A word, a look, will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never.

[redbrunja]

For Darkness Shows The Stars is a sci-fi YA retelling of Persuasion, and in one sense it’s really good – I finished it in about two days – the characters are likable and the reasons why they made the choices they did are very understandable, as is their estrangement.

HOWEVER, there is this really uncomfortable pro-slavery subtext that I found pretty disturbing. Basically, the world-building sets up different castes of people, one caste of which is mentally disabled and used as the labor force, and one which is in power. Basically, the author legitimized a lot of the lies told about black people during slavery (dumber than white people, unable to be trusted to care for their children, that they like/feel loyalty to their masters) and made them literally true.

I think the author would be appalled to hear this, since a lot of the story is about breaking down this abusive power structure, but, basically, the basic world-building made me really, really uncomfortable.

But this novel did make me pick up the original Persuasion, so I'm reading that.

In other news, I'm in the middle of The Screaming Staircase, by Jonathan Stroud (children fighting ghosts!) and I have a good feeling about that.

Also, reading Wednesday needs to be Reading 'Some Other Day' because I can never actually manage to post a reading update on Wednesday.

Comments

[hungrytiger11.livejournal.com]

Is it just the fact that the world-building included this at all, or that you didn't feel the narrative explicitly enough condemned that caste system/slavery stuff? (I haven't read the good so am curious before I read, I guess...). I can understand maybe having it in world building if it is being used to discuss or condemn a topic, like the stuff in 1984 or Brave New World. On the other hand, it is disappointing if it did not come off that way...

Hope you enjoy Persuasion; it is my favorite work of Austen's (perhaps because I am now older too?)

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

r that you didn't feel the narrative explicitly enough condemned that caste system/slavery stuff?

It was this. I felt they toned down how awful their caste system would logically be, in order to make the heroine appear more unquestionably heroic.

Hope you enjoy Persuasion; it is my favorite work of Austen's (perhaps because I am now older too?)

I'm halfway through and enjoying it so far.

[hungrytiger11.livejournal.com]

I felt they toned down how awful their caste system would logically be, in order to make the heroine appear more unquestionably heroic.

That is too bad :(

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

It is, because it is otherwise a really excellent read, but I would not recommend it without reservations.