A Strong! Indepedent! Heroine!

I'm currently reading a fantasy novel that has a Strong Independent Heroine ™, who informs everyone in sight that she is a Strong and Independent woman. Here are some of the things she does in the first 10% of the book to telegraph her strength and independence:

-In her first combat situation, she freezes up and huddles in a corner, weeping.

-Shortly after, she strips for a man to get him to do what she wants.

-Then, to deal with the shame of her earlier breakdown, she has sex with a different man that she absolutely detests.

-Finally, she gets into a slapfight with her mother.

Strength and independence, truly. She's a pillar of iron, that one.

Maybe it's a parody. On the other hand, I suspect some writers use "strong and independent" as a stealth euphemism for "irrational petulance", so there you go.

Anyway, if you want to read a much better example of a actual strong and independent heroine, go read the excellent Shaala, Made Of Stone, by Marsheila Rockwell, which should really be expanded into a full-length book.

-JM