#like I would have appreciated if Zetian's relationships with other women weren't either 'My Literal Sister' | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

dolores-slay · 6 months

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Damn. I think in retrospect my disappointment with Iron Widow felt like a rare sentiment is because the rest of the YA genre is just so sooo much worse.

But still that book was a huge disappointment. Something about it just came off as cynical and nasty in a way I really didn't expect from the author (but maybe should have from the subject matter ig). I really wanted to like it but so many things didn't gel for me and I'm not even sure how much of it is me just not knowing enough about the culture and history behind it but idk. Maybe the issue was the way it was advertised. I hate modern book advertising (but acknowledge that it is necessary, authors need to fucking eat for one).

#musings brought to you by yearly book fair days in my city #idk how to tag this so I won't #i just didn't like the book #it happens!#cynical and nasty here is NOT used as a value judgement but for the tone of the work #which is perfectly okay to write in!#the problem is me it's my expectations #also yeah I do think the patriarchy is a bit too cartoonishly evil compared to the insidious ways it's been able to thrive in society #but then again! cultural and historical context I might be lacking ig!#also the women being overwhelmingly nasty to each other! I do not enjoy!#like I would have appreciated if Zetian's relationships with other women weren't either 'My Literal Sister'#or 'Jealous Bitch Plotting Against Me'#but imperial courts were hard like that I suppose

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