Rowling and Dianna Wynne Jones

[vjmerri]

Original Yahoo! HPFG Header:
No: HPFGUIDX C5684
From: vjmerri
Subject: Re: Rowling and Dianna Wynne Jones
Reply To: [Yahoo! #5577] Rowling and Dianna Wynne Jones
Date: 8/4/00 12:07 am  (ET)

I have heard of Dianna Wynne Jones but am not sure if I'd read any of
her books. However, to start with the Russian review:

Lets start with the basic concept that Dianna Wynne Jones, assuming
its a fair description, hardly invented the concept of the wicked
stepparents. For heaven's sake, see Cinderella, and it wasn't invented
by Perrault. That concept is almost as old as fiction itself.

Standard heroic beginning, hero is stuck in bad situation, whether by
parents, relatives, whoever. Magical something comes along and he gets
out of it. So I truly do not see that as an issue. The fat spoiled son
could be somewhat more problematical, but not really.

Second, the review flat out misrepresented the bit about Harry's
inheritance. It claimed that the relatives were responsible for keeping
it from him. Not true at all.

Thirdly, and most objectionable to me, is that the russian review has
reviewed what appear to be the first two or three chapters of each
book. What happens after each respective hero leaves his family must
be completely and totally different. Otherwise, the review would have
given us specifics.

So basically, this review pretended that Jones had invented the wicked
step parent story line, that she's the only one who did anything with
it, and that therefore JKR's entire book, which is basically completely
different from Jone's book, was nevertheless plagarized by her.

Such nonsense is bound to be written about a highly successful
author. But I truly would not be concerned that there is any truth to
it whatsoever. At least not based on the nonsense of that review.

Vicki