In which I eschew actual review for petty irritation
I am about 3/4 done with Laurie R. King's latest, The God of the Hive, which is the ninth in her Mary Russell series and follows on directly from the last book. I don't have a review--for some reason, I never feel as inclined/capable about book reviews as film. I don't know why that is.
No, the reason I'm posting today is because I am annoyed, and it is about authors explaining their references. Specifically, after the plane crash, the forest hermit pulls them out and twinkles merrily. King makes some references to Arden, and Midsummer, "Robert Goodman" introduces himself, and then King proceeds to remind us every few pages that "Robert Goodman" might as well be "Robin Goodfellow"! *gasp* I think this has happened at least six times at this point.
Honestly, if I get the reference, then great. If I don't, no harm done. If I do, and then I have it constantly explained, I just feel like the author thinks I'm too stupid to get it, and frankly, if I didn't get it the first time am I going to the fifth? I would have been far easier with the allusion, further, if it had remained less explicit (and it wasn't very subtle to begin with).
No, the reason I'm posting today is because I am annoyed, and it is about authors explaining their references. Specifically, after the plane crash, the forest hermit pulls them out and twinkles merrily. King makes some references to Arden, and Midsummer, "Robert Goodman" introduces himself, and then King proceeds to remind us every few pages that "Robert Goodman" might as well be "Robin Goodfellow"! *gasp* I think this has happened at least six times at this point.
Honestly, if I get the reference, then great. If I don't, no harm done. If I do, and then I have it constantly explained, I just feel like the author thinks I'm too stupid to get it, and frankly, if I didn't get it the first time am I going to the fifth? I would have been far easier with the allusion, further, if it had remained less explicit (and it wasn't very subtle to begin with).