(no subject)

[bites-the-sun.livejournal.com]

Any (ex)fans of Patricia Cornwell's Scarpetta series here?

I ask because it just struck me that the Scarpetta books have declined in quality in a very similiar manner to AB:VH - each series featuring a decent character who rapidly disintegrated into blatant Mary Sue-ishness and with angst replacing plot after the series had achieved some measure of success.

Thoughts?

Comments

[laney-1974.livejournal.com]

I've read all Scarpetta books except the most recent because I can't seem to get past her switch from first person to third person. So I'm assuming that the Mary-Sue-ishmness occurs after then? I didn't really pick it up in any of the books I've read (I think Black Notice was the last one I read).

[albinowolf.livejournal.com]

Exactly! They started to decline slightly before, but once she made the perspective switch they just crapped out. I used to be a fan until then, now I don't care if I ever read another.

[wickedmommy.livejournal.com]

oh no she ruined Marino?? I loved him in the books I read. I thought he had a great voice.

THIS COMMENT CONTAINS SEMI-SPOILERS.

[http://users.livejournal.com/belladonna_/]

AMEN, sister.

With the perspective shift came my single biggest pet peeve - when she starts referring to the character simply as "Scarpetta." It is sooooo pretentious.

I stopped reading after, I think, Blowfly? The whole thing just got too dumb. She made Marino so unattractive, I didn't buy the whole Jay Talley storyline, and the whole Benton thing was just too retarded to be believed.

I also hate how she sort of made Kay half-assedly pseudo-gay but then stopped short of actually going there.

Re: THIS COMMENT CONTAINS SEMI-SPOILERS.

[http://users.livejournal.com/belladonna_/]

Honestly, I never *loved* Kay, but the stories were well-plotted, well-written, there was a good amount of technical detail, and I was interested in the peripheral characters.

The Temple Gault thing was good and convincing and scary at first, but then the whole EVERY SERIAL KILLED YOU HAVE EVER MET WERE ALL HANGING OUT ON LIEK THE INTERNETS OR SOMETHING AND IT IS ALL A PLOT!1!!!1!!

Re: THIS COMMENT CONTAINS SEMI-SPOILERS.

[http://users.livejournal.com/belladonna_/]

Oops, I hit send too soon.

I meant, that whole bit was where she lost me.