Hush, Hush: The Story

[zelda_queen]

ZeldaQueen: So, we've gone through the story, and now it's time for one last test. We get to look at the book summary and see if we get an accurate representation of what it's about. Everyone ready?

Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...

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The Story

Falling in love was never so easy . . .

or so deadly.

ZeldaQueen: And never so unbelievable. Seriously, there is not a single thing in that book that warrants Nora changing her mind about Patch being a dangerous asshole. Not to mention that it was hardly easy. Fitzpatrick dragged Nora kicking and screaming

For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan.

ZeldaQueen: Good to know, since we only have a vague idea of what her "plan" is. I mean, she says she's going to a scholarship prestegious college, but we don't see any signs of her taking the SATS, writing applications for said scholarship, getting letters of recommendation, keeping up her grades (unless it involves hanging around Patch) or doing any extracurricular activities besides the school newspaper (which is mentioned sparingly). Besides fawn over Patch, she doesn't have much of a plan for almost all of this book!

She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her.

ZeldaQueen: Yes, as we see in that one, single scene, which comes across very much as Vee being overly judgemental. Also, you ever notice how it's always that the girl has never had any interest in guys before The Love Of Her Life shows up? What, does it make an epic love unbelievable to imply that there were relationships before that? Or, considering how Patch treats Dabria, is it a disgusting double standard that it's fine for guys to date around, but girls should be demure and save themselves for the Right Guy.

I have a feeling it's a bit of both, actually

Not until Patch came along.

ZeldaQueen: And tried to kill her. Go on, just give that sentence a proper ending

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment.

ZeldaQueen: Um yeah, if by "easy" you mean "slasher", sure. That doesn't sound like something that would draw me towards a guy, but hey what do I know? I guess plenty of people find creepy stalkers attractive

But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure who to trust.

ZeldaQueen: The ice-cream man.

And I love how we're skipping over the stuff Patch definitely does, like invade her space, call her names she doesn't like, make crude sexual comments to her, and generally terrify her. Even if he wasn't involved with said encounters, I'd avoid his ass anyway

Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends.

ZeldaQueen: And...that's a seductive trait?

She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide.

ZeldaQueen: Let's see...she thinks this guy is stalking and spying on her. WHAT DO YOU THINK???

And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.

ZeldaQueen: Yes, finding out that the guy pursuing a relationship with you is trying to murder you, whilst manipulating and mindraping you to spend the night with him and make out with him does inspire unsettling feelings. What, you think I'm letting that go? No, I certainly am not!

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

ZeldaQueen: What? Where, may I ask, does Nora EVER get to choose sides? That implies that she has some modicum of choice and power. For that matter, what "ancient battle"? One dude was after her because Patch ruined his life and not because of fallen angels! Other than that, no other Nephilim show up, and only one other fallen angel appears, for a handful of scenes!

So yeah, typical summary here. Vague, hopes to be alluring and interesting, and is one big, fat lie. Hmph

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Onward to: The Story Behind The Story

Back to: Acknowledgements

Return to: Table of Contents

Comments

[aikaterini.livejournal.com]

/And never so unbelievable. Seriously, there is not a single thing in that book that warrants Nora changing her mind about Patch being a dangerous asshole./

*mock-fangirl voice* But – but he’s *hot!* And he fell in love with Nora along the way and stopped himself from killing her! Isn’t that so romantic?

/no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her./

The language of that phrase is very telling. Vee doesn’t try to help her find boys to date, she doesn’t suggest possible boys for Nora to date, no, she “pushes them” at Nora. She forces Nora to come into contact with boys whether she wants to or not. Because that’s what best friends do, don’t you know? They push their friends around and force them to date boys against their wishes. Don’t you wish you had friend like Vee? *sarcasm*

/Also, you ever notice how it's always that the girl has never had any interest in guys before The Love Of Her Life shows up? What, does it make an epic love unbelievable to imply that there were relationships before that? Or, considering how Patch treats Dabria, is it a disgusting double standard that it's fine for guys to date around, but girls should be demure and save themselves for the Right Guy./

Yeah, it’s the sexist double standard that really bothers me. I wouldn’t be as annoyed by this trope if it weren’t so one-sided. I mean, let’s look at a few bad YA books:

1. Jace from “The Mortal Instruments”: Randomly made out with a waitress while at a restaurant with Clary and Co. and tells the reader that there were “other girls” when Clare gave us his POV for some reason. Is praised as a stud and a ladies’ man and a sexy bad-boy, while Isabelle, who also has apparently dated a lot, is portrayed as vain and shallow. Clary has apparently never dated anyone before Jace.

2. Patch from “Hush, Hush”: Dated Dabria, cheated on her with another girl, and continued to treat her like garbage after he dumped her. Nora has apparently never dated anyone before Patch.

3. Damen from “Evermore”: Dated Drina (is it just me or is it an incredible coincidence that both Drina and Dabria have names that start with ‘D’ and end with ‘a’ and are painted as psycho exes for daring to be angry that their partners dumped them for someone else?) before dumping her for Ever (or Ever’s reincarnation before she was killed).

4. Chen Yong from “Silver Phoenix”: Had a romantic relationship with a childhood sweetheart before getting together with Ai Ling. Ai Ling has never dated anyone before Chen Yong.

So, yeah, guys, feel free to date around! Boys will be boys, after all! If girls get upset about it, then they're just jealous harpies who are getting in the way of your fun! But don't let your girlfriends have any boyfriends before you, then they're just promiscuous playgirls who are only good for a one-night-stand! *sarcasm*

The only exception I can think of right now is, of course, Edward Cullen. But Meyer wasted a great opportunity there (just like she did with everything else). Instead of making Edward endearing and shy or confident and comfortable with his virginity, she made him an obsessive control freak when it came to sex and marriage.

As for Zoey and Erik of “House of Night,” yes, Zoey did date Heath before getting together with Erik, so she is an exception in that sense. But Erik also dated Aphrodite, so it’s not like Zoey was his first love either.

/Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment/

Ahem, you mean against her *sanity, self-respect, and common sense.* Anybody with two brain cells would steer clear of Patch.

/when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life./

*flatly* The “right” choice involved her throwing herself from a great height so that Patch would get a human body. If not for Fitzpatrick’s contrivances, *that* choice would have cost her life.

/One dude was after her because Patch ruined his life and not because of fallen angels!/

And one woman was after her because her sole purpose was to be Patch’s jealous and crazy ex-girlfriend. Yeah, what epic conflict and struggle. -_-

[greenerygripes.livejournal.com]

But Erik also dated Aphrodite, so it’s not like Zoey was his first love either.
And yet Erik isn't vilified, but his ex-girlfriend is. Granted she was trying to blow him in public and against his wishes, but still. Aphrodite gets branded as a slut by the writers and by the rest of the cast, Erik is...well, he's just there.

...the fact that a lot of female authors do this is frightening to me.

[zelda-queen.livejournal.com]

Well, there is a bit where Zoey basically says that she isn't sure she wants to date Erik because he had been with Aphrodite, but it still comes across as bitchy, given how unwilling he was. Given how Kayla was treated for wanting to hook up with Heath and how the two girls who later try to hook up with Erik (who has blessedly dumped Zoey by that point), I think the rule of sexuality and dating in the House of Night world pars down to "Does Zoey think that guy is hot? If so, he is forgiven any trespasses and any girls who try to date him are whores".

[chibi-regalli.livejournal.com]

Well, the childhood sweetheart one in number four sounds okay, on paper at least. Still, I'm betting there's some execution fail for it to get mentioned? Plus, it's an annoying trend.