero. Fuck the prophecy. And what your parents did before you were born should have no effect on you as your own person.
And this is why Captain Marvel has been ruined for me. Carol Danvers' origin has been completely and unnecessarily changed so that she's now a hero sorely because she's part alien and always has been. It has nothing to do with her human side and what makes her human - her awesomeness is apparently everything to do with her superpowers, her Kree genes. How compelling. Her human half is represented by her abusive, alcoholic dad, after all. So it's okay to dismiss it.
Fuck the ordinary-but-still-great-turned-extraordinary-but-still-hardworking-and-complex hero backstory - make them super duper special from birth! Cliches and trends are easy! Zero in on the effort in writing a hero's journey and development!
Oh, and Carol's Kree name - her real, REAL name - is Car-Ell. Thanks, Marvel, for the finishing blow to Carol Danvers fans, by essentially saying that we'd even been getting her name wrong this whole time, which was kept even from her. Thanks for reminding us of Superman, too. Because fuck originality. Hacks.
What the crap, why didn't Ma Danvers ever mention her Kree heritage to Carol when she first became Ms. Marvel? At no opportunity did she think to tell her daughter the truth, now that her Kree powers have been "activated" (yeah, the retcon/cop out reason for Carol's powers to show up right then is ungodly contrived bullshit). Wouldn't it have been best for her to know everything way back when? Especially since Marie knew that her Kree superiors from her past would find out about Captain Marvel sooner or later. There was no reason for Marie to keep her identity a secret for this long.
This is what happens when you go through with a retcon this huge and not properly consider the repercussions. You leave behind plot holes that can be seen from space, and a pissed off fanbase. Think about what you are doing, why you are doing it, and what effect it will have both in-universe and on your readers.
This change is fanfiction levels of awful. It is stupid, and overall POINTLESS!
IT DIDN'T NEED TO BE THERE. WHY COULDN'T CAROL HAVE HAD NORMAL, RELATABLE FAMILY PROBLEMS!? THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER AND MADE FOR A MUCH MORE POWERFUL ARC FOR OUR SUPERHEROINE! THIS IS INSANE!
Just... WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????????????????????
One other thing to end this rant: Mama Danvers dies in battle in the end, because of course she does. Got to keep those cliches coming! As she's dying Captain Marvel takes her to a lighthouse... because it reminds her of how she met Carol's father, or something, and it is here that Carol realizes that her mother never told her what her mission to earth was to begin with. So, Mari-Ell's tearful answer, and her last words, are:
"It was you. My mission was always... you."
BULLSHIT. Mari-Ell never planned on having any children with an earth mate. This contradicts everything she said about her backstory and in her flashbacks. She came to earth to look for war. She knew only war and suffering. She didn't want to experience love originally. It's merely sentimental, manipulative tripe, written in order to make the reader feel sad for a character who really doesn't deserve it.
It certainly looks like Ms. Stohl was making everything up as she went along. The plot holes and inconsistencies are frustrating. The bad story editing proves that no one must have cared in the making of 'The Life of Captain Marvel'. They just didn't care.
Spoiler end.
Another reason to hate this sodding comic is that Carol's brother, Stevie - who is also dead, we're not told how - is barely mentioned. It has no impact, no emotional weight to Carol's character whatsoever. Her mother doesn't even mention him. What wonderful people.
There's also a completely unnecessary love interest for Carol, Who-Gives-A-Fuck Jr., or something. He's been her creepy stalker since they were kids, and when their town gets attacked by aliens, he says to Carol, and this is a direct quote: "What's the use of this place being the "summer home to a super hero" if you're not gonna come when we're being--" before he is interrupted. What a catch. He's an entitled, passive-aggressive, insulting, dickhead Nice Guy who has no respect for Carol's personal space. The love story is beyond pointless. Carol and WGAF Jr. share nothing and have no chemistry.
But what pisses me off the most, aside from the terrible retcon, is that CAROL NEVER DOES ANYTHING HEROIC THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COMIC! She doesn't grow, she doesn't become stronger mentally and emotionally, she fails at saving people all the time, and she's an uncertain, pathetic mess the whole time she's at her old home, which is where the plot is set. She achieves nothing; any success against adversity is done by someone else, for her. In fact, it is her fault that the Kree villain comes to earth in the first place, with her hitting that tracking device thing she found in her home.
Way to make your strong female protagonist useless and ineffectual in her own story! It's not like she's an important, established Marvel superhero with her own movie coming up or anything!
The story itself is boring, as well. There are hardly any stakes, the villain isn't memorable or interesting, or a threat worthy of Captain Marvel, who has saved the world multiple times on a massive scale. This is such a disservice.
Right, I'm done.
I am angry enough to boycott Marvel. Again. Maybe the company should bring Kelly Sue DeConnick back, as it seems that Margaret Stohl doesn't know what she's doing with Earth's mightiest hero. I miss the confident, sassy, smart, witty, compassionate, leading, and genuinely heroic Carol Danvers, who I admire to the stars and back. And that damn retcon is a mistake that needs to be undone. It is not canon in my eyes, it can't be.
It seems that ever since Civil War II, Captain Marvel has been broken beyond repair. No one seems to know what to do with her anymore.
'The Life of Captain Marvel' - the final insult.
Let the movie be good, please. I can't stand anymore disappointment.
Final Score: 1/5
EDIT: Tony Stark also mentions Midichlorians un-ironically. This comic is a garbage mine.
EDIT 2: I saw the film, and I'll let my blog post speak for itself:
''Captain Marvel' - it is awesome. It is about women taking back their own power and potential from warmongering men wanting to keep them in their place in a corrupt, violent, domineering system. It is about women supporting and inspiring women, and racism and colonialism. There are more than not one but two black characters AND NONE OF THEM DIE, and I dare anyone to name another movie where a superheroine flies around and fights in space, triumphant and cheerful, by herself as the main hero. She doesn't kill unnecessarily, and no matter how powerful she is, she knows she has nothing to prove to men. It is her heart that is most important. As well as brains, selflessness and piloting skills. Plus, THERE IS NO ROMANCE! IMAGINE, A STRONG FEMALE PROTAGONIST STORY WITH NO ROMANCE IN SIGHT! THAT IN OF ITSELF IS REVOLUTIONARY!
Bottom line, go see it.'
THANK YOU Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck! I can continue loving Captain Marvel again! Screw you, comic.
These recent Marvel comics to feature Carol Danvers have been part of a cycle of disappointments and disasters, barely avoiding a black hole, and I feel I can't remain silent about it. After Margaret Stohl's disappointing 'The Mighty Captain Marvel, Vol. 1: Alien Nation' from two years previously, I thought I would not be hyped by a new Carol story again. But then I was willing to give Ms. Stohl another chance when I heard about 'The Life of Captain Marvel', which was meant to take Earth's mightiest hero back to her roots, and show her regain her lost confidence, strength and glorious passion and asskicking that had made her so popular with comic book readers to begin with.
And to its credit, it does start out quite promising. Carol Danvers, haunted by painful memories during a fight on Father's Day, flies back to the South, to the hometown of her childhood, where she is desperately trying to come to terms with the abuse inflicted on herself and her two brothers by her alcoholic father, now deceased and unable to answer her many questions on why he did what he did. Her mother, who also appears to be as much of a victim of unfortunate circumstances at the hands of Joseph Danvers, isn't giving Carol satisfactory answers. (Her brothers are older than her here, instead of younger, like in previous canon, but whatever.) She wants to understand her father, while simultaneously hating him for the suffering he caused her and the rest of her family. Now those issues will never be fully resolved.
A realistic exploration of family issues (and how there is no family that doesn't have them, or doesn't have things they don't want to talk about); a great opportunity for character development and rising from the ashes; rising from latent, long-term PTSD; reaching for the sky and doing better than the grounds you were born in; and a growing mother-and-daughter bond in light of childhood domestic abuse at the father's hands, now finally being discussed. It's brilliant stuff, if treated with the care and respect that it warrants, and it is just what Carol needs. It's a perfect opportunity for Marvel to finally rescue and redeem her character; to bring her back to her old lovable and charming self, only now she's more experienced, nuanced, and FREE internally as an adult woman, and as the greatest superhero on earth.
Then it all went to shit.
'The Life of Captain Marvel' isn't merely a bad comic. It may have ruined Captain Marvel herself for good. It ruins everything about her, and I am not exaggerating. Doesn't anyone at Marvel know what they're doing anymore? Do they care?
What destroys Carol Danvers and everything that makes her her is a major spoiler reveal, so be warned. Not that I would ever recommend that anyone read this, it's just that it's really, really, really bad. Like inmates running the asylum bad.
Okay, here it is. You ready?:
Spoiler:
So it turns out that Carol's mother is Kree! This means that Carol was born half-Kree! Her brothers are her half-brothers from her father's side (not that this is acknowledged once, what great writing). The Psyche Magnetron explosion that gave her her Kree powers actually only triggered them in her genes - which have always been Kree! Her meeting Mar-Vell was a bloody big coincidence!
This is as bad as making Wonder Woman a daughter of Zeus: you cannot retcon the origin story of a major superhero THAT IS DECADES OLD and expect everyone to be okay with it. I honestly thought that that plot twist was a sick joke.
It's not.
Carol's mother, Marie, or Mari-Ell, is an important Kree captain who was sent to earth on a mission that is never made clear, where she fell in love with widower Joseph Danvers (no further explanation given) and had a daughter with him. She wanted a life away from war, to raise a loving family, all along. Joseph knew that Marie was Kree and loved her all the same, but stress and wanting a normal, safe life for Carol drove him over the edge, causing him to take out his frustrations on his sons.
What cliched bullshit. But worse is the unfortunate implication that the reason Marie didn't protect her (step)sons, and seemed to care for Carol more than them, is because she's her biological child. The high-ranking-warrior-turned-housewife did nothing and let the abuse continue, because she was too aware of how stressed her husband, whom she gave up her whole alien life for, really was. Children had to suffer at the hands of a grown man who chose to have an alien warrior for a wife, and who knew what having a kid with her would entail. No thought of talking out their worries and problems, oh no.
What wonderful people. No wonder Carol's life is so messed up, at least according to this comic.
Speaking of, back to Captain Marvel:
Her strength and independence - it's because she's always been Kree! Her spirit and never giving in to limitations and expectations - Kree side! Her desire to go into space and do great things - all from Kree mum's side! Everything about Carol Danvers - everything we've known about Earth's mightiest hero - is because she's half-Kree from birth! Her humanity never meant shit! She's always been special not by her own efforts and merits, but because of alien genetics! Humans have never been capable of being anything like her. No one is an alien like her, so they should never try. Sucks to be them!
Just... why can't coincidences happen anymore? Whatever happened to the underdog story, and its appeal? What about the hero's journey? The unlikely hero? Why do heroes now have to be special from birth? Due to a prophecy or genetics or some shit that doesn't require them to have to work hard at being a hero? Why the sudden aversion to heroes triumphing against the odds and everything stacked against them, and thus their achievements contain much more gravitas and are all the more spectacular? It's an inspiration story. Anyone in real life is capable of doing something heroic if they try hard enough - and in real life the best heroes are those who come from underprivileged backgrounds. They are the poor, the worthless, the underestimated, the unlikely in society. They are the ones who help make change happen, and make the world a better place for others like them; taking power away from the privileged, the 1%, one step at a time.
This is why I stand by my belief that Rey from the new 'Star Wars' films coming from nothing and being related to no one important, is a good thing. Not only does this make her stand out from the laziness of the prophecy hero archetype that has plagued sci-fi and fantasy films over the years, but it is awe-inspiring to see a hero - a female hero at that - who was born into the poorest of circumstances, but still rises to be powerful regardless. Rey is special because of HER and what she does, what she goes through to become heroic, by her choice, not because of anyone else.
Anyone can be a hero. Fuck the prophecy. And what your parents did before you were born should have no effect on you as your own person.
And this is why Captain Marvel has been ruined for me. Carol Danvers' origin has been completely and unnecessarily changed so that she's now a hero sorely because she's part alien and always has been. It has nothing to do with her human side and what makes her human - her awesomeness is apparently everything to do with her superpowers, her Kree genes. How compelling. Her human half is represented by her abusive, alcoholic dad, after all. So it's okay to dismiss it.
Fuck the ordinary-but-still-great-turned-extraordinary-but-still-hardworking-and-complex hero backstory - make them super duper special from birth! Cliches and trends are easy! Zero in on the effort in writing a hero's journey and development!
Oh, and Carol's Kree name - her real, REAL name - is Car-Ell. Thanks, Marvel, for the finishing blow to Carol Danvers fans, by essentially saying that we'd even been getting her name wrong this whole time, which was kept even from her. Thanks for reminding us of Superman, too. Because fuck originality. Hacks.
What the crap, why didn't Ma Danvers ever mention her Kree heritage to Carol when she first became Ms. Marvel? At no opportunity did she think to tell her daughter the truth, now that her Kree powers have been "activated" (yeah, the retcon/cop out reason for Carol's powers to show up right then is ungodly contrived bullshit). Wouldn't it have been best for her to know everything way back when? Especially since Marie knew that her Kree superiors from her past would find out about Captain Marvel sooner or later. There was no reason for Marie to keep her identity a secret for this long.
This is what happens when you go through with a retcon this huge and not properly consider the repercussions. You leave behind plot holes that can be seen from space, and a pissed off fanbase. Think about what you are doing, why you are doing it, and what effect it will have both in-universe and on your readers.
This change is fanfiction levels of awful. It is stupid, and overall POINTLESS!
IT DIDN'T NEED TO BE THERE. WHY COULDN'T CAROL HAVE HAD NORMAL, RELATABLE FAMILY PROBLEMS!? THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER AND MADE FOR A MUCH MORE POWERFUL ARC FOR OUR SUPERHEROINE! THIS IS INSANE!
Just... WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????????????????????????
One other thing to end this rant: Mama Danvers dies in battle in the end, because of course she does. Got to keep those cliches coming! As she's dying Captain Marvel takes her to a lighthouse... because it reminds her of how she met Carol's father, or something, and it is here that Carol realizes that her mother never told her what her mission to earth was to begin with. So, Mari-Ell's tearful answer, and her last words, are:
"It was you. My mission was always... you."
BULLSHIT. Mari-Ell never planned on having any children with an earth mate. This contradicts everything she said about her backstory and in her flashbacks. She came to earth to look for war. She knew only war and suffering. She didn't want to experience love originally. It's merely sentimental, manipulative tripe, written in order to make the reader feel sad for a character who really doesn't deserve it.
It certainly looks like Ms. Stohl was making everything up as she went along. The plot holes and inconsistencies are frustrating. The bad story editing proves that no one must have cared in the making of 'The Life of Captain Marvel'. They just didn't care.
Spoiler end.
Another reason to hate this sodding comic is that Carol's brother, Stevie - who is also dead, we're not told how - is barely mentioned. It has no impact, no emotional weight to Carol's character whatsoever. Her mother doesn't even mention him. What wonderful people.
There's also a completely unnecessary love interest for Carol, Who-Gives-A-Fuck Jr., or something. He's been her creepy stalker since they were kids, and when their town gets attacked by aliens, he says to Carol, and this is a direct quote: "What's the use of this place being the "summer home to a super hero" if you're not gonna come when we're being--" before he is interrupted. What a catch. He's an entitled, passive-aggressive, insulting, dickhead Nice Guy who has no respect for Carol's personal space. The love story is beyond pointless. Carol and WGAF Jr. share nothing and have no chemistry.
But what pisses me off the most, aside from the terrible retcon, is that CAROL NEVER DOES ANYTHING HEROIC THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COMIC! She doesn't grow, she doesn't become stronger mentally and emotionally, she fails at saving people all the time, and she's an uncertain, pathetic mess the whole time she's at her old home, which is where the plot is set. She achieves nothing; any success against adversity is done by someone else, for her. In fact, it is her fault that the Kree villain comes to earth in the first place, with her hitting that tracking device thing she found in her home.
Way to make your strong female protagonist useless and ineffectual in her own story! It's not like she's an important, established Marvel superhero with her own movie coming up or anything!
The story itself is boring, as well. There are hardly any stakes, the villain isn't memorable or interesting, or a threat worthy of Captain Marvel, who has saved the world multiple times on a massive scale. This is such a disservice.
Right, I'm done.
I am angry enough to boycott Marvel. Again. Maybe the company should bring Kelly Sue DeConnick back, as it seems that Margaret Stohl doesn't know what she's doing with Earth's mightiest hero. I miss the confident, sassy, smart, witty, compassionate, leading, and genuinely heroic Carol Danvers, who I admire to the stars and back. And that damn retcon is a mistake that needs to be undone. It is not canon in my eyes, it can't be.
It seems that ever since Civil War II, Captain Marvel has been broken beyond repair. No one seems to know what to do with her anymore.
'The Life of Captain Marvel' - the final insult.
Let the movie be good, please. I can't stand anymore disappointment.
Final Score: 1/5
EDIT: Tony Stark also mentions Midichlorians un-ironically. This comic is a garbage mine.
EDIT 2: I saw the film, and I'll let my blog post speak for itself:
''Captain Marvel' - it is awesome. It is about women taking back their own power and potential from warmongering men wanting to keep them in their place in a corrupt, violent, domineering system. It is about women supporting and inspiring women, and racism and colonialism. There are more than not one but two black characters AND NONE OF THEM DIE, and I dare anyone to name another movie where a superheroine flies around and fights in space, triumphant and cheerful, by herself as the main hero. She doesn't kill unnecessarily, and no matter how powerful she is, she knows she has nothing to prove to men. It is her heart that is most important. As well as brains, selflessness and piloting skills. Plus, THERE IS NO ROMANCE! IMAGINE, A STRONG FEMALE PROTAGONIST STORY WITH NO ROMANCE IN SIGHT! THAT IN OF ITSELF IS REVOLUTIONARY!
Bottom line, go see it.'
THANK YOU Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck! I can continue loving Captain Marvel again! Screw you, comic.
Non-Fiction Book Review - 'To Make Monsters Out of Girls (Things that H(a)unt, #1)' by Amanda Lovelace
2022 EDIT: Okay, what?
I think I'd gaslighted myself into liking and keeping this poetry book in the first place because of the author I admired, the artwork, and the subject matter (even in my original review I wasn't sure about it). But reading it now, I can't lie to anyone, least of all myself:
'To Make Monsters Out of Girls' is mostly gibberish and nonsense. I might be uneducated and have hardly any love for poetry, but I still think these poems are just confused and amateurish. I hardly felt anything for it overall. Which is shocking since I usually love Amanda Lovelace's work.
I don't like and appreciate the "both sides" agenda and the slight victim blaming angle the poems take towards the end (even the title directly states that, apparently, domestic abuse victims - or even just lovesick women - will eventually, inevitably, become monsters, no better than their abusers - I hope that wasn't the intent, but regardless, what?!). It's uncomfortable. Plus with the "the right man in a woman's life will help heal her and save her and defend her and make her feel good about herself again and will lead her to her happily ever after with him" message, it is definitely not feminist. It appears that Lovelace likes Gillian Flynn's books, too. So, yeah, pass.
However, I will give it a 3/5 score, as it is clearly a deeply personal piece of work, so I won't judge it too harshly. Who am I to judge another person's life? To judge how they choose to pour their heart out for the world to see?
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
What conflicting poetry.
With teeth.
And shards
That scatter
And get everywhere.
Left to bloody your feet.
And hands.
And mouth and throat.
I was slightly confused whilst first reading 'To Make Monsters Out of Girls (Things that H(a)unt, #1)'. Some poems didn't make sense to me, and I was confused as to what exactly Amanda Lovelace was trying to say in all of this, and if it was even feminist. But by the end I was transfixed. Maybe I do understand Lovelace better now and what she had been experiencing in her life in relationships.
The abuse, the cycle, the fears, the contradictions, the aches, the lies, the trappings, the emptiness, the self-pitying, the self-hatred, the dark and violent thoughts at night, the thoughts of revenge on both sides, death and rebirth - all adds up a draining away of blood, bones, certainty, self-worth, self-love, happiness, and a "sun heart"; meaning, hope.
The sun always rises another day, and shines on a flower which can grow out of dirt and ashes. Lovelace finds a man who is not her monster boy, who will not make her a monster girl, but will let her grow on her own, in her own terms. Heart repairs can take a long, agonizing time.
'To Make Monsters Out of Girls' is haunting, strange, sometimes clever and insightful, sometimes confusing, creepy, and monstrous. Monstrously real. The occasional added illustrations to the poems - the sketches with blood - add to the unsettling effect. The book is presented like a fairy tale, except it isn't: Fairy tale romances don't exist - oh, lord does that realization hit you hard after reading - not do perfect relationships. But love, safety and respect on both sides (love WITH conditions) must be there for it to work. For it to be worth it.
I bought 'To Make Monsters Out of Girls' for two reasons: Amanda Lovelace, and the amazing cover. Blank white space with bloody flowers and a set of teeth, like a monster, under the black and red lettering of the title. I couldn't resist. It's first rate; enough to make this a cult classic.
The aftereffect of 'To Make Monsters Out of Girls' on the reader's psyche is like that of a horror film. It's not one of Lovelace's best writing, and of course not everyone will get it - I'm still not sure I do - but I'm not going to forget it anytime soon. It's spontaneous and experimental, written down from painful memories, and I appreciate, respect, and admire that.
Final Score: 3.5/5
I think I'd gaslighted myself into liking and keeping this poetry book in the first place because of the author I admired, the artwork, and the subject matter (even in my original review I wasn't sure about it). But reading it now, I can't lie to anyone, least of all myself:
'To Make Monsters Out of Girls' is mostly gibberish and nonsense. I might be uneducated and have hardly any love for poetry, but I still think these poems are just confused and amateurish. I hardly felt anything for it overall. Which is shocking since I usually love Amanda Lovelace's work.
I don't like and appreciate the "both sides" agenda and the slight victim blaming angle the poems take towards the end (even the title directly states that, apparently, domestic abuse victims - or even just lovesick women - will eventually, inevitably, become monsters, no better than their abusers - I hope that wasn't the intent, but regardless, what?!). It's uncomfortable. Plus with the "the right man in a woman's life will help heal her and save her and defend her and make her feel good about herself again and will lead her to her happily ever after with him" message, it is definitely not feminist. It appears that Lovelace likes Gillian Flynn's books, too. So, yeah, pass.
However, I will give it a 3/5 score, as it is clearly a deeply personal piece of work, so I won't judge it too harshly. Who am I to judge another person's life? To judge how they choose to pour their heart out for the world to see?
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
What conflicting poetry.
With teeth.
And shards
That scatter
And get everywhere.
Left to bloody your feet.
And hands.
And mouth and throat.
I was slightly confused whilst first reading 'To Make Monsters Out of Girls (Things that H(a)unt, #1)'. Some poems didn't make sense to me, and I was confused as to what exactly Amanda Lovelace was trying to say in all of this, and if it was even feminist. But by the end I was transfixed. Maybe I do understand Lovelace better now and what she had been experiencing in her life in relationships.
The abuse, the cycle, the fears, the contradictions, the aches, the lies, the trappings, the emptiness, the self-pitying, the self-hatred, the dark and violent thoughts at night, the thoughts of revenge on both sides, death and rebirth - all adds up a draining away of blood, bones, certainty, self-worth, self-love, happiness, and a "sun heart"; meaning, hope.
The sun always rises another day, and shines on a flower which can grow out of dirt and ashes. Lovelace finds a man who is not her monster boy, who will not make her a monster girl, but will let her grow on her own, in her own terms. Heart repairs can take a long, agonizing time.
'To Make Monsters Out of Girls' is haunting, strange, sometimes clever and insightful, sometimes confusing, creepy, and monstrous. Monstrously real. The occasional added illustrations to the poems - the sketches with blood - add to the unsettling effect. The book is presented like a fairy tale, except it isn't: Fairy tale romances don't exist - oh, lord does that realization hit you hard after reading - not do perfect relationships. But love, safety and respect on both sides (love WITH conditions) must be there for it to work. For it to be worth it.
I bought 'To Make Monsters Out of Girls' for two reasons: Amanda Lovelace, and the amazing cover. Blank white space with bloody flowers and a set of teeth, like a monster, under the black and red lettering of the title. I couldn't resist. It's first rate; enough to make this a cult classic.
The aftereffect of 'To Make Monsters Out of Girls' on the reader's psyche is like that of a horror film. It's not one of Lovelace's best writing, and of course not everyone will get it - I'm still not sure I do - but I'm not going to forget it anytime soon. It's spontaneous and experimental, written down from painful memories, and I appreciate, respect, and admire that.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Non-Fiction Book Review - 'The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One (Women Are Some Kind of Magic, #2)' by Amanda Lovelace
I don't read much poetry, but today I happened across both 'The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One' and 'To Make Monsters Out of Girls' in my local bookshop. Since I loved Amanda Lovelace's 'The Princess Saves Herself in This One', I decided to buy both, totally unplanned, along with five other books.
Sometimes, madness is a kind of magic.
Not as powerful as Lovelace's previous 'Women Are Some Kind of Magic' poetry collection, but 'The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One' is no less relevant, haunting, and liberating.
The women are taking back power denied them for millennia. It is they who will now set aflame the patriarchy at its fragile, crumbling stake, hundreds of years after the actual witch hunts; from which the blood and magic - the FIRE - of the murdered women flows through our veins.
The witch cannot, will not, take it anymore.
Never be timid, never be a doormat, never let things be as they are at the moment, out of fear (it is the men in power who are afraid of you.) Never allow yourself to be silenced. Nothing changes from that. Revolutions are not started by "being nice". Use your fire. Shout out the injustices, together with millions and billions of other women, until your throat is hoarse, and you feel whole again.
Never let anyone make you feel ashamed, inadequate, and LESS, again. You have control of your life, not them. You have value as a person, as YOUR OWN PERSON, no matter what, regardless of anyone else's judgement.
I think that anyone who criticizes Lovelace's poetry for the presentation and the way the stanzas are scattered on a page seem to have missed the point: these poems are all about broken girls and women from abusive relationships, not to mention from a fucked up patriarchal system that hates them for the audacity to exist, and uses them and refuses to listen to them - and this is them trying to put themselves back together again, helping other women along the journey (remembering that you are not alone is always important). It is supposed to be messy, because it is. Life for women is bloody and messy, one way or another. Walking on the burning coals of struggle and strife.
Writing poetry without the conventional rules laid out by men is a healing and weight-lifting process. Lovelace is making her own rules, told the way she wants, using her own voice. A voice that reflects those of countless other, diverse women, all on the same marginalized burning boat.
And these voices are angry, persistent, and they will continue to be: until the woman, witch, whoever she calls herself and is called, is accepted as a human being.
'The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One' - the dark, blunt, burning, personal elixir to rape culture. (Plus the mythical friendzone).
Final Score: 4/5
Sometimes, madness is a kind of magic.
Not as powerful as Lovelace's previous 'Women Are Some Kind of Magic' poetry collection, but 'The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One' is no less relevant, haunting, and liberating.
The women are taking back power denied them for millennia. It is they who will now set aflame the patriarchy at its fragile, crumbling stake, hundreds of years after the actual witch hunts; from which the blood and magic - the FIRE - of the murdered women flows through our veins.
The witch cannot, will not, take it anymore.
Never be timid, never be a doormat, never let things be as they are at the moment, out of fear (it is the men in power who are afraid of you.) Never allow yourself to be silenced. Nothing changes from that. Revolutions are not started by "being nice". Use your fire. Shout out the injustices, together with millions and billions of other women, until your throat is hoarse, and you feel whole again.
Never let anyone make you feel ashamed, inadequate, and LESS, again. You have control of your life, not them. You have value as a person, as YOUR OWN PERSON, no matter what, regardless of anyone else's judgement.
I think that anyone who criticizes Lovelace's poetry for the presentation and the way the stanzas are scattered on a page seem to have missed the point: these poems are all about broken girls and women from abusive relationships, not to mention from a fucked up patriarchal system that hates them for the audacity to exist, and uses them and refuses to listen to them - and this is them trying to put themselves back together again, helping other women along the journey (remembering that you are not alone is always important). It is supposed to be messy, because it is. Life for women is bloody and messy, one way or another. Walking on the burning coals of struggle and strife.
Writing poetry without the conventional rules laid out by men is a healing and weight-lifting process. Lovelace is making her own rules, told the way she wants, using her own voice. A voice that reflects those of countless other, diverse women, all on the same marginalized burning boat.
And these voices are angry, persistent, and they will continue to be: until the woman, witch, whoever she calls herself and is called, is accepted as a human being.
'The Witch Doesn't Burn in This One' - the dark, blunt, burning, personal elixir to rape culture. (Plus the mythical friendzone).
Final Score: 4/5
Monday, 25 February 2019
Graphic Novel Review - 'El Deafo' by Cece Bell
A cute, incredibly touching and important autobiographical graphic novel for children and young adults, told through cartoon rabbits.
The only book I had read beforehand to feature a deaf protagonist is 'Whisper' by Chrissie Perry (highly recommended, and one of my all-time favourites). 'El Deafo' is more humorous and aimed at younger readers, but it is no less tender, engrossing, eye-opening, insightful, and inspiring.
[2023 EDIT: Having reread the comic, and 'Whisper', I can now say that 'Elf Deafo' is 1000x better than 'Whisper'. F*&$!*k 'Whisper'. See my rereview of that atrocity for more.]
The author, Cece Bell, recounts her childhood, from becoming deaf after contracting meningitis at age four, to her middle school days. Her work of art is about growing up different. Heck, 'El Deafo' isn't only about deafness; anyone who has ever been considered different as a child can relate to Cece. I know I did.
I have never been deaf, so I can't pretend to understand everything that Cece has gone through, nor can I make any assumptions. But the pain of isolation and loneliness at school, and bemoaning the fact that these issues are not talked about as much as they should, it is all real and universal.
Any harmless differences should be treated as normal, as a nonissue. "Differences", and "marginalized" communities, are what make humans varied and interesting. Treating them, especially children, as abnormal, as someone to be ignored or teased or worse, is backwards, nonsensical, cruel and sickening. But here we are: we don't live in that world, where talking about accepting people for their uniqueness isn't a priority.
The true superpower of 'El Deafo' is that it has cartoon rabbits that make you feel like an outcast child again, dreading the next day at the conformity and bully breeding ground that is called school.
'El Deafo' is also about friendship - a huge theme -and family, learning about the life and daily experiences of a deaf person, finding yourself, finding out what makes you happy, and imagination. Throughout the bad times, young Cece imagines herself as the confident, no-nonsense, all-mighty superhero El Deafo.
I felt for Cece the more into the story I got. I forgot I was reading a colourful kiddie comic and was invested in what it is meant to be. It is hard not to sympathise with and root for the lovely kid. Cece really does remind me of my own childhood self. Like I said, I have never been hard of hearing, but I was also an insecure, rather naïve crybaby with a head full of imagination, and a history of bungled-up friendships that came and went, unrequited crushes, and alone times. I watched too much television, too. Bunny Cece even has similar hair to mine.
Dissimilar to myself but still important and all-encompassing: Cece is also shortsighted and wears glasses. She is happy and comfortable with herself - now that she can both hear and see better at school. It is beyond uplifting.
The reason 'El Deafo' loses a star for me is because I thought the ending could have wrapped more things up, such as an issue involving Cece's classmates using and taking advantage of her because of the "superpowers" of her Phonic Ear (her hearing aid) that's not resolved. There's her easily forgiving an old "friend" who hasn't really done anything to earn it, and it all seems a little rushed. Is there a sequel coming up?
But I'm happy that Cece makes up with one of her genuinely good friends at the end. The handmade warm fuzzies from school are a fantastic treat, and fit into the overall story and its messages. I seem to recall also making crafts like that in middle school.
Huggable, funny, and tearful, 'El Deafo' is a beautiful nostalgic experience of a graphic novel. An abundance of lessons can be learned from it, and everything in it actually happened. I recommend it to everyone, for we have all felt different and suffered low self-esteem at at least one time in our lives.
For whatever makes us "different" is what makes us beautiful, and worth it.
Final Score: 4/5
[2023 EDIT: Having reread the comic, and 'Whisper', I can now say that 'Elf Deafo' is 1000x better than 'Whisper'. F*&$!*k 'Whisper'. See my rereview of that atrocity for more.]
The author, Cece Bell, recounts her childhood, from becoming deaf after contracting meningitis at age four, to her middle school days. Her work of art is about growing up different. Heck, 'El Deafo' isn't only about deafness; anyone who has ever been considered different as a child can relate to Cece. I know I did.
I have never been deaf, so I can't pretend to understand everything that Cece has gone through, nor can I make any assumptions. But the pain of isolation and loneliness at school, and bemoaning the fact that these issues are not talked about as much as they should, it is all real and universal.
Any harmless differences should be treated as normal, as a nonissue. "Differences", and "marginalized" communities, are what make humans varied and interesting. Treating them, especially children, as abnormal, as someone to be ignored or teased or worse, is backwards, nonsensical, cruel and sickening. But here we are: we don't live in that world, where talking about accepting people for their uniqueness isn't a priority.
The true superpower of 'El Deafo' is that it has cartoon rabbits that make you feel like an outcast child again, dreading the next day at the conformity and bully breeding ground that is called school.
'El Deafo' is also about friendship - a huge theme -and family, learning about the life and daily experiences of a deaf person, finding yourself, finding out what makes you happy, and imagination. Throughout the bad times, young Cece imagines herself as the confident, no-nonsense, all-mighty superhero El Deafo.
I felt for Cece the more into the story I got. I forgot I was reading a colourful kiddie comic and was invested in what it is meant to be. It is hard not to sympathise with and root for the lovely kid. Cece really does remind me of my own childhood self. Like I said, I have never been hard of hearing, but I was also an insecure, rather naïve crybaby with a head full of imagination, and a history of bungled-up friendships that came and went, unrequited crushes, and alone times. I watched too much television, too. Bunny Cece even has similar hair to mine.
Dissimilar to myself but still important and all-encompassing: Cece is also shortsighted and wears glasses. She is happy and comfortable with herself - now that she can both hear and see better at school. It is beyond uplifting.
The reason 'El Deafo' loses a star for me is because I thought the ending could have wrapped more things up, such as an issue involving Cece's classmates using and taking advantage of her because of the "superpowers" of her Phonic Ear (her hearing aid) that's not resolved. There's her easily forgiving an old "friend" who hasn't really done anything to earn it, and it all seems a little rushed. Is there a sequel coming up?
But I'm happy that Cece makes up with one of her genuinely good friends at the end. The handmade warm fuzzies from school are a fantastic treat, and fit into the overall story and its messages. I seem to recall also making crafts like that in middle school.
Huggable, funny, and tearful, 'El Deafo' is a beautiful nostalgic experience of a graphic novel. An abundance of lessons can be learned from it, and everything in it actually happened. I recommend it to everyone, for we have all felt different and suffered low self-esteem at at least one time in our lives.
For whatever makes us "different" is what makes us beautiful, and worth it.
Final Score: 4/5
Graphic Novel Review - 'Domino, Vol. 1: Killer Instinct' by Gail Simone (Writer), David Baldeón (Artist)
This was... unexpected.
I literally bought 'Domino, Vol. 1: Killer Instinct' the day I first heard of it, because it seemed to fit into my goal of reading about as many kickass heroines as possible. And because Gail Simone. I'd never even heard of Domino beforehand (I haven't seen 'Deadpool 2' yet), but I was curious. I didn't really expect to like it, per say.
But I did. Turns out that I can trust my own instincts sometimes.
'Domino, Vol. 1' is as well-written, clever and engaging as you'd expect from Gail Simone. I continue to be surprised that this is a Marvel comic and not a DC comic. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I'm so used to how Simone writes for DC. I don't think it's because it's "dark". Is it? It contains the dark tone, aesthetic and art style often associated with DC. Eh.
Domino, aka Neena Thurman, is indeed a badass anti-heroine. She's a mutant assassin and merc possessing a small scale degree of luck powers. She is mostly associated with the X-Men and other Marvel mutants, so she encounters a lot of prejudice and hate in her life. Like X-23, she was a failed evil scientist's experiment, who grew up abused and tortured in an isolated, bare, sterile prison room. Trust issues aside, she is friends with Deadpool and many of Marvel's other eccentric characters. They'll throw her a birthday party and give her a puppy! Domino is like a female Deadpool - similar powers, backstory, line of work, and dark humour - except she works best as her own original creation in her own solo series, in the company of supportive and loving girl-friends. And she looks like Rogue from the 'X-Men: Evolution' animated series.
Domino, the goth merc with the mouth.
'Killer Instinct' works as both an introduction to this gal and as a continuation of her previous appearances (which I've heard are not that good and don't do her justice). Trust a female writer like Gail Simone to make me invested in a relatively unknown superhero.
The comic mainly focuses on Domino and her relationship with her lady besties, Outlaw and Diamondback. What wonderful characters, and fellow badasses! They are there for our troubled heroine, when a couple of mysterious villains from her past show up and negate and control her luck ability. For the first time ever, Neena's luck might run out, and she is genuinely afraid she'll die in her next fight. Outlaw and Diamondback will not give up on her, however, when she might be giving up on herself and on letting anyone become close to her.
Domino even remarks on how she never really had any female friends before. Anyone she'd ever worked with previously had been male. Now, with the kind of care, support, understanding and trust that only women can give you, she can experience true happiness all over again. Bless Simone for her writing female leads and female friendships!
Domino's romantic involvement with men is mostly played for laughs, and represents positive female sexuality without shaming her. Plus the entanglements don't last. Either way, Domino is a blast (hey, that rhymes!)
Go ahead and read the underrated, new modern comic by DC--I mean Marvel, 'Domino, Vol. 1: Killer Instinct'. It's fun, dynamic, smart, complex, funny, shocking, grisly, touching, and satisfying.
There is character development, dangerous yet sympathetic and tragic villains you will not forget, the horrifying prejudice theme, a further insight into how mutants live their lives in a scary and uncertain world where most people still want them dead, Hong Kong, a hot martial arts master, a pug puppy, and let's not forget: it stars a goth merc anti-heroine with depth and a wicked sense of humour.
Kudos for the Spider-Man cameo.
Final Score: 4/5
I literally bought 'Domino, Vol. 1: Killer Instinct' the day I first heard of it, because it seemed to fit into my goal of reading about as many kickass heroines as possible. And because Gail Simone. I'd never even heard of Domino beforehand (I haven't seen 'Deadpool 2' yet), but I was curious. I didn't really expect to like it, per say.
But I did. Turns out that I can trust my own instincts sometimes.
'Domino, Vol. 1' is as well-written, clever and engaging as you'd expect from Gail Simone. I continue to be surprised that this is a Marvel comic and not a DC comic. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I'm so used to how Simone writes for DC. I don't think it's because it's "dark". Is it? It contains the dark tone, aesthetic and art style often associated with DC. Eh.
Domino, aka Neena Thurman, is indeed a badass anti-heroine. She's a mutant assassin and merc possessing a small scale degree of luck powers. She is mostly associated with the X-Men and other Marvel mutants, so she encounters a lot of prejudice and hate in her life. Like X-23, she was a failed evil scientist's experiment, who grew up abused and tortured in an isolated, bare, sterile prison room. Trust issues aside, she is friends with Deadpool and many of Marvel's other eccentric characters. They'll throw her a birthday party and give her a puppy! Domino is like a female Deadpool - similar powers, backstory, line of work, and dark humour - except she works best as her own original creation in her own solo series, in the company of supportive and loving girl-friends. And she looks like Rogue from the 'X-Men: Evolution' animated series.
Domino, the goth merc with the mouth.
'Killer Instinct' works as both an introduction to this gal and as a continuation of her previous appearances (which I've heard are not that good and don't do her justice). Trust a female writer like Gail Simone to make me invested in a relatively unknown superhero.
The comic mainly focuses on Domino and her relationship with her lady besties, Outlaw and Diamondback. What wonderful characters, and fellow badasses! They are there for our troubled heroine, when a couple of mysterious villains from her past show up and negate and control her luck ability. For the first time ever, Neena's luck might run out, and she is genuinely afraid she'll die in her next fight. Outlaw and Diamondback will not give up on her, however, when she might be giving up on herself and on letting anyone become close to her.
Domino even remarks on how she never really had any female friends before. Anyone she'd ever worked with previously had been male. Now, with the kind of care, support, understanding and trust that only women can give you, she can experience true happiness all over again. Bless Simone for her writing female leads and female friendships!
Domino's romantic involvement with men is mostly played for laughs, and represents positive female sexuality without shaming her. Plus the entanglements don't last. Either way, Domino is a blast (hey, that rhymes!)
Go ahead and read the underrated, new modern comic by DC--I mean Marvel, 'Domino, Vol. 1: Killer Instinct'. It's fun, dynamic, smart, complex, funny, shocking, grisly, touching, and satisfying.
There is character development, dangerous yet sympathetic and tragic villains you will not forget, the horrifying prejudice theme, a further insight into how mutants live their lives in a scary and uncertain world where most people still want them dead, Hong Kong, a hot martial arts master, a pug puppy, and let's not forget: it stars a goth merc anti-heroine with depth and a wicked sense of humour.
Kudos for the Spider-Man cameo.
Final Score: 4/5
Graphic Novel Review - 'Marvel Rising (Marvel Rising 0-4)' by Devin Grayson (Writer), Ryan North (Writer), G. Willow Wilson (Writer), Helen Chen (Artist), Marco Failla (Artist), Gurihiru (Artist), Georges Duarte (Artist)
A fun and colourful girl power Marvel comic.
I wanted 'Marvel Rising' the moment I heard of it, in spite of the mixed reviews. I mean, it's a Ms. Marvel and Squirrel Girl team-up book, how could I resist?!
As it turns out, I enjoyed it.
There are a lot of video game references (it's a hundred times more fun, more relevant, and funnier than 'Ready Player One'), as well as references to its toxic male-dominated community. It has an interesting and memorable villain in the form of the teenage gamer Ember, aka Emulator, and it has themes of friendship, community, coming together and never being alone.
The artwork can be a bit of a varying mixture, especially on Squirrel Girl, but overall it's appealingly cartoony and fresh. Kamala Khan is so cute!
I think one of the things that sets 'Marvel Rising' back is the thickness of the volume, and the technobabble. Oh jeez, the technobabble. As if there needs to be grounded, scientific explanations on how someone can make video game characters come to life in the real world, and how other worlds, virtual or not, can exist - in the freaking Marvel Universe! There is a plethora of computer and coding talk in this. Which is understandable, since the majority of the five issues in this volume is set in a school (which keeps getting destroyed, naturally), and in a computer programming class, and it is very clever - a teaching method, as it were - for a comic for kids. But it can get too much, and too bloated, when 'Marvel Rising' is supposed to be a fun and funny superhero action comic book for young readers.
But some boring explanations of computer software and video game data (which can sound entertaining when Squirrel Girl is the one explaining them) don't detract from 'Marvel Rising''s level-ups and plus points. The heroes are in-character and great fun to read about; Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan and Squirrel Girl/Doreen Green get along splendidly, as is to be expected. And Doreen is Kamala's elder and superior! As her volunteering school teacher! There is good dialogue and witty banter. The plot is suspenseful and interesting, leading up to a fitting, action-packed and clever climatic battle. I cared to see what would happen to Emulator (love her design).
I'm not sure about the guy, Inferno, though, when I'd thought that 'Marvel Rising' would be an all-female Marvel superhero team-up book. I don't much care for America Chavez either, at least compared to Ms. Marvel and Squirrel Girl, but she plays her role, does her job well.
Shame on the publishers and cover artists for the false advertisement of including Captain Marvel... when she isn't in any of the actual issues of this. Same goes for Spider-Gwen. Don't set up for a sequel on the covers of your first volume!
'Marvel Rising' is fun, however. Adorable, funny, and cool, I still recommend it. I've yet to see the animated film, 'Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors' (Kamala Khan's first film appearance! She is a major inspiration), and I can't wait.
Final Score: 4/5
I wanted 'Marvel Rising' the moment I heard of it, in spite of the mixed reviews. I mean, it's a Ms. Marvel and Squirrel Girl team-up book, how could I resist?!
As it turns out, I enjoyed it.
There are a lot of video game references (it's a hundred times more fun, more relevant, and funnier than 'Ready Player One'), as well as references to its toxic male-dominated community. It has an interesting and memorable villain in the form of the teenage gamer Ember, aka Emulator, and it has themes of friendship, community, coming together and never being alone.
The artwork can be a bit of a varying mixture, especially on Squirrel Girl, but overall it's appealingly cartoony and fresh. Kamala Khan is so cute!
I think one of the things that sets 'Marvel Rising' back is the thickness of the volume, and the technobabble. Oh jeez, the technobabble. As if there needs to be grounded, scientific explanations on how someone can make video game characters come to life in the real world, and how other worlds, virtual or not, can exist - in the freaking Marvel Universe! There is a plethora of computer and coding talk in this. Which is understandable, since the majority of the five issues in this volume is set in a school (which keeps getting destroyed, naturally), and in a computer programming class, and it is very clever - a teaching method, as it were - for a comic for kids. But it can get too much, and too bloated, when 'Marvel Rising' is supposed to be a fun and funny superhero action comic book for young readers.
But some boring explanations of computer software and video game data (which can sound entertaining when Squirrel Girl is the one explaining them) don't detract from 'Marvel Rising''s level-ups and plus points. The heroes are in-character and great fun to read about; Ms. Marvel/Kamala Khan and Squirrel Girl/Doreen Green get along splendidly, as is to be expected. And Doreen is Kamala's elder and superior! As her volunteering school teacher! There is good dialogue and witty banter. The plot is suspenseful and interesting, leading up to a fitting, action-packed and clever climatic battle. I cared to see what would happen to Emulator (love her design).
I'm not sure about the guy, Inferno, though, when I'd thought that 'Marvel Rising' would be an all-female Marvel superhero team-up book. I don't much care for America Chavez either, at least compared to Ms. Marvel and Squirrel Girl, but she plays her role, does her job well.
Shame on the publishers and cover artists for the false advertisement of including Captain Marvel... when she isn't in any of the actual issues of this. Same goes for Spider-Gwen. Don't set up for a sequel on the covers of your first volume!
'Marvel Rising' is fun, however. Adorable, funny, and cool, I still recommend it. I've yet to see the animated film, 'Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors' (Kamala Khan's first film appearance! She is a major inspiration), and I can't wait.
Final Score: 4/5
Graphic Novel Review - 'Book Love' by Debbie Tung
Wow, I love this so much!
'Book Love' is a must for every bookworm. For every introvert or otherwise someone who would prefer to spend weekends staying in to read and drink tea than going to parties and socialising. For anyone who passes a bookshop and can never resist going in, even if they didn't plan on buying anything. But that's what bibliophiles do.
Books are food and exercise for the mind. They are full of imagination and learning. They are portals to other worlds and experiences; a joy to read when they are good; are faithful, lifelong friends and companions that you can carry around with you anywhere; and they can make you feel so many things. They can be magical, euphoric escapism, yet reveal truths.
I especially related to the part about trying to peel stickers off of secondhand book covers, from online or elsewhere, and no matter how careful you are, residue takes place.
Books books books! We love them, we learn about the world and ourselves from them, and we want to read so many of them but have so little time. It's not fair. But 'Book Love' by Debbie Tung understands us. Ms Tung understands and is as obsessed with reading and a book life as much as we are. I'm surprised by how much time she has to do art!
The art, the anecdotes, the relatability, the life experiences around books, the novelty in novels - it is all voluptuously hilarious and charming.
'Book Love' - what it says. Another British comic publication from Debbie Tung, after 'Quiet Girl in a Noisy World'. A precious, laugh-out-loud, adorable little gem of a comic strip.
Final Score: 5/5
'Book Love' is a must for every bookworm. For every introvert or otherwise someone who would prefer to spend weekends staying in to read and drink tea than going to parties and socialising. For anyone who passes a bookshop and can never resist going in, even if they didn't plan on buying anything. But that's what bibliophiles do.
Books are food and exercise for the mind. They are full of imagination and learning. They are portals to other worlds and experiences; a joy to read when they are good; are faithful, lifelong friends and companions that you can carry around with you anywhere; and they can make you feel so many things. They can be magical, euphoric escapism, yet reveal truths.
I especially related to the part about trying to peel stickers off of secondhand book covers, from online or elsewhere, and no matter how careful you are, residue takes place.
Books books books! We love them, we learn about the world and ourselves from them, and we want to read so many of them but have so little time. It's not fair. But 'Book Love' by Debbie Tung understands us. Ms Tung understands and is as obsessed with reading and a book life as much as we are. I'm surprised by how much time she has to do art!
The art, the anecdotes, the relatability, the life experiences around books, the novelty in novels - it is all voluptuously hilarious and charming.
'Book Love' - what it says. Another British comic publication from Debbie Tung, after 'Quiet Girl in a Noisy World'. A precious, laugh-out-loud, adorable little gem of a comic strip.
Final Score: 5/5
Sunday, 17 February 2019
Book Review - 'The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali' by Sabina Khan
2022 EDIT: I was going to make this into a long, ranty and sweary rereview, but after reading all of 'Rukhsana Ali' again, now, I'm just tired. There's no point. It's not worth it. I want to put it behind me and move on with my life, and find happiness, faith in humanity, and sanity somewhere else.
Consider the following a quick catharsis:
I do not forgive Rukhsana's parents, not as easily and quickly as the book does. They are far worse than I remember them from last time. They're abusive monsters (though typically her mother is the worst, as are all the aunties), who only see their daughter as cattle and breeding stock. Forget conditional love - there was no love for her at all, until, conveniently, a queer tragedy happens in the last seventy pages or so. There was no inkling that they saw her as a human being, but a piece of meat, a vagina on legs, that they can marry off with a dowry to a man, and brag to horrible, gossipy, judgemental people (but mainly women) in their community about. Her happiness and wellbeing meant literally nothing to them; their reputation - plus their favourite, their son, their boy, their pride and joy - were all they cared about.
They actively refused to listen to her, to try to understand her the teeniest, tiniest bit. Even before they found out she was gay, they had no respect for her, because she was a girl. They knew they were hurting her and destroying her, and they didn't care.
Rukhsana's parents deliberately ruined her life. What they did to her was barbaric; no, it was evil, so cartoonishly selfish and self-absorbed they were. They uprooted her life, guilt-tripped her, lied to her, gaslighted her, emotionally blackmailed her, locked her up, made her a prisoner, and drugged her and had an exorcism performed on her, for fuck's sake. To be fair, they were rightly treated like the villains they were for the majority of the book.
BUT BUT BUT.
It took the murder of another gay person the parents knew for them to change even slightly. They would have continued to have been abusive monsters determined to see their daughter stripped of all life and humanity for a husband - and for their saved reputations - if said queer death hadn't occurred.
To be perfectly blunt, fuck that. Fuck that Bury-Your-Gays and Rushed-and-Insincere-Homophobe's-Redemption-at-the-End-of-Their-Story bullshit. It is fucked up on so many levels I can't properly process them all right now.
Wow, this did end up being long and sweary, after all.
The ending isn't realistic. The forgiveness isn't earned.
With many, many trigger warnings, I'm not sure I would recommend 'The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali' to anyone in the LGBTQA+ community.
Everything else in 'Rukhsana Ali' is good, however. Lovely even. It's addictive and breezy, it can be read in a day. I learned a lot about Bengali culture - especially the food! Rukhsana's grandmother is the absolute best. She deserves all the love and support in the world after everything she's been through, and she and only like one or two of Rukhsana's female cousins avoid the book's overall unfortunate toxic internalised misogyny amidst the Bengali community. Even her very flawed white girlfriend Ariana I ended up warming up to and forgiving.
But her parents...I'm sorry, but I can't. I just can't.
What can I say? 'The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School' ruined everything for me.
This goes for YA in general: Why can't the adults in these books act like, well, adults? Don't they know or care that their backwards, archaic and outdated views and belief systems are killing their children?
Religion has nothing to do with it. It shouldn't have anything to do with it. It is and has never been an excuse.
Listen to your kids!
Since 'Rukhsana Ali' I have read similar and better books, anyway, such as 'The Henna Wars' and 'Zara Hossain Is Here' (also by Sabina Khan - I'm glad she's improving, and representing genuinely supportive and loving parents in the vast and diverse Muslim community, who act like real human beings in the 21st century, nothing outdated, dangerous and self-absorbed about them, who are in touch with reality).
That's that then. I'm done. Goodnight.
Oh and the author totally forgot that Rukhsana's brother Aamir existed in the last few chapters.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
'The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali' is YA that is simply written; enjoyable and addictive enough that it can be read in a day. But the messages and themes and their gut-wrenching impact are brilliantly conveyed. Even with the flitterings of problems that some readers might have with it, this is an important book that should be read by everyone.
What could be read as a typical teen novel - despite the sheer uniqueness of the rep of a lesbian Bengali/Muslim lead - slowly burns into something so shocking, so powerful, so encompassing, so horrific, so enraging, so real, and so bitter yet hopeful towards the very end, that it's hard not to feel like a wrung-out, tangled rag of emotions once you turn to the last, cathartic page. You check the time and find that it's night before you know it.
'Rukhsana Ali' is essential, relevant, universal reading, containing positive meaning and intent. But be warned, the fainthearted may want to be on guard. For nothing comes easy.
For someone like me, who knows all too well the pain of loving a book but then feeling utterly betrayed at the end of it, 'The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali' is a fountain of relief.
Shout-out to 2017-19 YA covers that actually have POC people on them. Rukhsana Ali is a smart, brave badass.
I won't give much of the plot away: read it and be justifiably shocked for yourself. The characters feel like real people, even the infuriating, OTT ones. The food, clothes, and basics of Muslim and Bangladesh culture described, are all lovingly lavished on a lot of pages without being overly-detailed and overdone, like a perfectly cooked dish. The flaws, including the cruel poverty divide, are not ignored, however. Every country and culture has problems, nothing and nowhere is singular; this is one of the many significant messages of 'Rukhsana Ali'.
Rukhsana, who is Bengali-American, seventeen, lives in Seattle, wants to go to Caltech, and is understandably closeted, does love her culture and family; she just hates the outdated traditions. My own heart, what women all over the world have to suffer through, to varying degrees, for the crime of being female. Reading what Rukhsana and the other women in her family have had to survive through, at the hands of people who are supposed to love and care for them, is devastating.
What's great is that most of the people in Rukhsana's family - I'll get to her parents later - are supportive of her. Including her younger brother Aamir, her wonderful cousin/sister-in-arms Shaila, and her dear, tragic Nani. Her grandmother gives her her old diary and tells her to follow her heart, and never give up and let anyone force her to marry.
Some unexpected friends care for and help Rukhsana out as well, when her life turns tumultuous beyond her worst nightmares. She isn't the only queer Bangladeshi in her story. I love that there is not one, but two boys, her potential suitors for an arranged marriage, who turn out to be very nice and supportive. They'll know her secret and will be awesome about it.
Nobody fits wholly into a stereotype in 'Rukhsana Ali'. There are no good or bad Muslims. There are just people.
I just don't think that I can ever forgive Rukhsana's parents. Mostly her mother, who is typically conservative, overbearing, nasty and desperate. All they care about is their reputation, what other people think of them, and marrying off their daughter as soon as possible, treating her like property, a doll, a cow for slaughter. Never mind what she wants. Her happiness is never brought up in their one-sided conversations. The blatant favouritism of her brother because he's a boy is bad enough, but without spoiling anything vital, I will say that Rukhsana's parents are not merely strict, they are abusive.
Physically, mentally, and emotionally abusive.
So much so that it would have actually been better if they had disowned and kicked their daughter out once they found out she's gay; at least then she would be safe and sound at any of her friends' houses, away from those evil people who clearly don't care for her in the slightest. The parents go further than guilt-tripping Rukhsana into being straight, and calling her "sick", "disgusting" and "diseased" - I couldn't believe what they put her through, how far they went in their manipulations and deceptions. All in the name of tradition, cultural and religious misogyny, and moulding their own child into their narrowminded ideal of what a woman should be: dead inside.
Rukhsana has every right to be angry at her parents, no matter how much her family means to her. I do feel awful for her mum and what she herself went through in her own childhood, but maybe... shouldn't she have known better the whole time then? Her actions were still abysmal, no matter her motivations brought on by desperation (leaning towards insanity), at the expense of her daughter's humanity.
So the parents' sort-of redemption at the end felt rushed. Too easily forgiven, considering.
The climax is well-written, intense, self-aware, with both sides being heard, and it links to the book's themes of love, understanding, acceptance, and admitting that not everything you believe in is right. Plus it's a huge relief that there is a seemingly-impossible happy ending for our beautiful, real, and determined heroine. But what she went through was still abuse. I think that the book could have benefited from being longer and developing the ending further, apologies and earned forgiveness and all. As it is, it is perfectly wrapped-up and seems too convenient and good to be true.
It's for the message to work, and that's fine. Surprisingly, I did like Rukhsana's toxic Aunty Meena's heel-turn. People do apologise to each other when they've done wrong in this book. Though 'The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali' is the second book in the row I've read now, the previous being 'On the Come Up', where there is an overbearing and bigoted aunt or grandmother to the female protag, while her husband, the uncle or grandfather, is always nice and understanding, and you wonder why he puts up with his hateful wife. This is a recurring sexist trope in YA and children's books (don't even get me started on Jacqueline Wilson's books), and it needs to stop already.
At least Rukhsana does have loving female family members and friends in her life. Her relationship with her white girlfriend, Ariana, is a mixed, complicated bag. But it is realistic, and they might be able to pull through and make things work in spite of their differences and family backgrounds. There is a cultural divide between Rukhsana and her white friends, but through talking about it and listening, maybe understanding (that other people have different lives and privileges than you) can be achieved. Love conquers ignorance and hate, and it is fantastic.
'The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali' - The verdict? Global recommendation. The few problems I have with it in hindsight cannot ruin a truly momentous, monumental reading experience, stirring up emotions, eye-opening revelations, and elation that could even match that of 'The Hate U Give'.
'Rukhsana Ali' is a quick read, but one that will not leave you. I'll let a potential reader take their pick of the spectacular quotes - Rukhsana's voice is grounded, bold, woke, insightful, snarky and clever - as they read it themselves.
It is hope for all the Rukhsana Ali's in the world. It says: We hear you. We understand you. We accept you. We want to help you. We want you to be happy.
Stay strong. Don't give up. Change is coming. It will be worth it. You will always have a choice.
Final Score: 4/5
EDIT: Did the author forget about Aamir in the last few pages?
EDIT 2: I originally referred to Rukhsana as Pakistani once, and not specifically Bengali. Thanks to a commenter pointing this out to me, I have rectified that mistake. I apologise profusely and will not mix the two up again. I don't mind being corrected on matters such as these at all. It is absolutely welcome. Thank you.
Consider the following a quick catharsis:
I do not forgive Rukhsana's parents, not as easily and quickly as the book does. They are far worse than I remember them from last time. They're abusive monsters (though typically her mother is the worst, as are all the aunties), who only see their daughter as cattle and breeding stock. Forget conditional love - there was no love for her at all, until, conveniently, a queer tragedy happens in the last seventy pages or so. There was no inkling that they saw her as a human being, but a piece of meat, a vagina on legs, that they can marry off with a dowry to a man, and brag to horrible, gossipy, judgemental people (but mainly women) in their community about. Her happiness and wellbeing meant literally nothing to them; their reputation - plus their favourite, their son, their boy, their pride and joy - were all they cared about.
They actively refused to listen to her, to try to understand her the teeniest, tiniest bit. Even before they found out she was gay, they had no respect for her, because she was a girl. They knew they were hurting her and destroying her, and they didn't care.
Rukhsana's parents deliberately ruined her life. What they did to her was barbaric; no, it was evil, so cartoonishly selfish and self-absorbed they were. They uprooted her life, guilt-tripped her, lied to her, gaslighted her, emotionally blackmailed her, locked her up, made her a prisoner, and drugged her and had an exorcism performed on her, for fuck's sake. To be fair, they were rightly treated like the villains they were for the majority of the book.
BUT BUT BUT.
It took the murder of another gay person the parents knew for them to change even slightly. They would have continued to have been abusive monsters determined to see their daughter stripped of all life and humanity for a husband - and for their saved reputations - if said queer death hadn't occurred.
To be perfectly blunt, fuck that. Fuck that Bury-Your-Gays and Rushed-and-Insincere-Homophobe's-Redemption-at-the-End-of-Their-Story bullshit. It is fucked up on so many levels I can't properly process them all right now.
Wow, this did end up being long and sweary, after all.
The ending isn't realistic. The forgiveness isn't earned.
With many, many trigger warnings, I'm not sure I would recommend 'The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali' to anyone in the LGBTQA+ community.
Everything else in 'Rukhsana Ali' is good, however. Lovely even. It's addictive and breezy, it can be read in a day. I learned a lot about Bengali culture - especially the food! Rukhsana's grandmother is the absolute best. She deserves all the love and support in the world after everything she's been through, and she and only like one or two of Rukhsana's female cousins avoid the book's overall unfortunate toxic internalised misogyny amidst the Bengali community. Even her very flawed white girlfriend Ariana I ended up warming up to and forgiving.
But her parents...I'm sorry, but I can't. I just can't.
What can I say? 'The Lesbiana's Guide to Catholic School' ruined everything for me.
This goes for YA in general: Why can't the adults in these books act like, well, adults? Don't they know or care that their backwards, archaic and outdated views and belief systems are killing their children?
Religion has nothing to do with it. It shouldn't have anything to do with it. It is and has never been an excuse.
Listen to your kids!
Since 'Rukhsana Ali' I have read similar and better books, anyway, such as 'The Henna Wars' and 'Zara Hossain Is Here' (also by Sabina Khan - I'm glad she's improving, and representing genuinely supportive and loving parents in the vast and diverse Muslim community, who act like real human beings in the 21st century, nothing outdated, dangerous and self-absorbed about them, who are in touch with reality).
That's that then. I'm done. Goodnight.
Oh and the author totally forgot that Rukhsana's brother Aamir existed in the last few chapters.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
'The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali' is YA that is simply written; enjoyable and addictive enough that it can be read in a day. But the messages and themes and their gut-wrenching impact are brilliantly conveyed. Even with the flitterings of problems that some readers might have with it, this is an important book that should be read by everyone.
What could be read as a typical teen novel - despite the sheer uniqueness of the rep of a lesbian Bengali/Muslim lead - slowly burns into something so shocking, so powerful, so encompassing, so horrific, so enraging, so real, and so bitter yet hopeful towards the very end, that it's hard not to feel like a wrung-out, tangled rag of emotions once you turn to the last, cathartic page. You check the time and find that it's night before you know it.
'Rukhsana Ali' is essential, relevant, universal reading, containing positive meaning and intent. But be warned, the fainthearted may want to be on guard. For nothing comes easy.
For someone like me, who knows all too well the pain of loving a book but then feeling utterly betrayed at the end of it, 'The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali' is a fountain of relief.
Shout-out to 2017-19 YA covers that actually have POC people on them. Rukhsana Ali is a smart, brave badass.
I won't give much of the plot away: read it and be justifiably shocked for yourself. The characters feel like real people, even the infuriating, OTT ones. The food, clothes, and basics of Muslim and Bangladesh culture described, are all lovingly lavished on a lot of pages without being overly-detailed and overdone, like a perfectly cooked dish. The flaws, including the cruel poverty divide, are not ignored, however. Every country and culture has problems, nothing and nowhere is singular; this is one of the many significant messages of 'Rukhsana Ali'.
Rukhsana, who is Bengali-American, seventeen, lives in Seattle, wants to go to Caltech, and is understandably closeted, does love her culture and family; she just hates the outdated traditions. My own heart, what women all over the world have to suffer through, to varying degrees, for the crime of being female. Reading what Rukhsana and the other women in her family have had to survive through, at the hands of people who are supposed to love and care for them, is devastating.
What's great is that most of the people in Rukhsana's family - I'll get to her parents later - are supportive of her. Including her younger brother Aamir, her wonderful cousin/sister-in-arms Shaila, and her dear, tragic Nani. Her grandmother gives her her old diary and tells her to follow her heart, and never give up and let anyone force her to marry.
Some unexpected friends care for and help Rukhsana out as well, when her life turns tumultuous beyond her worst nightmares. She isn't the only queer Bangladeshi in her story. I love that there is not one, but two boys, her potential suitors for an arranged marriage, who turn out to be very nice and supportive. They'll know her secret and will be awesome about it.
Nobody fits wholly into a stereotype in 'Rukhsana Ali'. There are no good or bad Muslims. There are just people.
I just don't think that I can ever forgive Rukhsana's parents. Mostly her mother, who is typically conservative, overbearing, nasty and desperate. All they care about is their reputation, what other people think of them, and marrying off their daughter as soon as possible, treating her like property, a doll, a cow for slaughter. Never mind what she wants. Her happiness is never brought up in their one-sided conversations. The blatant favouritism of her brother because he's a boy is bad enough, but without spoiling anything vital, I will say that Rukhsana's parents are not merely strict, they are abusive.
Physically, mentally, and emotionally abusive.
So much so that it would have actually been better if they had disowned and kicked their daughter out once they found out she's gay; at least then she would be safe and sound at any of her friends' houses, away from those evil people who clearly don't care for her in the slightest. The parents go further than guilt-tripping Rukhsana into being straight, and calling her "sick", "disgusting" and "diseased" - I couldn't believe what they put her through, how far they went in their manipulations and deceptions. All in the name of tradition, cultural and religious misogyny, and moulding their own child into their narrowminded ideal of what a woman should be: dead inside.
Rukhsana has every right to be angry at her parents, no matter how much her family means to her. I do feel awful for her mum and what she herself went through in her own childhood, but maybe... shouldn't she have known better the whole time then? Her actions were still abysmal, no matter her motivations brought on by desperation (leaning towards insanity), at the expense of her daughter's humanity.
So the parents' sort-of redemption at the end felt rushed. Too easily forgiven, considering.
The climax is well-written, intense, self-aware, with both sides being heard, and it links to the book's themes of love, understanding, acceptance, and admitting that not everything you believe in is right. Plus it's a huge relief that there is a seemingly-impossible happy ending for our beautiful, real, and determined heroine. But what she went through was still abuse. I think that the book could have benefited from being longer and developing the ending further, apologies and earned forgiveness and all. As it is, it is perfectly wrapped-up and seems too convenient and good to be true.
It's for the message to work, and that's fine. Surprisingly, I did like Rukhsana's toxic Aunty Meena's heel-turn. People do apologise to each other when they've done wrong in this book. Though 'The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali' is the second book in the row I've read now, the previous being 'On the Come Up', where there is an overbearing and bigoted aunt or grandmother to the female protag, while her husband, the uncle or grandfather, is always nice and understanding, and you wonder why he puts up with his hateful wife. This is a recurring sexist trope in YA and children's books (don't even get me started on Jacqueline Wilson's books), and it needs to stop already.
At least Rukhsana does have loving female family members and friends in her life. Her relationship with her white girlfriend, Ariana, is a mixed, complicated bag. But it is realistic, and they might be able to pull through and make things work in spite of their differences and family backgrounds. There is a cultural divide between Rukhsana and her white friends, but through talking about it and listening, maybe understanding (that other people have different lives and privileges than you) can be achieved. Love conquers ignorance and hate, and it is fantastic.
'The Love and Lies of Rukhsana Ali' - The verdict? Global recommendation. The few problems I have with it in hindsight cannot ruin a truly momentous, monumental reading experience, stirring up emotions, eye-opening revelations, and elation that could even match that of 'The Hate U Give'.
'Rukhsana Ali' is a quick read, but one that will not leave you. I'll let a potential reader take their pick of the spectacular quotes - Rukhsana's voice is grounded, bold, woke, insightful, snarky and clever - as they read it themselves.
It is hope for all the Rukhsana Ali's in the world. It says: We hear you. We understand you. We accept you. We want to help you. We want you to be happy.
Stay strong. Don't give up. Change is coming. It will be worth it. You will always have a choice.
Final Score: 4/5
EDIT: Did the author forget about Aamir in the last few pages?
EDIT 2: I originally referred to Rukhsana as Pakistani once, and not specifically Bengali. Thanks to a commenter pointing this out to me, I have rectified that mistake. I apologise profusely and will not mix the two up again. I don't mind being corrected on matters such as these at all. It is absolutely welcome. Thank you.
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