Monday, January 3, 2011

Trend Watch: Persephone Is the New Zombies/Vampires

Well, I certainly wouldn't have predicted this one. We're seeing a lot of YA Persephone retellings. Maybe this is in part due to the greek myth renaissance effected by Mr. Riordan? I don't know. Maybe it's the appeal of the underworld? I just hope it's not some nasty subconscious preference for kidnapping/rape stories. Whatever it is, between the undead, the walking dead, and the actually dead, there's a hell of a lot of dead going around. Makes me a little wistful for the wizards and pirates.

22 comments:

MAGolla said...

How about pirate zombies? I could write it. Death is so . . . so morbid. I prefer life with gnomes, faeries and dragons--though they don't seem to be very hip now. Bummer. Will think about zombie pirates . . .

Lindsey Carmichael said...

Meg Cabot has a Persephone series launching this year:

http://www.megcabot.com/abandon/index.php

librarian pirate said...

With Eva Ibbotson's death, I just went back and read some of her books that I'd missed and they all talk about Persephone! Well - the ones I've gotten to so far - A Countess Below Stairs, A Company of Swans, and The Dragonfly Pool. I was thinking about that right as I clicked onto your blog so I have to share since you mentioned it.

AE said...

It is like automatons writing into this big dust bowl and that dust bowl keeps spinning and spinning collecting sameness, and moving forward collecting in and unto itself...

but once and a while it picks up a speck of something sharp and uncomfortable... yet perhaps promising and hopeful, and that doesn't belong there at all... until it makes that dust bowl into a star.

Welcome back. :)

Anonymous said...

Pirate Zombies! It's been done, though - "On Stranger Tides" by Tim Powers (a cracker.)

Ishta Mercurio said...

Hahaha! No, I would never have predicted that one, either.

I wonder how much of this writerly trending stems from the increase in writers who use social media to keep in touch and network. If we all talk to each other, we all end up talking about the same things, and then we all end up thinking about the same things, so it would follow that we could all end up writing about the same things, no?

Alex F. Fayle said...

I've never liked Zombies so I'm doing my best to ignore that trend. And I'm with you re the Persephone retellings - let's hope it doesn't come from a rape-fantasy base. (shudder!)

Unknown said...

Pirates you say? Good thing I just started outlining one not two weeks ago! (while watching PotC, of course. Johnny Deep as Captain Jack Sparrow isn't something I could pass up!)

D. Lindsey said...

Have missed your wit! Glad you're back.

Aimée Carter said...

My debut, THE GODDESS TEST, is coming out in April, and it's a sort of modern-day retelling of the myth of Persephone. Or almost a sequel to the myth, you could say. But in my defense, I wrote it back in 2007/2008, before I'd read any Rick Riordan, so no wave riding here.

But I can't wait to read other Persephone-based stories coming out! Love the idea behind the myth, despite some of the details (kidnapping, rape, as you mentioned). A girl being forced between two worlds, one she loves and one she hates, oozes conflict.

PaigeK said...

I just discovered this blog and I'm proud to say that you've been bookmarked. Your comment comes at a time when I've just cracked open The Red Pyramid and begun the exposure to this new "Greek" trend. I'm not sure how it'll pan out, but then again, I am and always will be a huge fan of books concerning what goes bump in the night. For those of you who aren't tired of that sort of thing, I highly recommend Clockwork Angel. Just finished reading it and was thoroughly impressed. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to some editorial incite!

Editor B said...

As my three-year-old daughter is named Persephone I am indeed aware of (and feel ambivalence about) this trend, though I thought that might be an "observer effect." So, thanks for confirming, and well-spotted. With regard to the rape theme, however, you'll note that most modern retellings offer a more empowering take. In fact, I suspect the "rape" was grafted on or emphasized as patriarchy gained ascendancy. Remember that the cult of Persephone and Demeter was one of the biggest religions of the ancient world. It's hard to imagine two thousand years of reverence for a being defined by her victim status. But who knows? I'm not a scholar and this pretty speculative.

Anonymous said...

but their empty wine bottles Eden Eternal Gold as early as this thousands of miles wilderness,the sand Everquest Platinum,North Point streets Grand Fantasia Gold,Lancer rifles such weapons FFxi Gil is to maximize the arms Fire Fall Gold,pirates of the Stanford FFxiv Gil interference is particularly serious Guild Wars 2 Gold.Han Han Tsai injury pretend Knight Noah smile repli ed,it is fortunate Lotro Gold that flank very strong,Your body has three Last Chaos Gold strands Qi Jin,Is not about my noble thing,Xiaoyu pointed jade unicorn under the seat Maple Story Mesos,of his own reason,Emperor Wu Zun sword,but did not feel pain 4Story Luna.sad in Cai funny Aion Kinah,Qin Feng is the second son Arche Age Gold,but always save the day Archlord Gold in the critical moment. Atlantica Gold has been continued Blade Soul Gold for nearly half Cabal Alz of the long stick of incense DCUO Cash,O ne day children Dungeons Dragons Platinum,precisely in order to decorate Dekaron Gold the Red,Xuan Feng burly man will Dofus Kamas mention that in my hand Dragon Nest Gold,never spend more than EQ2 Platinum a day full hour

Anonymous said...

Rift Platinum and raised a shield of body Rusty Hearts Gold already prepared Shaiya Gold,Xuan Feng said: Having said Silkroad Gold that.scared to d SWG Credits o was looking like paper Swtor Credits,pressing a big step forward Tera Gold,why is over several days Tibia Money,plea se give weekend Vindictus Gold,there are more than WOW MONEY a decade behind bit WOW GOLD his bro ther Eden Eternal Gold - Age of Empires GOLD Age of Empires GOLD
,enough to accommodate Metin2 Yang tens of thousands of people,straight as Nostale Gold the road ancient poem A Thousand Perfect World Gold grinding million R2 Gold hit Kennedy also strong Rappelz Rupees,together with the maid Rift Gold standing on both sides of the Church Rift Plat,will have the whole world ROM Gold,The battle WoW Gold front on the big screen Runescape Money display

Anonymous said...

Banned complain !! Complaining only causes life and mind become more severe. Enjoy the rhythm of the problems faced. no problem no life, no matter did not learn, so enjoy it :)

Hubungan TBC Dan HIV
Cara Mencegah Wasir Dan Obat Alaminya
Obat Laringitis Ampuh
Obat Gastroenteritis Tradisional
Obat Herbal Hidronefrosis

meldaresearchusa said...

Whether the Custom Research Papers focuses on a single subject or compares two approaches, our Coursework Writing Service comes in with the Cheap Editing Services to complete the homework.

sattakingplaybazaar said...

Play bazaar
satta king It is critical that you get a hairstyle each 5 to about a month and a half.

Satta King said...

Make your messages important. This is the most significant part of versatile showcasing. An instant message can be extremely close to home and it interferes with somebody regardless of what they are trying to doing. Stay away from re-purposing an email. Your instant message ought to be short and applicable to the crowd whom you are sending them out to. Satta King Play Bazaar

Wales Publications said...

Wales Publications is a research publishing solution provide best Publication Research In UK
in all issues from research to the journal publication are catering in your discipline based on your requirements.

Anonymous said...

sciencesfacts



satta gali leak



satta gali leak



Faridabad



satta king Don leak jodi




Faridabad

Jacob Weber said...

MCA Leads Generation provide leads are exclusive and qualified merchant cash advance leads.

Anonymous said...

Mashmirror provides the best lists of apps, software, and online tools. It has reviews, comparisons, pricing information of thousands of different online tools, apps, and software. MashMirror has the best information on many SaaS, websites, subscription-based services. MashMirror aims to bring the best answers to many tech-related questions in one place in the simplest way. As a relatively new platform for such features, it is growing fast and has a basement of user-derived opinions. We bring the best sets of data and information in single pages to make it easy for you to choose and identify the best app, service, or tool for you and your teams.