- Joined
- Jan 29, 2003
- Messages
- 672
What I don't get is why so many people feel that if an author doesn't show that she/he's a literary savant, then they're derised for being "unoriginal" or "juvenile".
Sure, some books are great for making you stop and think. Or show great skill in communicating an idea or concept. Sometimes they show great skill in language/grammar, making you feel the scenes instead of just reading them. But they don't have to.
The point is that in the end it's a STORY. You aren't SUPPOSED to analyse it, you're supposed to read it. And if I read a story, and I'm moved by it; If I fall in love with characters and cry when they cry, and laugh when they laugh, and feel worried when things are about to happen, then the story was written well. If a book makes people enjoy reading, then it was written well. If a book can be read and re-read and re-read by so many millions of people, then it was written well.
I'm so tired of reading reviews of books and movies stating "this was badly written/directed" or "the writer shows no originality" or "the overarching plot is juvenile". Honestly. So you didn't like it huh? Well %*#@ off and read something else then. Reviews should tell me what it's about and who might get the most enjoyment out of it, not what someone I don't even know thought of it. Geez, talk about centring the world around yourself.
Wow that sounds really angry. Um, just FYI. I'm not aiming this at anyone here (despite the quote). It's just a rant against actual, paid critics who only ever seem to print bad reviews. I do understand that the idea of this thread is to discuss what we all thought of HP
Sure, some books are great for making you stop and think. Or show great skill in communicating an idea or concept. Sometimes they show great skill in language/grammar, making you feel the scenes instead of just reading them. But they don't have to.
The point is that in the end it's a STORY. You aren't SUPPOSED to analyse it, you're supposed to read it. And if I read a story, and I'm moved by it; If I fall in love with characters and cry when they cry, and laugh when they laugh, and feel worried when things are about to happen, then the story was written well. If a book makes people enjoy reading, then it was written well. If a book can be read and re-read and re-read by so many millions of people, then it was written well.
I'm so tired of reading reviews of books and movies stating "this was badly written/directed" or "the writer shows no originality" or "the overarching plot is juvenile". Honestly. So you didn't like it huh? Well %*#@ off and read something else then. Reviews should tell me what it's about and who might get the most enjoyment out of it, not what someone I don't even know thought of it. Geez, talk about centring the world around yourself.
Wow that sounds really angry. Um, just FYI. I'm not aiming this at anyone here (despite the quote). It's just a rant against actual, paid critics who only ever seem to print bad reviews. I do understand that the idea of this thread is to discuss what we all thought of HP