the sound you just heard was me throwing a book across the room.

[lagilman]

At RT, I was given a sampling of books, including a trio by Louisa Edwards, who has excellent reviews and buzz, and they're romances set in the restaurant industry so hey, right up my alley, right?

I read the 2nd in the series (original post edited for clarity) and found it cute but with depth and interest. The first one tells a story that's already closed in book 2, so I decided to move on to book 3.

The heroine is a prodigy. Okay, check. She's a described geek. Okay, check. She's a fannish geek. Okay, check and yay! Oh. Wait.

Does anyone here know an adult, professional geek who would be so totally unaware of the (established in the book for students and faculty alike) sternly demanded-on dress code of their new job that they'd show up in khakis and a Star Wars t-shirt? One of her stated "favorite Star Wars t-shirts?"

Okay yeah, maybe we all know one or three who manage to survive past 16. I cringed but I let it go. It's no way to establish your character as being either competent or sympathetic but it's easy shorthand (except that in the next chapter it's established that she'd read the entire school handbook and memorized it so...no. She couldn't have missed that fact), and hey it was just the first appearance and...

and does anyone here know an adult, professional woman who - seriously, with no irony - says things like "what in the name of Joss are you doing here?" or "For Buffy's sake?"

At this point [ETA: please note here, before you comment, that it was not simply the dress code thing that pissed me off, but the entire characterization], it became clear to me that either the author had never actually met an adult female media fan, or bothered to talk to any of them, because the entire character, from her appearance to her smart-but-incompetent performances to her geeky-squeaky brains to her utter cluelessness about any relationships, was out of the Cliche Handbook.

Sorry, Ms. Edwards: you lost me by p. 32.

Comments

[chickwriter.livejournal.com]

OFFS

Clue fail.

[firynze.livejournal.com]

...oh dear.

*headdesk*

[jperceval.livejournal.com]

Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear this. I have the first one in my TBRmountain, but haven't gotten to it yet. Maybe this isn't a series I should invest in any further.

And my search for *good* straightforward contemporary romances marches on...

[lagilman]

I liked the 2nd one (on the Steamy Side) so don't write her off entirely. But "Just One Taste" pissed me off something fierce.

[jperceval.livejournal.com]

Can't Stand the Heat is the one I have. I'm already raising a brow at her upcoming, which features a shirtless wonder cooking on the cover. Now, I know authors have virtually no power over their covers but the guy looks like he's cooking bacon. Shirtless.

We'll see.

[kriz1818.livejournal.com]

He must be the perfect guy! Sensitive enough to cook, but tough enough to stand up to spattering bacon fat!

[chris-walsh.livejournal.com]

I do that! \o/ Line up, ladies!

[mtlawson.livejournal.com]

Does he look like he needs coffee? Maybe that explains everything...

[sabriel-0405.livejournal.com]

I read the first one. The best part of the story is the subplot with the heroine's brother. It's worth reading for that piece. I have the second one signed (I met Edwards at RT last year) but I'll only read it because I want more of the brother's subplot.

[lagilman]

Yes, totally. I understand why Jess only gets an ongoing subplot, but man was I rooting for them....

[sabriel-0405.livejournal.com]

The only reason I was going to read book 3 was for more of the same. Jess is way more interesting than the other characters.

[kthanna.livejournal.com]

Well... I guess that takes it off my reading list, so I should thank you?

That was the first one in the series though? Or the second one? I'm a little confused on that part - is it worth it to persevere?

And I'm an admitted huge Buffy fan... and not even I would say that...

[lagilman]

This was the 3rd in the series. I read and liked the 2nd one, didn't read the 1st.

[seachanges.livejournal.com]

Seriously?

Wow. That's just ... wow.

[terri-osborne.livejournal.com]

Brain. Ow. OFFS. I think I'm insulted for our entire gender.

[marthawells.livejournal.com]

Augh, that's annoying.

[bonnie-rocks.livejournal.com]

I sadly know someone who says things like that and is completely serious. She disturbs me.

~*::Meow::*~

[cherith.livejournal.com]

I have met female geeks/media-fiends who would would be oblivious to dress code. In fact, I know a nerdy girl that wore a mini-skirt and was pretty much oblivious to the fact that anyone could see up it when she sat down without crossing her legs -- she was appalled when she was told it wasn't proper work attire (she honestly didn't understand why she was being told not to wear it).

[lagilman]

This was more than "a dress code," this was "everyone shall wear black pants and a white shirt and a certain kind of shoe." And a chapter later we're asked to believe that she's memorized the entire handbook down to the fact that dogs aren't allowed on campus... but she somehow missed the fact that a silkscreened media t-shirt was not acceptable wear?

[hint: most grown-up workplaces? It's Not Acceptable. Really.]

As I said, if that were the only offense, I would have shrugged and read on (as, in fact, I did). But the overall picture was so cliched and one-dimensional, I was offended as a reader.

[lauriemann.livejournal.com]

My daughter, a gamer, generally dresses like the character in the book. But, she does understand work rules. So for work she has a collection of plain colored T-shirts that don't have any designs or logos which are acceptable.

[sabriel-0405.livejournal.com]

Actually, as near as I can tell (and I am in banking!) most employers are willing to accept employees just coming to work wearing clothing. No, it isn't acceptable but I've noticed many under 25s haven't grasped the whole work-does-not-equal-play concept.

[lagilman]

If there's a dress code, it should be enforced. But that's just my middle-management sensibility coming to the fore, I guess.


In context of the post: having a character so utterly oblivious to a dress code that the entire campus adheres to could have been played to show a facet of her character (either "possibly Aspie-level personality" or "geekily style-independent")... but instead it became one of a handful of props to say "look, pitiful geek-girl cliche!" That's sloppy writing, and led to the book-tossing.

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

Ouch. I'm surprised some editor or copy editor didn't comment on it. They all know someone like that, or so it seems....

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Who the hell shows up for work in a fannish T-shirt regardless? If she's old enough to have a job, she's old enough to grasp the basics of professional dress whether there are specific dress codes or not.

[jesskastar.livejournal.com]

I unfortunately work with one, and know several others. :(

I have also been known, on casual Friday to show up in a Dr Who shirt. :look

[lagilman]

But choosing to do so on casual Friday is not the same as showing up to work -utterly oblivious- to the stated dress code, is it?

(Maybe it is, for some people. I'm not sure they're the same people who would call on Buffy as a patron saint....)

[jesskastar.livejournal.com]

You do have a point, since casual Friday allows for creativity and individuality more so than the average business casual as opposed to oblivious disregard.

One woman I know favors more the Twilight saga than Buffy-verse. "Oh my Edward" as opposed to "OMG" and the like. Very... interesting.

[controuble.livejournal.com]

Totally sounds like this character has Asperger's Syndrome - clueless about social situations, reads rule books, smart - yep, sounds a lot like my son (you would have to pry out your eyeballs after seeing how he dresses if I let him do it himself).

[lagilman]

And if the author had established (or even shown an awareness of) this, it might have been a very interesting - and very different - book. And I would have commented on that.

[mevennen.livejournal.com]

AUGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Yeah, one mistake could be forgiven but the rest is just cluelessness. And sad that not only did the author miss the clue bus but everyone else (editor, copyeditor, etc) also failed to point out that she'd made a wrong turn.

And it's not like female media fans are that hard to find...

Thanks!!! (and off topic)

[(Anonymous)]

Sorry this is anonymous but I don't have any of the other accounts to log in w/ since I'm technologically-on-purpose- in the stone ages ;)

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the awesome giveaway! I forgot to check back here after entering, mainly b/c my work internet filters livejournal and I'm lazy :) Been a devoted fan for a few years now and I hope you write forever!!! ahem... also hope your sweetie girl feels better... best of luck...

Erin F.