I'm not sure what I think about this piece in the Guardian. What are your thoughts.

[MassiveHoard]

www.theguardian.com/books/2021/oct/16/female-spanish-thriller-writer-carmen-mola-revealed-to-be-three-men

As the title says, I feel really conflicted about this. I'd love to hear what you think.

I do find it really iffy that 3 men published, as a female author.

Books that are-

Ultra violent.
Female protagonist likes classic cars, boozing, sex in cars.
And her surname means 'cool'.

It really sounds like she encompasses certain male fantasies. Presumably theirs.

I do feel a bit ugh at presenting all that as written by a woman.

I mean say if there was a series of books by a man about. Erm.
Something like.
Male protagonist who was v troubled, alcoholic, had a past including VAWG. Whose thoughts when meeting/ working with women were narrated and were really unpalatable.
And then it was revealed to be a female author. Would cause controversy.

Reading that assuming well written could be seen as gritty or something by male author.
By female I think plenty of men would find it totally different.

Iyswim. Prob poor example.

Every romance novel out there contains male characters designed to fulfill certain female fantasies about men. Most are written by women.

But what possible difference does it make whether the name of the author is male or female? If you think the book is silly or badly written, don't read it.

It's similar to saying you're from a particular ethnic group, writing a book under that persona and winning a prize for it under a category of books by people from that group.

I agree. I’m fine with people using their imagination to write as someone from another group or the other sex. But din’t pretend you’re a member of an underprivileged group and take a prize intended for them.

I read a fairly plausible sounding analysis a while back which argued that Elena Ferrante is actually male (writer husband of the translator of the novels, I think, according to linguistic analysis and other factors). That has definitely put me off reading more Ferrante, and if true, leaves a sour taste in the mouth after all the hype about this great, groundbreaking woman writing about the female experience.

@thinkingaboutLangCleg

It's similar to saying you're from a particular ethnic group, writing a book under that persona and winning a prize for it under a category of books by people from that group.

I agree. I’m fine with people using their imagination to write as someone from another group or the other sex. But din’t pretend you’re a member of an underprivileged group and take a prize intended for them.

I agree.

But in this case the prize is not intended for any group and was submitted under the male pseudonym.

Not only have people written under pseudonyms for centuries, there are so many entirely fictional authors too.

All the Rainbow Fairy, Beast Quest, Animal series etc have a team of different authors who churn out book after book. But the series’ websites all feature a fictional ‘biography’ of the made-up authors.

I have no problem with this.

@exexpat

I read a fairly plausible sounding analysis a while back which argued that Elena Ferrante is actually male (writer husband of the translator of the novels, I think, according to linguistic analysis and other factors). That has definitely put me off reading more Ferrante, and if true, leaves a sour taste in the mouth after all the hype about this great, groundbreaking woman writing about the female experience.

I really don't understand this. The Ferrante books were either well-written and enjoyable to read or they weren't.

I got about 1/4 way through the first one, found it extremely dull, laboured and pedestrian. I couldn't care less who wrote it- it's still as tedious whoever it was.

As for them being "ground - breaking"- what was groundbreaking about writing about "the female experience" (whatever that might mean) There are countless novels flogged using that strapline.