Today you will reflect upon your research of your genre, the book you read and its relation to your genre, and the information presented regarding other genres.
Genre Reflection: What is your genre and how would you describe it? What attracts readers to this particular genre? What specifically appeals to you? What books have you read in the genre? What books might you read in the future? What did you learn about your genre that you found interesting or didn't know before?
Book Reflection: What book did you read for your genre project? What genre traits are evident in this book? What was your reaction to the book? Would you recommend the book to other readers?
Genre Presentations Reflection: Consider the genre presentations of your classmates; what genres seem to be of interest to you? Why? What books or authors might you consider reading in the future? Why? What are two take aways you learned from these presentations?
My Post -- Urban Fantasy
Urban Fantasy is a sub-genre of the fantasy genre. Essentially, urban fantasies are books which are set in an urban setting and which contain para-normal creatures such as ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and other fantastical beings. Urban fantasy plots often center around the relationships of humans and these supernatural beings. The setting is a defining feature which characterizes the genre and separates it from high fantasy. The supernatural aspect of this genre appeals to readers who like to be thrilled, who like suspense, and who like reading about the unknown. As I mentioned in my presentation, this genre is an evolving genre which has seen a recent surge in popular culture. One of the attractions is the presence of strong female protagonists. Leading writers in the genre include Ben Aaronovitch(River of London series), Jim Butcher (Dresden Files), Ilona Andrews (Kate Daniels series), and Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson series).The book that I read is Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch. This book is the first in a series featuring Peter Grant, a London policeman who gets a new assignment-- the investigation of supernatural crimes and their magical perpetrators. As I mentioned in my presentation, fantasy is "not my thing," and supernatural tales often scare me. But I am a fan of detective fiction and crime novels, so this book did have elements that appeal to me. The suspenseful nature of the book kept me reading, anxious to find out what was behind the crimes Grant was investigating. The whodunit aspect of the book appeals to me and other readers who like to problem solve and explore possible solutions to the mystery at hand. The presence of supernatural beings adds to the scare factor which many readers enjoy (but not me!). Another appeal of this particular book is that it is part of series so if you like it, there are more books to read as Peter Grant continues his quest to make London safe.
You all did a good job of presenting your genres and offering insights into each. I hope that you all feel more familiar with the genres presented.
1-2 - Young Adult Literature, Suspense/Thriller, Satire, Romance
15-16 - Political, Suspense/Thriller, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Crime
What I am hoping is that from being exposed to the research of your classmates you are walking away with a broader knowledge of various genres and an appreciation for what is out there. In each class, presenters identified appeals of the various genres. Throughout your lives, you will hopefully continue reading but recognize the various reasons why we read. Reading can offer us escape, it can challenge our minds as we seek to solve mysteries, it can inform us, it can help us to deal with issues in our lives..... the list goes on and on. Another hope that I have is that by hearing about these different genres you will branch out of your comfort zones and explore other genres with which you are not familiar. My reading of Rivers of London is an example of my moving out of my comfort zone and exploring a different genre. A year later, I am still not a diehard fantasy reader but I am willing to read fantasy -- in fact, I just read Bone Gap which contains elements of fantasy. As the next presidential election looms, becoming knowledgeable of the candidates and the issues at hand through political and satirical books will help to make you more informed citizens. As adolescents, hopefully you see the appeals of YA novels which can help teens deal with real, relevant issues. Thank you all for sharing your research with us and helping to broaden our exposure to the variety of readings that are available.
No comments:
Post a Comment