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laurareads87's review
informative
medium-paced
4.0
A solid essay by one of my absolute favourite fantasy authors.
In this essay, Clark takes up the work of Edward Said - specifically his book <i>Orientalism</i> - as a framework to analyze the fantasy genre (by way of specific examples - ex. Tolkein, Martin) and its propensity for othering, exotifying, silencing, objectifying, and villianizing racialized 'others.' I think this would ideally be read with some degree of background familiarity with Said, as Clark doesn't precisely follow Said and it wouldn't necessarily be clear to an unfamiliar reader where the differences in their ideas lie, but understanding Orientalism is not a prerequisite for comprehending this essay's arguments by any means. Clark's suggestions for doing better as fantasy authors make good sense and feel like a generous way to conclude.
In this essay, Clark takes up the work of Edward Said - specifically his book <i>Orientalism</i> - as a framework to analyze the fantasy genre (by way of specific examples - ex. Tolkein, Martin) and its propensity for othering, exotifying, silencing, objectifying, and villianizing racialized 'others.' I think this would ideally be read with some degree of background familiarity with Said, as Clark doesn't precisely follow Said and it wouldn't necessarily be clear to an unfamiliar reader where the differences in their ideas lie, but understanding Orientalism is not a prerequisite for comprehending this essay's arguments by any means. Clark's suggestions for doing better as fantasy authors make good sense and feel like a generous way to conclude.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Colonisation, Racism, and Xenophobia
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