I have not read this book

[james_davis_nicoll]

So this is not a review of the book. It is a review of the blurb intended to entice me to buy it.

I do not care for this blurb but am curious how other people react to it.

Comments

My reaction

[ccamfield.livejournal.com]

Boring... boring... boring... W T F???

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

Yup. Silly names, Heinlen reference, Heinlein reference (all kind of boring), WTF???

[ccamfield.livejournal.com]

Heh, I knew that one of them was a Heinlein reference, the description of the family just seemed kind of twee - describing these twins' family and making them overly precious. If that makes sense?

But it doesn't bother me as much as the sexist final bit. If you found some "Boy's Adventure" SF, how many of those talk about how the male teens might save the world if they can get their mind off video games and their raging hormones, or whatever?

[dagibbs.livejournal.com]

Jubal and Podkayne are both Heinlein references.

And, yep, the sexist final bit was my WTF, too. Then again, I haven't read the blurbing on teen romance novels in 30 or so years, maybe they still read like that?

[cristalex.livejournal.com]

Jubal and Podkayne are both Heinlein references.

And twin girls Cassandra and Pollyanna map onto twin boys Castor and Pollux from The Rolling Stones. Full marks to Varley for the way the names are in-jokes but also have an added significance all their own

[carloshasanax.livejournal.com]

Here's the copy for the 2008 update of the first Sweet Valley High book:

WELCOME TO SWEET Valley High—a world of good girls and bad girls, hot boys with fast cars, perfect tans and natural highlights . . . all under the Southern California sun.
Twin girls, identical in every way—yet they couldn’t be more different. Jessica Wakefield is used to getting what she wants—at school, with her friends, and especially with boys—and she’ll stop at nothing to get it. Elizabeth Wakefield is used to letting her twin sister have her way. There’s not much that’s worth fighting her over—lost earrings can be replaced, petty problems can be resolved, and rampant rumors can be doused like a fire. But when it comes to Todd Wilkins, Liz isn’t so sure she should step aside and make way for Jessica. This time, Jessica Wakefield is going to have some competition—from her own sister.

And here's the one from 1984:

Will Jessica steal Todd from Elizabeth ...Elizabeth and Jessica Wakefield are identical twins at Sweet Valley High. They're both popular, smart, and gorgeous, but that's where the similarity ends. Elizabeth is friendly, outgoing, and sincere - nothing like her twin. Snobbish and conniving, Jessica thinks the whole world revolves around her. Trouble is, most of the time it does. Jessica always gets what she wants - at school, with friends, and especially with boys. This time, Jessica has set her sights on Todd Wilkins, the handsome star of the basketball team - the one boy Elizabeth really likes. Now it's a game of double love, with Todd as first prize. Elizabeth doesn't want to lose him, but what Jessica wants, Jessica usually gets ...even if it ends up hurting her sister. Meet the Wakefield twins, their guys, and the rest of the gang at Sweet Valley High...

So, alas, yes, he's riffing on a known thing.

Varley had a very good eye for the wretchedness of children's programming in The Golden Globe, so it wouldn't surprise me if he's doing this deliberately. On the other hand, aging hippie turning into a "get off my lawn!" type is also a known thing.

[roseembolism.livejournal.com]

Of course in the Sweet Valley books the protagonists didn't have to treat themselves away from the boys and makeup long enough to deal with say, a terrorist attack or wildfire.

I mean, can you imagine Little Brother based around this idea?

[beamjockey.livejournal.com]

Carlos, have you read everything?

[carloshasanax.livejournal.com]

Nah.