image is a banner that say Bitch has raised eight thousand of its twenty thousand dollar match goal click to subscribe

YA fiction

Send in the Clones: Two YA Novels' Treatment of Race, Gender, and Cloning

Girls of Color in Dystopia post by Victoria Law on May 17, 2013 - 1:50pm; tagged dystopian, immigration, science fiction, YA fiction.

The Lost Girl cover

People of color are often seen as the exceptions in predominantly white societies' mass media, like US literature. Let's look at race and gender in two dystopic young adult scenarios in which the exceptional group is not people of color, but clones they've created.

Read
3 comments

YA Book "What's Left of Me" is a Dystopian Take on Nationalist Fervor

Girls of Color in Dystopia post by Victoria Law on May 13, 2013 - 2:26pm; tagged dystopian, immigration, Race, science fiction, xenophobia, YA fiction.

What's left of Me cover

"If you see something, say something" has been the slogan for buses, trains, and airports since 9/11. It's been used to justify increased surveillance and targeting of Muslims and people from the Middle East. After the Boston bombing, we've seen it used to mislabel the suspected Boston bomber as a "dark-skinned male" and later to misidentify Sunil Tripathi by Reddit users.

Kat Zhang's What's Left of Me takes the mass suspicion, xenophobia, and hysteria that's become normalized since 9/11 and sets it in an alternate United States where people are born with two personalities inside one body.

Read
2 comments

Can a Society Run by Women Still Be a Dystopia?

Girls of Color in Dystopia post by Victoria Law on May 9, 2013 - 9:36am; tagged Brazil, dystopian, girls of color, matriarchy, Summer Prince, women of color, YA fiction.

The summer prince cover: a girl of color has a computer arm

Continuing along this guest blog series' theme of class, caste and slavery, let's look at a city run by women of color in Alaya Dawn Johnson's The Summer Prince.

The book's society, seen through the eyes of young main character June Canto, is a clear critique of class and race dynamics that exist today. As in our real world culture today, the people at the top of The Summer Prince's society refuse to recognize the oppression that exists their literally pyramid-shaped city.

Read
2 comments

Reading "Tankborn"— A YA Book About Race, Class, and Caste

Girls of Color in Dystopia post by Victoria Law on May 2, 2013 - 12:00pm; tagged American history, caste, class, dystopian, indentured servants, India, Race, skin color, slavery, women of color, YA fiction.

tankborn cover

In Karen Sander's dystopian young adult book Tankborn, the world is a stringent caste system where race and origins determine all status. Tankborn was a hit and the sequel, Awakening, just came out this April, which means now is a great time to discuss the race and gender angle of the book. 

Read
1 comment

Dystopian Book "Partials" Imagines a Society of Forced Pregnancy

Girls of Color in Dystopia post by Victoria Law on April 29, 2013 - 12:05pm; tagged dystopian, reproductive justice, reproductive rights, women of color, YA fiction.

Partials cover

I've never been attracted to books set in a world in which women have been stripped of their reproductive rights and function mainly as breeders. After all, I live in a very real society in which women's rights over their bodies are constantly being eroded. The right to family seems to not apply to those who are poor, of color and/or incarcerated. So why escape to a world in which all of these injustices have been magnified?

The cover of Dan Well's Partials depicts the back of a dark-haired girl of ambivalent skin color looking out over a wasteland. Nothing in the summary indicates that there are people of color in the book. To the jaded reader, Partials might very well be yet another book in which people of color have not survived the apocalypse. I wouldn't have picked up Partials for this blog series on race and gender in dystopia had my twelve-year-old daughter not read and recommended it, letting me know that the main character is <gasp> a girl of color. And she's not the only girl of color who's survived dystopia.

Read
9 comments

New Book "Orleans" Imagines a World Where Blood Type Matters More than Race

Girls of Color in Dystopia post by Victoria Law on April 23, 2013 - 3:56pm; tagged dystopian, Katrina, New Orleans, people of color, Race, YA fiction.

Orleans book cover

"After the storm deaths came other casualties: deaths by debris, cuts, tetanus, or loss of blood; suicide, heart attacks caused by stress or loss, or stress of rebuilding, or just as often from the lack of medicines used to treat common ailments. The list of no-longer-treatable diseases grew: diabetes, asthma, cancer. Domestic violence rose, along with murder."

So begins the new book Orleans. Author Sherri L. Smith adds a dystopic twist to the post-Katrina disaster tale we (unfortunately) have come to know so well.

Read
0 comments

Dystopian Book "Shadows Cast By Stars" Revolves Around Aboriginal Race and Identity

Girls of Color in Dystopia post by Victoria Law on April 18, 2013 - 3:19pm; tagged dystopian, gender roles, Idle No More, indigenous people, Race, YA fiction.

Shadows cast by Stars cover

When I started this column on race in dystopian YA literature, a reader recommended I check out Shadows Cast by Stars, Métis author Catherine Knutsson's dystopic tale set on Canada's western coast 200 years from now.

In the book, a plague has ravaged the world. The only cure is antibodies found in the blood of aboriginal people (or "Others" as they are known by non-aboriginals).

Read
7 comments

Finally! In "Immortal Rules," One Girl of Color Survives Dystopia

Girls of Color in Dystopia post by Victoria Law on April 12, 2013 - 12:27pm; tagged Asian women, dystopian, Ethnicity, Race, romance, vampires, YA fiction.

The cover of The Immortal Rules

I’ve never read a single books published by romance giant Harlequin and so I carried Julie Kagawa’s The Immortal Rules to the library checkout counter with some trepidation. Would this be a romance novel with a veneer of vampire smeared on top?
Read
0 comments

Reading Race in Marie Lu's Dystopian YA Hit "Legend"

Girls of Color in Dystopia post by Victoria Law on April 5, 2013 - 12:36pm; tagged dystopian, Ethnicity, Marie Lu, Race, YA fiction.

legend cover

When I checked Marie Lu's Legend out of the library, I hoped that the main girl character (June) would be Asian. After all, Lu herself is Chinese, born in China and influenced, as a young child, by the 1989 Tiananmen Square student protests. From the age of five, she lived in the U.S. and, unless she lived in an alternate U.S., probably also didn't see herself reflected in the books on her library and school shelves. So wouldn't she use this opportunity to add one more Asian girl to YA litdom?

Read
5 comments

What if Cinderella Wasn't Straight and White?

Girls of Color in Dystopia post by Victoria Law on April 3, 2013 - 10:47am; tagged Chinese, Cinderella, dystopian, Ethnicity, fantasy, LGBT, Race, YA fiction.

The cover of Cinder

In Cinder, the familiar glass slipper story is set in a dystopian future Beijing 126 years after World War IV has ended. Cinder’s author, Marissa Meyer, is white. Meanwhile, Chinese-American author Malinda Lo award-winning 2010 retelling of Cinderella, Ash, takes place in a kingdom that resembles a fairy tale Europe.

What do these choices say about each author? How do their ethnic backgrounds affect their retellings?

Read
7 comments
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • next ›
  • last »
Syndicate content

SheBop: A Female Friendly Sex Toy BoutiqueSmitten Kitten: A Feminist Sex Toy Store for Everyone, 20% off, code: Bitch20Lunapads: Why ditch the disposables? Click here to watch a videoSponsorship Ad: "Cloth Pads and Mentrual Cups - sale!" Merrick Monroes new album is called The Truth Is preview it now Goddard CollegeQuarter Moon Imports
Sponsorship Ad: "Sex and Death"

Audio Smut

Newsletter signup

Receive a monthly B-Mail in your inbox for special updates, deals, and news from Bitch Media

Bitch magazine issues Join the Bitch Beehive Get involved with Bitch Bitch Store Bitch on Facebook Bitch on Twitter Bitch Podcasts Bitch Tapes Bitch Links Bitch on Flickr Bitch Video Download Bitch Badges

Have an idea for the blog? Click here to contact us!

Recent comments

  • never a Riot Grrl
    Why I Was Never a Riot Grrrl
    Renee Marchol (not verified)
  • donate them to a homeless shelter
    Forcing Your Old Abercrombie and Fitch Clothes on People is a Bad Idea
    davidj (not verified)
  • Hey, guys, can anybody to help us here now today?
    Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Feminism But Were Afraid to Ask
    HappyMan (not verified)
  • the light at the end of the
    Life on Mars (Hill)
    born in east LA (not verified)
  • Reply to comment | Bitch Media
    Revenge of the Feminerd: Nerd "Hyperwhiteness"
    Francesco (not verified)
Welcome!Login or Register
Bitch Magazine
  • About Us
    • Book: Bitchfest
      • Bitchfest reviews
    • Boards and Councils
      • Board of Directors & Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Customer Service
    • Events
    • FAQs
      • About the Website
      • About the Magazine
      • About Subscriptions and Merchandise
      • About Getting Involved
    • Get Involved
      • B-mail Signup
      • Internships & Volunteering
      • Contribute to Bitch magazine
      • Become a B-Hive member
      • Sponsorship/Ads
      • Host a house party
    • History
    • Lending Library
      • About the Library
      • Library Blog
      • Donate to the Library
    • Press
    • Sponsorship/Ads
    • Staff
    • Store Policies
    • Speakers
  • Blogs
    • Bitch Blog!
    • Guest Blogs
      • Gabrielle Moss: Women Aren't Funny
      • Victoria Law: Girls of Color in Dystopia
      • Yoonj Kim: Model Media
    • Books
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Ms. Opinionated Advice Column
    • Comments Policy
    • Subscribe to Feed of All Posts (RSS)
    • Got a Blog Pitch?
  • Bitch Magazine
    • Current Issue: Pulp
    • Articles
    • Back Issues
    • Change of Address
    • Contributor's Guidelines
    • Customer Service
    • Subscribe
  • Podcasts
  • Donate
    • Donate
    • Join the B-Hive
    • B-Keepers Membership
    • Our Donors
    • Why Give?
    • Customer Service
  • Shop
  • Donate
  • About Us
    • Book: Bitchfest
      • Bitchfest reviews
    • Boards and Councils
      • Board of Directors & Advisory Board
    • Contact
    • Customer Service
    • Events
    • FAQs
      • About the Website
      • About the Magazine
      • About Subscriptions and Merchandise
      • About Getting Involved
    • Get Involved
      • B-mail Signup
      • Internships & Volunteering
      • Contribute to Bitch magazine
      • Become a B-Hive member
      • Sponsorship/Ads
      • Host a house party
    • History
    • Lending Library
      • About the Library
      • Library Blog
      • Donate to the Library
    • Press
    • Sponsorship/Ads
    • Staff
    • Store Policies
    • Speakers
  • Blogs
    • Bitch Blog!
    • Guest Blogs
      • Gabrielle Moss: Women Aren't Funny
      • Victoria Law: Girls of Color in Dystopia
      • Yoonj Kim: Model Media
    • Books
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV
    • Ms. Opinionated Advice Column
    • Comments Policy
    • Subscribe to Feed of All Posts (RSS)
    • Got a Blog Pitch?
  • Bitch Magazine
    • Current Issue: Pulp
    • Articles
    • Back Issues
    • Change of Address
    • Contributor's Guidelines
    • Customer Service
    • Subscribe
  • Podcasts
  • Donate
    • Donate
    • Join the B-Hive
    • B-Keepers Membership
    • Our Donors
    • Why Give?
    • Customer Service
  • Shop
  • facebook.png Facebook
  • myspace_icon.png MySpace
  • stumbleit.png StumbleUpon
  • youtube_icon.png YouTube
  • delicious_icon.jpg del.icio.us
  • flickr_icon_.jpg Flickr
  • Follow us on Twitter Twitter
  • Google Plus Google+
© 2013 Bitch Media