There’s a fab review of Kelley’s Dangerous Space up at The Word Hoarder. Go read it, bask in the reflected glory of the Most Gorgeous Eskridge. Once you’ve recovered your senses, read it again, see what you notice about gender.
The reviewer, Rich Rennicks, works as a bookseller at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe in Asheville, North Carolina. I’ve never actually been there–never actually visited Asheville, even though half of Stay is set just outside the town. But Kelley and I wouldn’t survive without the enthusiasm of booksellers. We owe our living to them. So if there’s a cosy independent near you, pop in, buy a book (buy a new book) or a card or a cup of coffee or some stationery or whatever else they sell and stop and chat with one of the booksellers. Tell them what you do and don’t like to read. I bet you a beer that s/he will be able to recommend something you’d never thought of, a book that will take you on a strange and possibly dangerous journey.
Oh, and before you gallop off to obey, take a look at the photo on the Word Hoarder blog and see how many of those books you recognise–and how many you’ve read. I’ve read at least four (if I could read the spines more clearly, it would probably be more). Let’s just say I think Rich has excellent taste :)
What a great review for a great story. Go Kelley!>>I found it amusing that the reviewer, without even thinking about it, assigned a gender identity to Mars.>>One thing I love most about this story is how seamlessly Kelley tells it without .once. giving us any information about Mars’ gender. I’ve read discussions about it, and many people are convinced that Mars is definitely male or definitely female. >>It’s perfect how we never know and how it never matters.
I read the review twice, once from K’s blog link and once from yours. It is an evocative review and really hits the bullseye. I am daily glad that I found your books.
Oh, just a side note. I’ve gotten to a place in my writing where words ooze out of my pen like thick molasses in the depth of winter. It’s agonizing. Just yesterday, though, someone sent me to TED.com to view Elizabeth Gilbert, author of <>Eat, Pray, Love<> give a lecture on writing.>>It was just what I needed, and I thought y’all might enjoy it, as she’s quite refreshing. You can either go to ted.com or to < HREF="http://sferic.livejournal.com" REL="nofollow">my blog<>. Hope you enjoy.
I felt like such a dork when I read Janine’s comment — straight, male assumptions raise their ugly head. But when I reread “Dangerous Space” with the idea that Mars was a guy, I think it can be read either way now. What an awesome story!>>Sorry about the fuzzy header image, Nicola. I need to find a different WordPress template that would allow it to stretch across the full screen.>>Here’s a link to the full-size version: http://wordhoarder.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/4-wp-header-large.jpg
Rich, you’re totally not a dork. A lot of people read different genders into Mars, and I think we make the assumption that’s most familiar to us. >>I, for one, first decided that Mars was male, then half-way through, I decided Mars was female…and then I had a good time switching between genders from one paragraph to another. It was fantastic.
I think it’s appropriate that a certain two books are snuggled next to each other on the shelf.
Rich, you are so not a dork (laughing). >>I want people to be able to read Mars in whatever way they like, so as to be able to get as close as possible to the character. However that works for you is totally fine with me. There is no “right” answer to Mars, there’s just each person’s answer. (In my worldview, a lot of life is like that…)>>K
<>janine<>, the interesting thing to me is how Mars can be one sex in one story and another in another. S/he doesn’t have to be the same. And there’s nothing wrong with assigning a gender to read–Mars is female for me reading “And Salome Danced,” back-and-forth for me reading “Storm” and neither reading “Dangerous Space.” I think assigning, changing, trying not to assign while reading is a fun game. But maybe I just don’t get out enough :)>><>rich<>, nah, you’re not a dork. See above. No one with the good taste to admire K’s work so much could possibly be anything but perspicacious.>><>stacy<>, yep :)
Nicola, if you think it’s as fun a game as I do, then either we’re great minds that think alike, or neither of us get out enough….er…or both.>>Heh.
What a fantastic review. I had a look at The Word Hoarder’s banner, and < HREF="http://flickr.com/photos/simulakra/3328334089/" REL="nofollow">these are the books I own from the selection<>. I have also read <>Bastard Out of Carolina<>, but my copy is in Mexico.
<>karina<>, have you read <>The Good Fairies<>? How was it?
This is just to say that Malaprop’s is a joy and a wonder: Big (or maybe it just feels that way), full, but – as that header image suggests – incredibly well-curated, as though someone who has your pleasure in mind arranged it just for you. I adore to go there but am wary of it, because I am never in Asheville for long and Malaprop’s will eat more time than I can spare.
Well, I've been meaning too — but now I've done & bought it. Yes, new. Looking forward to it when it comes.
Thanks, Mel! I hope you enjoy it.
<>maryn<>, that really is the beauty of a fine bookshop: the selection. One day I’ll get there…>><>mel<>, woo hoo! I hope you’ll let us know what you think when you read it.
I sure will! And Keeley, I don’t have any doubt I’ll enjoy it. I think I’ve mentioned before how much I like <>Solitaire<>, which ranks with me as a “reread” — I think I've read it three times now.>>Gee, & even though I have <>Solitaire<> & Nicola's books in book format — yesterday when I purchased <>Dangerous space<>, I also found myself downloading the sample chapters of those other books to my Kindle — just in case I develop a hankering to read one of them when I’m on the bus. All of them are rereadable. :)>>(Other authors whose work I frequently reread — just so you know what company you keep: C.J. Cherryh, Ursula K. Leguin, <>Dune<> by Frank Herbert, <>Startide Rising<> & some others in that universe by David Brin, J.R.R. Tolkien….)
(Okay, I’ll be honest — I reread Orson Scott Card’s Ender books too — of which I think the best is <>Speaker for the Dead<>. And I will continue reading those books. But I will never again buy them new, only through trading on my paperback credit at Title Wave Books, because the man is such an incredible homophobe.)
<>nicola,<> nope, haven’t read <>The Good Fairies<> yet. Next on my reading list is < HREF="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0439023483?ie=UTF8&tag=theofficialnicol&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0439023483" REL="nofollow"><>The Hunger Games<><> by Suzanne Collins, then < HREF="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0765358549?ie=UTF8&tag=theofficialnicol&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0765358549" REL="nofollow"><>The Good Fairies of New York<><>, followed by < HREF="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0670069655?ie=UTF8&tag=theofficialnicol&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0670069655" REL="nofollow"><>Half World<><> by Hiromi Goto. I’ll let you know how I like the <>Fairies<> when I get to them.