WALT WHITMAN'S QUEERNESS AND WHY IT DOES(N'T) MATTER

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AUTHOR AND AUTHOR FUNCTION: FOR DUMMIES

Hey everyone! In this post I am going to be tackling the difference between the author and the author function.

In Critical Theory, we've been looking at Michel Foucault's article What Is An Author? which addresses the concept of authorship and how/why it exists.

When it is put into simple terms, it is quite easy to understand the difference between author and author function. The author is the living, breathing human being that writes. (We are speaking of the author in the present tense, however the author may be dead. Or alive. Or they might not exist yet. See, this is where it gets a bit complicated...)

This is a picture of the author J.K. Rowling, the very talented woman who wrote the Harry Potter series. The idea for Harry Potter came to her while she was stuck on a train and she started writing the prolific story on a napkin because it was all she had at the moment.

Now, author function is a tad bit more complicated to explain. While the author is/was a real person, the author function is a concept that perseveres long after the author is dead and gone. In other words, the author function in the context of this example with J.K. Rowling is anything that makes up the body of her work. So, the seven Harry Potter books that she penned, minor yet related works (i.e. books that exist in the HP universe that she wrote and released in real life like Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and The Tales of Beedle the Bard), those horrific crime novels she wrote under a pseudonym (and for good reason).

More often than not, when someone is referring to Rowling they are referring to the author function and not the author. Perhaps if they are speaking of her personal life or her childhood, the person is referring to the author. However, usually when someone refers to Rowling (or any other author really...this example isn't limited to just rowling) they are using her proper name in a more generalized way, as if to say that Rowling is her work. As Foucault suggests, the text creates the author and not the other way around. So perhaps it is appropriate to refer to the author in relation to the works that they have created, as their authorship would be non-existent without the creation and preservation of their works.

J.K. Rowling is defined by her famous series and her legacy will live on through the books she has written. When she is long gone, Harry and his friends will continue to brighten the lives of those who embark on the journey of delving into his magical world.

until next time,

AN INAUGURAL BOOK REVIEW: THRONE OF GLASS BY SARAH J. MAAS

Hi everyone! This is my very first book review on Essentially Shannon, and I couldn't be more stoked! I'm thankful for Thanksgiving break because I actually had a chance to read some books that I've been wanting to read for so long (kind of ironic because as an English major i'm constantly reading...) But on that note, I (literally, like two hours ago) just finished Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas so here is my review! :)

Hold on a second, can we just take a second to marvel at how beautiful this cover is? I know it's what's inside a book that's important, but come on. This cover is AMAZING. You don't even have to open the book to know it's going to be crazy good. I mean, you should open the book and read it...but just wait till after my review, okay? ;)

I feel like before I tell you what I thought of this book that I should just say: Harry Potter is, and will always be, my favorite book series. Nothing can ever compare. That's just how it is for me, literature wise. So, when a book/series even comes anywhere close to my love for Harry Potter, you know it has to be good. And this book does not disappoint in any way.

Okay, with that little disclaimer out of the way, let's get into this (spoiler free) review. First of all, you're probably wondering, "Shannon, what is this book even about?" Oh, I'll tell you what it's about. Throne of Glass follows Celaena Sardothien, aka the most kickass female protagonist in any book ever, an 18 year old assassin who is imprisoned in the salt mines of Endovier while she serves out her sentence for the plethora of crimes she has committed. One day, everything changes when the Crown Prince arrives and offers Celaena her freedom, but with a catch: she will compete against other fugitives to become the King's Champion, the royal assassin who does the king's bidding without question. If she emerges victorious, she will be granted her freedom after four years of servitude as the royal assassin.

Upon her arrival in Adarlan, Celaena begins her training and things seem to be going pretty well. Although she pretends to be somewhat incompetent in front of the men she is competing against, it becomes clear that Celaena is the front runner to win the competition. However, her competitors start to be murdered one by one and Celaena discovers that something truly evil is lurking among them.

I know, I know, that synopsis is kind of vague but it has to be because I don't want to give anything important away! And plus, I really want you to read the book! ;) For me, this book started out a little bit slow (but really, what book doesn't) but once I got past the introduction of the world and the characters, I was hooked! Like I said earlier, Celaena Sardothein is the most kickass female protagonist ever. I mean for one, she's an assassin. And two, she doesn't take anyone's crap. And three, she wears beautiful clothes and Dorian the Crown Prince is in love with her. So, I mean what's not to like. 

I thought the plot was great, it kept me interested and there were a few red herrings, which always makes for an interesting read! The world building was pretty extensive (it is the first book in a series, after all) but I enjoyed getting to learn about the different kingdoms and I can't wait to learn more. In my opinion, for fantasy series in particular, creating an interesting world with an intriguing story and mythology is one of the hardest things to do but Maas went about it really well. This book is considered "romance" as well, and the romantic aspect was one of my favorite parts surprisingly. Usually, I am leery of romance in YA fantasy books because it tends to be cheesy or just plain annoying (cough Twilight cough) But, I am a huge fan of Celaena and Dorian (Delaena? Can we make that happen?) Their conversations were by far some of my favorite scenes in the book, and I can't wait to see where the next book takes their relationship.

Speaking of the next book (Crown of Midnight, if you're wondering), I loved Throne of Glass so much that I bought it immediately after I finished and I plan on starting to read it...oh, right after I finish this blog post! If I had to give Throne of Glass a rating, I would easily give it a 4.5 out of 5 starts! It's definitely up there on my list of favorite series and I can't wait to start the next book! If you're looking for a great fantasy read, I would most definitely recommend it!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7896527-throne-of-glass

until next time,