Emily Schultz
Emily Schultz’s latest
novel portrays a world in which blondes definitely do not have more fun.
The Blondes revolves around the experience of Hazel Hayes, a
pregnant graduate student living in New York City who lives through a global
pandemic that the media calls “The Blonde Fury.” The Fury is an epidemic in
which unprovoked deadly attacks are committed by light-haired women. This
pandemic thrusts the world into disarray as a general distrust and apprehension
of fair-haired women creates tension within society. After a series of alarming
incidents, Hazel eventually finds herself abandoned by her only companion in an
isolated cottage in rural Ontario. Hazel narrates her story for her unborn
child, both to pass the time and to hold on to her last ounce of sanity.
However,
shockingly, the pandemic functions simply as an entertaining backdrop to the
novel’s true purpose. In reality, Schultz is more interested in portraying how
women are perceived, particularly by other women. Her protagonist is often
pessimistic about the bonds of sisterhood, having no close female relations in
her past. However, as the story progresses, we see that Hazel is in fact aided
during each stage of the pandemic by women who are just as jeopardized and
helpless as herself. Schultz has developed a very real and complex case study of
the female psyche, embedded in a thrilling, fictitious setting.
No comments:
Post a Comment