Wow…just wow.

The review while through was not insightful.
You offer no constructive criticism about the work and fill the review with your personal opinion instead of detached professionalism.

The review comes off like you have a personal grudge against the author, but I hope I am mistaken. I have read bad reviews (which offer constructive criticism like a professional would do) but nothing like this, its laden in malice. Which gives me the impression that this is beyond you not liking the style of the author, it goes much deeper than that.

I understand that not every cares for a Picasso, but that doesn’t make him less of an artist. I personally dislike the art, but that is my personal opinion and I dont have to offer anything berating just because I happen to not like his art.

And if someone defends the work on this blog why is he ridiculed (are you married to the author) those types of comments make it difficult to take your review seriously.

A professional reviewer in the paper or on T.V. would not stoop to such low levels. I suggest you be a little less impartial next time you review in order to achieve better credibility to your work.

Huitzilopochtli

Thank you so much for writing this review so I won’t have to waste my time reading anything by this author. Just dreadful.

I do not think a review has to be lacking in emotion to be good; in fact, I’d argue it’s the opposite.

No, no, Robin. Don’t you understand?

A reviewer should realise that they are just that, nothing more than a “notice board” to share a book.

Feeling anything other than unalloyed joy is inappropriate to a ‘notice board’. Reviewers should have no emotions at all – after all, they’re not really *qualified* to comment. It’s not like they’re *customers* or anything. They didn’t learn in *school* how to read.

Me, I like a good angry review. Tells me the reviewer is capable of honesty and sharing her honest reactions. Give me that over the sparkly ‘five unicorn poos’ any day.

Rather than bring it back over here, because really, that’s not at the heart of Dr. F’s review, I ranted on my blog. My own little primer on how not to buy into cultural stereotypes and the responsibilities writers have.

I’m going to drag it back here for just a minute, because one of the points of your post is that when authors write about an unfamiliar culture, the respect they seem to hold for that culture can be communicated in their portrayal. I totally agree with this, and I know that as a reader little makes me angrier than the thought that the author has little or not respect for what he or she is writing, whether that be a culture, a sexual orientation, a race, even genre tropes.

Now I understand that this judgment is somewhat of a projection, and that authors will protest up and down that *of course* they respect their work! I would argue that there are certain objective markers of this, despite the very real and very legitimate differences people can have about what constitutes “authentic” representation. But even if it is entirely subjective, it’s a conclusion that — when supported through examples in a review — can fuel a very angry review of a book, a feeling not simply of having one’s time wasted as a reader, but of being disrespected as a reader (regardless of any personal identification with the subject matter at issue).

I disagree strongly with those who insist that an angry review is not professional or acceptable — IMO there is a substantive and substantial difference between a review that is thoughtful and reflective (objective to whatever degree a subjective judgment can be) and a review that lacks emotion or passion about the book and about the task of reviewing. I do not think a review has to be lacking in emotion to be good; in fact, I’d argue it’s the opposite.

I understand that talking about whether an author shows respect for his/her subject seems to push the line past evaluation of the work, but IMO it is still a judgment very much *of the work* because it comes from reading the work and is reflected in how the reader responds to the work. In this sense, a review that addresses these issues is not, IMO, personally directed at the author any more than a review commenting on ungrammatical prose, sloppy plotting, inconsistent characterization, and the like is a personal attack on the author. As long as the reviewer’s reaction is a) grounded in the text, and/or b) explained as a hot button of the reader — as some readers who dislike, say, forced seduction or certain types of characters explain — I think that reader’s reaction is still firmly grounded in and reviewed from the tex as it works in conversation with that particular reader/reviewer.

West, the assumption that someone who’s gay, male or latino can’t give a story a fair shake is rather insulting

That wasn’t what I said, Ann. I was pointing out that I am not a member of the groups who were stereotyped, and I still found the book to be a complete piece of crap. My intention was to cut short any arguments that might be made that only members of those groups would be offended.

Rather than bring it back over here, because really, that’s not at the heart of Dr. F’s review, I ranted on my blog. My own little primer on how not to buy into cultural stereotypes and the responsibilities writers have.

Just my own opinion on the subject.

http://fashionista-35.livejournal.com/458976.html

..but I am not seeing any “thugs,” “bullies” or vindictiveness on that lj link.

thanks for the link.

http://dakotaflint.livejournal.com/68941.html

Mind you, the guilty parties will now clamour for the post to be locked so their bitchiness can be conducted undercover, as usual.

Yeah, Rebel, we know where you came from. If you’re talking about vindictive bullies, that post’s comments showcased m/m’s best and brightest thugs perfectly well.

where is this? I don’t know.

I have to be honest and say that particular excerpt doesn’t strike me as too bad (apart from the ‘telling’ aspect.)

Now this is rubbish:

Gareth Carey, known as “Hairy Carey” behind his back, stared at Rick in cold appraisal. At any moment, he could have the trespasser thrown out onto the street, but the brash golden stud intrigued him enough to stay his hand for now. His chilly eyes flicked toward his soldiers, Levere and Epiphano, in a subtle signal. Aside from sheer muscle mass and unchecked aggression, what set Gareth’s men apart was their sexual orientation. The self-styled crime lord preferred to hire only gay men. It wasn’t because he was gay; he still wasn’t quite sure which category he fit into. But he believed homosexuals were less easy to tempt into disloyalty. He was probably fooling himself, but it brought him some badly needed peace of mind.

“What are you looking for, mate?” Gareth’s British-accented voice was as smooth and rich as hot fudge. “Lost your top?”

POV switching without warning ==FAIL. And if he’s using ‘mate’ then he’s coding as a ’souf Londoner’ or Eastender. Which means his accent is going to be less hot fudge and more billygoat pissing in a tin. Oy.

But she’s from LOTR fandom? That and HP fandom are two of the worst sources of the most undertalented, wanky, useless writers on the internet.

And I discovered this page because another reader was appauled at it’s content as I am.

Yeah, Rebel, we know where you came from. If you’re talking about vindictive bullies, that post’s comments showcased m/m’s best and brightest thugs perfectly well. You realise that one of the pearl clutchers over there actually set up an entire LJ comm just to rip J K Rowling a new one because they didn’t like the last HP book? You think that’s a proportionate response?

Because yes, men do read M/M, and some men even write it (amazing eh?).

You know what’s amazing? The depth of my not caring. You would have to search a very long time and some very dark places to find someone who cared less than I do about your XY ownership. M/m doesn’t *need* men – real or ones with pasted on penises – to validate it as a genre. We manage just fine without your blessing. So go pull your balls in, put on your make up and sock bra, and suck it up, girly.

This is my first visit to this community/review site.. and it will be my last.

Absolutely heartbroken about that, let me tell ya.

I’m not coming from a biased place. I’m not gay, male or latino.

West, the assumption that someone who’s gay, male or latino can’t give a story a fair shake is rather insulting. All you need to know this story reeks or not is to be literate, and human.

So who did Connie piss off so much that ya’ll wanted to rip her a new one here?

Well, speaking for myself, and no one else here, she pissed me off- by writing a bad book full of stereotypes. And yes, I read it. I threw up in my mouth a little. And by the way, we’re ripping her book a new one, not her personally (although, IMO, if you perpetuate bad stereotypes, it’s open season on your uneducatated, narrowminded ass).

Oh, and I’m not coming from a biased place. I’m not gay, male or latino.

A good two inches of fawn skin showed between the hem of the beautiful young man’s tight red T-shirt and low-cut black pants. Gareth’s fingers spread across the dimpled belly button, the beginning of a dark treasure trail and a tribal style tattoo that led the eye downward. Rick quickly dragged his gaze back up to meet Gareth’s and the other man’s lips drew back in something that looked like a grin. Rick saw it for what it was: an alpha male baring his fangs at a rival, establishing his territory. Rick smiled back in his best aw-shucks manner.

“Sorry if I was staring,” he said. “But, shit, that’s the prettiest guy I’ve ever seen.”

A bad review is a bad review – period – if you don’t like her writing style, approach, dialog then say it.

But I’ll be damned if I understand why you all take such pleasure in ripping into a book and author like you have here. The author of this review and many of the ‘commentors’ come across as vindictive bullies.

So who did Connie piss off so much that ya’ll wanted to rip her a new one here?

And to answer a question that was asked of “Jim” – No I’m not her husband. And I discovered this page because another reader was appauled at it’s content as I am. Because yes, men do read M/M, and some men even write it (amazing eh?).

This is my first visit to this community/review site.. and it will be my last.

Because that’s just so commonly used. Okay, hand to God, y’all, I don’t speak for any Latinos except myself and the people I grew up around, but I never knew anyone who actually used “hombre” in conversation. Other than John Wayne.

*sigh*

Stereotypes. Please, let me show them to you in glaring Technicolor.