Comments on: On J.R. Ward’s Use of The Hip-Hop Culture, Sans The Blacks…

By: Karen Scott

Karen Scott — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 17:13:47 +0000

@Dahlia DeWinters: Welcome to KKB Dahlia!

By: Dahlia DeWinters

Dahlia DeWinters — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 20:23:17 +0000

(big sigh) I must say that I agree about JR Ward. Mind you, I read about twenty pages of one of the books, my nose screwed up in distaste. I guess my subconscious was saying, I don’t read books with that kind of language from Black authors, so why am I accepting it here? Regardless, I kept reading, noted the silly women etc. When I got to “I’m outtie”, that tipped it for me. The actual saying is “I’m Audi” which means you’re making a fast getaway. (Check the Urban Dictionary). If you are going to appropriate culture/language, get your facts right. “I’m outtie” indeed. I thought he was talking about his navel.

And as for what Roslyn said in her first comment? One simple word, yes.

Glad I stumbled on your blog, Karen!

By: Link Roundup: Race in Romance | Read React Review

Link Roundup: Race in Romance | Read React Review — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 02:13:30 +0000

[...] June 16: At Karen Knows Best, a post by Karen, On J. R. Ward’s Use of the Hip Hop Culture, sans the Blacks: [...]

By: Jody W.

Jody W. — Wed, 20 Jun 2012 21:46:08 +0000

When someone can explain to me why 1000 year old white people with an eon or more of history at their fingertips and presumably some need to remain inconspicuous in the “normal” world would choose to appropriate 80′s-centric, media-warped, bling-tastic, faux hiphop culture above any other culture, I *might* pick up a BDB book.

Yes, I’m totally judging without having read a single word of it. I am a bad yo dog. Now I’m outtie.

By: AztecLady

AztecLady — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 18:28:00 +0000

@Jeannie S.: There is no actual cannibalism in the novel. However, the only explicitly black characters in the BDB universe, the "Moors" are also described as cannibals. Either way, fail.

By: FD

FD — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 18:16:21 +0000

She really chose to depict black characters as a race of cannibals? Really? The level of fail there is kinda staggering, even by J.R. Ward’s previously demonstrated standards.

By: Jeannie S.

Jeannie S. — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 13:43:04 +0000

I didn’t read the last Ward book, and now that I know there is cannibalism in it, I’m pretty sure I am going to stop. I hated the way these guys talked, I constantly had to re-read some of the comments they made to try and figure out what they were saying. And I was always thinking “Really? Did he really just say that?” Previous female characters were conveniently in other rooms or locations, which I found very annoying.

I tried to read the book that explained the world (I borrowed it from the library, I wasn’t about to shell out money for it) but it was kind of weird – especially the interview with Vishous. Just really strange. He’s a fictitious character for goodness sake!! Having antagonism for her?? I skimmed through the book and was glad I didn’t waste my money on it (and all the books I read were from the library).

By: Anon 76

Anon 76 — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 13:20:01 +0000

@eggs:

“Blond guys skeeve me out sexually for no obvious rational reason. I think it’s mostly the idea of blond pubes.”

OMG! I’m the same way with redheads. I think Eric Stoltz has a wonderful face…but sex with him? Nope. I’m the same way with certain body types. And for that matter, with certain hair styles.

But no matter how an author portrays a character’s looks, I’ve usually just taken that as a basis and let my imagination do the rest on the physical. The inside though, the heart and soul, that’s where I need the author to hook me.

Which brings me full circle back to the original post. I’ve never read Ward for personal reasons. It’s disturbing to find she (from others’ comments) needed to spice things up by bringing in other cultures–not a bad thing–but found it necessary to make them cannibals.

Why not the Scots or the Irish? LOL

By: Ann Bruce

Ann Bruce — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 03:48:31 +0000

@Sandra Schwab: My issues exactly with the series. I'm surprised the class system doesn't make more people uncomfortable. Then again, romance readers seem to be pretty tolerant of monarchies and hierarchies in historical romance. I like democracy and meritocracy too much to read those anymore. Combine those issues with the "voice" she gives her heroes (I grew up in rough neighborhoods and no one talks like that outside of Hollywood) and I only lasted 5.5 books into the series.

By: Roslyn Holcomb

Roslyn Holcomb — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 03:40:03 +0000

Dark Possession was the only book of that series I read. I just remember the heroine thinking about her boots s much I kept expecting them to do something.