David Xu: "Dear Bridget Smith: The Perfect Blend of Spices"

The Perfect Blend of Spices

By

David Xu

            The way I read is really similar to the way I eat. When I find a book that I really like, I will continue to consume it with a voracious hunger until it is finished. And even after I am done, I still crave to have more, just to relish the taste again. But how is this taste created? Chefs and writers alike build it around a central theme, some core idea that the book/dish is supposed to embody. With this idea, they then add certain raw ingredients, such as vegetables, meats, settings, and characters. These general aspects create the body and are generally similar from one writer to the next. To differentiate themselves and form a completely new story, the author will add “classic” elements, blending them in new and unique ways. These inherently simple spices are amalgamated, creating an incredible depth of flavor.

            When such a piece is presented, how much would you expect young readers to emphasize the “classic” elements individually? I’d expect the same amount of emphasis a diner would give to specific spices in a dish. So fairly little. Very rarely would a person exclaim “YES THEY ADDED SAFFRON” when eating a dish. In general, we wouldn’t put too much emphasis on the particular element, but rather the blend of elements and the way in which they’re used.

            For example, I was entranced by Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles. But while reading, I didn’t really take note that the story focused on Martians and space travel, two stereotypical elements of SF, or that it emphasized the consequences of human expansion, a common theme in soft SF. They are essential parts of the novel (or sequence of individual recollections if you prefer) that give the novel its distinct style, but that wasn’t why I enjoyed it. Rather, it was Bradbury’s masterful use of interplanetary interaction to denounce human inconsideration towards foreign beings that really stood out to me. Bradbury really set his sights on vituperating Hernán Córtes and now even I can’t forgive him for what he’s done.

            Conversely, a story that I can’t say I loved as much is Neil Gaiman’s Stardust. Actually, that’s not quite true. I really enjoyed the beginning. Gaiman had beautifully combined the historical setting of Hadrian’s Wall with the fantastical elements of medieval magic. Like a trio of strings coiling together to form a strong rope, he tied the stories of Tristran, Stormhold, and the Witch Sisterhood to make an exhilarating and cohesive race to find Yvaine. It was a brilliant blend of classically fantastic element and historical references. All until the end. The ending, in my opinion, really ruined the story because the denouement resolved too neatly too quickly. The novel’s sudden change in tempo threw me off, giving me a jarring and unsatisfied feeling at the end. It seemed almost as if Gaiman had a deadline, so he carelessly rushed to put on a clean, bowtie ending.

            For me, the most valuable aspect in a classic work is an untarnished theme. Earlier, I mentioned a core idea from which every dish and every story stems from. That to me is the key. I couldn’t care less about what particular elements that the authors use. They can write using specifically fantasy elements like the Lord of the Rings trilogy or take elements across the SFF spectrum like in Lord of Light. Hell, they could even give the story a strange, funky twist like in Pretty Boy Crossover. As long as the elements help advance the plot and clearly portray the central idea of the story, I’d be happy.

Of course other readers may think differently. It’s difficult to find a style that will entice every reader, young and old. But evidently, the actual “classic” elements of SFF that are used don’t really matter. I may be wrong to generalize for everybody, but I believe that we, as young readers, put more emphasis on how elements are used rather than the elements themselves. You can use whatever you want as long as you can find that perfect blend of literary spices.