Amélie Wen Zhao (photo by Nathan Bajar)
But recently, she has changed her tune. Her debut novel, Blood Heir, is coming out in November.
Before you celebrate this as some triumph of freedom, realize that there are some caveats.
Just as I predicted, she would revise the book to make it more acceptable to YA Twitter. She consulted not only with subject matter experts on human trafficking, but also with sensitivity readers. While this may seem silly to conservative authors, realize that she is in traditionally published young adult fiction, which is the progressive wing of the progressive party. The people most likely to vouch for her are committed to far-left politics, and even the tiniest deviation from the approved positions invites great rage from this group.
It’s important to remember that Zhao, like most authors in YA, broadly agrees with the progressives; had this opprobrium come from the Republican Party or the LDS Church, she wouldn’t change a thing. Republicans and Mormons are not part of her influence network or her intended market, so their criticism would mean nothing to her.
As sad as these pile-ons are, social context must be taken into account before we criticize these authors for knuckling under. Choose your circles carefully.
I hope her circle now supports her book. That would be my worry, that she goes to the effort to “purify” her story, and the shriekers still won’t buy it.
It’s a possibility. Even the NYT article raised that issue near the end.
Jill and Rawle,
The shriekers will never, ever be satisfied. They’re talentless prudes who vindictively pursue limpeza de ideas. With the same fanatical devotion as racists or religious millenarians
xavier
Unfortunately, you’re right. With them, you’re always guilty.
Rawle,
and it’s quite demeaning. What a worldview where there’s no forgiveness, mercy or compassion.
It’s simply the rule of the demented over the normals
xavier
On that, I agree.