Re: P. D. James

Joan in GB-W wrote:

"Lauradog" <lauradog@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:6r5mukFfjmviU1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
peggy wrote:
Francis A. Miniter wrote:
I see P. D. James has a new book out. After _The Lighthouse_ I am not enthused to buy it. How do the rest of you feel about her recent writing?

I've been bugged by Dalgliesh's snobbery and over-fastidiousness for a long time, but I think she does a very good job of setting up the situation, describing the locale, and establishing the characters. I start each book with enthusiasm. But somehow I tend to lose interest in the plot the closer it gets to the end. I still reread her earlier books with pleasure, but the longer they get, the less satisfying they are. (The subplot about Dalglieh's personal life bores me silly. I just can't care about him.) She does seem to keep an emotional distance from her characters that can be off-putting. That said, her writing is so much better than most of the authors I pluck from the shelves that I know I'll give any book of hers a chance.

My feelings exactly. I much prefer her earlier books, but will still read anything she writes. CHILDREN OF MEN is the only one that I didn't finish. It didn't appeal to me because I read a lot of science fiction in the past and the theme was familiar. I don't care that Dalgliesh is stodgy or that the dialogue doesn't come across as natural. I enjoy the way she sets things up and her writing style. She hasn't reached the Cornwall stage and probably never will.
Sue D.

That being said, Sue, SKARPETTA was number one on whatever best seller list my local newspaper subscribes to in this morning's edition. Ah, ***. Can you imagine that? Those of us on RAM who have abandoned the Cornwell ship must certainly be in the minority!

Joan




I kind of think of her as a less prolific James Patterson now, another author I can't read.
Sue D.
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