tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post1977156624886324505..comments2024-03-27T06:42:26.250-07:00Comments on Seven Miles of Steel Thistles: HeroinesKatherine Langrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-6540310915193241502010-05-16T10:01:09.365-07:002010-05-16T10:01:09.365-07:00Just to say: terrific post, Kath!Just to say: terrific post, Kath!adelehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15826710558292792068noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-7092017233645231622010-05-16T08:20:15.141-07:002010-05-16T08:20:15.141-07:00It sounds good, doesn't it!It sounds good, doesn't it!Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-76273211521620688392010-05-15T03:00:51.943-07:002010-05-15T03:00:51.943-07:00I so want to try that river game ...I so want to try that river game ...Joan Lennonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15763862159032836768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-30334715363051951412010-05-12T12:53:46.263-07:002010-05-12T12:53:46.263-07:00Kate - you're quite right, most of those chara...Kate - you're quite right, most of those characters ARE American, which probably says something pretty good about American womanhood in the late 19th century. Something to live up to! (Stephanie - you hear me?!)<br /><br />Thank you, Amelia, I'm really glad you liked Hilde so much.Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-40875575454663005282010-05-12T11:41:16.939-07:002010-05-12T11:41:16.939-07:00These girls aren’t trying to prove that they are a...These girls aren’t trying to prove that they are as good as or better than boys. <br /><br />I completely agree - that's what made those heroines so lovable and so inspiring. To be honest, nowadays I'd almost rather read about a boy hero than a girl one, because I don't think a lot of authors understand HOW to create good heroines (and I guess this is more of a complaint about teen girl characters than "children") without making them arrogant or too independent. That's one of the reasons I love Hilde so much - she's the perfect heroine that you really don't see that often. She has the balance of being strong but also being able to rely on someone else, too. That's the type of character that other authors should strive to create. :) <br />Great post! Mary Lennox is one of my favorite characters of all time.Ameliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14767350676055319412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-59796599108388952732010-05-12T11:02:10.531-07:002010-05-12T11:02:10.531-07:00Brilliant post!
Is it me looking at the list or a...Brilliant post!<br /><br />Is it me looking at the list or are the 12 books with heroines as the leading characters mainly American?<br /><br />Would definately have thought the Amazons, and female swallows, should have made the list. I'd also add Susan, Lucy and Jill from the Narnia books. Not as well know, but I would add Tamzin and Rissa from Monica Edwards Romney Marsh books - which were written in the 1950's.<br /><br />Looking at some of the things I've read which were published more recently though I'm struggling - the only examples I could think of are the Sally Lockhart books of Phillip Pullmans and the Tiffany Aching books by Terry Pratchett.<br /><br />In my view, a much better heroine in the vampire YA genre would be Sunshine, the heroine of Robin McKinley's book of the same name (ok, it wasn't originally written as a YA)<br /><br />Just as an aside - i also find the almost complete lack of LGBT characters, either leading or minor, in current YA fiction to be quite depressing.<br /><br />KateKatehttp://twitter.com/Polipetlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-42702993358251091392010-05-12T06:49:01.053-07:002010-05-12T06:49:01.053-07:00Wonderful post, Kath. I read every book in the hou...Wonderful post, Kath. I read every book in the house including my mum's childhood copies of The Children of New Forest, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Black Arrow and don't remember consciously wishing for a female hero because like you I just identified with the most swashbuckling, adventurous of the lot, but how wonderful it was for me later when I read Anne,and Katy,the Amazons, and yes, definitely George.And I try to make my own heroes male and female and equally capable of adventure and fearsome deed. <br />The hero of my next book is in reaction (although I would certainly have written her as strong in any case) to the excess of spineless, wimpy, clingy girl protagonists out there.Jo Treggiarihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02417288480274268189noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-60679421407693705172010-05-12T05:18:32.962-07:002010-05-12T05:18:32.962-07:00The Amazons - yes! They were great. And i always...The Amazons - yes! They were great. And i always remember Titty making the wax image of the great aunt.<br /><br />Ronald Welch was a big favourite of mine, way back, though I find he hasn't worn as well as Treece and Trease.<br /><br />Do read the Nix books. And they feature male heroes WHO DON'T MIND being rather upstaged by the women. So refreshing!Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-58161937541889502292010-05-12T04:54:07.680-07:002010-05-12T04:54:07.680-07:00Brilliant post. I'd add Arthur Ransome's N...Brilliant post. I'd add Arthur Ransome's Nancy, Peggy, Titty and Dorothea to the list of Girls Who Did Stuff So I Liked Them.<br /><br />Must. Read. Nix.Susie Dayhttp://www.susieday.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-31895754674238391502010-05-12T04:31:50.691-07:002010-05-12T04:31:50.691-07:00Like you I identified with male characters. I love...Like you I identified with male characters. I loved the Carey family books by Ronald Welch, the two Tre(a)ces, Rosemary Sutcliffe's heroes. I had brothers who were favoured over me, and I was desperate to fight back and be brave and strong in my own way. Single sex boarding school for ten years left me without any proper sense that I was female or how females were meant to behave around men. This led to all kinds of trouble...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08536884736928320856noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-75705061850706546642010-05-12T04:01:15.631-07:002010-05-12T04:01:15.631-07:00Simply brilliant, Kath. This is exactly what I fel...Simply brilliant, Kath. This is exactly what I felt; still feel. Why Alice, Dido Twite, and Pippi Longstocking are so important. And why I find the Twilight books and countless imitations appalling. Hooray for Nix's Sabriel and Lirael.Ellen Rennerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09409919041496631776noreply@blogger.com