Tales Post – My Favorite Feminist Icon

I was super excited to be asked by Harriet at Penguin Random House Children’s to be part of the blog tour to celebrate the release of And I Darken by the brilliant Kiersten White!

And I Darken was released on 7th July 2016 published by Corgi Children’s and introduces protagonist Lada Dracul as a new feminist heroine and is the first in The Conqueror’s Trology.

So I have been asked to share a favorite feminist icon of my own or todays post…..

Katherine Hepburn

“I believe there’s nothing we can know except that we should be kind to each other and do what we can for other people.”

I first discovered the wonder and grace of Katharine Hepburn when watching a 1933 version of Little Women when I was in my teens.  I cannot fully recall how I came to watch this, but I remember being fully captivated and mesmerised by her performance as Jo March and watching the awkwardness the character feels at the beginning of the adaptation gradually melt away turning Jo into a graceful young woman.  Her brilliant performance prompted me to watch some of her other films including the hilarious Bringing Up Baby with Cary Grant and the romantic and historical The African Queen with Humphrey Bogart.

Cate Blanchett played Katharine in The Aviator with Leonardo DiCaprio and her portrayal enthused me to find out more about this leading lady of Hollywood who’s career spanned more than 60 years.

 It is said that Katharine “broke the mold” for women in Hollywood where she brought a new breed of strong-willed females to the screen living ahead of her time which people say came to symbolize the “modern woman” and played a part in changing attitudes towards the female gender.  Some people say that she was a “central” influence in bringing feminist issues to the screen also, showing people a new vision of women in that era.

She was known for her fierce independence and spirited personality and was very outspoken, assertive and private.  Research has shown me that she distanced herself from the celebrity lifestyle and often shunned the Hollywood publicity machine refusing to conform to society’s expectation of women.

Katharine wore trousers before it was fashionable for women to do so and strongly against convention in an era of glamour and at a time when it was not proper to do so.  She made it acceptable for women in this era to wear trousers, as fans began to imitate her clothing.  In 1986 she received a lifetime achievement award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America in recognition of the influence she played in women’s fashion.

This is exactly why Katharine Hepburn is one of my favourite feminist icons.

No one expects a princess to be brutal. And Lada Dragwyla likes it that way.

Ever since she and her brother were abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman sultan’s courts, Lada has known that ruthlessness is the key to survival. For the lineage that makes her and her brother special also makes them targets.

Lada hones her skills as a warrior as she nurtures plans to wreak revenge on the empire that holds her captive. Then she and Radu meet the sultan’s son, Mehmed, and everything changes. Now Mehmed unwittingly stands between Lada and Radu as they transform from siblings to rivals, and the ties of love and loyalty that bind them together are stretched to breaking point.

The first of an epic new trilogy starring the ultimate anti-princess who does not have a gentle heart. Lada knows how to wield a sword, and she’ll stop at nothing to keep herself and her brother alive.

You can buy a copy of And I Darken here or from your local book shop

About Kiersten White

Hi! I give the most awkward hugs in the world. I also write books. I’d opt for one of my books over one of my hugs. Lucky for you, I write a lot of them.

The New York Times bestselling Paranormalcy trilogy (Paranormalcy, Supernaturally, and Endlessly) is available now. Mind Games and its sequel Perfect Lies are also out, staring at you from a bookshelf. Intensely. An Egyptian mythology-based standalone, The Chaos of Stars, will keep you company on cold, dark nights. And Illusions of Fate, a dreamy historical fantasy, wants to be your new boyfriend. It’s a really good kisser.

 And I Darken, is an epic historical based on a gender-swapped Vlad the Impaler. It’s filled with love daggers, which are like love triangles only much sharper and way more likely to kill you.

You can buy any of Kiersten’s books here

You can find out more about Kierstan White on her website – www.kierstenwrites.blogspot.co.uk

Or why not follow her on twitter using @kierstenwhite

Blog Tour

You can catch up or follow the rest of this follow the feminists tour at the below stops!

Have you read And I Darken?  What did you think?  Do you have a favourite feminist icon?  I would love to hear from you!  Why not leave a comment using the reply button at the top of this review or tweet me on twitter using @chelleytoy!

Happy Reading!