Review: The Flame and the Flower

Title: The Flame and the Flower
Author: Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
Genre/Subgenre: Historical Romance
Part of a Series? No

Though The Flame and the Flower was published in the 1970s, which is when the Second Wave of feminism hit (or so I understand), the attitude of the author regarding the role of women in this novel more closely matches the stereotypical attitude of the 1950s. I feel that this is the type of romance novel that leads people to believe that all romance novels are anti-feminist -- it is a story with a patriarchal hero and a drooping "flower" of a heroine, who is in the end so grateful for safety and a child that she forgets that her husband repeatedly raped her and subjected her to months of verbal abuse and humiliation. The "manly" condescension of Brandon does not go away because in the end his love and respect for the heroine is only for her "womanly" attributes, not for her as a person. He's not a good man wearing a bastard's mask whose admirable qualities are slowly revealed -- he's a bastard and we are just expected to be won by his swarthy good looks and ability to keep from bedding his wife for the nine months she is pregnant in a bizarre attempt to punish her. Sorry, Woodiwiss -- I'm not biting. Despite what I have said about wanting an unrepentant bad hero, I find this leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

At first I thought The Flame and the Flower was very similar to a Jennifer Blake novel, and I was excited because I once read a novel with a wonderful pirate altercation scene, and I suspected that this was the one. However, while I admit that Blake's novels have a lot of the traits that are characteristic of the more stereotypical formula romances, I have never felt as shocked and incredulous at the blatant gender stereotypes of any romance novel as I was while reading The Flame and the Flower. I guess I should have been tipped off by the title -- flames are active, powerful, and potentially dangerous, and flowers are beautiful but delicate, ornamental, and passive. This describes the gender gap in this novel very well.

N.B. - This is not the cover of the version of the book I read -- I read a 1972 hardcover version I found at the library. However, even Ebay didn't have the exact version I read, and I thought this 1995 cover was much more accurate, considering the tone of the novel itself. Look at the way he's grabbing her, and the rather diabolical cast to his features. It seems the publishers wanted to emphasize the very things I found repulsive about this novel. Fascinating. Of course, in most contexts I do enjoy devilish, forceful heroes, and perhaps this cover just caters to that common preference.

Review: Romancing the Stone

Title: Romancing the Stone
Author: Joan Wilder a.k.a Catherine Lanigan
Genre/Subgenre: Romance/Adventure
Part of a Series? No

When I checked this book out of the library, I was delighted with its possibilities -- imagine, a romance novel that parodies romance novels! I had dreams of it becoming a key text in my future career as a professor specializing in romance fiction.

I was somewhat disappointed with Romancing the Stone, but only, I think, because my expectations were so high. The novel does parody romance novel conventions, to the point where I laughed out loud more than once, especially in the first few pages, which are an "excerpt" from Joan Wilder's newest novel (the heroine is a romance novelist). Overall, however, Romancing the Stone took itself more seriously than I expected, despite the "this is no romance novel"-type refrains from the heroine. The specific "jungle adventure" romance stereotype is not one I have had much experience with myself.

Taken as a straightforward romance novel, Romancing the Stone is amusing, saved from corny conventionality by funny dialogue and the self-serving attitudes of the hero and heroine. Viewed as a parody of romance, it is interesting and worthy of further study, as well as a way to notice and laugh at the conventions of romance while enjoying them at the same time. I haven't seen the film version, but I imagine it's something like the Indiana Jones movies in style and humour, and I'm hoping to rent it if I can find it.

Review: Spanish Serenade

Title: Spanish Serenade
Author: Jennifer Blake
Genre/Subgenre: Historical Romance
Part of a Series? No

The first romance novel I ever read was written by Jennifer Blake. It was, I believe, Midnight Waltz, and I was fourteen years old. I still remember pulling it off the library bookshelf and examining the book jacket with furtive intensity and the first bloom of gleeful delight that would characterize my feelings towards all good romance novels from then on.

Spanish Serenade is almost exactly the same as Midnight Waltz, Royal Seduction, Fierce Eden, and, one can assume, all of Jennifer Blake's historical novels. In fact, though I have Blake's website before me, with a list of all her books, complete with synopses, I'll be damned if I can remember which ones I've read and which I haven't. I have a vague suspicion that this is my second time around with Spanish Serenade, but I can't be totally sure.

Each novel features a woman of superlative beauty and a man of superlative everything, and a few men who vie with the main man for possession of the woman. The woman is usually abducted by the main male character, and her virtue is often in question until he sleeps with her and discovers physical evidence of her innocence. The man is self-derisive and desperately in love with the heroine, which in conjunction with a series of events leads him to be cold, aloof, and intensely passionate in turns, making cryptic statements of feeling and intent that confuse the heroine and delight the reader. At the end of the novel, main male character (whose name usually starts with R), makes a flowery, soul-driven statement of love; this is often rejected by the heroine, who questions his motive. Then she is usually driven to admit her love and/or marry him by some forceful scheme on the part of the hero, usually with the help of a few faithful companions, sometimes even with the help of the one who fought him for her hand, since he can see that they are truly in love and accepts it manfully. The novels are usually set in New Orleans or somewhere else in Louisiana, though Spain, France, and islands such as Cuba and the Caribbean islands often play a role. There is always some high-class Eighteenth-Century living. There is usually at least one ship scene and pirate altercation. There is always at least one intense fight scene brought on by the jealousy and possessiveness of the virile hero. There is always sex, sometimes nearly immediately, often initially by force.

Now, this constant repeat of the same formula is only a problem if you don't like the formula -- I happen to love it. It has exactly what I want: it features a dark, brooding hero, whose coldness intensifies to conceal his one weakness (love for the heroine); drawn out angst; pirates; New Orleans; abductions. What's not to like, over and over again?

N.B. - It was very difficult to find a picture of the book with this cover, but since I read this version and always make a point of finding the cover I'm familiar with, I spent some time tracking it down. I eventually had the bright idea to check e-bay, and lifted the picture from there. Blake's older covers seem to be disappearing, which is a shame, since I think that the discrete flowers that are replacing the original racy embraces are insincere cop-outs. Women shouldn't be ashamed to be seen reading a novel with lovers gyrating on the front.
/rant

Review: All Smiles

I'm debating whether or not to review this book, because I did not finish it. I fully intended to plow through to the very end, despite the fact I wasn't enjoying it, for the sake of a full and and fair review. However, on page 285, I realized I had at least another 150 pages to go, and I gave up.

I don't think it's a bad book, exactly. I think it just might not be my type. I hate the way it's written, and I especially hate the dialogue. It is not believable (cumbersome and overly complex, with what some people may call the "Dawson's Creek Effect": as in, nobody really talks like that). Information the reader needs in order to understand the narrative is included in ways I consider amateur and cringe-worthy. The relationship is too open, too soon -- there is little angst in the first 2/3 of the book, and while I expect there may be some in the last third, I generally prefer the opposite (angst first, happy resolution at the very end). Overall, I didn't find the book dark enough or powerful enough to really capture my emotions. Then there is the matter of a ghost named Spivey that narrates some mini-chapters, which quickly became unbearable and warranted skipping, and the fact that All Smiles is a terrible pun on the surname of the heroine (Meg Smiles). I read this book in April and I'm still cringing at the memory of it as I write this. No more Stella Cameron for me, until I have reason to believe that she explores darker themes in her other novels. Also, I'm also a little disappointed in Amanda Quick a.k.a. Jayne Ann Krentz for writing such a glowing review of such a lackluster book. But perhaps that is only more proof that for the right person, this could be good.

Let's Talk Romance: Falina's Current Top Five Angsty Love Songs

I'd hate for anyone to think that I confine my love of romance purely to literature. I'm hoping to eventually review films here, and right now I'm going to list my current favourite love songs, with my favourite quotes from them. So, in no particular order...

1. Hinder - Lips of an Angel

My girl's in the next room,
Sometimes I wish she was you

That line is pretty much the only reason I like this song. I used to really be bothered by the concept of infidelity, in films and lyrics and otherwise, but I'm beginning to consider it a useful plot tool.

2. John Mayer - I Don't Trust Myself

No I'm not the man I used to be lately
See, you met me at an interesting time
And if my past is any sign of your future
You should be warned before I let you inside

Hold onto whatever you find baby
Hold onto whatever will get you through
Hold onto whatever you find baby
I don't trust myself with loving you

Oh, John Mayer and I have had a torrid relationship. I loved his early live stuff, hated the CD versions, hated him, his image, and his last couple of albums, and now I'm loving some of his newer stuff, like this (I'm assuming it's new) and "Slow Dancing in a Burning Room." He just got a sexy new haircut that makes him look vaguely like a cross between James Dean and Johnny Depp, too. I have the live version of this song, and I love his sexy, smoky voice.

3. Tegan and Sara - My Number

He grabs me by the hand, drags me to the shore
And says 'Maybe you don't love me, or you'll grow to love me even more'
And I, I'm not surprised

I'm currently trying to find some older and less tinny songs by Tegan and Sara. I don't enjoy their "Walking With a Ghost" style. I prefer their more earthy tunes, like this one, "Hype," and "Divided."

4. Chris Isaak - Wicked Games

And I don't want to fall in love
No I don't want to fall in love, with you

This song is a classic, and so angsty. I read Isaak's interpretation of this song described as "bewildered", and I like that. Bewildered and tortured. Mmm.

5. Ani Difranco - Your Untouchable Face

To tell you the truth I prefer the worst of you
Too bad you had to have a better half
She's not really my type, but I think you two are forever
And I hate to say it, but you're perfect together

So fuck you, and your untouchable face
And fuck you, for existing in the first place
And who am I, that I should be vying for your touch
'Said who am I, I bet you can't even tell me that much

I fell in love with Ani Difranco just a few hours ago...I hadn't really heard anything by her before tonight. She's brilliant. Her voice is so vibrant and colourful, and her lyrics are some of the best I've ever heard.

Let's Talk Romance: The Romantic Hero and Universalism

I'm feeling my way through this topic without any formal academic understanding of Postmodernism itself, but I think it's an important point, at least one that's caused a couple of heated discussions between me and my "Po-mo is the Mo-fo" boyfriend.

When I talk about the Romantic/Byronic hero, I tend to make references to mythological/literary male characters that existed before the Romantic Period - Cain and Milton's Satan are two of my favourites. Jon's argument is that one can't look back with modern perceptions and label something that would not have been labeled at the time. The analogy that he uses, and one that makes sense to me, is to look at, say, ancient Greece and call the men homosexuals. Homosexuality as a term did not exist until thousands of years after this period; homosexuality itself did not exist until we defined it. So to look at, say, Cain, and define him as a Romantic hero does not really work, because Romantic heroes didn't exist until the Romantic Period.

I have trouble wrapping my head around this in some ways, because I know a Romantic hero when I see one. I recognize the combination of characteristics, the "character type" and I don't care whether the character was created thousands of years before Byron started writing or not. At the same time, this argument has made me realize something important -- the Romantic hero is not a thing. The Romantic hero is a perception. That's why I can look at Cain and see a Romantic hero and others in different time periods, including the one in which the Bible was written, can see him as a monster. He's the same character, with the same characteristics, but he can be perceived in different ways. Therefore, what I am interested in is the perception of characters -- Cain, Satan, Lestat, and so many others -- in a certain way, not in whether or not they written deliberately as such or whether there is something inherently "Romantic" in their makeup. It's modern perception that I'm interested in, and possibly Nineteenth-Century perception as well (since that is when the Romantic hero became a noticed a popular thing, and people began to actively create them). Maybe I'm interested in perception starting in the Nineteenth-Century and moving up to Contemporary. I'm really not sure of anything yet, but it's all so damned exciting!

Review: Full Moon Rising

I'm not sure how to feel about this novel. I'm considering reading the next one in the series, but I don't know whether it's because I like the plot and care about the characters or simply because it ends with a blatant "To Be Continued..." I feel angry at such a cheap trick -- the next three novels in the series were scheduled to come out once a month, which indicates that they were all written in advance and designed to sell as a series. The next book in the series probably has an ending similar to this one, and so on until you've bought all the books in the series. Basically, the end of Full Moon Rising is an attempted guarantee that the next book in the series will be read, because it isn't a complete novel in itself. It's an effective lure, but it annoys and offends me. I much prefer J.R. Ward's method -- she effectively ends each character's story, she makes each novel complete in itself, but leaves the reader fascinated by peripheral characters so that they'll want to read the next books when they are published.

Besides the sneaky non-ending, I'm also not sure I believe in or like any of the characters in Full Moon Rising, including the male romantic interest. For a novel to have an unlikeable male hero is, to me, absolutely unforgivable. Also, because sex is so open, some (most...all?) of the angst is removed from the sexual encounters.

So why, despite all this, am I considering reading the next novel? Well, the series might improve, right? The writing itself isn't terrible, and there is a possibility that the next novel might be more to my liking. I'd hate to think that I'm aware of the "To Be Continued..." but still unable to resist its lure. Also, I understand that writing a series is the most effective way for a romance writer to make sure his or her books stay on the shelf -- the most recent book is on the shelf, and because it's part of a series, all the other books are up there, too. There is such a rapid turnover rate for romance novels that this is really the only way to make sure your books are represented at bookstores for more than a month or two.