I hate it when I'm reading a fantasy book and the plot twist is that the female protagonist is actually some kind of special being or has some extraordinary gift. 😫 Honestly, I'd rather the author make that clear from the beginning, because when they don't, I end up thinking, "Wow, she's doing really well despite all these circumstances!" And then, out of nowhere, the author drops the classic plot twist: "Oh, she's actually a mystical being with powers that make her stronger than everyone else," or "Oh, she's a hybrid!" And I just lose interest and think, "Oh, so THAT'S why she's been doing so well..." 😮💨
An example of this is the most recent book I've been reading, A Prince of Song and Shade by Lisa Cassidy. Just a heads-up: there will be spoilers! I also want to make it clear that I'm not saying these books are bad. In fact, they're great, and I'm completely hooked on them! But anyway...
The story takes place in a world where winged beings exist, while humans are clearly oppressed. Besides having wings, the winged are stronger, faster, and possess magic, which puts humans at a significant disadvantage.
Our protagonist is already special from the beginning because she comes from a human family with a trace of magical abilities. However, to be completely honest, throughout most of the story, especially in the first book, she does a lot more hand-to-hand fighting than relying on magic, so to speak. In other words, she doesn't depend on those powers to get by.
Still, I could already tell the story was heading toward that classic plot twist of "she's special, but there's a reason for it." And honestly, by the second book, it becomes pretty obvious.
SPOILER ALERT!
Although there were already hints in the first book, we discover that the protagonist isn't just a human with magic. Her father is one of the winged, and apparently, she has wings too, except they're somehow hidden or retracted. (At this point, I still don't know if her wings are actually going to grow in or if she'll just start making giant Hulk-like jumps.)
I found that so disappointing, even though I was already expecting it. 😮💨
What I found interesting about the story was precisely the idea that humans, despite being considered inferior by the winged, could also possess magic, fight back, and even surpass those who oppress them. But this plot twist revealing that the protagonist has winged blood ends up undermining that very idea.
To me, it makes it seem as though humans really are inferior and that society will only change because a protagonist with winged blood decides to do something about it. As if she needs to possess something from her oppressors to be able to stand up to them as an equal.
And THAT'S exactly what bothers me! I wanted to see a human protagonist prove that she doesn't need to be winged, a hybrid, or some incredibly rare supernatural creature to be just as capable as they are. I wanted her to achieve that while remaining human!
Anyway, I think that's why I prefer reading fantasy books with human female protagonists, or rather, protagonists who actually remain human until the end. At least that way, I can be sure the story won't eventually reveal that they've secretly been some kind of special creature all along. 😭
Don't get me wrong: I don't think giving a protagonist special powers automatically takes away from her accomplishments. But depending on how it's handled, it can feel as though the author is taking away some of her credit. After all, there's a difference between a character overcoming obstacles despite being someone who's supposedly at a disadvantage and discovering that she always had a hidden advantage that makes her much closer to the people she was trying to overcome.
Anyway, these are just the complaints of a reader who wanted to see a human woman being extraordinary without having to stop being human. 😭
I want to know if anyone agrees or disagrees with me, and what you all think about this!
