Oh, I'm aware of all that, but there are a couple of things that I decided (and of course I am not exhorting, just explaining myself): one, some influences are subconscious, especially in younger writers. When you haven't much life experience, what you love in media--what inspires you--is going to shine through your work. (I can look back at things I wrote when young and squirm in utter embarrassment at the crassness of echo, yet I can clearly remember that at the time, I thought it was original.) Then, part of this, is riffing. In the Draco Trilogy there was a tone of riffing, which, at least to me, was exactly the sort of smiling homage that Barbara Hambly gave to various TV shows in IshamelSecond: after I'd read the kafuffle I got distinctly uncomfortable sensations of "lynch mob!" That always makes me quite wary. Anent this, I believe that Clare's writing group includes some extremely savvy writers who, if she'd perpetrated in her first published book any of the problems attributed to her in the fanfuffle, they would have
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There's influencing, and then there's wholesale liftings of entire ideas, scenes, and (worst) sentences out of other people's books. I'm willing to grant her the benefit of the doubt on this book, and accept that maybe she's decided not to do that anymore, but she did not come off looking very good in that kerfuffle.
Your descriptions of the awning and of attraction shine so right, the more so in the wake of reading Senrid with its option of choosing not to age. (Especially convenient for those who are bi!) All this makes me continue to consider shelters, chosen and otherwise.
Thank you for the recommendation, too; I will look for Vintage at the library.
City of Bones I have read and guardedly appreciated, particularly art's roles and Simon in action while we and Clary learned to see him more deeply. Critically, CoB's internal nods to a certain set of movies were well crafted to make use of the relationship between them and make it an in-joke with the reader, so that filing off serial numbers wasn't an issue. This was a good thing to see.
(Getting emo here: having been so delightedly swept up in her earlier Trilogy, only to realize that (despite the earlier kerfuffles about attribution) the major romantic plot was lifted straight from Dunnett... it broke my heart. And even her Draco is no Lymond
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This is a young writer, and though I have no grounds to make this claim, but I really believe that the influence are there in the subconscious, the way that things one rereads voraciously will influence one. Especially before one has much life experience oneself. I feel that her talent is so enormous, the rest will shake down. (And Shakespeare began by swiping plot bunnies wholesale.)
She swiped actual sentences and scenes wholesale -- that's not a case of "unconscious influences", that's a case of copying something out and changing the original character names to "Harry" and "Draco" which is unquestionably plagiarism.
I'm glad she didn't do it in her published work, but man, if I were Hollywood I'd hesitate for a long time before picking up something from someone with her record.
People can judge for themselves in the double-columned texts set out here and here.
What people do after is up to them. I have chosen not to read further works by this author, but that is a personal decision and not intended to criticize anyone else who chooses otherwise.
Oh! I read City of Bones a couple months ago and absolutely adored it. It was WONDERFUL. Jace has become one of my favorite characters of all time. XP
Interestingly enough, I have a very good friend who is a gay guy. However, one of my best friends in the whole wide world is a lesbian, in contrast to the two teens who you mentioned.
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The quibble is just a prose thing, super minor, and wouldn't stand out so much if the rest of the writing weren't so delicious.
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Thank you for the recommendation, too; I will look for Vintage at the library.
City of Bones I have read and guardedly appreciated, particularly art's roles and Simon in action while we and Clary learned to see him more deeply. Critically, CoB's internal nods to a certain set of movies were well crafted to make use of the relationship between them and make it an in-joke with the reader, so that filing off serial numbers wasn't an issue. This was a good thing to see.
(Getting emo here: having been so delightedly swept up in her earlier Trilogy, only to realize that (despite the earlier kerfuffles about attribution) the major romantic plot was lifted straight from Dunnett... it broke my heart. And even her Draco is no Lymond ( ... )
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I'm glad she didn't do it in her published work, but man, if I were Hollywood I'd hesitate for a long time before picking up something from someone with her record.
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What people do after is up to them. I have chosen not to read further works by this author, but that is a personal decision and not intended to criticize anyone else who chooses otherwise.
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Interestingly enough, I have a very good friend who is a gay guy. However, one of my best friends in the whole wide world is a lesbian, in contrast to the two teens who you mentioned.
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Jace is delightful, yes!
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