Saturday, July 3, 2010

What I've been reading...

So I read something like 450 pages yesterday. That's a lot. Most of which in a rocking chair. Here's what I read:

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer
Semiprecious by D. Anne Love

Thoughts on Bree Tanner
When I write, I always like to switch to other characters' points-of-view. It usually becomes a problem because then I want their point-of-view in the story and I end up with 7 characters all trying to tell the same story. But it's fun. So I understand why Meyer liked to do the same thing (with Edward in Midnight Sun and now Bree in this novella). The story actually was pretty interesting. It held my interest even though I knew the outcome. And she did create a couple of fleshed out characters that haven't appeared in the Twilight books. I was surprised at how well thought out this was. The only thing I'm going to poke fun at is Meyer clearly wants her dream man to be her protector. Over and over again, her male love interests protect women. I don't think she can write a romance and not put that in there. If you want to read the novella about Bree, it's free online for the next 72 hours (until July 5th). Just google Bree Tanner.

Beginning Thoughts after reading Semiprecious
I'll probably do another post after I discuss this book in class. The author was supposed to be my professor, but couldn't teach the class. This is one of the books she's published. I couldn't help but notice LOTS of similarities between the books on the reading list she created.

-Two deal with Communists (and then a third has hate against Germans during WWII)
-Two have Native American influences
-Three protagonists who move and must deal with making new friends
-All of them take place in the past
-All but one take place in a small, rural town
-Three have a teenage older sister who is obsessed with boys, clothes, and make-up
-All have a white main character. (In fact I think the only non-white character was an Indian.)

I'm getting really bored of these types of books. I'm really sick of realistic fiction. That doesn't mean these were all bad books. I just really think she should have had more diversity in the reading list.

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