Spiderwick Chronicles

[Petra Pan]

Milz, in parts:
> There were two books I saw at
> Borders: "The Field Guide" and "The 
> Seeing Stone". I noticed them due
> to the display next to the Potter 
> books. The display offered a free
> seeing stone. My curiosity got the 
> better of me:)

Same here - my curiosity was also 
piqued by the similarity of the 
presentation of these books to that 
of Lemony Snicket's and the 
similarities to the HP universe in 
names.  Of course, until I actually 
get around to reading these books, 
I won't have an educated opinion as 
to whether this series is tapping 
into the same archetypes and themes 
as those of Lemony Snicket and JKR 
in new and novel ways...or...merely 
copycats of them (and others).

> As I wrote in my first post, I only
> skimmed through the books and saw 
> some similarities between them
> and the Snicket books, however 
> superficial they may be. Furthermore,
> the packaging (size, shape, general
> cover art design) of the books were
> similar to the Snicket books. 

How this series is positioned in 
the marketplace is determined by 
Simon & Schuster, I dare say.  
Whether I would ever become a fan 
or not, after being intrigued by 
the marketing, would greatly depend 
on the actual substance of the 
books' content.

See, nothing turns me off quicker 
than being bait-n-switched by 
exploitative materials...and nothing 
turns me on more than materials that 
exceed my expectation.  :)

Judging from the sales one-sheet for 
this series from S & S, the publishers 
certainly are being evocative of the 
Lemony Snicket books in declaring 
themselves "a bit wary to present" 
these chronicles.  The S & S marketing 
material also mentions that the 
authors are "...fending off angry 
faeries and goblins in order to bring 
the Grace children's story to you...The 
Grace children want their story to be 
told.  But heed their warnings, wear 
some red, turn your clothes inside out 
- all anti faerie devices - and get 
ready to enter a world you never knew 
existed...But beware the faeries will 
do anything to stop you reading these 
books..."

Less influenced by the publishers (I 
hope) are the names and creatures 
that are evocative of the HP universe.  
"Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide to 
the Fantastic World Around You" may 
very well be inspired by "Fantastic 
Beasts & Where to Find Them" (which 
in turn may be inspired by Barber & 
Riches' "A Dictionary of Fabulous 
Beasts" IMO).  The one-sheet even 
mentioned plans to include original 
notes, drawings, and findings in 
Spiderwick's Field Guide (which is to 
conclude the series, but should not 
to be confused with The Field Guide, 
which is the first book in this 
series, if I read this correctly) 
which reminds me of the doodles in 
the 2 HP schoolbooks.

I wonder: Will a seeing stone be 
as interestingly resonant as the 
PS/SS?  Will Lucinda's secret be 
as interesting as those in the 
Chamber?  Why is the Hobgoblin 
named Hogsqueal?  Will the Griffon 
turn out to be a Byronic hero? or 
an anti-Bryonic hero?  Will 
Thimbletack the Brownie have 
anything in common with his 
clansmen the dobies?

These are the *similarities* that 
struck me immediately.  How this 
series may or may not manage to be 
*different*, to make novel comments 
on human nature, would answer the 
question of whether this series 
builds on prior works...or merely 
written and/or published to take 
advantage of the current hype.

This is, of course, a matter of 
opinion.  Like Milz, I'd be 
interested in hearing such opinions, 
which I don't plan to read until 
after I get a chance for form my own.

But don't y'all hold back on my 
account now you hear?  <g>

Petra
a
n  :)

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