What I don't like about White Witch, Black Curse, and a ton of things that I do.

[jaina47]

Now, first let me say that there are many, many things that I really did absolutely love about this book. 

I loved the thousand percent more Ivy that we got in this book.  I loved the way that Ivy talked about her feelings for Rachel, especially in the hospital scene, and I appreciate that Ivy sees that there are things about her relationship with Rachel as it stands that aren't healthy.  I loved the moment where Rachel and Ivy were just simply holding hands and it made all the guys in the room totally uncomfortable.  I loved the scene in the prison, where Rachel saves Ivy from Skimmer screwing with her head, and the scene after that in the parking lot where Rachel completely comes undone when she thinks that Ivy might be dying.  Through so much of this book, Ivy is really Rachel's rock, and Rachel is recognizing that and I love that.  I even loved Ivy and Glenn.  Let's face it. Ivy needs a break from the soul destroying, heart breaking angst.  If Ivy had any impartial friends, they would probably all be telling her to get the heck away from Rachel who's just stringing her along pretty much. So, yeah, I'm good with Ivy being happy and flirty with Glenn and dating him.  It was pretty par for the course that Rachel was absolutely oblivious.  

Let's not even get me started on the aura sharing, and Rachel begging Ivy not to let go. 

And then there's the rest of it that doesn't focus on Rachel and Ivy.  Robbie is my favorite character that I love to call 'asshat' throughout the book.  I was only hoping that he would try that in front of Ivy and get smacked down, but I suppose that a girl can't have everything.  :p There's no doubt that I'm still crazy about Rachel's awesome mom.  She continues to be awesome in the best possible ways.  'Though I did think her line about Rachel needing a man not from this century was  bit clunky given Pierce's presence.  Anvil of Foreshadowing, anyone? 

How could I forget the scene of the way out of the hospital with the little kids? I liked seeing more of Young!Rachel through that and having Rachel and Ivy come to a better understanding of one another as a result of it.  Oh! And the scene with Rynn.  I liked the quiet dignity and respect that Rachel and Ivy have for one another, not to mention the aching heartbreak of the refrigerator scene.  

Okay, so those are the many, many things that I loved.  And honestly, I'm probably forgetting a few.  Oh, wait! I am.  Kisten's death scene maybe me actually tear up.  This did not happen.  I wasn't even really upset when he died, but his last words? Absolutely killed me.

So there.  Here's what I didn't love.  Ms. Harrison has more or less said that Rachel and Ivy are a no go, unless something surprising happens.  Which she has been surprised, so there still is hope.  That's fine, okay?  My other main fandom, NCIS?  The two characters that I ship will never have a canon moment. I will find a hat and eat it if they do.  So obviously I'm good with subtext and lost causes.  I'm fine with reading between the lines and playing up small moments.  What I am not fine with is feeling like I am being led on by an author, and to some respects that is how this book made me feel.  

Don't think Rachel and Ivy are going to be together? Fine.  Don't throw in a gratuitous happy lesbian family at the airport and have Rachel mentally comparing their relationship to hers and Ivy's.  Treat me like a grown up, and take the story where you will without apologizing for it.  Don't throw out little bones to your lesbian/bi fanbase while stabbing their fannish hopes in the back. If you don't feel like going that way, don't go that way. Just don't string us along like Rachel sometimes strings along Ivy.  Have a little bit of respect for us.  

I realize these are kind of harsh words, but this is how the book made me feel and it's why I didn't like parts of it.  That's all. It's just a book.

Comments

[selinamoonfire.livejournal.com]

reat me like a grown up, and take the story where you will without apologizing for it. Don't throw out little bones to your lesbian/bi fanbase while stabbing their fannish hopes in the back. If you don't feel like going that way, don't go that way. Just don't string us along like Rachel sometimes strings along Ivy. Have a little bit of respect for us.

I haven't read the book yet but I've gotten that reaction while reading a couple of different authors lately. Like they're either trying to pull the readers strings, freaking out because "OMG! I went into the world of slash!", or they're going to play up on the popularity slash.

I think it's childish and it's kind of a slap in the face to the fans.

[jaina47.livejournal.com]

I agree. I think it is kind of a slap in the face. One of the things that I love about JKR is that she's honest with her fans. If you don't like it that's fine. I understand that because of her financial situation and massive fanbase she doesn't really have to worry like other authors, but the honesty is very much appreciated.

And it's not like the fans don't know when they're being jerked around. I guess mostly it just matters what happens in the end. *shrug*

[selinamoonfire.livejournal.com]

I learned to read JKR without listening to her interviews. They drove me nuts and I like HP too much to let her weird double talk affect me.

It seems like the Hallows books have always been going toward Ivy/Rachel so I'm going to be annoyed if they don't go that way unless there's a very good reason.

It kind of reminds me of the end of the Merry Gentry books for some reason.

[ic1pher.livejournal.com]

Don't think Rachel and Ivy are going to be together? Fine. Don't throw in a gratuitous happy lesbian family at the airport and have Rachel mentally comparing their relationship to hers and Ivy's. Treat me like a grown up, and take the story where you will without apologizing for it. Don't throw out little bones to your lesbian/bi fanbase while stabbing their fannish hopes in the back. If you don't feel like going that way, don't go that way. Just don't string us along like Rachel sometimes strings along Ivy. Have a little bit of respect for us.

I'm lucky that I have a brain that can ignore all negative aspects in this story and only read the positive ones. I agree with you that throwing such little bones serves only to annoy if the story in the end is not going there. But I can't know the future so I'm reading with the assumption that Ivy and Rachel will be an item. ODW seemed like the romantic relationship was put to death, but now in WWBC it's on again. If there's going to be another ODW in the future that might be it for me, I might stop reading. But so far I still really enjoy reading about Ivy and Rachel. Only thing that has bugged me for a very long time is how unbalanced the relationship is. Rachel desperately needs a close friend and uses Ivy's attraction to her to keep her close. I might be wrong, but this is how it seems to me. Or perhaps that's what she's telling herself and is actually keeping Ivy close because she's gradually fighting through her own denial and fears.

Sorry about not having a coherent structure in this reply but it seems I can only write my thoughts through an unedited thought stream. I've been using english for some time now and it's still hard to write fluently when trying to express complex abstract thoughts.

I wish people analyzed the books more (and especially Ravy), because it's so fun to read when people have great opinions and points of view, and when they articulate so well. Something that is difficult for me. :P

[jaina47.livejournal.com]

I don't think I was really disappointed in where ODW went or with WWBC if it pays off in the end. I just feel like KH has put so much into building the relationship between them that it will be very disappointing if there's not some kind of pay off to all that buildup in the end.

If you put a gun on the shelf in the first act, it must go off by the third. I just don't want the gun to turn out to be a red herring that's been mentioned every five minutes for the first two acts and turn out to be never mentioned again. Not even important enough to be a diversion.

I agree with you about Rachel using Ivy, maybe with the best possible intentions, but it still hurts Ivy. :( I guess I just have to keep hoping that it pays off for Ivy in the end.

Seems pretty coherent to me. I do bad enough and english is my first language. ;)

[silent-enigma08.livejournal.com]

"Don't think Rachel and Ivy are going to be together? Fine. Don't throw in a gratuitous happy lesbian family at the airport and have Rachel mentally comparing their relationship to hers and Ivy's."

OMG I thought I was the only one who noticed this. One of 'the biggest' slaps in the face KH :-(

[jaina47.livejournal.com]

Nope, definitely not the only one. *sigh* I have to say though, if they end up together, I will so not mind all the torture of will they/won't they. I might actually enjoy it a smidge. Right now, it's just mean.