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Book Highlight: Girls Who Run the World
While everyone knows the big names, Tesla, Musk, Bezos, women have been inventing and leading just as long. After all women were the ones who invented the washing machine, Monopoly, windshield wipers, the list goes on. But you can read a history book if you want to learn more. Knapp is seeking to put a spotlight on the current-day CEOs who’ve been overlooked in today’s media and top 10 lists.
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Disney books
Handsome Heroes and Vile Villains: Men in Disney’s Feature Film by Amy M. Davis
A semi-sequel to her book Good Girls and Wicked Witches, Davis turns to the portrayal of masculinity in Disney movies from 1934 to 2012. This topic has been missing in Disney studies due to the focus of the Princess line but as she points out, with the influence of Disney over culture we must look at how both genders are portrayed and their interactions with one another.
Davis’ first chapter tackles boyhood from Pinocchio to Peter Pan to Jim Hawkins and how the films position the loss of innocence (seeing death, facing danger, falling in love or at least having a crush) as one of the big milestones to chaning from a boy to a man. She also brings up the interesting point that even though girls are often portrayed as rewards for men, the Disney films put boys in the same position as rewards for facing danger and remaining a good person (Cinderella, Ariel for example).
The second chapter tackles the non-aristocratic heroes like John Smith, Quasimoda and others who often have bigger adventures with themes other than love which can be contrasted with chapter three’s subject on princes whose journey often revolves around the princess. Princes also tend to be more selfish, and lazy, needing to evolve into a better man emphasizing the 90s trend towards emotionally mature “nice” guys as a reaction toward the hyper-masculine men of the 80s.
The final chapter delves into the archytpes of the villains who often hold a more comic leaning than female villains but nonetheless provide a foil to the heroe and represent the patriarchal arrogance and toxicity of men that the world no longer values.
She also analyzes the films’ trend to put the male heroes name in the movie title or at least gender neutralize it to appeal to female and male audiences and the emerging pattern that prioritizes men and women as equal couples who both lean toward “a valuing of intelligence, hard work, responsibility. . . champions who deserve the love and respect of those they lead,” (Davis 185).
(more…)#amym.davis, #beyondthetiara, #bythebook, #contemporaryromance, #disney, #disneyhyperion, #disneyprincesses, #emilyzemler, #fairytale, #handsomeheroesandvilevillains, #iftheshoefits, #jasmineguillory, #jodibenson, #juliemurphy, #meanttobe, #memoir, #natalieholt, #nonfiction, #partofmyworld, #queensofanimation, #rachelreads&reviews, #retelling -
Ranking W.I.T.C.H. Arcs
Yes, W.I.T.C.H. the arguably bit darker, more convulated rival to Winx Club. I enjoyed this one just as much especially the second season of the tv show that was unfortunately cut too soon. At least there’s plenty of comics to enjoy.
I also know there’s eleven arcs, but the US has only released the first eight so I’ll probably update when the last three come out. But for now, this is my ranking of the series as it stands.
1. Nerissa’s Revenge: Ah this may be just the second arc in the series but it has it all. Lore, drama, power-ups. The current Guardians of Kandrakar learn about their predessecors and the fall of Nerissa whose addiction to power led her to betray her friends and even kill one of them. Now she’s back and she wants the Heart and to tear down the veil. It’s an interesting arc as Nerissa manipulates and uses the girl’s fears against them from Hay Lin’s insecurity with her crush to Cornelia’s star-crossed romance with Caleb revealing its fatal flaws, not to mention the return of Will’s neglectful Dad. Moreover, with the parallels of the past and present there’s also the fear of Will falling to the dark sied and having the past repeat itself which always juicy drama to follow. Additionally, the girls get some mentorship from the former Guardians and we can learn more about their powers.
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Top 5 Winx Club
Okay, technically, it’s more than 5 but there are over 100 comics, I had to make an exception here. Especially as some of them are multi-parters that are hard to separate from one another. Also it’s not a top 5 as I couldn’t choose a number one story and so on.
The Boys from Red Fountain: The third comic introduces the Specialists as the girls see them for the first time during the dance. Not only is Timmy literally (and embarassingly) bumping into Tecna (in the butt of all places) awkwardly hilariously,, it adds a fun sort of tension in their coming interactions as she continues to see him a clumsy fool. Musa begins her pining for the reclusive Riven who spends most of the dance sulking. Plus there’s fun interactions with Sky, Brandon, Bloom and Stella that have the tension of readers knowing Brandon and Sky aren’t who they say they are. Also it just has the girls bonding and talking about their crushes, and showing their early dynamics, their differences in opinions and their closeness as they encourage or advise.
(more…)#aloneagainsteverybody, #anevilwind, #comics, #conflictsoftheheart, #darkotheblack, #infernalconcotion, #kingnobody, #layla'scourage, #logicandlove, #loveforlayla, #lovepotion, #newlove, #pandora'sbox, #prisonerofthedark, #rachelreads&reviews, #returnofthetrix, #stormyskies, #theblackcomet, #theboysfromredfountain, #thedarkdimension, #thereturnofdiaspro, #theseedofdisagreement, #theswampmonster, #treason, #vizmedia, #winxclub, #witchlove -
Den of Thieves Review
I must say Cat Royal’s adventures get more interesting as they progress as this tale of identity and revolution may be my favorite so far.
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Cat Among the Pigeons Review
The second of Cat Royal’s adventures is a bit heavier than the previous fare as Pedro’s former master returns to force him back on the Jaimacan plantation or worse.
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The Diamond of Drury Lane Review
Since finishing the Bloody Jack series, I have gone onto another series efaturing a spunky British redhead brought up from the streets of London, navigating the two worlds between the London slums and high society.
Set in 1790, a whole decade before Bloody Jack, the series is a more a light mystery than the historical seafaring adventures of Jacky. It’s also much more tame as its for the middle-grade crowd but the fiesty and observant nature of the heroines still immediately connect the two in my mind. As well as the fun historical inclusions to the plot.
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Loki: Where Mischief Lies Review
Since I enjoyed Lee’s Gamora and Nebula novel, I decided to check out the first of Marvel Icons. Luckily, I know a little about what Loki does in the MCU since The Avengers is the only MCU movie I’ve seen but that doesn’t matter as this is an origin story where we take a fun historical romp through Asgard, and Industrial London as Loki struggles with his place in Asgard and such things as choice, destiny and stories.
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Ranking A:TLA comics
The Search: As I’m sure many would agree, The Search put the Gaang on an adventure many longed to see in finding out whatever happened to Ursa? Well, I heartily enjoyed it. Not only for answering this question but giving deeper insight to the dysfunction of the Fire Nation Royal Marriage as well as its theme about siblings. From Sokka and Katara’s perfectly normal bond in contrast to Zuko’s attempts to reach Azula in her crazed state plus the other Water Tribe siblings that come up in the story. Which brings me to more mythos in the form of Koh the Face Stealer and his mother. Just this arc has it all in featuring adventure, mythos, pathos and cliffhangers.
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Book Highlight: Girls Who Green the World
For those who are spiralling into eco-depression and feel that the news is an endless drain of hurricanes, corporate pushbacks and more. But have no fear, Kapp interviews and thirty four women who have been discovering and creating new sustainable technologies and businesses to help save our planet.
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Rachel Reads & Reviews 