Well, Hello There Heteronormativity

[redbrunja]

 Okay, so about a week ago I was super, super stressed out, so as I dropped off books at the library, I realized that 'hey, I need some Nora Roberts!' (Her books are my popcorn comfort books.)

Luckily, it's been long enough since I read anything by her (I seem to remember wandering off in the middle of one of her In Death books and not coming back) that there were several books I hadn't read. I picked up Tribute, which had its good and bad points. The good was Cilla, and the large amount of pagetime devoted to her restoring and rebuilding her grandmother's house (yay for nontraditional careers for female leads! They are so fucking rare in romances) and how important it was to her that she find something/the career that she was good at.

However, I found the dream sequences really heavy-handed. And I was sorry that it turned out Cilla wasn't actually seeing literal ghosts. Also, Janet is way too dowdy a name to be a stage name for a star, even one from the 1930s.

I also grabbed Strangers In Death, whose first half annoyed me enormously. I think it's because of how much reading I've done lately from real life BDSM/poly practitioners, but I'm really sensitive to fair representation at the moment. So the whole first half, when the narrative has Eve being suspicious of the murderer because (reportedly), the murderer and the victim were in a marriage in which their sexual needs were met outside the marriage bed to which EVERYONE RESPONDS WITH DISTASTE bugged. I dunno, I would expect that the future would have a little more acceptance about poly, especially super-unsentimental-Eve. And free-ager-raised Peabody. Not that either of them (well, maybe Eve pre-Roarke) would ever go for it, but I would expect them to have more of a 'whatever floats your boat' attitude about it. And in the same book, the gigolo Charles is getting out of the biz. (Which taken individual make sense, but I wish hadn't happened in this book.)

Once it came out that Eve was really pissed because the murderer reminded her of the chick who tried to steal Roake, I started enjoying this book more.

Comments

[hungrytiger11.livejournal.com]

Because, I'm easily confused...When you say you've recently read a lot about B"DSM/poly pracitioners" do mean you've read about groups of people who practice both things or you've read about BDSM and about Pologomy/poly-relationships?

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

A little bit of both. Although my main resource for poly/bdsm is the Stranger's Mistress Matisse, who is a professional dominatrix and in a poly relationship.

[hungrytiger11.livejournal.com]

Ah, ok. My mind was thinking "polygamy" at the term "poly-pracitioners, and, thinking on the local group of FLDS, I was having a hard time seeing a connection that could be generalized. WHat you're talking about is making waaaay more sense in my mind.

Sounds like interesting reading too.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm sure the men of FLDS love inflicting pain on their subs. Whether said subs like recieving pain is up for debate.

And it's been very interesting reading.

[zeldabel.livejournal.com]

Janet is way too dowdy a name to be a stage name for a star, even one from the 1930s.

I agree. But then, I always wondered why Frances Gumm had to become Judy Garland. I mean, Judy? Talk about dowdy. I like Frances better.

You know, I adore Eve Dallas. The woman herself absolutely cracks me up. Her very dry sense of humor suits me. When I first began reading the series, I was struck by her soft heart and vulnerability. That said, Strangers in Death was the first time I got really annoyed with Eve. I felt sorry for Suzanne Custer. She was a weak woman, dominated by an abusive husband and used by an evil Ava. Yes, she killed an innocent man. But Eve knows what it's like to be abused, knows the corners a person can be pushed into. I think she could have been a little more fair-minded where Suzanne was concerned.

As for the open-marriage thing...I can see Free-Ager Peabody being open about it. But Eve? No way. Despite it all, she's a bit of a prude.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

I like Frances better

I do too. Although 'Frances' is gender-neutral, which might have been a factor.

She was a weak woman, dominated by an abusive husband and used by an evil Ava. Yes, she killed an innocent man. But Eve knows what it's like to be abused, knows the corners a person can be pushed into. I think she could have been a little more fair-minded where Suzanne was concerned.


I completely disagree. (My issues, let me show them.) There are so many times in the real world where we are told to 'hate the sin, love the sinner' or accept that when someone is too weak/can't, basically, be a decent person, we need to have compassion for that. And you know, sometimes I think that we err too much on the side of compassion and should freaking hold this people accountable for the consequences of what they do or don't do. Yes, Suzanne was weak and used - but she had options she didn't take, a man is still dead, and I was thrilled that Eve didn't get her a free pass on that, like so many in authors and characters in fiction would have. I was honestly cheering Eve on.

As for the open-marriage thing...I can see Free-Ager Peabody being open about it. But Eve? No way. Despite it all, she's a bit of a prude.

Yeah, I'm rethinking that. I was imagining that prior to Roarke, Eve would like sex without having to have a solid relationship... but I'm realizing one night stands would be SO much easier and fit her personality a lot better than any more emotional connection, even as someone's secondary partner.

[zeldabel.livejournal.com]

I think you're right about Suzanne. She deserved her punishment for killing an innocent man, a man who was dedicated to charity work. I don't know why I felt so sorry for her. Well, I do. I was in an abusive relationship for three years. I could have morphed into Suzanne.

There But For The Grace of God

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

*nods*

I can understand that, and I think a lot of people would share your feelings (notice how the author had Mira right there to provide a contrast between her and Eve?)

Re: There But For The Grace of God

[zeldabel.livejournal.com]

I did notice that. JD Robb is such an amazing author, and her characters really balance each other out.

Re: There But For The Grace of God

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

*nods*

And Eve being vicious about the abused wife was totally intentional. I'm reading the next book, and in it's clear as she's interviewing another abused wife, she has quite a few issues with them.