Subverting the genre?

[carolynwhite2]

--- In the_old_crowd at yahoogroups.com, Barry Arrowsmith 
<arrowsmithbt at b...> wrote:
>
Well, before JKR there was DWJ - Diana Wynne Jones. I say 'was' in a 
comparative sense, she's still alive and kicking and doing very well, 
thank you, particularly now that 'Howl's Moving Castle' has hit the 
big screen. Author of getting on for 30 fantasies aimed at the 
younger set, she was (and I understand still is for many) the doyen 
of Brit fantasists.

Carolyn:
The movie version sounds quite amusing judging by the reviews. Cross 
between Shrek and manga by all accounts; I might take advantage of 
living in the great metrop and make an effort to see it. However, I 
can assure you old bean that the book is beyond dire, as are her 
other epics. I was tempted to try them by some benighted 
recommendations on these boards. Should have known better. Slung into 
a skip without a second's hesitation. 

Kneasy:
"The Tough Guide to Fantasy Land" provides the low-down on navigating 
yourself through the thickets and pitfalls of a fantasy 'Tour' i.e. 
any volume of fantasy. Refreshingly cynical, it's an alphabetical 
guide that tells you what to expect in the way of the fictional 
conventions, any hardware cluttering up the place,stereotypes posing 
in fore- or background - and how the plot (if any) is liable to 
progress.

Carolyn:
Enlightening. This in fact, may be the reason her books don't work. 
Like the most diligent of Mills & Boon authors, she has reduced her 
output to a formula, with all the dullness that entails. As I recall, 
DWJ has been rather munificent about JKR, saying something along the 
lines of 'I don't mind a bit she's got a similar story to mine, good 
luck.' Which is the right reaction, as JKR has indeed done something 
very different and original with the ingredients. Not to be compared 
for a minute.

Kneasy:
But apart from the number of magical folk all in a modern day
setting, here's little indication of where the promised subversion is 
lurking in HP.

Carolyn:
The subversion in JKR's mind (I think) is that she doesn't give a fig 
for what she's supposed to do with these ingredients; she's bored 
even with pretending to make the magic believable. She doesn't 
believe in it, and really (as she has said in the interviews), it 
doesn't particularly make things much better for Harry. The WW in 
many ways is even more awful than Muggleland.

The truly alarming thought is that what she is really attempting is a 
cross between Jane Austen, Shakespeare and Agatha Christie. Hm.

Kneasy:
He says, "I was very anxious to break the franchise(!) out of this
goody-two-shoes feel. It's my view that children are violent, dirty, 
corrupt anarchists. Just adults-in-waiting basically."

Lord of the Flies meets Lord Voldemort.
Hm. Do you think Warner Bros know about this?

Carolyn:
Now, surely you are tempted to watch this one.. really sounds quite 
promising! I share his view of children entirely, I mean, I was one. 
Why parents think they are desirable is entirely beyond me. It's war, 
from about age 6 months.


Serena:
So, is nice Mr. Malfoy not a natural blonde????
Draco??

OR maybe Snape deliberately dyes his hair dark to look
evil. Yes, that has to be it. He's naturally
nouse-brown and wanted to look more death-eatery!!!!

Carolyn:
Finally, we discover the reason that Lockhart wanted to market his 
own range of hair care products!