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The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games
Winner, 2022 Children's Literature Association Book Award, given by the Children's Literature Association
Winner, 2020 World Fantasy Awards
Winner, 2020 British Fantasy Awards, Nonfiction
Finalist, Creative Nonfiction IGNYTE Award, given by FIYACON for BIPOC+ in Speculative Fiction
Reveals the diversity crisis in children's and young adult media as not only a lack of representation, but a lack of imagination
Stories provide portals into other worlds, both real and imagined. The promise of escape draws people from all backgrounds to speculative fiction, but when people of color seek passageways into the fantastic, the doors are often barred. This problem lies not only with children’s publishing, but also with the television and film executives tasked with adapting these stories into a visual world. When characters of color do appear, they are often marginalized or subjected to violence, reinforcing for audiences that not all lives matter.
The Dark Fantastic is an engaging and provocative exploration of race in popular youth and young adult speculative fiction. Grounded in her experiences as YA novelist, fanfiction writer, and scholar of education, Thomas considers four black girl protagonists from some of the most popular stories of the early 21st century: Bonnie Bennett from the CW’s The Vampire Diaries , Rue from Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games , Gwen from the BBC’s Merlin , and Angelina Johnson from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. Analyzing their narratives and audience reactions to them reveals how these characters mirror the violence against black and brown people in our own world.
In response, Thomas uncovers and builds upon a tradition of fantasy and radical imagination in Black feminism and Afrofuturism to reveal new possibilities. Through fanfiction and other modes of counter-storytelling, young people of color have reinvisioned fantastic worlds that reflect their own experiences, their own lives. As Thomas powerfully asserts, “we dark girls deserve more, because we are more.”
Winner, 2020 World Fantasy Awards
Winner, 2020 British Fantasy Awards, Nonfiction
Finalist, Creative Nonfiction IGNYTE Award, given by FIYACON for BIPOC+ in Speculative Fiction
Reveals the diversity crisis in children's and young adult media as not only a lack of representation, but a lack of imagination
Stories provide portals into other worlds, both real and imagined. The promise of escape draws people from all backgrounds to speculative fiction, but when people of color seek passageways into the fantastic, the doors are often barred. This problem lies not only with children’s publishing, but also with the television and film executives tasked with adapting these stories into a visual world. When characters of color do appear, they are often marginalized or subjected to violence, reinforcing for audiences that not all lives matter.
The Dark Fantastic is an engaging and provocative exploration of race in popular youth and young adult speculative fiction. Grounded in her experiences as YA novelist, fanfiction writer, and scholar of education, Thomas considers four black girl protagonists from some of the most popular stories of the early 21st century: Bonnie Bennett from the CW’s The Vampire Diaries , Rue from Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games , Gwen from the BBC’s Merlin , and Angelina Johnson from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter. Analyzing their narratives and audience reactions to them reveals how these characters mirror the violence against black and brown people in our own world.
In response, Thomas uncovers and builds upon a tradition of fantasy and radical imagination in Black feminism and Afrofuturism to reveal new possibilities. Through fanfiction and other modes of counter-storytelling, young people of color have reinvisioned fantastic worlds that reflect their own experiences, their own lives. As Thomas powerfully asserts, “we dark girls deserve more, because we are more.”
240 pages, Paperback
First published May 21, 2019
174 people are currently reading
7585 people want to read
About the author
Ebony Elizabeth Thomas
6 books215 followersEbony Elizabeth Thomas, PhD is Associate Professor and Co-Chair of the Joint Program in English and Education at the University of Michigan’s Marsal Family School of Education. Previously, she was Associate Professor in the Literacy, Culture, and International Education Division at Penn GSE. A former Detroit Public Schools teacher and National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow, she serves as co-editor of Research in the Teaching of English. She is the author of The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games (NYU Press, 2019), which won the World Fantasy Award, the British Fantasy Award, and the Children’s Literature Association Book Award, among other accolades. Her most recent book is Harry Potter and the Other: Race, Justice, and Difference in the Wizarding World (University Press of Mississippi, 2022) co-edited with Sarah Park Dahlen.
Her expertise on race and representation in children’s and young adult literature has been sought after nationally and internationally. She has been interviewed by MSNBC, the BBC, the New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Chicago Tribune, to name a few. She is a former reviewer for Kirkus’ children’s book section, and has written book reviews for the Los Angeles Times. She is a past National Book Award for Young People's Literature judge (2020), and is a 2020-2022 member of the United States Board on Books for Young People.
In addition to her work on books for young readers, she has published widely on race, discourse, and interaction in classrooms and digital environments. In conjunction with the National Writing Project, Amy Stornaiuolo (Penn GSE), Elyse Eidman-Aadahl (NWP), and Sarah Levine (Stanford), she is a co-principal investigator on a major James S. McDonnell Foundation Teachers as Learners grant, the Digital Discourse Project (DDP), a longitudinal collaborative inquiry into how partnering teacher consultants studied their own discourse practices with data and platforms as they facilitated online discussions during and after the COVID-19 era.
She is represented by Tanya McKinnon, McKinnon Literary.
Her expertise on race and representation in children’s and young adult literature has been sought after nationally and internationally. She has been interviewed by MSNBC, the BBC, the New York Times, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Chicago Tribune, to name a few. She is a former reviewer for Kirkus’ children’s book section, and has written book reviews for the Los Angeles Times. She is a past National Book Award for Young People's Literature judge (2020), and is a 2020-2022 member of the United States Board on Books for Young People.
In addition to her work on books for young readers, she has published widely on race, discourse, and interaction in classrooms and digital environments. In conjunction with the National Writing Project, Amy Stornaiuolo (Penn GSE), Elyse Eidman-Aadahl (NWP), and Sarah Levine (Stanford), she is a co-principal investigator on a major James S. McDonnell Foundation Teachers as Learners grant, the Digital Discourse Project (DDP), a longitudinal collaborative inquiry into how partnering teacher consultants studied their own discourse practices with data and platforms as they facilitated online discussions during and after the COVID-19 era.
She is represented by Tanya McKinnon, McKinnon Literary.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 316 reviews
March 16, 2019
I’m going to write a longer review for Research on Diversity in Youth Literature, but I want to put a shorter one here since I just finished it about 30 minutes ago.
As a Black girl nerd, I was beyond excited when I heard that this book was going to be a thing. I truly felt seen, like someone was going to finally present some of the conversations that me and my friends have been having in private or in closed social media groups. I want to say that I was NOT ready for this awesomeness.
First, the scholar in me had my pen out, underlining key phrases that I could use to bolster and/or ground some of my current work.
Second, as a nerd who has many conversations online, I greatly appreciated the way that Thomas infused the words of university academics and public scholars. I do this in my own work, but I don’t see many people who will quote tweets, blogs, fan fiction, etc. There are everyday people doing important analyses, and Thomas ensures that their scholarship is included alongside university professors. That is powerful. I especially loved that there weren’t distinctions throughout to separate who had “knowledge”. Like, instead of saying Dr. this and university professor that to contrast working-class student writer or business owner who reads comics, she just used their names and what they wrote. I just don’t see that too often.
Third, as someone who grew up on the stories my grandfather told me, where he weaved personal life stories to the show we watched together or the news story that we both read, Thomas weaves the personal, the creative, and the academic in a similar way. Reading the chapters felt like I was listening to my grandpa analyze tv, news, etc.
Lastly, as a Black girl, this work was validating. I, too, loved Rue and lost it when she died. I grew up reading the Harry Potter books and watching the films, but I was always too scared to dress up for fear of being ostracized. I always wondered where I could be located in fan communities that always showed Black girls on the sidelines, but never on the field. I found my space (in my twenties) in the fantastic writings of Octavia Butler, Nnedi Okorafor, Nalo Hopkinson, and numerous others - all authors that are mentioned as writers who break the cycle of The Dark Fantastic through emancipation. Basically, Thomas shows us the cycle, but she also shows us how the cycle has been and can continue to be broken.
Thomas’ work is essential reading. It shows us what happens to the endarkened in the Western, mainstream imaginative that centers whiteness. It shows us what we can do to alleviate the violence that not only happens to fictional characters, but also to real Black girls. It asks us to respond to the call and assist in breaking the cycle of The Dark Fantastic. Breaking the cycle is essential, for, as Thomas says, “resolving the crisis of race in our storied imagination has the potential to make our world anew” (p. 169).
As a Black girl nerd, I was beyond excited when I heard that this book was going to be a thing. I truly felt seen, like someone was going to finally present some of the conversations that me and my friends have been having in private or in closed social media groups. I want to say that I was NOT ready for this awesomeness.
First, the scholar in me had my pen out, underlining key phrases that I could use to bolster and/or ground some of my current work.
Second, as a nerd who has many conversations online, I greatly appreciated the way that Thomas infused the words of university academics and public scholars. I do this in my own work, but I don’t see many people who will quote tweets, blogs, fan fiction, etc. There are everyday people doing important analyses, and Thomas ensures that their scholarship is included alongside university professors. That is powerful. I especially loved that there weren’t distinctions throughout to separate who had “knowledge”. Like, instead of saying Dr. this and university professor that to contrast working-class student writer or business owner who reads comics, she just used their names and what they wrote. I just don’t see that too often.
Third, as someone who grew up on the stories my grandfather told me, where he weaved personal life stories to the show we watched together or the news story that we both read, Thomas weaves the personal, the creative, and the academic in a similar way. Reading the chapters felt like I was listening to my grandpa analyze tv, news, etc.
Lastly, as a Black girl, this work was validating. I, too, loved Rue and lost it when she died. I grew up reading the Harry Potter books and watching the films, but I was always too scared to dress up for fear of being ostracized. I always wondered where I could be located in fan communities that always showed Black girls on the sidelines, but never on the field. I found my space (in my twenties) in the fantastic writings of Octavia Butler, Nnedi Okorafor, Nalo Hopkinson, and numerous others - all authors that are mentioned as writers who break the cycle of The Dark Fantastic through emancipation. Basically, Thomas shows us the cycle, but she also shows us how the cycle has been and can continue to be broken.
Thomas’ work is essential reading. It shows us what happens to the endarkened in the Western, mainstream imaginative that centers whiteness. It shows us what we can do to alleviate the violence that not only happens to fictional characters, but also to real Black girls. It asks us to respond to the call and assist in breaking the cycle of The Dark Fantastic. Breaking the cycle is essential, for, as Thomas says, “resolving the crisis of race in our storied imagination has the potential to make our world anew” (p. 169).
February 3, 2019
I came to this book for two reasons. One is that I’m a fan of BBC "Merlin", and I was happy to see the show finally being considered in an academic work. The other is that I’m a writer, and a White person, who is interested in writing non-White characters and mixed-race relationships – and the more I learn, the more I realise I still need to learn.
Back in 2008 when "Merlin" first screened, I was delighted by the ways in which the showrunners mixed things up. Arthur wasn’t a noble and just king, but a spoiled brat-prince. Merlin was a naïve youth of the same age as Arthur, and not in control of his magic or indeed anything else. And Gwen was not only a lowly servant but also Black, in a place where the ruling family and most (though not all) of the aristocracy and knights were White.
I loved all of that, and very much enjoyed all the fanworks that celebrated Gwen. While the end of the last series was heartbreaking, I loved that Gwen ended up as Queen of Camelot in her own right.
Ebony Elizabeth Thomas shows me, however, that wasn’t enough. While I would quibble with one aspect of her description of Gwen’s bleak ending – Gwen is not entirely alone as she has life-long friend Leon and long-time friend Gaius with her, among others – that’s not enough either. As Thomas says, if "Merlin" had ended after season four, Gwen would have had a fully happy ending: married to Arthur, crowned as Queen, and surrounded by friends including her brother Elyan. It would have been the sort of happy ending that is so rare or even non-existent for young Black women in our stories. The showrunners mixed things up in terms of the Arthurian legends, and are to be applauded for gifting us with a non-White Guinevere – but they didn’t take it far enough when it came to gifting her a happy ending in season five.
It’s not enough to point out that the Arthurian legends always end in tragedy. As Thomas shows in her consideration of young Black female characters in "The Hunger Games", "The Vampire Diaries", and the "Harry Potter" ’verse, Gwen is not an isolated case.
It’s not enough to claim that many of us fans (I hope the majority of us) enjoyed and celebrated Gwen in all aspects of her identity. While I tried to steer clear of it, I’m all too aware of the hostility that Gwen (and actor Angel Coulby) attracted as a person of colour – and waving the #NotAllFans flag misses the point.
It’s not enough that Thomas’s young niece is already used to identifying with characters who are White. As a queer woman (and non-American!), I am used to identifying with characters outside my own identities, too. Needs must! But I have also had the privilege of identifying with a few characters who match me very closely indeed, and time and time again I’ve had that privilege reinforced by the happy endings awarded to White characters. It’s not enough.
On one hand, I am (partially) heartened by the fact that we are obviously meant to care about and grieve for all those non-White (and gay and lesbian) characters who are killed off as the stories progress. On the other hand, it’s not enough. They deserve their share of fully explored storylines and happy endings, too.
Thomas challenges us with the idea that this lack of full representation in our creative works is due to a lack of imagination. We can do better. We can imagine better. Let’s get in there and write better, too!
#
The publisher kindly gave me an ARC of this book via NetGalley, and I have also preordered a hardcover copy for myself via Amazon. The views expressed are my own, and are (always) still evolving.
Back in 2008 when "Merlin" first screened, I was delighted by the ways in which the showrunners mixed things up. Arthur wasn’t a noble and just king, but a spoiled brat-prince. Merlin was a naïve youth of the same age as Arthur, and not in control of his magic or indeed anything else. And Gwen was not only a lowly servant but also Black, in a place where the ruling family and most (though not all) of the aristocracy and knights were White.
I loved all of that, and very much enjoyed all the fanworks that celebrated Gwen. While the end of the last series was heartbreaking, I loved that Gwen ended up as Queen of Camelot in her own right.
Ebony Elizabeth Thomas shows me, however, that wasn’t enough. While I would quibble with one aspect of her description of Gwen’s bleak ending – Gwen is not entirely alone as she has life-long friend Leon and long-time friend Gaius with her, among others – that’s not enough either. As Thomas says, if "Merlin" had ended after season four, Gwen would have had a fully happy ending: married to Arthur, crowned as Queen, and surrounded by friends including her brother Elyan. It would have been the sort of happy ending that is so rare or even non-existent for young Black women in our stories. The showrunners mixed things up in terms of the Arthurian legends, and are to be applauded for gifting us with a non-White Guinevere – but they didn’t take it far enough when it came to gifting her a happy ending in season five.
It’s not enough to point out that the Arthurian legends always end in tragedy. As Thomas shows in her consideration of young Black female characters in "The Hunger Games", "The Vampire Diaries", and the "Harry Potter" ’verse, Gwen is not an isolated case.
It’s not enough to claim that many of us fans (I hope the majority of us) enjoyed and celebrated Gwen in all aspects of her identity. While I tried to steer clear of it, I’m all too aware of the hostility that Gwen (and actor Angel Coulby) attracted as a person of colour – and waving the #NotAllFans flag misses the point.
It’s not enough that Thomas’s young niece is already used to identifying with characters who are White. As a queer woman (and non-American!), I am used to identifying with characters outside my own identities, too. Needs must! But I have also had the privilege of identifying with a few characters who match me very closely indeed, and time and time again I’ve had that privilege reinforced by the happy endings awarded to White characters. It’s not enough.
On one hand, I am (partially) heartened by the fact that we are obviously meant to care about and grieve for all those non-White (and gay and lesbian) characters who are killed off as the stories progress. On the other hand, it’s not enough. They deserve their share of fully explored storylines and happy endings, too.
Thomas challenges us with the idea that this lack of full representation in our creative works is due to a lack of imagination. We can do better. We can imagine better. Let’s get in there and write better, too!
#
The publisher kindly gave me an ARC of this book via NetGalley, and I have also preordered a hardcover copy for myself via Amazon. The views expressed are my own, and are (always) still evolving.
July 15, 2022
Many thanks to Edelweiss+ and NYU Press for my DRC of this book
This past November 1st, Author Ebony Elizabeth Thomas won the 2020 World Fantasy Special Award for Professionals in recognition of this title's outsized importance in its field. Any in-depth review of the book will simply be retyping it; the author is adept at stating home truths in trenchant, relatable ways: "Maybe it’s not that kids and teens of color and other marginalized and minoritized young people don’t like to read. Maybe the real issue is that many adults haven’t thought very much about the radicalized mirrors, windows, and doors that are in the books we offer them to read, in the television and movies we invite them to view, and in the fan communities we entice them to play in." It is a wonder to find someone as adept as Octavia Butler was at making the nature of the wrongs embedded in our lush, vibrant SF literary world clear and present and, as a result, actionable. If you're white, love to read fantasy, science fiction, or horror fiction, this is a must read.
This past November 1st, Author Ebony Elizabeth Thomas won the 2020 World Fantasy Special Award for Professionals in recognition of this title's outsized importance in its field. Any in-depth review of the book will simply be retyping it; the author is adept at stating home truths in trenchant, relatable ways: "Maybe it’s not that kids and teens of color and other marginalized and minoritized young people don’t like to read. Maybe the real issue is that many adults haven’t thought very much about the radicalized mirrors, windows, and doors that are in the books we offer them to read, in the television and movies we invite them to view, and in the fan communities we entice them to play in." It is a wonder to find someone as adept as Octavia Butler was at making the nature of the wrongs embedded in our lush, vibrant SF literary world clear and present and, as a result, actionable. If you're white, love to read fantasy, science fiction, or horror fiction, this is a must read.
February 26, 2020
#2 out 12 for my non fiction goal for the year
This was brilliant. I will definitely have to reread this and try to apply some of the concepts to adult media as this focused on the YA genre exclusively. The only downside was the emphasis on fanfic. I wasn't expecting it and while it was interesting and added depth, I wish the focus wasn't so narrow.
My favorite chapter was the one on Bonnie Bennett from the Vampire Diaries. At the time of watching the show I didn't have the words or knowledge to express what I felt. I just had this uneasiness surrounding her character and character arc. It wasn't until I read an article on Black Girl Nerds (link below) that my uneasiness made more sense. Then I started reading up on the "Magical Negro Trope" and it shaped my uneasiness into complete anger. I am glad this book was able to add further insight into the Bonnie character.
Bonnie Bennett article https://blackgirlnerds.com/vampire-di...
This was brilliant. I will definitely have to reread this and try to apply some of the concepts to adult media as this focused on the YA genre exclusively. The only downside was the emphasis on fanfic. I wasn't expecting it and while it was interesting and added depth, I wish the focus wasn't so narrow.
My favorite chapter was the one on Bonnie Bennett from the Vampire Diaries. At the time of watching the show I didn't have the words or knowledge to express what I felt. I just had this uneasiness surrounding her character and character arc. It wasn't until I read an article on Black Girl Nerds (link below) that my uneasiness made more sense. Then I started reading up on the "Magical Negro Trope" and it shaped my uneasiness into complete anger. I am glad this book was able to add further insight into the Bonnie character.
Bonnie Bennett article https://blackgirlnerds.com/vampire-di...
February 3, 2019
I have mixed responses to this book. On the one hand, it's a very important study of how race is used, viewed, and created in children's and YA literature. Thomas discusses various authors' approaches to race in their works and in the adaptations and fan creations made of them, with studies on Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Merlin, and The Vampire Diaries. This discussion can be nuanced and thoughtful, but at times it is repetitive and superficial, relying on single statements by fans that are cherry-picked to fit Thomas's hypothesis, On the other hand, Thomas's work is clearly influenced by her involvement in HP fanfiction and is still smarting from being criticized for using another writer's texts in her own FF. In any other field this would be outright plagiarism, but Thomas makes the case that in FF, it is acceptable. Her argument is weak, though, especially as now she is a PhD who should have some scholarly and personal distance from her own, younger, naive understanding of how ethics in fiction works, fan or professional. In any case, I found the book to be unready for publication: it needs better-integrated discussions of theory (not just dropping in a useful quote here and there, but real, deep engagement); it needs more clarity and focus in each chapter/case study (these read like student papers that had not been outlined well); and it needs editing, both developmental and copy-. The book feels rushed, unpolished, and rather simplistic. Thomas has a lot of important things to say about race, fantasy, and fanfiction, but this book was a big disappointment,
January 16, 2023
The Dark Fantastic explores the way race is used in popular fantasy or dystopian media- specifically the treatment of Black characters. While some parts of the book feel underdeveloped, I still think this is well worth your time. It takes a more academic approach, referencing fandom theory and media theory before examining specific case studies including The Hunger Games, The Vampire Diaries, Merlin, and Harry Potter. Especially for people who haven't spent a lot of time thinking critically about the handling of race in popular fantasy properties, this is a great introduction to where some of the problems are.
That said, I do think some of the arguments are underdeveloped and this doesn't take a comprehensive approach. Yes, the cited cases are harmful or have had negative fan reactions with regards to their treatment of Black women characters, but this should be in conversation with popular properties where the writing or fan reaction has been quite different. Not that it invalidates what she's trying to say, but I think this could have been further fleshed out. And to be fair, in the few years since this book was written we have had a real flowering of media (especially books) centering Black characters in fantastical roles. Which is great. It's a quick read and a pretty good one, even if it didn't deliver everything I was hoping for.
That said, I do think some of the arguments are underdeveloped and this doesn't take a comprehensive approach. Yes, the cited cases are harmful or have had negative fan reactions with regards to their treatment of Black women characters, but this should be in conversation with popular properties where the writing or fan reaction has been quite different. Not that it invalidates what she's trying to say, but I think this could have been further fleshed out. And to be fair, in the few years since this book was written we have had a real flowering of media (especially books) centering Black characters in fantastical roles. Which is great. It's a quick read and a pretty good one, even if it didn't deliver everything I was hoping for.
August 22, 2019
3 1/2 stars
THE DARK FANTASTIC points out the shortcomings, failures, and the too slow expansion of diversity and authors of color getting much needed exposure and support. This did read much like a timely academic study with a few personal anecdotes added. If you are a fan of literary criticism and/or looking for an academic exploration of the impact of race and racism on fan art and fan fiction this is one that I would recommend, it's readable literary criticism for anyone.
Where you can find me:
•(♥).•*Monlatable Book Reviews*•.(♥)•
Twitter: @monicaisreading
Instagram: @readermonica
Goodreads Group: The Black Bookcase
THE DARK FANTASTIC points out the shortcomings, failures, and the too slow expansion of diversity and authors of color getting much needed exposure and support. This did read much like a timely academic study with a few personal anecdotes added. If you are a fan of literary criticism and/or looking for an academic exploration of the impact of race and racism on fan art and fan fiction this is one that I would recommend, it's readable literary criticism for anyone.
Where you can find me:
•(♥).•*Monlatable Book Reviews*•.(♥)•
Twitter: @monicaisreading
Instagram: @readermonica
Goodreads Group: The Black Bookcase
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June 2, 2024Još jednom se potvrđuje da su zanimljive i knjige na teme koje me ne interesuju, ako su napisane pametno i strasno kao što ova jeste. Eboni Elizabet Tomas ovde kombinuje analitički pristup, odnosno jednu savremenu vrstu teorije recepcije - šta za crni fandom, ili konkretno crne devojčice, znači predstavljanje crnih ženskih likova u popularnoj fantastici - i vrlo lični, autobiografski pristup, jer otvoreno piše šta je predstavljanje određenih likova značilo za nju, u njenom konkretnom životu i odrastanju u Detroitu od kraja sedamdesetih do danas, i ne beži od navođenja ličnog, anegdotskog iskustva.
Odabrana građa jesu zaista popularne franšize - serijal Igre gladi, TV serije Merlin i Vampirski dnevnici - i moglo bi se argumentovano tvrditi da bi rezultat bio drugačiji da su birani manje mejnstrim i manje popularni primeri, sa slabijim uticajem velikih korporacija na tzv. "kreativno odlučivanje", ali u tome i jeste deo poente. U najkraćem: mladim gledaocima/čitaocima mnogo znači da imaju nekog s kim mogu barem delimično da se identifikuju; na stvaraocima je odgovornost da im ne ponude uvek iste priče i uvek ista (negativna) razrešenja. I ma koliko ja bila za slobodu umetničkog stvaranja: ovde je vrlo jasno da se ne poziva protiv te slobode već, naprotiv, za oslobađanje od narativnih klišea i stereotipnih likova.
Najvažniji (za mene) i ključni deo monografije ipak je onaj poslednji, koji opisuje učešće autorke u fandomu Harija Potera početkom dvehiljaditih, njeno postajanje teoretičarkom (tzv. "meta" postovi su za mnoge bili prvi susret s mogućnošću kritičkog čitanja i interpretacije teksta) i veliki fandomski skandal vezan za plagijate u fanfikšnu. E sad, treba reći - to sam sve pratila uživo i od početka do kraja bilo je jasno koliko je različitih faktora, ličnih razmirica i spletkarenja bilo u igri; neki su se provukli kao pas kroz rosu, a neki su nezasluženo nadrljali. (Među prikazima ovde na GR našla sam bar jedan iz kog prosto curi zloba i jasno je da je to nečije zlopamćenje koje traje barem od 2006. godine.) Iskreno mi je drago - kad je u pitanju fandom i opšta pseudo- i anonimnost, ne pruža se često prilika za to - što vidim da je barem jedna osoba uspela da se oporavi od tog raspada sistema i integriše svoje iskustvo u jedan novi, bolji i zreliji život.
Odabrana građa jesu zaista popularne franšize - serijal Igre gladi, TV serije Merlin i Vampirski dnevnici - i moglo bi se argumentovano tvrditi da bi rezultat bio drugačiji da su birani manje mejnstrim i manje popularni primeri, sa slabijim uticajem velikih korporacija na tzv. "kreativno odlučivanje", ali u tome i jeste deo poente. U najkraćem: mladim gledaocima/čitaocima mnogo znači da imaju nekog s kim mogu barem delimično da se identifikuju; na stvaraocima je odgovornost da im ne ponude uvek iste priče i uvek ista (negativna) razrešenja. I ma koliko ja bila za slobodu umetničkog stvaranja: ovde je vrlo jasno da se ne poziva protiv te slobode već, naprotiv, za oslobađanje od narativnih klišea i stereotipnih likova.
Najvažniji (za mene) i ključni deo monografije ipak je onaj poslednji, koji opisuje učešće autorke u fandomu Harija Potera početkom dvehiljaditih, njeno postajanje teoretičarkom (tzv. "meta" postovi su za mnoge bili prvi susret s mogućnošću kritičkog čitanja i interpretacije teksta) i veliki fandomski skandal vezan za plagijate u fanfikšnu. E sad, treba reći - to sam sve pratila uživo i od početka do kraja bilo je jasno koliko je različitih faktora, ličnih razmirica i spletkarenja bilo u igri; neki su se provukli kao pas kroz rosu, a neki su nezasluženo nadrljali. (Među prikazima ovde na GR našla sam bar jedan iz kog prosto curi zloba i jasno je da je to nečije zlopamćenje koje traje barem od 2006. godine.) Iskreno mi je drago - kad je u pitanju fandom i opšta pseudo- i anonimnost, ne pruža se često prilika za to - što vidim da je barem jedna osoba uspela da se oporavi od tog raspada sistema i integriše svoje iskustvo u jedan novi, bolji i zreliji život.
January 29, 2021
4.5 stars.
A fascinating and necessary analysis of stories across different media and time periods. The author deconstructs four narratives: The Hunger Games, BBC’s Merlin, The Vampire Diaries and Harry Potter. Each of these narratives is analysed with respect to their few nonwhite characters and these characters’ stories within the larger narratives, as well as the range of options, behaviours and relationships these characters are allowed to have, how closely violence and fear dog their trajectories, and the ensuing white consumers’ rejection and revulsion for these beings.
This book is a mainly dispiriting read, though it’s absolutely necessary, and one that is happening in many cultural spheres, even more so than when this work was written. That’s not to say that I think there’s been any significant progress made in not demonizing or not perceiving and representing black, indigenous and others of colour as the other, and monstrous, through the reduced and truncated development of their stories within popular media, in the ways that they’re allowed to behave, and the ways in which these characters are punished or killed for their actions, or expected to automatically sacrifice themselves for their white counterparts.
I wonder where we’ll be in addressing these concerns 5, 10, 15 years from now.
A fascinating and necessary analysis of stories across different media and time periods. The author deconstructs four narratives: The Hunger Games, BBC’s Merlin, The Vampire Diaries and Harry Potter. Each of these narratives is analysed with respect to their few nonwhite characters and these characters’ stories within the larger narratives, as well as the range of options, behaviours and relationships these characters are allowed to have, how closely violence and fear dog their trajectories, and the ensuing white consumers’ rejection and revulsion for these beings.
This book is a mainly dispiriting read, though it’s absolutely necessary, and one that is happening in many cultural spheres, even more so than when this work was written. That’s not to say that I think there’s been any significant progress made in not demonizing or not perceiving and representing black, indigenous and others of colour as the other, and monstrous, through the reduced and truncated development of their stories within popular media, in the ways that they’re allowed to behave, and the ways in which these characters are punished or killed for their actions, or expected to automatically sacrifice themselves for their white counterparts.
I wonder where we’ll be in addressing these concerns 5, 10, 15 years from now.
February 13, 2019
Exceptional ~ Thought-provoking ~ Important
tl; dr: Forget you! Read this.
Ebony Elizabeth Thomas is a well-known scholar, so I am not surprised her book is fantastic. She does what the best of academics should do--reframe what we think we know. The book is ostensibly about literature. But, really, it is about our society, and the ways literature reaffirms social norms, many of which are pernicious and racist. Her book is powerful and truthful. My favorite part of this book is how she subverts surface diversity initiatives and shallow liberalism. Thomas using very current literature, like Hunger Games, as part of her analysis. This is academic but readable. Well-read, or so-called well-read, people should find this book. Much of how you see the way literature isn't working (or functions now) will change. I cannot recommend this book enough.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
tl; dr: Forget you! Read this.
Ebony Elizabeth Thomas is a well-known scholar, so I am not surprised her book is fantastic. She does what the best of academics should do--reframe what we think we know. The book is ostensibly about literature. But, really, it is about our society, and the ways literature reaffirms social norms, many of which are pernicious and racist. Her book is powerful and truthful. My favorite part of this book is how she subverts surface diversity initiatives and shallow liberalism. Thomas using very current literature, like Hunger Games, as part of her analysis. This is academic but readable. Well-read, or so-called well-read, people should find this book. Much of how you see the way literature isn't working (or functions now) will change. I cannot recommend this book enough.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 1, 2020
This book has been on my radar for almost an year but I just kept putting it on the back burner for whatever reasons. But I recently came across it being talked about on Twitter and as we are always talking about the importance of good representation in media, I decided to pick it up and it’s really such an informative work.
I have to say that I didn’t always completely understand the terminology being used in the book because it’s definitely more of an academic/research work and not just for casual reading. The author makes some very important points about how important representation is especially in media for young adults and teenagers, but also that the bit of rep that Black characters get is not always good and more often than not falls into very old and standard stereotypes, which do nothing for positive inclusion. The author dives in depth into four popular media franchises which were made from book to screen, and how the changes that were made to the Black characters during this transition from one medium to another fall into these tropes.
From the depiction of Rue in Hunger Games where she becomes a plot device for the white heroine’s character growth, Gwen in the British show Merlin who ends up being sad and alone towards the end, Bonnie on The Vampire Diaries who never has a fulfilling romantic relationship despite being the self-sacrificing moral center of the show, and Angelina in Harry Potter who gets made fun of despite being a capable witch and then got whitewashed in the movies (even though she is the only named Black girl in the series). The author also dissects the reactions in the fandom towards these characters and how many readers seem incredulous to the idea that Black girls can be a queen in a historical, or be desirable and happy, or just exist with a fulfilling narrative of their own and not to further the arc of a white character. As someone who has read and seen all four of these books/movies/shows, it really made me look at all of them in a different light, and realize that we all have been conditioned to believe that centering of white characters is normal and anything else is other and exceptional.
To conclude, I’m not really able to express exactly how I felt about this book but it truly was very eye opening and I think it’s an important read for anyone who wants to read and review books or any other media more critically, especially when it comes to representation. But I will say that you’ll feel more engaged with this book if you have read/seen all four of the series that are discussed, otherwise you might feel a little lost. And if you are someone who loves more academic or research oriented works which critique our modern young adult media, then this book is perfect for you.
I have to say that I didn’t always completely understand the terminology being used in the book because it’s definitely more of an academic/research work and not just for casual reading. The author makes some very important points about how important representation is especially in media for young adults and teenagers, but also that the bit of rep that Black characters get is not always good and more often than not falls into very old and standard stereotypes, which do nothing for positive inclusion. The author dives in depth into four popular media franchises which were made from book to screen, and how the changes that were made to the Black characters during this transition from one medium to another fall into these tropes.
From the depiction of Rue in Hunger Games where she becomes a plot device for the white heroine’s character growth, Gwen in the British show Merlin who ends up being sad and alone towards the end, Bonnie on The Vampire Diaries who never has a fulfilling romantic relationship despite being the self-sacrificing moral center of the show, and Angelina in Harry Potter who gets made fun of despite being a capable witch and then got whitewashed in the movies (even though she is the only named Black girl in the series). The author also dissects the reactions in the fandom towards these characters and how many readers seem incredulous to the idea that Black girls can be a queen in a historical, or be desirable and happy, or just exist with a fulfilling narrative of their own and not to further the arc of a white character. As someone who has read and seen all four of these books/movies/shows, it really made me look at all of them in a different light, and realize that we all have been conditioned to believe that centering of white characters is normal and anything else is other and exceptional.
To conclude, I’m not really able to express exactly how I felt about this book but it truly was very eye opening and I think it’s an important read for anyone who wants to read and review books or any other media more critically, especially when it comes to representation. But I will say that you’ll feel more engaged with this book if you have read/seen all four of the series that are discussed, otherwise you might feel a little lost. And if you are someone who loves more academic or research oriented works which critique our modern young adult media, then this book is perfect for you.
April 20, 2019
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I was totally drawn to this title by the beautiful cover, and by the fact that I to fangirled hard over Harry Potter and the Hunger Girls. The other fandoms covered here (Vampire Diairies and Arthur) I honestly have not been able (or interested) in watching more than the pilots which I thought were cheezy and lame. Though I didn't care for the last two fandoms Thomas' writing on the subjects was strong enough to keep me going with the book.
This is a tad academic in style, the topics make a bit more accessible to people who may not have read extensively on philosophy, literature, feminism, critical race theory etc. But I think by virtue of having started out as a PhD thesis (which I assume this was originally, not explicitly indicated anywhere) this had to be quite high level.
I have studies a tad in my undergrad days of feminism, philosophy and critical race scholarship (did not many English courses so lit theory people you've got one on me!) and I was able to follow the arguments reasonably well. I thought the use of block quotes was excessive however, and could have definitely have used some summarization by the author - they did not have to be cited in their entirety, and I don't know that they were necessarily strong in support for the author's arguments.
I liked the chapters on the Hunger Games and Arthur, thought the chapter on the Vampire Diaries went a little too much into the plot details of a show that I have zero interest in, and was quite disappointed with the 'Harry Potter Chapter'. I say disappointed because I thought Thomas would go into the same or more detail as the other works, especially since it is by far the biggest fandom, but it really just served for her to conclude the book.
If it weren't for the block quotes on almost every page I would recommend this to people looking for an intro into feminism/critical race studies in literature/video, but really I think this will only be truly appreciated by fellow academics which is a shame.
I was totally drawn to this title by the beautiful cover, and by the fact that I to fangirled hard over Harry Potter and the Hunger Girls. The other fandoms covered here (Vampire Diairies and Arthur) I honestly have not been able (or interested) in watching more than the pilots which I thought were cheezy and lame. Though I didn't care for the last two fandoms Thomas' writing on the subjects was strong enough to keep me going with the book.
This is a tad academic in style, the topics make a bit more accessible to people who may not have read extensively on philosophy, literature, feminism, critical race theory etc. But I think by virtue of having started out as a PhD thesis (which I assume this was originally, not explicitly indicated anywhere) this had to be quite high level.
I have studies a tad in my undergrad days of feminism, philosophy and critical race scholarship (did not many English courses so lit theory people you've got one on me!) and I was able to follow the arguments reasonably well. I thought the use of block quotes was excessive however, and could have definitely have used some summarization by the author - they did not have to be cited in their entirety, and I don't know that they were necessarily strong in support for the author's arguments.
I liked the chapters on the Hunger Games and Arthur, thought the chapter on the Vampire Diaries went a little too much into the plot details of a show that I have zero interest in, and was quite disappointed with the 'Harry Potter Chapter'. I say disappointed because I thought Thomas would go into the same or more detail as the other works, especially since it is by far the biggest fandom, but it really just served for her to conclude the book.
If it weren't for the block quotes on almost every page I would recommend this to people looking for an intro into feminism/critical race studies in literature/video, but really I think this will only be truly appreciated by fellow academics which is a shame.
January 7, 2022
This was freaking phenomenal. I will definitely be rereading this in the future. Thomas talks about so much in the intro that I'm itching to annotate a physical copy and I almost never do that. I'd also be really interested to see this book expanded and updated.
The Dark Fantastic brings Critical Race Theory to YA Fantasy. This book uses the various lenses of CRT to look at how fictional BIPOC are treated in both the books and movies. It also analyzes colorism and misogynoir. I found this so incredibly fascinating and really enjoyed Thomas's takes on Merlin, The Hunger Games, Twilight, Vampire Diaries and Harry Potter.
I will say that the chapter about HP felt like the least explored one. Thomas discusses Hermione and Angela Johnson, but I feel like it missed out on pointing out several of the other flaws in Rowling's world like the naming of Cho Chang and how she made Jewish people into goblins. I also would love for someone to finally point out how excessively transphobic JKR. She showed her whole face in 2020 but the signs were there before then.
The Twilight and THG chapters were super interesting to me because I've read all the books and watched most of the movies (sorry Mockingjay). I loved how Thomas points out that Katniss is treated differently in the books because she is darker than her sister. There were just so many amazing analyses in this book. The Merlin and TVD was new to me since I haven't seen either of the shows and only read two or three of TVD books.
Overall, this was fantastic. I really enjoyed listening to this and I definitely will again.
CWs: Racism, misogyny, misogynoir, HP discussion/references. Minor: death, violence.
The Dark Fantastic brings Critical Race Theory to YA Fantasy. This book uses the various lenses of CRT to look at how fictional BIPOC are treated in both the books and movies. It also analyzes colorism and misogynoir. I found this so incredibly fascinating and really enjoyed Thomas's takes on Merlin, The Hunger Games, Twilight, Vampire Diaries and Harry Potter.
I will say that the chapter about HP felt like the least explored one. Thomas discusses Hermione and Angela Johnson, but I feel like it missed out on pointing out several of the other flaws in Rowling's world like the naming of Cho Chang and how she made Jewish people into goblins. I also would love for someone to finally point out how excessively transphobic JKR. She showed her whole face in 2020 but the signs were there before then.
The Twilight and THG chapters were super interesting to me because I've read all the books and watched most of the movies (sorry Mockingjay). I loved how Thomas points out that Katniss is treated differently in the books because she is darker than her sister. There were just so many amazing analyses in this book. The Merlin and TVD was new to me since I haven't seen either of the shows and only read two or three of TVD books.
Overall, this was fantastic. I really enjoyed listening to this and I definitely will again.
CWs: Racism, misogyny, misogynoir, HP discussion/references. Minor: death, violence.
July 23, 2019
|| Reveals the diversity crisis
|| Explores race in popular youth fiction
|| Black feminism and Afrofuturism
This was really, really good! A collection of thoughts to put together an academic work that explores the creation and development of Black characters in young adult literature is authentic and definitely sparks a discussion for the progressive set of readers, as well as act as a realization of how such literature is being consumed. From Rue in Hunger Games to Hermione in Harry Potter, it states but also provides a hopeful narration for the future of ethnicity and better representation in books that are meant to inspire the younger and the older generation alike.
It was impressive to see how clearly points were made and references were used from the quoted books to better make those points. They definitely compel the reader to view the aimed characters in a different, more ethnically focused manner and detect the presence of racism and oppression in the responses these characters have got. Like the tweets that were displayed to show the outrageous reaction The Hunger Games fans had when Rue was cast as a Black character for portrayal on the screen. The Dark Fantastic is worth reading, for sure. However, I couldn't really relate or understand points made in regards to the other two works that the author commented on: Merlin and The Vampire Diaries, so that's where one star had to go off.
November 18, 2019
If you like SFF I highly recommend.
It’s a critical look into beloved works such as Harry Potter etc...
there’s also a breakdown of TVD’s Bonnie Bennett (the show did Kat Graham so wrong).
Review to come on IG
It’s a critical look into beloved works such as Harry Potter etc...
there’s also a breakdown of TVD’s Bonnie Bennett (the show did Kat Graham so wrong).
Review to come on IG
December 13, 2025
کلا کتاب جالبیه، اما حس میکنم مطالبش در حد یک مقالهی طولانی بود، نه یک کتاب کامل. مهمترین چیزی که توی این کتاب در موردش صحبت میشه یک دسته بندی از حضور شخصیتهای رنگین پوست توی ادبیات تخیلیه. دوست داشتم اینجا بنویسمش:
۱. تماشا (Spectacle)
داستان با «فقط نگاه کردن» شروع میشه. یعنی چی؟ یعنی اون شخصیتِ رنگینپوست (که نویسنده بهش میگه "دیگریِ تاریک") وارد صحنه میشه، ولی نه به عنوان یه آدمِ کامل و حسابی، بلکه مثل یه چیز عجیب و غریب ��ه فقط باید بهش زل زد. انگار یه دکوره یا یه موجود فضایی. نویسنده میگه این ریشه تو تاریخ داره که بدن سیاهپوستها رو مثل یه چیز نمایشی میدیدن. خلاصه اینکه، این بنده خدا هست و متفاوت بودنش تو چشمه، ولی فقط پوست و ظاهرش دیده میشه و کسی کاری به عمق شخصیتش نداره.
۲. تردید (Hesitation)
مدل دوم، «شک و شبهه» است. حضور این شخصیت انگار یهو یه پارازیت میندازه تو داستان. نویسنده میگه فانتزی قراره مثل یه «رویای بیداری» باشه که ما رو ببره تو هپروت تا غم و غصههای تاریخ (مثل بردهداری و استعمار) یادمون بره. حالا وقتی یه شخصیت سیاهپوست میاد، ناخودآگاه اون تلخیها یادمون میاد و داستان یه سکته میزنه. اینجاست که خواننده یا بقیه شخصیتها یه جورایی هنگ میکنن و ته دلشون میگن: «این اینجا چیکار میکنه؟ انگار وصله ناجوره».
۳. خشونت (Violence)
نظم دنیا بهم ریخت و همه گیج شدن، چطوری درستش کنن؟ با «خشونت»! واسه اینکه اون حسِ تردید از بین بره و داستان برگرده سر جای اولش، باید اون شخصیت رنگینپوست رو یه جوری مهار کنن یا کلاً سر به نیستش کنن. این خشونت فقط کتککاری نیست؛ یعنی کلاً تو داستان قربانیش میکنن. مثلاً طرف رو میکشن (مثل «رو» توی بازیهای گرسنگی یا بلاهایی که سر «بانی» تو خاطرات خونآشام میاد) تا قهرمان اصلی (که سفیدپوسته) نجات پیدا کنه و سفرش رو ادامه بده. یعنی انگار اینا فقط اومدن که فدا بشن.
۴. تسخیر یا شبحبازی (Haunting)
جالب اینجاست که حتی وقتی میمیرن یا حذف میشن هم بیخیال ماجرا نیستن! مدل چهارم اینه که این شخصیت تبدیل میشه به یه «شبح» یا یه خاطره که همش دور و بر داستان میچرخه. تونی موریسون بهش میگه «عاشقانه کردن سایه». یعنی طرف مرده، ولی روحش یا یادش اونجاست تا به قهرمان سفیدپوست انگیزه بده یا بارِ احساسی داستان رو به دوش بکشه. بدبختی اینه که تو داستان گیر افتاده؛ نه زندهست که زندگی کنه، نه میذارن کامل بره پی کارش.
۵. رهایی (Emancipation)
اینم مرحله آخره که نویسنده آرزوش رو داره: «آزادی». یعنی اون شخصیت از این چرخهی بدبختی خلاص بشه. دیگه فقط واسه تماشا نباشه، داستان رو سکته نده، قربانی نشه و مجبور نباشه روحبازی دربیاره. نویسنده میگه رسیدن به اینجا خیلی سخته، چون ماها انقدر عادت کردیم به اون مدل قبلی که اگه ببینیم یه شخصیت سیاهپوست قهرمان شده و آخرش هم خوشبخته، باورمون نمیشه و میگیم داستانش غیرواقعیه یا زیادی شعاریه. واسه همین، فقط نوشتن داستانهای جدید کافی نیست، باید کلاً مدلِ تخیل کردنمون رو بکوبیم و از نو بسازیم تا جادوی واقعی آزاد بشه
۱. تماشا (Spectacle)
داستان با «فقط نگاه کردن» شروع میشه. یعنی چی؟ یعنی اون شخصیتِ رنگینپوست (که نویسنده بهش میگه "دیگریِ تاریک") وارد صحنه میشه، ولی نه به عنوان یه آدمِ کامل و حسابی، بلکه مثل یه چیز عجیب و غریب ��ه فقط باید بهش زل زد. انگار یه دکوره یا یه موجود فضایی. نویسنده میگه این ریشه تو تاریخ داره که بدن سیاهپوستها رو مثل یه چیز نمایشی میدیدن. خلاصه اینکه، این بنده خدا هست و متفاوت بودنش تو چشمه، ولی فقط پوست و ظاهرش دیده میشه و کسی کاری به عمق شخصیتش نداره.
۲. تردید (Hesitation)
مدل دوم، «شک و شبهه» است. حضور این شخصیت انگار یهو یه پارازیت میندازه تو داستان. نویسنده میگه فانتزی قراره مثل یه «رویای بیداری» باشه که ما رو ببره تو هپروت تا غم و غصههای تاریخ (مثل بردهداری و استعمار) یادمون بره. حالا وقتی یه شخصیت سیاهپوست میاد، ناخودآگاه اون تلخیها یادمون میاد و داستان یه سکته میزنه. اینجاست که خواننده یا بقیه شخصیتها یه جورایی هنگ میکنن و ته دلشون میگن: «این اینجا چیکار میکنه؟ انگار وصله ناجوره».
۳. خشونت (Violence)
نظم دنیا بهم ریخت و همه گیج شدن، چطوری درستش کنن؟ با «خشونت»! واسه اینکه اون حسِ تردید از بین بره و داستان برگرده سر جای اولش، باید اون شخصیت رنگینپوست رو یه جوری مهار کنن یا کلاً سر به نیستش کنن. این خشونت فقط کتککاری نیست؛ یعنی کلاً تو داستان قربانیش میکنن. مثلاً طرف رو میکشن (مثل «رو» توی بازیهای گرسنگی یا بلاهایی که سر «بانی» تو خاطرات خونآشام میاد) تا قهرمان اصلی (که سفیدپوسته) نجات پیدا کنه و سفرش رو ادامه بده. یعنی انگار اینا فقط اومدن که فدا بشن.
۴. تسخیر یا شبحبازی (Haunting)
جالب اینجاست که حتی وقتی میمیرن یا حذف میشن هم بیخیال ماجرا نیستن! مدل چهارم اینه که این شخصیت تبدیل میشه به یه «شبح» یا یه خاطره که همش دور و بر داستان میچرخه. تونی موریسون بهش میگه «عاشقانه کردن سایه». یعنی طرف مرده، ولی روحش یا یادش اونجاست تا به قهرمان سفیدپوست انگیزه بده یا بارِ احساسی داستان رو به دوش بکشه. بدبختی اینه که تو داستان گیر افتاده؛ نه زندهست که زندگی کنه، نه میذارن کامل بره پی کارش.
۵. رهایی (Emancipation)
اینم مرحله آخره که نویسنده آرزوش رو داره: «آزادی». یعنی اون شخصیت از این چرخهی بدبختی خلاص بشه. دیگه فقط واسه تماشا نباشه، داستان رو سکته نده، قربانی نشه و مجبور نباشه روحبازی دربیاره. نویسنده میگه رسیدن به اینجا خیلی سخته، چون ماها انقدر عادت کردیم به اون مدل قبلی که اگه ببینیم یه شخصیت سیاهپوست قهرمان شده و آخرش هم خوشبخته، باورمون نمیشه و میگیم داستانش غیرواقعیه یا زیادی شعاریه. واسه همین، فقط نوشتن داستانهای جدید کافی نیست، باید کلاً مدلِ تخیل کردنمون رو بکوبیم و از نو بسازیم تا جادوی واقعی آزاد بشه
May 17, 2019
Dare I say it? The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games by Ebony Thomas is my second favorite nonfiction of the year! First off, this cover is stunning! Now that I’m done drooling over this cover let’s get to this review.
Thomas is straightforward in her research and observation in the adventure to dystopian futures. She highlights the race cycle that appears throughout each chapter in The Hunger Games (Rue), Merlin (Gwen), The Vampire Diaries (Bonnie Bennett) & Harry Potter (Angelina).
To quote Thomas "When youth grow up without seeing diverse images in the mirrors, windows, and doors of children’s and young adult literature, they are confined to single stories about the world around them and, ultimately, the development of their imaginations is affected.” I couldn’t agree with her more.
Thomas speaks about Black feminism, Afrofuturism, and highlight the works of Tomi Adeyemi and Nnedi Okorafor who have written books for young readers that are based on Nigerian and Nigerian-American cultures. There is so much more to this book, for folks like me that enjoy these futuristic worlds, but never understood why black people didn’t really live in these books and shows, well Thomas pretty much explains it one chapter at a time. Thank you, NYU Press, for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thomas is straightforward in her research and observation in the adventure to dystopian futures. She highlights the race cycle that appears throughout each chapter in The Hunger Games (Rue), Merlin (Gwen), The Vampire Diaries (Bonnie Bennett) & Harry Potter (Angelina).
To quote Thomas "When youth grow up without seeing diverse images in the mirrors, windows, and doors of children’s and young adult literature, they are confined to single stories about the world around them and, ultimately, the development of their imaginations is affected.” I couldn’t agree with her more.
Thomas speaks about Black feminism, Afrofuturism, and highlight the works of Tomi Adeyemi and Nnedi Okorafor who have written books for young readers that are based on Nigerian and Nigerian-American cultures. There is so much more to this book, for folks like me that enjoy these futuristic worlds, but never understood why black people didn’t really live in these books and shows, well Thomas pretty much explains it one chapter at a time. Thank you, NYU Press, for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2021
This book does an excellent job at picking apart the portrayals of Black girls in fantasy and how it often falls into an incredibly unhealthy cycle of framing those girls as the dark "other." I really loved all the theory in this, although it was incredibly academic in tone and rather hard to get through. I wouldn't recommend this as light reading, but if you're a fan of the SFF, I think it's still very much worth reading to learn how to recognize the cycle of othering that happens so frequently in the genre.
June 26, 2020
Essential reading on the relationship between race, identity, and the imagination, through the lens of children's and YA fantastic fiction, Black fandom, and the cultural history of whiteness.
May 3, 2019
Both engaging and scholarly, this is a passionate, urgent, and extremely timely study of the depiction of race in young adult fantasy. One aspect that I find particularly useful for adoption in a college curriculum is the fact that Thomas does not limit herself to the written word; she investigates fandoms and both television and film in popular culture. She is an avowed fan, but she is a literature scholar, as familiar with theoretical terminology as she is with social media. This book cannot help but appeal to scholars wishing to learn more about diversity, but it will also be accessible and "relatable" to their students. Highly recommended.
May 12, 2019
I read this book courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for a review.
I am not entirely sure that I found each example used by Thomas to advance her argument equally persuasive: for instance, is Gwen the best choice for who/what haunts Merlin (and if not, just acknowledge it and make your point regardless)? In addition, I didn't really enjoy the chapter on Harry Potter, which felt incomplete and cut short while still containing what seemed to me to be a too long and somewhat misleading preamble concerning the author's own fandom life (I was in HP fandom for part of the period described by the Author and it was far larger and fragmented than she seems to present it; furthermore, many BNFs fell from grace quickly and painfully for a variety of offences). But that does not detract from the great points of her central premise concerning the role of the Black (girl) character in the Dark Fantastic Cycle. I was on my Kindle when my 12 yo Nibling asked me what I was reading.
"It's a book about how Black characters are represented in films and TV shows," I simplified.
"Oh, they die first," Nibling replied, and I am *not* making this up.
I found Thomas's analysis captivating and lucid, and thought-provoking, and a supremely enjoyable read as a piece of media criticism. I hope it will spark many debates and arguments.
I am not entirely sure that I found each example used by Thomas to advance her argument equally persuasive: for instance, is Gwen the best choice for who/what haunts Merlin (and if not, just acknowledge it and make your point regardless)? In addition, I didn't really enjoy the chapter on Harry Potter, which felt incomplete and cut short while still containing what seemed to me to be a too long and somewhat misleading preamble concerning the author's own fandom life (I was in HP fandom for part of the period described by the Author and it was far larger and fragmented than she seems to present it; furthermore, many BNFs fell from grace quickly and painfully for a variety of offences). But that does not detract from the great points of her central premise concerning the role of the Black (girl) character in the Dark Fantastic Cycle. I was on my Kindle when my 12 yo Nibling asked me what I was reading.
"It's a book about how Black characters are represented in films and TV shows," I simplified.
"Oh, they die first," Nibling replied, and I am *not* making this up.
I found Thomas's analysis captivating and lucid, and thought-provoking, and a supremely enjoyable read as a piece of media criticism. I hope it will spark many debates and arguments.
February 2, 2023
The Dark Fantastic is an expertly argued look at race in the fantastic using four case studies: Rue in the Hunger Games, Gwen in Merlin, Bonnie Bennett in The Vampire Diaries, and Hermione in Harry Potter. Thomas used these case studies in really powerful ways to look at how media follows the cycle of the dark fantastic despite, in some instances, an attempt to subvert them. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves speculative fiction and wants to learn more about how race is portrayed in these genres.
'Darky,' a colloquial term for people of African descent during the late eighteenth century, signals that in modern English, darkness has never been just a metaphor. Darkness is personified, embodied, and most assuredly racialized.
October 19, 2019
I've been looking forward to this book's release since I heard a podcast interview with the author all the way back in 2015! The author examines the roles of black female characters in several of the biggest fantasy franchises of the past decade: Rue from The Hunger Games, Gwen from the BBC show Merlin, Bonnie Bennett from The Vampire Diaries and Angelina Johnson from Harry Potter. The author is incredible well researched and draws on a wide variety of sources and quotes, both in the academic realm and the fandom realm. In each chapter she also recounts her personal experiences with these stories, and how her view on them has changed over time. The final chapter also dives into the popular fan reading of Hermione as a black character, and the author's perspective of one of the first outspoken black HP fans in the early days of HP fan groups online. I rarely count nonfiction books as guilty pleasure reading, but this was such a delight. I loved all of Thomas' insights into these characters and the ways black characters in the hands of white writers can fall into a predictable cycle of tropes: seen as spectacles, meet with hesitation, faced with violence and leaving a presence which haunts the rest of the text. I can't recommend this highly enough, especially if you enjoy thoughtful critique of literature and pop culture!
December 27, 2022
This is a gorgeously designed and well-written study in critical race, reader-response, and feminist theory. It is a wee-bit jargonistic in the intro, and I wish there were full definitions of how Thomas is using reader-response theory. With deep roots in literary criticism, fan culture, digital responses to film and literature, transmedia criticism, and education, Thomas offers a new way of thinking about the black experience both in the text and within the reading community. I honestly am still struggling to fully understand what she means by "the Dark Fantastic." I will reread the book as I am reading it in a book club. But I find her examples very clear and useful. Thomas is not about closing every door except the one she prefers. She is not reductionistic, but offers generous and creative ways of reading. I need to do more work, but I think this is a great resource.
I have read it again and have more thoughts, but haven't quite worked them out...
I have read it again and have more thoughts, but haven't quite worked them out...
August 19, 2020
I've been wanting to read this for quite some time and have a curriculum guide that someone created to go along with it that I'm going to take a peak at now.
The research and depth that Thomas goes in to got me far, especially with the Merlin and Buffy chapters because I have not watched either of them, but she gives enough examples that I understand where she's going and obviously the overall message about how society views people of color especially when in fictional settings such as Harry Potter (and it's CRAZY the outrage examples that she uses-- it definitely proves that everyone has an opinion). Thoughtful and informative it's a jumping off point for so much more conversation about literature from children's to young adult's and how we can continue the conversation about race specifically.
The research and depth that Thomas goes in to got me far, especially with the Merlin and Buffy chapters because I have not watched either of them, but she gives enough examples that I understand where she's going and obviously the overall message about how society views people of color especially when in fictional settings such as Harry Potter (and it's CRAZY the outrage examples that she uses-- it definitely proves that everyone has an opinion). Thoughtful and informative it's a jumping off point for so much more conversation about literature from children's to young adult's and how we can continue the conversation about race specifically.
January 19, 2022
This was the first book in my Deep Dive Series on Bookstagram where I explore the themes and ideas of one book per month in-depth so there is not any proper review as such. You can check out those posts instead though.
Part 1 - Introduction and The Dark Fantastic
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYwpk3Kv4...
Part 2 - The Hunger Games
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYzKK9JPL...
Part 3 - Merlin and The Vampire Diaries
https://www.instagram.com/p/CY4VyGVvR...
Part 4 - Harry Potter and Conclusion
https://www.instagram.com/p/CY63w8DPk...
(I received a finished copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
Part 1 - Introduction and The Dark Fantastic
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYwpk3Kv4...
Part 2 - The Hunger Games
https://www.instagram.com/p/CYzKK9JPL...
Part 3 - Merlin and The Vampire Diaries
https://www.instagram.com/p/CY4VyGVvR...
Part 4 - Harry Potter and Conclusion
https://www.instagram.com/p/CY63w8DPk...
(I received a finished copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.)
Read
February 5, 2023In general, I thought this was a thoughtful examination of really popular teen literature & shows and how Black characters were treated, albeit somewhat dated. I enjoyed seeing Thomas' descriptions of early fandom, but I did think that some parts didn't age as well as they could have. (VERY large warning for the last chapter on the book, which is centered on JKR and HP. It's from 2019, so it makes sense, but it's still jarring to read when you also remember the vitriolic hate JKR is putting forth.) I would recommend if you're someone who is interested in writing speculative fiction.
Content Warnings:
Content Warnings:
December 14, 2019
Essential reading, especially for any fan of speculative fiction. My only challenge was that the book is, at points, heavily reliant on literary terms that were new to me. These terms, though likely self-explanatory to some - especially the main audience for which this book was written - slowed me down at times. That said, the main points that the author made are clear enough.
December 23, 2019
I definitely feel like I learned something. But it was written for people within the field, so it felt more dense to me than it might actually be.
Wish there was more to the Harry Potter chapter. But going thru the dark fantastic cycle with the other fandoms was helpful!
Wish there was more to the Harry Potter chapter. But going thru the dark fantastic cycle with the other fandoms was helpful!
May 15, 2019
The Dark Fantastic is a fascinating read for anyone who is interested in how race affects the character development of people of colour in fantasy, as well as their reception by readers/viewers regardless of race.
Thomas analyses Black characters in four fantasy narratives (books & shows) [Rue in The Hunger Games; Gwen in BBC's Merlin; Bonnie Bennett in The Vampire Diaries; Hermione & Angelina Johnson in Harry Potter] and unpacks the impact of these depictions in society. I have to admit I don't watch much TV, so I have no background/context to the discussions around Gwen and Bonnie, both of which were apparently race-bent for the shows (my knowledge of Arthurian legend is mainly from Disney's The Sword in the Stone, neither have I read the books Vampire Diaries is based on). I have read both The Hunger Games and Harry Potter, so there at least I have some basis of comparison/actual knowledge of what's being discussed.
One of the problems with publishing English books centering non-white narratives, or even featuring non-white characters, is the usual complaint that "readers can't connect with them". These readers are not just white readers, but sometimes also people of colour themselves. Representation (now and then) is often problematic, even when it exists. The Dark Other has historically been the thing to be feared, the evil that lurks, and the villain that must be defeated--or is just there to serve the storyline and the White Saviour--and even when we try to step out of that mode, to break the cycle of spectacle/hesitation/violence/haunting, we often fall into it again and rarely ever reach true emancipation. It's too easy to fall into trope, it's too easy to fall into the familiar and Thomas puts it thus:
Thomas also discusses how fans of colour are starting to take back the narrative through alternative means, whether through racebending, shipping, creating alternate universes, etc via fanart, fanfiction, fan videos, or essays and how these collective efforts help fill the gaps where traditional publishing and mainstream media are still struggling.
I will also have to note that coming from a multicultural background, with various media featuring people of colour as the heroes in their own stories, I don't have such a strong disconnect as those from USA or UK, where such media is either hard to get or inaccessible due to language. Still, I've got a lot to think about in terms of how ideas about race in fantasy works and how it will play out ultimately in my own work.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from New York University Press via Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thomas analyses Black characters in four fantasy narratives (books & shows) [Rue in The Hunger Games; Gwen in BBC's Merlin; Bonnie Bennett in The Vampire Diaries; Hermione & Angelina Johnson in Harry Potter] and unpacks the impact of these depictions in society. I have to admit I don't watch much TV, so I have no background/context to the discussions around Gwen and Bonnie, both of which were apparently race-bent for the shows (my knowledge of Arthurian legend is mainly from Disney's The Sword in the Stone, neither have I read the books Vampire Diaries is based on). I have read both The Hunger Games and Harry Potter, so there at least I have some basis of comparison/actual knowledge of what's being discussed.
"Your imagination is more controlled by the dominant social formation than you're probably willing to admit."
One of the problems with publishing English books centering non-white narratives, or even featuring non-white characters, is the usual complaint that "readers can't connect with them". These readers are not just white readers, but sometimes also people of colour themselves. Representation (now and then) is often problematic, even when it exists. The Dark Other has historically been the thing to be feared, the evil that lurks, and the villain that must be defeated--or is just there to serve the storyline and the White Saviour--and even when we try to step out of that mode, to break the cycle of spectacle/hesitation/violence/haunting, we often fall into it again and rarely ever reach true emancipation. It's too easy to fall into trope, it's too easy to fall into the familiar and Thomas puts it thus:
"subverting the traditional positioning of the Dark Other in the fantastic requires radical rethinking of everything we know. It is why, I suspect, when characters of colour appear in atypical roles, they are often challenged, disliked, and rejected.
Thomas also discusses how fans of colour are starting to take back the narrative through alternative means, whether through racebending, shipping, creating alternate universes, etc via fanart, fanfiction, fan videos, or essays and how these collective efforts help fill the gaps where traditional publishing and mainstream media are still struggling.
I will also have to note that coming from a multicultural background, with various media featuring people of colour as the heroes in their own stories, I don't have such a strong disconnect as those from USA or UK, where such media is either hard to get or inaccessible due to language. Still, I've got a lot to think about in terms of how ideas about race in fantasy works and how it will play out ultimately in my own work.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from New York University Press via Edelweiss. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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