#because that romance arc was the greatest thing to happen to YA television

[preppymayhem]

You make a good point about other characters being made worse so Dawson could look better. Though to be honest, the show did the same with Dawson and Andie in S3 so people wouldn’t turn on Pacey and Joey.

You’re definitely right about Dawson’s being protected by an armor because he’s a protagonist. Everything revolves around him and around his feelings. Characters like Pacey and Jen aren’t afforded the same treatment when they screw up. They get isolated. In S3 all of Dawson’s friends were there for him after Joey ran off with Pacey. And he didn’t deserve it. Kerr Smith, the actor who plays Jack, commented that it was hard to film that scene because right before that he filmed an emotional scene with his homophobic dad. It was like Dawson’s heartbreak took precedence over everyone else’s problems. The end of S6 followed the same trajectory. All of Dawson’s friends were there for him even though Pacey suffered the same fate. No one was there to help Pacey get back on his feet. Dawson screwed up just as much as Pacey. He shouldn’t have invested all of his money.

Also, Pacey payed for the repairs for Dawson’s house. That cost thousands of dollars. If Pacey hadn’t done that, all of Dawson’s income would may have gone towards those repairs. Funny, that Dawson didn’t blame Audrey for destroying his house. Audrey even pointed out that he’s not judgmental. All of Dawson’s judgment is reserved for Pacey. He doesn’t get jealous of his other friends’ success but he gets jealous of Pacey’s success.

The problem I have with Dawson is actually the same problem I have with Joey. She too suffers from protagonist syndrome - as I like to call it. Many of the female writers said they identified with her and the men in charge of she show seemed obsessed with her. Busy Philips (the actress who plays Audrey) commented that whenever she would forget her lines, she would be told “we’ll just cut to Katie, look at that pretty face.” Joey was turned her into a Mary Sue. She no longer was relatable. Every guy wanted her and every girl wanted to be her. All the female characters were sidelined in favor of Joey. She was every man’s first choice. Jen was reduced to a temporary option or second choice (especially in regards to Dawson and Charlie but also Pacey in Four to Tango). During the college years Joey she wasn’t given any obstacles and therefore wasn’t growing. She didn’t have financial issues despite the fact that she was a college student with no job (how did she afford a ticket to Pairs and all those fancy clothes?). In S6 She was literally offered 2 jobs out of the blue without having to work for them. Things seemed to come easy to her and everyone seemed to fawn over her.

I think you’re conflating a few things that are actually related Anon on, namely I don’t think either of those anecdotes about the actors actually relate to the treatments or story developments. I think any scene would have been hard on Smith if he had to do it after a big scene in which his character was much more centered, and the Busy Phillips anecdote relates more to a workplace thing then anything serious regarding the actors. Actors aren’t their characters and both those things aren’t really related to the subject.

Also I disagree re: Andie being made to look worse in s3, or rather the idea that she was made to look worse to prop up PJo the crap writing for her came early in the season before the romance plot was even a thing or set in stone. Through the actual back half of season 3, I think she came off really well (if anything she made Dawson look even worse by comparison). Same for the Jen & Pacey thing, that also ended basically right at the point that the romance started and Jen was never pushed over for it. I actually really liked her little romance with the freshmen quarterback (like not as a serious endgame thing), I thought it was cute.

That said I have a few objections and sort of clarifications on your ask, anon. First, I don’t think Joey is a Mary Sue, but then I also think Mary Sue is a baseless term born out of fandom misogyny and I don’t take it seriously at all as a way of analyzing or critiquing a character. I think you can argue that there is favoritism in how Joey is treated at different points, but I would say that I would favor more gender-neutral ways of critiquing.

The thing is I like Joey, I do think at her core she is relatable and she still comes across as human. Do the writers favor her? Yes, tho I’d argue that it is not her character’s fault that the writers short changed the other female characters in the show. And the thing is that I personally do not care about the majority of what happened in season 5 and most of season 6 that I don’t really factor either season into how I feel about the characters. I am very wishy washy on canon. And also it’s okay that you don’t find Joey relatable, but the idea that she isn’t relatable is not universal. Even with the late season and college years so lines there is still that is plenty relatable about her, and there are people who do like and have no issues with Dawson Leery, I just happen to not be one of them.

Which brings me right down to the clarification that I want to make which I am not nor have I ever really claimed that I am making these assessments from entirely objectively places. So the fact of the matter is at a certain level the truth is I like Joey, I don’t like Dawson and my feelings was that even if he didn’t have The Protagonist problem I still wouldn’t like him for the same reason that I don’t like Ross Geller and Ted Mosby and Xander Harris. Whereas I like the basis of Joey’s character and as such I am more tolerant of the writer’s heavy handed ness or idiosyncrasies with her character, but also less tolerant when it comes to Dawson because it isn’t like that was ruining a character I liked, it was against a character that I already had a bias against, and the writing problems never crossed a line where I ever moved to disliking Joey.

And also a lot of Joey’s worst qualities are alleviated when she is allowed to be more independent from Dawson’s storyline. As I said before he completely makes her worse and brings down her character and plot arcs.

[laniakeabooks]

January Wrap Up

I read 11 books in January which is a personal record. I’ve included the synopsis pulled directly from Goodreads and my (short) thoughts on the book. If you’d like a longer review of any of the books I read this month, feel free to request it!

The Innocence Treatment by Ari Goelman - ⭐⭐⭐

Lauren has a disorder that makes her believe everything her friends tell her--and she believes everyone is her friend. Her innocence puts her at constant risk, so when she gets the opportunity to have an operation to correct her condition, she seizes it. But after the surgery, Lauren is changed. Is she a paranoid lunatic with violent tendencies? Or a clear-eyed observer of the world who does what needs to be done?

Told in journal entries and therapy session transcripts, The Innocence Treatment is a collection of Lauren's papers, annotated by her sister long after the events of the novel. A compelling YA debut thriller that is part speculative fiction and part shocking tell-all of genetic engineering and government secrets, Lauren's story is ultimately an electrifying, propulsive, and spine-tingling read.

 Nothing I found particularly impressive… it had potential but didn’t quite meet it.

 The Memory Book by Lara Avery - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 Sammie was always a girl with a plan: graduate at the top of her class and get out of her small town as soon as humanly possible. Nothing will stand in her way--not even a rare genetic disorder the doctors say will slowly start to steal her memories and then her health. What she needs is a new plan.

So the Memory Book is born: Sammie's notes to her future self, a document of moments great and small. It's where she'll record every perfect detail of her first date with longtime crush, Stuart--a brilliant young writer who is home for the summer. And where she'll admit how much she's missed her childhood best friend, Cooper, and even take some of the blame for the fight that ended their friendship.

Through a mix of heartfelt journal entries, mementos, and guest posts from friends and family, readers will fall in love with Sammie, a brave and remarkable girl who learns to live and love life fully, even though it's not the life she planned.

 I am shocked. I never expected to like a contemporary this much... especially "sick-lit" or whatever people are calling it. Maybe it was because I found a lot of what Sammie said to be so relatable, or maybe because NPC is exactly the type of disease I'd like to research in my future. Maybe it's because one of my greatest fears is getting dementia and losing my memory.

Whatever it was, I hope I can find it again in another book.

 Vox by Christina Dalcher - ⭐⭐

 Set in an America where half the population has been silenced, VOX is the harrowing, unforgettable story of what one woman will do to protect herself and her daughter.

On the day the government decrees that women are no longer allowed more than 100 words daily, Dr. Jean McClellan is in denial—this can't happen here. Not in America. Not to her.

This is just the beginning.

Soon women can no longer hold jobs. Girls are no longer taught to read or write. Females no longer have a voice. Before, the average person spoke sixteen thousand words a day, but now women only have one hundred to make themselves heard.

But this is not the end.

For herself, her daughter, and every woman silenced, Jean will reclaim her voice

 Uh, yeah, not impressed. Disappointed. Annoyed. It felt like Dalcher was trying too hard and was clearly ridding on the coattails of The Handmaid’s Tale’s recent re-emergence.

Also, the narrator on the audiobook and pronounce Wernicke’s area which just grated on my nerves and honestly pissed me off.

 First We Were IV by Alexandra Sirowy - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 It started for pranks, fun, and forever memories.

A secret society – for the four of us.

The rules: Never lie. Never tell. Love each other.

We made the pledge and danced under the blood moon on the meteorite in the orchard. In the spot we found the dead girl five years earlier. And discovered the ancient drawings way before that.

Nothing could break the four of us apart – I thought.

But then, others wanted in. Our seaside town had secrets. History.

We wanted revenge.

We broke the rules. We lied. We told. We loved each other too much, not enough, and in ways we weren’t supposed to.

Our invention ratcheted out of control.

What started as a secret society, ended as justice. Revenge. Death. Rebellion.

 Wooooowwwww... I am starting off this year with some pretty good reads. Granted, I read probably 3/4 of this one in emerge on my birthday after having twisted my knee skiing the day before...

This book didn't take the path I thought it would. It just felt like the climax and conclusion occurred in the same paragraph? I don't know maybe that's just me...

I'd love to see this as a TV show (maybe Netflix since they tend to do a rocking job).

 Day 21 by Cass Morgan - ⭐⭐⭐

 It's been 21 days since the hundred landed on Earth. They're the only humans to set foot on the planet in centuries...or so they thought. Facing an unknown enemy, Wells attempts to keep the group together. Clarke strikes out for Mount Weather, in search of other Colonists, while Bellamy is determined to rescue his sister, no matter the cost. And back on the ship, Glass faces an unthinkable choice between the love of her life and life itself.

In this pulse-pounding sequel to Kass Morgan's The 100, secrets are revealed, beliefs are challenged, and relationships are tested. And the hundred will struggle to survive the only way they can -- together.

 I still much prefer the Netflix adaptation. Although I enjoy this recovering from an apocalyptic event storyline the books take, I find that they lack the action that I love so much in the show… not to mention that my favourite characters don’t exist.

 52 Reasons to Hate My Father by Jessica Brody - ⭐⭐⭐⭐

 Lexington Larrabee has never to work a day in her life. After all, she’s the heiress to the multi-billion-dollar Larrabee Media empire. And heiresses are not supposed to work. But then again, they’re not supposed to crash brand new Mercedes convertibles into convenience stores on Sunset Blvd either.

Which is why, on Lexi’s eighteen birthday, her ever-absent, tycoon father decides to take a more proactive approach to her wayward life. Every week for the next year, she will have to take on a different low-wage job if she ever wants to receive her beloved trust fund. But if there’s anything worse than working as a maid, a dishwasher, and a fast-food restaurant employee, it’s dealing with Luke, the arrogant, albeit moderately attractive, college intern her father has assigned to keep tabs on her.

In a hilarious “comedy of heiress” about family, forgiveness, good intentions, and best of all, second chances, Lexi learns that love can be unconditional, money can be immaterial, and, regardless of age, everyone needs a little saving. And although she might have 52 reasons to hate her father, she only needs one reason to love him.

 Be prepared for a spoiled, bratty, unlikable main character. If you can’t stand characters like this, then I suggest avoiding this read, especially since we are trapped in her head (1st person narration) for the duration of the book. However, Lexi does have a great character arc, so if you are able to tolerate her for the first half of the book, you’ll actually start to like her.

Another contemporary I really enjoyed… not sure if this is because I’m not as picky when it comes to my favourite and least favourite genres anymore, but then again it my just be that I stumbled across two contemporaries that suited my fancy this month.

 The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

 Romy Silvers is the only surviving crew-member of a spaceship travelling to a new planet, on a mission to establish a second home for humanity amongst the stars. Alone in space, she is the loneliest girl in the universe until she hears about a new ship which has launched from Earth – with a single passenger on board. A boy called J.

Their only communication with each other is via email – and due to the distance between them, their messages take months to transmit across space. And yet Romy finds herself falling in love.

But what does Romy really know about J? And what do the mysterious messages which have started arriving from Earth really mean?

Sometimes, there’s something worse than being alone . . .

 Okay. First of all, the UK paperback cover is gorgeous. This would have one hundred percent been a cover buy if the synopsis hadn’t also intrigued me.

I went in thinking that it would be a space-based romance, but boy was I wrong. And good thing too. I’m not a huge fan of romance (more like I tolerate it for a good plot), and this book did not focus of the blooming romance as much as I thought it would.

Space, suspense, beautiful cover? Sign me up!

 Crash by Lisa McMann - ⭐⭐⭐

 Jules lives with her family above their restaurant, which means she smells like pizza most of the time and drives their double-meatball-shaped food truck to school. It’s not a recipe for popularity, but she can handle that.

What she can’t handle is the recurring vision that haunts her. Over and over, Jules sees a careening truck hit a building and explode...and nine body bags in the snow.

The vision is everywhere—on billboards, television screens, windows—and she’s the only one who sees it. And the more she sees it, the more she sees. The vision is giving her clues, and soon Jules knows what she has to do. Because now she can see the face in one of the body bags, and it’s someone she knows. Someone she has been in love with for as long as she can remember.

In this riveting start to a gripping trilogy from New York Times bestselling author Lisa McMann, Jules has to act—and act fast—to keep her vision from becoming reality.

 Not bad but not amazing either. It’s your typical psychic teen struggling with her newly found gifts and trying to prevent a tragedy. I’ll continue on with the trilogy since I have the bind up, they’re quick reads, and they’re a good distraction from my stressful studies… so basically just what I need.

 Bang by Lisa McMann - ⭐⭐⭐

 Jules should be happy. She saved a lot of people’s lives and she’s finally with Sawyer, pretty much the guy of her dreams. But the nightmare’s not over, because she somehow managed to pass the psycho vision stuff to Sawyer. Excellent.

Feeling responsible for what he’s going through and knowing that people’s lives are at stake, Jules is determined to help him figure it all out. But Sawyer’s vision is so awful he can barely describe it, much less make sense of it. All he can tell her is there’s a gun, and eleven ear-splitting shots. Bang.

Jules and Sawyer have to work out the details fast, because the visions are getting worse and that means only one thing: time is running out. But every clue they see takes them down the wrong path. If they can’t prevent the vision from happening, lives will be lost. And they may be among the casualties…

 This second book in the Visions series took an interesting turn on the whole psychic thing, but a lot of the book was spent going back and forth between “No I don’t want to do this” to “Yes I’m in” and “No I don’t want to help” to, again… “Yes I’m in” which was kind of a drag.

 Number of Pages Read: 3438

Average Rating: 3.5

Favourite Book of the Month: The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by Lauren James

The cover, the space adventure, the thriller-type aspect to the plot… everything I love all in one.

Least Favourite Book of the Month: Vox by Christina Dalcher

I was just… really disappointed.

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