Book Banter #5: Female Protagonists

If there's one thing that annoys me about books, it's when the female characters are awful. It doesn't matter how good to concept, the writing or the ideas are. If the protagonist is female, and is annoying, I struggle to read the book. The worst thing is if the female protagonist is whiny, or has no self-confidence. Its worse if they are whiny and annoying about their relationships.

Recently I've been reading, or shall I say, trying to read Goddess Legacy (Part of the Goddess series) by M.W. Muse and Mandy Harbin. I've read the first two books, and while I think the idea of new gods and goddesses created in the likeness of old ones in today's world is a good one, the main character is really getting on my nerves. She's slow to work things out, yet is supposed to be intelligent. She cries at everything, especially anything to do with boys, and she's just a bit naive. Her problems, in my opinion, could be easily sorted if only she had common sense and wasn't mooning over men. I wouldn't recommend those books, by the way, unless you are a particularly emotional teenage girl who needs a reality check.

There are many female protagonists that have annoyed me in the past. It is mostly because they make a huge deal out of relationships or are particularly whiny and self-loathing. One such example is Bella from Twilight. She's worried about getting old and her boyfriend not liking her any more. She's clumsy in an over-the-top fashion and she's constantly second-guessing herself. 

Then there's Cho Chang. I have absolutely no idea what Harry Potter ever saw in her. She is a bit pathetic, but it's fair enough seeing as her boyfriend just died. But still, she has no personality. Since she isn't a protagonist, so I'll let her off with a warning.

I'm also not particularly fond of Katniss Everdeen. To be honest with you, I always thought she was a bit of a cow. She basically plays the boys against each other and takes three books to decide which one she likes most, and I don't think it's the best of reasons either. She's lethal and ruthless but at least she does have a heart. However, she couldn't be the Mockingjay without all those qualities.

There have been far too many female protagonists like this, and it is seriously starting to get on my nerves. I can understand why some of them are written this way, but others are just ridiculous. For all the writers out there (especially those writing YA), I'll give you a few ideas of good female protagonists. Please feel free to take notes:

Hermione Granger. She has it all. She's loyal, clever and fierce. She can definitely take on enemies, yet she has a vulnerability too. She's perfectly well rounded.

Pretty much all the women in A Song Of Ice and Fire series (Game of Thrones to me and you). They are the most well rounded ladies I've read, they each come into their own and have reasons for doing things, even if it is something terrible like killing their husband. I didn't say they had to be nice.

Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. She stands up for what she believes in even though the norms of society says she shouldn't, as well and her mother and sisters.

Lucy Pevensie from the Chronicles of Narnia. She was my first major heroine. She dared to go where no-one else would and stood up for what she believed in. In my opinion she pretty much saved the whole of Narnia from the White Queen. She is 'Lucy the Valiant', Queen of Narnia after all.

Now that's how to do it right.

Stacey_x

Shades of Milk and Honey - Mary Robinette Kowal

Jane is a plain country lady with an extraordinary talent; she can work magic. She can create images and effects by folding a kind of magical tapestry, she just picks up a thread from the ether and works it into reality. Her sister, Melody, is beautiful but not nearly so talented in the use of glamour, instead of working on herself she spends her time chasing men. Everything is as normal until the roguish Captain Livingston arrives, along with the mysterious famous Glamourist, Mr Vincent, whose work captivates Jane,

If you love Jane Austen, you'll appreciate this slightly magical take on the Regency world. There are so many likenesses between this book and Austen's work, such as the two sisters being quite like Elinor and Marianne from Sense and Sensibility, brooding male leads, handsome captains and the inevitable scandal. A fair bit has been taken from Pride and Prejudice, with the most striking one being Jane's parents being a lot like the Bennets in terms of character.

The story, if you have read books or watched film adaptations of Austen's works, is actually fairly predictable, especially once you realise how similar it is to Pride and Prejudice. And it is fair to say that if you were to compare the dimensions of each character, you would find that Austen's are more developed. However, it is a small book, and no doubt the characters you would want to know more about will be discussed in other Glamourist Histories. Despite this, the book is a quick and enjoyable read. The talk of glamour as such a commonplace thing is very interesting to read, and the way it has filtered into normal life is nice. It does not change their lives as much as it could have, but there is something good about the fact that the author has not differed too much from the regency setting, otherwise there might be no point in setting it there.

As for the characters, Jane and Mr Vincent were drawn very well, particularly our heroine, who was everything a good Austen protagonist should be. However, I would like to know more about Mr Vincent's life, and I thought that their romance was rushed nearing the end of the book, as if she suddenly liked him. There also is no description of Mr Vincent; something I would have liked as it was difficult to imagine him. Melody, the Ellsworths and the Dunkirks are all well-drawn, however, more description would have been a good addition.

As to the story, it didn't take long to get into it, and although some parts were slow, it kept a good pace throughout. The climax was really good and very exciting, with the plot seeming to propel the reader closer and closer to finale. At this point you cannot stop reading and was quite unlike any Austen novel, despite the fact that the circumstances that it arrived in were extremely similar.

This story is a fresh take on a classic style of literature, it is light, magical reading and is a great way to introduce teenagers to Regency and Austen. 8 out of 10.