More Great Heroines Of SFF: Part One
A-ways back in 2011, I posted a two-part article titled Six Great Heroines Of SFF, Part 1 & Part 2 — with considerably more names listed at the end of the second post and via readers’ comments.
In that first article, I tended to focus on the classic heroines encountered in my formative SFF reading. Three years on, I’d like to highlight some of the heroines I’ve encountered in more recent reading. I stress that this is by no means an exhaustive survey, but simply compiled from books I’ve had a chance to read since that time. The list is presented in alphabetical order by heroine’s name; no further preference should be inferred. 😉
So here goes!
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B is for Bitterblue from Kristin Cashore’s Bitterblue (Genre: YA; Fantasy)
As those who follow this blog will know, I love Bitterblue. In terms of why, I can’t really say it better than Kristin Cashore herself did, during our interview in June 2012: “I love her loneliness. I love her loyalty. I love how much she loves her friends. I love how hard she tries, and I love her refusal to give up.” To which I added: “I was also impressed by her generosity, as well as her “fidelity”: the way she strives to keeps faith with her subjects, and the truth of the past, and those she loves, even those who cause her more than a little trouble – not just ‘cool friends.'”
Enough said, I hope!
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B is also for Blue in Maggie Stiefvater’s The Raven Boys (Genre: YA; Urban Fantasy)
I really enjoyed the character of Blue, who is curious, compassionate and shows considerable strength of character. She is also smart and more than holds her own with the quartet of eponymous—and troublesome—Raven Boys. I did not properly report back on The Raven Boys but I loved it and have the second book in the series to read when time allows; I am really looking forward to it.
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C is for Canny from Elizabeth Knox’s Mortal Fire (Genre: YA; Fantasy)
If a name says it all, that name is Canny Mochrie—with the surname’s echo to “mockery.” Canny is tough, tenacious, sharp as the proverbial sampler full of needles, and chock full of magic. I also really loved that Canny is a heroine with a Pasifika heritage, as well as being a genius at mathematics and a magical force-of-nature. Definitely a heroine who delivers on difference.
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K is for Karou in Laini Taylor’s Daughter Of Smoke and Bone (Genre: YA; Fantasy)
Karou is one of the more “magical” heroines I have encountered of recent years, particularly in following her journey from blue-haired art student in Prague, and stealer of teeth from museums, through to someone—and something—considerably more by the end of the book. Karou’s tale begins as a romance and a mystery, and although both the romance and the mystery are essential to the continuing story, both transmute—like the character—into so much more… All of which repays a read.
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M is for Mieli in Hannu Rajaniemi’s The Quantum Thief & The Fractal Prince (Genre: Science Fiction)
Hannu Rajaniemi’s series is some of the more interesting science fiction I have read of recent years. I particularly like the character of Mieli, the warrior who has made a difficult bargain and has to deal with the consequences of that as the story develops. I found her intriguing from the beginning, but I liked the way she grew as a character and found her portrayal increasingly luminous as the story progressed.
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To meet my remaining five heroines, you will have to check back in on Thursday, following the Tuesday Poem tomorrow and Big World Worlds On Small Screens on Wednesday.
A..b..c…M. Wait, what? 🙂
P is for Persimmon Gaunt, part of a wife and husband thief team in Chris Willrich’s novels and storys
You know, I haven’t even heard of either the character (although I love the name!) or the author, which may be my bad, so shall have to do some google-fu…;-)