ladybusiness | (Reply)

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Ahhhhhhhhhh so much to talk about.

'I wish more had been made of the Darre’s attitudes towards masculinity and femininity'

Here's an article that Jeminsin wrote which explains more about the matriachal society she wrote: http://www.orbitbooks.net/2010/02/12/writing-a-post-feminist-character/ I know it's not the same as having it explored in book, but I thought it was interesting. Like you I came away wondering why she hadn't talked more about the matriachal society - how it came to be, why it was sexist etc. I read 'Miss Perigrine's Home for Peculiar Children' which also makes just a small reference to the matriachal society Miss Peregrine is from and makes clear her contempt for men. Again I wanted more, but this article made me wonder if the reason that line of investigation isn't explored more is because it seems so common place to the character who is talking about that they don't need to explain it. That's not to say they author couldn't have found a way to make their character explore it, but maybe they decided to take a different route to show a closer facsimilie of that almost unthinking prejudice of patriachal society? What do you think?

And can I use this as a chance to say 'If you like matriachal societies that really explore their approach to masculinity and femininity you should read 'Motherlines' by Suzy McKee Charnas? So awesome and I want your smarts all over that book.

Your interpretation of the religious element is very similar to mine. I immediately saw a trinity of gods, with just the strict, father figure left and saw a symbol of Christianity unbalanced. I'm not sure if Jemisin has written anything about whether she based her god system on any existing religions, but I'd be interested to find out. I didn't read the ending as you did at the time, but that seems like a really interesting link between the text and Christianity now you say it. The idea of a Christ resurrection never occurred to me and I'm going to say that's probaly because Yeine is a female. My brain gets Dr Who as a Christ figure, but apparently does not see a link between women and Christ death/resurrection - oh sexism you are always creeping up on me.

Oh and you say you see conciousness as 'not as infallible, but as all we have'. Would you mind expanding? I'd love to hear more from you about that.

I am a total Nahadoth fan girl btw. We still have very different taste in men :D