Mistakes were Made

[ellen_kushner]

YA fantasy author Mette Ivie Harrison has an interesting new post up on Mistakes in Romance, comma, LIterary, on her LJ (metteharrison ).  I must say I agree with her and blackholly  that the Misunderstanding is not such an enjoyable mistake to read about -  of beloved Georgette Heyer's delicious romantic plots, it is definitely the least tasty to me.

Comments

[stakebait]

The misunderstanding in The Nonesuch worked for me, because it was so emblematic of her character that she could not bring herself to ask about this topic that well-bred women were supposed not to speak of, and because Heyer was clever in pre-laying the seemingly-supportive details. But most of the time it makes me lose patience with the characters because they are either far too quick to assume the worst about someone they supposedly love, or they have the communication skills of cream cheese, or both.

[ellen_kushner]

they have the communication skills of cream cheese
Yes - that's what drives me nuts. And it's personal: I find that in real life to be untenable, so I don't really enjoy reading about it, either. Those thicker-skinned than I about this particular issue should only enjoy themselves.

[stakebait]

I get that. What makes me nuts is the deliberate verion, AKA almost every spy novel ever, where withholding information and creating disinformation is a crucial part of the plot. I don't say it's not realistic or well done, it just makes me insane to see so many people using words to anti-communicate.

Sorry, that was me again, forgot to log in.

[stakebait]

I get that. What makes me nuts is the deliberate verion, AKA almost every spy novel ever, where withholding information and creating disinformation is a crucial part of the plot. I don't say it's not realistic or well done, it just makes me insane to see so many people using words to anti-communicate.

[la_marquise_de_]

I'm with you on that. It always seems so unnecessary, somehow, and rather lazy. (It's one of the reasons I prefer Cotillion to Arabella, for instance -- there are false colours in both, but in the former it's fully integrated, while in the latter, the whole thing feels too contrived and Heyer lets the reader see it. So that I don't feel anything but irritation with Arabella's uncertainties over what the hero is up to.)

Arabella

[ellen_kushner]

Don'tcha just wanna slap her face?

Re: Arabella

[la_marquise_de_]

Oh, yes.