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Very Hot Topic (More than 25 Replies) Vampire Novels and Feminists (Read 12457 times)
Guina
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Vampire Novels and Feminists
Jul 29th, 2010 at 11:46am
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Hi,

while reading Meyer's Twilight saga, a couple of things stuck with me in the end:

1. The writing is truly abominable

Reading these novels I remembered quite some socalled "amateur" or fanfic writing I've read in the past, which stands several houses above Meyer's.

Still I would recommend the saga for the basic storyline, which is fresh and intriguing (though ends just hopelessly romantic, I really sympathize with Stephen King in his criticism there  Cheesy ).

2. The premise is very fascinating and nicely executed

Meyer took out the forced gore of the past couple of decades and gave vampires back some of the sex appeal Bram Stoker invested Dracula with. Neat and a big thank you!

3. The feminazis have it wrong!

I usually have a hard, hard, HARD time reading any texts of modern, politically oh so correct feminists.

I particularly hated the whole flock of them descendeding on Stephenie Meyer for what they perceived was her goal: propagate virginity and sexual abstinence prior to marriage and being the little wifey yes-sayer to strong vampire hubby.

Wrong interpretation!

Firstly, Meyer gives her heroine a rather headstrong character who would just love to get it on with her vampire. He's the one who insists on abstinence. Bella is the one who gets what she wants in the end, she's the one who takes the best from/off two lovely guys.

Secondly, I rather doubt the fascination of the saga, especially for females, is abstinence and virginity, nor even just the romance.

In our day and age, I'd say the one thing which has females hunger after someone like Edward (what is it about that name?) is the fact that he is Bella's alone, 100% faithful, quite unable to cheat on his lover and not a partner for a set amount of years (or months), but truly forever.
  
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Lightcudder
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Re: Vampire Novels and Feminists
Reply #1 - Jul 29th, 2010 at 2:43pm
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Haven't read these novels... I have got Night Watch and the others ( by a russian author?) all concerning vampires. Meyer just passed me by really..

Perhaps I'm too old!

Although having said that I actually haven't read anything other than UFO stuff for the last few months and added to that I haven't watched any T.V. since Christmas.(apart from one episode of Spartacus and the first episode of Sherlock Holmes ..BBC new production . on iPlayer)  not even the world cup or Wimbledon...

(not that I would have watched those anyway!)

And this from a woman who is an avid reader and used to watch at least three hours TV each evening.

  I'm taking three books away with me this week. not UFO...a lthough I am taking my memory stick with all the Shado Library stories!

But I bet I spend any spare time writing Glitch. Grin

oh.. Spartacus.. I haven't got Sky, and I saw it late one night while babysitting. Very late one night!

  

I need some air.
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Neesierie
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Re: Vampire Novels and Feminists
Reply #2 - Jul 29th, 2010 at 3:21pm
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Actually, I didn't mind Stephenie's writing style at all.  And I'm hard to please.  I reread the Twilight Saga usually once every couple of months, and reread The Host whenever I need the fix.  I really wish she'd write more sci-fi!  Wink

But yes, in our society where the women are here just for the men's pleasure and end up none the wiser or better through their encounters (and most of the stupid nits just keep letting them use us!), a man who is 100% loyal to one woman and who intends to stay that way forever couldn't fail to be a huge turn-on!  Which is why I've always portrayed Straker as a monogamist.  With his intensity, that one thing says so much about what he has to offer a girl!  Woo-hoo!  Kiss
  
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Guina
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Re: Vampire Novels and Feminists
Reply #3 - Jul 29th, 2010 at 3:54pm
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Hi Denise,

oh, her writing/prose IS bad.  Grin

In the first book I often had trouble making it through yet another page on which she goes off the rocker telling us/me/her readers just how awesome beautiful Edward is or how helplessly drooling Bella.  Cheesy Every 50 pages would have been enough, not on every darn page...

But yes, faithfulness and sincerity in a relationship, the security of having that for the rest of one's time, that is a HUGE come-on. Not just for women by the way, also for men. I've known, personally, a couple of guys in the situation of being utterly faithful types and being made cuckolds by their girlfriends or wives. It's the times that have made relationships a dime a dozen and it's only logical that people want more endurance.

As to Straker, definitely monogamous, but at the time of the series' actions I see him asexual rather than that, even.

That's how Bishop set him up, he even played hard against what the scripts shoved at him: you can't call his reactions and actions in e.g. "The responsibility seat" anything but downright asexual and calculating. Even that kiss wasn't believable at all. The only woman he quite obviously still hankers after in the series is Mary (as incomprehensible as that is, tho). Sure 'nuff, it's part of his appeal that he lives this para-monkish life  Grin
  
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dragon
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Re: Vampire Novels and Feminists
Reply #4 - Jul 29th, 2010 at 7:03pm
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I am so not a twilight fan. Not because of the writing (I read sherilyn Kenyon without twitching), or even the subject matter. I just don't handle vampires who glitter or twinkle in sunlight very well. I'm an old school vampire girl and prefer dark and brooding, although for a "romantic vamp", if you can overlook the brickish tendencies, I do Forever Knight.

Book vampires: Dracula both Stoker's take and Saberhagen's sequels. Uhm ... er ... House of Night (I think) Adolescent but interesting and the writing seems of a better caliber.

(Kenyon's characters in her Dark Hunter world are sort of vampires, shape shifters, demi-gods, gods, demons and they are all about eternal romance ... except maybe the "heifer goddess" and Simi )

Feminists saw Bella as subservient? Even I read enough not to agree with that assessment.

Lunch ... the final frontier

d

  
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Guina
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Re: Vampire Novels and Feminists
Reply #5 - Jul 30th, 2010 at 12:17pm
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Hi Dragon,

Quote:
Feminists saw Bella as subservient?


Subservient and propagating no sex prior to marriage  Grin

I couldn't believe that myself when I read it. My oh my, how can people soooo totally misjudge others' motivations? Is there really one woman out there who wouldn't take such a direct, faithful, truthful and committed lover like Edward?

I don't think so.

In fact, I am dead sure that even all those feminazis trashing Twilight would kill for a companion like that!

  Grin
  
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dragon
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Re: Vampire Novels and Feminists
Reply #6 - Jul 30th, 2010 at 2:27pm
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Y'know, I hate to say this, but these days no sex prior to marriage and a certificate saying you're both std free might just be a good idea. (Although, vampires getting stds is just wrong.)  Grin

Personally, I kinda think until you're capable of dealing with the emotions, keeping slot a and tab b in their own pants is possibly a good idea. (Oh, my, how archaicly something or other of me. <laughter> NAMBLA and it's feminine counter part would definitely dislike that attitude.) Hmmm, the feminazis are all ... That might be slander. or libel, so I won't say it.

My, where discussions of young adult fic can go ...  Cheesy

Actually, the trashers probably wouldn't be capable of believing that there was such a man because none of them are capable of being like that. (Did i just seriously trash them? Yes, I did. <more laughter>)

I guess they don't trash kenyon's books because there is always sex before admission of forever faithful. (Except in the most recent publication which is YA and the protagonist is under age.)

Some days I think the world culture is seriously skewed.

d
  
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Guina
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Re: Vampire Novels and Feminists
Reply #7 - Jul 30th, 2010 at 2:37pm
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Hi D.

the real world usually bites you in the a.. err behind  Grin

It's kind of funny that two of the males I knew in my life (as friends, not lovers or ex'es) who were absolutely, 180% faithful to their partners, had partnered off with women I knew to cheat on them, and not by a small measure. Of course, both times these relationships eventually failed. Both with great hurt to these guys.

That's classic tragedy for you and it's real: those who least appreciated it, got the best deal and never valued what they'd got.

  :Smiley

Regarding Stds, there are a variety of ways to ensure not getting those. But we're PG and below here, right?  Cheesy
  
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Neesierie
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Re: Vampire Novels and Feminists
Reply #8 - Jul 30th, 2010 at 2:39pm
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Dragon said: 'Some days I think the world culture is seriously skewed.'

It is, Dragon.  It is indeed.  Wink
  
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Matt
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Re: Vampire Novels and Feminists
Reply #9 - Jul 30th, 2010 at 2:42pm
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That is an understatment and a half! Smiley
  

What do you mean, we're out of coffee!
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dragon
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Re: Vampire Novels and Feminists
Reply #10 - Jul 30th, 2010 at 3:13pm
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G:

Actually, I know all about the methods of not getting STDs, however, the statistics lately indicate that either those who are indulging don't know about them or refuse to use them. And I'm not real happy about glaxo-klines (sp?) ads that happily talk about suppressing outbreaks of certain incurable ones, even if they do remember to tell people they are still infectious even if they don't have an outbreak ... to which how many listeners even pay any attention??? Low percentage I'd bet. And as one rpg i was involved in pointed out there is a 5% chance of anything happening. Still, it is an individual decision; should be an individual's decision and still should not involve people below legal consent age.

<twitch, twitch, twitch, twitch> I'm still getting around the fact that all of my kids are now old enough to make these decisions and have been for longer than I care to admit.  Grin  Grin  Grin

Yes, I probably should not take things personally .. <laughter>

Also, I don't think anyone here objects to the use of the word "ass", whether refering to the animal or the sitting region of the human being.  Smiley

Hmm, do we need an "adult" discussion board?

<falls over lauging>

work, strange concept ...
d

  
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Guina
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Re: Vampire Novels and Feminists
Reply #11 - Jul 30th, 2010 at 3:31pm
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Hi D.,

Quote:
I know all about the methods of not getting STDs,


Angelic smile. I could utter a bet now, but I won't  Wink

Quote:
I don't think anyone here objects to the use of the word "ass"


That's a relief! I've been to some boards where even "behind" was off limits  :Smiley Also, I tend to be cautious, as I am usually the one most likely to talk a too direct language.  Tongue
  
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dragon
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Re: Vampire Novels and Feminists
Reply #12 - Jul 30th, 2010 at 4:42pm
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<snerk> I never bet and old wive's tales are not sure things. <laughter>

Frank language, not an issue. Mind you, depending on how frank in the fic, we have an adult posting board  Shocked

(we really need more smileys ... LOL)

laters

d

  
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Guina
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Re: Vampire Novels and Feminists
Reply #13 - Jul 30th, 2010 at 4:50pm
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Hi D.,

Quote:
we have an adult posting board


Oh? Where's that one?

And, hm, no old wives' tales, no maam!  Cool
  
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dragon
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Re: Vampire Novels and Feminists
Reply #14 - Jul 30th, 2010 at 7:03pm
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The one that says "NFanfic" ... eez kinda eempty at the moment. dragon finished skulls and sent it off to the librarian and deleted what she'd posted in a fit of pique because the board and I were not getting along. I'm still not certain we're getting along, but I'm not screwing things up as well as I was.

If you have anything of a Mature nature to post, it goes in there ... well, story-wise, anyway.

d
  
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