I still think it can work, especially considering that we're looking at a YA novel, and traditionally speaking they aren't expected to carry the weight of the world as we know it. Interesting stuff set in somewhat easily understandable settings and all that.
Someone pointed out to me that there's no such thing as problem-free fiction. I tend to agree, and my attitude about The 13th Child is informed by this and two other things. First, I dislike extremist arguments, so the people that have been rah rah there's nothing here and the people that have been rah rah this book is totally fucking racist have really gotten my hackles up. Second, I think there's a spectrum in regards to what could be considered subtly racist fiction. Some of it isn't actually going to be racist, other stuff is, that's why I want to argue about this, about whether or not her decision could be innocent or just ignorant, whether or not it's worse or better or just neutral because of the long line of fiction preceding it that might've touched on similar ground.
Re: Part Deux!
Someone pointed out to me that there's no such thing as problem-free fiction. I tend to agree, and my attitude about The 13th Child is informed by this and two other things. First, I dislike extremist arguments, so the people that have been rah rah there's nothing here and the people that have been rah rah this book is totally fucking racist have really gotten my hackles up. Second, I think there's a spectrum in regards to what could be considered subtly racist fiction. Some of it isn't actually going to be racist, other stuff is, that's why I want to argue about this, about whether or not her decision could be innocent or just ignorant, whether or not it's worse or better or just neutral because of the long line of fiction preceding it that might've touched on similar ground.