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Sentath

(2,243 posts)
Mon Feb 6, 2012, 11:26 PM Feb 2012

I would like some help writing a respectful negative review

I just finished reading Blood Fae by India Drummond.

The title could be better, but that isn't my gripe. In most ways it was a nice little fantasy pulp. Save for one thing. The only visibly gay character was the violently insane murderous villian.

Sigh

Use the look inside or I can kindle lend it if anyone is curious.

Tho other reviews are gushy, but accurate. But, they don'take her to task for the villian.

Any thoughts?

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I would like some help writing a respectful negative review (Original Post) Sentath Feb 2012 OP
Keep it concise, don't verbally wander. Chan790 Feb 2012 #1
Useful and Sentath Feb 2012 #2
Try "Shut your festering gob, you tit. Your kind really make me want to puke." (But seriously)... HopeHoops Feb 2012 #3
That is very well presented advice. n/t truedelphi Feb 2012 #5
Well, if that fails, try.... HopeHoops Feb 2012 #6
Good thing my mother wasn't a hamster! truedelphi Feb 2012 #7
I would think that having a gay homicidal villain is a bit cliche - truedelphi Feb 2012 #4
Agree. It has been done too many times. McCamy Taylor Feb 2012 #8
 

Chan790

(20,176 posts)
1. Keep it concise, don't verbally wander.
Tue Feb 7, 2012, 08:54 PM
Feb 2012

State your complaint, don't harp on it, but then move on to explaining how it damages your appreciation of the book and the narrative, cite examples from the text, finish with a compliment about what you liked.

Find your own voice, look to published literary-reviews for any stylistic questions, stick to the text and interpretations/criticism of the text. As hard as it will be, stay away from the real-world political or social aspects of that fault in the book unless they're easily and directly related to the text. This last one is the hardest one but you undermine your point if you start talking about real-world examples or trends of anti-gay discrimination that have nothing to do with the text because people will go "hey look at the preachy person" and tune you out or make their take-away from the review about you and not your points. Unfair, but true.

Post it here after you write and before you publish it if you want feedback.

 

HopeHoops

(47,675 posts)
3. Try "Shut your festering gob, you tit. Your kind really make me want to puke." (But seriously)...
Wed Feb 8, 2012, 09:33 AM
Feb 2012

Well, maybe you should use some less colorful language.

As for the review, I think it is entirely appropriate to "take her to task". Is there a point behind making him gay? Perhaps it is a necessary component of the story line, but your perception as described in the OP would indicate that it wasn't obvious or perhaps even non-existent. Before you send the review, reread the entire comment replacing "gay" with "black", "Mexican", "Asian", or any other stereotypes you can think of. If your comment passes that test, then it is ready to go. The review won't be taken seriously by the author if you let it drift into "you're a gay-bashing homophobic idiot" type language and it really should serve as an awakening to the use of stereotypes as much as it is a critique of the overall piece of work. If you liked the story otherwise, be sure to say so.



 

HopeHoops

(47,675 posts)
6. Well, if that fails, try....
Fri Feb 10, 2012, 10:04 AM
Feb 2012

"I faaaaahhhhttt in your general dirrrrection. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!"

That's just a last resort, mind you.

truedelphi

(32,324 posts)
7. Good thing my mother wasn't a hamster!
Fri Feb 10, 2012, 04:13 PM
Feb 2012

Though I think my dad did smell of elderberries (or cherries anyway - he loved his pipe.)

truedelphi

(32,324 posts)
4. I would think that having a gay homicidal villain is a bit cliche -
Fri Feb 10, 2012, 12:33 AM
Feb 2012

And even if an author doesn't consider the other reasons for avoiding such a choice of villain, just attempting to avoid writing a cliche should be enough.

If the character was an entirely different, very well fleshed out character who happened to be gay, then that would be something totally different.

McCamy Taylor

(19,240 posts)
8. Agree. It has been done too many times.
Sun Feb 26, 2012, 04:54 PM
Feb 2012

I am not going to read the book, but I guess from your post that the character is Gay Just To Be Creepy. As in he makes inappropriate sexual advances towards other characters, and we are supposed to assume that is because he is "gay".

There are legitimate reasons why a person who is gay in a homophobic society might become anti-social. If the author wants to discuss this connection, good for him or her.

Note: in good speculative fiction there is no "villain". Characters are fleshed out. Some characters do bad things, but calling anyone "evil" is the ultimate act of evil. So, authors who create "evil" characters are doing something naughty, sort of like the Nazis, except with words instead of gas chambers.

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