WHEN: March 26, 2019
WHERE: Danvers’s Peabody Institute Library
Contact: Leane Ellis; rapotential@gmail.com
2019 is a year-long study of Diversity in Fiction. We conclude with Science Fiction. (Historical/Mystery/Romance)
Assignment: Everyone read the benchmark: N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season (2015): The Broken Earth Trilogy#1 OR read one of the others in the series–#2: The Obelisk Gate (2016); #3: The Stone Sky (2017).
Everyone also read a 2nd title in this category either from the suggested list below or one that you choose yourself.
For appeal, please focus especially on frame, tone and character
NOTES for Diversity Arc#2: Fantasy Fiction Discussion
Fantasy Diversity Second Title Suggestions
Summary of most important lessons learned from Diversity Arc: (added 12/22/19)
- Diversity titles are just as involving and entertaining as any of our usual reads, with the added bonus of a broader perspective and outlook.
- Good options for expanded possibilities for readers, displays and lists…and better library service for all.
- Great introductions to new authors
- Learned something about other cultures
- Makes one more conscious of the diversity of book orders and of book displays, lists.
- Easy to assume or misunderstand others point of view until you hear that point of view with “Their Own Voice.”
- Being female (for example) does not mean you comprehend all female points of view without “their own voice” to authenticate that point of view—this goes for race, ethnicity, gender, age, etc.
- Always returns to Listening.
Thank you to Jan & Jeanne.
RESOURCES
Diverse books are those that reflect and honor the life experience of all readers. We Need Diverse Books defines diversity as: “including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, Native, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities*, and ethnic, cultural, and religious minorities.”
*including but not limited to physical, sensory, cognitive, intellectual, or developmental disabilities, chronic conditions, and mental illnesses (this may also include addiction), as well as a social model of disability, which presents disability as created by barriers in the social environment, due to lack of equal access, stereotyping, and other forms of marginalization.
Thank you to the Western MA RA Round Table and the Southeastern MA RA Round Table for forging our path and providing resources and guidance.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Western MA RA RT Resources
Southeastern MA RA RT Resources
ARRT: GENRE STUDY: Speculative Fiction [2016-2017] (1/15/19)
Also see previous NE Genre discussions: FANTASY FICTION ARC 2014-2015: Historical, Romantic, and Sagas) mentioned below, as well as our 1st Fantasy discussion 1/07/09; Steam Punk 5/22/12, and Urban Fantasy 5/24/11.
Previous Print/PDF Bibliography (Available on Google Group)
Buker, Derek M. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Readers’ Advisory: The Librarian’s Guide to Cyborgs, Aliens and Sorcerers. ALA, 2002. P.111-122, 141-144.(FANTASY FICTION ARC 2014-2015 Historical, Romantic, and Sagas.)
Herald, Diana Tixier. Fluent in Fantasy: A Guide to Reading Interests. LU, 1999.. P.2-5.;. 169. (FANTASY FICTION ARC 2014-2015 Historical, Romantic, and Sagas.)
Saricks, Joyce. G. “Getting Up to Speed in Fantasy Fiction,” NoveList. EBSCO. 2013 (1/15/19) (FANTASY FICTION ARC 2014-2015 Historical, Romantic, and Sagas.)
Welch, Lynne. “Mages, Goblins and Elves – Oh My! (The New Players in Fantasy)”. NoveList. EBSCO. 2009 (3/15/11)
___. “Druids, Shamans, Mages and Fae: Urban Fantasy Favorites”. NoveList. EBSCO. 2016 (1/15/19)
Wyatt, Neal & Joyce G. Saricks. “Fantasy Fiction.” The RA Guide to Genre Fiction. 2019. 3rd ed., ALA, p.123-185.
Elective Title
Beth Safford
A Taste of Honey – Kai Ashante Wilson
Appeal Factors: Romantic and suspenseful tone, compelling and lush writing style, culturally diverse characters, world-building
A Taste of Honey is described as Afrofuturism and Afrofantasy; it is a short (only 158 pages) novel about the romance between Aqib bmg Sadiqi, fourth cousin to the royal family and son of the Master of Beasts and Lucrio, a handsome Dalucan soldier. The writing is compelling and the world-building is skillfully done. Some readers may be confused by the shifting chronology, although if they pay attention to the bracketed dates (Thirteenth day, Third day, etc.) the storyline becomes clearer. Because the book is so short the romance happens immediately but the characters, Aquib especially, are given enough detail so that they seem real. It should appeal to readers of speculative fiction who appreciate fantasy set in a culturally diverse world.
Leane Ellis
The Children of Blood and Bone – Tomi Adeyemi
Appeal Factors: CH/PLOT/FRAME
This extraordinary literary debut plunges readers into a dense, vivid world full of intriguing politics, evocative magic, and brutal violence. Coming of age in a land where her mother was killed because of her powerful magic, Zelie embarks on a journey alongside her athletic brother, a pet lioness, and others to restore her people’s magical abilities. In this world, anyone with the capacity for magic abilities, the maji, who all have snow-white hair, is now a second class citizen. Over the course of the book allegiances shift and characters grow, change, and confront traumas resulting in cinematic pacing. Alternating viewpoints and well-choreographed action make the pages fly toward the cliff-hanger ending, which left me eager for the next installment. Though she often uses tried-and-true fantasy tropes, Adeyemi keeps it fresh with an all-black cast of characters, a meaningful emphasis on fighting for justice, a complex heroine saving her own people, and a brand of magic made more powerful by the strength of heritage and ancestry. She has brilliantly woven the Yoruba (Nigeria/West Africa) language and culture into a complex and epic tale. Readers will appreciate the inter-generational cast, the complex characterizations, and an excellent use of flashbacks and backstories to explain what came before. The violence can be extreme at times, but it doesn’t feel gratuitous. The theme of female empowerment makes this debut especially relevant. This is a refreshing YA fantasy that easily appeals to any adult fantasy lover intent on experiencing character diversity, a quest for justice and a rejection of apathy by a strong female protagonist. Perfect for fans of the expansive fantasy worlds of N.K. Jemisin, as well as Leigh Bardugo, Daniel José Older, and Sabaa Tahir. I also would recommend to fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent series for the pacing and character hooks, as well as the plotting and stunning world-building.
Verónica
The Belles – Dhonielle Clayton
Appeal Factors: Characters (detailed character descriptions/characterization is important), frame (detailed descriptions, world building), fast-paced (despite detailed descriptions)
The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton is a YA fantasy novel that takes place in a world where the main goal in life is to be unique and beautiful. Only a certain number of women are born beautiful. They also have specific powers that allow them to change other people’s appearances and personalities. This is a highly desirable trait since everyone else is born with gray skin, red eyes, and gray/white hair. The belles are supposedly blessed with a gift from the Goddess of Beauty in response to a curse from a jealous god. Their entire existence depends on hiding the ugliness forced upon the inhabitants of Orléans.
In this highly detailed and lush fictitious world, status means everything and being able to change like a chameleon makes you powerful. You change by hiring the services of a Belle – who is in turn controlled by the nobility and the powerful. When Camellia Beauregard is chosen as a “favorite,” the one who will work with the royals, she is more than thrilled- it’s what she has prepared for her entire life. As she’s immersed in this new world, she begins to learn the dark secrets of those she works for. She sees the greed in her clients, the abuse of power by those who control her, the superficiality that prevails over every single aspect of life, and the threat of an heir that might destroy an entire kingdom. But how far do her powers go? What happens to Belles when they burn out? How can she help the queen by stopping an unstable and volatile Princess Sophia?
Dhonielle Clayton mesmerizes readers with a breath-taking world intricately built with vivid descriptions. Characters are who they are because of the world they live in – so one aspect reflects upon the other and vice-versa. World-building books can be slower paced due to all the descriptions and characters included in the storyline, but that isn’t the case here. The plot is pretty straightforward and linear and we only have the main character’s point of view. Just as the frame is an appealing factor, so are the characters. Characters are representatives of this world and its different factions – each personality an element that moves the story forward (those who will stop at nothing for beauty, those who become powerful through beauty, and those who are victims of an unjust system). Readers who enjoy YA fantasy and relevant social commentary will enjoy this title, especially when searching for something written by a POC with a diverse group of characters. Read-Alikes include: The Uglies series by Scott Westerfield and The Selection series by Kiera Cass.
Lisa Francine
Akata Witch – Nnedi Okorafor
Appeal Factors: Culturally Diverse Characters, Plot, World Building
This contemporary Afrofuturism and Afrofantasy is set in present day Nigeria. 12 year old albino Sunny Nwazue was born in the United States to Nigerian parents. Now living again in Nigeria with her family, Sunny feels like an outsider at school and at home. Her classmates view her as a “witch or ghost” because of her albinism, and incidents of bullying and prejudice are sprinkled throughout the story. Sunny discovers that she and her closest friends are “Leopard People” — Nigerian witches, and their quest begins to take down a serial killer.
Okorafor’s ability to share Nigerian folklore, magic, and elements of Nigerian life will appeal to teens and adults. For those interested in continuing Sunny’s story the sequel Akata Warrior can be queued up for their TBR pile.
Note: Yetide Badaki’s narration of the audiobook version is superb!
Michelle Deschene
The Haunting of Tram Car 015 – P. Djѐli Clark
Appeal Factors: Character; Setting; Tone; Pace
Hamad and Onsi, agents of the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, are sent to Cairo’s Ramses Station to follow-up on reports of a possessed tram car. The violent entity they encounter there is unlike any they’ve seen or studied before, and it refuses to be exorcised. Determined to make the tram car safe for public use, Hamad and Onsi plunge into the heart of Egypt’s suffragette movement in pursuit of information and a plan. Along the way, they contend with djinn and old-school folk magic, an unlikely waitress with surprising connections, and a low-level bureaucrat with something to hide.
In Clark’s alternate 1912, Egypt is no longer under British rule, the nationalist uprising of 1879 having been a successful campaign, and women attain the right to vote forty-four years ahead of schedule. Cairo is considered the hub of modernity; sentient tram cars and automatons are common, and the magic of various regions is employed to make life easier. The city is a visual delight, and a fabulous backdrop for what is, essentially, a buddy cop comedy shot-through with fantastical elements.
Hamad is the more seasoned agent, accustomed to working alone, while Onsi is wide-eyed and eager, fresh out of training. Hamad’s thoughts regarding his new partner lean into sarcasm and are often chuckle-inducing, but he is also quick to acknowledge and see value in Onsi’s intelligence and fleet-footed plans. It’s a neat aspect of the story that the reader gets to watch their bond form. Also, I appreciated the line Clark walked with Hamad: He’s obviously a competent agent, but he still makes mistakes and acknowledges when he’s out of his depth, and though he is used to the world moving in a certain way, he adjusts to new paths in the span of a slow-blink’s time.
Diversity is ever-present. Skin tones vary, none are white, and while the two Ministry agents are men, nearly every other character they connect with is female or, in the case of the djinn, genderfluid. And the djinn? They are not the powerful but enslaved characters of stereotype. In fact, here, they’ve unionized. The story is laced with discussions that touch on the rights of women and sentient machines, and on how religions and mythologies not one’s own are persecuted or exploited. They may not be in-depth discussions, but the plot is obviously underpinned by a keen-eyed awareness of relevant, ongoing issues.
Overall, a fast-paced, fun read.
Jerusha Maurer
Empire of Sand – Tasha Suri
Appeal Factors: Own-voices, World Building
The illegitimate daughter of an Imperial governor and an Amrithi, an outcast nomad with magic in her blood must fight the plans of the Emperor’s mystics to use her ability to manipulate the dreams of the gods to alter the shape of the world.
Jeanne Swartz
The Black God’s Drums – P. Djeli Clark
Appeal Factors: Fast paced, diverse, alternative history
This book takes place in New Orleans during Mardi Gras in 1870. In this timeline, the Civil War ended in a truce. New Orleans has been established as neutral territory. A CSA faction is looking to return New Orleans to a Confederate city and is willing to use a weapon, the Black God’s Drum, to provoke the Nigerian god, Shango (the god of storms) into wiping out the population. Enter Creeper, a 14 year old street kid who is associated with the goddess Oya (goddess of winds) and the Captain of an airship who is reluctantly associated with Oshun (goddess of water.) The goddesses are sister wives of Shango and Creeper and the Captain work with them to counteract the wind and waves to save New Orleans.
This book packs a lot into it’s 108 pages and is written completely in dialect. I think it would appeal to a wide range of readers as it includes African American teenagers, swashbuckling smugglers, steampunk, the Civil War, lgbtq, and goddesses.
Alyssa Staples
The Black God’s Drums – P. Djeli Clark
Appeal Factors: Characterization, Story Line, Pacing
The Black God’s Drums by P. Djeli Clark is the story of Creeper, a down and out 14-yr-old girl with magical abilities, who teams up with the female captain of an airship crew, who is also endowed with special abilities, to defeat a small, radical faction of enemies bent on destroying the free world. All in 108 pages.
It’s a classic Fantasy tale of good vs. evil in a battle to attain the magical weapon of mass destruction that could destroy a large portion of humanity. It’s also about discovering one’s own potential and magical abilities (both main chars) and it’s told using a First-person narrative from our hero’s perspective, the sassy, snarky, homeless, down on her luck, Creeper, whose goal is to safeguard the non-magical people of the world w/ her magical abilities.
Urban Fantasy: gritty, dark – street kids, protagonist lives on the street and survives by pickpocketing; sexy – brothels
Historical Fantasy: New Orleans of 1870s after WWI in which the Confederates and the Union come to a truce. Slavery still exists in Confederate terrirotry and the antagonists are radical Confederate soldiers. New Orleans “free state” neutral territory. References actual events and people: General Tubman is a soldier for the Union, smuggling slaves out of the Confederacy. Radical Confederates “Jeannots” aka Johnny Boys dress as “ghosts or skeletons” referencing KKK.
Also elements of Steampunk – futuristic tech in 1800s, Airships, massive dams; and maybe even Cli-Fi.
Frame/Setting: Perhaps a little less framing than other, longer Fantasy books, but enough to get by. I found myself hoping for or expecting a little more.
Tone: gritty, bleak, slavery continues on and there are enemies everywhere.
Characterization: Main characters are hardscrabble and endowed with magical abilities of ancient African goddesses; exhibit bravery, courage, steadfastness and resourcefulness – easy to root for. Characters undergo changes through book – accepting their magical abilities and their heroics though only a few well-developed characters in this story due to its length; Secondary characters, though only given a few pages, are well-developed.
Story Line: Classic good vs evil. Good characters exhibit diversity, acceptance and embrace ancient African mythology and power. Evil characters are the radical white confederates who want to destroy diversity, enslave people they see as “others” and appropriate/steal ancient power for themselves.
Language/Style: Language uses heavy accents, dialects, phonetic spellings, and mixes of other languages – this helps to emphasize the “free port” setting, where all people are welcome.
Pacing: Unlike other, longer Fantasy books, the pacing begins and remains fast. We’re introduced to almost all characters, good and evil, immediately and the beginnings of the battle begins about page 25.
Overall, impressive for a novella. For readers of Jemison due to eclectic nationalities of characters and emphasis on black heroes. Also for readers who enjoy African myth and divine powers colliding with the human world. Definitely YA crossover appeal, since protagonist is a 14-yr-old.
Gwen Junghanss
The Gilded Wolves – Roshani Chokshi
Appeal Factors: Historic Paris, Suspenseful, Several Intertwined and somewhat Quirky Characters
Plot: A disinherited son tries to win his title back with a group of friends who are experts in their fields.
Overall, I liked the characters. I liked that they were all different, I liked the diversity and the personalities. I feel like the setting of Historic Paris was stated, but I didn’t feel like it added much to the story overall. There is a cliffhanger ending where something is revealed about one character which I felt was not adequately developed in the rest of the book so to me it felt not-believable.
Cancellation Policy: If the town/city of the location of the meeting cancels public schools, and/or there is a parking ban–the meeting will be cancelled even if the library in question remains open. We do not have an alternative date. Leane will modify the upcoming schedules to reflect the missed meeting. Leane will broadcast the cancellation of the meeting due to inclement weather by 7:00am or before from the Google group, and post it on this website.
Northeastern MA Readers' Advisory Genre Study 