In Monday's post I talked about Superheroes Anonymous, which mostly involves a woman named Gail Godwin, who's taken captive so often because of her inexplicably hot boyfriend that she's known as "Hostage Girl." The next time she's taken captive, she's injected with something that gives her superpowers--and cancer.
I didn't really like the book much. The book was done in first person and most of it seemed like Gail whining about being taken captive and her crappy job. To which I would think: why don't you quit your job and move to another city? Or break up with the inexplicably hot guy people think is a superhero--but isn't? Or maybe change your look so it's harder for villains to identify you? Sign up for Witness Protection. Something.
It was pretty similar to another book called After the Golden Age where a woman was taken hostage a lot, only it was because her parents are superheroes. It was also first-person, I think, and also the woman seemed kinda whiny. I mean, maybe if you keep walking into traps, you should be more careful? Also most of the same things as above, only I guess she can't break up with her parents. Still, they probably could have found a way to create a new identity for her.
Then there was this book I got from Amazon Prime Reading called The Frame-Up that involved again a woman narrating in first person. Only I don't think she was taken hostage a lot. There was a superhero involved. And the woman seemed pretty whiny to me. She was complaining about how her bosses promoted someone else and discriminated against her for having purple hair and piercings and wearing a T-shirt and jeans. So...maybe you should try looking professional instead of like a Starbucks barista? And basically anything she didn't like was because she was a girl. [eye roll]
But then I got thinking: one book like this isn't a big deal, two could be a coincidence, but three...am I a misogynist? I wouldn't think so. I mean I write female characters all the time. I wrote whole series about female superheroes. But if I don't like other female superhero books written by women, then maybe I just don't like women.
Maybe it's just the first-person narration that tries to make the women "spunky" or "sassy" or something like that just ends up striking me as whining. If it were third-person, maybe it'd be better. Or not. I don't really know. It does make me sad because I'd like to like these books and I just didn't like any of them.
Maybe I should rewrite A Hero's Journey in first-person with Emma whining about her problems. And have her go to the museum with purple hair and jeans and a T-shirt and getting offended with everyone who doesn't do what she wants instantly. And then getting kidnapped by the Black Dragoon a bunch of times. [eye roll]
Or I was thinking I could write a story from Emma's daughter Louise's POV where she whines about being kidnapped when bad guys find out her mom is the Scarlet Knight.
I did write Justice for All in first-person with female characters and it's a superhero-type story. I'm not sure if people would consider the main character whiny. But maybe that's why it didn't get published by a real publisher, right?
4 comments:
Stick to your non-whiny characters. I don't like them either.
Superheroes Anonymous sounds like the kind of book I should avoid!
The thing about labels like "misogynist," is that they can be applied easily to singular scenarios. However, they do a disservice to the person as a whole. This same thing happens with the word "narcissist." Everyone can be guilty of self love from time to time. But it's the pathological and toxic behaviors that most people should be concerned with. I hardly think that a few books written by women qualifies you for the label of misogynist. But if the pattern emerges year after year and then you establish a clear hatred for women in your writing, then I might be more willing to apply the term. But for now, I'm saying that you aren't one.
If you were a misogynist, you wouldn't write book with female characters. Besides, I'm sure there are some books you like with female characters and female authors. It's just these books that are probably not great. Most people don't like whining characters.
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