You're honestly a lot more analytical in these comments than you are in the actual reviews.
Here's what I said about the end of that last section: "'He read it through twice and then, alone in the sitting room, he began to laugh. It was a savage triumphant laugh. He had never taken to that big, bobbing man with his massive forehead. It was good to know that he, Simon, had got off very lightly indeed by comparison.'
Um, what? The post attacking Simon detailed criminal activities that cost him his job. The post attacking Colin doesn’t say that he actually sexually harassed any minors, and it just comes off as unfounded, childish allegations. How on earth does Simon think he got off lightly?
This whole scene with Simon is very strange. It doesn’t seem to have any point to it at all. Andrew isn’t there to overhear, and it ends with Ruth calling Shirley to tell her, despite the fact that Shirley already knows. It seems like it was written before Rowling decided Shirley would find out on her own but she forgot to cut out this scene later.
In fact, it cuts to Shirley telling Howard about the message. He’s angry at her for not taking it off, but the story doesn’t seem to be going anywhere with them, so it makes for an odd conclusion."
Your observation about Simon being the only one to commit any actual crime and to suffer any actual consequences is one area I noticed as well, though. And the theme of consequences I went into a lot further in the end.
Here's what I said about the end of that last section:
"'He read it through twice and then, alone in the sitting room, he began to laugh. It was a savage triumphant laugh. He had never taken to that big, bobbing man with his massive forehead. It was good to know that he, Simon, had got off very lightly indeed by comparison.'
Um, what? The post attacking Simon detailed criminal activities that cost him his job. The post attacking Colin doesn’t say that he actually sexually harassed any minors, and it just comes off as unfounded, childish allegations. How on earth does Simon think he got off lightly?
This whole scene with Simon is very strange. It doesn’t seem to have any point to it at all. Andrew isn’t there to overhear, and it ends with Ruth calling Shirley to tell her, despite the fact that Shirley already knows. It seems like it was written before Rowling decided Shirley would find out on her own but she forgot to cut out this scene later.
In fact, it cuts to Shirley telling Howard about the message. He’s angry at her for not taking it off, but the story doesn’t seem to be going anywhere with them, so it makes for an odd conclusion."
Your observation about Simon being the only one to commit any actual crime and to suffer any actual consequences is one area I noticed as well, though. And the theme of consequences I went into a lot further in the end.
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