Shades of my late ‘70s and early ‘80s teenhood, when us guys invested far too much time and energy in trying to make girls question their choices every time we saw them with a V.C. Andrews book. At a time when I was inhaling Clive Cussler! One of those women brought that up at my 40-year reunion last year. I sometimes wish I could relive my teen years knowing what I know now so I could erase all my adolescent assholery.
This was great. I have on my bookshelf a certain infamous and controversial bestseller from the last few years. I started it, and couldn’t believe in its setting/language/culture (a foreign culture and place not familiar to the author, and it shows) within the first pages, and I set it down. But I’ve been meaning to try again and to more gently ask, “Why did SOME people (the ones who don’t give a crap about cultural accuracy) love this? What’s working for them?” Thanks for the inspiration as well as the permission to be annoyed—ha!
This is a great article! I remember reading Twilight for the first time and while I didn't find it particularly well-written, I did appreciate the story and the different twist on vampires, etc. I also noticed that my teen girl students (I taught English in high school) loved them when I recommended them....and my husband rolled his eyes at them. This gives me a new perspective to consider! Thank you!
I will never understand reviewers on GR or NG who start critical reviews with “I don’t like this genre…” or “I hated this author’s other books…” So…find something you DO like? The world is burning, why spend your time on books you know you won’t care for?
I have a CP who talks about the concept of “your reader.” Similar to best possible audience though more from a crit perspective - the person who gets what you’re trying to do and is willing to come along for the ride. That’s the person whose feedback you give a little more weight to than the one who’s “not your reader” and predisposed to pick apart everything you do for the sake of it.
The Twilight craze reminds me of the whole boyband thing (cue “We’re non-threatening!” quote from the Sev’ral Timez episode of Gravity Falls) and maybe is echoed slightly differently in the current thirst for shadow daddies in romantasy? The audience gets the thrill of falling in love with a dangerous, powerful being without actually having to deal with a dude who really just needs therapy.
Shades of my late ‘70s and early ‘80s teenhood, when us guys invested far too much time and energy in trying to make girls question their choices every time we saw them with a V.C. Andrews book. At a time when I was inhaling Clive Cussler! One of those women brought that up at my 40-year reunion last year. I sometimes wish I could relive my teen years knowing what I know now so I could erase all my adolescent assholery.
funny you say that- I'm a huge VC Andrews fan! lol
This was great. I have on my bookshelf a certain infamous and controversial bestseller from the last few years. I started it, and couldn’t believe in its setting/language/culture (a foreign culture and place not familiar to the author, and it shows) within the first pages, and I set it down. But I’ve been meaning to try again and to more gently ask, “Why did SOME people (the ones who don’t give a crap about cultural accuracy) love this? What’s working for them?” Thanks for the inspiration as well as the permission to be annoyed—ha!
This is a great article! I remember reading Twilight for the first time and while I didn't find it particularly well-written, I did appreciate the story and the different twist on vampires, etc. I also noticed that my teen girl students (I taught English in high school) loved them when I recommended them....and my husband rolled his eyes at them. This gives me a new perspective to consider! Thank you!
I will never understand reviewers on GR or NG who start critical reviews with “I don’t like this genre…” or “I hated this author’s other books…” So…find something you DO like? The world is burning, why spend your time on books you know you won’t care for?
I have a CP who talks about the concept of “your reader.” Similar to best possible audience though more from a crit perspective - the person who gets what you’re trying to do and is willing to come along for the ride. That’s the person whose feedback you give a little more weight to than the one who’s “not your reader” and predisposed to pick apart everything you do for the sake of it.
The Twilight craze reminds me of the whole boyband thing (cue “We’re non-threatening!” quote from the Sev’ral Timez episode of Gravity Falls) and maybe is echoed slightly differently in the current thirst for shadow daddies in romantasy? The audience gets the thrill of falling in love with a dangerous, powerful being without actually having to deal with a dude who really just needs therapy.
we want to read about bad boys and date golden retrievers lol
Lmao 100%