If this anthology had not been entitled "Dangerous Women", I would have come to it with fewer expectations. Many of the stories are quite good and I would have enjoyed them if I hadn't been looking forward to some, y'know, dangerous women. HOWEVER:
(spoilers, but I'm not telling for which stories)
A bro story about an old man teaching a young man how to fight so that the old man can win the sexy lady who will passively sleep with whatever dude wins the match is NOT a story about a dangerous woman.
A story about a man who seeks out jaded trophy wives looking to leave their husbands, and rapes and kills them, is NOT a story about a dangerous woman. (Do I really need to say this?)
Stories about sexy sexy women who seduce men into doing their bidding *could* be stories about dangerous women, but when you give me four stories in a row like this, I begin to think you might not be aware that women can have strength other than sex appeal. Likewise, stories of dangerous women *could* be narrated through the eyes of her male antagonist, but after the fifth such story, I get the feeling that you primarily identify with the men and I'm also sick of male voices in my head.
A story about a pioneer woman who uses her superior knowledge of the local landscape and fauna to defeat the people trying to cheat her *IS* a story about a dangerous woman, so well done there.
(spoilers, but I'm not telling for which stories)
A bro story about an old man teaching a young man how to fight so that the old man can win the sexy lady who will passively sleep with whatever dude wins the match is NOT a story about a dangerous woman.
A story about a man who seeks out jaded trophy wives looking to leave their husbands, and rapes and kills them, is NOT a story about a dangerous woman. (Do I really need to say this?)
Stories about sexy sexy women who seduce men into doing their bidding *could* be stories about dangerous women, but when you give me four stories in a row like this, I begin to think you might not be aware that women can have strength other than sex appeal. Likewise, stories of dangerous women *could* be narrated through the eyes of her male antagonist, but after the fifth such story, I get the feeling that you primarily identify with the men and I'm also sick of male voices in my head.
A story about a pioneer woman who uses her superior knowledge of the local landscape and fauna to defeat the people trying to cheat her *IS* a story about a dangerous woman, so well done there.
