To cheer you up in the meantime, here's a picture of a dessert:
Saturday 31 December 2016
To say that 2016 is the worst year in recent memory would be a massive understatement. Honestly I despair of what's to come in the next few years. Life is terribly unfair. But it really doesn't have to be this way; normalizing an age where to be a decent human being is controversial. For we also live in an age of activists. There are good people in the world. Remember this for the new year. Stay happy, and hopeful :)
To cheer you up in the meantime, here's a picture of a dessert:
To cheer you up in the meantime, here's a picture of a dessert:
Friday 30 December 2016
Book Review - 'The Velveteen Rabbit' by Margery Williams
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:
What a lovely story! So lovely and genuinely heartwarming that I nearly cried.
'The Velveteen Rabbit' is one of the world's first toy stories, about the life cycle of a toy rabbit given in a stocking to a little child at Christmas. I'm surprised it was published in 1922 - it raises issues such as classism and empty, loveless narcissism; these are so important to reflect on and discuss nearly one hundred years later that it's scary.
This velvet beauty of a children's book teaches us that love is powerful. Love is real, and it makes us feel real ourselves when we experience it in life, in giving and receiving it. There is a slight Christian allegory to the tale as well, but it's harmless, with still important messages.
'The Velveteen Rabbit' is a fantasy, but it resonates truthfulness and the nature of love up to a level that no other children's picture book has reached and captured. Indeed for such a sweet story starring a plush bunny it is rather heavy at times. The writing, illustrations and overall atmosphere are gorgeous.
Fairy (or nursery) magic or not, 'The Velveteen Rabbit' is a natural treasure, and a must-read to all children.
I wish us all a happy new year.
Final Score: 4/5
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
What a lovely story! So lovely and genuinely heartwarming that I nearly cried.
'The Velveteen Rabbit' is one of the world's first toy stories, about the life cycle of a toy rabbit given in a stocking to a little child at Christmas. I'm surprised it was published in 1922 - it raises issues such as classism and empty, loveless narcissism; these are so important to reflect on and discuss nearly one hundred years later that it's scary.
This velvet beauty of a children's book teaches us that love is powerful. Love is real, and it makes us feel real ourselves when we experience it in life, in giving and receiving it. There is a slight Christian allegory to the tale as well, but it's harmless, with still important messages.
'The Velveteen Rabbit' is a fantasy, but it resonates truthfulness and the nature of love up to a level that no other children's picture book has reached and captured. Indeed for such a sweet story starring a plush bunny it is rather heavy at times. The writing, illustrations and overall atmosphere are gorgeous.
Fairy (or nursery) magic or not, 'The Velveteen Rabbit' is a natural treasure, and a must-read to all children.
I wish us all a happy new year.
Final Score: 4/5
Thursday 29 December 2016
Non-Fiction Book Review - 'Mindfulness for Cats' by Sam Hart
Cute cat pictures with quotes about the simple ways of life. It's like if the internet was nice all the time. And cats do have the right idea. They have it so easy.
Final Score: 4/5
Final Score: 4/5
Sunday 25 December 2016
Top 10 Female Jerks
Time for another list.
First of all, Merry Christmas! Happy Yuletide season! Peace and love and care and kindness to all on this earth!
Now let me celebrate this glorious day by listing my favourite female Scrooges!
Jerks have always been associated with being male, as if it's exclusively a masculine character trait. These are the kind of people - in fiction since we wouldn't realistically want to meet them in person - who show little to no signs of owning a conscience. They say and do the terrible things that deep down we wish we could get away with, though we might not want to admit it. They are the cynics; the meanest of the mean; the rebels of decency; the life-ruining powerhouses; the charming, lovable embodiments of the Seven Deadly Sins; to them they see the world as it truly is and have no qualms in letting everyone else know about it. Yet, despite their general depravity, they do not cross the line so much that they become outright villains.
This list is dedicated to the females who possess these qualities we love to hate. Mainly because any woman who steps outside the boundaries of what's considered proper feminine behaviour is too often seen as... well, I don't think I need to finish that sentence; the evidence speaks for itself. And I don't want to be swearing and using hostile, misogynistic language at Christmas. These fictional girls and ladies are jerks, but miraculously we love them for it, feminine etiquette be darned. They can be as interesting and likeable as any male jerk, whom we as a society forgive for so much, even if they are unrepentant sociopaths. They need to be intentional jerks, too, who at least get called out on occasion, not accidental hypocrites and manipulators caused by bad writing.
So, who are the Top 10 Female Jerks I wish to bring to light this festive season? Start the countdown!
(Again, same rules as in my previous lists apply here: Fictional characters only, from one franchise, etc. Also, to keep this particular list fresh, no characters from my past lists will be on it.)
10. Sucy Manbavaran ('Little Witch Academia')
Sometimes you wonder why a main character is friends with that one character who doesn't seem to care about them at all, and treats them rather badly. As well as not making logical sense, it's generally a poor plot device. But somehow the dreary, never-smiling, potion-brewing, mushroom-obsessed Sucy, who actually calls Akko Kagari her best guinea pig, in all her short appearances in a small anime franchise, manages to be a favourite. Emotionless anime girl? She's a bit too eccentric for that. Her experiments on poor suffering human beings would make Wednesday Addams proud. Although in the short film, 'The Enchanted Parade', she does show signs of caring for her friends, if in her own special, Sucy way. The dry cynicism of her voice performance in both the Japanese and English dubs also contribute to her likeability somewhat. Sucy is a great witch in need of some serious social skills, but really, who would want her any other way?
9. Edina Monsoon ('Absolutely Fabulous')
Who says women don't have midlife crises? They just aren't allowed to in the patriarch's world; it would be too human of them. Edina from the British sitcom 'Absolutely Fabulous', played by the truly fabulous Jennifer Saunders, is a childish, promiscuous, rambunctious, alcoholic, drug-abusing, fad-chasing, twice-divorced middle-aged PR agent who in spite of her disastrous lifestyle is still somehow well-to-do and keeps a nice house and job. She is both every woman's dream and worst nightmare; a product of the best and worst of mainstream media and modern high society. Edina isn't deliberately a jerk or mean-spirited, unlike her best friend Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley); she's merely extraordinarily ignorant of how the world works. She shows signs of a caring heart underneath all her loud, flashy clothes and terrible habits, albeit rarely. Walking the line between living life up to the full and wasting herself away at every moment, Eddie's not one of those tabloid-baited women who you want to see make a fool of herself for the sake of self-superiority, or even pity her. You may find yourself wanting her to succeed in her irresponsible endeavours, just so she can catch a break for once (a noteworthy feat considering how inexplicably rich she is). She's certainly no worse than her daughter Saffy, the queen of all stuffy, hypocritical cows. Edina Monsoon - a stupid, selfish, shallow, self-indulgent fame chaser - a cautionary tale to be sure - but we know that women and men like her do exist. And we wish we could be as lucky as she, but not so much.
8. Jessie ('Pokémon')
Yeah I know I'm cheating a little, as here is a canonical villain on the list. But honestly, to me Jessie of Team Rocket has always been too harmless to be close to how a traditional antagonist is. She lies, steals, betrays, and she's greedy. But her petty crimes (even when she once tried to steal Christmas) are nothing in comparison to the actions of most villains I can think of in kids' cartoons. Besides, 'Pokémon''s Jessie's larger-than-life, holier-than-thou personality is the true highlight of her character, bad guy or not. (Misty was almost added on here as well, but she's not a jerk, just bad-tempered). Jessie can be as foolish, deluded, overconfident, silly and conceited as any male comic relief baddies. She shows a kindling of a heart on special occasions, especially in the 'Pokémon' movies. Indeed she's not really evil, but misguided. Time and again Jessie demonstrates the vast complexities of her fabulous gender. She's definitely smarter than she lets on most of the time. She's proud of who she is, knows what she wants and demands it at all costs, and never gives up (seriously, she's been trying to steal the same Pikachu for over twenty years now; you have to admire her perseverance). An absurdly unstoppable force, and a cartoon joy who makes feminists love her too, Jessie is a jerk of metaphorical golden royalty and beauty. Team Queen Jessie!
7. Arisa Uotani ('Fruits Basket')
Last anime character on the list, I swear. Another complex jerk girl with a heart of gold, Arisa is a "Yankee" delinquent who, through a series of developments - as a child from an abusive, broken home, who then admires a biker-woman-turned-loving-mother - learns that true kindness exists in people in the world. It is this kindness which saves her life. Through heartbreak, tragedy and all sorts of emotional pain, she is rescued from the path to self-destruction by her friendship with the saint of all saints, Tohru Honda, whom she cares for more than anything since the death of Tohru's mother, her former idol. Arisa loved Tohru beforehand, though; she's not that terrible. She is still rather cruel and a bully at high school, but it is mostly to people who deserve it. A testament to the effectiveness of good will towards the hopeless, Arisa Uotani, like everyone in 'Fruits Basket', is as painfully human as they come. She suffers through so much, but gets better overtime due to love and kindness from others. Not such an uncaring cynic after all, I adore this female delinquent.
6. Cordelia Chase ('Buffy the Vampire Slayer')
How can someone who starts out as a typical high school mean girl - a walking, talking cliche - be in any way likeable? Cordelia demands that you know that she is the queen of her environment, who cares about her reputation literally more than human life. She's narcissistic, self-centered, shallow, thoughtless, upholds class-ism, and her priorities are skewered beyond comprehension. And yet, I remember her being one of my favourite characters in 'Buffy'. Cordelia exudes such confidence and personality; she fully embraces her bad qualities and doesn't pretend to be what she isn't. This is admirable in a woman living in modern society. This high society girl knows who she is and is honest about it, wearing it on her immaculate sleeve right down to the tips of her professionally-done nails. She does develop into a more believable person when she becomes part of the Scooby Gang, showing layers to her. Cordelia, most notably, as part of her flippant honesty which is mistaken for outright meanness, never forgives and never forgets: She is not a doormat in any way, or a submissive. When a character does something wrong, she will call them out and let them know they did wrong (mostly, anyway), politeness and episode-discontinuity be damned. How ironic that queen Cordelia Chase would be a go-to character for making others be accountable for their actions, but that is one of the many reasons why she can do infinitely better than Xander (hell, any girl can do better than Xander, but that's neither here nor there). I admit that I'm not a fan of 'Buffy' and haven't seen Cordelia in the spin-off, 'Angel', though I have heard that she gets the shaft and is treated awfully and offhandedly at the end of her character "arc" - partly due to Charisma Carpenter's real life pregnancy, thank you, Joss Whedon - despite her becoming a badass demon slayer. But in 'Buffy', poor Cordy certainly left too soon after the third season. There was always more to her than looks and reputation; Taking crap from no one, she - and Carpenter - deserved so much better. Miss Chase will be remembered as the shallowest, baddest good guy ever to manage to be likeable to watch and not be friends with.
5. Amanda Waller (DC Universe)
A government official. A powerful businesswoman. A professional, borderline sociopath with no superpowers at all who is smarter than Batman. And she's a middle-aged big woman of colour. But she isn't really like any of DC's rich villains, such as Lex Luthor or Maxwell Lord; what Amanda Waller does is what she believes is for the safety of everyone and the earth, even when her methods are ethically unsound. She doesn't care for morality in execution, only the end results. To call her a sociopath doesn't necessarily make her a villain; Amanda is an absolute hard-arse lady in any incarnation of her, be it comics, television or movies. She is the best character in the 'Suicide Squad' film (which isn't saying much, but still). Even in 'DC Super Hero Girls', in her most "watered-down" and "light" version of her personality, as a high school principle, she is still a character you do not want to mess with and get on her bad side. Indeed to call her a jerk is a majorly juvenile way of describing her. Amanda could not give less of a damn about what others think of her. Femininity is so far beneath her it doesn't exist to her; same goes for masculinity too, for that matter. No time for any of that socially-constructed nonsense for Amanda. Niceness is so far from her dictionary it's on the edge of space. Neither a fridged woman nor a love interest to anyone, the fearless, unbreakable Amanda Waller is who she is, and bless DC for creating a woman like her - highly impressive considering its regrettable track record of sexist female representation.
4. Angelica Pickles ('Rugrats')
A three-year-old is high on this list of jerks. That is how much of an impact Angelica Pickles from 'Rugrats' has had on the childhoods of nineties kids everywhere. A world famous cartoon spoilt brat so loud and bad she makes both babies and adults tremble in fear of her. You have to admire someone so young and gifted in the art of conniving and manipulation to get what she wants. While Angelica isn't really a well-developed character - for every good thing she does she goes right back to being bad fast - her personality is bigger than her size and wealth. No matter who you are or how old you are, she will either make your life hell or deal with you depending on how it benefits her. No situation is safe from her cruelty and scheming; she's a compulsive liar through and through. Angelica personifies the smart and charismatic potential of any toddler. She is going to succeed in whatever she wants when she grows up, you can tell ('All Grown Up'? Meh, what's that? Something that only existed for preteen angst). Angelica Pickles is an evil little girl with tiny sparks of unselfishness, but you've got to love her for it. A cartoon icon for the ages.
3. Louise Belcher ('Bob's Burgers')
From one child to another, Louise is a thirty-year-old angry comedy news anchor in a nine-year-old's body. Hyperactive, loud, bad-tempered, violent, greedy, and a scheming businessman in the making, Louise is Angelica in full bloom, but less spoilt. When little Louise sees any opportunity to make money, she grabs it by the horns in a death-grip and doesn't let go. She's also loyal to her family, when she's not scheming and backstabbing them as well. In these instances you glimpse a heart of gold underneath her pink bunny ear hat. It's brilliant and refreshing to see a female character like Louise Belcher in teen/adult cartoons, where a disturbing number of women and girl characters are ignored, abused, brushed aside, dumped in cliched sexist plots, and generally treated in the most misogynistic manner by (99% male) writers. They're just not allowed to be anywhere near as funny or multilayered as male characters generally are. But Louise, along with Linda and Tina, break that horrible cycle. They are funny and interesting. Louise is the clear jerk of the Belcher family, and like everyone else who has the honour of being here, there is no other way we would want her.
2. Mrs Raven ('My Hero')
Mrs Raven is a character from a long-forgotten British sitcom in the late nineties to the early 2000s, about a humanoid alien superhero and his abused, long-suffering human female partner. Arguably out of all the characters in that show, Mrs Raven was the breakout hit; the funniest of the lot. She's a receptionist of a local medical surgery who derives happiness from the suffering of patients and all of humanity. Having suffered life's many hardships and disappointments herself into her middle age - her husband left her to raise unlawful teenage triplets by herself before the start of the series - Mrs Raven will not let off on making others as miserable as she is. Joy at the misfortune of others is what motivates her every day. She's the quintessential queen of cynics and sociopaths; her only weakness is her lust for the otherworldly superhero Thermoman, precisely because he is not a human she has to deal with all the time. In typical sitcom fashion, it's a wonder she still has a job. Yet Mrs Raven really could do miles better than a receptionist job, and not just because of her nastiness, for she is very smart for someone from a small English town of Northholt. Yeah, this woman is a nasty, cruel, greedy and hate-filled piece of work who makes Scrooge look like an anime shoujo heroine. But like Basil Fawlty and Edmund Blackadder, there is a sense of satisfactory wish-fulfilment to be had with Mrs Raven, in saying and doing what we wish we could, and be able to get away with it. But we know we'd hate to actually meet them. Mrs Raven gets the funniest lines in the episodes of 'My Hero', and nearly everyone else around her is an idiot so her disposition is somewhat understandable, if not justifiable. Years after the sitcom went off the air, I remember Mrs Raven more than anything about it - that she outshines Ardal O'Hanlon (best known for playing Dougal from 'Father Ted') as a superhero really speaks volumes of her character. I will always have a fondness for her. Such nasty, horrid fun!
And my number 1 favourite female jerk is:
1. Helga Pataki ('Hey Arnold!')
A cartoon female jerk from the nineties more famous than Angelica Pickles, because she is more complex. And like Louise Belcher, she is only nine-years-old. Helga is a school bully from a neglectful family; her parents lavish praise and expectations on her older sister Olga whilst ignoring their youngest child entirely to the point of forgetting her name and age sometimes. Helga's father is a borderline abusive, egotistical, self-absorbed and rough head of a beeper business (boy would he be bankrupt nowadays), and her mother is an alcoholic, as much as can be shown in a family Nickelodeon cartoon. Coming from a dysfunctional home like that, it's no wonder Helga is the way she is. She practically raised herself, forcing her to grow up too fast. She hates everybody except for the protagonist, Arnold, whom she is madly in love with but can only express it to him by hating his existence in order to hide the fact that she's scared of the risk of getting rejected by him also. So why bother being nice to him? The 'Hey Arnold!' episode, "Helga on the Couch", is one of the highlights of children's television animation in the nineties - it's so heartbreaking, and Helga's bullying and family problems are not played for laughs anymore (it's only recently that cartoons are even trying to achieve that level of mature character development again). Helga is almost full of negative, normally-unlikable traits; she has a violent temper, is selfish and greedy, she never receives punishment for bullying, treats her best friend Phoebe like a slave, and her obsession with Arnold is stalker-creepy. Hell, once she ended up sleeping in his closet, with him in the room, without him knowing. But Helga owns every single scene she is in, even those she isn't the focus of. The worst things keep happening to her in the show (I've never seen such great love and attention be paid to a character who is also a Butt Monkey), so it feels okay to feel sorry for her and understand her frustration with life (and again, she's only nine). She's sarcastic, more mean than not, a lonely cynic, and she exhibits signs of bipolar disorder in the show. Plus, she does good deeds, notably at Christmas time. Unlikable yet sympathetic, and a fascinating case study in childhood abuse, Helga Pataki is the kid that a lot of real kids identified with. Hopefully, though her spin-off series 'The Patakis', never got made (thanks, Nickelodeon), Helga will get a happy ending eventually. Let life be brighter for her and for children like her.
Happy holidays and new year, everyone x
First of all, Merry Christmas! Happy Yuletide season! Peace and love and care and kindness to all on this earth!
Now let me celebrate this glorious day by listing my favourite female Scrooges!
Jerks have always been associated with being male, as if it's exclusively a masculine character trait. These are the kind of people - in fiction since we wouldn't realistically want to meet them in person - who show little to no signs of owning a conscience. They say and do the terrible things that deep down we wish we could get away with, though we might not want to admit it. They are the cynics; the meanest of the mean; the rebels of decency; the life-ruining powerhouses; the charming, lovable embodiments of the Seven Deadly Sins; to them they see the world as it truly is and have no qualms in letting everyone else know about it. Yet, despite their general depravity, they do not cross the line so much that they become outright villains.
This list is dedicated to the females who possess these qualities we love to hate. Mainly because any woman who steps outside the boundaries of what's considered proper feminine behaviour is too often seen as... well, I don't think I need to finish that sentence; the evidence speaks for itself. And I don't want to be swearing and using hostile, misogynistic language at Christmas. These fictional girls and ladies are jerks, but miraculously we love them for it, feminine etiquette be darned. They can be as interesting and likeable as any male jerk, whom we as a society forgive for so much, even if they are unrepentant sociopaths. They need to be intentional jerks, too, who at least get called out on occasion, not accidental hypocrites and manipulators caused by bad writing.
So, who are the Top 10 Female Jerks I wish to bring to light this festive season? Start the countdown!
(Again, same rules as in my previous lists apply here: Fictional characters only, from one franchise, etc. Also, to keep this particular list fresh, no characters from my past lists will be on it.)
10. Sucy Manbavaran ('Little Witch Academia')
Sometimes you wonder why a main character is friends with that one character who doesn't seem to care about them at all, and treats them rather badly. As well as not making logical sense, it's generally a poor plot device. But somehow the dreary, never-smiling, potion-brewing, mushroom-obsessed Sucy, who actually calls Akko Kagari her best guinea pig, in all her short appearances in a small anime franchise, manages to be a favourite. Emotionless anime girl? She's a bit too eccentric for that. Her experiments on poor suffering human beings would make Wednesday Addams proud. Although in the short film, 'The Enchanted Parade', she does show signs of caring for her friends, if in her own special, Sucy way. The dry cynicism of her voice performance in both the Japanese and English dubs also contribute to her likeability somewhat. Sucy is a great witch in need of some serious social skills, but really, who would want her any other way?
9. Edina Monsoon ('Absolutely Fabulous')
Who says women don't have midlife crises? They just aren't allowed to in the patriarch's world; it would be too human of them. Edina from the British sitcom 'Absolutely Fabulous', played by the truly fabulous Jennifer Saunders, is a childish, promiscuous, rambunctious, alcoholic, drug-abusing, fad-chasing, twice-divorced middle-aged PR agent who in spite of her disastrous lifestyle is still somehow well-to-do and keeps a nice house and job. She is both every woman's dream and worst nightmare; a product of the best and worst of mainstream media and modern high society. Edina isn't deliberately a jerk or mean-spirited, unlike her best friend Patsy Stone (Joanna Lumley); she's merely extraordinarily ignorant of how the world works. She shows signs of a caring heart underneath all her loud, flashy clothes and terrible habits, albeit rarely. Walking the line between living life up to the full and wasting herself away at every moment, Eddie's not one of those tabloid-baited women who you want to see make a fool of herself for the sake of self-superiority, or even pity her. You may find yourself wanting her to succeed in her irresponsible endeavours, just so she can catch a break for once (a noteworthy feat considering how inexplicably rich she is). She's certainly no worse than her daughter Saffy, the queen of all stuffy, hypocritical cows. Edina Monsoon - a stupid, selfish, shallow, self-indulgent fame chaser - a cautionary tale to be sure - but we know that women and men like her do exist. And we wish we could be as lucky as she, but not so much.
8. Jessie ('Pokémon')
Yeah I know I'm cheating a little, as here is a canonical villain on the list. But honestly, to me Jessie of Team Rocket has always been too harmless to be close to how a traditional antagonist is. She lies, steals, betrays, and she's greedy. But her petty crimes (even when she once tried to steal Christmas) are nothing in comparison to the actions of most villains I can think of in kids' cartoons. Besides, 'Pokémon''s Jessie's larger-than-life, holier-than-thou personality is the true highlight of her character, bad guy or not. (Misty was almost added on here as well, but she's not a jerk, just bad-tempered). Jessie can be as foolish, deluded, overconfident, silly and conceited as any male comic relief baddies. She shows a kindling of a heart on special occasions, especially in the 'Pokémon' movies. Indeed she's not really evil, but misguided. Time and again Jessie demonstrates the vast complexities of her fabulous gender. She's definitely smarter than she lets on most of the time. She's proud of who she is, knows what she wants and demands it at all costs, and never gives up (seriously, she's been trying to steal the same Pikachu for over twenty years now; you have to admire her perseverance). An absurdly unstoppable force, and a cartoon joy who makes feminists love her too, Jessie is a jerk of metaphorical golden royalty and beauty. Team Queen Jessie!
7. Arisa Uotani ('Fruits Basket')
Last anime character on the list, I swear. Another complex jerk girl with a heart of gold, Arisa is a "Yankee" delinquent who, through a series of developments - as a child from an abusive, broken home, who then admires a biker-woman-turned-loving-mother - learns that true kindness exists in people in the world. It is this kindness which saves her life. Through heartbreak, tragedy and all sorts of emotional pain, she is rescued from the path to self-destruction by her friendship with the saint of all saints, Tohru Honda, whom she cares for more than anything since the death of Tohru's mother, her former idol. Arisa loved Tohru beforehand, though; she's not that terrible. She is still rather cruel and a bully at high school, but it is mostly to people who deserve it. A testament to the effectiveness of good will towards the hopeless, Arisa Uotani, like everyone in 'Fruits Basket', is as painfully human as they come. She suffers through so much, but gets better overtime due to love and kindness from others. Not such an uncaring cynic after all, I adore this female delinquent.
6. Cordelia Chase ('Buffy the Vampire Slayer')
How can someone who starts out as a typical high school mean girl - a walking, talking cliche - be in any way likeable? Cordelia demands that you know that she is the queen of her environment, who cares about her reputation literally more than human life. She's narcissistic, self-centered, shallow, thoughtless, upholds class-ism, and her priorities are skewered beyond comprehension. And yet, I remember her being one of my favourite characters in 'Buffy'. Cordelia exudes such confidence and personality; she fully embraces her bad qualities and doesn't pretend to be what she isn't. This is admirable in a woman living in modern society. This high society girl knows who she is and is honest about it, wearing it on her immaculate sleeve right down to the tips of her professionally-done nails. She does develop into a more believable person when she becomes part of the Scooby Gang, showing layers to her. Cordelia, most notably, as part of her flippant honesty which is mistaken for outright meanness, never forgives and never forgets: She is not a doormat in any way, or a submissive. When a character does something wrong, she will call them out and let them know they did wrong (mostly, anyway), politeness and episode-discontinuity be damned. How ironic that queen Cordelia Chase would be a go-to character for making others be accountable for their actions, but that is one of the many reasons why she can do infinitely better than Xander (hell, any girl can do better than Xander, but that's neither here nor there). I admit that I'm not a fan of 'Buffy' and haven't seen Cordelia in the spin-off, 'Angel', though I have heard that she gets the shaft and is treated awfully and offhandedly at the end of her character "arc" - partly due to Charisma Carpenter's real life pregnancy, thank you, Joss Whedon - despite her becoming a badass demon slayer. But in 'Buffy', poor Cordy certainly left too soon after the third season. There was always more to her than looks and reputation; Taking crap from no one, she - and Carpenter - deserved so much better. Miss Chase will be remembered as the shallowest, baddest good guy ever to manage to be likeable to watch and not be friends with.
5. Amanda Waller (DC Universe)
A government official. A powerful businesswoman. A professional, borderline sociopath with no superpowers at all who is smarter than Batman. And she's a middle-aged big woman of colour. But she isn't really like any of DC's rich villains, such as Lex Luthor or Maxwell Lord; what Amanda Waller does is what she believes is for the safety of everyone and the earth, even when her methods are ethically unsound. She doesn't care for morality in execution, only the end results. To call her a sociopath doesn't necessarily make her a villain; Amanda is an absolute hard-arse lady in any incarnation of her, be it comics, television or movies. She is the best character in the 'Suicide Squad' film (which isn't saying much, but still). Even in 'DC Super Hero Girls', in her most "watered-down" and "light" version of her personality, as a high school principle, she is still a character you do not want to mess with and get on her bad side. Indeed to call her a jerk is a majorly juvenile way of describing her. Amanda could not give less of a damn about what others think of her. Femininity is so far beneath her it doesn't exist to her; same goes for masculinity too, for that matter. No time for any of that socially-constructed nonsense for Amanda. Niceness is so far from her dictionary it's on the edge of space. Neither a fridged woman nor a love interest to anyone, the fearless, unbreakable Amanda Waller is who she is, and bless DC for creating a woman like her - highly impressive considering its regrettable track record of sexist female representation.
4. Angelica Pickles ('Rugrats')
A three-year-old is high on this list of jerks. That is how much of an impact Angelica Pickles from 'Rugrats' has had on the childhoods of nineties kids everywhere. A world famous cartoon spoilt brat so loud and bad she makes both babies and adults tremble in fear of her. You have to admire someone so young and gifted in the art of conniving and manipulation to get what she wants. While Angelica isn't really a well-developed character - for every good thing she does she goes right back to being bad fast - her personality is bigger than her size and wealth. No matter who you are or how old you are, she will either make your life hell or deal with you depending on how it benefits her. No situation is safe from her cruelty and scheming; she's a compulsive liar through and through. Angelica personifies the smart and charismatic potential of any toddler. She is going to succeed in whatever she wants when she grows up, you can tell ('All Grown Up'? Meh, what's that? Something that only existed for preteen angst). Angelica Pickles is an evil little girl with tiny sparks of unselfishness, but you've got to love her for it. A cartoon icon for the ages.
3. Louise Belcher ('Bob's Burgers')
From one child to another, Louise is a thirty-year-old angry comedy news anchor in a nine-year-old's body. Hyperactive, loud, bad-tempered, violent, greedy, and a scheming businessman in the making, Louise is Angelica in full bloom, but less spoilt. When little Louise sees any opportunity to make money, she grabs it by the horns in a death-grip and doesn't let go. She's also loyal to her family, when she's not scheming and backstabbing them as well. In these instances you glimpse a heart of gold underneath her pink bunny ear hat. It's brilliant and refreshing to see a female character like Louise Belcher in teen/adult cartoons, where a disturbing number of women and girl characters are ignored, abused, brushed aside, dumped in cliched sexist plots, and generally treated in the most misogynistic manner by (99% male) writers. They're just not allowed to be anywhere near as funny or multilayered as male characters generally are. But Louise, along with Linda and Tina, break that horrible cycle. They are funny and interesting. Louise is the clear jerk of the Belcher family, and like everyone else who has the honour of being here, there is no other way we would want her.
2. Mrs Raven ('My Hero')
Mrs Raven is a character from a long-forgotten British sitcom in the late nineties to the early 2000s, about a humanoid alien superhero and his abused, long-suffering human female partner. Arguably out of all the characters in that show, Mrs Raven was the breakout hit; the funniest of the lot. She's a receptionist of a local medical surgery who derives happiness from the suffering of patients and all of humanity. Having suffered life's many hardships and disappointments herself into her middle age - her husband left her to raise unlawful teenage triplets by herself before the start of the series - Mrs Raven will not let off on making others as miserable as she is. Joy at the misfortune of others is what motivates her every day. She's the quintessential queen of cynics and sociopaths; her only weakness is her lust for the otherworldly superhero Thermoman, precisely because he is not a human she has to deal with all the time. In typical sitcom fashion, it's a wonder she still has a job. Yet Mrs Raven really could do miles better than a receptionist job, and not just because of her nastiness, for she is very smart for someone from a small English town of Northholt. Yeah, this woman is a nasty, cruel, greedy and hate-filled piece of work who makes Scrooge look like an anime shoujo heroine. But like Basil Fawlty and Edmund Blackadder, there is a sense of satisfactory wish-fulfilment to be had with Mrs Raven, in saying and doing what we wish we could, and be able to get away with it. But we know we'd hate to actually meet them. Mrs Raven gets the funniest lines in the episodes of 'My Hero', and nearly everyone else around her is an idiot so her disposition is somewhat understandable, if not justifiable. Years after the sitcom went off the air, I remember Mrs Raven more than anything about it - that she outshines Ardal O'Hanlon (best known for playing Dougal from 'Father Ted') as a superhero really speaks volumes of her character. I will always have a fondness for her. Such nasty, horrid fun!
And my number 1 favourite female jerk is:
1. Helga Pataki ('Hey Arnold!')
A cartoon female jerk from the nineties more famous than Angelica Pickles, because she is more complex. And like Louise Belcher, she is only nine-years-old. Helga is a school bully from a neglectful family; her parents lavish praise and expectations on her older sister Olga whilst ignoring their youngest child entirely to the point of forgetting her name and age sometimes. Helga's father is a borderline abusive, egotistical, self-absorbed and rough head of a beeper business (boy would he be bankrupt nowadays), and her mother is an alcoholic, as much as can be shown in a family Nickelodeon cartoon. Coming from a dysfunctional home like that, it's no wonder Helga is the way she is. She practically raised herself, forcing her to grow up too fast. She hates everybody except for the protagonist, Arnold, whom she is madly in love with but can only express it to him by hating his existence in order to hide the fact that she's scared of the risk of getting rejected by him also. So why bother being nice to him? The 'Hey Arnold!' episode, "Helga on the Couch", is one of the highlights of children's television animation in the nineties - it's so heartbreaking, and Helga's bullying and family problems are not played for laughs anymore (it's only recently that cartoons are even trying to achieve that level of mature character development again). Helga is almost full of negative, normally-unlikable traits; she has a violent temper, is selfish and greedy, she never receives punishment for bullying, treats her best friend Phoebe like a slave, and her obsession with Arnold is stalker-creepy. Hell, once she ended up sleeping in his closet, with him in the room, without him knowing. But Helga owns every single scene she is in, even those she isn't the focus of. The worst things keep happening to her in the show (I've never seen such great love and attention be paid to a character who is also a Butt Monkey), so it feels okay to feel sorry for her and understand her frustration with life (and again, she's only nine). She's sarcastic, more mean than not, a lonely cynic, and she exhibits signs of bipolar disorder in the show. Plus, she does good deeds, notably at Christmas time. Unlikable yet sympathetic, and a fascinating case study in childhood abuse, Helga Pataki is the kid that a lot of real kids identified with. Hopefully, though her spin-off series 'The Patakis', never got made (thanks, Nickelodeon), Helga will get a happy ending eventually. Let life be brighter for her and for children like her.
Happy holidays and new year, everyone x
Happy Holidays! xx
Happy Christmas everyone! And I mean to one and all! Let love, caring, support, sharing, generosity and kindness spread all year round xx Have a wonderful day xx
Friday 23 December 2016
Top 10 More Favourite Female Characters
Well with the Winter Wonderland holidays not so far away now, I would like to compile a special list.
This is a follow-up to the Top 20 Favourite Female Characters list I did in the summer. I will count down an additional 10 amazing, well-written fictional ladies who didn't make the last list for one reason or another. Consider them to be honourable mentions.
Again, same rules apply to this list as did in my previous ones.
Seasons Greetings! As before, let's begin!
10. Mulan (Disney)
A kickass Asian heroine from Disney. Fa Mulan the warrior, the strategist, the pure-hearted, the saviour of China, was effortlessly introduced to the Western world in 1998. Why is Hollywood so obsessed with and insistent on casting white people in everything nowadays? Not letting Asian people be heroes in their own stories? Things were more experimental in the 1990s, and less racist. But anyway, I really adored Mulan as a kid, and not just because of her traditional feminine, made-up garb she is always advertised in. Come on Disney, just because she is disguised as a boy when she's a warrior doesn't mean she can't appeal to girls in that way. She's smart and resourceful, and also awkward, clumsy and relatable in trying to keep up with tradition as a girl when in her heart she knows it isn't who she is. She loves her humble family, and with her fierce spirit and determination to do right, she ends up saving her entire country. Now that is a revolutionary feat for a Disney princess! (Though she isn't actually a princess; she's included as such presumably for more racial diversity in the product line). Mulan possesses equal masculine and feminine traits in her, and she embraces the positives of both. She never expects rewards for her deeds, she just wishes to keep her loved ones safe. Her upbringing makes her a family woman above everything else, even a fighter. And she hugs the Emperor of China! Another thing that makes Mulan different from any other Disney princess at the time is her romance is downplayed; not made the center of her story. Her love interest, Captain Li Shang, is pretty cool too. Beautiful in her own way, courageous, shy, modest, cunning, and loving, Fa Mulan is all different kinds of brilliant.
9. Annie Wilkes ('Misery')
Hell hath no fury like the most obsessive fanatic! Annie Wilkes is a powerful, domineering figure in both literature and film. A larger-than-life villainess who represents every creative artist's worst nightmare: Not merely a critic but someone who loves the artist's work to the point of madness, and wants to have things their way. Once you are stuck in this unstable person's care/imprisonment, they will do anything to ensure you make their fantasies come true, including physical torture. And amputation. Annie is scary because of how human she is. She doesn't have any supernatural powers like in most of Stephen King's horror stories; she is a former nurse with diabetes, depression, an overeating problem, and who happens to own in her house in the snowy middle of nowhere all the weapons she can use to cause pain. Like a lawnmower. I recommend reading my review of the 'Misery' book to get a better idea of how truly insane, twisted and bloodthirsty Annie Wilkes is. She is someone who loves fiction more than reality; the lives of fictional characters are where she finds solace in her own dark, lonely, miserable life. Her mind is a complex, dreamlike labyrinth of horror. Up there with Hannibal Lector, Norman Bates and Patrick Bateman, Annie-cockadoodie-Wilkes is worthy of being seen as one of fiction's most famous psychopaths in the popular consciousness.
8. Jennifer "Jen" Scotts ('Power Rangers: Time Force')
I met Erin Cahill at the Ranger Stop 2016 con in Florida in November. She wanted to meet me after hearing about me from my boyfriend, a huge 'Power Ranger' fan. And good gracious she was one of the nicest people I've ever encountered; at least someone who's been on television, and who's been an idol of mine since childhood whom I'd forgotten about until I actually got to meet her. I cherish my photo with her. Jen from 'Time Force' is a pink Power Ranger who is an actual leader. She's fierce, unstoppable, willful, honest, and not afraid to say what she thinks. She knows what she is doing as a ranger and policewoman, and takes crap from no one. Though Jen comes across as bad tempered and bossy, she does show a hidden gentle side occasionally, plus a misplaced sense of humour. After the supposed tragic death of her fiance, she deals with grief in her own way, and learns to express herself more positively over time. She's just doing her job, too. 'Time Force' could be interpreted to be more about Jen and her development than it is about the traditional red ranger leader Wes, whom she becomes romantically involved. For even when she is part of a love triangle, she is still very clearly her own person, fighting her battles and saving the world and time itself. This is achieved through a combination of more mature writing than 'Power Rangers' is associated with, and Erin Cahill being one of the best actors in the entire franchise. While Kimberley from 'Mighty Morphin' is also cool in her own way, Jen as a pink ranger is unique, not like any of the others who are viewed as "girly" and are not nearly as memorable. What else can I say except Jen Scotts is awesome - an aspiration for girls wanting to be leaders.
7. Alex Craft ('The Female of the Species' by Mindy McGinnis)
Strange that I should include a YA book protagonist on this list. Karou from 'Daughter of Smoke and Bone' and Lex from 'Croak' came close. But Alex Craft, from a book I read only this year, is such a fascinating, captivating creation that I had to give her a place here. I love her to bits. She's a teenage killer who makes it her life's goal to right the wrongs of rapists and rape culture after her sister was murdered by a man who was later acquitted. Most men are disgusting and evil in her eyes, so they deserve torture, and to be wiped out from the unclean, misogynistic world. Alex is an avenging angel with inner turmoils that are written in a way that is on par with Raskolnikov's from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's 'Crime and Punishment'. At first remorseless, Alex soon spirals out of control with guilt. She reaches a point where she doesn't think she can stop herself in her vengeance, for she will not be satisfied until the world changes once and for all. She is not a sociopath - she shows more care towards abused animals than people - she is merely sick to death of the dangerous patriarchal world she is made to live in, where being female is seen as sinful in of itself. For more insights about her character check out my review of 'The Female of the Species' here. Alex Craft - a true tragic heroine and outcast in realistic fiction, like a junior Lisbeth Salander. A badass.
6. Erin Gilbert ('Ghostbusters (2016)')
Salutations for more women of science! Erin Gilbert, played by the funny and talented Kristen Wiig, is a college professor who goes through an arc of believing and disbelieving in ghosts and the paranormal, which have been big parts of her life. All while trying to keep her prestigious job, dignity and reputation intact. She is also an author, of 'Ghosts From Our Past' to be exact (I've yet to read the updated version, dit dee dee!). An ordinary woman who happened upon ghosts by chance in her childhood, Erin dedicated her life to science and teaching, specifically about protons, and exctoplasms and coolers. She gets shut down consistently for her beliefs and evidence throughout the film, and it frustrates her - any woman with an opinion, or a PHD, or in STEM can relate to and understand this. Yet with all her smarts and common sense, Erin still has a weakness for buff men like Kevin. I guess out of all the four female Ghostbusters to come out of the so-called "controversial" reboot in 2016, Erin is the one I relate to the most. She has brown hair, in any case. I even bought an action figure of her in Florida. She's a great hero with a great mind and heart, caring for her friends very much to the point of self-sacrifice. Science is fun. Paranormal investigations are fun. Pocket knives are useful tools, as well (but are NOT toys, as a disclosure).
5. Mikasa Ackerman ('Attack on Titan')
A fearless, fiercely talented, determination machine, half-Asian survivor. Not your typical Anime emotionless girl (or lord have mercy on you, a useless Shonen heroine), Mikasa is one of the newest female badasses on the block. Hell, her being a girl has nothing to do with anything; she demands respect in all of her glorious scenes. You do not want to get in her way. Again for more information, read my 'Attack on Titan' manga reviews, volumes one and two. Mikasa will live for herself and the people she loves more than anything in her whole hellish world, and when even that is lost, she does not give up. Her nature will not allow it. She is a Valkyrie. Incredible.
4. Rey ('Star Wars: The Force Awakens')
The 'Star Wars' film franchise's first female protagonist. And she is exceptional beyond words. Rey is a mechanic, a desert scavenger, a dealer, a fighter, a pilot, and yes, a Jedi. With her iconic hair and attire (harking back to Princess Leia, but still making Rey unique), she will become a hero to little girls and boys in the new generation of 'Star Wars' fans and in future ones. The impoverished orphan Rey is a determined and assertive heroine like many of the others on this list, and she is also generous (given her circumstances) and accepting of companionship in anyone, including a droid and a Stormtrooper. She is isolated and alone on her home planet of Jakku, fruitlessly waiting for her family to come for her from the stars, but she doesn't allow anyone to hold her hand or save her when she gets into trouble; she proves she can handle herself. Rey, on her Hero's Journey, is a reluctant and stubborn young protagonist, especially when she realizes she cannot keep waiting forever on Jakku and must follow a destiny to bring balance to the Force like Luke Skywalker before her. She knows what a galaxy-sized responsibility that is, and doubts herself as a human would. But she finds her way through any situation, and develops into a stronger character as the film progresses, as a real hero should. Rey is not, as her detractors accuse her of being, a Mary Sue - she is like any other male hero in fantasy and science fiction films. So what if she's multi-talented? She's a survivor on a desolate home world, she needs more than one skill set. Do people just not like a competent woman on film? It's 2015-2016, can we please get over this bullshit idea that woman are weak and useless at everything already? Rey - a refreshing take on female heroes in modern action science fiction films that follow a Hero's Journey. What took them so long?
3. Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) (Marvel)
I already said what I wanted to say about Captain Marvel in my comic book reviews about her and in my Top 10 Favourite Female Superheroes list, so I won't repeat myself. It's Carol Danvers. Just Carol freaking Danvers. (One new thing I'll say is that I recently read one comic of her as Ms Marvel. All I can say is, "Wow, Carol was such a tool for so long. It's amazing how she managed to be saved eventually, and all it took was a new identity, position and attitude." Bravo, Kelly Sue DeConnick, bravo.)
2. Matilda Wormwood ('Matilda')
Another one of my childhood heroes. Little Matilda Wormwood is a genius. A bookworm and gentle soul growing up in a horrible family and school environment that doesn't appreciate her gifts. An adorable six-year-old who represents how wonderful and remarkable children can be if only society would listen to them and challenge them instead of stifling them and their potential and generally treating them like they're stupid, so they grow up to be stupid. Schools shouldn't do this! Matilda also develops telekinetic powers when she is stressed. How whimsical and charming! She has limits as well, as she gets frustrated at the ignorance and shortsightedness of adults as any child would. She plays pranks on bad people as any child would, too. Her friendship with the only decent adult she knows, her teacher Miss Honey, is delightful and sweet, and paramount to the positive, helpful relationships adults and children can have with one another. A beacon of innocence and growing intelligence, and bewitching in her own light, Matilda Wormwood is a gem of a little girl any loving parent would be proud of. I know I'd be over the moon to have her as my daughter. So cute!
And my number one pick is:
1. Moana (Disney)
Yes, it's another Disney princess! The most recent one! No other way of putting it, Moana is a star. A Polynesian, POC princess with a plausible anatomy, she is a girl with heaps of responsibility placed on her shoulders - as a chief's daughter and a "Chosen One" on a dangerous sea voyage quest filled with gods and monsters, in order to save the world and set nature right again. Like a typical Disney princess, she yearns for more in her life outside of her closed-off home - the island of Motunui, a safe haven and "paradise" - but she is also a reluctant heroine on a Hero's Journey. Moana is a character who is torn: She is a seeker of truth, and honestly loves her people and culture enough to at least try to avoid her destiny to stay at home to guide them and make tough decisions for them. But in spite of her efforts, the call of the ocean is too much for her seafarer's heart to bear. It is important she follow its current course, in fact. Though she is capable, young Moana is still learning, and she doubts herself throughout her travels far away from home. She makes mistakes, causing her to have setbacks. But when she needs to she will have the heart to keep on trying. Literally the fate of the world depends on her, a mere mortal with a voyager's blood and spirit. I also love that, although it is mentioned in the film that Motunui has always been ruled over by the men in Moana's family before her, there is never any thought given to whether a girl can be a chief. Moana proves herself, through trial and error, to be an adventurer, a leader and peacemaker she never dreamed she could be. A girl - a non-white girl - who is a "Chosen One" in a story about saving the world, and it isn't half-arsed. Not a romance in sight either! Caring and passionate, Moana harbours both the old and new traits of every Disney princess in the last twenty-five years. But she is not to be dismissed as only a chief's daughter. Moana is a hero, through and through. Disney has been making big leaps in animated storytelling in recent years, and 'Moana' is a much-needed revolutionary. For hope if nothing else.
This is a follow-up to the Top 20 Favourite Female Characters list I did in the summer. I will count down an additional 10 amazing, well-written fictional ladies who didn't make the last list for one reason or another. Consider them to be honourable mentions.
Again, same rules apply to this list as did in my previous ones.
Seasons Greetings! As before, let's begin!
10. Mulan (Disney)
A kickass Asian heroine from Disney. Fa Mulan the warrior, the strategist, the pure-hearted, the saviour of China, was effortlessly introduced to the Western world in 1998. Why is Hollywood so obsessed with and insistent on casting white people in everything nowadays? Not letting Asian people be heroes in their own stories? Things were more experimental in the 1990s, and less racist. But anyway, I really adored Mulan as a kid, and not just because of her traditional feminine, made-up garb she is always advertised in. Come on Disney, just because she is disguised as a boy when she's a warrior doesn't mean she can't appeal to girls in that way. She's smart and resourceful, and also awkward, clumsy and relatable in trying to keep up with tradition as a girl when in her heart she knows it isn't who she is. She loves her humble family, and with her fierce spirit and determination to do right, she ends up saving her entire country. Now that is a revolutionary feat for a Disney princess! (Though she isn't actually a princess; she's included as such presumably for more racial diversity in the product line). Mulan possesses equal masculine and feminine traits in her, and she embraces the positives of both. She never expects rewards for her deeds, she just wishes to keep her loved ones safe. Her upbringing makes her a family woman above everything else, even a fighter. And she hugs the Emperor of China! Another thing that makes Mulan different from any other Disney princess at the time is her romance is downplayed; not made the center of her story. Her love interest, Captain Li Shang, is pretty cool too. Beautiful in her own way, courageous, shy, modest, cunning, and loving, Fa Mulan is all different kinds of brilliant.
9. Annie Wilkes ('Misery')
Hell hath no fury like the most obsessive fanatic! Annie Wilkes is a powerful, domineering figure in both literature and film. A larger-than-life villainess who represents every creative artist's worst nightmare: Not merely a critic but someone who loves the artist's work to the point of madness, and wants to have things their way. Once you are stuck in this unstable person's care/imprisonment, they will do anything to ensure you make their fantasies come true, including physical torture. And amputation. Annie is scary because of how human she is. She doesn't have any supernatural powers like in most of Stephen King's horror stories; she is a former nurse with diabetes, depression, an overeating problem, and who happens to own in her house in the snowy middle of nowhere all the weapons she can use to cause pain. Like a lawnmower. I recommend reading my review of the 'Misery' book to get a better idea of how truly insane, twisted and bloodthirsty Annie Wilkes is. She is someone who loves fiction more than reality; the lives of fictional characters are where she finds solace in her own dark, lonely, miserable life. Her mind is a complex, dreamlike labyrinth of horror. Up there with Hannibal Lector, Norman Bates and Patrick Bateman, Annie-cockadoodie-Wilkes is worthy of being seen as one of fiction's most famous psychopaths in the popular consciousness.
8. Jennifer "Jen" Scotts ('Power Rangers: Time Force')
I met Erin Cahill at the Ranger Stop 2016 con in Florida in November. She wanted to meet me after hearing about me from my boyfriend, a huge 'Power Ranger' fan. And good gracious she was one of the nicest people I've ever encountered; at least someone who's been on television, and who's been an idol of mine since childhood whom I'd forgotten about until I actually got to meet her. I cherish my photo with her. Jen from 'Time Force' is a pink Power Ranger who is an actual leader. She's fierce, unstoppable, willful, honest, and not afraid to say what she thinks. She knows what she is doing as a ranger and policewoman, and takes crap from no one. Though Jen comes across as bad tempered and bossy, she does show a hidden gentle side occasionally, plus a misplaced sense of humour. After the supposed tragic death of her fiance, she deals with grief in her own way, and learns to express herself more positively over time. She's just doing her job, too. 'Time Force' could be interpreted to be more about Jen and her development than it is about the traditional red ranger leader Wes, whom she becomes romantically involved. For even when she is part of a love triangle, she is still very clearly her own person, fighting her battles and saving the world and time itself. This is achieved through a combination of more mature writing than 'Power Rangers' is associated with, and Erin Cahill being one of the best actors in the entire franchise. While Kimberley from 'Mighty Morphin' is also cool in her own way, Jen as a pink ranger is unique, not like any of the others who are viewed as "girly" and are not nearly as memorable. What else can I say except Jen Scotts is awesome - an aspiration for girls wanting to be leaders.
7. Alex Craft ('The Female of the Species' by Mindy McGinnis)
Strange that I should include a YA book protagonist on this list. Karou from 'Daughter of Smoke and Bone' and Lex from 'Croak' came close. But Alex Craft, from a book I read only this year, is such a fascinating, captivating creation that I had to give her a place here. I love her to bits. She's a teenage killer who makes it her life's goal to right the wrongs of rapists and rape culture after her sister was murdered by a man who was later acquitted. Most men are disgusting and evil in her eyes, so they deserve torture, and to be wiped out from the unclean, misogynistic world. Alex is an avenging angel with inner turmoils that are written in a way that is on par with Raskolnikov's from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's 'Crime and Punishment'. At first remorseless, Alex soon spirals out of control with guilt. She reaches a point where she doesn't think she can stop herself in her vengeance, for she will not be satisfied until the world changes once and for all. She is not a sociopath - she shows more care towards abused animals than people - she is merely sick to death of the dangerous patriarchal world she is made to live in, where being female is seen as sinful in of itself. For more insights about her character check out my review of 'The Female of the Species' here. Alex Craft - a true tragic heroine and outcast in realistic fiction, like a junior Lisbeth Salander. A badass.
6. Erin Gilbert ('Ghostbusters (2016)')
Salutations for more women of science! Erin Gilbert, played by the funny and talented Kristen Wiig, is a college professor who goes through an arc of believing and disbelieving in ghosts and the paranormal, which have been big parts of her life. All while trying to keep her prestigious job, dignity and reputation intact. She is also an author, of 'Ghosts From Our Past' to be exact (I've yet to read the updated version, dit dee dee!). An ordinary woman who happened upon ghosts by chance in her childhood, Erin dedicated her life to science and teaching, specifically about protons, and exctoplasms and coolers. She gets shut down consistently for her beliefs and evidence throughout the film, and it frustrates her - any woman with an opinion, or a PHD, or in STEM can relate to and understand this. Yet with all her smarts and common sense, Erin still has a weakness for buff men like Kevin. I guess out of all the four female Ghostbusters to come out of the so-called "controversial" reboot in 2016, Erin is the one I relate to the most. She has brown hair, in any case. I even bought an action figure of her in Florida. She's a great hero with a great mind and heart, caring for her friends very much to the point of self-sacrifice. Science is fun. Paranormal investigations are fun. Pocket knives are useful tools, as well (but are NOT toys, as a disclosure).
5. Mikasa Ackerman ('Attack on Titan')
A fearless, fiercely talented, determination machine, half-Asian survivor. Not your typical Anime emotionless girl (or lord have mercy on you, a useless Shonen heroine), Mikasa is one of the newest female badasses on the block. Hell, her being a girl has nothing to do with anything; she demands respect in all of her glorious scenes. You do not want to get in her way. Again for more information, read my 'Attack on Titan' manga reviews, volumes one and two. Mikasa will live for herself and the people she loves more than anything in her whole hellish world, and when even that is lost, she does not give up. Her nature will not allow it. She is a Valkyrie. Incredible.
4. Rey ('Star Wars: The Force Awakens')
The 'Star Wars' film franchise's first female protagonist. And she is exceptional beyond words. Rey is a mechanic, a desert scavenger, a dealer, a fighter, a pilot, and yes, a Jedi. With her iconic hair and attire (harking back to Princess Leia, but still making Rey unique), she will become a hero to little girls and boys in the new generation of 'Star Wars' fans and in future ones. The impoverished orphan Rey is a determined and assertive heroine like many of the others on this list, and she is also generous (given her circumstances) and accepting of companionship in anyone, including a droid and a Stormtrooper. She is isolated and alone on her home planet of Jakku, fruitlessly waiting for her family to come for her from the stars, but she doesn't allow anyone to hold her hand or save her when she gets into trouble; she proves she can handle herself. Rey, on her Hero's Journey, is a reluctant and stubborn young protagonist, especially when she realizes she cannot keep waiting forever on Jakku and must follow a destiny to bring balance to the Force like Luke Skywalker before her. She knows what a galaxy-sized responsibility that is, and doubts herself as a human would. But she finds her way through any situation, and develops into a stronger character as the film progresses, as a real hero should. Rey is not, as her detractors accuse her of being, a Mary Sue - she is like any other male hero in fantasy and science fiction films. So what if she's multi-talented? She's a survivor on a desolate home world, she needs more than one skill set. Do people just not like a competent woman on film? It's 2015-2016, can we please get over this bullshit idea that woman are weak and useless at everything already? Rey - a refreshing take on female heroes in modern action science fiction films that follow a Hero's Journey. What took them so long?
3. Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) (Marvel)
I already said what I wanted to say about Captain Marvel in my comic book reviews about her and in my Top 10 Favourite Female Superheroes list, so I won't repeat myself. It's Carol Danvers. Just Carol freaking Danvers. (One new thing I'll say is that I recently read one comic of her as Ms Marvel. All I can say is, "Wow, Carol was such a tool for so long. It's amazing how she managed to be saved eventually, and all it took was a new identity, position and attitude." Bravo, Kelly Sue DeConnick, bravo.)
2. Matilda Wormwood ('Matilda')
Another one of my childhood heroes. Little Matilda Wormwood is a genius. A bookworm and gentle soul growing up in a horrible family and school environment that doesn't appreciate her gifts. An adorable six-year-old who represents how wonderful and remarkable children can be if only society would listen to them and challenge them instead of stifling them and their potential and generally treating them like they're stupid, so they grow up to be stupid. Schools shouldn't do this! Matilda also develops telekinetic powers when she is stressed. How whimsical and charming! She has limits as well, as she gets frustrated at the ignorance and shortsightedness of adults as any child would. She plays pranks on bad people as any child would, too. Her friendship with the only decent adult she knows, her teacher Miss Honey, is delightful and sweet, and paramount to the positive, helpful relationships adults and children can have with one another. A beacon of innocence and growing intelligence, and bewitching in her own light, Matilda Wormwood is a gem of a little girl any loving parent would be proud of. I know I'd be over the moon to have her as my daughter. So cute!
And my number one pick is:
1. Moana (Disney)
Yes, it's another Disney princess! The most recent one! No other way of putting it, Moana is a star. A Polynesian, POC princess with a plausible anatomy, she is a girl with heaps of responsibility placed on her shoulders - as a chief's daughter and a "Chosen One" on a dangerous sea voyage quest filled with gods and monsters, in order to save the world and set nature right again. Like a typical Disney princess, she yearns for more in her life outside of her closed-off home - the island of Motunui, a safe haven and "paradise" - but she is also a reluctant heroine on a Hero's Journey. Moana is a character who is torn: She is a seeker of truth, and honestly loves her people and culture enough to at least try to avoid her destiny to stay at home to guide them and make tough decisions for them. But in spite of her efforts, the call of the ocean is too much for her seafarer's heart to bear. It is important she follow its current course, in fact. Though she is capable, young Moana is still learning, and she doubts herself throughout her travels far away from home. She makes mistakes, causing her to have setbacks. But when she needs to she will have the heart to keep on trying. Literally the fate of the world depends on her, a mere mortal with a voyager's blood and spirit. I also love that, although it is mentioned in the film that Motunui has always been ruled over by the men in Moana's family before her, there is never any thought given to whether a girl can be a chief. Moana proves herself, through trial and error, to be an adventurer, a leader and peacemaker she never dreamed she could be. A girl - a non-white girl - who is a "Chosen One" in a story about saving the world, and it isn't half-arsed. Not a romance in sight either! Caring and passionate, Moana harbours both the old and new traits of every Disney princess in the last twenty-five years. But she is not to be dismissed as only a chief's daughter. Moana is a hero, through and through. Disney has been making big leaps in animated storytelling in recent years, and 'Moana' is a much-needed revolutionary. For hope if nothing else.
Wednesday 21 December 2016
Top 10 Worst Books of 2016
Now for my Top 10 Worst Books of 2016:
10. 'The Untold Tale' (So very, very disappointed. Started off with so much promise, but then literally the last 90 pages ruin everything it was trying to accomplish. Subversive fantasy, I think not. I'm sorry, but this turned out to be an insult. There must be better fantasy books that tackle rape culture and toxic masculinity, surely)
9. 'Star Wars: Princess Leia' (What the hell? This could and should have been so much better. But there were no meat and bones to the story or the characters. So lifeless)
8. 'Lives of Girls and Women' (What happens in this book again?)
7. 'Skulduggery Pleasant: The Dying of the Light' (One of the most disappointing finales to a book series I've ever read. Valkyrie Cain is one of the most useless, pathetic heroines I've read about. After all this time, she was never meant to be a hero, but just cannon fodder. Also, far too many characters I could not care less about, and why don't people just die and stay dead in this series!? Nine books, and what a careless conclusion)
6. 'The Tale of Kitty In Boots' (Beatrix Potter wrote this. Seriously? The story is like antifeminist propaganda. But at least it's only a short picture book. Keep out of reach of impressionable children)
5. 'Villette' (I read this drab slog-fest to the end, and it wasn't worth it. I suppose 'Jane Eyre' is Charlotte Bronte's only magnum opus, or the novel she made the most effort to write during a happy time in her life)
4. 'The Raven Boys' (I don't understand why this is such a popular YA book. I found it boring, and the characters are stock clichés. Forbidden love at its most needlessly melodramatic, and why include a love triangle at all; it's terribly obvious who will end up with who in later books. Books I certainly will not bother with)
3. 'The Lie Tree' (A book from this year I felt I genuinely hated. A mixture of disappointment, anger, boredom and frustration whilst reading this woefully misguided attempt at feminist historical fiction. I did not care one iota about any of the characters, except for one of the main character's maids. Nearly all the men are portrayed as evil, conniving, bitter arseholes who cheat and murder in order to take credit for women's hard work. Spoiler: The main villain turns out to be a woman. *screams internally*. The female lead's father is a cartoon caricature who denounces his daughter, in the most unbelievably hostile dialogue I've ever read, for her very existence, because she was born with a vagina. He could not die soon enough. Yet the abused lead still loves and supports him even after finding out the horrible things he had done. WTF? Some strong, smart heroine. The mystery is decent, but I'm sorry to say that Frances Hardinge's writing just isn't for me)
2. 'Chime' (It's not that it's weird or hard to understand. I understood this book and could read it fine; the writing is not that special. The main character, however, is a mass of contradictions, and I could not bring myself to care about anyone in the slow, dull story. The romance had no substance whatsoever, there was hardly any emotional investment, and the "twist" ending is trite, predictable and reinforces fairy tale female stereotyping, in a supposedly mature fantasy YA)
1. 'Supergirl Vol. 1: The Girl of Steel' (One of the worst comic books I've ever read, period. What is this mess of non-connected issues pasted into a single volume? I can gather that the people who would want to read this are fans of the new 'Supergirl' TV series; who would want an introduction to the character they grew to love as she was in the original comics. Reading her roots, as it were. Boy will they be in for a shock when they find out how DC had been treating her in the past. Supergirl, in all the issues of this slapped-together volume, is a weak-willed, pathetic, selfish and childish nonentity. Her inner thoughts are generic, and her actions are constantly being monitored and controlled by the men in her life; including Superman, Batman, her dead father, and her arsehole boyfriend. Everyone's an arsehole or an idiot or both here. There's no fun, sense or logic to be had anywhere. Supergirl has no agency - this trash is barely even about her at all - and it is clear the writers see her as nothing more than Superman's distaff counterpart, and therefore she will never be as good and beloved as he is. Oh and let's not forget how she's drawn like a serious anorexic, and at seemingly every opportunity is put in a shower so we can leer at her naked body. She's meant to be sixteen-years-old, for fuck's sake! This comic is full of fail. So yeah, I recommend sticking to the CBS/CW television series, where the Girl of Steel is treated with respect, and is really so much more competently-written)
10. 'The Untold Tale' (So very, very disappointed. Started off with so much promise, but then literally the last 90 pages ruin everything it was trying to accomplish. Subversive fantasy, I think not. I'm sorry, but this turned out to be an insult. There must be better fantasy books that tackle rape culture and toxic masculinity, surely)
9. 'Star Wars: Princess Leia' (What the hell? This could and should have been so much better. But there were no meat and bones to the story or the characters. So lifeless)
8. 'Lives of Girls and Women' (What happens in this book again?)
7. 'Skulduggery Pleasant: The Dying of the Light' (One of the most disappointing finales to a book series I've ever read. Valkyrie Cain is one of the most useless, pathetic heroines I've read about. After all this time, she was never meant to be a hero, but just cannon fodder. Also, far too many characters I could not care less about, and why don't people just die and stay dead in this series!? Nine books, and what a careless conclusion)
6. 'The Tale of Kitty In Boots' (Beatrix Potter wrote this. Seriously? The story is like antifeminist propaganda. But at least it's only a short picture book. Keep out of reach of impressionable children)
5. 'Villette' (I read this drab slog-fest to the end, and it wasn't worth it. I suppose 'Jane Eyre' is Charlotte Bronte's only magnum opus, or the novel she made the most effort to write during a happy time in her life)
4. 'The Raven Boys' (I don't understand why this is such a popular YA book. I found it boring, and the characters are stock clichés. Forbidden love at its most needlessly melodramatic, and why include a love triangle at all; it's terribly obvious who will end up with who in later books. Books I certainly will not bother with)
3. 'The Lie Tree' (A book from this year I felt I genuinely hated. A mixture of disappointment, anger, boredom and frustration whilst reading this woefully misguided attempt at feminist historical fiction. I did not care one iota about any of the characters, except for one of the main character's maids. Nearly all the men are portrayed as evil, conniving, bitter arseholes who cheat and murder in order to take credit for women's hard work. Spoiler: The main villain turns out to be a woman. *screams internally*. The female lead's father is a cartoon caricature who denounces his daughter, in the most unbelievably hostile dialogue I've ever read, for her very existence, because she was born with a vagina. He could not die soon enough. Yet the abused lead still loves and supports him even after finding out the horrible things he had done. WTF? Some strong, smart heroine. The mystery is decent, but I'm sorry to say that Frances Hardinge's writing just isn't for me)
2. 'Chime' (It's not that it's weird or hard to understand. I understood this book and could read it fine; the writing is not that special. The main character, however, is a mass of contradictions, and I could not bring myself to care about anyone in the slow, dull story. The romance had no substance whatsoever, there was hardly any emotional investment, and the "twist" ending is trite, predictable and reinforces fairy tale female stereotyping, in a supposedly mature fantasy YA)
1. 'Supergirl Vol. 1: The Girl of Steel' (One of the worst comic books I've ever read, period. What is this mess of non-connected issues pasted into a single volume? I can gather that the people who would want to read this are fans of the new 'Supergirl' TV series; who would want an introduction to the character they grew to love as she was in the original comics. Reading her roots, as it were. Boy will they be in for a shock when they find out how DC had been treating her in the past. Supergirl, in all the issues of this slapped-together volume, is a weak-willed, pathetic, selfish and childish nonentity. Her inner thoughts are generic, and her actions are constantly being monitored and controlled by the men in her life; including Superman, Batman, her dead father, and her arsehole boyfriend. Everyone's an arsehole or an idiot or both here. There's no fun, sense or logic to be had anywhere. Supergirl has no agency - this trash is barely even about her at all - and it is clear the writers see her as nothing more than Superman's distaff counterpart, and therefore she will never be as good and beloved as he is. Oh and let's not forget how she's drawn like a serious anorexic, and at seemingly every opportunity is put in a shower so we can leer at her naked body. She's meant to be sixteen-years-old, for fuck's sake! This comic is full of fail. So yeah, I recommend sticking to the CBS/CW television series, where the Girl of Steel is treated with respect, and is really so much more competently-written)
Another Top 10 Books of 2016
So that no one is left out, here's my runner-up Top 10 Best Books of 2016:
10. 'Heroine Complex' (So many diverse female characters! Funny, action-packed, silly and surprising)
9. 'The Princess and the Pony' (Very cute feminist picture book for children)
8. 'The Secret Loves of Geek Girls' (Haven't read anything like it before. Fantastic nonfiction about, by and for feminist geek women)
7. 'Princeless: Raven the Pirate Princess Book 1' (Another triumph for feminism and geek culture this year! Colourful, fun and effortlessly diverse)
6. 'Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story From China' (Atmospheric and creepy classic children's picture book. A whole different take on Little Red Riding Hood, in China)
5. 'All the Rage' (Important. I can't stress this enough. One of the best books to expose and dismantle rape and rape culture. This is what YA is meant to be)
4. 'Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda' (An adorable LBGQ YA book, just like a box of chocolates. Or Oreos)
3. 'Skellig' (Quite simply, it's lovely. An euphoric and charming short fantasy/magical realism book)
2. 'The Other Alice' (One of the most enchanting, clever fantasies I've ever read, and it's a children's book that only came out this year!)
1. 'Girl Up' (A teenage girl's survivor's guide. Another essential nonfiction feminist text, and another success by Laura Bates)
10. 'Heroine Complex' (So many diverse female characters! Funny, action-packed, silly and surprising)
9. 'The Princess and the Pony' (Very cute feminist picture book for children)
8. 'The Secret Loves of Geek Girls' (Haven't read anything like it before. Fantastic nonfiction about, by and for feminist geek women)
7. 'Princeless: Raven the Pirate Princess Book 1' (Another triumph for feminism and geek culture this year! Colourful, fun and effortlessly diverse)
6. 'Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story From China' (Atmospheric and creepy classic children's picture book. A whole different take on Little Red Riding Hood, in China)
5. 'All the Rage' (Important. I can't stress this enough. One of the best books to expose and dismantle rape and rape culture. This is what YA is meant to be)
4. 'Simon vs the Homo Sapiens Agenda' (An adorable LBGQ YA book, just like a box of chocolates. Or Oreos)
3. 'Skellig' (Quite simply, it's lovely. An euphoric and charming short fantasy/magical realism book)
2. 'The Other Alice' (One of the most enchanting, clever fantasies I've ever read, and it's a children's book that only came out this year!)
1. 'Girl Up' (A teenage girl's survivor's guide. Another essential nonfiction feminist text, and another success by Laura Bates)
Top 10 Best Books of 2016
I've read a record-breaking 140 books this year! Here is my Top 10 Best Books of 2016 list:
10. 'Adulthood is a Myth' (Best comedy. So funny, and so relatable)
9. 'The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl' (Incredibly touching, funny, adorable and sweet contemporary YA)
8. 'Wonder Woman: The True Amazon' (Best 'Wonder Woman' comic I've read so far)
7. 'Princess Princess Ever After' (Best children's book. This is the future, and it makes the future look hopeful and positive)
6. 'Zodiac Starforce' (Best graphic novel. A great love letter to Magical Girl fans, with or without nostalgia or a zeitgeist view)
5. 'Carol' (Best classic. A mature, non-fantasy 'Princess Princess Ever After'. Wonderfully well-written)
4. 'The Female of the Species' (Best YA. A tragedy that gives YA a good name. A rape culture destroyer)
3. 'We Should All Be Feminists' (Best non-fiction feminist text. Anyone can and should read this little book adapted from a TED Talks speech)
2. 'the princess saves herself in this one' (Best poetry. Agonizingly sad yet beautiful modern poetry. A life changer, if not a complete trauma-tizer. Another abuse and rape culture destroyer)
1. 'The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate' (Simply outstanding. Fucking gorgeous. Best book I've read this year, no doubt)
10. 'Adulthood is a Myth' (Best comedy. So funny, and so relatable)
9. 'The Incredible Adventures of Cinnamon Girl' (Incredibly touching, funny, adorable and sweet contemporary YA)
8. 'Wonder Woman: The True Amazon' (Best 'Wonder Woman' comic I've read so far)
7. 'Princess Princess Ever After' (Best children's book. This is the future, and it makes the future look hopeful and positive)
6. 'Zodiac Starforce' (Best graphic novel. A great love letter to Magical Girl fans, with or without nostalgia or a zeitgeist view)
5. 'Carol' (Best classic. A mature, non-fantasy 'Princess Princess Ever After'. Wonderfully well-written)
4. 'The Female of the Species' (Best YA. A tragedy that gives YA a good name. A rape culture destroyer)
3. 'We Should All Be Feminists' (Best non-fiction feminist text. Anyone can and should read this little book adapted from a TED Talks speech)
2. 'the princess saves herself in this one' (Best poetry. Agonizingly sad yet beautiful modern poetry. A life changer, if not a complete trauma-tizer. Another abuse and rape culture destroyer)
1. 'The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate' (Simply outstanding. Fucking gorgeous. Best book I've read this year, no doubt)
Tuesday 20 December 2016
Scribble #40
An update from Goodreads I made a while ago:
Why is it that when a genuinely strong female character is made, her creators have an almost compulsory want to put her in a love triangle? She's still a prize for men to win, then, regardless of what she accomplishes?
Is this so the straight male gaze can feel comfortable knowing she'll settle down with any different man at her side? She should be liked on her own - and women have more than one personality type!
Why is it that when a genuinely strong female character is made, her creators have an almost compulsory want to put her in a love triangle? She's still a prize for men to win, then, regardless of what she accomplishes?
Is this so the straight male gaze can feel comfortable knowing she'll settle down with any different man at her side? She should be liked on her own - and women have more than one personality type!
Scribble #39
Writing Tip they don't teach you in books or school:
No matter your metaphor, context matters. If you sacrifice realism, common sense and consistent characterization in your story for the sake of a moral, especially if it's so obvious and over-the-top in execution, then it's a lose-lose situation: No one is going to take anything about your story seriously. Again, context matters. Metaphor is subtext. Strawmen and stereotypes are lazy devices.
Sunday 18 December 2016
Graphic Novel Review - 'Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death' by Amy Chu (Writer), Ethan Van Sciver (Artist), Cliff Richards (Artist)
'Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death' has its flaws, but damn did it make me feel warm and good after reading. I've read so many disappointing books recently that I've been in kind of a slump - not the best way to end the year, for sure - but maybe something fun was what I needed. And Poison Ivy's first solo comic miniseries is anything but poisonous. It's a light refreshment, or like a break to have a girls' night out, complete with a makeover and dancing. No alcohol required.
I had never really cared for Batman's plant-controlling femme fatale adversary in the past - far too many of her incarnations are scantily-clad and exploitative. She's a misogynist's wet dream, with her sexual allure portrayed in a negative light (female villains can be sexy, of course, but it shouldn't be the reason why she's a villain to begin with), and her deadly kisses and lack of a real personality outside of sultry Eco-terrorist who cares more for plant life than human life. A grown woman who knows what she wants, sure, but Poison Ivy to me always represented the most stereotypical negative traits associated with being female; right down to using the power she has - her intelligence and sexuality - to seduce, control and kill men. And she's as boring as moss growing on a plank of wood. Clearly Ivy's male writers and artists were "preoccupied" with her body rather than her as a person.
However, her friendship with the jovial Harley Quinn may have saved her character, in my opinion. The partnership is so complex and entertaining in how they interact and bounce off of one another. Harley and Ivy are even canonically a romantic pair now, which, after many years of seeing how their game-changing and irresistible coupling has progressed, makes perfect sense.
'Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death', written by Amy Chu, sees Dr. Pamela Isley, aka Poison Ivy, as: A brilliant scientist; a thawing ice queen towards humanity; a lover of all plants and trees and their intricacies (she can talk to them through "the green"); a mystery solver (one character remarks that it feels like they're in a Scooby Doo episode, very funny); a mother hen caring for female human/vegetable/flower hybrids; and an all-around semi-reformed villainess taking control of her life after leaving the Gotham City Sirens behind.
There are cameos from Harley (there's a little like a lovers' spat between the two, if in a queer-baiting subtext, and it's resolved nicely in the end), and Catwoman. No Batman or any other famous villains here. Hurrah! Plus Ivy is given a new friend, Darshan Bapna, who is a POC and an interesting, funny character in his own right. Ivy doesn't form any romantic attachments to anyone in her comic; except Harley, but that could've benefited from being a lot clearer.
Poison Ivy without a male love interest? Hallelujah! Praise Gotham for its unlivable hellhole and swine!
Also, huge bonus for the commentary on how sexist men think women in STEM fields are "a distraction", and showing that touching a woman without her consent is definitely wrong.
Despite the miniseries's good characterizations, richness and good humour, I am well aware it has problems. Pam is still drawn to wear little clothing even when it's impractical, and is subjected to T&A shots - where it looks like she had breast implants in between chapters and panels. It is so ridiculous.
Like the cover of the book itself.
The creative team apparently decided that the best way to introduce a fresh, new Poison Ivy to new and old fans alike is to have her pose sexually, porn-style. Of course. Not like it's 2016 and we should know better when portraying women by now, or anything. The cover alone almost made me want to skip reading the book, not giving me anything I haven't seen hundreds of times before. Fanservice = sexist, objectifying, degrading, pointless (we've had the internet for twenty years - why do comics still do it!?), exhausting, and boring.
Then there's Pam's morality curve and scale, or lack of. I guess her murdering two men - one a stalkerish, sexist pig and the other a dog abuser - is meant to show her struggle in changing her villainous, human-hating (or, specifically, man-hating) ways. That she can't help herself sometimes, for old habits die hard. But she is absolutely remorseless throughout, and there is no internal conflict in that regard. It's cathartic, maybe, especially in an anti-heroine, but iffy.
It doesn't occur to the reforming femme fatale that if she could get a second chance, why can't other bad people? Ivy hasn't earned a redemption arc. She uses her flower power and human and plant stem cell research to create life in this story, to become an overprotective mother. But she isn't the least bit fazed with abruptly ending the lives of those she doesn't like at the drop of a hat.
By the way, both times Pam kills, it is right under the nose of the decent and caring Darshan. He never finds out, and it doesn't become the slightest issue in their growing friendship. Even more baffling is Pam doesn't face any consequences for killing - the two murders are barely a footnote in the plot - and did I mention she is already a murder suspect of her lab partner and boss at that point? Not very smart, Pamela, she with the mysterious wiped-out history and low profile (how can nobody recognize her as Poison Ivy, anyway? It is seriously the glasses?).
And yet, I think I love 'Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death'. It is simple, adoring, with educational aspects on ecology. Fairly well-structured, plotted and paced for a mystery, the characters are fun (go Rose, Hazel and Thorn - Ivy's own Cabbage Patch Kids!), the artwork is nice despite the questionable anatomy on female bodies, the action gritty and drawn solidly with exciting haste, and the ending is surprising yet satisfying. It really follows through with its title, 'Cycle of Life and Death': this theme is played out in different ways in terms of story and character development.
Amy Chu gave Poison Ivy and her solo comic outing heart. It blossoms into something imperfect, but beautiful.
It's good to be green.
Final Score: 3.5/5
I had never really cared for Batman's plant-controlling femme fatale adversary in the past - far too many of her incarnations are scantily-clad and exploitative. She's a misogynist's wet dream, with her sexual allure portrayed in a negative light (female villains can be sexy, of course, but it shouldn't be the reason why she's a villain to begin with), and her deadly kisses and lack of a real personality outside of sultry Eco-terrorist who cares more for plant life than human life. A grown woman who knows what she wants, sure, but Poison Ivy to me always represented the most stereotypical negative traits associated with being female; right down to using the power she has - her intelligence and sexuality - to seduce, control and kill men. And she's as boring as moss growing on a plank of wood. Clearly Ivy's male writers and artists were "preoccupied" with her body rather than her as a person.
However, her friendship with the jovial Harley Quinn may have saved her character, in my opinion. The partnership is so complex and entertaining in how they interact and bounce off of one another. Harley and Ivy are even canonically a romantic pair now, which, after many years of seeing how their game-changing and irresistible coupling has progressed, makes perfect sense.
'Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death', written by Amy Chu, sees Dr. Pamela Isley, aka Poison Ivy, as: A brilliant scientist; a thawing ice queen towards humanity; a lover of all plants and trees and their intricacies (she can talk to them through "the green"); a mystery solver (one character remarks that it feels like they're in a Scooby Doo episode, very funny); a mother hen caring for female human/vegetable/flower hybrids; and an all-around semi-reformed villainess taking control of her life after leaving the Gotham City Sirens behind.
There are cameos from Harley (there's a little like a lovers' spat between the two, if in a queer-baiting subtext, and it's resolved nicely in the end), and Catwoman. No Batman or any other famous villains here. Hurrah! Plus Ivy is given a new friend, Darshan Bapna, who is a POC and an interesting, funny character in his own right. Ivy doesn't form any romantic attachments to anyone in her comic; except Harley, but that could've benefited from being a lot clearer.
Poison Ivy without a male love interest? Hallelujah! Praise Gotham for its unlivable hellhole and swine!
Also, huge bonus for the commentary on how sexist men think women in STEM fields are "a distraction", and showing that touching a woman without her consent is definitely wrong.
Despite the miniseries's good characterizations, richness and good humour, I am well aware it has problems. Pam is still drawn to wear little clothing even when it's impractical, and is subjected to T&A shots - where it looks like she had breast implants in between chapters and panels. It is so ridiculous.
Like the cover of the book itself.
The creative team apparently decided that the best way to introduce a fresh, new Poison Ivy to new and old fans alike is to have her pose sexually, porn-style. Of course. Not like it's 2016 and we should know better when portraying women by now, or anything. The cover alone almost made me want to skip reading the book, not giving me anything I haven't seen hundreds of times before. Fanservice = sexist, objectifying, degrading, pointless (we've had the internet for twenty years - why do comics still do it!?), exhausting, and boring.
Then there's Pam's morality curve and scale, or lack of. I guess her murdering two men - one a stalkerish, sexist pig and the other a dog abuser - is meant to show her struggle in changing her villainous, human-hating (or, specifically, man-hating) ways. That she can't help herself sometimes, for old habits die hard. But she is absolutely remorseless throughout, and there is no internal conflict in that regard. It's cathartic, maybe, especially in an anti-heroine, but iffy.
It doesn't occur to the reforming femme fatale that if she could get a second chance, why can't other bad people? Ivy hasn't earned a redemption arc. She uses her flower power and human and plant stem cell research to create life in this story, to become an overprotective mother. But she isn't the least bit fazed with abruptly ending the lives of those she doesn't like at the drop of a hat.
By the way, both times Pam kills, it is right under the nose of the decent and caring Darshan. He never finds out, and it doesn't become the slightest issue in their growing friendship. Even more baffling is Pam doesn't face any consequences for killing - the two murders are barely a footnote in the plot - and did I mention she is already a murder suspect of her lab partner and boss at that point? Not very smart, Pamela, she with the mysterious wiped-out history and low profile (how can nobody recognize her as Poison Ivy, anyway? It is seriously the glasses?).
And yet, I think I love 'Poison Ivy: Cycle of Life and Death'. It is simple, adoring, with educational aspects on ecology. Fairly well-structured, plotted and paced for a mystery, the characters are fun (go Rose, Hazel and Thorn - Ivy's own Cabbage Patch Kids!), the artwork is nice despite the questionable anatomy on female bodies, the action gritty and drawn solidly with exciting haste, and the ending is surprising yet satisfying. It really follows through with its title, 'Cycle of Life and Death': this theme is played out in different ways in terms of story and character development.
Amy Chu gave Poison Ivy and her solo comic outing heart. It blossoms into something imperfect, but beautiful.
It's good to be green.
Final Score: 3.5/5
Friday 16 December 2016
Scribble #38
The most well-known cowards in our modern climate are those who use hatred to hide and disguise their fear. If they lash out and troll you, remember it is because they are afraid of you. Afraid of your mind, your words, your accomplishments, and your truth. Bigots are losing, and they know it, and it terrifies them, and the one weapon they know of in their ignorant and fearful disposal is aggression. Change is good for everyone. Don't let these retrograde, overly-privileged, pretentious, violently-thuggish cowards win.
Here's hoping for a better year. For a better tomorrow.
Here's hoping for a better year. For a better tomorrow.
Thursday 15 December 2016
Saturday 10 December 2016
Scribble #37
Violence is the easiest, quickest way to face a problem. Not to solve it. Therefore violence is the most cowardly and ignorant way of communication in any situation.
Humans learn. They change - intellectually, not just physically. They are capable of so many amazing, positive things. People can always be better, and together.
Humans learn. They change - intellectually, not just physically. They are capable of so many amazing, positive things. People can always be better, and together.
Scribble #36
Double standards = We doubt the word of women because they are women, and we believe the word of men because they are men.
Non-Fiction Book Review - 'Girl Up' by Laura Bates
Another great tome of work by the wonderful Laura Bates.
'Girl Up' is a survivor's guide to being a teenage girl; to being a young adult growing up in a world that hates and fears their existence. That world is the patriarchy (siding with white supremacy). It is content in making teen girls and women feel weak, worthless, second only to men, never skinny or pretty enough; feel like nothing without the "perfect" body, a man, and children. It pits women against one another, and keeps them in the dark about so many important things, even those concerning their own bodies. And consent.
'Girl Up' is a lot more humorous than Laura Bate's previous 'Everyday Sexism', with added illustrations, font-changing declarations which take up whole pages, and an occasional built-in "sexist bullshit klaxon". But though 'Girl Up' is "simply" or "lightly" written - not quite as substantial, shocking or groundbreaking as 'Everyday Sexism' - it is nonetheless vital for debunking and clarifying myths and double standards using facts.
Laura Bates wishes to help us all now; no more ignorance encouraged socially and culturally.
'Girl Up' is mandatory for education. Education about sex, healthy relationships, abuse and dominance i.e. street harassment, body anatomy, body positivity, powerful and revolutionary women in history you never learn about in school, feminism, and navigating the world as a feminist - all through supporting each other, above everything else.
And dancing vaginas. Can't forget about those.
'Girl Up' - Because being a girl is awesome, not shameful. Femaleness is not a problem. Patriarchy is. This book is something for every scared, insecure teen girl to keep in her home to reassure her that she is alright.
That will tell her the truth.
That will tell her that she (body and mind) matters. And so do her pleasures, relationship choices, and ambitions.
That she plus hundreds of historically-erased women before her can do so many terrific things, no matter who they are and where they come from. Or how their chromosomes and sex organs are.
Final Score: 4.5/5
'Girl Up' is a survivor's guide to being a teenage girl; to being a young adult growing up in a world that hates and fears their existence. That world is the patriarchy (siding with white supremacy). It is content in making teen girls and women feel weak, worthless, second only to men, never skinny or pretty enough; feel like nothing without the "perfect" body, a man, and children. It pits women against one another, and keeps them in the dark about so many important things, even those concerning their own bodies. And consent.
'Girl Up' is a lot more humorous than Laura Bate's previous 'Everyday Sexism', with added illustrations, font-changing declarations which take up whole pages, and an occasional built-in "sexist bullshit klaxon". But though 'Girl Up' is "simply" or "lightly" written - not quite as substantial, shocking or groundbreaking as 'Everyday Sexism' - it is nonetheless vital for debunking and clarifying myths and double standards using facts.
Laura Bates wishes to help us all now; no more ignorance encouraged socially and culturally.
'Girl Up' is mandatory for education. Education about sex, healthy relationships, abuse and dominance i.e. street harassment, body anatomy, body positivity, powerful and revolutionary women in history you never learn about in school, feminism, and navigating the world as a feminist - all through supporting each other, above everything else.
And dancing vaginas. Can't forget about those.
'Girl Up' - Because being a girl is awesome, not shameful. Femaleness is not a problem. Patriarchy is. This book is something for every scared, insecure teen girl to keep in her home to reassure her that she is alright.
That will tell her the truth.
That will tell her that she (body and mind) matters. And so do her pleasures, relationship choices, and ambitions.
That she plus hundreds of historically-erased women before her can do so many terrific things, no matter who they are and where they come from. Or how their chromosomes and sex organs are.
Final Score: 4.5/5
Wednesday 7 December 2016
Tuesday 6 December 2016
Thursday 1 December 2016
Graphic Novel Review - 'The Secret Loves of Geek Girls' by Hope Nicholson (Editor), Various
2022 EDIT: A lot has changed. Like my tastes, and experiences, and maybe I've experienced too much of horrible reality now to really identify with 'The Secret Loves of Geek Girls'. I admit I spent most of rereading it skimming, but I got a good, general idea of each of the stories, told through comics, prose, texts etc. Some of them are still relatable and relevant, even cute.
But...I'm sad and exhausted.
Maybe I've become a jaded, miserable, unfulfilled woman in my thirties - and this anthology collection came out in 2015, and the cosmos knows so much has changed since then (myself, society, pop culture, fandom, politics, the whole media sphere). That naïve, hopeful era seems like a lifetime ago, doesn't it?
So, in 2022, I think that 'The Secret Loves of Geek Girls' is dated, and has not aged well. Now that I'm older and have had a deeper dive into more staples of pop culture, in a strange kind of paradox I feel further alienated from the lives and geek loves of these women. In fact some of their observations are like a slap in the face to me (not all of them, mind you, but they stick out significantly to me). Are my tastes, interests, opinions and ways of looking at things so differing to others, even other "weird" women? Or am I just a lonely pessimist? In other cases I might be too much of an optimist.
Do I still consider myself a geek, after all this time? I don't know. It's mainly toxic fandoms, and toxic, problematic creators, and family and friend disagreements, that have destroyed my interest in most geeky media. It's unbelievably overwhelming. Heh. People are flawed, aren't they? With that fact it makes it harder to reconcile. Why can't we simply get over ourselves, and love each other for our differences, and not let them divide us?
There are exceptions to my newfound "not going to bother with this it's sourcing vile toxicity" rule, however, like childhood loves that are impossible to kill; examples include Sailor Moon, Batgirl, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Captain Marvel, She-Ra, and I remain a huge animation and graphic novel fan and supporter.
Representation matters. Always has, always will.
Other than that, I do feel like an alien in spaces where it's supposed to be the opposite; where I should feel safe, welcomed and respected for being me and for having opinions. I'm scared to talk about anything considered geeky with anyone, now. The toxicity, the entitlement, the backlashes, the hostile pushback on diversity, the outright violence and hate towards what's supposed to be just fun escapist entertainment, has reached zenith levels. Toxic fans are not fans. Remember enjoyment and passion?
It often seems like things have only gotten worse, not better.
I don't want to live like that, walking on eggshells over things that don't matter. Yet they kind of do.
It's hard to be positive; to not be cynical, to not be overly sensitive to others' views, it really is. It's crushing sometimes. It's isolating.
Sorry for my vague ramblings here. I don't want to get too personal. Though, evidently, perhaps I've failed at that. Like everyone fails at a lot of things in life.
Here's me, in early 2022, everyone: an uncommitted, weary, wavering, paradoxical geek woman, vulnerable and exposed in writing.
But, despite everything, I remain hopeful that things will get better. They have to. They need to. I cling to that hope, quietly.
Farewell, 'The Secret Loves of Geek Girls'. You are an overoptimistic, brief, pale, fading light in my past, but I will always appreciate your passion, colour, introspections, and diversity. And your hope.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
An anthology about the awkward, sad and cheerful love lives - old and new - of professional geek girls; always present, human and awesome.
Behold the unflinchingly personal, honest, refreshing, diverse and relevant coming-of-age true stories - told creatively in prose, illustrations and/or comic panel styles - of Margaret Atwood (yes, THAT Margaret Atwood), Hope Nicholson (also the book's editor), Stephanie Cooke, J.M. Frey, Katie West, Cherelle Higgins, Meaghan Carter, Megan Kearney, Megan Lavey-Heaton, Laura Neubert, Diana McCallum, Brandy Dawley, Marjorie M. Liu, Mariko Tamaki, Marguerite Bennett, Trina Robbins, Natalie Smith, Emma Woolley, Sam Maggs, and many other women (there are over 50 short stories in total). Women who are into comics, movies, TV shows, video games, fanfiction, RPGs, books, fanbase forums, dating profiles, and other mediums, as they navigate their varied love and sex lives, or lack of.
No matter what, no matter how different their lives and experiences are, and no matter the decade, these girls are happy. Happy for who they are, and who they are with; be it lovers or friends. As well as being racially diverse, the LBGTQ spectrum presented in this book is outstanding; revolutionary in fact. Asexuality and Demisexuality do exist!
These geek girls may be nerdy outcasts, but they are not antisocial. From childhood, they struggled and grew into funny, kind and intelligent ladies who want what is best for themselves and the people in their circles.
Altogether, geek girls are a community. They have always been around, contributing to geek culture, storytelling and technology (also feminist analysis) in their own special ways.
'The Secret Loves of Geek Girls' is so relatable to me, and it resonates with me personally as a fellow geek girl, which I am now fully proud to be, even when balancing out relationships in the big wide, scary world.
This book, this anthology of women's lives, tells us this: You are not alone. We went through this too. You never were alone, and you never will be.
Keep fighting, keep doing what you love. You can and will find someone who loves you for who you are. And even amid sexist backlash or heartbreak, you will be okay.
Geek guys, listen up: Geeks girls are not some new "trend"; that's nowhere near close to the truth. Nor are they a dying breed. Bullshit. We have always existed, and we have lives different yet similar to everyone else in humanity.
While I didn't connect to every story in this anthology, the recurring themes of societal pressures and relationships are important and universal. So I recommend 'The Secret Loves of Geek Girls' to anyone, even those who don't consider themselves to be geek girls, or geeks at all. Because as it turns out, no one is weird.
But it's cool to be weird anyway, so why the hell judge?
Weird geeks girls - we are many, we are here for each other!
Final Score: 4/5
But...I'm sad and exhausted.
Maybe I've become a jaded, miserable, unfulfilled woman in my thirties - and this anthology collection came out in 2015, and the cosmos knows so much has changed since then (myself, society, pop culture, fandom, politics, the whole media sphere). That naïve, hopeful era seems like a lifetime ago, doesn't it?
So, in 2022, I think that 'The Secret Loves of Geek Girls' is dated, and has not aged well. Now that I'm older and have had a deeper dive into more staples of pop culture, in a strange kind of paradox I feel further alienated from the lives and geek loves of these women. In fact some of their observations are like a slap in the face to me (not all of them, mind you, but they stick out significantly to me). Are my tastes, interests, opinions and ways of looking at things so differing to others, even other "weird" women? Or am I just a lonely pessimist? In other cases I might be too much of an optimist.
Do I still consider myself a geek, after all this time? I don't know. It's mainly toxic fandoms, and toxic, problematic creators, and family and friend disagreements, that have destroyed my interest in most geeky media. It's unbelievably overwhelming. Heh. People are flawed, aren't they? With that fact it makes it harder to reconcile. Why can't we simply get over ourselves, and love each other for our differences, and not let them divide us?
There are exceptions to my newfound "not going to bother with this it's sourcing vile toxicity" rule, however, like childhood loves that are impossible to kill; examples include Sailor Moon, Batgirl, Wonder Woman, Harley Quinn, Captain Marvel, She-Ra, and I remain a huge animation and graphic novel fan and supporter.
Representation matters. Always has, always will.
Other than that, I do feel like an alien in spaces where it's supposed to be the opposite; where I should feel safe, welcomed and respected for being me and for having opinions. I'm scared to talk about anything considered geeky with anyone, now. The toxicity, the entitlement, the backlashes, the hostile pushback on diversity, the outright violence and hate towards what's supposed to be just fun escapist entertainment, has reached zenith levels. Toxic fans are not fans. Remember enjoyment and passion?
It often seems like things have only gotten worse, not better.
I don't want to live like that, walking on eggshells over things that don't matter. Yet they kind of do.
It's hard to be positive; to not be cynical, to not be overly sensitive to others' views, it really is. It's crushing sometimes. It's isolating.
Sorry for my vague ramblings here. I don't want to get too personal. Though, evidently, perhaps I've failed at that. Like everyone fails at a lot of things in life.
Here's me, in early 2022, everyone: an uncommitted, weary, wavering, paradoxical geek woman, vulnerable and exposed in writing.
But, despite everything, I remain hopeful that things will get better. They have to. They need to. I cling to that hope, quietly.
Farewell, 'The Secret Loves of Geek Girls'. You are an overoptimistic, brief, pale, fading light in my past, but I will always appreciate your passion, colour, introspections, and diversity. And your hope.
Final Score: 3/5
Original Review:
An anthology about the awkward, sad and cheerful love lives - old and new - of professional geek girls; always present, human and awesome.
Behold the unflinchingly personal, honest, refreshing, diverse and relevant coming-of-age true stories - told creatively in prose, illustrations and/or comic panel styles - of Margaret Atwood (yes, THAT Margaret Atwood), Hope Nicholson (also the book's editor), Stephanie Cooke, J.M. Frey, Katie West, Cherelle Higgins, Meaghan Carter, Megan Kearney, Megan Lavey-Heaton, Laura Neubert, Diana McCallum, Brandy Dawley, Marjorie M. Liu, Mariko Tamaki, Marguerite Bennett, Trina Robbins, Natalie Smith, Emma Woolley, Sam Maggs, and many other women (there are over 50 short stories in total). Women who are into comics, movies, TV shows, video games, fanfiction, RPGs, books, fanbase forums, dating profiles, and other mediums, as they navigate their varied love and sex lives, or lack of.
No matter what, no matter how different their lives and experiences are, and no matter the decade, these girls are happy. Happy for who they are, and who they are with; be it lovers or friends. As well as being racially diverse, the LBGTQ spectrum presented in this book is outstanding; revolutionary in fact. Asexuality and Demisexuality do exist!
These geek girls may be nerdy outcasts, but they are not antisocial. From childhood, they struggled and grew into funny, kind and intelligent ladies who want what is best for themselves and the people in their circles.
Altogether, geek girls are a community. They have always been around, contributing to geek culture, storytelling and technology (also feminist analysis) in their own special ways.
'The Secret Loves of Geek Girls' is so relatable to me, and it resonates with me personally as a fellow geek girl, which I am now fully proud to be, even when balancing out relationships in the big wide, scary world.
This book, this anthology of women's lives, tells us this: You are not alone. We went through this too. You never were alone, and you never will be.
Keep fighting, keep doing what you love. You can and will find someone who loves you for who you are. And even amid sexist backlash or heartbreak, you will be okay.
Geek guys, listen up: Geeks girls are not some new "trend"; that's nowhere near close to the truth. Nor are they a dying breed. Bullshit. We have always existed, and we have lives different yet similar to everyone else in humanity.
While I didn't connect to every story in this anthology, the recurring themes of societal pressures and relationships are important and universal. So I recommend 'The Secret Loves of Geek Girls' to anyone, even those who don't consider themselves to be geek girls, or geeks at all. Because as it turns out, no one is weird.
But it's cool to be weird anyway, so why the hell judge?
Weird geeks girls - we are many, we are here for each other!
Final Score: 4/5
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