snein 10 july 2005
HP
No, it isn’t hate. But, the huge success of the Harry Potter series has always made me wonder what people want from a book. Why even grown-ups are willing to fill days of their lives with wooden prose, while there are so many books out there offering so much more.
Critic Robert McCrum is asking that question as well.
[T]ry reading her aloud to an eight-year-old and you quickly discover that her prose is deadly - automatic writing, over-literal description and lazy dialogue. Perhaps The Half-Blood Prince will prove me wrong, but the series so far does not hold out much hope.
Common people want a story from a book and they don’t knitpick over style issues. I really don’t understand why critics refuse to accept that as a given fact.
Who cares about lazy dialogue or plain characters if the story takes you to the edge of your seat? Yes, critics do, and, admittedly, I do, but the regular reader rightfully doesn’t.
You state there are so many books out there offering so much more. But when it comes to creating an adventurous world and captivating the average reader’s imagination, I’m afraid there aren’t that many better alternatives.
skreau Ruben, op moandei 11 july 2005 op 21:00
Je hebt een f teveel…
skreau eliane, op moandei 11 july 2005 op 23:59
@Ruben: do you really think grown-up and mature readers can’t find better adventure stories than hyped up kiddy books like Harry Potter’s? Mind you, I am not talking about what children read, it is the mature tax paying people who are allowed to vote that are worrying me.
@ Eliane: ffanks
skreau eamelje.net, op tiisdei 12 july 2005 op 11:34
‘Ffanks’ is erg grappig, want ik schoot ervan in de lach.
skreau cockie, op tiisdei 12 july 2005 op 23:13