Book 1: Fallen

Okay honestly I don't know how to start this. Do I start with my rants (and there are a few believe me) or do I start with what I like? Let's start with the latter.

I like the feeling of Fallen. Lauren Kate does a decent job of getting the creepy feeling of the not-kept-up-reform school across. But her description of it can be a little lacking. I don't feel like I'm in Georgia (as a former resident I can vouch for the never. Ending. Heat. The humidity isn't overly grand either). And to me it just doesn't feel like the South. *shrug*

Now for the rants! I know you're excited. As a... Verbose feminist (as my best friend will tell you in so many fewer words) I read for "in what position are the women in?" And for the women of power, such as Randy (who runs the school when the headmaster's away), you see a dodging of acknowledging the fact that she's a woman. Which isn't even stated out right. In the beginning of the books one of the characters turns to Luce and asks if she thinks Randy is male or female. (I'm assuming she's female due to the fact that much of the book is geared in that direction). And don't even me started on Luce. She fits the stereotypical damsel-in-distress character. She's completely infatuated with Daniel and thinks of literally nothing else. Literally. Nothing. Else. She doesn't take things into her own hands when it comes to situations she doesn't like (unless she's stalking this poor guy. Which is a thing that happened. There were files, breaking and entering, family history research and everything). She has no power. I haven't seen her take a strong position on anything. And there so many stories with characters that fit these archetypes that I just sit back and cringe at every show of poor thinking on Luce's part. "You could have done something to save yourself but you just stood in the corner and screamed. A+ job." "Oh you got into the creepy car with the even creepier guy that you don't know to go meet a guy who just started a fight over you. What are you even doing with your life stop that." She's just not a strong character and that disappoints me.