2010 Mormon Literature Year in Review:

By Andrew Hall

Part 1: National Market, 2010

(Note: I am now posting at Dawning of a Brighter Day, the blog of the Association for Mormon Letters, a weekly column covering the world of Mormon literature.  The focus is on published fiction, but I also cover theater and film.  I also link to recently published literary works, news, and reviews. I hope to make the brief column a convenient gathering place for authors and readers to announce and follow news about the field each week.)

Mormon authors continue to enlarge their presence in the fields of nationally-published young adult and middle grade novels. Brandon Sanderson is becoming a leading light in the epic fantasy genre. Stephanie Meyer published another bestselling book. Glenn Beck sold nearly as many novels as he did non-fiction. I appreciate the width and depth of the work that Mormon authors are producing, and feel tribal pride in their success. But only a small percentage of the nationally published novels Mormons are producing what can be called adult literature. And only a miniscule amount of these novels specifically address Mormon doctrine, culture, or history. Brady Udall is a nationally recognized literary craftsman of the highest order. The fact that he has taken his skill and used it to explore a subject fundamental to the history of Mormonism, and did it with such skill, humor, and charity, thrills me to the core. For these reasons, without a doubt the 2010 Mormon novel of the year was Brady Udall’s The Lonely Polygamist.

Okay, The Lonely Polygamist is about a tiny fundamentalist sect in southern Utah, not about modern Mormonism. But as Udall wrote “Whether we like it or not, polygamy is not only a part of our past, it’s part of our present, our scripture and theology, which both suggest it will be part of our future. If we are to respect our heritage and be honest about who we are as a people, we must acknowledge polygamy’s place in our church and culture.”

The novel is a darkly comic family drama about Golden Richards, a bumbling, insecure polygamist patriarch with four wives and 28 children, who feels increasingly disconnected from his family after the death of a child. The point-of-view rotates between Golden, Trish, the fourth wife, and Rusty, a misfit eleven-year old son. Here are some comments from reviews: “It is funny, it can be moving, it is ambitious and it is tender about man’s endless absurdities and failings” (NY Times). “Udall’s story has some of the whimsy of John Nichols’s The Milagro Beanfield War but all the complexity of a Tolstoyan or even Faulknerian production—and one of the most satisfying closing lines in modern literature, too” (Kirkus Review). “The Lonely Polygamist is a great novel. Is it a perfect novel? No–but I doubt a perfect novel exists, and this was one of the best novels I’ve read in the past few years. I had a few very small quibbles  with the book: the main character, Golden’s, ineffectuality got a little wearisome at times, and I’m not entirely satisfied with the ending. But the tremendous scope of the book, the lovely prose, the masterful handling of multiple points-of-view, the emotional openness–this is a book that will have you laughing and crying–makes this novel worthy of a five star rating. There’s a generous helping of language and sex, so not all Mormon readers will be comfortable with the novel.  That said, anyone interested in serious study of Mormon literature must read this title” (Angela Hallstrom). It has been named on several year-end list of 2010 best books, including Publishers Weekly Best 10 Books, Kirkus Review’s Best Fiction Top 25 and MacLean’s Top 20 Books. Entertainment Weekly named it the best novel of 2010, saying, “it is packed with more heart, more humor, more tragedy, and ultimately more hope than any other novel published this year.”

I count 29 young nationally-published adult/middle grade novels by Mormon authors published in 2009, up from 23 in 2010. The number is so large that the Whitney Awards committee recently decided to split the YA category into YA General and YA Speculative. Paranormal romance and retold fairy tales continue to be leading genres for Mormon authors, following in the wake of Stephanie Meyer and Shannon Hale. Additionally, the success of Susan Collins’ Hunger Games series has produced a surge in dystopian novels over the last two years. 2010 saw the release of the first of Ally Condie’s Matched series, as well as The Scorch Trials, the second in a dystopian series written by James Dashner. A middle grade dystopian novel, Kristen Landon’s The Limit, also appeared, and two other YA dystopian series, by Elana Johnson and Rob Wells, will debut in 2011.

Ally Condie’s Matched may be the biggest hyped YA novel of 2010, coming off furious bidding among publishers and studios for the manuscript and film rights. While it would be hard for any book to meet those expectations, reviews have been very strong. A starred review in Kirkus stated, “Condie peels back layer after dystopic layer at breakneck speed, Dylan Thomas reverberating throughout . . . Detractors will legitimately cite less-than-subtle morality and similarities to The Giver , but this one’s a fierce, unforgettable page-turner in its own right.” The Wall Street Journal wrote, “That Matched works so well is due partly to the author’s even, measured prose. The cool clarity of Cassie’s voice eerily suits the watchful, unfree Society she inhabits . . . But the book’s greatest appeal lies in Ms. Condie’s ability to capture—in a way that is completely appropriate for adolescent girls—the intensity of young love.” Two persistent criticisms are that the story feels to similar to Lois Lowry’s The Giver, and the ending left too much unresolved. Matched was one of 21 novels on Publishers Weekly 2010 Best Children’s Fiction. Mormon readers might be interested to see that Condie is able to garner great national interest and respect, while still keeping the book as content “clean” as any of her previous Mormon novels.

James Dashner’s The Scorch Trials is the sequel to the 2009 novel The Maze Runner, and tells the story of a group of boys forced into a struggle for their lives by an oppressive future government, similar to The Hunger Games. Kirkus Review wrote, “Taut and bleak, continually intriguing and surprising, this is a solid sequel that keeps . . . readers wondering what is really going on.” VOYA called it “chilling and heart-stopping”, but Publishers Weekly wrote, “the narrative bogs down under the weight of unanswered questions”. Barnes and Noble named it as one of its ten Best of 2010-Teen Books. Dashner also produced The Blade of Shattered Hope, the third in a middle grade fantasy series, for Shadow Mountain, the national imprint of Deseret Book. Interestingly, the Deseret Book retail chain declined to stock The Scorch Trials (published by Delacorte) in its stores, stating, “it contains language some of our customers would find offensive, as this book is targeted to teenagers.”

Besides their shared genre, another connection between Condie and Dashner is that they first published novels in the Mormon market before moving up to national market publishers. Condie wrote five Mormon-themed YA novels for Deseret Book, and Dashner began with a four-book fantasy series for Cedar Fort. One might think many more authors would go through this route, using the Mormon market as a kind of minor league training ground. But in fact, of the many 2010 Mormon fiction authors writing for New York City houses, only James Dashner, Ally Condie, Dean Hughes, and Janette Rallison started in the Mormon market. All of the rest published their first novels nationally. Next year Robison Wells will add to the number making that leap.

Before diving into the rest of the young adult/middle grade authors, mostly females, let’s look at some of the male speculative fiction authors. Brandon Sanderson has solidified his place as a leading figure in the world of fantasy, producing three books in 2010 and reaching the top of the bestseller lists. He achieved superstar status in 2009 with the publication of the first of his three books which make up the final chapter of the late Robert Jordan’s wildly popular Wheel of Time series. The second volume, Towers of Midnight, debuted at #1 on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction list, and is one of the bestselling novels of the year. He also produced Alcatraz Versus the Shattered Lens, the fourth and final volume of his juvenile comic adventure series. Finally, he began a 10-part epic fantasy series of his own with the novel The Way of the Kings. A review in VOYA stated, “The Way of Kings offers fans of epic fantasy lush illustrations enhancing the story, a unique world with a variety of races, a complex historical background adding a good mix of clarity and confusion to the current story line, and a conflict with more shades of gray than black or white . . . A good mix of military action, political machinations, faith-based intrigue, and personal drama keep the pages turning.”

Orson Scott Card began a new time-travel trilogy with the YA novel Pathfinder. The epic novel mixes fantasy and science fiction tropes in a fascinatingly complex way. A starred review at Booklist said, “Card’s latest title has much in common with his Ender Wiggins books: precocious teens with complementary special talents, callously manipulative government authorities, endlessly creative worlds, and Card’s refusal to dumb down a plot for a young audience . . . Fast paced and thoroughly engrossing, the 650-plus pages fly by, challenging readers to care about and grasp sophisticated, confusing, and captivating ideas. As in L’Engle’s Time Quartet, science is secondary to the human need to connect with others, but Card does not shy away from full and fascinating discussions of the paradoxical worlds he has created.”

The first two volumes in Dan Wells horror/fantasy thriller John Cleaver series, which were released first in Britain, were published in the United States in 2010. They tell the story of a teenaged sociopath who struggles to direct his violent instincts towards constructive ends, and lie on the border between YA and adult horror. The second volume, Mr. Monster, was reviewed in the School Library Journal, “Intelligent, self-aware, observant, John is a unique protagonist who inspires fear or sympathy at any given moment. His battle for control over his own violent nature manages to trump the external demon dangers, which–in this compelling, quick-paced, and chilling read–is a definite feat.” Many reviews note that although the series contains elements of horror, it deals seriously with mental illness. Also, although there is violence, the first volume won a Whitney award in 2009, and I have seen many conservative Mormon bloggers write enthusiastically about the books, so apparently Wells has pulled off the impressive feat of writing truly scary, creepy horror novels, without offending at least some Mormon readers.

Two authors produced the fifth volumes of their respective fantasy series in 2010, Brandon Mull with the final book in his Fablehaven series, and James A. Owen with the fifth of his seven book Imaginarium Geographica series. Mull, who was published by Shadow Mountain, has been among the most popular Mormon fantasy authors of the past five years. He will begin a new series, published by Simon & Schuster, in 2011. Another YA veteran, Obert Skye, produced Choke, the second in his middle grade fantasy/humor Pillage trilogy.

A major genre for Mormon authors in the last few years has been the YA paranormal romance, with publishers obviously looking for the next Stephanie Meyer. In 2009 four Mormon authors, Becca Fitzpatrick, Aprilynne Pike, Bree Despain, and Lisa Magnum, produced the first volume of their respective paranormal romance series, and in 2010 they released the sequel. Each contains a young woman in danger, a bad-boy hero who turns out to be something other than a normal human (fallen angel, fairy, werewolf, time-traveller), a love triangle, and a fast-moving plot. Also, except for Magnum (whose work was ignored by national reviewers), each seemed to receive much harsher professional review for the second volume than the first, even though there was little difference between the quality of the first and second volumes. This was true for Twilight, and seems to be a trend in reviews for breakout genre series.

The most popular of the four is Fitzpatrick’s Hush, Hush series, about a girl and a fallen angel. Reviewers came down hard on the second volume, Crescendo. For example the review in VOYA claimed the novel felt “contrived”, and that it was a “overly long story with unlikable characters, a convoluted time frame, and contrived plot twists.” Many reviewers noted that the Fitzpatrick does an excellent job with the plot and action sequences, and, for good or ill, ratchets up the romantic tension well beyond a fever pitch. Several reviewers, however, have complained that she romanticizes the stalking behaviour of the male protagonist.

The first volume in Bree Despain’s werewolf The Dark Divine series received some strong notices for its unique (in national YA) emphasis on the stability the protagonist’s Christian faith gave her in the face of crisis. The second volume, The Lost Saint, was released very late in 2010, so not many reviews are in, but those that have come emphasize its derivative nature, and say it is darker and more action-centred than the first volume. Aprilynne Pike’s Spells, the second in the Wings series about a girl who discovers she is a fairy, has received mixed reviews, and apparently lower sales, in part because she slows down the plot for extended sections of fairy world-building. A positive review in Kirkus stated, “In clean, fresh prose, never wilting in momentum as some middle volumes do, this second instalment stays fragrant throughout . . . As in Wings, Pike brazenly codes physical deformity and asymmetry as evil, and her engagingly clear prose sometimes blunders into floridness . . . Among the current cornucopia of supernatural romances, though, this one blooms.” Lisa Magnum’s The Golden Spiral, the second volume in her time-travelling The Hourglass Door series, represented Shadow Mountain’s entry into the paranormal genre, and received good reader reviews.

One paranormal YA novel which stood out from the crowd in terms of originality and humor was Kiersten White’s debut novel Paranormalcy. Reviewers generally compared the tone of the book to the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series, as it shared the basic idea of a girl trying to balance her supernatural job as a defender against paranormal creatures against her normal teenage life. Publishers Weekly wrote, “White shows the technique and polish of a pro in this absorbing romance, which comes closer than most to hitting the Buffy mark . . . The action is fast; fun and fear are in abundance.” Kirkus Review wrote, “Most of the fun of this novel is in the play between this imagined world and Evie’s desire for such normal teen amusements as dates, shopping and prom. Her first-person narration is light, but she’s appealingly determined . . . Good, romantic—and a little weird—entertainment.” Finally Stephanie Meyer, who helped to break the genre open, released a hardback novella The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, a spin-off from her novel Eclipse, focusing on a minor vampire character. Jana Reiss commented, “The novella’s pacing is brisk and the story interesting, despite the flatness of the main character.” The novella was the best-selling piece of fiction released in 2010 by a Mormon author.

Although not as hot (either in sales or romantic tension) as the paranormal genre, the “retold fairy tale”/magical fantasy genre remained a popular one for Mormon authors. These novels tend to skew to a younger female audience, and are written in a lighter style than the paranormal romances. Four authors, all of whom released novels in the genre in 2009, came back with new tales in 2010. Kirkus Review said Julie Berry’s romantic fantasy Secondhand Charm “teems with action, suspense and a bit of boy-next-door romance.” Berry also authored two middle grade graphic novels in 2010, illustrated by her sister, Sally Gardner. Jessica Day George’s take on the Cinderella story, Princess of Glass, was praised for its inventiveness and charm, although most said it was not up to the level of George’s best work. Mette Ivie Harrison’s The Princess and the Snowbird is the third in a series, and most reviewers said that it was their least favourite of the series. Harrison writes in a more lyrical and evocative style than most authors in the genre, which appears to have driven some readers off. Some complained that it suffered from lengthy and confusing exposition used to explain the magic system, which left many readers confused. Finally Shannon Hale, the leading Mormon author in this genre, produced the second in her series of graphic fairy tale novels, Calamity Jack, along with her co-author and husband Dean, and their illustrator Nathan Hale. It tells the continuing story of Rapunzel and Jack (of beanstalk fame). Publishers Weekly called it “a charming update of Jack and Beanstalk, set in a world that combines elements of fairy tales, a Gilded Age American city, and the Wild West . . . The dynamic artwork fits well with Jack and Rapunzel’s quick tongues, as they flirt their way through numerous hair-raising situations.”

After describing so many veteran authors’ works, I will turn my attention to a trio of debut middle grade fantasy authors, all of whom received excellent reviews. Leading the group is Sheila A. Nielson, a Children’s Librarian at the Provo City Library, and her novel The Forbidden Sea. Although the book features an endangered girl and her struggle with a mermaid, it differs from the YA paranormals in that the love interest is not a supernatural boy, and there is no opening for a sequel. The School Library Journal wrote, “The plot pacing is steady and suspenseful as more details about the protagonist’s current life and past are revealed through her absorbing first-person narration. Nielson’s new spin on a traditional fantasy setup is sure to appeal.” Matthew J. Kirby’s novel The Clockwork Three is a mixture of fantasy, adventure and steampunk, set in a mid-19^th-century alternative universe American city. Publishers Weekly wrote, “In this riveting historical fantasy . . . Kirby has assembled all the ingredients for a rousing adventure, which he delivers with rich, transporting prose. Mixing fantasy and steampunk elements with subtle urban mythology, Kirby’s immersive story can be read as a modern morality play or a satisfying stand-alone tale.” Other reviewers, however, noted that the novel’s coherence fell apart at the end, where a fantasy twist worked against the previous tone of the book. Lastly there is Jennifer A. Nielsen’s Elliot and the Goblin War, which is directed towards older elementary school and middle school readers. The School Library Journal wrote, “This lighthearted fantasy approaches the world of goblins, brownies, and demons with tongue planted firmly in cheek . . . The pacing is brisk, with short chapters to hold readers’ interest. The narrator has a gleefully odd (and occasionally sarcastic) sense of humor . . . . While the book doesn’t stand out in a crowded fantasy landscape, it will likely please young fans of the genre looking for something with a lighter mood.”

Next comes a quintet of non-fantasy young adult/middle grade novels. Carol Lynch Williams won both a Whitney Award and an AML Award for her harrowing 2009 YA novel The Chosen One. Williams went to an even darker place for her new novel, Glimpse. She took the courageous choice of writing the novel in free verse, from the unreliable perspective of a 12-year old girl, who with her sister suffered neglect and abuse. Booklist wrote, “Williams tells a brutal, gripping story through the veiled language of free verse, choosing her words and Hope’s memories with careful intent. Although the descriptions are not graphic, Williams leaves little doubt about Lizzie’s trauma, their mother’s role in her older daughter’s fate, and the lack of a perfect resolution to both girls’ pain. The unresolved ending is realistic, but it is hopeful, too, and it includes a tribute to caring friends and adults who struggle daily to rescue children from untenable situations.” Mormon reviewer Shelah Miner (Segullah) wrote, “This isn’t a book for readers who don’t want to read about hard things–the book opens with [an attempted] suicide . . . Although it is 496 pages long, I was able to read it in a single sitting, in the bathtub, all before the water grew cold. The length is deceptive, since each page of the book looks like a poem, with two or three words on a line. I’m not sure why Williams chose this format, but it works well. She chose her words with such care that the story felt rich and fully drawn, despite the spareness of her prose.”

Kristin Chandler received glowing reviews for her debut YA novel, Wolves, Boys, and Other Things That Might Kill Me, about a rural Montana high school journalist who defends the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone Park in the face of local opposition. Publishers Weekly wrote, “Chandler’s debut is a lively drama, saturated with multifaceted characters and an environmental undercurrent. She writes persuasively about the great outdoors, small town dynamics and politics, and young love.” The School Library Journal wrote, “The plot moves swiftly to a suspenseful finish. Beautifully written and thought-provoking, this well-rounded novel will appeal to girls, some boys, and conservationists of all stripes.”

Kimberly Griffiths Little’s middle grade The Healing Spell tells the story of a eleven-year-old Louisiana Cajun girl filled with guilt for her responsibility for her mother’s comatose state, and her attempt to obtain a healing spell from a local traiteur. Mormon reviewer Emily Milner wrote, “I loved the voice in this book, a combination of Cajun cadence and Livie’s twelve-year old angst. The setting felt real, and almost seemed like another character. And I felt like the healing, though not surprising, developed in a moving and tender way.”

Dean Hughes continues his middle grade series of novels about World War II-era boys with Missing in Action. It tells the story of a part-Navajo boy in Delta, UT whose father goes missing at the front. School Library Journal wrote, “Although serious issues of Native American prejudice, family violence, Japanese-American internment, and homophobia are raised, the story ends too idealistically and neatly.” Kirkus Review wrote, “Many forms of prejudice appear in the narrative, with thoughtlessness and injustice intertwined. Navajo spiritual elements combine with Jay’s Mormon faith in a delicate balancing act. Hughes manages to pull it all together for an ending that is touching and somewhat realistic. The plot serves the theme well, as events in Jay’s life are illustrated by multiple instances of bias. Subtle and engaging.”

Sarah Deford Williams’ debut middle grade novel Palace Beautiful is an old-fashioned mystery set in 1980s Salt Lake City, about a group of girls who discover a diary of the 1918 influenza epidemic. Publishers Weekly writes, “Williams’s vivid prose brings both worlds to life . . . Through moments of heartache and joy, Sadie’s strong, contemplative spirit shines through, as does the thrill of discovering a secret place of one’s one.”

I will briefly mention some romances to finish up the list of young adult/middle grade books. Lindsey Leavitt’s debut tween humor/fantasy romance Princess for Hire was consistently called “frothy fun” and “charming”. Veteran author Janette Rallison’s My Double Life about a young pop star’s double is called “good, clean ‘Pop Star and the Pauper’ fun”, and “a clean and enjoyable romp”. Angela Morrison’s Sing Me to Sleep was castigated for being sappy and moralistic. Children’s Literature wrote, “Readers will need to wade through plenty of heavy breathing, passionate kissing, and Beth’s doggerel song lyrics, yet the hopelessly romantic will savor every minute of this soap opera.”

Among adult romances, Lynn Kurland’s fantasy One Enchanted Evening, the story of a woman travelling in time to medieval England, is the most “Mormon friendly”, clean enough to be sold at Deseret Book. The books of best-selling vampire author Christine Feehan certainly are not, nor are those by Amanda Ashley, Carla Kelly, Brenda Novak, or ReAnne Thayne.

Popular adult inspirational authors Richard Paul Evans and Jason Wright produced two novels each in 2010, inspiring copious tears. The one of the four that looks the most interesting to me is Evans’ Christmas novel Promise Me, which features a bizarre science fiction twist at the end. Meanwhile, The Christmas Chronicles: The Legend of Santa Claus is the prose debut of the playwright Tim Slover. The fable of a 14^th century German woodworker who became Santa Claus was done as a radio drama on KBYU in 2009. Publishers Weekly writes, “This inspiring Christmas tale skilfully weaves various popular Christmas fables (the story of Rudolph being a notable inclusion) into a fresh story that retains an air of traditional folk tales while delivering an updated tweak on familiar stories. While the conflict is sporadic . . . the rest of the story is simply and sincerely entertaining.”

Outside of Brady Udall, the romances, and the inspirationals, the only other national market adult novels were Anne Perry’s The Sheen on the Silk and Glenn Beck’s The Overton Window. Perry left her familiar Victorian setting to write a historical novel set in Byzantium in 1271. Most reviewers said that while the historical aspects were fascinating the plot and characters were rather dull. Beck achieved best-seller status with his political thriller, but reviews were poor even when accounting for political bias on the part of reviewers, and Beck apparently only came up with the basic outlines of the plot, leaving the actual writing to collaborators.

I will end with a list of the best selling fiction books by Mormon authors for the year. The list is not scientific at all. I primarily used the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists, with some input from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Publishers Weekly. I am confident about the first five positions, after that it gets a little sketchy. I merged multiple paperback offerings by romance authors Christine Feehan and Amanda Ashley into single entries, because I wanted to. Books from before 2010 that have remained or reappeared on bestseller lists include Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight books, Jamie Ford’s Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Glenn Beck’s The Christmas Sweater, and Brandon Sanderson’s A Memory of Light.

Best Selling Novels by Mormon authors published in 2010

1. Meyer, Stephanie. The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner

(Amazon #18 bestselling novel of the year, USA Today #11 bestselling book of the year.)

2. Sanderson, Brandon and Robert Jordan, Towers of Midnight.

(New York Times Hardcover Fiction #1 for one week. Amazon #47 bestselling novel of the year.)

3. Beck, Glenn. The Overton Window.

(New York Times Hardcover Fiction #1 for one week. Amazon #71 bestselling novel of the year, USA Today #76 bestselling book of the year.)

4. Feehan, Christine. Dark Peril.

5. Feehan, Christine. Wild Fire and Water Bound (paperbacks).

6. Fitzpatrick, Becca. Crescendo.

7. Evans, Richard Paul. Promise Me.

8. Evans, Richard Paul. The Walk.

9. Condie, Allyson. Matched.

10. Sanderson, Brandon. The Way of the Kings.

11. Mull, Brandon. Fablehaven: Keys to the Demon Prison.

12. Dashner, James. The Scorch Trials. (Note: Aprilynne Pike’s Spells is tied for 12th. See the comments below.)

13. Ashley, Amanda. Everlasting Kiss and Everlasting Desire (paperbacks).

14. Udall, Brady. The Lonely Polygamist.

15. Thayne, RaeAnne. A Cold Creek Secret.\ (paperback)

16. Card, Orson Scott. Pathfinder.

17. Kurland, Lynn. One Enchanted Evening

18. White, Kiersten. Paranormalcy

Books by Mormon authors from previous years which appeared on 2010 best-seller lists include all of Stephanie Meyer’s books, Richard Ford’s Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson’s The Gathering Storm, and Glenn Beck’s The Christmas Sweater.

Matched

Dutton began with a 250,000 copy first printing and booksellers responded to the buzz around the novel. As a result the novel started at #2 on the ABA’s bestseller list (representing sales at independent bookstores). This morning it was ranked #223 on Amazon. The buzz has extended overseas, as foreign rights have been sold into 30 countries. Given that, it should come as no surprise that Disney has purchased an option for the film rights.

Sound familiar? The Wall Street Journal also noticed the parallel.

Unlike Meyer’s work, however, the subject matter of Matched boils down to a concept with philosophical heft, and one dear to Mormonism: freedom of choice. But it is also a dystopian novel, which, as far as I know, is unusual in Mormon literature (anyone know of other Mormon dystopian works? Is Meyer’s Twilight dystopian? Anything else?).

The novel, the first volume in a trilogy, is told from the perspective of a young girl nearing the age of marriage. She lives in a society in which nothing is left to chance–her food, work, and marriage are planned for her by “the Society,” the ruling religion in her world. Believing that the Society knows best, she accepts all this, until one day she is presented with evidence of the unthinkable: that the Society doesn’t know best.

I haven’t read Matched, but the descriptions have already enticed my 16-year-old daughter, so I’m sure it will be around the house within the next few weeks (who knows, the season of the year may have something to do with that). If nothing else these descriptions make me hopeful that this will be not only as popular as Meyer’s work, but have more substantial ideas to explore.

The story of the year in nationally published literature by Mormons was the memoir.  Two Mormon women, Elna Baker and Kathryn Lynard Soper produced honest and interesting life stories, to excellent reviews. While other Mormon authors sold more books, few other nationally published author made their Mormonism so central to their story.  Other big stories for the year include Stephanie Meyer’s continued dominance of the fiction landscape, Brandon Sanderson’s rise to the top of best seller’s lists, and the continuing flood of young adult speculative fiction.

Elna Baker’s comic memoir, The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance, can be seen as filling a niche that has long been open in the Mormon cultural world: our own My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  That is, a funny, honest, but not angry look at a Mormon life which non-Mormons can equally appreciate. Baker’s tale of her life in New York City is certainly not a typical Mormon one, but her Mormonism is one of the two forces that pull her in opposite directions throughout the work. Those rooting for Baker to take one side or another will be frustrated all the way to the end. Baker, still a very young woman, does not hold back in showing herself in moments (or even years) of shallowness and stupidity. But this Mormon reader appreciated her ability to show her faith in God acting as an anchor which kept her from making the worst mistakes.  Other readers might say it is the anchor which pulled her down, never letting her enjoy the possibilities life handed her.  Mormonism seems to have its strongest impact on Baker through the love and example of her family, and its theological teachings about the eternity. She has less use for Mormon society and practices, and often makes them the butt of her jokes. Most of the book is “cute-funny” rather than hilarious, although how can you be honest and make your whole life hilarious? Still, there are a couple of stand-out moments—the FAO Schwartz section and the failed Halloween costume, both of which she has used in her stand-up act.  Eric Jepson wrote a fantastic review of the work on A Motley Vision. Here is another review I like, from “Pajiba,” an on-line reviewer.  “What I appreciated most about TNYRMSHD is that it’s funny without being insulting. Baker pokes fun at a weird culture and weird beliefs while giving sincere reasons why she stays around. She’s walking a fine line between wanting to belong to the regular world, but also wanting to feel the peace she finds in religion. It’s hard to express why you believe in God without getting cheesy and overly sacrosanct, but Baker manages to do it. Probably because it’s sandwiched between moments of trying to lose her virginity and finding out she unknowingly used amphetamines to lose weight, but it works for me. My experience is that you find God in the weirdest of places, and it was nice to read that someone else finds that, too.”

Kathryn Lynard Soper already had an impact on Mormon literature through her editing of the print and online magazine Segullah. Her 2009 memoir The Year My Son and I Were Born: A Story of Down Syndrome, Motherhood, and Self-Discovery is a more serious work than Baker’s, but also honestly portrays lessons learned in an unsparing and unflattering light.  It is as much about Soper’s postpartum depression as it is about her experience with Down Syndrome. Steve Peck wrote, “Kathryn has to rewrite much of the script she had penned for her life. This readjustment is hard work and she faces it with confusion, dismay and depression. That’s why this book is so important. She (according to our expectations set by Ensignesque stories) should be facing it with courage, determination, and faith that all is according to God’s plan. But that is not how it plays out in the book. She takes us to the trenches of how it feels to face this sort of life’s rewriting without suggesting that it all turns out OK in the end or that she has figured it all out.”

While remarkable, both of these works are relatively straightforward memoirs.  BYU professor Patrick Madden, on the other hand, has been producing a series of postmodern, fragmentary nonfiction tales, several of which have been nationally honoured. His first collection of his writings, Quotidiana, will be published by the University of Nebraska Press in early 2010.  An example of Madden’s writing can be found in The Best of Mormonism, 2009, a collection of short stories, poems, essays, and book chapters published from 2007-2009. The collection, which includes selection originally published in both Mormon and national forums, is based on Houghton Mifflin’s Best American series. Brittney Carman is another rising creative nonfiction author whose work appears in The Best of Mormonism. Carman is working on a memoir about her mission in Venezuela and her reconciliation with her estranged father. Finally, another notable memoir is Shattered Silence by Melissa Moore and M. Bridget Cook, published by Cedar Fort.  Moore tells her story of growing up the daughter of a serial murderer, and her eventual decision to face up to her memories and history. Moore received some attention from appearing on the Dr. Phil and Oprah Winfery shows, and her book was Cedar Fort’s best seller for 2009.

In terms of sales, Stephanie Meyer continued to dominate the fiction market in 2009, despite the fact that she released no new titles. According to USA Today she sold 22 million books in 2009, down from 29 million in 2008. To put that in perspective, Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, the biggest-selling new book of 2009, has sold 4 million copies in the four months since its publication.  USA Today also declared Twilight, the first volume of her vampire series, to be the bestselling book of the decade, with New Moon at 4^th and Eclipse at 9^th.  Meyer’s success, following the smaller scale success of Orson Scott Card a generation earlier, has inspired and influenced a raft of LDS authors. The overwhelming majority of nationally published LDS authors are producing speculative fiction.

Two LDS authors reached #1 on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction list, Brandon Sanderson and Christine Feehan. Brandon Sanderson, whose adult and young adult fantasy novels had received strong critical acclaim and moderately good sales, became a central figure in the fantasy world when he was hired to complete A Memory of Light, the final volume of the late Robert Jordan’s monumental 12-part Wheel of Time series in December 2007.  Tying up the loose ends of the huge series turned out to be a longer job than Sanderson and his publisher originally thought, so by March 2009 they announced that they were splitting the book into three instalments. Jordan produced 50,000 words for the book before his death, and Sanderson expects the trilogy will end up being over 800,000 words long.  The first volume, The Gathering Storm, was released in November, and has been well received by Jordan’s fans and the fantasy community in general.  Many reviewers commented that they enjoyed Sanderson’s volume more than most of the Jordan’s later volumes. Zack Handlen in the Onion AV Club wrote: “Sanderson’s prose lacks some of the descriptive punch of Jordan’s, his dialogue doesn’t always stick the landing between melodramatic and florid, and the one-note gender politics remain largely intact. Fortunately, Storm compensates with a terrific sense of urgency and a blessed willingness to tie up loose ends.”

Paranormal-romance author Christine Feehan accomplished the remarkable trick of reaching the #1 position of a New York Times Bestseller list 4 times in one year. That’s right, she produced four different books, each of which reached a #1 position.  Murder Game, Burning Wild, and Hidden Currents each reached #1 on the Mass-market Paperback Fiction list, while Dark Slayer achieved #1 on the Hardback Fiction list.  Furthermore, her novel Street Game, released in the last week of 2009, reached #1 on the Mass-market Paperback Fiction list in the first week of 2010.  I wonder how many times in history an author has had a run like that?  Romance authors Lynn Kurland, Amanda Ashley, and Brenda Novak also had books that appeared on bestseller lists.

As I mentioned above, the flood of LDS authors publishing speculative fiction for the national market continues to rise. The majority of these authors are writing young adult fantasy.  Shadow Mountain, Deseret Book’s national imprint, is playing a significant part in this rise, publishing young adult fantasy novels by seven LDS authors in 2009.  There were just as many publishing outside of Shadow Mountain.  One trend, certainly tied to Stephanie Meyer’s success, is the genre of “girl-meets-boy-who-may-or-may-not-be-dangerous-and-supernatural” novels.  The debut novels by Becca Fitzpatrick, Aprilynne Pike, and Lisa Mangum are in that genre. The closest in tone to Meyer is Becca Fitzpatrick’s thriller, Hush, Hush, about a teenage girl who falls for a boy who turns out to be a fallen angel, and the subsequent battle between good and bad angels.  The striking cover itself should win over a large segment of the Twilight crowd. Kirkus review wrote, “A fast-paced, exhilarating read . . . Twilight readers will either squeal over the forbidden romance between Nora and Patch and the steamy scenes they generate or sigh over another helpless young woman torn between sexuality and fear and threatened and manipulated by males who play with her vulnerability.” Hush, Hush reached #5 on the New York Times Children’s Chapter Books Bestseller list, and was named one of Barnes & Nobles’ “Best 20 Teen Books of 2009”.

Even more successful book in terms of sales is Aprilynne Pike’s Wings, the story of an seemingly ordinary girl who discovers she is a faerie, and is thrust into an ancient battle between faeries and trolls. The novel reached #1 on the New York Times Children’s Chapter Books Bestseller list, and has been optioned to Disney for a movie deal.  Reviewers have praised Pike for an inventive take on a generally tired genre (in her version the faeries are a kind of plant, and the biological explanations are quite inventive), and her silky prose, although she has also taken some hits for the characters’ lack of depth and overly idealized physical descriptions.  Lisa Mangum, an editor at Deseret Book, produced The Hourglass Door, the story of a (you guessed it) high school girl who meets an Italian foreign exchange student, only to find out that he is from the 16^th century.  The reviewer at School Library Journal wrote, “This novel has an exciting premise and moves along at a brisk pace. Unfortunately, the supporting characters are all caricatures of high school students, Abby and Dante have very little real chemistry, and the dialogue is stilted and frequently either clichéd or superfluous.”

There were four middle-grade novels, directed towards girls, which call to mind the “revisionist fairy tale” mode of Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted. Julie Berry’s debut novel, the fairy-tale The Amaranth Enchantment, was published to a starred review in Publisher’s Weekly, and this from Kirkus Reviews: “A lively, quick, stylish, engaging first novel with some lovely, familiar fairy-tale elements . . . will enthral young readers—who probably won’t care that some of the magic is a little wobbly.” Mette Ivy Harrison’s The Princess and the Bear, a sequel, tells the story of a King turned into a bear, and a princess turned into a hound. Kirkus, in a starred review, wrote, “The relationships between animal and human, and the magic in being both, are exquisitely delineated, and the love story between the two strong protagonists is all the more powerful for being intensely restrained. There’s a fair amount of bloodshed and violence, but that, too, is understated. Not for every reader, but an absorbing tale for the right one.”  Jessica Day George’s Princess of the Midnight Ball is a take on the Grimm Brothers story “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” set in 19^th century Europe. The review at Kirkus called it “a rich and engaging novel . . . near the end the story spirals up in intensity, touching on witchcraft and evil clerics along the way before a satisfyingly exciting conclusion.” (George also produced Dragonspear, the third in her dragon series).  Finally, the finest LDS author in the genre, Shannon Hale, offered Forest Born, the fourth novel in her Bayern series, moving forward with the enchanting characters first introduced in The Goose Girl. The Horn Book wrote, “All is told in Hale’s assured voice, drawing the details of her invented countries with precision and depth. Strong characters define the series: commanding Isi, passionate Enna, wily Razo, and now shadowed Rin . . . fans will need no excuse to dive back into Hale’s fantasy world.”

Next is a trio of male authors writing young adult speculative fiction. Brandon Sanderson produced Alcatraz versus the Knights of Crystallia, the third in his comically arch Alcatraz series. The books all feature a strongly intrusive narrative voice, which plays up fantasy tropes for humorous effect.  School Library Journal wrote, “Alcatraz frequently ‘breaks page’ to address readers with side comments, instructions, and, occasionally, complaints and insults . . . The rather complicated plot can be challenging to follow, but beneath the wild humor there are surprisingly subtle messages about responsibility and courage.” James Owen also mixes humor and complex time travelling in The Shadow Dragons, the fourth in his Imaginarium Geographica series. Finally, James Dashner created a dark, dystopian science fiction novel, The Maze Runner, the first in a Delacorete series, in which young boys are placed into a giant maze, and forced to fight for their lives, a concept very similar to Suzanne Collins’ popular The Hunger Games. Kirkus named The Maze Runner as one of the best young adult books of 2009, and Barnes and Noble declared it one of the “Best 20 Teen books of 2009”.  Dashner also released The Hunt for Dark Infinity, the second in his lighter, younger 13^thReality series for Shadow Mountain.  A Kirkus review stated, “Readers will be as puzzled as the characters, who tumble from one complex and outrageous situation to the next, rescued from each at the last minute–sometimes with no explanation. But it all holds together remarkably well, encouraging suspension of disbelief to make way for glorious flights of imagination.”

As mentioned above, Shadow Mountain published young adult fantasy novels by seven LDS authors in 2009.  Besides Magnum and Dashner, there was Brandon Mull (the bestseller of the group, his Fablehaven series reached #6 on the New York Times Children’s Series list), Mark Forman (although Shadow Mountain decided not to publish his next novel), M’Lin Rowley (the 16-year old author produced two short children’s novels), J. Scott Savage (reviews of the second novel in his Farworld series, nearly all positive, invariably include the words “complex” and “fast-paced”), and Obert Skye (with the fifth and final volume of his popular Leven Thumps series).

So, 15 authors writing fantasy, is there any room for anything else for young people?  A little.  Three LDS women produced serious young adult novels with contemporary settings.  Ann Dee Ellis and Carol Lynch Williams (who are friends and co-bloggers) both created emotionally devastating accounts of young women in terribly dysfunctional families. Ann Dee Ellis’ Everything is Fine, like her previous novel, is told in an elliptical, impressionistic way (often in free verse), from the perspective of a young person who only gradually informs the reader of the tragedy which dominates her life. The teenage protagonist is trying to keep her life together while her severely depressed mother falls into catatonia, and her father absents himself. Carol Lynch Williams, one of the veterans of the field, received a tsunami of praise for her latest novel, The Chosen One, about Kyra, a 13-year old girl living in a particularly repressive and isolated polygamous sect.  Just as Kyra begins to get a sense of the outside world through the books she surreptitiously borrows from a bookmobile driver, the Prophet announces that the she must become the seventh wife her cruel uncle.  Jessica Bruder in the New York Times wrote, “Williams’s . . . spare, evocative writing and an honest sense of character helps bridge the rift between Kyra’s world and ours.” Publisher’s Weekly, in a starred review, wrote, “Although the ending verges on the sensational, Williams takes such care in crafting Kyra’s internal struggles—and her hellacious story—that the ensuing drama rings true. Williams’s highlighting all aspects of cult membership (fear of leaving, desire to belong, guilt about sinning), rather than relying on one-sided generalizations (cults are bad), makes this a prudent and powerful read.”  The novels of Ellis and Williams have stuck with me long after I have forgotten most fantasy novels.  Despite the hell they put me through, Ellis and Williams are my favourite authors of LDS young adult fiction (outside of Shannon Hale).

The third contemporary young adult novel of the year was newcomer Angela Morrison’s romance Taken by Storm, which tells the story of a Mormon girl, the summer before going to BYU, falling in love with a non-Mormon boy. It mines (without the humor) some of the same topics that Elna Baker pursued in her memoir—how much passion can one allow in a relationship before marriage and what problems will arise in a relationship outside of one’s religion? Although the author has stated that she hopes that the book can serve as a kind of fictional Standards Night, it is steamier than would be allowed in the Mormon publishing world. Publishers Weekly wrote, “By contrasting Leesie and Michael’s often opposing backgrounds and points of view, she handles the topics of religion and premarital sex gracefully without passing judgment. The message has less to do with religion than learning to respect and cherish others while staying true to one’s own beliefs.”

Here are some humorous novels before we leave the young adult world. Janette Rallison produced two novels for girls in 2009, My Fair Godmother for middle readers, and Just One Wish for older teens. The first features a bumbling teen fairy godmother who accidently sends a high school girl back in time into the stories of Snow White and Cinderella.  The second is about a girl tries to help her seriously ill younger brother by brining a teen TV star to visit. Both have been highly rated for their comic moments, although the second is anchored at its core by the believable and heartrending relationship between the sister and brother. Dene Low (a pseudonym for Lara Card) wrote Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone: The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival, a short, frothy first novel for middle readers. Set in Edwardian London, Petronella’s coming-out party is ruined by insects and a kidnapping.  The review at School Library Journal commented, “What follows is part farce, part mystery, part political thriller, all told in Petronella’s upper-crust voice, laced with sly humor, many bodice-ripping observations of James’s virile charms, and a painless dose of history. Archetypical characters are skillfully drawn, time and place are clearly evoked, and excitement and intrigue abound amid the hilarity.”  Booklist added, “This wonderful little gem is a wacky mix of Jane Austen, Sherlock Holmes and Jack Gantos at his bizarre best… I adored this book from its enticing start to the end that dangles the promise of more adventures. (Please!) First novelist Low has created a memorable set of characters in her witty and wonderfully weird first novel.”

On to adult novels.  Shannon Hale, whose young adult and graphic novels have been rapturously received, has had a harder time winning an audience for her two novels for adults.  In her most recent, The Actor and the Housewife, Hale for the first time creates a Mormon character and includes Mormonism as a key aspect of the novel.  The novel centers on the far-fetched premise of a famous British actor could become a warm platonic friend with a Mormon housewife.  The reviewer in Kirkus writes, “They engage in the kind of witty repartee that hasn’t been heard since Carole Lombard graced the screen, and become bosom buddies . . . The odd, safe fantasy Hale has created is then jangled by a more sober realism. Husband Mike (spoiler deletion), and the domestic bliss Becky has enjoyed comes to a crushing end. Becky’s devotion to her husband, her depression, her inability to see a romantic future for herself-all these elements ring true and tragic. Unfortunately, the novel hinges on Felix and Becky’s relationship, and aside from a mutual love of quick-witted banter, their friendship is largely unbelievable. Hale’s prose is friendly and funny, but she doesn’t bring her premise to life.” This appears to be a real love it or hate it book, reader reviews on both sides have been quite fierce. A favourite complaint is that the character of the husband is poorly drawn, and Hale does not do enough to show why Becky is so devoted to him.

Jamie Ford’s debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, is a mix of historical fiction and Nicholas Sparks-like romantic sentimentality. It tells the story of a Chinese-American in Seattle, alternating between his childhood in the early 1940s and his recent widowed state in 1984.  It has received strong reviews for its heartfelt portrayal of racism towards and between Asian-Americans, particularly the fate of a close Japanese-American girl friend, whose family is interned by the American government after Pearl Harbor. Booklist wrote, “Although Ford does not have anything especially novel to say about a familiar subject (the interplay between race and family), he writes earnestly and cares for his characters, who consistently defy stereotype.” The novel reached #16 on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction list, and #13 on the Trade Paperback list later in the year.

Other bestselling books in 2009 were Anne Perry’s William Monk novel Execution Dock, and two Christmas books: Richard Paul Evans’ The Christmas List and Jason F. Wright’s Christmas Jars Reunion. Glenn Beck’s The Christmas Sweater (which was co-written with Jason F. Wright), from 2008 appeared on bestseller lists for the second Christmas season in a row, and a children’s illustrated version of the story also sold well.

I will end this section with adult speculative fiction. Orson Scott Card’s Hidden Empire continues my least favourite Card series ever (but still a pretty good read). Steven L. Kent and David Farland have added new volumes to their extended Clone and Runelords series. Brandon Sanderson (yes, this is the third novel of his I have mentioned) produced the fine stand-alone work Warbreaker. Sanderson’s friend Dan Wells has received rave reviews for the comic horror novel I Am Not a Serial Killer, but it has so far only been released in the United Kingdom.  John Brown, who has had a few short stories published over the last decade, received strong praise for his first fantasy novel, Servant of a Dark God. Like Sanderson and Farland, Brown creates a high fantasy with a complex magic system that is robust, bounded and physical.  The review in Library Journal states, “Brown creates an elaborate new world with a rich and deep spiritual and political background . . . this well-wrought tale of families in conflict against both politics and religion represents a welcome addition to large-scale fantasy.” Mormon reviewer Jennie Hansen, normally not a fan of fantasy, wrote, “Servant of a Dark God is a compelling, complicated novel written in a misleadingly simple style. As in the highest quality literary writing, there are lines and references that bring other great works to mind without actually quoting them.”

Establishing of credentials (Shaw went to BYU too!). For the Strength of the Youth pamphlet reference. Eternal marriage. Meyer “plays Heavenly Mother to her fictional daughter, Bella”. Agency. Nod at Augustine. Edward-as-savior. Edward “means what he says” ~~ binds himself to Bella with his words. Utterance — words mean action. Nod at Austin. Sealing/union of body and spirit. Plato and love. Way liberal — LDS still man and woman, BUT! :: Meyer’s The Host. Somehow leads to a Big Love reference. Erotics of abstinence. Chastity. Deseret Book controversy ~~ sexy too sexy; shelves to special order. “Vampire family values!” Feminist film theory and the gaze :: Bella returns the gaze (Edward)! Is Twilight Mormon? All the before shows that “nice Mormon girls” can write about “sexy vampires.”

Well, I’m convinced.

And yet, sometimes he just rubs my believing-Mormon-skin the wrong way with his cursory engagement with Mormonism, something that’s simply secondary to and arising from his academic interest in literature, faith, and culture. Since he’s a newcomer to the still-blossoming field of Mormon studies* and an outsider to the LDS faith, I can’t fault him for this engagement and for getting some things wrong every now and then. Heck, cultural Mormons are a peculiar lot with an equally peculiar history. Putting things together about the religion can be difficult even for those with a lifetime commitment to it.

But as I was catching up on some FHS Professor posts I’ve fallen behind on, I felt compelled to chime in this morning and to set the record straight, as it were (though I’m sure my straight is still fairly skewed), by referring the good doctor to Reading Until Dawn. Of course, this has something to do with the need for self-promotion. But, it also has something to do with my faith in the strength of Mormon literary scholarship, especially, in this case, Eric’s “Saturday’s Werewolf” (a revised version of which, by the way, will be published in a forthcoming issue of Sunstone [get your teaser here] along with a revised version of “Toward a Mormon Gothic“).

The setup: In his November 18 post in response to Stephenie Meyer’s answer to a fan’s question about the source for her imprinting werewolves (”Stephenie Meyer New Moon Q&A: Imprinting“), Granger suggests two sources beyond the one Meyer gives for this peculiar, primal relationship between imprinter and imprintee (read the post for her answer): (1) the institution of polygamy’s overabundance of man/child relationships and (2) the notion of premortal coupling. He ties Meyer to the first by suggesting that Twilight is a response to John Krakauer’s Under the Banner of Heaven, a book published, as Granger is quick to point out, “the month Mrs. Meyer had her [series-inspiring] dream and [... that] is filled to the brim with nightmare stories about polygamist crimes against young women as well as the nightmare of the Mountain Meadows massacre.” He continues—and this is what provoked my response: “Twilight is, I suggest, on several levels a Mormon woman’s response to Krakauer’s attack on her faith.”

Here’s what I said:

How so? Unless you’re privy to more information about Meyer than I am (i.e., that she’s read or is even aware of Krakauer’s narrative, something, in my mind, she’d have to do/be aware of in order to so specifically respond), this seems like something of a jump to me, like you’ve already formed an opinion on the issue and are stretching to find evidence (however thin) to support that opinion. Sure, Meyer is aware of Mormonism’s polygamist past and I’m sure she’s struggled with it in one way or another, though I don’t know how that struggle has influenced her personal understanding of the faith or, more apropos to this post, her work as a novelist.

But Eric Jepson (in the essay Sharon mentions in comment one) makes what to me is a more compelling connection between Meyer, Mormon doctrine, and Mormon (literary) history: imprinting as a manifestation of the premortal romance. This narrative trope is based in the LDS doctrine that we existed as spirits in the presence of God prior to mortal birth, an official teaching that gave rise to the folk doctrine of premortal coupling (i.e., that male and female spirits promised to find one another on Earth and to marry for eternity), which is conveyed in a sampling of non-official LDS narrative art. Jepson takes up two of these—Nephi Anderson’s 1898 novel Added Upon and Douglas Stewart’s 1973 musical Saturday’s Warrior (the latter is still a popular cultural reference in Mormon circles)—though I’m aware of at least two more: Susa Young Gate’s 1909 novel John Stevens’ Courtship (which was serialized before Anderson’s Added Upon was published; which may have been a source for his own, more expansive treatment of the premortal romance; and which was a response to the LDS Church’s [1890] manifesto putting an official end to polygamy) and Carol Lynn Pearson’s 1977 musical My Turn on Earth[, though this one is more simply about keeping premortal promises in general than it is about realizing a premortal romance].

This folk doctrine (which has been shot down by LDS Church leaders, most notably, as Jepson points out, by Spencer W. Kimball) seems a far more likely source for Meyer’s notion of imprinting than Krakauer’s discussion of Fundamentalist Mormon polygamy. (And though they share common roots, Fundamentalist Mormon does not equal Latter-day Saint.)

I’m likely to come back to this idea of Twilight Studies meets Mormon Studies in the not-too-distant future with a post on my RMMLA experience (it’s been on the backburner for over a month) and a post in response to one of Granger’s recent interviews (on the backburner for a couple of months). But I felt this interaction was worth copying here, if only to show more of how non-Mormon critics are engaging the Mormonism of Twilight; to suggest, perhaps, ways Mormon scholars can (fruitfully?) respond by referring to our own literary and cultural history; and to solicit your feedback on any/all of the above.

———-

*I place him in this position (something he may not do himself) because he takes up issues of Mormonism as they relate to Twilight.

A couple of weeks ago, I read a paper at the Rocky Mountain Modern Language Association (RMMLA) Convention at Snowbird, Utah (a rundown of my experience at the AML session will come in a later post that I’ve got halfway worked up; yes, I’ve been lazy—so sue me) and over the weekend I did some revising to incorporate some of the feedback I received and posted it on Reading Until Dawn. “Toward a Mormon Gothic: Stephenie Meyer’s Vampires and a Theology of the Uncanny” takes its place in the blossoming field of Twilight studies beside RUD’s inaugural essay, Theric Jepson’s “Saturday’s Werewolf: Vestiges of the Premortal Romance in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Novels.” Link over and have a read. That’s what all the cool kids are doing (or so they tell me).

While you’re there, you might also notice that I’ve made some subtle changes to the site design (I’ve tweaked the header) and that I’ve updated the articles. The inconsistent layout was bugging me, so I took down the HTMLs until I can get them to look how I want them to look, reworked my document template slightly, and incorporated the new MLA citation standards into the notes. Hopefully this gives the collection a more consistent and professional feel.

Also: though I’ve published “Toward a Mormon Gothic” on RUD, I’m still open to feedback. So if, while you’re reading, you notice a typo or some such faux pas or notice that I’ve missed something you deem vitally important to the conversation, either email me or comment here. That or work up your own essay and submit it for publication. I promise I won’t complain.

• Cedar Fort saw unexpected promotional success with Melissa Moore’s book, Shattered Silence, which will be the subject of an Oprah episode that airs September 17th.
• Deseret Management announced that the websites of Deseret Book, KSL, the Deseret News, LDS Church News, and Mormon Times will now all be managed by a new division in the company, Deseret Digital.
• A 17-year-old American Fork teenager M’Lin Rowley, signed a 10-book deal with Deseret Book’s Shadow Mountain imprint.

Cedar Fort, in an email to its customers, the company trumpeted its success:

With the September 1st release of Shattered Silence, by Melissa G. Moore and Bridget Cook, we are excited to let you know that Oprah has filmed her story and featured the book on an upcoming show that airs SEPTEMBER 17th. Shattered Silence tells the story of Melissa’s experience of growing up with her father, who is now known as the “Happy Face Serial Killer”. It relates her remarkable journey of hope. Throughout her life she always looked for light and truth. Many times she felt guided by a Higher Power, she realized that there was a God and He did know her and watch out for her. When she was introduced to the Gospel of Jesus Christ she rejoiced and accepted the truth she had been seeking. Shattered Silence is a remarkable story of hope. Regardless of where or how you were raised and what you have experienced you can be happy and successful.

We reviewed Shattered Silence here. See also Cedar Fort’s PR Blog entry for September 9th.

Deseret Management’s creation of its new Deseret Digital division is a bit of a mystery to me. Its led by former Harvard Business School professor Clark Gilbert, who is an expert in digital news media innovation, which explains why DeseretNews.com, KSL.com, LDSChurchNews.com and MormonTimes.com were included. But digital news media innovation doesn’t really cover online retail, so I wonder what will happen to DeseretBook.com. It has loads of traffic, but hasn’t ever implemented the kind of features that will allow it to compete with other online retailers effectively. Perhaps this will make it change, but I also wonder what will happen when innovation tries to get Deseret Book to include those items it hasn’t wanted to sell but should. A complete version of the company’s press release is here.

Is Deseret Book pulling a publicity stunt, you have to wonder after reading the headlines about its 10-book deal with a 17-year-old. Of course, the books are short (roughly 70 pages according to the Salt Lake Tribune article) and aimed at 6-10-year-old beginning readers, so perhaps Deseret Book’s editors think they don’t have to be as careful with children’s books (which, in my experience, are substantially more difficult than they seem. And, I think Deseret Book has blundered in this area on more than one occasion, and been protected by its position in the LDS market). I suppose it is also possible that the fact that Rowley’s mother is also a Deseret Book author (although not a major one, as far as I can tell) might have something to do with it.

Twilight is going virtual. The production company for the Twilight films, Summit Entertainment, licensed the property to the teen-oriented virtual world Habbo, which will launch a Twilight-specific virtual world to coincide with the launch of the second movie in the series, New Moon.

Publishing Industry News

Here’s the news I found interesting that might impact Mormons in the books and art:

• Challenges to Google’s $125 million settlement with authors and publishers over its Google Books service multiplied before a court deadline this week.  Those objecting included Amazon.com, leading settlement supporter , the Author’s Guild, to slam Amazon’s “choke hold” on books, saying “Amazon’s hypocrisy is breathtaking.” Google tried to defend the settlement, offered to allow competitors to resell the works it has digitized (Amason said it will pass), and offered concessions (here also) in Europe to win support there. In testimony before a House subcommittee, the U.S. Register of Copyrights slammed the settlement as “fundamentally at odds with the law.”
• Publisher marketing budgets are down 50-70% this year. Efforts are moving toward web, cooperative advertising with retailers. For small publishers that may level the playingfield somewhat.
• Market share for the Kindle continues to expand: The Kindle accounted for 23.5% of ebook downloads in the 1st quarter of this year, and by the end of July accounted for 28% of downloads. Desktop and laptop computers were 48% of downloads then and were 40% in July. Also in July, the iPod was 6.5% of downloads and Sony’s Reader was 6% of downloads. All other devices were 19.5% of downloads in July.
• Do Book Blogs sell books? wonders an author at the Denver Post in this article.
• Here’s an idea: Have the readers write the footnotes!
• Think ebook prices are too high? Hachette’s CEO is warning that they may be too low!
• Apple’s Jobs says won’t make an “iBook.” “Right,” says UK’s Guardian.
• Whence the ISBN? Will it survive the digital age? Apparently it will be cheaper to get next year.
• UK Research: ebooks problem in content, not hardware. Readers complain not enough books and not enough good books.
• Google says its developing a micropayment system to allow publishers to charge for online content. Should AMV start charging by the post?

The difference I see comes down to a disagreement about themes in art.

I was reminded of this again after reading a tribute by Nate Oman to his father that he posted to Times and Seasons. Richard Oman was an acquisition curator at the Church Museum, and as the museum got started, Nate reports, they ran into intellectual difficulties:

The first was the ambiguity of the very idea of Mormon art.  Was it simply art that was done by Mormons?  Was it defined by some particular style?  Was it confined to particular mediums?  Ultimately, my father and others working at the museum converged on consensus that stressed content:  Mormon art was art that had an identifiably Mormon content.

Personally, I don’t like excluding art that was done by Mormons simply because you can’t see the Mormonism in the work. I know that I personally do not always see everything that is there in a work of art, and I suspect that many times a culture as a whole doesn’t understand a work of art at a particular point in time. We see this regularly in the art world when works that have been dismissed in the artist’s lifetime later become classics, because the culture has learned to understand them.

But, for the moment, let’s accept this ‘Church Museum of Art’ definition. We still have a problem because the Church museum doesn’t include Thiebaud’s work among Mormon Art, but we have an essay that says the work includes Mormon themes — themes that were apparently clear enough that they were apparent to the non-Mormon author of the essay.

I’ve seen the same differences of viewpoint among critics discussing Stephenie Meyers’ Twilight series. Many Mormon commentators have suggested that the books aren’t particularly Mormon (suggesting that these books are considered Mormon simply because they are so popular among some Mormon readers), but some outsiders (often those who don’t like Meyers’ books) claim that the works are very Mormon, and a few even go so far as to suggest that the books are an attempt to convert readers to Mormonism. (I know this view seems silly, but this view is out there.)

Again we have an outsider view of what makes up the Mormon themes in a work that is different from what Mormons would count (or at least a conventional Mormon view of Mormon themes).

Perhaps we can chalk this all up to outsiders’ misconceptions. But at least it points out a weakness with defining Mormon art as art with Mormon themes: its often difficult to say what a Mormon theme is, and not everyone agrees about what is a Mormon theme. The ‘Church Museum of Art’ definition is ambiguous.

It might be simple to write-off this whole question by just saying that this definition is unworkable. But, I do think it is at least widely accepted, and is often useful in many practical situations. Like the definition or not, I don’t think it can be ignored.

It seems to me that instead of dismissing this definition, we might be better off trying to figure out or define what the themes of Mormonism are. Perhaps the essayist who wrote about Thiebaud is right and there is a communal aspect that appears as a theme in Thiebaud’s art. Or perhaps Meyer’s work does contain Mormon themes that conventional Mormons don’t recognize.

With my (admittedly) imperfect knowledge of how to think about art, I find that my view of a work is often changed when a critic or another describing the work presents the work from a different viewpoint or shows the meaning in that art that I missed. I saw something like this in the comments to Laura’s post “A Litmus Test for Mormon Literature?” Harlow Clark there defends (successfully, in my opinion) an often misunderstood work of art, showing that art can often be seen from very different viewpoints.

Perhaps this means that when we aren’t happy that a work or an artist has been excluded through the ‘Church Museum of Art’ definition, or feel a work has been unairly maligned, showing another viewpoint, or demonstrating how it can be seen to fit a widely-accepted definition.

I still am not willing to concede that the ‘Church Museum of Art’ definition is what should be used, but I also  recognize that changing that definition may take a major shift mormon culture. So, I’d like to figure out how to bring other works into the definition–by expanding the themes that are recognized as Mormon.

Somehow I wish I had a list of Mormon themes — something that could be expanded and used in the criticism of Mormon art. A few weeks ago, in his post Possibly productive themes for Mormon criticism, William listed a few Mormon themes, and in the comments there were a few others.These included agency, progression/stasis, “aesthetics,” ‘wresting civilization from the wilderness’ (which could perhaps be called the ‘pioneer’ theme or aesthetic), continuity between spirit and body and the temporal and the eternal, individual v. the zion community, transformation, mental-physical trial, etc.

Of course, the list of Mormon themes is probably endless to some degree. Perhaps there is a way of organizing or categorizing such a list?

What themes (or categories or structure) should be included in a list of Mormon themes?

And They Were Not Ashamed is the “new’ Mormon sex book because it was published more recently than the one that was floating around when I got married. The one people were giving out as wedding gifts when my DH and I celebrated our nuptials was by Stephen E. Lamb and Douglas E. Brinely. (Tangential question: Why do strangers give newlyweds books about sex? Really, why? Are you so afraid my parents never brought it up that you feel compelled to help out? I just don’t get that.) We received not one but two copies of the hard, silver-jacketed tome with the open-yet-frozen-in-their-separation lilies and I read it–out of curiosity and because all my unmarried friends wanted to know what was in it. Although it was full of useful information, I was disappointed to find that it was pretty much the opposite of its subject matter: cold, clinical, boring. This was how people who believe sex is a gift from God talk about it?

And They Were Not Ashamed was originally published in March of 2004 and went into a second printing in November of that same year. From what I understand it is now in its fifth printing and word of mouth keeps this book moving. You can even get it as an audio book. (Um, awkward?) My own sister called me and told me she was reading it and sending it to me so we could talk about. The last book she did that with? Khaled Hosseini’s The Kiterunner.

So why is this book a big deal? Four words: The Good Girl Syndrome or “the deeply internalized feelings and attitudes that rigidly emphasize only the negatives associated with sexuality” (2). Brotherson hits all the usual discussion points like the commonality of sexual dissatisfaction, physiology lessons, and relationship tips, but before all that she details the fairly common, and perhaps mainly LDS, “Good Girl” mindset: Sex is bad. No matter what. In any circumstance. Except for maybe procreation. And it is up to the girls to keep men in check. (Because all women are meant to stay as innocent as girls while boys turn into men and do whatever they want.) Brotherson’s entire book, even the title in its reference to Adam and Eve, argues passionately against those false and debilitating ideas.

I can see where Brotherson is coming from. I was raised by two well-meaning LDS parents who wanted to teach their kids to CTR about “intimacy.” My mother, a nurse and prenatal educator, took me to class with her so I had plenty of technical information on intercourse and its consequences. My Young Women leaders gave the yearly lesson on the pretzel versus the chocolate (see also: the licked cupcake). My dad taught family home evening lessons on chastity so many times he developed a pamphlet that he handed out to any teenager who walked in the house. The message was the same everywhere I looked: It’s bad. It’s dangerous. And whatever it was it wasn’t sex-y. Only dirty and low people talked about it like that. In fact, my friends and I preferred to spell it out rather than say it. And even then we couldn’t own the word. We spelled it s-e-c-k-s.

One rocky adolescence later, I went to college and a visiting professor asked me to explain May Swenson’s “Bleeding” and why straight people think it’s about sex. My newly-wed brain fritzed. I blushed. I coughed. I hemmed. I hawed. And I punted the question off on my forty-something, non-LDS motherly group partner. While I worked on recovering my breath I realized something: If I was going to survive as a writer, as an artist, I needed to figure out how to talk about sex in an upfront way. The example set by that specific professor seemed too disrespectful to me, as did many of the approaches my fellow students took. I myself probably crossed a couple lines while figuring out how to reconcile the “worldly” way of sex and the gospel way. Confronting the beast that is human sexuality was difficult for this Good Girl but I did it. The looks I get at Relief Society book club discussions tell me that many other women haven’t that yet. I probably wouldn’t have if I wasn’t forced to.

Keeping this in mind, how sex is handled in an LDS/Mormon work of art can make or break it. Think about how Mormons handle movies. Violence? The most orthodox might turn away but most don’t even flinch. Sex? Mormons walk out of the theater or turn off the TV. It’s similar for books. If it’s violent, well, that’s part of life. If it’s dirty, well, it’s trash.

To be clear, I’m not necessarily knocking this approach. I think it’s important to draw lines and boundaries and say there are places we are not willing to go. I think it’s important to respect where other people draw their lines. But I also think it’s important to understand why we are drawing those lines where we are drawing them. Are we drawing them based on true principles or culturally-filtered emotional responses to those principles?

Take, as one example, Heather Moore’s . Moore makes several interpretative changes to the Abinadi story, the biggest of which is that Abinadi is a young man deeply in love. The object of his affection: Raquel, the daughter of one of King Noah’s priests. Moore works hard to make Raquel a likable character that LDS readers will identify with. She is beautiful, smart, kind, spunky; cut out of the same mold as the female protagonists in books by Rachel Anne Nunes and Anita Stansfield.

Raquel’s big character-developing moment comes when her father is forced to offer her up to be one of King Noah’s concubines. Raquel, in all her spunky splendor, fights her way out of Noah’s lustful clutches and into Abinadi’s righteous, loving arms, thereby putting everyone she loves (her family, a young scout named Ben, and Abinadi’s own mother) in mortal danger. It is this moment that makes her a heroine.

Raquel, in many ways, is the stereotypical Good Girl. (She worries incessantly about the fact that Noah kissed her before she fought back and she and Abinadi don’t kiss until their wedding day.) The death of everyone she loves and her own death are a small price to pay for her sexual purity. Similar story lines exist in Dean Hughes’ Children of the Promise series and Gerald Lund’s Kingdom and the Crown series. What a young woman is willing to sacrifice for her virtue is emblematic of her righteousness.

Raquel’s foil is the also beautiful but already defiled Maia. Maia is the newest of King Noah’s wives and has dutifully submitted to marriage to a most despicable man to save her family and herself. Maia suffers physical abuse and risks her life to save Raquel but is not a heroine until she escapes the castle–again, at her own peril–and admits her true love for the newly repented Alma. Moore has stated that the sequel to Abinadi will be a book about Alma, so the jury is still out on Maia’s character. How she will fare as a licked cupcake remains to be seen. But one message is clear: the true test of a girl’s worth is in how much she is willing to sacrifice for her virtue. No other factor weighs as heavily–not even sacrificing herself for her family’s safety.

Does this sound like doctrine? It’s not something I’ve ever read in scripture or heard over the pulpit. There are, however, plenty of sources that point to the opposite. Good girls can enjoy sex. (For the doctrinal validity of that statement read And They Were Not Ashamed. Brotherson has all sorts of sources.) Victims of sexual abuse can find healing and don’t need to sacrifice everything they hold dear to get it. Virtue is important, but for a lot of reasons that are bigger and more complicated than pamphlets or cupcakes or morality tales. What would happen if our art represented those things instead of tired, polarizing oppositions?

The Good Girl Syndrome is heavily embedded in our culture, it’s nearly institutionalized on a ward level, and seems to be a real sticking point with people who have left the Church. (I’m not linking to anyone because I don’t want to throw readers into a hornet’s nest. But if you really want to know just google “licked cupcake.”) So-called ex-mo’s abhor the emotional and sexual frustration it causes. On the flip side, conservative Mormon culture seems to take a lot of comfort from the clear lines the Good Girl mindset draws.

The arts, naturally, are where those extremes collide and duke it out. I firmly believe the Good Girl syndrome is one reason why Twilight was so successful (and provocative) among Mormon women. Those books manage to affirm both the expression, and enjoyment, of female sexuality and the importance of preserving a girl’s virtue. Maybe it’s also part of the reason why LDS romances are such a big part of the market. All those Good Girls are looking for something to guide them from their no man’s land to the sexual reciprocity God meant for couples to have.

“Saturday’s Werewolf explores Twilight in terms of the supernatural literature of the Latter-day Saints, specifically as the series links to the premortal romance narrative mode, as exemplified in Nephi Anderson’s Added Upon (1898) and Douglas Stewart’s popular musical Saturday’s Warrior (1989).”

It’s an entertaining and insightful read that I’ve just posted at Reading Until Dawn (both PDF and HTML versions available there). Come take a look after you finish commenting on Laura’s Harvest post.

And don’t be scared: RUD’s lone (were)wolf doesn’t bite. But it just might inspire you to submit.