Interesting links; I missed those so thanks for posting them. I like Jennifer Weiner, mainly because of the characters she writes. They’re messy and they’re real. The Next Best Thing wasn’t my favorite of hers, I think mainly because I listened to it instead of read it, and I wasn’t nuts about the narrator. But I did like it, and I loved Ruthie’s grandmother!
I’m not a chick lit reader (although I just finished Bet Me but 1 book in 10 years probably doesn’t qualify me?). But this discussion is interesting. I’ve often felt that the books I liked (romance, high fantasy, etc.) were really enjoyable and contained characters “you like.” But every year I read a handful of bestselling “literature” because…well I don’t really know why. I want to be able to hold my head high with the literati?
But I only rarely enjoy the literature. For example, Tony Morrison is a phenomenal talent who I really admire. But her books are so grim I feel I need to drink a margarita and think sunny thoughts to break free of their dark embrace. But these are the books that garner the high-profile reviews and win all the awards, while authors I love (like Maggie Stiefvater) will sell well but never win any accolades.
Why can’t good also be fun? Why does good have to involve dark stories and deeply damaged protagonists? I think I’m with Weiner on this one.
Interesting links; I missed those so thanks for posting them.
I like Jennifer Weiner, mainly because of the characters she writes. They’re messy and they’re real.
The Next Best Thing wasn’t my favorite of hers, I think mainly because I listened to it instead of read it, and I wasn’t nuts about the narrator. But I did like it, and I loved Ruthie’s grandmother!
I’m not a chick lit reader (although I just finished Bet Me but 1 book in 10 years probably doesn’t qualify me?). But this discussion is interesting. I’ve often felt that the books I liked (romance, high fantasy, etc.) were really enjoyable and contained characters “you like.” But every year I read a handful of bestselling “literature” because…well I don’t really know why. I want to be able to hold my head high with the literati?
But I only rarely enjoy the literature. For example, Tony Morrison is a phenomenal talent who I really admire. But her books are so grim I feel I need to drink a margarita and think sunny thoughts to break free of their dark embrace. But these are the books that garner the high-profile reviews and win all the awards, while authors I love (like Maggie Stiefvater) will sell well but never win any accolades.
Why can’t good also be fun? Why does good have to involve dark stories and deeply damaged protagonists? I think I’m with Weiner on this one.
Flavorwire has this to say, ”