Drunk on Pottermania? Sober up with this guy. In spite of his picture, Nicholas Lezard (English) writes the kind of passionate analysis that reminds you high literacy can be fun. He’s a very smart guy.
Writing about Harry Potter in the Guardian (U.K.) Blog, he teases out the worsening dilemma for readers of popular fiction: why do we put up with so much bad style from wildly popular authors?
Here, he lowers the boom on J. K. Rowling. And here, following the The Deathly Hallows he relents somewhat, though still confining her to the outer circle of “dead adverb” users.
To me the problem is complex, and largely practical:
Of course Rowling knows you take good care to choose action words, containing inherent imagery, that don’t need modifiers, and to root out cliches and replace them with newly minted expressions. But that takes time. When you’re under contract to produce and promote a new 700-page Harry Potter every year or so for nearly a decade, something has to give. Enter adverbs.
At least it’s not as bad as the Berenstain Bears.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Personally, I love Harry!!!!
For the final installment, I read in fear that someone would spoil the ending. Thankfully no one did!!!
That being said, I have to admit, that while reading I found myself having to re-read paragraph after paragraph that jsut didn’t make sense. Had that happened in her first book, I might not have chosen to read on. It was disappointing and I wasn’t sure if I noticed because it was worse than in previous books or that I have grown as a writer since the 6th book.
Regardless, if J.K. Rowling decided to write a sequel or prequel, I’d just have to read it.
I, too, am a Potterphile, but the adverbs in her work drive me nuts. What keeps me reading (and re-reading) them? THE STORY. (see Bill’s post on Sept. 30 for more on “Story”)
Bill makes a fair point about being under contract and something having to give. That may account for the plethora of colons in Deathly Hallows, as well.
I’m with Anne though, I would buy whatever Ms. Rowling was selling.