Book Review- The Red Queen

    The Red Queen, written by Philippa Gregory, is the second book in what is referred to as "The Cousin's War" trilogy. This novel chronicles the life of Lady Margaret Beaufort, who is head of the House of Lancaster, one of two royal Houses vying for the English throne during the turbulent War of the Roses.

    Gregory begins the book during the early years of Lady Margaret's life, where we learn of her devotion to the young heroine, Joan of Arc. While Beaufort feels that she is destined for a holy life, those in authority insist her destiny lies in carrying the next heir in the Lancaster line. The remainder of her life subsists of weaving together carefully constructed threads in the treacherous and often fatal fight to the throne.

    I enjoyed this book. It's fraught with a multitude of names and dates, but don't let that scare you. Once you become enthralled with the story, names begin to stick and dates move along. Gregory manages to bring the past alive in all her books, paying special attention to cultural detail and setting.  Scheming and survival were certainly intertwined in the politics of the 15th century, and the story of Lady Margaret Beaufort is no exception.

Mommy Wars

        Before I ever opened this magazine, I'll admit that I really resented the inflammatory headline.

     Are You Mom Enough? This is exactly what mothers say to each other all the time when discussing feeding choices, while merrily strolling through the park. We feel the need to justify our choices, conditioned to be defensive by those condescending Breast is Best commercials. While breast milk is best for baby,  we've conflated that to mean that the breastfeeding mother is the superior parent. In reality, there's a multitude of reasons why a woman may not breast feed. Maybe her workplace doesn't support it. Maybe her breasts are rebellious and won't do their job. Maybe her kid never detaches (My Aidan) and she can't be a 24/7 diner because she has other kids at home. Maybe she just didn't want to. Who knows?

    What we should be doing, Ladies, is telling the rest of the universe to Fuck Off and support each other. I didn't find breastfeeding to be a magical experience, but I find it horribly offensive on your behalf that others won't allow you to do it in public. Or post a picture of it on Facebook.

     There are so many choices to make and judgement begins well before baby comes home, beginning with a woman's age, marital status, and income. Women who don't get testing done are viewed as incompetent and those who do get it done must only want to abort if problems arise.  Homebirthers are just asking for problems being away from a hospital. However, delivery rooms do not offer the same superior environment of the Superbirther who champions her way through the miracle of childbirth without so much as an Advil.

     The list is endless but the bottom line is that in today's society, choices have become a competition; a chess move in the war to win. Why have we declared war on ourselves when it's possible for everyone to be a winner?

    Women have spent the last 100 years trying to accrue the options we currently have.Think about it. Simply by having choices now, we've won the war. If bickering mommies were to shift focus to bettering public education, we could do amazing things for our children. Even those mommies who prefer homeschool would benefit. We could collectively improve Women's Healthcare. Or shift the war to stop bullying in our neighborhoods, the crime levels of young adults, or suicide prevention. The controversial topics will still be there for us to bicker about, but if we keep our eyes on the prize, we can change several negatives about the systems our children will eventually age in to.

    A woman's superpower is (among others) the ability to open her heart. Love can be shown in a million different ways and it really does impact the world. But first, we have to start with each other.


    Despite the sensationalist headline, I'm glad I opened this article. It solidified my feelings that we've gone too far in the Mommy Wars. The headline alone made me think about my past feelings and re-examine the need to justify my choices. At the very least, I feel compelled to vocally support your choice and encourage Mommies everywhere to do the same. It's time to move on!

The Hunger Games

    Unless you've been living under a rock, the odds are pretty favorable that you've heard about The Hunger Games movie. Hopefully, you've either read the book or are planning to in the near future. This review contains *SPOILERS* so read at your own risk.


    One of the defining aspects to any movie based on a book is how well the scripts adheres to the original plot.  In order to save time, much of the back story is depicted with visual cues. We see the poverty of District 12 in the form of clothing, bare feet, and scenery.  Viewers get the sense that the relationship between Katniss and Gale is a comfortable one, with both characters acting as head of household. Katniss is given the Mockingjay pin by Greasy Sae in The Hob, rather than the governor's daughter, thus eliminating her character totally in the movie. However, Greasy Sae, the pin, and The Hob were all referenced in a very compact twenty minute span, giving the rest of the movie ample opportunity to continue the story line. It was an excellent indication that the movie was going to hit all the high points well.


    The depiction of the yearly Reaping was much more emotional than I anticipated. Viewers are subjected to watching poor, yet proud families of District 12 scrub the dirt from their children's faces and feet. You watch mothers button threadbare shirts with trembling hands and young children feverishly polishing shoes until they shine. Whispers of courage and bravery interspersed with glances full of worry and dread filled the screen. I sat with my hands clenched, knowing what was to come. Even those who hadn't read the book still seemed to understand that these kids weren't headed to a barn dance.


    The selection process really brought home the very definition of a dystopian society. The Wikipedia entry for dystopia reads as follows:

    "A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian... Dystopian societies feature different kinds of repressive social control systems, various forms of active and passive coercion. Ideas and works about dystopian societies often explore the concept of humans abusing technology and humans individually and collectively coping, or not being able to properly cope with technology that has progressed far more rapidly than humanity's spiritual evolution. Dystopian societies are often imagined as police states, with unlimited power over the citizens."


    Representatives from the Capitol arrive with their festive and colorful costumes, even as armed guards surround the public square. They come with excited greetings, play the required film that plays with the minds of adults yet attempts to indoctrinate children that this Reaping is for their benefit. It is an honor to be chosen. It is an honor to be sacrificed. Death in The Hunger Games means glory for all. The scene culminates with Effie Trinket's memorable,"May the Odds be ever in your favor!" 


    Pacing is quick in this movie. There's always a feeling of desperation nipping at it's heels. As Katniss is whisked away to the Capitol, the audience begins to see the more obvious disparity between it and the rest of the districts. One of the key elements of the book is the outrageous costumes and culture of the Capitol. I was really curious to see how this aspect would play out on the big screen.


    Creators were wise in their choice to make the Capitol and it's inhabitants eccentric and outlandish, yet believable. The correlation between The Hunger Games and reality TV hosted by an exceptionally charming game show host was well made. Cinna's understated glamour came through with the application gold eye-liner. One of the interesting things about Dystopian writing is riding the edge beteen fantasy and what could be reality in a few short steps.


    This is what creators did best with The Hunger Games movie. They hit the high points but you could see how easy it would be for our own culture to meld into that of the Capitol. However, it's not a morality play. Just like Suzanne Collins, the studio took the story and laid it out for the world to see. People can take away their own opinions and insights, but the hamanity (or lack thereof) speaks for itself.


    I was hesitant about the casting, initially, but the actors involved made the roles their own and should be commended for it. Woody Harrelson wasn't my ideal Haymitch but I came to respect the way he chose to play the role and appreciated the art he brought to the screen. Jennifer Lawrence was excellent in her depiction of a very capable, yet unworldy young woman. 


    I'm excited to see the next movie. I hope the series continues to improve. Lots of young girls look up to the character of Katniss and I'm far more happy about that prospect than I ever was about Twilight's Bella. We have a capable heroine in The Hunger Games, who knows her own mind and doesn't dither about waiting to become someone else. As the mother of two young teenage girls, I can't ask for much more than that!