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Thursday, April 9, 2015

Name That Genre #1

TITLE: YA
GENRE: Secret

“Elizabeth, are you ready to go?” I hear Mother call from the kitchen.

“Yes, I’ll be right there,” I lie, still not dressed. It's Sunday and I'm late, as usual. I grab the first dress I see. It doesn’t seem to matter much when my choices are the black dress, the dark black dress, or the other black dress. Shall I wear the one with the hole, the one with two holes, or the one the mouse chewed through?

“Elizabeth! We are going to be late, we need to leave,” I hear Mother call again, this time with a hint of impatience.

“I’ll be right there!”

After exchanging my white nightdress for the dark black dress that the mouse chewed through, I tie a white apron around my waist, attempting to hide the hole. I am nearly out the door when I realize I have forgotten my cap.

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35 comments:

  1. MarilynApril 9, 2015 at 10:06 AM

    Historical fiction.

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  2. S.D.KingApril 9, 2015 at 12:13 PM

    Amish fiction

    I am guessing it is contemporary Amish (although I don't think they have torn or worn dresses - but maybe that is what makes their story worth telling.)

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  3. 1000th.monkeyApril 9, 2015 at 12:22 PM

    Historical

    The name Elizabeth, church, dresses/apron/cap, and mice.

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  4. H. R. SinclairApril 9, 2015 at 12:25 PM

    Contemporary.

    I agree with S.D. that is is probably in an Amish or similar setting. The use of the word "grab" pushed it away from historical into modern for me.

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  5. HeatherApril 9, 2015 at 12:34 PM

    I thought either Historical or Dystopian. The Amish angle didn't occur to me until I read other crits!

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  6. HeatherApril 9, 2015 at 12:35 PM

    I thought either Historical or Dystopian. The Amish angle didn't occur to me until I read other crits!

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  7. UnknownApril 9, 2015 at 12:57 PM

    Contemporary
    I'm thinking the mc is Amish or Mennonite which makes the time period harder to judge, but since the language feels contemporary, I'm going with that.

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  8. GinaApril 9, 2015 at 1:19 PM

    My first guess was contemporary and that they were going to a funeral because her only options were black dresses. Then the mention of a mouse chewing through the fabric and wearing a white apron made me think Historical Fiction, but the mention of the white cap led me to believe that this was an amish woman, so back to contemporary fiction about an Amish community.

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  9. shelleyApril 9, 2015 at 1:39 PM

    Historical. Because of the word choices: shall; nightdress. Also because her outfit includes an apron and a cap.

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  10. UnknownApril 9, 2015 at 1:51 PM

    Historical, due to the clothing.

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  11. UnknownApril 9, 2015 at 1:51 PM

    Historical, due to the clothing.

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  12. UnknownApril 9, 2015 at 2:10 PM

    Historical.

    I'm posting my initial guess, though after reading others', contemporary with an Amish or Mennonite MC makes more sense, because the language is contemporary.

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  13. AnonymousApril 9, 2015 at 2:16 PM

    Historical is my guess. The wording is more modern, but that could be the author. Not all Amish girls wear nothing but black and they are pretty fastidious about their clothing, especially church service which is actually held in homes and every two weeks.

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  14. UnknownApril 9, 2015 at 2:33 PM

    Historical
    Although the Amish thing is a good guess, but it feels more like pilgrims or old-timey Quakers to me.

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  15. Heidi StallmanApril 9, 2015 at 2:59 PM

    Contemporary -- set in an Amish or other similar religious community.

    The voice feels too modern to me for this to be historical. If it's supposed to be historical, perhaps add a few more setting details that concretely set it in a different time period.

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  16. Michele HelselApril 9, 2015 at 3:00 PM

    I don't know.
    Thought they were going to a funeral at first, then Amish or a family of servants. Language seems contemporary but nightdress makes me think Amish again.

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  17. Michele HelselApril 9, 2015 at 3:00 PM

    I don't know.
    Thought they were going to a funeral at first, then Amish or a family of servants. Language seems contemporary but nightdress makes me think Amish again.

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  18. KathleeaApril 9, 2015 at 3:19 PM

    Historical Fiction

    The black dress and cap and the name but this could also be dystopian.

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  19. AnonymousApril 9, 2015 at 3:51 PM

    I can't tell.

    On first read, I thought it was an Amish girl, probably because the language sounded so modern. But I think it could be Historical Fiction (or even Fantasy) or possibly even Dystopian. Hard to decide.

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  20. JAZApril 9, 2015 at 3:54 PM

    Historical Fiction.
    The clothing is that of a Pilgrim girl or woman. The worn quality suggests a more thrifty time, perhaps when clothing is hand-made. The voice is contemporary to appeal to today's teens, but I'll stick with Historical.

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  21. Bonnie StaringApril 9, 2015 at 4:24 PM

    Amish Contemporary
    At first, I thought this was Historical, but then the introduction of the white apron and cap, as well as the formal yet not too formal language, led me to think Amish Contemporary.

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  22. Rocket Ma'amApril 9, 2015 at 5:52 PM

    Clothing makes me think Amish, could be contemporary or historical, but can't tell because Amish live in their own time. Could be a "bonnet ripper" romance, but with the stark view of everything so far, it could be a take-down of a cult-life.

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  23. CamApril 9, 2015 at 6:03 PM

    Historical.

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  24. sbjamesApril 9, 2015 at 7:08 PM

    I"m guessing Contemporary YA as she sounds like an Amish teenager.

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  25. SussuApril 9, 2015 at 7:16 PM

    HISTORICAL.

    The few clothes, the black dresses, the apron, the cap, the presence of a mouse in the house, that sounds like The Little House in the Prairie, but they are happier there.

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  26. LanetteApril 9, 2015 at 9:26 PM

    Historical

    The holes in the dresses make me think it's not a modern Amish setting.

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  27. UnknownApril 10, 2015 at 2:21 AM

    Contemporary

    I was torn between Historical and Contemporary, but the voice seems to fit more with modern day

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  28. RickApril 10, 2015 at 2:33 PM

    Historical.

    The lack of color in the dresses.

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  29. absentmemoryApril 10, 2015 at 5:55 PM

    Historical

    She's got nothing but dresses and they're in poor condition.

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  30. SusanApril 10, 2015 at 7:56 PM

    Historical fiction. The dresses chewed by mice, the white cap, the apron...sounds like either the 17th or 18th century, perhaps.

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  31. AnonymousApril 10, 2015 at 9:26 PM

    Amish fiction

    Black dress & apron

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  32. C. R. BaileyApril 10, 2015 at 10:21 PM

    Contemporary. Amish sub-genre. Black dresses, white apron, and cap.

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  33. AnonymousApril 10, 2015 at 11:15 PM

    Historical.

    Because of the name Elizabeth, referring to her nightgown as a white nightdress, the black dress, white apron, and cap. Not necessarily Amish, but could be. The MC could also be a servant.

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  34. AnonymousApril 10, 2015 at 11:52 PM

    Amish

    I admit I didn't think of that on my own, but those that did made a valid point and I concur


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  35. AnonymousApril 11, 2015 at 10:47 AM

    Historical is correct, and a page later it turns into historical fantasy. It takes place in Salem and one of the guesses was spot on in that the language is a little more modern to be more appealing to teenagers today. Actually the first page has been revised due to pitch slam and it would probably be more apparent with the new revisions. After reading it with the mindset of Amish though, I could see it. Although I agree their clothes would be in better condition.

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