[ SECRET POST #4884 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #4884 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 19 secrets from Secret Submission Post #699.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[tabaqui]

The person who wrote the 9000 word review seems....a bit over the top.
This is not remotely my cuppa, and I won't be reading it - has anyone here? Other than not being a great book (maybe) - how 'appalling' was it?

[(Anonymous)]

IMO not at all appalling. I actually thought it was a more beneficial form of "anti racism/xenophobia" YA fiction for white teenagers to read, because it puts you in the headspace of someone who has been raised in relative isolation and only ever taught racist/xenophobic ways of looking at the world. So she's a kind person and not at all malicious, but she's pretty racist for quite a while, because she truly doesn't know any better.

But as soon as she's exposed to things that contradict the worldview she's been taught, she begins to factor those things into her understanding of the world, and over time comes to realize that her people are the oppressors and there's no excusing it.

I can see how the story may not be all that enjoyable for people of color, because the center of the story is a character who is basically "white" realizing she and her people are horrible oppressors and joining the resistance. And many POC readers would probably rather not read about white girl's social justice awakening.

But it's not an appalling story, nor is it an irrelevant one. It just probably speaks to (and is potentially illuminating to) white teen readers more than POC teen readers.

It is worth pointing out, though, that it is definitely an ensemble cast story, where the other characters play important roles, and almost every good guy character but the central girl is "other."

[tabaqui]

Interesting.

I wonder why the reviewer hated it so much. I mean - yeah, not exactly an awesome book for a young black kid, or asian kid, but is a book about a 'white' kid discovering racism is wrong *that terrible*?

Overdone, sure, and sometimes condescending, but not *bad*.

Ah, well.

[(Anonymous)]

DA.

I don't think it's the most terrible concept in the world, but it is an overdone and completely repetitive story.

Also there's something to be said for how these kinds of social-justice stories that focus on white characters, and come from white-authors are given more of an audience and focus than stories that come from people of color themselves. And I imagine that as a person of color that must so utterly frustrating to deal with

No one will listen to the merits of 'not being racist' unless it comes from a white person yanno?

Again: not saying the book or author should be burned at the stake, but I can understand the irritation towards the story-type in general.

[tabaqui]

Oh, I can, too, but man - that review! As if the book was one long tirade against all things 'other' and ranted about the evils of everything non-'white' and the superiority of everything 'white' as if it were gospel truth.

Not the impression i got from Anon above or the article other Anon linked....

Oh well. It seems to be doing well sales wise, or did, so that's probably all the publishing company cared about.

[(Anonymous)]

Yeah, I find the rage-filled response to it pretty baffling. I think it must have something to do with how long it takes for the central girl to fully transition out of her ignorant racism. Like, she starts having questions within the first quarter of the book, but IIRC it takes most of the first book for her to fully shift gears.

The students who are "other" at her school are extremely hostile towards her due to her race and family background, and she's basically helpless to defend herself because despite being a "privileged whitey" she's basically a squib. So it takes her a while to work through the fear and anger she feels at being bullied by these people she's been taught to hate and fear, and realize that they're directing their fury at her for some very significant reasons.

But if someone's all keyed up to hate the book already, the first third of the book doesn't do much to deconstruct the main character's ignorant beliefs.

[tabaqui]

I guess not. Interesting stuff!