In times past, a young women (or young adult) could walk into a bookstore in search of adventure. You know: far off place, daring sword fights, magic spells, a prince in disguise, that sort of thing. Books were the refuge of dreamers not for this world and all of it's obscenities. Particularly the Young Adult section. Once you got past the normal high school dramas and realistic fictions *shudder* a door would be opened to worlds where it didn't matter if you were young, old, boy, girl, or even human: adventure and honor waited. Whether they were the simple formula of "inadequate youngster"+"necessary quest"+"character development"="Happily Ever After" or more elaborate varieties, there were adventures and self-discoveries to be shared amongst the adored pages. As one so inspiringly put it:
"Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something. Even if you were too small to understand why...Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn't. Because they were holding on to something..."--Samwise Gamgee, The Two Towers
One of the beauties of this genre, not appreciated enough at the time, was that it dealt with real life in a way children's books never could (being too wrapped up in the ridiculous, and satisfied with banal childish humor, naturally) and in a more pure way than regular "fiction" or "fantasy" sections rarely esteem to (being too hampered by the desire to "present life in the raw" and having sexual liaisons and other vulgarity be the only conduit). They were relatable without being steeped in realism, and idealistic without ending too easily.
Unfortunately, it seems that once true and noble genre has fallen prey to the instant and easy gratification demanded by the masses. While there have been quite a few let downs over the past few years, this failure was best exemplified by the most recent book: Falling Kingdoms.
It seemed to have a promising premise and (I'll admit) an attractive cover: three kingdoms building with tension on the brink of war, with a multitude of characters and perspectives, and perhaps some sort of stealth or assassination? Sign me up! What I didn't expect was to have every sort of plot device imaginable, as well as every kind of forbidden romance, shoved into so many words that didn't say anything. I've read reviews proclaiming this to be the next great work of fiction, that the author's command of the characters allow for genuine growth and surprising twists. In reality, it seemed poorly organized, under-developed, flat, predictable, and thoroughly un-enjoyable.
I don't mean to stay on this high horse for long, but let it just be said, that while we settle for the mundane, ordinary, and easy, we shall never reach those extraordinarily boundless heights of our youthful imagination.
3 comments:
All that this incoming generation is teaching me is how not to raise my children.
There is nothing to gain from an inborn feeling of entitled instant gratification, and if you ask me, it devalues 90% of what we gain from life's experiences.
Why raise a hollow generation?
Because it's easier and requires no actual parenting.
...so shoudn't read it? ;)
and I completely agree, the generation right below us disgusts and saddens me most of the time. How can they be future leaders?
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