On anti-HP-hype

[conuly]

A lot of people on my friends list today have posted about how they don't want the new HP book when it comes out. Harry Potter is derivative, a rip-off. It's badly written. It's in serious need of a good editing job. It's overhyped!

Well, yeah. I know!

I have always liked literary fluff. I still have very fond memories of the Baby-Sitters Club books, and of the Sweet Valley Twins series. I will happily read cheesy sci-fi novels with plot holes big enough to drive trucks though. (I also watch Lifetime and Disney made-for-tv movies, which really should give an indication of my taste). Yes, I read and enjoy serious works as well, but I've always felt there was a little bit of fun in reading candy. Or mocking it, whatever.

Am I the only one who sees it that way? Don't take Harry Potter so seriously. Read it, laugh, and move on with your life. Or don't read it. But don't diss those of us who happen to like badly-written books and movies.

Comments

[furiosity.livejournal.com]

I quote: That said, I don't think every single person who doesn't like the series dislikes it for that reason. [being jealous] So no, it doesn't have to boil down to jealousy -- I just think a lot of people are jealous of her success.

JKR can't be all that bad if her characters are so vivid in your mind, can she? *shrug* I don't agree with you that she sucks major ass, I think you're quite wrong on that count, but like I mentioned to conuly above, it's a little like debating whether mash is better than French fries.

JKR's created a world that people can lose themselves in, and characters that people truly care about. There have got to be redeeming characteristics in there somewhere, ne?

[conuly]

Well, I've got a theory about JKR's vivid characters.

When she first wrote the HP books, she was a nobody. She had to fit the confining rules of children's fiction, which means that excess words and sentences were struck down mercilessly. Sometimes this is cruel - the editor wantonly takes out things that belong. But often it has merit, and things which are unnecessary are removed.

Now she's popular. Everybody loves her. She can do what she wants. And that means she writes her books longer and longer, and doesn't take out all the stuff that can not exist, that adds nothing to the story.

In the end, the writing suffers because it's full of dreck. It has good stuff too, but she's not editing out the bloat anymore, and the stories are slower, and slower, and have too much in them.

[furiosity.livejournal.com]

That's a pretty good theory, actually -- I agree with it to an extent. It makes sense, about her becoming popular and having more leeway as far as editing goes -- her publishers know that the book will sell no matter what she does, after all. Rumour has it that Half-Blood Prince is shorter than the Order of the Phoenix, so we can hope. :>