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October 1, 2008 12:50 PM
Predictable?
Okay, I'm in rant mode again...
Yesterday, after my rave review of Lisa Jewell's Thirtynothing, I checked out the Amazon reviews because I wanted to make sure everyone agreed with me (egotistical, much?). And, do you know what? They didn't. Some people didn't like it at all. Some people thought it was only okay. Some people really loved it. But pretty much every single person described it as "predictable"...
(Sort of spoiler over the cut, but only sort of...)
By predictable everyone seemed to mean that they knew, from the beginning, that Dig and Nadine would end up together. Well, of course! Isn't that how romance/chick lit novels work? And chick flicks? Did anyone sit down to watch, say, When Harry Met Sally, thinking that Harry and Sally *wouldn't* end up together?
My friend (and fabulous author) Luisa Plaja made a good point a little while ago: no-one complains that a crime novel is "predictable" because the perpetrator gets caught in the end, do they? ("I knew from page one that they'd find out whodunnit!") so why is that always a complaint about chick lit? Why?
Yes, we know that the hero and heroine will end up together (that's why they're the hero and heroine), the fun is finding out how it happens. Isn't it?
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Posted by Keris on October 1, 2008 in Opinion | Permalink
Comments
If it makes you feel any better, your review inspired me to order 'Thirtynothing' as it's one of Lisa Jewell's I have not read. I am okay with the predictable thing:)
Posted by: Jess | October 1, 2008 6:27 PM
Ooh, I do that too. I look for reviews of books I've either loved or hated and then get really annoyed if everyone doesn't agree with me.
Something to do with a need to be constantly validated and vindicated. I should probably work on that.
Posted by: Stella | October 1, 2008 6:50 PM
I agreed with you. I thought 30 Nothing was brilliant. Of course it's predictable, but the stuff that happens along the way is what makes a great story. Don't read Amazon reviews. Trust your own judgement.
Posted by: Rhonna | October 1, 2008 7:05 PM
Thanks! Rhonna, I *do* trust my own judgement, I read them to make sure everyone agrees with me (as, of course, they should) and then get really annoyed when they don't!
"Something to do with a need to be constantly validated and vindicated. I should probably work on that." We should form a support group, Stella. :)
Posted by: Keris | October 1, 2008 8:32 PM
I look on Amazon all the time to see if people agree with me...most of the time they don't.
As for predictable, Freya North actually says in the beginning of some of her books that 'we know x and x are going to get together but how will they manage it' sort of thing. (I might be thinking of Chloe but memory not too hot at the moment.) I agree, the journey is what makes the story interesting. Get that right and you've a great book.
Posted by: Helen | October 2, 2008 7:38 AM
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