Women Characters as Spies
- spencermack
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Re: Women Characters as Spies
It would be great to have a story give female characters the development that women earned during the war.
- BelleReadsNietzsche
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Yes! So far, I’m finding I’m inconsistent in whether or not I dock points for this. If there are greater problems with the novel, I might not even reference it or use it as a major reason for a low score. If the woman is supposed to be a main character and the issues detract significantly from the story they’re trying to tell, I’ll probably dock it. I probably won’t give a novel 4 stars if I feel like it’s a serious issue with it. For The Warramunga’s War, had I written a review, I don’t think it would have influenced my score.CatlynnHighlights wrote: ↑19 Feb 2019, 20:57I strongly agree! In novels like this, women seem to have to make a choice. They can be "strong" as you said, or "people," or what I like to call a "fairytale." Fairytales are basically the epitome of a fairytale princess: can't lift a finger, doesn't make important decisions, needs someone to save her, etc. It's such a rarity to find books where female characters don't have to make this choice because it's such a norm. I don't dock points anymore, although I used to. Instead, I add points to those books that have managed to avoid it.BelleReadsNietzsche wrote: ↑03 Feb 2019, 17:18 This is a theme I notice more and more as I get older, and don't necessarily see improving in many of the newer books released. And my patience with it is a lot thinner than it used to be. Women as "strong" is great but it seems to be a substitute for women as people, especially among male authors. I agree with the comments made here about Yasmina, Fahmy, Fifi, and Yvette.
That being said, I wasn't necessarily expecting much since historical fiction war books written by men tend to be really terrible at this, and I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. But I think its a weakness in this book and in the genre, and I'm kind of sick of excusing it. (And I'm torn about that because many otherwise good books have that as a flaw, and I'm never sure how harsh its fair to be about it.)
I feel like I am constantly wrestling with the question because I don’t want to get the reputation of an unkind reviewer who is always looking to make gender a thing, but it’s also harder for me to enjoy a book where some characters (who happen to look like me) don’t feel like people!
Anyway, hope the rambling wasn’t too over the top, and thanks for your comment!
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That scene makes me puzzled why? Women were vulnerable of such inhumane works of the criminals. Reading it through brings justice.KJohnston wrote: ↑12 Feb 2019, 01:29 I'm only about 1/4 the way through the book at the moment, and it seems like the women are doing all the hard parts of the job. They are the ones risking their lives and gathering the intel, while the men just kind of watch.
It also very much surprised me when that one girl was murdered, and the men in the book didn't seem very concerned about it. It appears as if the men view the women as tools and dispensable.
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I do agree that they need character development. But I think the author also made that point that the women played those pivotal roles (spies) in the war. That it couldn't have been successful without them; although the story wasn't centered to that.spencermack wrote: ↑19 Feb 2019, 21:02 The Women characters lacked development. Which is disappointing because, during world war 2, women played pivotal roles in the success of the war. Whether spies, like this story, or working the factories and healing soldiers.
It would be great to have a story give female characters the development that women earned during the war.
- briellejee
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Finally!! Someone who is also on the other side with me. Them being underdeveloped was a problem or a lack of on the author's writing style but not on the story's integrity. You could see how the author made these women just as imporatant as men in the war.maritzaalston wrote: ↑21 Feb 2019, 14:55 I have to disagree I did not get that from this story at all. I have to admit that the ladies character may have been a bit underdeveloped however throughout the entire time the ladies were told how valuable they were in acquiring the information that was needed to aid them. Precisely when one of the ladies was incarcerated, James and Jacko instantly demanded that she be instantly released. I believe that this scene specifically speaks to the integral role of the woman spy and how important she was to the M16 team.
- saimi_v
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Sincerely, the books more sold are they which the romance between both main characters is important part of the plot, and the female character is weak at the beginning but always win at the end supported by a group or a man that is her "loving interest"
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