A Chicken Review

There are some people who say that virtually all romance is feminist because it’s finally about women getting something they want. I’m going to come out and say it: No, no it’s not. Some of it is still small-minded sexist tripe. And I’m not talking about that horrible rape fantasy crap that some men (and probably some women) write. I’m talking about mainstream romance.

I recently read a novella that I got free from a writing conference. I’m too chicken to actually write a full-on negative review about a book, but I’m going to go through the basics of the story and talk about how disturbing it really is to me, particularly when it’s accepted as normal or even admirable. And the fact is, this kind of story is so common in romance.

The story is a romantic suspense and starts off with the hero trailing a woman, the heroine. Okay, problem #1. Stalking. Maybe there’s a reason, but that’s what it is. Then a van pulls up beside the heroine and drags her inside and the hero breaks into a run to rescue her (he has super abilities so this is feasible).

And we’re supposed to go, Oh, okay, he’s a Good Guy.

But he was still stalking her. I’m really just not okay with that.

In the meantime, she fights back against her kidnappers, so we’re supposed to realize she’s a Strong Woman, which is probably thought to be a feminist thing by some people.

Then, he rescues her and she stares at him, the instant attraction overwhelming. Yet she realizes he too looks dangerous, so she plans to run again. He tells her she has to either come with him willingly or he’ll take her himself.

Um, no, not okay.

She runs and he catches her, because he’s more powerful than she is. Of course. She manages to convince him not to run off with her (again, this is probably something people find proof of her “strength”), but then they get shot at so we know he was Right All Along. He gets her in his car and she accuses him of planning to kill him, all while admiring his sexy lips.

Then he takes her—against her wishes—to the airport and onto a plane, where he secures her to a chair. Once they’re at a safe place they discuss the need for him to tie her up again but decide to have  sex instead. Afterward, she does something that pisses him off and he plans to talk to her later about her lack of “obedience.“

In the end, she agrees to marry him and just “work on” his barbaric tendencies.

The whole idea that he knows better than she does and is therefore justified in making choices for her is just intolerable to me. Taking away a woman’s autonomy and agency cannot possibly be feminist. Just because a woman gets off in a book doesn’t make it feminist.

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