avengingsybil

My Bad

After the Moment is a different sort of YA book in the way that most Freymann-Weyr books are. I find her novels to be very adult, not always necessarily in theme, but in terms of sophistication and in what is left to the reader to figure out on her own. The characters deal with typically adolescent rites of passage (applying to college, dating) but the way that they go about doing it is in a measured, serious way. Adults themselves have an unusually large presence in her books, this one especially, sometimes in a benevolent way, often not, but they are among her most fascinating characters. I'm not sure if I feel this way because I am an adult myself, but it was Leigh's elders who engaged me the most. I wonder if they speak to younger readers in a significant way?

Family, who constitutes family, and the idea that the people who have the greatest impact on your life might not technically be related to you seem to be a trademark of this author and one that I particularly admire. There are no easy stereotypes in her world, and in a society made up of increasingly blended families, I adore that stepparents and ex-stepparents and longtime companions get their due.

As for the main characters, I found Maia really hard to warm up to, as she is frustratingly delicate, but I think this may be on purpose. Leigh, too, is distant and enigmatic, which usually doesn't work for a protagonist, but here it's effective because it's as if the reader is missing the same things he's missing. We didn't put the puzzle together before he did, and that added to the depth of the story. I thought it was artfully structured, I enjoyed the way the author subtly mimicked the pattern of a typical romance novel, and the choice to work with a male point-of-view character was an interesting way to frame the story. I liked how she was able to reference different ideas about what constitutes sex, and it was great that responsible, safe and mutually respectful sexual interactions were (with one exception) a given.

All that said, it was not my favorite of Freymann-Weyr's books, and I'll be the first to admit that the crux of the story--the quagmire formed in the aftermath of a young woman being sexually assaulted by an acquaintance--is a subject about which I am experiencing serious brain fatigue. The downside of having such a singular, political-minded focus for this blog is that it's hard for me to turn it off. My ongoing struggle is to be able to read and think about a book on its own merits. Clearly sexual assault is a very real issue that needs to be written about, and I think that Maia's insistence that she take the reins in regard to how her case would be handled is remarkable, even if her choice was eventually undermined. There's a valuable lesson there about respecting the victim, and a lot of food for thought in regard to the fine line between self-blame and personal conviction. Of course the people who care for the victim have a right to cry out for justice on her behalf, but her right not to pursue the same justice for the perpetrators requires its own consideration. It's a sticky wicket, and I think it's approached in a very smart way-- in no way is this Another Rape Novel. I'm just honestly burned out on women being put at a disadvantage when it comes to sex--not to say that rape is about sex, but sex is part of it.  I do, however, feel that After the Moment warrants a lot of attention and discussion, and look forward to hearing other people's thoughts.

Currently reading: The Waters and The Wild by Francesca Lia Block; Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart

Written material copyright 2009 Dawn A. Emerman

OMG SITLM!

It's Sex in Teen Lit Month. Didn't you know that's what it was? I actually just found out today, and not a second too soon. How fabulous. I inadvertently picked a doozy of a book on which to kick it off: Garret Freymann-Weyr's After the Moment. I don't have the time the book deserves to fully weigh in right now, but I will make a priority to get to it next week not only because it lingers in my mind even now, days after I finished it, but because it presents an interesting way to apply ideas about teenagers and sex. And so much more.

As for Grace Dent's super hilarious and unexpectedly sweet Diary of a Chav, I really enjoyed it and laughed out loud more than once. I'm looking forward to reading its follow-up, but I have to say (and this goes for you, too, Miss Georgia Nicholson), I do so wish that these books would ease up on the thoughtless homophobic comments. For me, they add nothing to the story or the characters. Just saying.

Happy July 4th to those who celebrate, Happy Summer (maybe? finally?), and of course, Happy Sex in Teen Lit Month!

Written material copyright 2009 Dawn A. Emerman

Light a Fire

I just read The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity Is Hurting Young Women by Jessica Valenti. Ms. Valenti has authored several books, in addition to being the Executive Editor of feministing.com and she is a woman after my own heart.

In this book she takes on this country's very popular and powerful abstinence-only movement that puts a lot of stock in reserving virginity until (heterosexual) marriage or else be considered ruined, particularly in the case of young women. The Purity Myth examines the very nature of "purity,"  and breaks down the movement down to its most basic element: the fetishization of virginity on the grounds of morality  is just another societally institutionalized and sanctioned way to control women's bodies.

Throughout the book she makes a strong argument about how female sexuality has been maligned throughout history, exposing ways in which it is politicized and treated in reductive, insulting, and ultimately dangerous ways in the name of achieving a state of being that doesn't quite exist.

To me, the crux of this argument is summarized in a quote from primatologist Barbara Smuts that opens a chapter on page 185:  "If female sexuality is muted compared to that of men, then why must men the world over go to extreme lengths to control and contain it?" It's about control and power.

Valenti addresses the ever-prevalent Madonna/whore dichotomy, touches upon subjects such as abortion rights and the perpetuation of the idea that women are the "sexual gatekeepers" who bear the responsibility for male sexual behavior, and points out how female pleasure is hardly ever mentioned when discussing sex education, abstinence-only or otherwise.

Near the conclusion, she writes:

I wrote this book for the same reason that people around the country are doing this work: because we know that young women deserve better, and because we want a better life for our daughters. Too often, when a feminist--or anyone, really--asserts that American culture should have a more nuanced vision of women's sexuality, the virginity movement's knee-jerk reaction is to make the accusation that we actually want girls to be promiscuous, or that we think it's fine for children to have sex. It's a standard conservative talking point. (p. 212)

That's ultimately what she--what we, as women--are up against, the co-opting and twisting of ideas about sexuality in a way that makes it seem like the desire for equality, hell, even the right to desire equally, is directly at odds with personal morality. And enough is enough.

Though The Purity Myth is hardly an objective tome--it draws a distinct line of battle in its title--I think it is well researched and well reasoned and I'd highly recommend it.  Of course, since Valenti and are so like-minded on this subject, me reading this book is a classic case of preaching to the choir. But even though the book will probably do nothing to change the minds of hardcore purity-movement enthusiasts (even if they did take the time to read it), it's valuable as a passionate and humane cry for real thought and discourse. Throughout the book Valenti encourages personal responsibility, and offers many ways in which readers can affect change, be it through activism, blogging, or helping to re-frame one person's outlook, even if just her own.

It's important to me that a book like this exists because, if nothing else, it drives home again and again how preposterous it is to base a person's entire worth on whether or not they have had sex (however that is defined). That goes for men and women, though clearly women are and always have been most harshly judged in this arena. And while that seems like such a simple, obvious notion, I come across examples to the contrary--in real life and in fiction--several times a day. It's the world we live in, but it doesn't mean we have to live with it.

Back to the fiction trail, now. Currently reading: Diary of a Chav by Grace Dent; After the Moment by Garret Freymann-Weyr

Written material copyright 2009 Dawn A. Emerman

Going With It

It's a quiet lull time for me right now, a fiction-writing-heavy time, which is great in itself, but doesn't bode well for much content in the here-space. It's all right, ebb and flow. Someday I might be able to flow in both places at once, but I'm not quite up to that yet.

Reading of note: I finished Heather B. Armstrong's very funny and highly emotional It Sucked and I Cried, and just in time to hear the news of the birth of her second daughter - congratulations, Heather and family.

I'm getting ready to charter the waters of The Purity Myth, post-its at the ready! And I got an email from the library this morning informing me that After the Moment is ready to be picked up. If you know how I feel about Garret Freymann-Weyr, I think you know how I took this news. There may have been a happy dance involved. Finally, I've been saving Diary of a Chav for my ladies' beach trip this coming weekend. Depending on how much the other ladies feel like chatting, I may have a review next week.

Back now to following the flow.

Written material copyright 2009 Dawn A. Emerman

No New Tale to Tell

I'm sure you've all heard about this brou-ha-ha (I use that term every chance I get - thanks Wisconsin!) surrounding some library mishegas in the Midwest.

When I was doing some recent comfort reading I reread the entire Weetzie Bat series and Baby Be-Bop is especially fresh in my mind. What a gentle and lovely story. Well, if you take out the beating part. It's just so good on its own merits, my second favorite after Weetzie itself, but I also think it's got to be a great resource for anyone questioning their sexuality as well as anyone who is just coming around to understanding other people's.

From the article:

"the plaintiffs, all of whom are elderly, claim their mental and emotional well-being was damaged by this book at the library,” specifically because Baby Be-Bop contains the “n” word and derogatory sexual and political epithets that can incite violence and “put one’s life in possible jeopardy, adults and children alike.”

The complaint points out that library Director Michael Tyree has “publicly stated that it is not up to the library to tell the community what is appropriate.” Citing “Wisconsin’s sexual morality law,” the plaintiffs also request West Bend City Attorney Mary Schanning to impanel a grand jury to examine whether the book should be declared obscene and making it available a hate crime.

People are so crazy! No matter how well-intentioned the impetus behind censorship may be, it's always just plain wrong. Their trying to keep information from people seems much more hateful to me than them having to see a book (that nobody forced them to read) that made them uncomfortable.  Gah!

In other news, my TBR for this summer is shaping up quite nicely.  I'll continue reading Little Dorrit as well as book 4 in Stephen King's Dark Tower series (you don't want to know how long I've been reading that, but I like to dole it out in small increments). I just got three very different books in from the library that I've been excited about reading: Diary of a Chav by Grace Dent, The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women by Jessica Valenti and It Sucked and Then I Cried: How I Had a Baby, a Breakdown, and a Much Needed Margarita by Heather B. Armstrong. Ooh, plus I landed an ARC of Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart. I'll say it's a heck of a good start.

What I need to stop reading, though are the journals from my teenage years. I had a hankering to look up a particular incident, so I dove in and now I can't stop reading for better or worse. It's like reading the annals of a very familiar stranger, one who makes me cringe on a regular basis. I adore teenagers, and I even had a relatively great high school experience,  but I wouldn't re-live that time of my life even if it were possible. Oh, the angst and drama! Everything was a crisis. I find life is much more palatable for me with settled-down hormones. If only I had known about yoga then things might have been different, but then again, journaling was my trip. Almost to an obsessive degree.

Me, obsess about something? Get outta here.

Written material copyright 2009 Dawn A. Emerman

Small Joys

Unfortunately the good news I was hoping to share is just not to be at this time, so that's that. Someday I'll explain. I will say that few things have been able to cheer me up in this time of personal tumult, so it turned out to be the perfect time to open my mailbox to find the inaugural issue of the TBR Tallboy. Leila, you'll never know how much I needed that! I haven't had a chance to curl up with it yet, but I can't wait - it looks like I am in very good company in its pages. Now I have to buy up a bunch of copies for my biggest fans, that is, my family, and give the rad librarian some support for her very hard work.

Things might continue to be a bit slow in here for awhile, but in the meantime, if you've missed this well-reasoned meditation on sex and YA in heyteenager, why don't you go on and have a look? She's a young woman after my own heart.

Currently reading: Little Dorrit (still); Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen

Written material copyright 2009 Dawn A. Emerman

Hold This Space

I'm not shirking my commitment to the avenging life, but extenuating circumstances (which I hope to fully explain in the near future) have kept me from being much of a presence here this week. Additionally, travel and a nutty schedule will keep me to posting on a limited basis for the next couple of weeks. I've really enjoyed the increased blog action, and plan to return to three-times-a-week schedule as soon as I can.

So I'm not announcing a hiatus, really. Just a slow-down that I don't expect will last for more than a month. I'm still reading, still thinking, still excited about books and writing and sharing ideas.

Happy glorious first unofficial weekend of the summer!

Written material copyright 2009 Dawn A. Emerman

Most Excellent Indeed

Due to a bout of being under the weather, I missed out on a second chance to see Steve Kluger in my area. Dang! It was also brought to my attention that he wrote The Last Days of Summer, which I read many years ago and really enjoyed. I'm not sure why, but I was under the impression that My Most Excellent Year was a debut novel.

Not that it reads like one, mind you. I thought it was fantastic. The characters were all strong and wonderful, but Augie was my favorite. I love how he's treated by everyone, how his friends and family accept him at face value even when he's sort of in denial himself, and the way his self-confidence shines.

The trick to reading this book is to believe in magic, to believe in a world where kids are bright and caring and privileged and well-loved, where the gay kid is open and well-adjusted and is the star of the school, where true love is found in high school and lasts forever, where striking up a friendship with Julie Andrews is possible and adopting deaf orphans (after learning to communicate with them in record time) is a foregone conclusion. There's so much that just doesn't add up, not in the real world, but the story is so lovingly told, the characters so much fun, it doesn't matter. Plus the author makes plot points out of two of my biggest passions: musicals and the Boston Red Sox. He had me from the first page.

It'll be awhile before I write about Little Dorrit, since it'll take me a fair amount of time to get through it, but so far I'm finding it quite absorbing. And I'm sure I'll have more to write about in the interim.

Written material copyright 2009 Dawn A. Emerman

Authors are People Too

Oh man, I'm so bummed to hear that I missed Steve Kluger at Porter Square Books - and I could have gotten there so easily, too!  Guess I've got to keep my eyes and ears open about who's coming to my area. I'm lucky to live in a city that offers a wealth of these kind of opportunities, the trick is not missing out. I got to go to a couple of really cool author readings last fall (Junot Diaz, John! Green!), but that feels like forever ago.

Going to readings is always so inspiring to me as a writer. Though so many of my favorites are downright intimidating in their talent, it's nice to be reminded that authors are people who sweated it out behind the near-perfect little packages that amount to a finished book, people who maybe choose ugly shirts or get nervous in front of crowds. It helps to keep me from being scared away from writing on the grounds that I'll never measure up. Does that make sense?

I love author blogs for similar reasons, though I get different things out of each one. Some I enjoy because they so funny and inventive (Maureen Johnson), others because they are delightfully chatty in a way that sheds light onto their everyday lives and real personalities (Meg Cabot, Deb Garfinkle, Sarah Dessen), still others I find inspiring and helpful in terms of the writing process (Laurie Halse Anderson). And some are just plain bad ass (Lois Lowry). I read so many I could never list them all in here (though most I've linked as "Avengers" ) but I think they are such a great communicative tool, and for me they are encouraging as well as entertaining. And occasionally they alert me to a book tour coming to a location near me.

Written material copyright 2009 Dawn A. Emerman

Summer Reading Roster

I'm getting a big kick out of Steve Kluger's My Most Excellent Year, which came highly recommended. I'm especially loving the blended family aspect and, as someone who is extremely familiar with the town of Brookline, it makes me smile to see the mish-mash liberties the author takes with locations and landmarks. The book is extremely fanciful, in a pleasing way. Augie is one of the greatest characters to come along in recent memory.

My summer TBR pile is, er, piling up. Next up I'm jumping feet first into Little Dorrit, then catching up on my Sarah Dessen (I'm at least two books behind). I've also got the big titles of 2009 to get to: Tender Morsels, Octavian Nothing Part 2 and The Hunger Games. Plus, I know it's not exactly beach reading, but I just added The Purity Myth by Jessica Valenti to my wish list.

What's on deck for everyone out there? I'm a shameless reading list voyeur, and it inevitably leads to my pile getting out of control. Luckily having an out-of-control TBR pile is among my favorite problems.

Written material copyright 2009 Dawn A. Emerman