Shielding, innocence or ignorance?

[x-trickster-x.livejournal.com]

Okay, so we've established that LKH is seriously delusional and shielded by Jonboi and Darla, but can someone really be that ignorant of bad reviews? I could understand maybe not noticing the negative feedback from previous books since although there was quite a lot of it, there were also lots of troos and fans storming to defend them. But I have yet to see one good, credible review of Blood Noir and even some of the hardcore fans seem to be coming to their senses. I mean, it has an average rating of just 2 1/2 stars on Amazon.

I just really want to know how aware of it she is because she's addressed it before by being defensive and dismissing it as not understanding her work. Although I can't help but wonder if she does actually see the sense in the points people are making and just doesn't want to change.

So is it a case of being protected from the sheer extent of bad reviews, being truly convinced that she's the bestest writer ever and people don't understand her art or is she actively putting her hands over her ears and going "LALALALA!"?

(Sorry if there's already been a post like this, I couldn't spot one so I just went ahead.)

Comments

[ambrmerlinus.livejournal.com]

Well, Christopher Paolini seems to be just as shielded as LKH, and so far he still thinks he's king of literature. So, yeah, I'd say it's possible, simply based on the evidence.

[kynekh-amagire.livejournal.com]

Yes. This.

[siedhr.livejournal.com]

Links? I really like reading about screw-ups.
And what's your icon from?

[othellia.livejournal.com]

Stepping in for ambrmerlinus, it's from Avatar: the Last Airbender. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avatar:_The_Last_Airbender) Which is, in a perfectly unbiased opinion, one of the best shows on TV right now.

[ambrmerlinus.livejournal.com]

Icon is, as previously mentioned, made from Avatar screencaps. More specifically, it's made by dieticons.

[deadsong.livejournal.com]

I couldn't even finish a Christopher Paolini novel and was quite insulted when, several years ago, a coworker gave me Eragon as part of an office gift swap and said it was perfect for me. (I was twenty-three at the time. Eragon reads at...what, a fifth-grade level? Nothing wrong with YA novels, I have an entire shelf devoted to my eternal favorites, but saying it's perfect for me is a little low.) It's slow, derivative, dull, and I still can't understand how it became a major motion picture. How could Paolini possibly consider himself the king of literature?

[ambrmerlinus.livejournal.com]

His mommy and daddy tell him he is.

[astronauta.livejournal.com]

All of the above? It's difficult to take criticism seriously when you're being placed on bestseller lists and getting so many impressive advances.

[phyrra.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reminding me to leave a review on Amazon about the book. I gave it 1 star, and suggested other series that don't suck, such as Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series, and Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse series.

[gwynethfar.livejournal.com]

Once, when I was really depressed about a review, I emailed LKH to ask her how she deals with negative reviews. I expected to get an email back saying, "I don't read my reviews, because I don't write for haters" or some such thing. Instead, I got an email from Darla saying, very sweetly and pointedly, that "as a world-famous author," LKH "doesn't get bad reviews."

And I was like, WAT?

[ellenel13.livejournal.com]

Lol

[tooimpurenangel.livejournal.com]

Darla is bonkers. I mean, I admire her for wanting to support her friend and all, but all writers get bad reviews. I would like to find ONE author who hasn't.

[duchym.livejournal.com]

No kidding! Even some truly great writers like Shakespeare and Tolstoy have plenty of critics.

And since when have high sales had anything to do with high quality? Sure, there are some best selling authors who write wonderful and meaningful books, but there are also plenty (like LKH) who do NOT.

[siedhr.livejournal.com]

Hahahahahaha.
"As a world-famous author, Laurell doesn't understand bad reviews." XD

[gwynethfar.livejournal.com]

No, I deleted it out of disgust. That was really about the whole of the letter. There was an additional line about how if I was concerned about reviews on B&N.com I could get my publisher to remove them.

[x-trickster-x.livejournal.com]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry at this. @___@

[brightlotusmoon.livejournal.com]

*jaw drops*

I...
Um...
I...

Wow.

[ambrmerlinus.livejournal.com]

...

Whaaaaaaaat?

[othellia.livejournal.com]

... huh.

She's world famous?

[slayra.livejournal.com]

Yeah... like... is Darla deluded or something? Where in the heck did she get the idea LKH was "a world-famous author"??? Really, that's just too arrogant... :p

[siedhr.livejournal.com]

Short answer: yes. Long answer: yes, yes, yes.

[longtail.livejournal.com]

I think you've answered your own question. She's aware of it, but she reacts by getting defensive and dismissing it and focuses on Jon and Darla and the troos.

So yes, she's putting her hands over her ears and repeating over and over "I, the, best, writer, ever!"

[hellozombies.livejournal.com]

Since I know that Amazon has a 2.5 star rating, I checked Barnes & Noble and it has a 3.5 star rating.

And then I found this particular review:

Whitney (Whittyrkala@yahoo.com), a read-aholic, 06/24/2008

My book is still in the mail. I have loved every single one of her books that i have read so far' I am still reading others'. Look if you don't like the books stop reading them it is that simple. Stop whinning it is embarassing 'your acting like Richard'. Can't wait to read this and the next one. Keep them comming Ms.Hamilton!

Thaaaaaat's why. There are many more like that on bn.com. I cannot stop laughing.

[genchaos.livejournal.com]

Wow. I can see she keeps her spelling in line with her idol's, even. :P

And if I were Richard, I'd act like him too.