"You're so different"

[nicky]

So I thought maybe we could share our thoughts during our read already and not just give a review at the end and that's it. :)

So far I've really been enjoying "A Discovery Of Witches" - I like that it is a more "adult" approach to fantasy, witches and vampires. But more on what I like about the book in another topic.

This is about something that irks me, something that makes this book (at least in that aspect) very Yound Adult-y again. And that is the whole
"Oh Diana, you only packed ONE bag, most women take their whole closet... you're so different"
"Oh Diana, you don't want to leave for your safety but for a manuscript you will? So unique! You are so different from other women",
"Oh Diana is not like other girls, she doesn't like make-up, instead she runs and rows and does yoga (something that when reading about I really envied btw!)."

I don't know... I just thought we had moved past this whole "you're so special and not at all like other girls who apparently all are shopping-addicts and made-up dolls". This is something that annoys me in real life as well - it just seems so belittling. It is rising someone up by putting others down. If he just accentuated things that made her special in her own way without pointing out how she (supposedly) differs from apparently every other girl on the planet that would be way kinder and more special in my opinion. I do not find it sweet or romantic - I find it rather irritating instead.

[julia]

Let's write page numbers atop posts like these so we don't accidentally spoiler each other.

page: 662

I totally agree with Nicky! Love the book and already ordered part two, because I'm really excited to see where the story will take us.

But Diana, although I like her quite a bit, is not so different from other woman - especially other woman her age, since she isn't a teenage girl - and the novel's constant need to make her so distinguished gets kind of annoying. Especially considering that Diana is a witch and therefore has talents that separate her from most other creatures in the world, there is no need to make her so forcefully uncomplicated and casual on top of it all. She is not the only woman in the world who packs yoga pants and comfortable bras! And she is not the only woman doing various kinds of sports. Lastly, she is certainly not the only woman in the world willing to do anything for a book she desires. I would do that in a heartbeat, if I had the chance (and the money).

Also, this constant need to make a hero or heroin so relentlessly courageous and brave is irritating. Like, oh, they never think of themselves and they'd do anything for friends and family, even when it's stupid and dangerous and could cost the hero/in their life. Fact is, the typical human being would do anything for their loved ones - that doesn't make anyone overly special, no matter how admirable it is in itself. And although bravery should be praised, the constant jabbering about how unique this makes our hero is stupid.

Luckily, I feel like there is - overall - not too much of these kinds of conversation. It really is refreshing that the protagonists aren't teenagers for once!