Good points! The funny thing is I thought the story seemed gender-neutral at times in the sense of a buddy type of novel. There are movies and books that feature men as buddies - having fun, bonding over a shared interest, giving support, etc. However, once a book features women, it ususally gets that "chick lit" label.Jeyasivananth wrote: ↑25 Feb 2018, 10:44 Well...that's a tricky one. I guess by defining the book as chick lit, we may be limiting the possibilities of the book.The danger of calling the book a chic lit lies in the fact that, the book at once, is implicitly recommended for only a female reading audience. However, when we look at themes raised by the book :
- Living in close communion with Nature, helping an individual to reinvent, rediscover and rejuvenate themselves.
- The Lessons of fish flying becoming life lessons to be learnt with patience, practiced with perseverance, and adapted to the changing currents of life.
The loss of a child , conflict with parents , juggling family and work are problems faced by many individuals ( irrespective of male or female ) in the modern world.
- The need for gender neutrality and unlearning of gender stereotypes, all appeal to humanity in general.
Do you consider the book to be Chick Lit?
- bookowlie
- Special Discussion Leader
- Posts: 9071
- Joined: 25 Oct 2014, 09:52
- Favorite Book: The Lost Continent
- Currently Reading: The Night She Went Missing
- Bookshelf Size: 442
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-bookowlie.html
- Latest Review: To Paint A Murder by E. J. Gandolfo
Re: Do you consider the book to be Chick Lit?
- Jeyasivananth
- Posts: 238
- Joined: 07 Jan 2018, 18:17
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 191
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-jeyasivananth.html
- Latest Review: Heartaches 3 by H.M. Irwing
Emma13 wrote: ↑24 Feb 2018, 10:33 It is an interesting question. Just because the main characters in a book are male, we don't assume that only men will read it, so why do we make the opposite assumption with books about women? I guess we still have this idea that the default character is a male (probably white and straight, too).
Exactly! I too don't understand the need to define the book thus.The history of literature shows books have mostly been androcentric written with male protagonists, voicing male opinions. However, has there been a need to define them as lads-lit or by such name. The success of any book lies in its ability to rise above these narrow compartmentalization and appeal universally to all readers and I honestly think in its essence and message the book does achieve that!!
- P0tt3ry
- Posts: 213
- Joined: 15 Jan 2018, 16:39
- Favorite Book: The Dresden Files
- Currently Reading: The Reel Sisters
- Bookshelf Size: 45
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-p0tt3ry.html
- Latest Review: Ironbark Hill by Jennie Linnane
You didn't leave me much to say as I agree with your conclusions. Chic Lit is a category that many consider light reading of interest to woman only. Think about how men will take their female friends to a Chic Flick, and behave as if they are doing them a big favor by sitting through a girl movie. Applying the Chic Lit classification to a book like this one does the author a disservice.Jeyasivananth wrote: ↑25 Feb 2018, 10:44 Well...that's a tricky one. I guess by defining the book as chick lit, we may be limiting the possibilities of the book.The danger of calling the book a chic lit lies in the fact that, the book at once, is implicitly recommended for only a female reading audience. However, when we look at themes raised by the book :
- Living in close communion with Nature, helping an individual to reinvent, rediscover and rejuvenate themselves.
- The Lessons of fish flying becoming life lessons to be learnt with patience, practiced with perseverance, and adapted to the changing currents of life.
The loss of a child , conflict with parents , juggling family and work are problems faced by many individuals ( irrespective of male or female ) in the modern world.
- The need for gender neutrality and unlearning of gender stereotypes, all appeal to humanity in general.
- Jeyasivananth
- Posts: 238
- Joined: 07 Jan 2018, 18:17
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 191
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-jeyasivananth.html
- Latest Review: Heartaches 3 by H.M. Irwing
Yes , I totally agree with you ...especially, since the book has so much to offer, in terms of ways to escape the modern maladies of living as an island. It strongly asks us to make a change, stop limiting ourselves to cyber interactions and resuscitate our dwindling interactions with Nature and fellow human beings.P0tt3ry wrote: ↑25 Feb 2018, 11:46You didn't leave me much to say as I agree with your conclusions. Chic Lit is a category that many consider light reading of interest to woman only. Think about how men will take their female friends to a Chic Flick, and behave as if they are doing them a big favor by sitting through a girl movie. Applying the Chic Lit classification to a book like this one does the author a disservice.Jeyasivananth wrote: ↑25 Feb 2018, 10:44 Well...that's a tricky one. I guess by defining the book as chick lit, we may be limiting the possibilities of the book.The danger of calling the book a chic lit lies in the fact that, the book at once, is implicitly recommended for only a female reading audience. However, when we look at themes raised by the book :
- Living in close communion with Nature, helping an individual to reinvent, rediscover and rejuvenate themselves.
- The Lessons of fish flying becoming life lessons to be learnt with patience, practiced with perseverance, and adapted to the changing currents of life.
The loss of a child , conflict with parents , juggling family and work are problems faced by many individuals ( irrespective of male or female ) in the modern world.
- The need for gender neutrality and unlearning of gender stereotypes, all appeal to humanity in general.
-
- Posts: 32
- Joined: 17 Jan 2018, 14:32
- Currently Reading: Sweet Mandarin
- Bookshelf Size: 21
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-mingyums.html
- Latest Review: Diary of a Snoopy Cat by R.F. Kristi
- bookowlie
- Special Discussion Leader
- Posts: 9071
- Joined: 25 Oct 2014, 09:52
- Favorite Book: The Lost Continent
- Currently Reading: The Night She Went Missing
- Bookshelf Size: 442
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-bookowlie.html
- Latest Review: To Paint A Murder by E. J. Gandolfo
The Chick Lit classification definitely keeps an author from reaching a wider audience since men automatically assume those books would be of no interest to them.P0tt3ry wrote: ↑25 Feb 2018, 11:46You didn't leave me much to say as I agree with your conclusions. Chic Lit is a category that many consider light reading of interest to woman only. Think about how men will take their female friends to a Chic Flick, and behave as if they are doing them a big favor by sitting through a girl movie. Applying the Chic Lit classification to a book like this one does the author a disservice.Jeyasivananth wrote: ↑25 Feb 2018, 10:44 Well...that's a tricky one. I guess by defining the book as chick lit, we may be limiting the possibilities of the book.The danger of calling the book a chic lit lies in the fact that, the book at once, is implicitly recommended for only a female reading audience. However, when we look at themes raised by the book :
- Living in close communion with Nature, helping an individual to reinvent, rediscover and rejuvenate themselves.
- The Lessons of fish flying becoming life lessons to be learnt with patience, practiced with perseverance, and adapted to the changing currents of life.
The loss of a child , conflict with parents , juggling family and work are problems faced by many individuals ( irrespective of male or female ) in the modern world.
- The need for gender neutrality and unlearning of gender stereotypes, all appeal to humanity in general.
- CommMayo
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 1648
- Joined: 22 Oct 2017, 14:19
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 80
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-commmayo.html
- Latest Review: Changed by Vicki Stiefel
- Reading Device: B00G2Y4WNY
-
- Posts: 82
- Joined: 28 Dec 2017, 17:29
- Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... =8714">The Angel's Game</a>
- Currently Reading: Diary of a Snoopy Cat
- Bookshelf Size: 22
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ebookreviewer.html
- Latest Review: Who Told You That You Were Naked? by William Combs
- Reading Device: B06XD5YCKX
- innah96
- Posts: 40
- Joined: 26 Jan 2018, 04:05
- Currently Reading: How A Good Person Can Really Win
- Bookshelf Size: 21
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-innah96.html
- Latest Review: Trip to Adele by R I Alyaseer and A I Alyaseer
Kieran_Obrien wrote: ↑22 Feb 2018, 09:23 Perhaps the term is a bit offensive, but do you consider the Reel Sisters to be Chick Lit?
I think there's maybe a bit more going on in the narrative that opens up it's genre slightly, but it does hit all the chick lit tropes!
I'm a guy and I found it reasonably enjoyable anyway!
I haven't read the book, but I wanted to point out that for me, Chick Lit doesn't associate me on anything offensive. I wonder why you would think it might be offensive for some people?
Just curious
- CommMayo
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 1648
- Joined: 22 Oct 2017, 14:19
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 80
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-commmayo.html
- Latest Review: Changed by Vicki Stiefel
- Reading Device: B00G2Y4WNY
- bookowlie
- Special Discussion Leader
- Posts: 9071
- Joined: 25 Oct 2014, 09:52
- Favorite Book: The Lost Continent
- Currently Reading: The Night She Went Missing
- Bookshelf Size: 442
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-bookowlie.html
- Latest Review: To Paint A Murder by E. J. Gandolfo
- Kieran_Obrien
- Posts: 87
- Joined: 14 Jan 2018, 14:41
- Currently Reading: Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
- Bookshelf Size: 10
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kieran-obrien.html
- Latest Review: The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings
When I began the thread I didn't know too much about Chick Lit so I just wanted to be careful; someone might take issue with the term itself (women = chicks has always sounded funny to me) or perhaps the term was outdated in a world where feminism is on the rise!innah96 wrote: ↑26 Feb 2018, 09:58Kieran_Obrien wrote: ↑22 Feb 2018, 09:23 Perhaps the term is a bit offensive, but do you consider the Reel Sisters to be Chick Lit?
I think there's maybe a bit more going on in the narrative that opens up it's genre slightly, but it does hit all the chick lit tropes!
I'm a guy and I found it reasonably enjoyable anyway!
I haven't read the book, but I wanted to point out that for me, Chick Lit doesn't associate me on anything offensive. I wonder why you would think it might be offensive for some people?
Just curious
After reading the thread though it seems to me that chick lit is just as much a marketing style as much as it is a genre.
- NL Hartje
- Previous Member of the Month
- Posts: 1262
- Joined: 04 Jan 2018, 12:58
- Favorite Book: Kushiel's Dart
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 385
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-nl-hartje.html
- Latest Review: Looking forward as the Journey continues by George Mills
-Dr. Seuss
- SparklesonPages
- Posts: 215
- Joined: 26 Jan 2018, 16:56
- Currently Reading:
- Bookshelf Size: 211
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-sparklesonpages.html
- Latest Review: Heartaches 2 by H.M. Irwing
- Reading Device: B00JG8GOWU
I think that " women's contemporary fiction" is more along the lines of where "The Reel Sisters" story goes. Bonus , it sounds a tad better as wellbookowlie wrote: ↑23 Feb 2018, 14:48 I agree this book could be considered chick lit or the more modern term, "women's contemporary fiction." The main characters are a bunch of female friends and have girls-only get-togethers that are usually very light-hearted. I can see why an author might not want to market a book as chick lit since the genre is not usually taken seriously. Many readers look down on chick lit and don't want to read a book if it's labelled as such.
- Kieran_Obrien
- Posts: 87
- Joined: 14 Jan 2018, 14:41
- Currently Reading: Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl
- Bookshelf Size: 10
- Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kieran-obrien.html
- Latest Review: The Reel Sisters by Michelle Cummings