Sorry I haven't been posting. Found out I wrote Warrior in the wrong type of voice, so every few sentences (every sentence in some paragraphs) has to be overhauled and rewritten. Needless to say, I did 5 chaps one week, and this week I've done 1. Seriously, 1 in 7 days. ><
But I do have enough pictures for at least two weeks in pics, and I decided to not be productive and instead write about today.
Today is International Women's Day. It's a day for the ladies. I saw a vid (saw, as in read the title, not watch. I like my music :3 ) where someone wanted to talk about the most girl-empowering authors. I'm gonna talk about the strongest female characters in books that I've read. These aren't about women becoming men, but women being gentle, kind, loving, and still strong.
To start things off, I'm gonna talk about one of my favorite series of all time, and the one that changed my definition of a powerful woman. The Sevenwaters Series by Juliet Marillier.
All six of these ladies are incredible strong. Sorcha, who sacrificed so much for her brother's, including (she thought) the love of her life. Liadan, who refused to listen to anyone, including those she viewed as gods, because she knew what was right. Fainne, who learned she was being played and went with it, because she knew the only way to stop her own grandmother was perhaps to sacrifice her own life. Clodagh, who knew that her brother was stolen and was determined to save him, and the changling who'd been switched with him. Sibeal, a seer whose life turned out to be completely different from what she expected, and decided to follow her heart. And Maeve, the scarred girl who thought herself as worthless, and ended up saving her whole family, and her people, and still found out she was more than she ever thought she was.
This series shows women as they really are: strong, independent, weak, beautiful, ugly. They doubt themselves, doubt they matter or can do what needs doing. But they're determined to make their own Happily Ever After, and while they don't all get exactly what they want, they prove to themselves and the world that they're more than what they seem.
Another series I love to pieces is The Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop:
There are 4 main characters: Daemon, Lucivar, Saetan, and Jaenelle. Jaenelle may be the only woman, but she's the savior the whole world has been waiting for for millennia. And she's completely different from what everyone expects. They want a strong, powerful queen who can sweep away the evil High Priestess that's been destroying the world one nation at a time. And while she is that, she's so much more. She begins as a little girl facing the most horrific abuse who falls into a coma at the end of book 1 and beginning of book 2. When she awakens, the last thing she wants to do is rule. She refuses to go to war, to rule over her friends. But she sacrifices so much to protect those she loves, including her dreams, her wishes, and almost her own life. We follow her from the odd 7 year old until after her death and watch how a strong woman change change those around her for the better. It's an amazing story and I highly recommend it--but there is sex and a bit of gore. Look for my video reviews of this series coming soon!
I probably can come up with many more, but these truly changed me. I learned that the strongest of women don't kick ass. They don't need to. Sorcha ends a fiery feud by merely yawning, saying she's tired, and giving short, direct advice to each man involved that silences them one at a time. Jaenelle can blow up a nation, but would rather almost kill herself healing every person involved in a conflict. They show what I've always heard about women:
and
“Women bring with them into the world a certain virtue, a divine gift that makes them adept at instilling such qualities as faith, courage, empathy, and refinement in relationships and in cultures." - D. Todd Christofferson
So ladies, remember. You don't have to be like a man to be strong. Be a woman, a lady. Be kind, loving, and tough as nails. Because to me, that's a woman in her prime.
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I did not know about this International Women's Day. I should probably do a blog post about this. Although I would be late...hmmm...I think I can do it, though.
ReplyDeleteSorcha and Liadan are both SO strong. They're great role models, although I haven't gotten past like, chapter 2 or 3 in Child of the Prophecy still (yes, yes, I know). But I own it now, so I will read it eventually, yes, preciousss...
And of course The Black Jewels Series, which seriously influenced how I felt about women's roles in the world, considering the first time I read Daughter of the Blood, I was like, 10 or 11.
You know for me, another example of a strong woman is Keladry of Mindelan. In fact, she's one of the ONLY really strong *feminine* woman in the Tamora Pierce novels, because unlike Alanna, Keladry is okay with being a girl. She can fight as well as a boy through hard work, but she also dresses up and likes to look nice, refuses to turn into a boy to be accepted by the boys at the school, and she collects porcelain cats.
Another relatively good example is Katniss from the Hunger Games. She's not the most feminine person, but it's more because she can't afford to buy makeup or pretty dresses, so she doesn't really know what to do with them. When she gets a chance to dress up after being selected for the Games, her stylist gives her beautiful clothes, and she loves them, though she hates what they represent (being a Tribute for the Games). But she's also strong - she provides for her family after the death of her father, and she's a mother-figure to her younger sister because her mom has depression and is kind of neglectful. Her weapon of choice is a typically feminine weapon - a bow - and her survival- and attack-style during the Games reflects more cunning and cleverness than aggression.
I could think of more, but I have 1 minute to clock in, sooo...yeah. Bye, love you!
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