After reading one stupid comment too many...

[fpb]

I know I have read an essay that made the point that Mrs.Rowling had built up to Ginny-Harry much better than a lot of Philistines like to pretend. Can someone point me to it? Right here and now, I am not really in the mood to go and write one for myself, and I would like to have something to respond if I ever hear that ignorant opinion again.

On the other hand, does anyone doubt that the sudden apparition of Remus-Tonks in HBP is in the nature of a JKR rapsberry at certain fannish obsessions - just as, in my view, her sudden and incomprehensible invention of a black Blaise Zabini?

Lucius Malfoy is the most overrated villain on the planet. He is unintelligent, arrogant and whiny.

Finally, the twits who insist that Dumbledore is a manipulative bastard are the same idiots who are currently pretending that Israel could defend itself from Hezbollah without destroying bridges or killing people. It's called a war, dolts.

Comments

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

I don't really see anything odd about Remus/Tonks or a black Blaise Zabini. Unexpected, maybe - but I don't really understand the notion that every single thing that happens in a book needs some kind of back story or build-up. Remus and Tonks are relatively minor characters - it stands to reason that Harry, through whose eyes the story is (mostly) told wouldn't know very much about their personal lives - and therefore, neither would the reader.

As for Harry/Ginny, the fandom reaction to that has me absolutely mystified. Since when did teenage relationships - or any relationships, for that matter - need several years of build-up to be believable? Why shouldn't Ginny like Harry again - now that she's a little more mature and might actually have more than a little-girl crush on him? And what, exactly, is so bizarre about Harry starting to like her in Book 6, not before? That's not bad writing - it's realistic.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Well, I see a black Blaise Zabini as a violation of the way JKR designs characters, especially minor ones, and I argued long and hard about it, if you recall. I do not think it wrong in absolute terms, but certainly odd and unnecessary; and since both Blaise and R/T have to do with stuff where fandom had been raging and billowing like an angry sea - and slashing like mad, too - and since neither are in any way necessary to the plot, it is my view that these are JKR commenting on fannish obsessions. It is not as though she was not aware of this side of fandom. Remember the celebrated Emerson interview, which enraged so many fans? And if I were in her shoes, I would be on occasion quite annoyed at people who demand to control my characters and actually talk as though they could be a better job at them than I could.

[privatemaladict.livejournal.com]

I'd missed the whole Blaise Zabini argument - though I heard about through fandom_wank. Him being black just doesn't strike me as being in the least bit significant - like you say, he's a minor character. So he's black? Okay, whatever.

But I don't think R/T is quite as unnecessary to the plot as you seem to. Granted, it's not crucial - but I think it relates to some of the central ideas in the books. If I recall, someone, possibly Molly, says something along the lines of "Dumbledore would be glad to know there's a little more love in the world." And that's important.

Also, I personally like to know that Remus actually has something happy happen to him for a change. The man's had so many things go terribly wrong in his life - just this once, it's nice to see something go right. And to me as a reader, it doesn't matter who he's with, as long as it makes him happy.

(Which isn't to say that it isn't a jab at the fandom - it could well be - but if so, I think it works rather well.)

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

Your entire last paragraph THANK YOU! It's nice to know someone remembers being a teenager.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

Especially since most fans still are...

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

heh true.
Or given the way this fandom acts at times, one hopes most of 'em are.

[fpb.livejournal.com]

That's sort of what I meant. Not that I have always been blameless.

[ani-bester.livejournal.com]

Not that I have always been blameless

Me either. Most people aren't I think. It's a very volitile fandom.