I am about to rant....

[potioncat]

No: HPFGUIDX 173666



>Potioncat:
Welcome, Karen. I hope you won't give up on the list.

Karen: 
> DEEP Deep analysis of the story line, making me feel inferior..... 
because I
> LOVED the book..... read it and was transported along in tears and
> laughter.  Had I read a different book?  or is it because I 
accepted that
> this is JKRs story, and I am happy to read it and enjoy it without 
demanding
> that she provide things that I wanted to happen, happy to be able 
to share
> in her world.

Potioncat:
We get all kinds. We are all kinds. And we're pretty accepting. Your 
opinion is just as valid as anyone's. If we all agreed, we wouldn't 
have much to talk about. 

Some posts are Lit crit--written by folks who make their living at 
it, or at least, were trained in it. It's like Lit 101 at university. 
I enjoy those, even when I'm in over my head. Here's where the Point 
of View, genre, etc, type of posts might fall.

Some posts are written as if we think the characters are real. For 
example, the ones where you know the middle aged woman who's writing 
the post expects Snape to come up behind her at any moment, place his 
hands tenderly on her shoulders and kiss the back of...

Uh, where was I? You'll find the emotional ones here. The ones that 
argue that this character shouldn't have done such-and-such, or that 
character is a _________.

And we get everything in between. I think I've taken part in just 
about all sorts of threads. 

 
> Karen:
> I didnt even realise that such a thing as fanfic existed!!!
> or that these people seem to expect JKR to pen the story as they 
wish, not
> as she wanted to. 

Potioncat:
Uh, how best to say this? I am one of "these" people. ;-) That is, I 
write and read fan-fic. Many of us write it to explore canon and to 
play with the un-seen parts of the story. Just like at this site, we 
have opinions about characters, plot, ideas. It's very thrilling (at 
least to me) when a fanfic falls neatly into a new JKR line. Yeah, 
it's disappointing when it doesn't. Many of us hurry to finish a 
story line before a new book, because we know our story is doomed. We 
take it in stride. (Well, most of the time.)

I'd just like to say it isn't just fanfic writers nor is it all 
fanfic writers who "expect JKR to pen the story as they wish..."

Karen:
 If anyone isnt happy with her style of writing or
> storylines, why have so many books sold and been re read by so many 
people?
> I have always told my children...'If you cannot say anything nice, 
then keep
> your opinions to yourself!'  so a balance would be good, some nice 
things
> and then a tiny bit of a whinge, at the most!

Potioncat:
At a site like this, it is appropriate to discuss criticisms of the 
book. I have to admit, I hate the "This books stinks because..." sort 
of post. I jump right out of them, and avoid the thread.

So please keep lurking, and keep posting. I'd like to hear more of 
what people liked as well as what people didn't like.