The Gift...I mean, The Fury
Feb. 14th, 2009 12:50 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
morrigirlThis is getting tiresome, but I know if I stop now I'll regret it later. I have a tendency to start things and never finish them, and this is something I'd like to have written up somewhere.
I finished reading volume 3 The Fury just a couple of minutes ago. Yeah, I know, that was quick. I told you I can read fast when I'm really into a book. So, here's a summary of everything Carla thought was good/interesting/ridiculous/atrocious about it:
1) As a newly born vampire Elena has lost her memory. Even so, she manages to stumble upon Stefan beating the crap out of Damon deep in the woods because, you know, he thinks Damon is responsible for Elena's death. Elena rushes onto the scene and saves Damon's life. In her memory deprived state she has forgotten all about her relationship with Stefan and, drawn to Damon's power, thinks she is in love with him. This puts Stefan through all sorts of emotional torture but, just like all the other guys Elena screws over, he has no choice but to stay and help her however he can because he loves her, or something.
2) Elena is weak and without human blood she's gonna die. Damon suggests she attack a stranger, but the morally upstanding Stefan (who almost killed six or seven people while mourning Elena's "death" in the last book,) won't allow it. He convinces Damon that they have to find someone who will allow Elena to drink from them willingly. And who is the one person that can never say no to Elena? Matt!
3) The boys corner Matt, explain that they're vampires, and Elena's a vampire, and that she needs his blood. Being spineless and all, Matt lets her have a go at his jugular. She's so hungry, the only reason she doesn't drain him dry is because Damon and Stefan pull her off him before she does. Later in the book, when Stefan tries to talk to Matt about this, Matt ignores him, denies anything happened, and refuses to admit Elena is still alive.
4) Elena regains her memories and remembers she loves Stefan. But, given how tender and kind Damon was to her during the week she was at his mercy, she has developed a soft spot for him as well. She no longer thinks he's evil, just misunderstood. (Summers? Bloody? William The?) Rape victims, how quickly they forget.
5) Now that she is unable to enter her own home, see her family or friends, walk the streets, or even go to school, Elena realizes how much she loves all the people in her life, and how much she loves Fell's Church. She no longer views the students of her high school as people she can use to get what she wants. She sees them as real people, as individuals, and she misses all of them. This is the first step in Elena's transformation from Ice Bitch to Buffy Summers a la Kristy Swanson.
6) Elena and Stefan realize Damon isn't behind all of the attacks that have been going on in Fell's Church for the last three months. (He was just responsible for one :-D) This leads the three of them to conclude there is some other evil force at work in Fell's Church and they are the only ones strong enough to take it on.
7) Eventually all of Elena's friends find out about her fortunate escape from death. I would like to point out, though, that Meredith figured it out on her own. She figured out about Stefan and Damon, and was totally not surprised when Elena showed up at her bedroom window one night. That's my girl! Of course, it helped that her grandfather was attacked by a vampire three years earlier.
8) Elena remembers that she nearly killed Matt the first night she was a vampire and goes to apologize to him. While she is there she also apologizes for all the times she hurt him and used him. Matt, being the good guy he is, totally forgives her and then the two of them "exchange blood." Now on one hand, this is a good scene because, once again, we see the shift in Elena's mentality. She is no longer self-centered. She understands that she has hurt people, must take responsibility for her actions, and atone.
On the other hand, this scene is chock full of misogyny. How so, you ask? I refer you to the following passage which appears right before Elena sinks her fangs into Matt. Matt knows Elena is hungry and needs to feed so he offers himself to her,
No. No, Matt, really. I didn't COME here for that -"
"I know. That's why I want to. I want to give you something you DIDN'T ask for." After a moment he said, "For old friends' sake."
Stefan, Elena was thinking. But Stefan had told her to come, and come alone. Stefan had known, she realized. And it was all right. It was his gift to Matt - and to her.
Now, Stefan always liked Matt, so he has always felt guilty about stealing Matt's girlfriend. But what kind of fucking boyfriend "gives" his girlfriend to his buddy as a temporary sex toy? And what kind of girlfriend thinks that's sweet? Contrary to the above passage, Elena broke up with Matt precisely because she didn't feel anything other than platonic emotions for him! I understand why Matt goes through with it. He still loves Elena and what guy would turn down sex with the girl he loves? But I find Stefan's behavior incredibly demeaning. So now, I hate Stefan for whoring Elena out just about as much as I hate Damon for raping her.
9) Then, um, alotta shit happens. Elena and company eventually find out who the other evil in Fell's Church is, and Elena kills it, sacrificing herself in the process. (Summers? Party of two?)
Commentary:
Elena was infinitely more likeable in this book because she didn't spend her time vassilating between the roles of Queen Bitch and Petulant Child. It was actually fun watching her make the transition from self-centered to altruistic. Books improve tendfold when they possess a sympathetic protagonist. In fact, Stefan's sexual snafu aside, I actually enjoyed reading this installment. Both of the vampire brothers were given a little more depth. It became obvious that they still cared about each other despite centuries of feuding. When the Ultimate Evil in Fell's Church offers Damon the chance to cross over to "the dark side" for good, he refuses. (As if we needed any more proof of his relation to Spike, or rather, Spike's relation to him.)
It's 2:00 AM and my brain has stopped working so that's as much commentary as you're gonna get. Oh, no, don't cry. I know how much you love reading my summaries of a fifteen year old YA series, but don't worry. I still have two more books to read so there's plenty more where this came from.
I finished reading volume 3 The Fury just a couple of minutes ago. Yeah, I know, that was quick. I told you I can read fast when I'm really into a book. So, here's a summary of everything Carla thought was good/interesting/ridiculous/atrocious about it:
1) As a newly born vampire Elena has lost her memory. Even so, she manages to stumble upon Stefan beating the crap out of Damon deep in the woods because, you know, he thinks Damon is responsible for Elena's death. Elena rushes onto the scene and saves Damon's life. In her memory deprived state she has forgotten all about her relationship with Stefan and, drawn to Damon's power, thinks she is in love with him. This puts Stefan through all sorts of emotional torture but, just like all the other guys Elena screws over, he has no choice but to stay and help her however he can because he loves her, or something.
2) Elena is weak and without human blood she's gonna die. Damon suggests she attack a stranger, but the morally upstanding Stefan (who almost killed six or seven people while mourning Elena's "death" in the last book,) won't allow it. He convinces Damon that they have to find someone who will allow Elena to drink from them willingly. And who is the one person that can never say no to Elena? Matt!
3) The boys corner Matt, explain that they're vampires, and Elena's a vampire, and that she needs his blood. Being spineless and all, Matt lets her have a go at his jugular. She's so hungry, the only reason she doesn't drain him dry is because Damon and Stefan pull her off him before she does. Later in the book, when Stefan tries to talk to Matt about this, Matt ignores him, denies anything happened, and refuses to admit Elena is still alive.
4) Elena regains her memories and remembers she loves Stefan. But, given how tender and kind Damon was to her during the week she was at his mercy, she has developed a soft spot for him as well. She no longer thinks he's evil, just misunderstood. (Summers? Bloody? William The?) Rape victims, how quickly they forget.
5) Now that she is unable to enter her own home, see her family or friends, walk the streets, or even go to school, Elena realizes how much she loves all the people in her life, and how much she loves Fell's Church. She no longer views the students of her high school as people she can use to get what she wants. She sees them as real people, as individuals, and she misses all of them. This is the first step in Elena's transformation from Ice Bitch to Buffy Summers a la Kristy Swanson.
6) Elena and Stefan realize Damon isn't behind all of the attacks that have been going on in Fell's Church for the last three months. (He was just responsible for one :-D) This leads the three of them to conclude there is some other evil force at work in Fell's Church and they are the only ones strong enough to take it on.
7) Eventually all of Elena's friends find out about her fortunate escape from death. I would like to point out, though, that Meredith figured it out on her own. She figured out about Stefan and Damon, and was totally not surprised when Elena showed up at her bedroom window one night. That's my girl! Of course, it helped that her grandfather was attacked by a vampire three years earlier.
8) Elena remembers that she nearly killed Matt the first night she was a vampire and goes to apologize to him. While she is there she also apologizes for all the times she hurt him and used him. Matt, being the good guy he is, totally forgives her and then the two of them "exchange blood." Now on one hand, this is a good scene because, once again, we see the shift in Elena's mentality. She is no longer self-centered. She understands that she has hurt people, must take responsibility for her actions, and atone.
On the other hand, this scene is chock full of misogyny. How so, you ask? I refer you to the following passage which appears right before Elena sinks her fangs into Matt. Matt knows Elena is hungry and needs to feed so he offers himself to her,
No. No, Matt, really. I didn't COME here for that -"
"I know. That's why I want to. I want to give you something you DIDN'T ask for." After a moment he said, "For old friends' sake."
Stefan, Elena was thinking. But Stefan had told her to come, and come alone. Stefan had known, she realized. And it was all right. It was his gift to Matt - and to her.
Now, Stefan always liked Matt, so he has always felt guilty about stealing Matt's girlfriend. But what kind of fucking boyfriend "gives" his girlfriend to his buddy as a temporary sex toy? And what kind of girlfriend thinks that's sweet? Contrary to the above passage, Elena broke up with Matt precisely because she didn't feel anything other than platonic emotions for him! I understand why Matt goes through with it. He still loves Elena and what guy would turn down sex with the girl he loves? But I find Stefan's behavior incredibly demeaning. So now, I hate Stefan for whoring Elena out just about as much as I hate Damon for raping her.
9) Then, um, alotta shit happens. Elena and company eventually find out who the other evil in Fell's Church is, and Elena kills it, sacrificing herself in the process. (Summers? Party of two?)
Commentary:
Elena was infinitely more likeable in this book because she didn't spend her time vassilating between the roles of Queen Bitch and Petulant Child. It was actually fun watching her make the transition from self-centered to altruistic. Books improve tendfold when they possess a sympathetic protagonist. In fact, Stefan's sexual snafu aside, I actually enjoyed reading this installment. Both of the vampire brothers were given a little more depth. It became obvious that they still cared about each other despite centuries of feuding. When the Ultimate Evil in Fell's Church offers Damon the chance to cross over to "the dark side" for good, he refuses. (As if we needed any more proof of his relation to Spike, or rather, Spike's relation to him.)
It's 2:00 AM and my brain has stopped working so that's as much commentary as you're gonna get. Oh, no, don't cry. I know how much you love reading my summaries of a fifteen year old YA series, but don't worry. I still have two more books to read so there's plenty more where this came from.
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no subject
Date: 2009-02-14 10:31 pm (UTC)I'm glad I didn't read this when I was growing up. It would have shattered my fragile little mind.
But seriously, that creepy whoring-out/girlfriend-gifting ain't no good. When he pulled that bullshit I lost most of my respect, sympathy and ... sense of commonality? Personality-diffusion investment?
What I'm trying to say is that I actually can see a little of myself in Matt. Right up until the point when he does that. And I can even see what he's doing and WHY, but it's always been something I've tried to root out in myself. Which is what pisses me off - a lot of the characters that you have related don't seem to develop. And when they do it's somewhat forced; she wakes up as a vampire and all of a sudden she's a good person? I mean granted she is all of a sudden deprived of the things she was taking for granted, but a little more in-depth, slow build up kinda change was what I was hoping for. Anyhow sometimes the character development seems to be twisted. Matt seems to go straight from doormat to creepy, boundary-transgressing, passive-aggressive asshole.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-09 10:43 am (UTC)invitation only? like in the Buffyverse?
"it helped that her grandfather was attacked by a vampire three years earlier."
was he named.... VAN HELSING??
(also, I liked the movie Van Helsing).
no subject
Date: 2010-11-10 02:47 am (UTC)Yup. I thought the invitation only thing was a standard portion of the general vampire mythos.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-10 02:55 am (UTC)