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impyI read Blaire's first book yesterday and now it's time for some thoughts. Not deep thoughts, though, so you're safe there. :P
Someone on AGPT bought Blaire via ebay (the Military Exchange got her early and someone bought a few and sold 'em on ebay and there's a whole debate on whether this is a good thing or bad thing and since the person spearheading the badside is a fucking racist twatwaffle, I'm on the side of "you do you, boo.") and this is her unboxing.
The answer to well, did you like it? is yes. But I didn't love it. It's not a book that made me immediately want to run out and buy Blaire and that's kind of a problem when you release the book ahead of the doll, honestly. When you get the first book with the doll, or they're all released at the same time, it's okay if you're not immediately WOWed by the character. When you've got time to let it affect whether or not you want the doll... not great. But I am also not the target audience so there's that.
Part of my dislike, and I guess we'll go with the stuff I don't like first, is that it includes one of my least favorite... tropes, I guess? Blaire and her best friend, Thea, have a fight and it's all because they didn't bother to talk to one another. Like, I know this is something that comes up SO OFTEN because it happens in reality a lot and it helps to see good and bad ways to resolve the issue of fighting with your friends. Thea and Blaire's fight even makes sense, although it's definitely something you can see coming a mile away and is as subtle as a sledgehammer to the big toe. But it happens so, so often and I'm so very, very tired of it. Sigh.
Guess it's easier if we do a brief recap.
Blaire's family runs a BnB/farm in (sorta) upstate New York. Because AG's got a thing for New York that will not quit, lemme tell you. Anyway, Blaire's father is working on renovating the barn so they can host events there to bring in more money. Blaire's grandfather isn't thrilled about this for reasons he doesn't fully explain til a little later in the book. Blaire's got a little brother who is very much the hyperactive, gross things are awesome, but not super annoying kind.
Blaire's summer kicks off at her best friend Thea's birthday party and we quickly find out that Blaire was recently diagnosed as lactose intolerant and has to lay off dairy for the entire summer. She's only told Thea and sworn Thea to secrecy, so naturally when the dairy filled birthday goodies are trotted out and Thea's made sure there's something Blaire can eat that isn't too different from the cake everyone else is getting, Blaire feels weird and calls her family to pick her up early from the party. She's upset with Thea but doesn't say anything before ditching beyond telling Thea's mom she doesn't feel so great.
This sets up her friendships for the summer, btw. Blaire's refusal to tell her friends about her diagnosis (and annoyance at Thea who lets it slip when trying to be helpful) coupled with her unwillingness to discuss it with them once they do find out means she avoids them all summer while bitching that everything is different.
Instead, she throws herself into helping to plan her friend (and her family's employee) Cat's wedding. This is the part that actually kinda works the best because she doesn't do any of the coordinating with vendors or anything. She just trolls Pinterest and websites and comes up with ideas, shares them with the bride, groom, and the groom's mother who is a bit meddlesome and helping to do the adult side of the wedding planning.
Part of the reason she's throwing herself into making Cat's wedding perfect is that she's offered to help get the barn done in time for the wedding to be held there, and she wants it done then because she's afraid her grandfather is going to move away to Florida if the barn as a venue doesn't take off. (He says something to a neighbor who is selling their farm and moving away and instead of talking to him, Blaire just assumes the convo she's eavesdropped on is 100% the truth.) So she volunteers not only to get the barn in working order, but also to help plan the wedding and also to have Thea help her. Meanwhile Thea is a dancer (and a total theater kid) and is apparently really good, good enough to be considered for a coveted dance at the Fair's... expo or whatever. But instead of realizing that Thea might need/want time to work on that as well as, y'know, enjoy summer, Blaire's ticked that Thea's been avoiding her.
Btw, their circle of friends repeatedly invites Blaire out to things and she always says no due to the food allergy. Always. Without ever saying that's why. She's also forever cancelling plans , either due to concerns about the allergy (or the time she decided fuck it, I'm eating a whole cheese sammich and ohno, now I feel like crap) or because of the wedding. Blaire's a shit friend, is what I'm saying.
But she also does read like an actual kid so for all I'm ranting about it, it's not necessarily a bad thing. Particularly because her grandfather calls her on her behavior and her family in general calls her on spending too much time on her tablet instead of in reality. Her brain sparks/ideas are things she, as a kid, can actually accomplish, and I get why she'd shy away from situations that make her feel different. Her various animals are adorable and I'm not sure why AG hasn't made the goat since there's a whole plot point about not separating the goat and the lamb (Dash and Penelope). Maybe they didn't think they could make a cute goat? Or maybe Dash will come out in her midyear release.
I also enjoyed how there's a brief setup about Gabe's mother (he's the groom) being the meddlesome MIL plotting the wedding, and instead of her being the absolute worst, she's just obviously thrilled that her baby is getting married. Since Cat's parents are deceased, she's kind of stepped up to (and over) the plate of helping plan the whole thing. But she doesn't listen to Cat, which is partly why Blaire runs interference. But just about every time Blaire mentions that something isn't really Cat's taste, Gabe's mom is fine with it and bouncing off in another direction. She could have been awful and is instead funny and mostly sweet.
It's easier to point out the flaws because then I can tell you why they bug me (or try to, anyway) but the good stuff is there. It's an easy read, and not just because it's for kids, and I hope it sparks some interest in people closer to the target audience's age.
And I love that Blaire's crafty. Just throwing that out there.
I started book two and it's looking like Blaire's big "not gonna happen to regular kids" moment is going to be in this one.
As for the doll, since we do have a video to see her in action, sorta. I still want her, but seeing this one makes me less likely to buy her ASAP. I don't like how AG's been skimping on the lip paint so the lips, particularly on the Josefina molds, don't look as full. The new eyes are definitely doing their wonky best (and this one isn't even that bad) and I'm disappointed that I'll either have to wait or take my chances. I say wait because rumor has it that AG finally realized their sales were tanking because the prices they were asking did not match up to the quality they were offering and people noticed. They've made comments about the quality getting better and a lot of the fandom is hoping this means the new eyes will go the way of the dodo. But unless they ordered a very small original batch, like Gabby, we might be in for a longer wait than I would like. :/
I do really like the Meet hairstyle they've given her, although I will never be able to replicate it.
Someone on AGPT bought Blaire via ebay (the Military Exchange got her early and someone bought a few and sold 'em on ebay and there's a whole debate on whether this is a good thing or bad thing and since the person spearheading the badside is a fucking racist twatwaffle, I'm on the side of "you do you, boo.") and this is her unboxing.
The answer to well, did you like it? is yes. But I didn't love it. It's not a book that made me immediately want to run out and buy Blaire and that's kind of a problem when you release the book ahead of the doll, honestly. When you get the first book with the doll, or they're all released at the same time, it's okay if you're not immediately WOWed by the character. When you've got time to let it affect whether or not you want the doll... not great. But I am also not the target audience so there's that.
Part of my dislike, and I guess we'll go with the stuff I don't like first, is that it includes one of my least favorite... tropes, I guess? Blaire and her best friend, Thea, have a fight and it's all because they didn't bother to talk to one another. Like, I know this is something that comes up SO OFTEN because it happens in reality a lot and it helps to see good and bad ways to resolve the issue of fighting with your friends. Thea and Blaire's fight even makes sense, although it's definitely something you can see coming a mile away and is as subtle as a sledgehammer to the big toe. But it happens so, so often and I'm so very, very tired of it. Sigh.
Guess it's easier if we do a brief recap.
Blaire's family runs a BnB/farm in (sorta) upstate New York. Because AG's got a thing for New York that will not quit, lemme tell you. Anyway, Blaire's father is working on renovating the barn so they can host events there to bring in more money. Blaire's grandfather isn't thrilled about this for reasons he doesn't fully explain til a little later in the book. Blaire's got a little brother who is very much the hyperactive, gross things are awesome, but not super annoying kind.
Blaire's summer kicks off at her best friend Thea's birthday party and we quickly find out that Blaire was recently diagnosed as lactose intolerant and has to lay off dairy for the entire summer. She's only told Thea and sworn Thea to secrecy, so naturally when the dairy filled birthday goodies are trotted out and Thea's made sure there's something Blaire can eat that isn't too different from the cake everyone else is getting, Blaire feels weird and calls her family to pick her up early from the party. She's upset with Thea but doesn't say anything before ditching beyond telling Thea's mom she doesn't feel so great.
This sets up her friendships for the summer, btw. Blaire's refusal to tell her friends about her diagnosis (and annoyance at Thea who lets it slip when trying to be helpful) coupled with her unwillingness to discuss it with them once they do find out means she avoids them all summer while bitching that everything is different.
Instead, she throws herself into helping to plan her friend (and her family's employee) Cat's wedding. This is the part that actually kinda works the best because she doesn't do any of the coordinating with vendors or anything. She just trolls Pinterest and websites and comes up with ideas, shares them with the bride, groom, and the groom's mother who is a bit meddlesome and helping to do the adult side of the wedding planning.
Part of the reason she's throwing herself into making Cat's wedding perfect is that she's offered to help get the barn done in time for the wedding to be held there, and she wants it done then because she's afraid her grandfather is going to move away to Florida if the barn as a venue doesn't take off. (He says something to a neighbor who is selling their farm and moving away and instead of talking to him, Blaire just assumes the convo she's eavesdropped on is 100% the truth.) So she volunteers not only to get the barn in working order, but also to help plan the wedding and also to have Thea help her. Meanwhile Thea is a dancer (and a total theater kid) and is apparently really good, good enough to be considered for a coveted dance at the Fair's... expo or whatever. But instead of realizing that Thea might need/want time to work on that as well as, y'know, enjoy summer, Blaire's ticked that Thea's been avoiding her.
Btw, their circle of friends repeatedly invites Blaire out to things and she always says no due to the food allergy. Always. Without ever saying that's why. She's also forever cancelling plans , either due to concerns about the allergy (or the time she decided fuck it, I'm eating a whole cheese sammich and ohno, now I feel like crap) or because of the wedding. Blaire's a shit friend, is what I'm saying.
But she also does read like an actual kid so for all I'm ranting about it, it's not necessarily a bad thing. Particularly because her grandfather calls her on her behavior and her family in general calls her on spending too much time on her tablet instead of in reality. Her brain sparks/ideas are things she, as a kid, can actually accomplish, and I get why she'd shy away from situations that make her feel different. Her various animals are adorable and I'm not sure why AG hasn't made the goat since there's a whole plot point about not separating the goat and the lamb (Dash and Penelope). Maybe they didn't think they could make a cute goat? Or maybe Dash will come out in her midyear release.
I also enjoyed how there's a brief setup about Gabe's mother (he's the groom) being the meddlesome MIL plotting the wedding, and instead of her being the absolute worst, she's just obviously thrilled that her baby is getting married. Since Cat's parents are deceased, she's kind of stepped up to (and over) the plate of helping plan the whole thing. But she doesn't listen to Cat, which is partly why Blaire runs interference. But just about every time Blaire mentions that something isn't really Cat's taste, Gabe's mom is fine with it and bouncing off in another direction. She could have been awful and is instead funny and mostly sweet.
It's easier to point out the flaws because then I can tell you why they bug me (or try to, anyway) but the good stuff is there. It's an easy read, and not just because it's for kids, and I hope it sparks some interest in people closer to the target audience's age.
And I love that Blaire's crafty. Just throwing that out there.
I started book two and it's looking like Blaire's big "not gonna happen to regular kids" moment is going to be in this one.
As for the doll, since we do have a video to see her in action, sorta. I still want her, but seeing this one makes me less likely to buy her ASAP. I don't like how AG's been skimping on the lip paint so the lips, particularly on the Josefina molds, don't look as full. The new eyes are definitely doing their wonky best (and this one isn't even that bad) and I'm disappointed that I'll either have to wait or take my chances. I say wait because rumor has it that AG finally realized their sales were tanking because the prices they were asking did not match up to the quality they were offering and people noticed. They've made comments about the quality getting better and a lot of the fandom is hoping this means the new eyes will go the way of the dodo. But unless they ordered a very small original batch, like Gabby, we might be in for a longer wait than I would like. :/
I do really like the Meet hairstyle they've given her, although I will never be able to replicate it.
(no subject)
Date: 2018-12-27 09:58 pm (UTC)That trope you hate is called the Big Misunderstanding, and I personally have very little tolerance for it, either. (An update for that older column.) If all the drama from your story is coming from the fact that your characters aren't talking to each other (for no obvious reason), I find that rather weak. It may happen IRL, but that doesn't make it any more appealing to read about!
(no subject)
Date: 2018-12-28 12:19 pm (UTC)I do like that by the second book she's realized that other kids have it So Much Worse (cue dramatic pan to the kids who have to eat lunch away from friends due to actual allergies) but she still flips out anytime someone asks why she's eating something different. Just. Fucking. Tell. The. Class. Then they can react with "who the fuck cares" and if this doesn't happen in her third book, I will probably flip a table or something.
But it is giving me flashbacks to Stacey (mostly in the "welp, gonna eat this sammich and it'll be fine. Ohno, not fine, not fine at all!" scene) so that's a plus.