Dude! Read it. (http://ase.livejournal.com/tag/a:+byatt+as) As I recall, I liked how it came together at the end, but I found the first two-thirds a long hard slog.
I think I would like the SK-verse more if Dag and Fawn's vulnerability to social shunning were more prominent in the narrative. I want to draw parallels to racially "mixed" marriages pre-1970s or so, and LGBT relationships through the '80s and '90s and today. The well-meant interventions and social pressure to "pass", as well as the less well meant gestures. Basically, LMB's writing somewhat escapist fantasy-romance, and I keep trying to make it something that escapes the world to say something about the people in it.
2.) and their families, while dysfunctional in huge ways, are not emotionally abusive to the extent they would need to be to make me believe this.
Fawn's family lacks a certain essential pathology, but Dag's mom is so deliberately cruel to Fawn I find Dag's family issues more convincing. Fawn is a mismatch to her family; Dag's family appearances struck me as more evidently dysfunctional.
Again, this is because LMB is a good enough writer that she cannot do 2D villains, especially in the context of the strong emotional ties of family, but it makes me not really buy the romance.
Yep. I really wanted a moment of reflection from Fawn that her family, while stifling, was not intentionally harmful. LMB does tend to write well-meaning but useless brothers and other family (hi, Ekaterin's relatives) in her romances.
I definitely had P&P in mind when I wrote 2a.
3.) . . . not okay with the "sexual attraction is enough for happily ever after," . . . and absolutely not with the "one day, or hot moment, or emotionally-driven dangerous moment, of sexual attraction is enough" which pushes all of my rant-hot-buttons.
I haven't seen enough of that one to make me twitch. I don't plan to seek it out.
I actually liked Ekaterin and Miles' relationship much more in Komarr than in ACC
As did I, for similar reasons. Miles' courtship needed to be at least six months longer than it was.
"Will you marry me?" should not be a solution to all your problems.
*snorts* No, it's trading one set of problems for an entirely different set. Ekaterin, now you're stuck with Miles. :-)
Um. I think this might be longer than your post. Sorry :)
If you were really sorry, there wouldn't be smiley-faces! :-) I'm a fan of hashing things out, so please: talk.
Anyway, the one-sentence summary is: We clearly disagree somewhat on romance, while agreeing totally on Sharing Knife. All of which you knew already :)
Yep. I'm just pleased I've got my essential romance down to a one-sentence blurb.
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baggyeyes
(no subject)
Date: 2008-04-24 02:22 am (UTC)1.) I dare not recommmend Possession to you
Dude! Read it. (http://ase.livejournal.com/tag/a:+byatt+as) As I recall, I liked how it came together at the end, but I found the first two-thirds a long hard slog.
I think I would like the SK-verse more if Dag and Fawn's vulnerability to social shunning were more prominent in the narrative. I want to draw parallels to racially "mixed" marriages pre-1970s or so, and LGBT relationships through the '80s and '90s and today. The well-meant interventions and social pressure to "pass", as well as the less well meant gestures. Basically, LMB's writing somewhat escapist fantasy-romance, and I keep trying to make it something that escapes the world to say something about the people in it.
2.) and their families, while dysfunctional in huge ways, are not emotionally abusive to the extent they would need to be to make me believe this.
Fawn's family lacks a certain essential pathology, but Dag's mom is so deliberately cruel to Fawn I find Dag's family issues more convincing. Fawn is a mismatch to her family; Dag's family appearances struck me as more evidently dysfunctional.
Again, this is because LMB is a good enough writer that she cannot do 2D villains, especially in the context of the strong emotional ties of family, but it makes me not really buy the romance.
Yep. I really wanted a moment of reflection from Fawn that her family, while stifling, was not intentionally harmful. LMB does tend to write well-meaning but useless brothers and other family (hi, Ekaterin's relatives) in her romances.
I definitely had P&P in mind when I wrote 2a.
3.) . . . not okay with the "sexual attraction is enough for happily ever after," . . . and absolutely not with the "one day, or hot moment, or emotionally-driven dangerous moment, of sexual attraction is enough" which pushes all of my rant-hot-buttons.
I haven't seen enough of that one to make me twitch. I don't plan to seek it out.
I actually liked Ekaterin and Miles' relationship much more in Komarr than in ACC
As did I, for similar reasons. Miles' courtship needed to be at least six months longer than it was.
"Will you marry me?" should not be a solution to all your problems.
*snorts* No, it's trading one set of problems for an entirely different set. Ekaterin, now you're stuck with Miles. :-)
Um. I think this might be longer than your post. Sorry :)
If you were really sorry, there wouldn't be smiley-faces! :-) I'm a fan of hashing things out, so please: talk.
Anyway, the one-sentence summary is: We clearly disagree somewhat on romance, while agreeing totally on Sharing Knife. All of which you knew already :)
Yep. I'm just pleased I've got my essential romance down to a one-sentence blurb.