Claire Rousseau
@clairerousseau.bsky.social
SFF nerd, fangirl, #TeamADHD; woodworking & gardening noob, lapsed booktuber & Hugo Award Loser³. For my sins, I work for ManyATrueNerd. She/Her
If I ever have to come up with a solo conference panel extremely last minute, I'm pretty confident I could come up with a solid hour on the Problematic Feminism of Pern. From Not Like The Other Girls Menolly, to Strong Female Character Lessa, via Brekke & Kylara, ie. the madonna vs whore dichotomy
August 13, 2025 at 7:21 PM
If I ever have to come up with a solo conference panel extremely last minute, I'm pretty confident I could come up with a solid hour on the Problematic Feminism of Pern. From Not Like The Other Girls Menolly, to Strong Female Character Lessa, via Brekke & Kylara, ie. the madonna vs whore dichotomy
Oh I definitely got all the good bits of Pern, there's a reason I read all the books many times over & they shaped me deeply as a person! It's also why my mum thought her 11yo should read them, it's just that now I know there were things in there I was to young to pick up on and she was not.
Oh, and yes, I was about middle-school age, maybe 11 or 12, at the time. I still picked up on what she was trying to say.
August 13, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Oh I definitely got all the good bits of Pern, there's a reason I read all the books many times over & they shaped me deeply as a person! It's also why my mum thought her 11yo should read them, it's just that now I know there were things in there I was to young to pick up on and she was not.
Fascinating! All the Pern books were on the same sff shelf and from the same imprint when I was buying them as a kid. This was in France in the 90s.
My memory is that they were even shelved in a different section of Borders in the 90s than the rest of Pern, which were in Sci-fi/Fantasy. The Alanna books were there too.
August 13, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Fascinating! All the Pern books were on the same sff shelf and from the same imprint when I was buying them as a kid. This was in France in the 90s.
Reposted by Claire Rousseau
My memory is that they were even shelved in a different section of Borders in the 90s than the rest of Pern, which were in Sci-fi/Fantasy. The Alanna books were there too.
August 13, 2025 at 6:57 PM
My memory is that they were even shelved in a different section of Borders in the 90s than the rest of Pern, which were in Sci-fi/Fantasy. The Alanna books were there too.
I'm sure McCaffrey's intentions were good, but more than one thing can be going on at once.
Lessa is an awesome character - smart, fierce & complex - but her life partner keeps *physically shaking her* when they disagree & it's presented as Just A Thing F'lar Does, no big deal.
Lessa is an awesome character - smart, fierce & complex - but her life partner keeps *physically shaking her* when they disagree & it's presented as Just A Thing F'lar Does, no big deal.
Maybe I should say that I think what was really going on was McCaffrey was putting the gender imbalances on display to make a point about them being shitty, not to set them as a norm.
August 13, 2025 at 6:59 PM
I'm sure McCaffrey's intentions were good, but more than one thing can be going on at once.
Lessa is an awesome character - smart, fierce & complex - but her life partner keeps *physically shaking her* when they disagree & it's presented as Just A Thing F'lar Does, no big deal.
Lessa is an awesome character - smart, fierce & complex - but her life partner keeps *physically shaking her* when they disagree & it's presented as Just A Thing F'lar Does, no big deal.
The Harper Hall books definitely have more of a YA feel to them (though that marketing category didn't quite exist yet when I was its target demo) and Menolly's books do read as a triumph over sexism, albeit due in great part to Menolly's exceptional talent. She's Not Like The Other Girls.
Interesting. I started the Pern books randomly by picking up Dragonsong at the local library. Perhaps this first impression made me see the Pern stories differently. Menolly was very clearly meant to be a hero to young girls striving to break the gender barrier, so I always saw McCaffrey that way.
August 13, 2025 at 6:48 PM
The Harper Hall books definitely have more of a YA feel to them (though that marketing category didn't quite exist yet when I was its target demo) and Menolly's books do read as a triumph over sexism, albeit due in great part to Menolly's exceptional talent. She's Not Like The Other Girls.
I don't even think those books are inappropriate for an 11yo because they include sex scenes, it's just the power/gender dynamics are so fucked up, you really need to be better equipped to go "well that's not cool or romantic" than any middle-schooler should be.
Dragonriders of Pern had to be the most formative but I was also definitely too young when I read Clan of the Cave Bear.
Both were handed to me by my mum who borrowed them from the library and thought I'd enjoy them *after she was done reading them* when I was like 11 or 12.
Both were handed to me by my mum who borrowed them from the library and thought I'd enjoy them *after she was done reading them* when I was like 11 or 12.
Jean M. Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear series between 10 and 12.
But honestly The Neverending Story at age 8. Not too young, just right.
But honestly The Neverending Story at age 8. Not too young, just right.
August 12, 2025 at 2:12 PM
I don't even think those books are inappropriate for an 11yo because they include sex scenes, it's just the power/gender dynamics are so fucked up, you really need to be better equipped to go "well that's not cool or romantic" than any middle-schooler should be.
Dragonriders of Pern had to be the most formative but I was also definitely too young when I read Clan of the Cave Bear.
Both were handed to me by my mum who borrowed them from the library and thought I'd enjoy them *after she was done reading them* when I was like 11 or 12.
Both were handed to me by my mum who borrowed them from the library and thought I'd enjoy them *after she was done reading them* when I was like 11 or 12.
Jean M. Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear series between 10 and 12.
But honestly The Neverending Story at age 8. Not too young, just right.
But honestly The Neverending Story at age 8. Not too young, just right.
Quote this with a book you read way too young that explains why you are the way you are.
I'll start: John Gardner's Grendel.
I'll start: John Gardner's Grendel.
August 12, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Dragonriders of Pern had to be the most formative but I was also definitely too young when I read Clan of the Cave Bear.
Both were handed to me by my mum who borrowed them from the library and thought I'd enjoy them *after she was done reading them* when I was like 11 or 12.
Both were handed to me by my mum who borrowed them from the library and thought I'd enjoy them *after she was done reading them* when I was like 11 or 12.
Reposted by Claire Rousseau
Reposted by Claire Rousseau
It's live on Instagram so I think we're allowed to yell about it here too -- I am SO HONOURED to have been invited to participate in this @ursulakleguin.com -inspired anthology with @jonathanstrahan.bsky.social and @titanbooks.bsky.social ! Out this October! LOOKIT THOSE NAMES!!!
March 21, 2025 at 5:47 PM
It's live on Instagram so I think we're allowed to yell about it here too -- I am SO HONOURED to have been invited to participate in this @ursulakleguin.com -inspired anthology with @jonathanstrahan.bsky.social and @titanbooks.bsky.social ! Out this October! LOOKIT THOSE NAMES!!!
I can never get over the incredible mix of affection & pure *dragging* his arse in Diamonds & Rust.
So much tenderness, but also calling your ex an
"unwashed phenomenon". It's just perfect.
So much tenderness, but also calling your ex an
"unwashed phenomenon". It's just perfect.
May 11, 2025 at 10:31 PM
I can never get over the incredible mix of affection & pure *dragging* his arse in Diamonds & Rust.
So much tenderness, but also calling your ex an
"unwashed phenomenon". It's just perfect.
So much tenderness, but also calling your ex an
"unwashed phenomenon". It's just perfect.
Reposted by Claire Rousseau
So I will say this as gently as I can: given the current state of the world, cons (especially held in the US) should really keep or enhance their online programming instead of eliminating it. I understand it takes resources to run a hybrid con but the alternative is to exclude the rest of the world
March 27, 2025 at 5:32 PM
So I will say this as gently as I can: given the current state of the world, cons (especially held in the US) should really keep or enhance their online programming instead of eliminating it. I understand it takes resources to run a hybrid con but the alternative is to exclude the rest of the world
Reposted by Claire Rousseau
Someone clever did this to a lamppost on Coverdale road and now I am disappointed that every lamppost doesn’t have one
March 12, 2025 at 5:29 AM
Someone clever did this to a lamppost on Coverdale road and now I am disappointed that every lamppost doesn’t have one
Reposted by Claire Rousseau
“Don’t trust everything you read on the internet.”
AI search results: what if I did tho
AI search results: what if I did tho
May 23, 2024 at 1:41 PM
“Don’t trust everything you read on the internet.”
AI search results: what if I did tho
AI search results: what if I did tho
Reposted by Claire Rousseau
Genius bit of Valentine's Day marketing for a great cause! I did a full witch cackle 🤣
Rescue will neuter a cat and name it after your ex www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Rescue will neuter a cat and name it after your ex www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Whitby rescue will neuter feral cat and name it after your ex
The initiative at Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary is to mark Valentine's Day.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 15, 2025 at 9:18 AM
Genius bit of Valentine's Day marketing for a great cause! I did a full witch cackle 🤣
Rescue will neuter a cat and name it after your ex www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Rescue will neuter a cat and name it after your ex www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Claire Rousseau
Hugo nominations are open and I have only two requests:
1. Commit to picking 2 non-Tordotcom novellas for your ballot
2. For the love of all that is holy in this world, do not nominate adult/crossovers or middle grade books for the Lodestar - officially categorized YA only!
1. Commit to picking 2 non-Tordotcom novellas for your ballot
2. For the love of all that is holy in this world, do not nominate adult/crossovers or middle grade books for the Lodestar - officially categorized YA only!
February 10, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Hugo nominations are open and I have only two requests:
1. Commit to picking 2 non-Tordotcom novellas for your ballot
2. For the love of all that is holy in this world, do not nominate adult/crossovers or middle grade books for the Lodestar - officially categorized YA only!
1. Commit to picking 2 non-Tordotcom novellas for your ballot
2. For the love of all that is holy in this world, do not nominate adult/crossovers or middle grade books for the Lodestar - officially categorized YA only!
Lol don't worry, the balance of the universe has righted itself, I'd forgotten to check in online and had to queue for 20 minutes for an overworked easyjet employee to print me one.
Is this how organised people feel all the time?
February 9, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Lol don't worry, the balance of the universe has righted itself, I'd forgotten to check in online and had to queue for 20 minutes for an overworked easyjet employee to print me one.
Repost with your apocalypse skill:
- Veggie gardening, preserving & cooking.
- Community organising, will volunteer to help run stuff.
- Woodworking & general handiness, incurable i-bet-i-could-fix-that-edness
- To Jacob's most excellent point, will fight anyone who argues for not saving everyone.
- Veggie gardening, preserving & cooking.
- Community organising, will volunteer to help run stuff.
- Woodworking & general handiness, incurable i-bet-i-could-fix-that-edness
- To Jacob's most excellent point, will fight anyone who argues for not saving everyone.
Repost with your apocalypse skill:
- Was a blacksmith and welder in a previous life.
- Have experience with cooperative process.
& reject the premise that you need a skill to be valuable to me in the apocalypse. The point of surviving the apocalypse together is that people are valuable regardless.
- Was a blacksmith and welder in a previous life.
- Have experience with cooperative process.
& reject the premise that you need a skill to be valuable to me in the apocalypse. The point of surviving the apocalypse together is that people are valuable regardless.
Pastoral care skills for days, can cook well, am tall, appear intimidating until I start talking
February 9, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Repost with your apocalypse skill:
- Veggie gardening, preserving & cooking.
- Community organising, will volunteer to help run stuff.
- Woodworking & general handiness, incurable i-bet-i-could-fix-that-edness
- To Jacob's most excellent point, will fight anyone who argues for not saving everyone.
- Veggie gardening, preserving & cooking.
- Community organising, will volunteer to help run stuff.
- Woodworking & general handiness, incurable i-bet-i-could-fix-that-edness
- To Jacob's most excellent point, will fight anyone who argues for not saving everyone.
In a turn of events never before exposure by moi, I have made it onto the train I actually planned to take to the airport, not just the backup train that would get me there an hour and a half before my flight, not the full two. And that's without the train running late? I was just... on time?
February 9, 2025 at 1:08 PM
In a turn of events never before exposure by moi, I have made it onto the train I actually planned to take to the airport, not just the backup train that would get me there an hour and a half before my flight, not the full two. And that's without the train running late? I was just... on time?
I'm off to France today to hang out with family for a few days, so obvi, I've got to have a lot of books lined up.
I prefer audiobooks for the plane: a few hours left of The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, plus The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty out from the library.
I prefer audiobooks for the plane: a few hours left of The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, plus The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty out from the library.
February 9, 2025 at 12:58 PM
I'm off to France today to hang out with family for a few days, so obvi, I've got to have a lot of books lined up.
I prefer audiobooks for the plane: a few hours left of The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, plus The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty out from the library.
I prefer audiobooks for the plane: a few hours left of The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley, plus The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty out from the library.
@portalbookshop.bsky.social Could you hook me up with a pre-order, pretty please? DM me for payment + shipping details? xxx
Ahhhh my UK copies of Wooing the Witch Queen have arrived from @panmacmillan.bsky.social and they are GORGEOUS! 😍
I love both editions SO MUCH and I can't wait to see these in the wild. Only 2-1/2 more weeks until publication day!
Preorder now: stephanieburgis.com/books/wooing-the-witch-queen/
I love both editions SO MUCH and I can't wait to see these in the wild. Only 2-1/2 more weeks until publication day!
Preorder now: stephanieburgis.com/books/wooing-the-witch-queen/
February 2, 2025 at 2:40 PM
@portalbookshop.bsky.social Could you hook me up with a pre-order, pretty please? DM me for payment + shipping details? xxx
Reposted by Claire Rousseau
Good morning Blue Sky! Hope you’re all ok? Today I’m currently reading Grave Empire by Richard Swan for some epic fantasy. What are you reading at the moment?
February 2, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Good morning Blue Sky! Hope you’re all ok? Today I’m currently reading Grave Empire by Richard Swan for some epic fantasy. What are you reading at the moment?
Can't wait for @stephanieburgis.bsky.social's latest! Look at this gorgeous UK edition, I'm so excited to have it on my shelves!
Ahhhh my UK copies of Wooing the Witch Queen have arrived from @panmacmillan.bsky.social and they are GORGEOUS! 😍
I love both editions SO MUCH and I can't wait to see these in the wild. Only 2-1/2 more weeks until publication day!
Preorder now: stephanieburgis.com/books/wooing-the-witch-queen/
I love both editions SO MUCH and I can't wait to see these in the wild. Only 2-1/2 more weeks until publication day!
Preorder now: stephanieburgis.com/books/wooing-the-witch-queen/
February 2, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Can't wait for @stephanieburgis.bsky.social's latest! Look at this gorgeous UK edition, I'm so excited to have it on my shelves!
Reposted by Claire Rousseau
classic Loony Tunes have much to teach us about class solidarity
January 31, 2025 at 2:18 PM
classic Loony Tunes have much to teach us about class solidarity